Philippa Kaur

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    Arsenal identify PSG ‘weakness’ who has been constant scourge to England and Premier League sides in Europe

    ITALIAN star Gianluigi Donnarumma is seen as one of the best keepers in the world — but Arsenal will target him.The Paris Saint-Germain No 1, 26, broke England’s hearts at Euro 2020.Gianluigi Donnarumma was in poor form in PSG’s loss to Arsenal in the group stagesCredit: GettyHe helped dump Liverpool out of the last 16 of this year’s Champions League and then frustrated Aston Villa in the quarter-finals.Donnarumma has now played over 400 senior games but there is concern over his inability to deal with corners and crosses.He can also be suspect with the ball at his feet.Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is certain to tell his players to fire crosses into the box and they will look to make the most of their set-pieces.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLDonnarumma’s shortcomings were exposed in the 2-0 loss at Arsenal in the group stages in October.The Gunners’ first goal saw a hesitant Donnarumma beaten as Kai Havertz anticipated a cross from Leandro Trossard and nodded in.Donnarumma was beaten again when Bukayo Saka’s low free-kick from the right went straight under him.The Italian’s view of the ball may have been obscured, but there seemed to be no talking between Donnarumma and his defenders.Most read in Champions LeagueCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSLast season in the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Barcelona, Donnarumma failed to come for a corner and Andreas Christensen  headed a winner.Despite his imposing stature — he is 6ft 5in — he stood rooted to his line and seemed unsure how to judge the ball’s flight.Mikel Arteta targets Champions League glory after Arsenal knock out Real Madrid Earlier in that match, Donnarumma struggled with Lamine Yamal’s cross and Raphinha put Barca ahead.Donnarumma’s hesitancy repeated itself in the semi-final return leg against Dortmund when Mats Hummels rose unchallenged to head in Julian Brandt’s corner from the left.The ex-Milan hero also made blunders trying to pass the ball out from defence in some Ligue 1 games in the last two terms.In the Nations League in March he was too busy arguing with his Italy team-mates to notice that Germany’s Joshua Kimmich had taken a corner and Jamal Musiala was ready to tap into an empty net.By the time Donnarumma had realised what was happening, Germany had scored.He was also blamed for PSG’s defeat by Liverpool in the first leg of the last-16 tie, allowing Harvey Elliott’s 87th-minute effort to slip in.Equally, the keeper made amends by saving from Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones in the shootout at Anfield.Yet Donnarumma’s greatest moment came at Wembley four years ago when he saved penalties from England’s Jadon Sancho and Saka in the shootout for Italy to be crowned kings of Europe.Earlier this month, a L’Equipe headline read: ‘God save Donnarumma’ in reference to him stopping Aston Villa reaching the Champions League semi-finals.Read More on The SunAfter Friday’s 3-1 defeat to Nice saw PSG lose their unbeaten league record, the same newspaper gave him a mark of 3/10.Donnarumma did not come for high balls on two of the goals and Arsenal will hope for more of the same on Tuesday night.Luis Enrique’s side lost their unbeaten Ligue 1 record last weekCredit: GettyMikel Arteta will be hoping to exploit PSG’s weaknessesCredit: RexBukayo Saka and Co will target Gianluigi DonnarummaCredit: Getty More

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    Man City star Ederson ‘has concrete chances’ to LEAVE Etihad just a year after lucrative transfer collapsed

