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    ‘Impossible to know’ – Fans can’t believe there’s no goal-line technology in FA Cup after controversial Newcastle goal

    FANS were left amazed that there’s no goal-line technology in the FA Cup after Newcastle scored a controversial goal in their 3-2 win at Birmingham.The Premier League giants came from behind to fell their Championship hosts in Saturday’s crunch tie at St Andrew’s.Newcastle scored a controversial goal at Birmingham to leave fans puzzledCredit: GettyJoe Willock’s shot did not appear to entirely cross the line – but the FA Cup does not have Hawk EyeWillock ended up bagging an 86th minute winner for Toon for 3-2Credit: ReutersFormer Manchester United defender Ethan Laird netted for Brum with just seconds on the clock.Newcastle then fought back 20 minutes later with an equaliser through Joe Willock.And his second strike in the 86th minute eventually sealed a 3-2 victory for the visitors.But some felt Willock’s first goal should not have stood – though not for the exact same reason as Harry Maguire’s last-gasp winner for United against Leicester yesterday.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLWillock’s shot appeared to not fully cross the line as it was blocked by Brum goalie Bailey Peacock-Farrell.However, the linesman judged the ball to have crossed over entirely.And the goal was therefore given to Toon, sparking wild celebrations among the travelling supporters.In a Premier League match, the issue would have been cleared up instantly due to the use of Hawk Eye, the goal-line technology which determines whether or not the ball has crossed the line.Most read in FA CupJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSIf it has gone over, it sends a clear noise to the referee’s headset.However, it is not in use in the FA Cup, making the linesman’s decision to award Willock the goal even more controversial.Eddie Howe determined to end Newcastle’s trophy drought in Carabao Cup final Callum Wilson was on the score sheet tonightCredit: AFPTomoki Iwata netted a stunner for Brum but Willock snuffed out their hopes later onCredit: AlamyReplays suggested the ball may have just snuck over the line, but a firm decision would have been impossible to make without goal-line technology.And football fans reacted in disbelief after discovering it was not in use for the FA Cup.Former Birmingham defender Matthew Upson was on comms and said: “It’s a tough one to call.“It’s actually impossible to tell whether that’s fully over the line.”A fan declared: “This is why technology is integral to today’s game, like it or not.”One noted: “Not even close to being fully over the line.”Another added: “Appalling decision, the linesman was at least two yards behind the play, he couldn’t have seen if the ball was over the line from his angle.”Things got worse for Birmingham minutes later when Newcastle took the lead through Callum Wilson.READ MORE SUN STORIESBut the hosts stayed firm as Tomoki Iwata struck a sumptuous equaliser before half-time.Willock had the last laugh though as he fired in an 86th minute winner for 3-2, sending Newcastle through to the fifth round of the Cup. More

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    ‘We were extremely disappointed’ – Leeds release statement after Millwall fans’ vile chants about murdered supporters

    LEEDS said they were “extremely disappointed” after Millwall fans chanted about the deaths of Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight.The two Leeds supporters were stabbed to death in Istanbul in 2000, ahead of the club’s UEFA Cup semi-final against Galatasaray.Leeds have released a statement after vile chants were heard in their FA Cup game with MillwallCredit: GettyThe visitors reached the fifth round of the FA Cup with a 2-0 victoryCredit: AlamyLeeds welcomed Millwall to Elland Road on Saturday afternoon in the FA Cup fourth round.But vile chants were heard from the away end, with Leeds responding after the game. A statement from the Championship leaders read: “We were extremely disappointed to hear vile chants relating to football tragedies from the away section at Elland Road.”We know the impact this has on the families of Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight, along with the whole fan base of Leeds United.READ MORE ON FOOTBALL”We will work with the police and Millwall Football Club to identify those involved.”We will also continue our efforts with the football authorities to help eradicate these chants from the game.”Leeds boss Daniel Farke added: “Life and death and the health of human beings is much more important than a football game.”The whole football world stands for this and wants to back those values.Most read in Football”Obviously it is a situation which needs to be looked into.”A Millwall spokesman added: “Both clubs have suffered tragic losses to their respective families in recent history.”Chanting about this is entirely unacceptable and will not be tolerated by the club or the governing bodies.”It has no place in football and the club will work closely with Leeds United and authorities to identify those responsible.”Leeds fell to a 2-0 defeat on the day after thanks to a brace from Millwall striker Femi Azeez.It was Farke’s side’s first loss on home soil since September and the Lions’ first win at Elland Road since 2018. More

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    Brighton vs Chelsea live stream FREE: How to watch FA Cup clash today

