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    Declan Rice could miss Chelsea clash as Mikel Arteta admits Arsenal star ‘wasn’t feeling good the last few days’

    DECLAN RICE is a doubt for Arsenal’s clash against Chelsea next Sunday.Mikel Arteta has confirmed the midfielder will need to be assessed for the weekend clash.Mikel Arteta could be without £100m midfielder Declan Rice for Sunday’s clash against ChelseaCredit: ReutersRice missed training on Tuesday morning and did not travel with the squad to take on Inter MilanCredit: GettyIt comes after Rice, 25, did not travel with the squad for the Gunners’ Champions League clash with Inter Milan on Wednesday.The £105million star played for the full 90 minutes against Newcastle on Saturday, before missing training on Tuesday morning.Speaking to reporters before the trip to Italy, Arteta said: “Declan unfortunately picked up an injury against Newcastle. “He was able to finish and he wasn’t feeling good the last few days. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL”We’ll have to assess him on Thursday and see if he’s ready for Chelsea.”It is a potentially huge blow to Arsenal given their already stacked medical room.Club captain Martin Odegaard remains sidelined, while Riccardo Calafiori and Takehiro Tomiyasu will continue to be absent with knee injuries.Kieran Tierney is another who remains sidelined as he is yet to return to full training.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSArsenal now sit below Chelsea in the Premier League table after Enzo Maresca’s side rescued a point in a 1-1 draw with Manchester United on Sunday.The North London side were also rocked this week by the news that Edu was stepping down from his position of sporting director.Huge Arsenal boost as Martin Odegaard returns to training ahead of Inter Milan clash The Invincibles star is set to join Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis’ footballing empire in a triple-your-money deal.The news was confirmed in a statement on Monday evening.Arsenal and Edu resignation statement in fullEdu Gaspar has today resigned from his position as our Sporting Director.Edu, our former player and Invincible, re-joined us in the role of Technical Director in July 2019. He progressed through the club and was promoted to Sporting Director in November 2022, where he oversaw men’s, women’s and academy football.   We thank Edu for the part he has played in our renewed football strategy and driving the club forward with the values of Arsenal in his heart. Edu said: “This was an incredibly hard decision to make.”Arsenal has given me the opportunity to work with so many amazing people and the chance to be a part of something so special in the club’s history. It has been a special journey and I thank Stan, Josh, Tim and Lord Harris for the support they’ve given me.  “I’ve loved working with so many great colleagues across our men’s, women’s and academy teams, especially Mikel, who has become a great friend. “Now it is time to pursue a different challenge. Arsenal will always remain in my heart. I wish the club and its supporters only good things and all the very best.”Our Co-Chair, Josh Kroenke, added: “We respect Edu’s decision and thank him for his immense contribution and dedication to drive the club forward.  “Everyone at the club wishes him well. We are all so fond of him and the positive energy he brings to everything and everyone.  “Change and evolution is a part of our club.  We remain focused on our strategy and winning major trophies. Our succession plan will reflect this continued ambition.”Edu’s 35 signings rankedEDU oversaw the arrival of 35 players during his time at the club.Some worked out better than others.Here, SunSport ranks them from worst to best…35. Nicolas Pepe (£72m)34. Willian (Free)33. David Luiz (£8m)32. Runar Alex Runarsson (£2m)31. Mat Ryan (Loan)30. Fabio Vieira (£34m)29. Neto (Loan)28. Marquinhos (£3m)27. Nuno Tavares (£8m)26. Matt Turner (£5m)25. Cedric Soares (Free)24. Albert Sambi Lokonga (£17m)23. Pablo Mari (£5m)22. Dani Ceballos (Loan)21. Raheem Sterling (Loan)20. Jakub Kiwior (£17m)19. Jorginho (£12m)18. Riccardo Calafiori (£42m)17. Kieran Tierney (£25m)16. Takehiro Tomiyasu (£20m)15. Mikel Merino (£28m)14. Aaron Ramsdale (£24m)13. Oleksandr Zinchenko (£30m)12. Gabriel Jesus (£45m)11. Kai Havertz (£65m)10. Jurrien Timber (£38m)9. Gabriel Martinelli (£6m)8. David Raya (£27m)7. Leandro Trossard (£20m)6. Thomas Partey (£45m)5. Ben White (£50m)4. Gabriel Magalhaes (£27m)3. Declan Rice (£105m)2. William Saliba (£27m)1. Martin Odegaard (£30m)Click here to read more Arsenal stories. More