    MANCHESTER CITY star Ederson reportedly has “concrete chances” to leave this summer — just a year after seeing a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia collapse.Ederson, 31, came close to leaving City after winning his sixth Premier League title in 2024 following concrete interest from the Middle East.Ederson has ‘concrete chances’ to leave Man City this summerCredit: GettyHe was offered £900,000-a-week to quit the Etihad and refused to play down links before remaining in the north west.But Fabrizio Romano claims Saudi clubs have reignited their interest in the Brazil international.And Ederson could now finally leave City for new riches, with Pep Guardiola ready to part ways.The 2023 Treble winner has made just 22 Premier League appearances this term — his lowest-ever figure.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLEderson has missed City’s last three matches, including Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final win over Nottingham Forest, after limping off against Crystal Palace with a mystery injury 16 days ago.His City contract, worth £180k-a-week, runs until 2026.But with No2 Stefan Ortega proving his worth on multiple occasions, Ederson could become the latest big name to leave City.Kyle Walker packed his bags for AC Milan in January.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERSWhile legend Kevin De Bruyne will depart on a free transfer when his contract expires this summer.There are also questions marks over the likes of Ilkay Gundogan, John Stones and Nathan Ake.Ederson’s wife stuns in see-through dress as she steals show at Fifa The Best awards to cheer on Man City starCity have already embarked on a squad rebuild, spending £180m on stars including Omar Marmoush and Nico Gonzalez in January.The likes of Nico O’Reilly and James McAtee have also enjoyed decent minutes.And after boss Guardiola ended talk over his future by penning a deal until 2027, a new phase of City’s history is well underway. More

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    Chelsea given green light to stage home games at Twickenham while they redevelop Stamford Bridge

    RFU boss Bill Sweeney wants to stage Chelsea games at Twickenham whilst the Premier League outfit redevelop Stamford Bridge.Sweeney is desperate to maximise revenue from the 82,000 capacity home of English rugby and would be open to the Blues moving in temporarily.Todd Boehly wants to redevelop Stamford BridgeCredit: GettyThe Blues could temporarily play home matches at TwickenhamCredit: GettyCole Palmer and Co could move to a temporary homeCredit: GettyChelsea want to upgrade the Bridge to take 60,000 instead of the current 42,000 but would need a temporary home when the builders move in.Spurs played at Wembley from 2017 to 2019 while they built the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and hosting Chelsea for a couple of seasons would give the RFU a massive cash windfall.Sweeney insists the ground is licensed to play Premier League but fears local council Richmond could kibosh the move.Sweeney said: “It would be a big financial number. The licence would allow it to happen and there have been conversations previously about possible Premier League clubs coming here.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL“Richmond council is more concerned in terms of impact on local residents, numbers of fans and so on they’re a little bit more sensitive.”It may depend on which club it is. I know they would definitely have a conversation about that though.”Sweeney recently threatened to move England’s base from Twickenham to the Midlands , with Milton Keynes an option, because of a row over Beyonce concerts.Twickenham could not offer the American superstar the six gigs she is playing at Spurs this summer because of restrictions on the number of non-sports events it can hold.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSCurrently they are limited to three per year but Sweeney is confident that will be raised, boosting the RFU coffers, and they will stay put.He added: “We’re making really progress with Richmond. The conversations with them have been positive, it’s a cooperative process.Todd Boehly gives major Chelsea stadium update and vows to leave Stamford Bridge“They see the value that we bring to the area and they understand why we need to have more non-rugby events when you compare it to Tottenham, to Wembley, the O2, they can see why we need those non-rugby events to make the thing viable.“We’ve just completed the survey of local residents and we had the split between five minutes from the stadium and 15 minutes from the stadium.”I think the figure was, and it was much bigger than we were expecting, 75 per cent support in terms of do you support the stadium hosting more or a lot of non-rugby events.”I’m confident it’s going in the right direction.”Shifting England away from Twickenham would have been a bombshell move and plans are in place for it to have a £600m facelift.“We’ve always said our preference was to remain here,” Sweeney said.Read More on The Sun”Not just for cultural reasons and the history.”Hospitality and ticketing are 50 per cent of our revenue and from a geographical point of view this is a really important part of the country to be in.”Bill Sweeney has discussed Twickenham’s futureCredit: PATottenham Hotspur Stadium hosts several non-football events yearCredit: PA More

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    Jamie Vardy ‘plotting shock Premier League transfer’ as ex-England star, 38, confirms Leicester exit