    CHELSEA will be aiming to capitalise on a depleted Brighton tonight after they conceded SEVEN goals to Nottingham Forest in a huge loss last weekend.The Blues have won just three of six games this calendar year, picking up wins against Morecambe and Wolves, but losing their recent crunch clash to Manchester City.Chelsea beat West Ham on MondayCredit: GettyBrighton conceded SEVEN at Forest last weekendCredit: ReutersBrighton are off the back of a huge loss at the City Ground, with Nottingham Forest putting seven past the Seagulls. Enzo Maresca’s side have beaten Brighton in all of their last three meetings, most recently a 4-2 victory, in which Cole Palmer scored four first half goals at Stamford Bridge.How to watch Brighton vs Chelsea for FREEWhat other games are on this round?Blackburn host Wolves at 12:30pm GMT on Sunday, February 9, in the first of three fixtures on Sunday.Liverpool travel to Plymouth at 3pm GMT in the second game on Sunday, February 9, and Aston Villa host Tottenham at 5.35pm GMT in the final game on Sunday.There are two more fixtures in the week, as Doncaster host Crystal Palace at 7.45pm GMT on Monday, February 10, and Nottingham Forest travel to Exeter on Tuesday, February 11, at 8pm GMT. More

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    Chelsea closing in on transfer for Sporting wonderkid Dario Essugo despite young stars’ concerns about joining Blues

    CHELSEA are closing in on a deal for Sporting Lisbon star Dario Essugo.The Blues want to sort out a fee with the Portuguese side quickly as the 19-year-old midfielder’s reputation grows on loan at Las Palmas.Chelsea are closing in on a deal for Sporting Lisbon star Dario EssugoCredit: GettyEssugo’s reputation grows while on loan at Las PalmasCredit: GettyEssugo will only be keen if he is to be part of the squad — a growing issue with young stars chased by the London club.Striker Eli Junior Kroupi, 18, chose Bournemouth instead of Chelsea last week when he quit French side Lorient.And the Blues’ Argentinian centre-half Aaron Anselmino, 19, refused a loan to Strasbourg because he does not want to be moved around.Essugo joined Sporting in 2014 at the tender age of nine years old.Read More on FootballAfter eight years within the Lisbon giants’ youth ranks, the defensive midfielder earned a senior call-up.The Portugal Under-21 international would then split his time between the first and B team.That led to recent loan stints at Chaves and of course Las Palmas.Essugo has amassed a total of one goal in 14 appearances with the LaLiga outfit this season.Most read in FootballThis comes after a total of 25 appearances with Sporting the last four years.Essugo made history with the Portuguese outfit in 2021 when he became the club’s youngest ever player to wear the jersey at just 16 years and six daysChelsea vs West Ham: Player Ratings BreakdownChelsea didn’t bring any new players during this past January transfer window.The Blues just recalled Gabriel Slonina, Trevoh Chalobah, David Datro Fofana and Anselmino from their loan stints. More

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    Thiago Silva’s Wag Belle enjoys sunshine break on luxury yacht as their son Isago, 16, makes debut for Chelsea U-18s

    LIFE doesn’t get much better for Thiago Silva’s family.Or that’s what the Chelsea legend’s wife and elder son might tell him!Belle Silva’s army of online fans loved her bikini snapsCredit: Instagram / @bellesilvaShe has 724,000 followers on Instagram aloneCredit: Instagram / @bellesilvaBelle rated this adventure with friends as ‘therapeutic’Credit: Instagram / @bellesilvaShe named three special things in her life while at seaCredit: Instagram / @bellesilvaSocial media star Belle looked in balmy bliss on a “therapeutic” trip with friends aboard a luxury yacht off the sunny Brazilian coast.Meanwhile, the couple’s 16-year-old son Isago took another huge step forward to fulfilling his and dad Thiago’s dream.Isago made his Chelsea Under-18s debut, having joined the Blues’ youth team along with younger sibling Iago four years ago.Thiago would dearly love his two sons to follow him all the way into the Stamford Bridge first team.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe 40-year-old centre-back is still playing after returning to home-country giants Fluminense last May.Defender Isago, who normally plays in Chelsea’s U-16s, came on for the final 25 minutes as the U-18s beat Leicester 3-1 on Saturday.Mum Belle was sometimes a fiercely outspoken fan when her husband was at Stamford Bridge.But she will have had only an extra big grin on her face after Isago’s age-group elevation.Most read in FootballThiago Silva said a tearful goodbye from Chelsea in May 2024, with wife Belle plus sons Isago and Iago in attendanceCredit: ReutersJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSHowever, it would be difficult to top the huge smile she wore when soaking in every second out in the water off secluded beaches.Super-toned Belle relaxed in a bikini as she shared snaps and named the three things that made it all so special.Kyle Walker’s wife Annie Kilner set to get £750k to star in Celeb Big Brother – but only if bosses agree to strict ruleAlong with her Instagram photos, she wrote: “Bathing in the sea, friends getting together and my Rio de Janeiro… “There are things that are not therapy, but they are therapeutic, right?”And far from sounding envious, Belle’s online admirers lapped up her love for life.One said: “Wonderful as always, thank you for providing a weekend in my week.””Congratulations! You know how to enjoy life,” commented another, while a third simply claimed: “You are the best!”And one fan appeared to suggest Belle’s online offerings were literally out of this world.He called her the “best digital influencer in the universe”.Fans are used to Belle sharing snaps in perfect weatherCredit: Instagram @bellesilvaShe lists ‘fashion, family & lifestyle’ as prime interestsCredit: Instagram @bellesilvaHer smile suggests locations don’t come more dreamy than thisCredit: INSTAGRAM/BELLE SILVABelle was happy to speak her mind while Thiago was at ChelseaCredit: instagram @bellesilva More

