Soccer

Subterms

    More stories

    • 263 Shares159 Views

      in Soccer

      ‘I don’t want to talk about that’ – Frank Lampard shuts down question on gesture to Leeds fans after Coventry defeat

      by

      FRANK LAMPARD has refused to comment after reportedly making a gesture towards Leeds fans on Wednesday night. The Coventry boss watched his side fall to a 2-0 home defeat to the Championship leaders.Frank Lampard’s Coventry fell to a first loss in ten games on Wednesday against LeedsCredit: RexLampard refused to comment after the game after reportedly making a gesture towards the away supportCredit: PAFirst-half goals from Joel Piroe and full-back Jayden Bogle gave Leeds a comfortable three points at the Coventry Building Society Arena. It was Coventry’s first defeat in ten matches and just the third since Lampard replaced Mark Robins at the end of November.The ex-Chelsea star has history with Leeds from his time as Derby County boss.Lampard led the Rams to a memorable 4-2 play-off victory at Elland Road in 2019, booking a place at Wembley.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLIt came among a Spygate controversy between the two sides, with Derby furious that then-Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa had allegedly sent a coach to snoop on their training sessions. Lampard got plenty of stick from the Leeds faithful following Wednesday’s loss, which sent Daniel Farke’s men five points clear of second-place Burnley. The 46-year-old appeared to make a gesture towards the jubilant away end following the final whistle. According to LeedsLive, Lampard cupped his ears to the away end and outstretched his fist.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSWhile some fans on social media believed Lampard had referenced the Derby result with a “4-2 gesture”.When asked about the incident post-match, Lampard shut down the question and replied: “I don’t want to talk about that.”Inside Frank Lampard’s superstitious routine as new Coventry boss’ success could depend on Chelsea legend’s DOGSince leaving Derby in 2019, Lampard has enjoyed two spells with Chelsea and an ill-fated tenure at Everton. The former England midfielder took 18 months away from the game after getting the axe at Goodison Park in January 2023. He has since hit the ground running with the Sky Blues, reigniting their play-off push after a poor start to the season.Wednesday’s defeat ended a run of four-straight wins, which has propelled Coventry into the top half of the table.They currently sit 11th, but are just three points behind West Brom in the final play-off spot.Lampard heaped praise on Leeds after the 2-0 defeat, adding: “They’re a strong team. They’re top of the league for a reason.READ MORE SUN STORIES”Lots of talent, lots of speed, well coached, good team, Premier League experience and I’m really impressed with them. “Sometimes you have to praise a team that comes here and does well. There’s other teams up there but they’re in with a great chance.”Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme – Sun Club.Lampard and his Derby staff celebrated wildly after a 4-2 win at Elland Road in 2019Credit: Getty Images – Getty More

    • 263 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Laura Woods gives Adam Collard a telling off as they watch Newcastle vs Arsenal and reveal who their baby is supporting

