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    Are 99.6% of Dream Team bosses foolishly overlooking this bargain midfield option?

    DREAM TEAM managers should always be alert to potential difference-makers, especially those who are cheap as chips.At this point in time, might Jacob Ramsey (£2.7m) fit the bill?99.6% of Dream Team managers are overlooking Ramsey at presentCredit: Dream TeamThe Aston Villa midfielder has been on a role of late with 35 points in four appearances across the last three Gameweeks.The 23-year-old scored against West Ham and provided two assists at home to Celtic in Gameweek 21 for a combined return of 22 points.Like most of Unai Emery’s troops, he underwhelmed away to Wolves in Gameweek 22 but bounced back with a strong showing against Tottenham in the FA Cup in Gameweek 23.Ramsey scored within a minute at Villa Park on Sunday, thanks in no small part to Antonin Kinsky’s error, and received 12 points for his efforts come the final whistle.From a Dream Team perspective, this fruitful form has come at a good time as gaffers should be very interested in Villa players at this stage of the season.Ramsey struck early against SpursCredit: GettyVilla are one of just three teams set to fulfil two fixtures in Gameweek 24 with Ipswich and Liverpool due in the Midlands within four days of each other.A home game against the Tractor Boys has to be considered a favourable match-up and while Arne Slot’s league leaders are quite the opposite, that midweek fixture is essentially a bonus point-scoring opportunity – a helpful quirk in the schedule.Not only that, Emery’s side will also double up in Gameweeks 25 (Chelsea & Crystal Palace) and Gameweek 26 (Cardiff & Champions League round of 16 first leg).Most read in FootballThis combination of form and fixtures surely makes Ramsey, who currently features in just 0.4% of teams, an appealing option for the next month or so.Villa have plenty of fixtures to fulfil in the coming weeksCredit: AlamyVilla’s No41 has started the last four games in a row and delivered enough goal involvements to retain his place but some Dream Team bosses may be concerned about his minutes given the level of competition within the squad.January recruits Donyell Malen (£2.9m), Marco Asensio (£3.5m) and Marcus Rashford (£3.4m) have added extra dimensions in attack and it will be interesting to see how Emery shuffles his pack.Many gaffers will feel Morgan Rogers (£3.5m) allows them to cover Villa’s busy period and that may well be the case.The 22-year-old has scored 11 goals and provided seven assists in all competitions this season.His tally of 195 points is only bettered by six midfielders at the time of writing.Rogers is a popular man this weekCredit: AlamyAfter a wave of transfers this week, Rogers is now the third-most popular player in his position (21.7% ownership).He probably is the first port of call for Villa points, with Ollie Watkins (£5.1m) also a strong option when fit, but Dream Team managers who like to go against the grain should at least consider Ramsey ahead of Gameweek 24.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

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    Why the LOSER of Tottenham vs Man Utd could actually be better off if recent history repeats itself