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    Sheffield Wednesday in sights of controversial owner who took EFL club to brink of COLLAPSE

    TALAL AL HAMMAD aims to make a comeback as a football owner – with Sheffield Wednesday firmly in his sights.The Bahraini had a disastrous spell at Wigan but now wants another shot in England.Talal Al Hammad is eyeing a shock move to become owner of Sheffield WednesdayCredit: GettyThe former Wigan owner left the Latics on the brink of bankruptcyCredit: GettyDejphon Chansiri has owned the Owls since 2015Credit: GettyAl Hammad bought the Latics when they were in administration four years ago.But after a frantic period in charge, he took the club to the brink of collapse.However, the Arab is now keen to cooperate with unhappy Owls fan groups who are trying to oust controversial owner Dejphon Chansiri.Chansiri disappointed supporters with a quiet January transfer window as the Owls chase the Championship play-offs – only fanning resentment.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLBut he wants big money for the club, so that may be beyond the reach of Al Hammad.Young German coach Danny Rohl has guided Wednesday to the cusp of the playoff spots.In a disastrous fan forum last month Chansiri admitted he hadn’t spoken to Rohl since December.Wednesday, four-time league champions and three-time FA Cup winners, haven’t been in the top flight in 25 years.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSThe club were relegated from the Premier League in 2000.They have since bounced around between League One and the Championship, with Rohl saving them from the drop last season.Fan confronts stewards armed with CORNER FLAG as Sheffield Wednesday fans invade pitch after all-but avoiding relegationWednesday’s last Championship playoff campaign was way back in 2017, when they lost in the semi-finals to Huddersfield Town. Protests were held at the recent Yorkshire derby against Leeds by the 1867 Group against Chansiri’s ownership. Club legend Chris Waddle begged the Thai businessman to sell up prior to kick-off at Elland Road.Waddle told ITV Sport: “Rohl has got great believe in his squad.”They work tirelessly and have overachieved this season in my eyes.”It’s a great club. Great fan base, great history and I’d love somebody to buy them.”Wednesday fans recently protested against the owner and called on him to sell the clubCredit: Getty More

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    Inside Birmingham’s feel-good relegation, with ticket sales UP, wages at staggering level and ambitious plans for future