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    England hit with four-man injury list as Harry Maguire leads stars ruled out of Nations League decider in Greece

    HARRY MAGUIRE will miss England’s Nations League deciders against Greece and Republic of Ireland.Interim manager Lee Carsley is set to name the squad for his final two games in charge before Thomas Tuchel takes over.Harry Maguire is set to miss out on England’s clashes with Greece and FinlandCredit: GettyManchester United defender Maguire, 31, has not played since October 6 due to a calf problem.He featured in Carsley’s first match against Ireland but was left out of the last squad for the games with Greece and Finland.United team-mate Kobbie Mainoo, 19, is struggling with a muscle injury.Manchester City’s Jack Grealish, 29, looks set to miss out with injury, while Etihad pal John Stones, 30, has a foot problem.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSEngland were stunned by Greece at Wembley last month.Vangelis Pavlidis gave the brilliant visitors a deserved lead on 49 minutes.Jude Bellingham thought he’d rescued the Three Lions a point when he levelled three minutes from time.But Pavlidis would have the final say, netting four minutes into stoppage time to secure all three points.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSJack Grealish and John Stones are set to miss outCredit: SportsfileKobbie Mainoo is struggling with a muscular injuryCredit: ReutersCarsley’s men recovered three days later to beat Finland 3-1 in Helsinki.They trail Greece by three points going into their two final matches of the group stage.’I wasn’t contacted about the England job,’ admits Eddie Howe as he gives verdict on Thomas Tuchel appointment The Wembley clash with Ireland will be Carsley’s last in caretaker charge.New boss Tuchel will officially take over on January 1.Inside FA’s thrilling chase for TuchelTHE FA’s path to securing Thomas Tuchel’s signature was not a straightforward one.They tried to lure Pep Guardiola from Manchester City over the summer.They even made contact with Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti after deciding to target trophy-laden foreign gaffers.The FA’s determination to go international was summed up by their decision NOT to interview Newcastle boss Eddie Howe.Initial talks with Tuchel saw him express a slight interest in replacing Gareth Southgate.But he was waiting to see what would happen at Manchester United, with Erik ten Hag’s future under the spotlight.Man Utd owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe eventually decided to stick with Ten Hag – and that opened the door to the FA getting their man.Read the full story on England’s thrilling pursuit of Thomas Tuchel. More

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    Premier League chairman reveals 40,000-seater new stadium plan as he confirms ‘it’s on the to-do list’

    A PREMIER LEAGUE chairman has admitted that he hopes to raise his club’s stadium capacity to 40,000.Their current ground houses 29,673 supporters.A Premier League club has revealed exciting new plans for their stadiumCredit: BBCTheir chairman has revealed that he’d love to increase the capacity to 40,000Credit: BBCAhead of this season, the former FA Cup winners made some promising improvements.They upgraded media facilities upon their return to the top flight.While they introduced new VIP executive lounges.Among their next goals is to significantly increase the stadium’s capacity.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSIpswich Town have been planning to redevelop the Cobbold Stand, which was built in the 1970s and houses away fans, as well as home supporters.During an appearance on BBC Radio Suffolk, chairman Mark Ashton was asked about the Cobbold Stand by Town fans.He said of the stand, which houses 750 season ticket holders as well as the away end: “It’s on the to-do list – it’s not the top of the to-do list, I must be honest with you.”Why? Because I’m certainly not going to take a stand down in the midst of a Premier League season, that’s just not the right thing to do.”Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSIpswich’s Cobbold Stadium houses 750 season ticket holders as well as the away endCredit: GettyAshton has instead thought of a solution that would prevent those 750 season ticket holders being left stranded during a redevelopment.He added: “There’s a train of thought that says ‘no’, the next development there is the West Stand.Nottingham Forest owner Marinakis wants 50,000-seat City Ground “Which sees an increase in capacity in the West Stand, of surprise, surprise, circa 4,000 people.”So when you take down the Cobbold Stand people don’t lose their season tickets and they could move across.”While the expansion of Portman Road is on the radar, Ipswich are instead prioritising making improvements to their Playford Road training facility.They are set to submit a planning application for the training ground upgrades in the next fortnight.On the pitch, Kieran McKenna’s men are yet to win in 10 Premier League matches this season.They have been competitive, however, collecting five draws thus far.READ MORE SUN STORIESThis weekend they will seek their first Prem win in more than 22 years when they take on McKenna’s former side Tottenham.The contest will take place in North London on Sunday afternoon, with Spurs first travelling to Istanbul for a Europa League clash with Galatasaray.Boss Kieran McKenna is hoping to mastermind Ipswich’s first Prem win in more than two decadesCredit: Rex More