      by

      LAURA WOODS gave boyfriend Adam Collard a telling-off during the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg between Newcastle and Arsenal.Arsenal looked to overturn a 2-0 deficit at St. James’ Park on Wednesday night to reach the final of the tournament.Avid Arsenal fan Laura Woods was taunted by her Newcastle supporting partner Adam CollardCredit: INSTAGRAM@ADAMCOLLARDArsenal were dumped out of the Carabao Cup by Newcastle on Wednesday nightCredit: REXBut Mikel Arteta’s troops ended up suffering a 2-0 defeat on the night, losing the tie 4-0 on aggregate.TNT Sports presenter Woods and her former Love Island star partner Collard once again put aside their love for one another for 90 minutes to support the Gunners and the Magpies respectively.During the match, Collard posted a video of himself celebrating as he sat next to Woods – who was holding their newborn son Leo – to his Instagram story.And the brief clip, in which Woods wagged her finger at Collard in response to his taunting, seemingly revealed which team Leo will grow up supporting.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe tiny tot – who was welcomed into the world last month – was wearing a Newcastle babygrow with “Toon Army” emblazoned across it as he lay on a cushion on top of his mum’s legs.Collard revealed to the world that he’ll raise Leo as a Newcastle fan before the first leg of the semi-final.He did so by sharing an adorable snap of him lying down in a baby grow which had “mini magpie” written on it.Woods, an avid Arsenal fan, was far from happy.Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSThe couple’s newborn baby will seemingly be raised a Newcastle fanCredit: INSTAGRAM@ADAMCOLLARDLaura Wood and Adam Collard started dating in October 2023Credit: Insagram / @adamcollardThe couple have been the picture of happiness ever sinceCredit: InstagramShe reshared Collard’s story to her own and jokingly wrote “fuming” at the bottom of the photo.Gunners boss Arteta was similarly fuming at his troops’ exit from the competition.Arsenal vs NewcastleThe Spaniard said: “We had so many expectations to believe that we could turn it around.”We didn’t generate momentum, especially in the first half, the game started in the first action almost with them scoring and then the goal being denied.”Then we had the moment, two big moments, with Martin [Odegaard].”We didn’t capitalise and in the next action, they scored the goal and, obviously, the game shifted and then you need to stay cool to score a goal as early as possible.”We didn’t manage to do that in the first half, had another big chance, and then in the second half, we started to struggle as the game went by.”We didn’t generate enough situations in the final third and the game started to get away from us.”ARSENAL PLAYER RATINGS: Saliba will be having nightmares about Isak as Lewis-Skelly is only Gunners star to show upARSENAL were humbled by Newcastle at St James’ Park as the Magpies beat them 2-0 to secure a spot in the League Cup final.The North Londoners knew they needed to take an early advantage if they were to overturn the 2-0 defeat at the Emirates.But Jacob Murphy was on hand to put the Magpies a goal ahead after Alexander Isak’s shot rebounded off of the post and out to him.Shortly after the break, Anthony Gordon doubled the lead to all but confirm a second League Cup final in three years for Eddie Howe.Here’s how SunSport’s Gary Stonehouse rated the Gunners.David Raya – 5Stitched Declan Rice right up for the second goal.And that absolutely killed this as a contest for his side.Jurrien Timber – 6Tried to get forward and support the attack early but soon found himself dropping deeper to avoid being caught on the counter.Tough night for the Dutchman up against Gordon in front of the red-hot home crowd.William Saliba – 4Let frustration get the better of him when he got himself booked for grabbing Anthony Gordon’s shirt.And the winger almost embarrassed him again at the start of the second period when he caught the defender sleeping, nicked the ball from him, but could only shoot wide.The usually assured star will be having nightmares of Gordon and Isak.Gabriel Magalhaes – 6Another who struggled to contain Toon’s two pacey attacking threats but did fair slightly better than his usually formidable partner.Myles Lewis-Skelly – 7Another assured performance from the full-back in a raucous atmosphere.Could not be faulted for any of the goals and showed flashes off his potential despite the humbling.Martin Odegaard – 6Everything Arsenal did try came through the skipper.Although he loses a mark as things could have been a very different story if he had finished his first half effort had hit the inside rather than outside of the post.Thomas Partey – 6Plenty of running about but very little to show or product for his efforts.Declan Rice – 6Looked to take a knock late in the first half and continued to struggle on after the restart.Was hung out to dry by his goalie for the second goal and he did keep pushing until the very end.But it was a disappointing night for the England star and his partner Partey as they came up short against Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes.Gabriel Martinelli – 5Struggled to get past big Dan Burn during his brief time on the pitch.And his night was brought to an abrupt end when he limped off before the break.Kai Havertz – 4Outmuscled, outbattled and outthought but Svan Botman and Fabian Schar.Produced zilch on an evening when he and his team-mates lacked creativity and ideas.Leandro Trossard – 5Many will have been fancying him to cause some problems for the 34-year-old Kieran Trippier but the veteran had him in his pocket all night.Arteta had seen enough by the hour mark and opted to let Raheem Sterling have a go instead.Subs usedEthan Nwaneri (37 mins for Martinelli) – 6Desperately tried to inject some pace and threat into the faltering Arsenal attack but the task proved too much for the young Gunn.He should have plenty more big occasions to look forward to though in his career.Mikel Merino (70 mins for Odegaard) – 5The game was already done and dusted when he entered the fray for battle.Some nice touches, but like those before him, he couldn’t produce anything for the visitors.Raheem Sterling (61 mins for Trossard) – 4Got half an hour to try and get at Trippier but, just like Trossard before him, he was not given an ounce of joy.Riccardo Calafiori (78 mins for Timber) – 4Was brought on simply to get some minutes in his legs.Jorginho (78 mins for Partey) – 4See above. Little chance to make an impact with the game well and truly over. More