    THE mood inside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is likely to be mutinous – from BOTH sets of fans.Anger has only grown among the Spurs and Manchester United supporters as their clubs’ seasons of debacle have continued to plummet downhill in recent weeks.Ange Postecoglou has seen the pressure grow on him this seasonCredit: GettyRuben Amorim has not been able to turn around Manchester United’s seasonCredit: AlamySpurs were dumped out of the FA Cup by Aston VillaCredit: GettyManchester United scraped past Leicester CityCredit: GettyAt best, it will be 14th versus 13th, with Spurs having suffered morale-sapping and embarrassing exits from both domestic cups last week and United having escaped by the skin of their teeth against Leicester.Two clubs that have lost their way and all conviction.It means the pressure on Ange Postecoglou and Ruben Amorim is mounting.But you do not need a long memory to recall that we have been here before, for the same two clubs, barely three years ago.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLOn that occasion, the loser “won”. Because it brought a change of manager and, for a few months at least, a sense of direction.While the winner missed out on the obvious managerial replacement, staggered on for three weeks before bowing to the inevitable, and ended up more than 30 points behind their two most bitter rivals.October 30, 2021. United coming to N17 on the back of a 5-0 home drubbing by Liverpool, with just one point from their last four Prem games.Under the rocking, ragged, and doomed reign of a genuine Old Trafford hero, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSSpurs, just a few months under the helm of Nuno Espirito Santo, who appeared to end up with the gig because nobody else wanted it after the forced departure of Jose Mourinho the previous season.While Nuno’s possession-lite tactical approach is working a dream at Nottingham Forest this season, it had already set the Spurs fans on edge.Ruben Amorim admits he and Man Utd players ALL fighting for their jobs between now and the end of the seasonThey made no bones about their wish to see a team that wanted the ball, not wanted to play a less enjoyable version of the same reactive football that had been on offer under Mourinho.When Spurs lost three London derbies on the bounce, scoring just once across them and conceded three in each game to Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Arsenal, before wins over Villa and Newcastle, it felt like the next blip would be the final one.A week before, that blip came. Another derby defeat, 1-0 at West Ham.The heat was on. And Nuno – and his team – melted.It was only when Marcus Rashford scored United’s third, four minutes from time, after earlier goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Edinson Cavani, that the home fans stopped chanting for Nuno’s head.But only to turn their ire on chairman Daniel Levy – a groundswell of disgruntlement with him which has barely abated since.Levy acted in the way many club bosses do when the fans turn on them – he sacked Nuno and replaced him with Antonio Conte – the man who would have been the preferred candidate to replace Solskjaer had United lost.By the end of the season, with Harry Kane back among the goals and Heung-min Son winning the Prem Golden Boot, Spurs were back in the Champions League – having beaten Arsenal 3-0 in a titanic adrenaline-fuelled display in the final weeks of the season to evict Mikel Arteta’s side from the top four.Solskjaer was, by then, long gone. In the initial aftermath, reflecting on a “difficult week”, the Norwegian said it showed that the club and fan-base “connected together”.Within three weeks, that had unravelled, a crushing 4-1 loss at Watford bringing the end.Of course, Conte’s relationship with Levy and the club foundered and eventually splintered into tiny bits, the incendiary Italian dropping a nuclear bomb in the dressing room the following March and walking away to leave the ashes of the fall-out for others to fix.In truth, Postecoglou still had all that to deal with when he arrived, plus filling the giant Kane-sized hole in his squad.Last season, despite a slew of injuries, fifth place was a massive step forward. This term, with the injury situation even worse, has been a debacle.Yet it has been little better for United under Amorim, with just 14 points in his 13 Prem matches, merely three more than Spurs over the same period.And unlike Postecoglou, whose belief that his side will pick up results when the massed ranks of the injured brigade return to active service does have some credence, the past few weeks appear to have shown what this United side really are.Able to play when the pressure is off away from home. Utterly incapable of performing when they have to “make” the game at Old Trafford.READ MORE SUN STORIESSo far, it seems that neither board will push the button at this stage – although a gutless mauling by either team could bring a change of heart.Yet where things were bad in October 2021, they are arguably worse ahead of this meeting of the miserables. Two clubs, united in despair. More

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    ‘I know a lot of things’ – Mo Salah’s former team-mate and best friend says star is ‘close to leaving’ Liverpool

    MO SALAH is close to leaving Liverpool claims his best friend and former team-mate Dejan Lovren.The forward is out of contract in the summer and has on multiple occasions hinted he could leave.Mo Salah is likely to leave according to former team-mate Dejan LovrenCredit: RexAfter Liverpool beat Manchester City in December Salah said he was just trying to enjoy the occasion as it could be the last time he plays against City – he said the same after winning at Old Trafford this season.Salah is believed to be looking for a new three-year deal at Anfield and will want similar terms to his existing contract.So far the club’s owners, FSG, have refused to bow to his wage demands and he knows there would be mega money on offer in the Saudi Pro League.Former Reds team-mate Lovren, who was a close friend of Salah at Anfield, believes the Egyptian could be on his way out of the club.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLHe told Winwin: “I think he is close to leaving. Right now I think he is closer to leaving than staying.”That’s what I know, that’s my feeling. I obviously hope that the situation changes.”Last month Salah confirmed once more that this will be his last year at Anfield, with his desire to mark his departure with a Premier League win.He said: “This is the first time I would say I really want to win the Premier League [over the Champions League].Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS”Why? Probably because we didn’t celebrate the last one we won the way we wanted and also coming back it’s my last year in the club so you want to do something special for the city.”Asked to elaborate on his comment, Salah added: “Do I really believe it’s my last year? So far yes.’We are far away from that,’ says Mo Salah as Liverpool star sends club another contract warning”These last six months there is nothing, no progress. We are far away from progress but we just need to wait and see.” More

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    Real Madrid defender Raul Asencio investigated in child pornography case and could face up to five years in prison