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    Michael Oliver and David Coote accused of new VAR blunder – but little-known rule proves they got decision SPOT ON

    PREMIER LEAGUE referees have come under fire once again, this time on the European stage.Michael Oliver and David Coote have been lambasted by fans after being accused of making a huge blunder during Girona’s clash against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League tonight.Premier League officials have been slammed after fans accused them of making a mistake in a Champions League fixtureCredit: RexFans slammed Prem official Michael Oliver for missing what they thought was an obvious error during PSV vs GironaCredit: AlamyPSV star Malik Tillman took a throw-in with his foot on the pitchCredit: xThe long throw-in directly resulted in a goalCredit: xOliver was the man in the middle for the league phase match, while Coote was acting as the VAR for the fixture.And fans have slammed the pair for what they thought was an error in the early stages of the game.Both Oliver and Coote appeared to miss the fact that PSV star Malik Tillman seemingly stepped onto the pitch while taking a long throw-in to set up the game’s opening goal.The former Rangers and Bayern Munich midfielder delivered a huge throw into the box that was tucked away by Ryan Flamingo in the 16th minute.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLBut fans and viewers were convinced that Tillman had stepped onto the pitch with his left foot when still holding onto the ball.On social media, one slammed: “No-one talks about referees in the Champions League until it comes to Michael Oliver and David Coote allowing a scandalous goal to count in the PSV vs Girona game. “Speaks volumes about the standards of PGMOL really”While another fumed: “PSV just scored a goal where their player was on the pitch when he threw the throw in in.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS”No wonder our officials get a bad rep they really are poor.”However, a little-known rule means that Coote and Oliver actually got the decision CORRECT.Malik Tillman’s foot was actually touching the line, meaning the action was legalCredit: xMan Utd legend Paul Scholes names his top 5 toughest Champions League opponents of all time Uefa’s ruling around throw-ins only requires a player to “have part of each foot on or behind the touchline”.Tillman’s right boot was well behind the line, while his the heel of his left foot was still making contact with the byline – meaning his throw-in was perfectly legal.Despite getting this decision right, Oliver and Coote were guilty of making a huge blunder in the Premier League last month.The pair was accused of “getting Erik ten Hag sacked” after their mistake saw West Ham awarded a match-winning penalty in the Manchester United’s 2-1 defeat to the Hammers – a match which ultimately proved to be the Dutchman’s last.The Times have since reported that the PGMOL’s chief refereeing officer Howard Webb believes that the pair made the incorrect decision to award a penalty that day.On that occasion it was Coote who was the match official at the London Stadium, while Oliver was acting as the VAR.David Coote incorrectly awarded West Ham a penalty against Manchester UnitedCredit: GettyCoote’s decision saw United lose and Erik ten Hag sackedCredit: Getty More

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    Man Utd legend Paul Scholes names his top 5 toughest Champions League opponents of all time