    IF EVER there was a feel-good  reaction to being relegated from the Championship, Birmingham had it last year.You could have forgiven supporters for venting their anger after a season which saw them use four managers and drop into League One.Tom Wagner has helped transform BirminghamCredit: RexTom Brady invited pal David Beckham to watch against WrexhamCredit: GettyBrum striker Jay Stansfield and Co are now hoping to stun NewcastleCredit: RexBut with the stardust of seven-time Super Bowl-winner Tom Brady in the background and a £20million transfer kitty, this was different.The message from the club now is: “It’s not the league you’re in, it’s the club that you are.”Even fans who demand instant  success could see there was something bigger at work here.Under American owner Tom Wagner and the Knighthead Capital Management group  — who took over in 2023 — things are on the up.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLBlues sit four points clear at the top of League One, with two games in hand on their promotion rivals.And as they host Premier League side Newcastle on Saturday, the gap between the teams may not be as great as you think.The Tynesiders have plans for a new stadium but so does big-spending Wagner, with a 60,000-seater arena scheduled for 2029 at the earliest.It could have been a summer of misery after Brum’s relegation but  season ticket sales were their best in 13 years, such was the optimism over the club’s rebuild.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSMost home games are near sell-outs at the 29,409-capacity St Andrew’s.Manager Chris Davies was allowed  to spend £20m on a squad rebuild, including a new League One transfer record to bring in striker Jay Stansfield from Fulham for an initial £12m rising to £15m.David Beckham: Beyond the Pitch and Into the ScreenThe wage bill this season is in the region of £20m-£9m more than the next highest in the division — which would see them having a sizeable budget even in the Championship.But crucially there are no Profit and Sustainability Rules at work here.Birmingham are subject to SCMP  — Salary Cost Management Protocols — and, as a newly-relegated club, they can spend 75 per cent of turnover on player expenditure.Financial priorities will change with a  return to PSR in the  Championship.In the second tier clubs can lose up to £39m over a rolling three-year   period before being hit with any  punishment.But with promotion looking likely, Davies will be looking at another large transfer kitty.That is currently being helped by the generation of huge revenues from  partnerships with the likes of Nike, Delta Air Lines and sportswear brand Undefeated.And on Super Bowl weekend, it cannot be forgotten NFL legend Brady is also listed as a “minority owner” at St Andrew’s.When Birmingham hosted Hollywood-backed Wrexham earlier this season, Brady brought along pal David Beckham to watch the game.Yet, despite plans for a new Sports Quarter and super stadium, an incredible £15m was spent on their current home in the summer.And that was after making repairs to dilapidated areas of the ground.Newcastle celebrated reaching the Carabao Cup final but face a daunting FA Cup fourth-round clash at League One leaders BirminghamCredit: ReutersBrum chiefs have splashed out on their ground but want a new baseCredit: GettyBut why splash out on major improvements to their current home when a move is in the pipeline?The Blues are thinking on their feet. The reasoning is they want to grow their fanbase, as a leap from 29,000-plus crowds to more than 60,000 does not happen overnight.Wagner and his team want fans on board now and that means offering a matchday experience.Birmingham are already working on attracting more eight to 14-year-olds to games as they feel there has been a ‘lost generation’ of fans who were fed up of seeing them tread water under a Far Eastern ownership that appeared detached from supporters.Chief executive Jeremy Dale says they are already geared up to compete in the Championship — and beyond.He told Birmingham Live this week: “From a commercial perspective, the club is doing better than ever before.”If we got promoted, even to the Premier League, if we had the Premier League TV money we wouldn’t be in the bottom few teams in that league.“We’d be just below halfway, from a commercial perspective.“We believe next season, from a commercial point of view, we would be performing within the top five or six in the Championship.READ MORE SUN STORIES“The commercial partners say they can feel the vibe as they walk around the stadium — which is entirely different to what there was before.“They realise it’s not the league you’re in, it’s the club you are.” More

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    Arsenal boost as Mikel Arteta considers putting Ben White straight back in squad just days after returning to training

    MIKEL ARTETA is considering throwing Ben White straight back into the Arsenal squad – just days after returning to full training following a knee operation.The Gunners have been in Dubai since Thursday morning for a mid-season winter break – flying back to London on Tuesday ahead of their Prem clash at Leicester on Saturday.Arsenal ace Ben White is closing in on a return from knee injuryCredit: GettyArsenal boss Mikel Arteta is considering throwing White straight back into the squadCredit: GettyWhite has followed Arsenal’s squad for the mid-season winter break in DubaiCredit: GettyOne of the standout names in the travelling group out in the Middle East is right-back White, 27 – who has not played since November 10.The versatile defender underwent knee surgery, having played through the pain for weeks, with fears he could be out for five or six months – but is now in contention to feature after three months of rehab.Arsenal’s medics predicted a speedy recovery from White, whose injury record has been exemplary since joining the club from Brighton in the summer of 2021 for £50million.And they have been proven right with White ahead of schedule and back in full training with the first team in a timely boost for the North Londoners.Read More on ArsenalFull-back is a position that Arteta has plenty of options in with the likes of Riccardo Calafiori, Jurrien Timber, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Kieran Tierney to choose from.As a result, the Arsenal boss will not take any unnecessary risks – but is keen to get White back on the bench to face the Foxes at the King Power Stadium.Winger Bukayo Saka is also out in Dubai with the squad, but has not been involved in training, instead continuing his rehab from hamstring surgery underwent just before Christmas.The England star is due back at the start of March, with Arsenal targeting the Champions League Last 16 first leg on either March 4 or 5 – or their trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United in the Prem on March 9.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSBut the injury issues continue to pile up for Arteta with Gabriel Martinelli potentially out for a month with a hamstring issue.The Brazilian hobbled off in the first half of their 2-0 Carabao Cup semi-final second leg defeat away at Newcastle on Wednesday.Ben White ruled out for months in mega blow to Arsenal title hopes, confirms Mikel Arteta There are hopes that Martinelli – who has also flown out to Dubai – can defy that timeline and get back sooner ahead of the final run-in to the end of the season.Martinelli joins Saka and striker Gabriel Jesus in the medical room – the latter out for the rest of 2025 following an operation on an ACL rupture last month.Arteta’s fit attacking options include Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling and 17-year-old academy product Ethan Nwaneri. More