    REAL MADRID star Raul Asencio is set to face trial in a child pornography case.The defender is accused of disseminating images and a video of a minor and will stand trial in the Canary Islands.Raul Asencio is set to stand trial in a child pornography caseCredit: RexThree former Real Madrid reserve players are involved and claimed to have taken and recorded the content.Asencio, 21, is not deemed responsible for taking the images but he had access to them and is alleged to passed them onto others.It is claimed the players involved lied when they told the girls involved that the material had been deleted.Asencio reportedly requested to be left out of the trial but that has been denied by the court and if found guilty of disseminating child pornography he could be sentenced up to five years in prison.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThree former Real players – Ferran Ruiz, 21, Juan Rodriguez, 22, and Andres Garcia, 21 – were arrested in September 2023, with Asencio called to give testimony as a witness.After speaking to police Asencio became part of the investigation.A statement from Real Madrid at the time read: “Real Madrid wishes to announce that it has learned that a Castilla player and three Real Madrid C players have made statements to the Civil Guard in relation to a complaint about the alleged broadcasting of a private video via WhatsApp.”When the club has detailed knowledge of the facts, we will take the appropriate measures.”Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSA statement from the High Court of Justice of Gran Canaria in November read: “The judge is investigating four footballers linked to Real Madrid as alleged perpetrators of crimes of disclosure of secrets and dissemination of pornography.”Ascencio is in line to start against Liverpool at Anfield with Real facing a defensive injury crisis.Erling Haaland falls down in training as Man City prepare for Real Madrid clash They are without experienced stars Antonio Rudiger, Eder Militao and David Alaba. More

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    Chelsea star is found NOT guilty of racially abusing cop who she branded ‘f****** stupid and white’ after drunk cab row

    CHELSEA star Sam Kerr has been found not guilty of racially abusing a cop after branding him “f***ing stupid and white” in a drunk row.The 31-year-old was out with her partner – fellow footballer Kristie Mewis – when one was sick in the cab and the other smashed a window.Sam Kerr has been cleared of racially aggravated harassmentCredit: PAThe footballer branded a cop ‘white and stupid’Credit: Central NewsShe was out with her fiance – fellow footballer Kristie Mewis – at the timeCredit: Instagram / samanthakerr20After the pair refused to pay a clean-up fee, the driver drove the pair to Twickenham Police station.Once there, Kerr was accused of becoming “abusive and insulting” towards PC Stephen Lovell.Footage showed the Australia international in the police station, saying: “Honestly, you guys are f***ing stupid and white”.Kerr, who is currently sidelined from Chelsea with an ACL injury, has now been found not guilty of causing racially aggravated harassment.She gave a thumbs up to her barrister as the verdict was returned following a day of deliberation.Kingston Crown Court heard the alleged verbal attack took place on January 30, 2023.Kerr denied using “whiteness as an insult” and believed she was treated differently “because of the colour of my skin”.She told jurors: “I believed it was him using his power and privilege over me because he was accusing me of being something I’m not. Most read in Football”I was trying to express that due to the power and privilege they had, they would never have to understand what we had just gone through and the fear we were having for our lives.”Asked if she was saying PC Lovell was “stupid because he was white”, Kerr said: “No.”Recalling the events leading up the rant, Kerr said she had put her head out of the taxi window when she began to feel sick.She claimed the driver then “rolled it up” and began to “drive dangerously” – causing her and Kristie to be “thrown around”.Kerr said this continued for 15 to 20 minutes – causing her to feel “terrified for my life”.She said there was “no reasoning” with the driver even after partner Kristie begged him to stop.Kerr added: “Everything was going through my mind about being in a car with a stranger I deemed to be dangerous.”Kristie was very distressed. She was crying and scared. I’ve never seen her like that before and it made me more scared.”I started to realise how serious the situation was. It put me in protective mode… he had the power over us.”We were not in control… I deemed him to be dangerous because of the driving but also because he could have taken us anywhere. He couldn’t be tracked so no one knew where we were.”Kerr said the pair tried to open the doors and windows multiple times but they remained locked.Eventually, Kristie “kicked out (the window) with her boot” which resulted in Kerr feeling “relieved”.Once she got to the police station, Kerr referenced Sarah Everard’s murder – telling the officer: “Look at what happened last year when a girl accepted a police officer’s help in Clapham and got raped and killed.”Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones KC said the police officer was left “shocked, upset and humiliated” by the comments.Matildas captain Kerr pleaded not guilty to racially aggravated harassment.The footballer has scored 99 goals in 128 matches since joining Chelsea in 2019.During her time there, the team has won four Women’s Super League titles, three FA Cups, two Women’s League Cups and the Women’s Community Shield.But the striker was crocked in January last year at the club’s warm weather training camp in Morocco.Kerr is her country’s all-time record goalscorer with 64 goals in 125 games for the Matildas.She has also been nominated for the Ballon d’Or Féminin – the top prize in women’s football – every year since its inception in 2018.READ MORE SUN STORIESKerr and fiancee Kristie got engaged last year and are expecting a baby together.The Chelsea star was accused of abusing a police officerCredit: GettyShe said she and Kristie were locked in the taxi following a rowCredit: PA More