    PAUL SCHOLES has named his five toughest opponents from his days playing in the Champions League.The former Manchester United and England midfielder has certainly come up against some of the competition’s greatest ever players.Paul Scholes has revealed his top five toughest opponents in the Champions LeagueCredit: Youtube/The OverlapScholes won the competition twice during his playing daysCredit: AFPScholes, 49, played 124 TIMES in the Champions League, winning the competition on two occasions.And across his 17 seasons amongst Europe’s elite, Scholes faces the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus. But, somehow, the United icon managed to whittle down his top five opponents in conversation with The Overlap Fan Debate, brought to you by Sky Bet.When quizzed on who those top five stars were, he said: “‘I played some incredible teams – that great Barcelona team, the Real Madrid team when it was the proper Galactico’s, Juventus…READ MORE ON MAN UTD”I’ll go for [Lionel] Messi, Xavi, [Andres] Iniesta, [Clarence] Seedorf.”I’m trying to think of midfield players and that Real Madrid team was incredible – Redondo, Ronaldo, [Luis] Figo, [Zinedine] Zidane, and Raul.””When we were trying to win Champions Leagues, those teams were ridiculous. It’s the same with England, the teams we had to come up against like France and Spain.”When pushed for a definitive top five by co-host Jamie Carragher, Scholes stuck with a Spanish league theme.Most read in FootballScholes named Lionel Messi as one of the best players he played against in EuropeCredit: ReutersHe also said Zinedine Zidane was amongst his best competitorsCredit: GettyAndres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez were also named by ScholesCredit: GettyFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSAdding: “Messi, Xavi, Iniesta there’s two straight away. Zidane [and] …I love R9 [Ronaldo Nazario].”Scholes didn’t just come up against some of the best players around, but played alongside them too.Manchester United vs Chelsea: Player Ratings Breakdown (2)His Champions League exploits saw him line up alongside the likes of David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Roy Keane.But despite regularly being alongside world class team-mates, Scholes admitted he and his United pals couldn’t touch Barcelona’s midfield trio of Xavi, Iniesta and Sergio Busquets in the 2009 Champions League final.He said: “They never gave you time to tackle them.”They know where everyone is on the pitch and they know where the opposition are so you think you can get to them but before you know it it’s gone.”All of a sudden you’re just running around in circles.”I think Xavi and Iniesta were different players. Xavi was amazing at controlling a game, along with Busquets. He probably doesn’t get the credit he deserves because the three of them were sensational.”Iniesta was a little bit different because he could go past people.”Scholes added Ronaldo Nazario to his list of incredible opponentsCredit: GettyScholes also discussed facing Barcelona’s midfield trio of Sergio Busquets, Iniesta and XaviCredit: AFP – Getty More

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    Man Utd season ticket holders ‘want Old Trafford DESTROYED’ over redevelopment as new stadium support revealed

    THE majority of Manchester United season ticket holders want to demolish Old Trafford in order to build a new stadium on the same site.United’s Ineos chiefs surveyed supporters in September as they look to finalise plans for their historic home.Man Utd surveyed fans regarding the future of Old TraffordCredit: GettyThe Red Devils distributed the survey to season ticket holders and club members and received more than 50,000 responses.Man Utd have confirmed that 52 per cent of respondents are in favour of demolishing Old Trafford and building an entirely new stadium.While 31 per cent would rather redevelop the current ground, and 17 per cent are unsure.United’s season ticket holders were generally most in favour of building an entirely new ground.READ MORE MAN UTD NEWSThe club’s older season ticket holders showed the strongest support for the plan, while younger supporters generally preferred the redevelopment idea.In addition to the survey, United chiefs have also consulted their Fans’ Advisory Board.The Red Devils had initially been expected to make a decision regarding their stadium by the end of this year.But the final decision has now been delayed until 2025.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSUnited could build a new 100,000 seater stadiumCredit: https://www.manutd.com/enThe Red Devils could build the new stadium on the current siteCredit: https://www.manutd.com/enMan Utd are expected to make a decision by the springCredit: https://www.manutd.com/en”New Trafford” could be circular in shape with a 100,000-seat capacity and huge roof.It’s said that the Old Trafford regeneration project could generate 92,000 jobs and more than 17,000 homes – in addition to increasing tourism by 1.8million each year.Man Utd legend Paul Scholes names his top 5 toughest Champions League opponents of all time Man Utd will fund the project themselves, although public money may be made available to cover related transport and infrastructure costs.In addition to the recent survey, the Red Devils are holding a series of focus group meetings with fans.Director of fan engagement Rick McGagh said: “We are delighted that this survey received the most responses in the club’s history.”It shows how important this work is, and to have this level of engagement at this stage is a really positive place to start.“We know how important our home is to fans, and we need to listen to them and gain all their views and insights in order to develop the world-class stadium they deserve.“We are able to view the results through different lenses to understand if our season ticket holders feel differently about anything than say our official members.READ MORE SUN STORIES”And if younger fans have different views to older fans. This insight is incredibly helpful and allows the project team to understand the differences as well as the commonality in our fanbase.”The final decision over the plans, which could cost as much as £2billion, may not be made until next spring.Ratcliffe could propose a new venue on the land next to the current ground More

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    Fernando Alonso issues health update after F1 star, 43, was helped from his car after Brazilian Grand Prix