    • 213 Shares179 Views

      in Soccer

      Former Premier League club planning to build TUNNEL under city to get fans to new £3billion stadium

      by

      BIRMINGHAM CITY chairman Tom Wagner has announced plans to build a TUNNEL under the city to help fans get to a proposed £3BILLION stadium complex.Wagner, who acquired a hefty stake in Birmingham City back in 2023, has claimed it’s part of his “dream” to revitalise East Birmingham with a new complex and stadium in the future.Birmingham City chairman Tom Wagner wants to build a tunnel under the cityCredit: RexThe tunnel would help get fans to Birmingham’s proposed new stadium complexCredit: TwitterThe ambitious plans would mean the 1.5-mile tunnel could bring supporters to Birmingham’s planned Sports QuarterCredit: TwitterThe League One club have already acquired 60 acres of land in the east side of Birmingham with plans to build an incredible Sports Quarter, containing a state-of-the-art stadium, new training facilities and more.While Wagner has called on the government to support his plans for the city.The US hedge fund exec is part of the Knightshead Capital Management group that owns the Blues alongside NFL legend Tom Brady.Now Wagner and Knightshead are looking to build a 1.5-mile long tunnel to transport fans from Birmingham New Street station to the planned new stadium in Bordesley Green.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLWagner told a meeting: “Subways are very expensive and complicated to develop.”We thought of an idea to simply tunnel under the existing rail lines and connect New Street station to the sports quarter and use electric buses running underground.”It could transport thousands of people an hour. We think it would cost roughly £20m.”Wagner also told that he would prefer to extend the city’s existing tram network, but is hoping that his tunnel idea is given proper consideration.Most read in FootballWagner is joined by NFL legend Tom Brady at the Knightshead Capital ManagementCredit: GettyCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSHe also claimed that “local and regional authorities are in favour” of the proposal, but still needs to get the government on side to provide the necessary funding for the project.Adding: “I’m the ‘crazy American’ talking about this, but we need more local voices with the right accent talking about why this is a good idea. Tom Brady in hilarious reaction after getting X-rated welcome from Wrexham fans for Birmingham clash”The funds are there nationally, and it’s a tiny percentage of those funds that we’re asking for.”Birmingham are hoping to return to their peak once again under the guidance of Wagner with the Blues now out of the Premier League for almost 15 years.But it’s not just success on the pitch that Wagner and his team are looking for, but growth as a brand and as a club in general too.Their proposed Sports Quarter is their most ambitious project, a project Wagner has claimed he wants to see completed in five years time.The focal point of the development would be a 62,000 capacity stadium that has been likened to a “spaceship” by Wagner himself.Alongside the huge new ground, which would dwarf St Andrews’ current 29,409 capacity, would be office spaces, social hubs and restaurants for the surrounding community.While a hotel and a new fan park are also expected to be part of the ambitious plans.Birmingham are currently top of League One after being relegated from the Championship last season.Wagner and Knightshead haven’t just been investing in the club’s infrastructure, but also the squad.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe Blues smashed the record fee for a League One transfer when they spent £15m with £5m in potential add-ons on Fulham striker Jay Stansfield in the summer.Prior to that deal, the League One record transfer stood at just £3.4m for Will Grigg’s 2022 move from Wigan to Sunderland.Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme – Sun Club.The club are planning to build a new stadium as part of the complexWagner likened the possible design of the stadium to a ‘spaceship’Fans have been given a glimpse of what the food and drink options could look like in the new stadiumSupporters will have plenty of choices when it comes to having a drinkThe project is expected to create 3,000 jobs for the area More