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    Ex-Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag offered career lifeline by former club’s fierce rivals

    ERIK TEN HAG is set to be thrown a career lifeline by Dutch giants Feyenoord, according to reports.Manchester United sacked the 55-year-old boss last October following a poor start to the season.Former Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag is wanted by FeyenoordCredit: PABut Rotterdam-based Feyenoord are understood to want Ten Hag as their new manager after dismissing Brian Priske on Monday.Rene Hake, ETH’s assistant at Old Trafford earlier this season, is also under consideration for a No.2 role at De Kuip.Ten Hag won the FA Cup and League Cup during his two seasons in charge of the Red Devils.He previously had a glorious four-year spell with Feyenoord’s arch-rivals Ajax – leading them to three Eredivisie titles and two Dutch FA Cups.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLTen Hag has also coached fellow Dutch sides Utrecht and Go Ahead Eagles.Feyenoord have put their Under-21 coach Pascal Bosschaart in caretaker charge of their first team.Director Dennis te Kloese said: “We are glad that Pascal has shown himself ready to step in on a temporary basis.”I have spoken to many players and staff, and everyone realises that we still have a great deal to compete for.”Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSThe club is fifth in the Eredivisie, 12 points behind leaders Ajax.However they are still in the Champions League, and face AC Milan in the knockout phase playoffs at home tomorrow with the second leg in Italy next week.’Something seriously wrong!’ Ex-Prem ref reacts to huge Man Utd call which saw Erik Ten Hag sackedLiverpool boss Arne Slot led Feyenoord to last season’s KNVB Cup and second-place league finish, having won the title with them in 2023.And the expectation would be for Ten Hag on league leaders Ajax and PSV Eindhoven, who are both 12 points clear of Feyenoord. More

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    ‘You scared me there’ – Alex Scott given a fright by BBC presenter’s comment after picking last ball of FA Cup draw

    ALEX Scott almost jumped out of her skin after thinking that the BBC had messed up the FA Cup fifth-round draw.Scott was in charge of picking the balls for the draw as giant-killers Plymouth Argyle were drawn against Manchester City.Alex Scott was scared for a second during a moment of confusion during the FA Cup drawCredit: BBCWalcott and Scott burst into laughter as they realised there had been no mistakeScott was joined by former Arsenal midfielder Theo Walcott and presenter Kelly Somers on Monday night.Walcott picked out the home teams, while Scott was on hand to draw the away sides.As the draw was about to end, Scott was given the task of grabbing the final ball, which was the No. 6 of Ipswich.When she read out the number, Somers stated: “And the last ball should be… Ipswich Town.” READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSThe short delay sparked a moment of panic for Scott, who was worried that the trio had gone wrong somewhere.The former right-back looked on confused and placed her hand to her chest as she exclaimed: “Oh, you scared me then. I was like, what?”Walcott and Scott burst into laughter as they realised there had been no embarrassing faux pas, as fans called the rest of it a fix.And Somers reassured the duo: “Perfectly done – do not worry.”Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSSomers then issued an apology as she said: “Sorry for scaring you there, it was expertly done.The FA Cup fifth round will be played across the first weekend of March.ITV forced to apologise as Plymouth hero says ‘I f—ing love it’ TWICE live on air after shocking LiverpoolPlymouth were the story of the last round as they stunned Prem leaders Liverpool 1-0 and ended Arne Slot’s hopes of a quadruple.Manchester United meanwhile, were drawn in one of three guaranteed all-Premier League ties, taking on Fulham at Old Trafford.Chelsea and Tottenham both suffered early exits to Aston Villa and Brighton.FA Cup fifth round draw in fullHere are all the games from the next round in the FA Cup…Preston North End vs BurnleyAston Villa vs Cardiff CityDoncaster/Crystal Palace vs MillwallManchester United vs FulhamNewcastle vs Brighton and Hove AlbionBournemouth vs Wolverhampton WanderersManchester City vs PlymouthExeter City/Nottingham Forest vs Ipswich Town More

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    Inside Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr’s amazing lifestyle, from £10m mansion where Beckhams lived to trainer addiction