    JAMIE VARDY believes that he can still play in the Premier League and does not want to drop down to the Championship. Vardy, 38, confirmed that he would be leaving Leicester City after 13 years, with the Foxes relegated from the top flight with a whimper. Vardy will blow the whistle on his 13-year stay at LeicesterCredit: GettyVardy was powerless to stop the Foxes falling to another defeat at WolvesCredit: AlamyThe striker brandished the campaign a “s***show” before announcing he was leaving in an emotional farewell message. The Foxes’ fate was sealed when they failed to beat champions Liverpool at home. His spell at the King Power Stadium included winning the Premier League title in 2015-16, to go along with his Player of the Season and place in the PFA Team of the Year. He won the Premier League Golden Boot in 2019-20 on 23 goals, one ahead of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Read more FootballVardy has scored seven goals in 32 games this term for Leicester. He had previously been tipped to make “the most obvious transfer of all time” to Wrexham. BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERSHowever, Sky Sports reported that Vardy does not want to drop down to the second tier, instead fancying himself to keep doing the business in the top flight.He had previously been linked with a move to Major League Soccer, while former Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp believes that should Vardy join Wrexham, owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, the striker could fire the Welsh side into the Premier League. Most read in FootballWrexham were promoted to the Championship last weekend after they beat Charlton Athletic 3-0 at the Racecourse Ground. Jamie Vardy reveals best XI he’s played with at Leicester with huge snub to England stars and entire current squadHe has also been touted for a fairytale return to his boyhood club Sheffield Wednesday. Vardy, who won 26 caps for England, scoring seven times, is reported to begin his hunt for a new club after the end of the league season.  More

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    I tried Harry Kane’s knobbly sticks as England star takes on Gary Lineker with his own snack brand – here’s my verdict

    SHOULD you put Harry Kane’s knobbly stick in your mouth?SunSport’s Dan King, who knows even more about savoury treats than football, put Kane’s late surge into the crisp market to the taste test.The Kane-backed sorghum and corn snacks, which also contain the probiotic Bacillus Coagulans, are special editions of the brand Insane Grain.SunSport’s Dan King tried Harry Kane’s snack brandKane is looking to surpass fellow England legend Gary Lineker off the pitchKane has already surpassed Lineker on England goals, now he’s targeting his crisp empireAnd although the England captain has surpassed Gary Lineker’s goal tally for the Three Lions, he won’t be beating the crisp-munching Match of the Day presenter in the supermarket aisles.If you’re looking for a taste experience as potent as Kane is in front of goal, you will be disappointed.But the Bayern Munich striker’s line of “healthy” snacks, is perfectly pleasant and won’t scare the kids, much like the man himself.Read More on FootballA PITCH OF SALTThe pale yellow colour is neither enticing nor repellent, and the same can be said of the flavour. It does what it says on the packet: a little bit of salt, not too much (although the nutritional information shows this is the most salty of the three varieties). It’s fine. I would probably want to dunk it in a dip of some kind, but that would defeat the object of choosing something that is allegedly good for you – or at least less bad than other snacks.Rating: 4/10Kane has released three flavours, starting with A Pitch of SaltSALT & VINEGOAALAnother pun that even Lineker might turn down, but my favourite of the lot. You have to be prepared to overlook their appearance. They are horribly beige, but without the promise of the pure filth that comes with a similarly-coloured pork scratching. Most read in FootballI know my salt’n’vinegar. Although this doesn’t deliver the punch of the king of all versions – McCoys, ridged for your pleasure – there is a decent tang of malt vinegar.Rating: 7/10Kane also released Salt & VinegoaalCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSSTRIKIN’ HOTLet’s be honest here: baked knobbly sticks are basically Nik Naks by another name. So you are immediately putting them up against the supreme NN variety, Nice ’N’ Spicy. And much like Kane’s old club Tottenham, these really are a distant second best. Again, the flavour is fine, but there’s just not enough of it. If you tell me something is going to be hot, I want to really feel that heat. A bit of spice lingers in the after-taste, but not enough to excite me.Rating 5/10And finally, Kane has put together Strikin’ HotHarry Kane leaves fans stunned by his German and fans are convinced it is a major hint over transfer future OVERALL VERDICTIf you’re a parent looking for something to keep your kids quiet, without stuffing them full of salt and fat, then this could work (as long as you watch the portion size). Children often don’t like strong flavours anyway and the football link might persuade them to overlook any disappointment in that aspect.But if you’re planning a Bank Holiday weekend spread in the sunshine, there are tastier and cheaper ways to hit the back of the net.Despite what Kane says on the back of the packets, they are not “insanely delicious”. Paying £2 per bag? I won’t be Bayern them again. More