    FERNANDO ALONSO has given a health update after he was seen being helped from his car after the Brazilian Grand Prix.The Formula One veteran, 43, had a weekend to forget in the rain at the Sao Paulo circuit as he finished 18th and 14th in the sprint race and feature race respectively.Fernando Alonso issued a health update after a ‘painful’ Brazilian Grand PrixCredit: GettyAlonso said he only finished the race for the mechanics after they repaired his car during a qualifying crashCredit: ReutersAlonso had been forced to miss media day on Thursday with an intestinal infection, days after becoming the first driver to reach 400 F1 race starts at the Mexico Grand Prix.He recovered in time to compete in the full weekend’s double bill of sprint and feature events from Friday through to Sunday.However, during the latter stages of the Sunday race, Alonso was heard complaining about a bad back after experiencing a lot of bouncing in the car while out on the resurfaced track.After crashing out in qualifying and causing a red flag, the Aston Martin mechanics had worked tirelessly to repair the Spaniard’s car for the race.READ MORE IN F1Alonso was heard on the team radio saying he would finish the race for the mechanics following their hard work.He was heard saying: “I will finish the race for the mechanics. They did a very good job today. “But my back is hurting, man. This bouncing is not normal.”When back in the pit lane after the race was won by Max Verstappen, Alonso was seen clearly in pain as he was helped from his car by mechanics, and was seen hugging one before walking off.Most read in MotorsportBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSAlonso issued an update on his health when speaking to media after the race, while he also paid an emotional tribute to the victims of the Valencia flooding, where the death toll has reached well over 200.He said: “It’s the same day for everyone. We’ve done the work ourselves.Formula 1 chaos as Brazilian GP qualifying POSTPONED due to heavy rain with drenched fans left waiting for hours”The car bounced a lot in the second part of the race and the truth is that in normal conditions it wouldn’t have finished.”But it had to be done for the mechanics, for me too, who suffered a bit before arriving here, for the people in Valencia, for the people who are in worse situations than the bounce I had today.”Alonso sits down in ninth in the driver standings with 62 points to his name.This is double the amount of the next driver outside of the top four teams – Nico Hulkenberg’s haul of 31 points for Haas.F1 is now on a three-week break before the Las Vegas Grand Prix on November 24.That will kick-start a triple-header to end the season, with Verstappen currently on course to win the drivers’ title ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris.F1 2025 gridHere are the confirmed driver line ups for the F1 2025 season so far:Red Bull: Max Verstappen and Sergio PerezFerrari: Charles Leclerc and Lewis HamiltonMercedes: George Russell and Kimi AntonelliMcLaren: Lando Norris and Oscar PiastriAston Martin: Fernando Alonso and Lance StrollWilliams: Alex Albon and Carlos SainzSauber: Nico Hulkenberg and TBCAlpine: Pierre Gasly and Jack DoohanRB: Yuki Tsunoda and TBCHaas: Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon More

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    I’m a former Premier League star from a trailer park, if I hadn’t been a footballer I’d have grown weed

    PREMIER LEAGUE legend Rafael van der Vaart has revealed he would be growing weed if it was not for football.The former Tottenham and Real Madrid midfielder, 41, reflected on his career with fellow Dutchmen Wesley Sneijder and Marco van Basten.Rafael van der Vaart has claimed he would grow weed if he was not a footballerCredit: Times Newspapers LtdThe Dutch icon played for Tottenham, Real Madrid and AjaxCredit: GettyOn Ziggo Sport’s chat show, Van der Vaart was quizzed on what “normal job” he would be doing if he was not a famous face.And he hilariously replied: “I grew up in a trailer park, so I’d probably run a weed shed.”Sneijder and Van Basten were left in hysterics and exclaimed: “That’s a normal job.”Fans were also left in stitches, with one saying: “You can see he was shocked by their reaction, man was actually serious.”READ MORE IN FOOTBALLAnother added: “Gotta appreciate the honesty.”A third reacted: “Dutch legends are really different than the rest.”Van der Vaart grew up in the town of Heemskerk in the north of Holland and the trailer park he once called home belonged to a Dutch cultural minority called the Woonwagenbewoners.The name translates as “caravan dwellers” and they have ties to Irish travellers.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSVan der Vaart joined Ajax at the age of ten after learning to play football on the street.On his upbringing, he said: “That was the way my family lived. My father was born there and it is a lifestyle. Football’s weirdest contract clauses revealed including non-Arsenal agreement and a private jet promise”Maybe it is not a normal lifestyle but I always liked it. “I always played football on the street. It was an easy life, then I was ten and went to Ajax and played there for almost 12 years.”Van de Vaart played over 500 times for clubs including Real, Spurs, Hamburg and Ajax – scoring 171 times.He was also capped a staggering 109 times by Holland, scoring 25 goals.Who are these famous footballers? More