    VINICIUS JR is one of the world’s highest earning players.The Real Madrid superstar, 24, brings home a whopping salary of around £350,000-per-week at the Santiago Bernabeu.Vinicius Jr is one of the world’s highest paid footballersVinicius Jr shows off his amazing £165k BMWMaria Julia Mazalli is the reported girlfriend of the Real Madrid widemanThat affords the Brazilian winger an incredible lifestyle in Spain’s capital.Over the years, he’s driven a fleet of Audis, although now he’s settled with a £165,000 BMW.While he reportedly lives in a £10million mansion bought in 2018 in an affluent area of Madrid.SunSport looks at how Vinicius Jr spends his well-earned cash…Read football newsA Prince’s lifeVinicius Jr officially signed for Real Madrid in 2017 for a reported fee of around £40m.But he couldn’t join the club until a year later when he turned 18.As soon as he arrived, he splashed the cash on a stunning home in La Moraleja.It has been described as the Spanish version of Greenwich, Connecticut and where the uber rich live.Most read in FootballDavid Beckham, Karim Benzema, Ronaldo, and Gonzalo Higuain are just some of the former Los Blancos stars who have made La Moraleja home.Vinicius Jr wins Fifa The Best award after Ballon d’Or controversy while Man Utd ace Garnacho also bags top prizeThere are several pristine golf courses, as well as private schools.The property, itself, is only 15 minutes away from Real Madrid’s training ground and 30 minutes from the club’s stadium.The mansion boasts six bedrooms and six bathrooms, as well as several large living rooms.There is a state-of-the-art gym, which features a wall of the greatest athletes, including Kobe Bryant and Pele.Vinicius Jr also has a cinema room, steam room and sauna in his home.While outside there’s a private pool, tennis court, and astro turf football pitch.Vinicius Jr lives in the exclusive La Moraleja neighbourhoodAccording to reports, Vinicius Jr’s property is worth £10mBrazilian Vinicius Jr’s gym has artwork of sports’ biggest starsVinicius Jr lounges on the steps of his beautiful Madrid homeCar collectionVinicius Jr’s car collection has been linked to who Real Madrid are sponsored by.For years, he stuck with the club’s Audi policy – rotating a series of their cars.He began with an Audi A7 – that starts at £55,000.Next, he went with a spacious Q8 SUV that can rise up to £105,000.His final car from Audi was their Q7, which is available from about £70,000.All of those choices are fairly modest for a man who has a net worth already of around £21m.Back in September, Real Madrid inked a deal with BMW to be their latest car sponsor.That helped Vinicius Jr bag an amazing motor.He got his hands on a BMW i7 M70 xDrive, the fastest electrical model the German brand offers, which can cost around £165,000.Thanks to a deal with Audi, Vinicius Jr drove this A7Vinicius Jr also had a plush Q8 worth as much as £105kTrainier collectionAccording to Marca, Vinicius Jr has an addiction to buying trainers.His go-to are Nike Air Jordans, which he often shows off on social media.When asked why he has over 120 pairs, he revealed he loves them and couldn’t afford them as a kid.He headed to sneaker mecca Flight Club in Los Angeles to film a segment for Complex with Joe La Puma.On there, he revealed his love for Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1s – with some rare pieces online fetching as much as £12,000 online.His trainer collection is kept in a special closet in his home.Vinicius Jr shows off his epic trainer collection at his homeNike trainers are Vinicius Jr’s favouriteREAD MORE SPORT FEATURESSharing his wealthVinicius Jr’s romance with stunning model and influencer Maria Julia Mazalli was made public in 2019.Before then, the lightning quick wideman denied their romance.Brazilian newspaper Lance broke the story that Vini and Maria were in a relationship.It was all after fans speculated something between the two when they noticed selfies shared on their social media.The selfies were taken in the same bathroom in Madrid, which fans were quick to notice and from there the secret was out.They never shared how they met or whether they knew each other before they started dating.Maria didn’t gain fame from dating Vinicius Jr though.She already had many people following her on Instagram through her influencer posts and her appearance on the Brazilian reality TV show De Férias com o Ex.Contestants are chosen to go on vacation in a tropical paradise, however, it soon turns into hell as their ex-lovers start showing up.As for influencer content, Maria creates posts about fashion and travelling.She is very body-positive and embraces her curves in what she shares online.READ MORE SUN STORIESMaria promotes a healthy lifestyle which involves eating good food and working out.She loves travelling and can occasionally be seen supporting her boyfriend in the stands when he’s playing for Real Madrid or representing Brazil.Brazil beauty Maria Julia Mazalli is Vinicius Jr’s reported girlfriendGorgeous Maria shows off her epic bikini bodyMaria is a reality tv star and social media influencer More