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    Former Napoli star, 23, jailed after being found guilty of taking part in armed carjacking

    FORMER Napoli starlet Nathaniel Amoah has been sent to prison – after being found guilty of taking part in an armed carjacking.The Dutch defender, 23, spent the 2020-21 season with the current Italian league leaders.Former Napoli starlet Nathaniel Amoah has been sent to prisonHe rubbed shoulders with ex-Chelsea ace Kalidou Koulibaly and Belgium star Dries Mertens at the Serie A club.Amsterdam-born Amoah went on to play for Norwegian club Egersund, plus Belgian sides Patro Eisden and Tongeren.But a court in the Belgian city Kortrijk handed the right-back a two-year prison sentence on Monday morning.Amoah was also fined £2,800 for his part in stealing a hired Mercedes from a motorist last July.Read More on FootballHis accomplice, named only as Yasser A., received identical punishments.  The 28-year-old is also a Dutch citizen.Prosecutors told the trial: “A man wearing a balaclava threatened to use a weapon in order to force the driver to hand over the keys of his rented car.”The incident took place at an Esso petrol station at Marke, near Kortrijk in western Belgium.The stolen car war discovered at nearby Wevelgem an hour later, and the two men were arrested later that day.Most read in FootballThe trial heard Amoah and Yasser were found with five mobile phones, the balaclava and the clothing seen in security camera footage of the robbery.Amoah’s lawyer Gregory Everaert claimed: “The CCTV images showed that he was walking round the parking area, but he did not approach the [victim’s] car.”Amoah has previous convictions for theft in the Netherlands.  He has been without a club since leaving Patro Eisden two summers ago. More

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    ‘Looks class’ – Three-time English champs release incredible video as they prepare to build one of UK’s biggest stadiums

    LEEDS have released a video showcasing their plans for Elland Road’s redevelopment.The Yorkshire outfit, who secured their promotion back to the Premier League last week, announced that they had been given the green light by Leeds City Council to expand their home ground. Leeds released mock-ups of their home ground renovationElland Road is set for a makeoverCredit: PAElland Road currently houses 37,645, but the new plans will see it become the one of the biggest stadia in the UK. It will go above Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium as the fifth largest ground in the country, and a planning application is set to be submitted later this year. Leeds announced on their website that the estimated final capacity of Elland Road would be 56,500, and plans will include the “revitalisation of the West and North Stands, along with changes to the South Stand”. Fans on social media loved the plans, with one taking to X to say: “This looks class tbf,”, while another said it was “the best they could possibly have [sic] done”. Read more FootballOthers described the Whites’ mock-up as “f***ing beautiful” and “sexy”. Leeds, the three-time champions of England, will be back in the top tier next term after Daniel Farke guided them back to the big time at the second time of asking. They put last season’s play-off final heartbreak behind them to seal promotion with two games to spare after Sheffield United were beaten by Burnley, who will also join Farke’s side back in the Premier League. Leeds face play-off hopefuls Bristol City at Elland Road on Monday evening in their penultimate game of the campaign.Most read in FootballBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UKThe estimated final capacity of Elland Road will be 56,500Credit: X @LUFCThe stadium will be the fifth largest in the countryCredit: X @LUFCLeeds fans loved the new imagesCredit: X @LUFCA win would see them draw level with table-topping Burnley before next weekend’s finale.Should they beat the Robins, they will leapfrog Scott Parker’s Clarets and be in the driving seat going into the final day – with the title on the line. Patrick Bamford leads fans in X-rated chant about Chris Wilder as Leeds celebrate promotionLeeds’ goal difference is superior to that of Burnley, despite the two being tied on points should the Whites beat Bristol City. City, managed by Liam Manning, are the surprise package in the play-off mix, sitting fifth in the table. A win at Leeds would cement their place in the top six, but a draw would leave them just two points clear of Coventry City, Millwall, and Blackburn Rovers on their coattails. More

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    FA Cup final puts Manchester City back in Dream Team spotlight as fixtures get rarer

    DREAM TEAM managers haven’t been able to rely on Manchester City this season.Pep Guardiola’s side started 2024/25 having won four consecutive Premier League titles and it seemed normal service had been resumed during the first three months of the campaign as Man City went unbeaten in all competitions until late October.But once the floodgates opened, things quickly went downhill.Man City can salvage their season with victory in the FA Cup finalCredit: GettyMan City won just once in the space of 13 games in a dismal run that lasted from Halloween until Boxing Day.During this time, they dropped out of the title race, were eliminated from the Carabao Cup, and severely disadvantaged themselves in the Champions League.Dream Team bosses had no choice but to find replacements for under-performing individuals.And when Guardiola’s troops were dumped out of Europe by Real Madrid in February, even more gaffers decided it was time to look elsewhere.However, as the season draws to a close, Man City are shuffling back into the spotlight once again.Gvardiol is up to fifth among Dream Team defendersCredit: GettyOn Sunday, goals from Rico Lewis (£2.2m) and Josko Gvardiol (£4.2m) secured City a place in the FA Cup final at the expense of Nottingham Forest.In Dream Team terms, their meeting with Crystal Palace on May 17th represents something very valuable: an additional point-scoring opportunity.Most read in FootballWith just four Gameweeks remaining once the current one is complete, every fixture counts.This is the same reason why the upcoming European semi-finals featuring Arsenal, Manchester United, Tottenham and Chelsea are so useful.The majority of clubs have just four league fixtures remaining and so any extra avenues to points should be taken into account when gaffers come to make their transfers.Marmoush averages 7.2 points-per-game in 2024/25Credit: GettyA goal and clean sheet at Wembley resulted in a 14-point haul for Gvardiol at the weekend, his best single-game return of the season.This timely performance propelled the Croatia international up to fifth in the defender rankings, with an overall tally of 235 points to his name.It’s worth noting that since Nico O’Reilly (£2.8m) established himself as a rather handy left-back, Gvardiol has been playing as a centre-back.The 23-year-old is accustomed to playing centrally and has impressed in recent weeks but his Dream Team viability is reduced at centre-back as he doesn’t have the same license to get forward.That being said, he still offers an aerial threat from set-pieces, as Forest discovered to their detriment.Haaland may return before the end of the seasonCredit: GettyOmar Marmoush (£4.9m) has banked 69 points across his last eight games via four goals and two assists.The Egyptian forward has deputised for Erling Haaland (£7.8m) with aplomb and remains a strong option all the while he’s a guaranteed starter.Naturally, the prolific Norwegian No9 will be an excellent selection if he returns from injury.Read More on The SunMANCHESTER CITY’S REMAINING FIXTURES (DATES TBC)Wolves (h)Southampton (a)Crystal Palace (n)Bournemouth (h)Fulham (a)Score PredictorPlay Score Predictor with Dream Team this season!FREE to play£250 weekly prizePredict scores of five selected Premier League fixtures and earn points for accuracyMost points wins weekly cash prizePLAY NOW More