    • 188 Shares179 Views

      in Soccer

      Ruben Amorim’s staff using WhatsApp group to fix Man Utd’s dodgy defence, reveals Leny Yoro

      by

      LENY YORO had revealed that Manchester United are using a WhatsApp group chat to try and improve their leaky defence.United have come under criticism in recent weeks after conceding in 10 of their last 11 Premier League matches.Leny Yoro has revealed that Man Utd’s defenders use a WhatsApp group to prepare for matchesCredit: GettyRuben Amorim’s side have conceded in 10 of their last 11 Premier League gamesCredit: AlamyThe Red Devils spent heavily in the summer to try and improve their back line, splashing £52m on teenage centre-half Leny Yoro.Yoro, 19, has since struggled with injuries but is now cementing himself as a regular starter in Ruben Amorim’s back three system.The former Lille defender has revealed that in a bid to improve his own defending, and that of the United back line as a whole, Amorim has set up a WhatsApp group chat that gives his defenders insight on their opponents.Speaking to Rio Ferdinand on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, presented by Qatar Airways, Yoro said: “[Education] It’s important. We have a group on WhatsApp.READ MORE ON MAN UTD”With all the defenders, they send clips of the strikers, their movements, their runs.”And outside of that. I have one person who’s doing really a lot of clips on the striker for me to know.”I had already someone in Lille, so I keep working with him. [I am] especially looking where to run, for example if the defender has the ball, for a long pass.”Or for a cross with the first or second ball, everything is really important”.Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSAmorim has added more defensive reinforcements in the January window as he looks to tinker with his current back line.Lecce wing-back Patrick Dorgu arrived at Old Trafford for around £25m on a five-and-a-half-year deal.Inside Marcus Rashford’s demise from one of football’s biggest stars to £60m benchwarmerWhile 18-year-old centre-back prospect Ayden Heaven was snatched away from Arsenal too.However, nothing is coming easy in Manchester this season with Amorim set to lose one of his star defenders at the same time.Lisandro Martinez was stretchered off with a suspected ACL injury during United’s 2-0 home defeat to Crystal Palace on Sunday.Amorim has plenty more work to do with the defeat to Palace the SEVENTH Premier League home defeat of the season for United – from just 13 matches.That is their joint-worst record at this stage of the season in their entire history.In 1893-94, when still called Newton Heath, they went on to lose eight of their 15 home league games.And, crucially, the club finished bottom of the First Division and were relegated.READ MORE SUN STORIESThen in 1973-74, United went down again – with seven home league losses.Now Ruben Amorim will be desperate for history not to repeat itself as the problems mount up at Old Trafford.Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme – Sun Club.United signed both Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven in the winter window to help improve their back lineCredit: GettyStar defender Lisandro Martinez is expected to be out for a while after picking up an injury on Sunday against Crystal PalaceCredit: Alamy More

    • 200 Shares179 Views

      in Soccer

      Ridiculous scorelines, bizarre gaffes, fanatical fans & celebrations with a GOAT… inside Europe’s most bonkers league

      by

      IT’S the most bonkers league in Europe… one that makes even our Championship look predictable.A division where the team currently sitting third haven’t won a home game all season.Fans at Schalke vs FC Nurnberg showed it’s a cracker of a divisionCredit: RexMagdeburg fans haven’t seen their high-fliers win at home all seasonCredit: GettyFans let off firebombs when Schalke faced Magdeburg at the Veltins-ArenaCredit: GettyWhere 8-3 scorelines are not considered unusual.And where one club hands out free tickets to its fans.Welcome to the wacky world of the German Second Division.While Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich have made an unsurprising return to the Bundesliga summit, the division below is once again conjuring its unique brand of chaos and craziness.In 20 matchdays this season, the team leading at the top of the table has changed nine times and in mid-December the gap between first and ninth was just three points.Magdeburg, who are now third, have not won a single league game at home this season in nine attempts – yet they topped the division in late January.Cologne currently lead the way. A city famous for its twin-spire cathedral, Lukas Podolski kebab house and bizarre love of Tony Woodcock – they don’t do things by halves when it comes to football.JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSThis month they will bring out another outrageous kit to celebrate carnival time (they once finished a season with seven different shirts) and the fans will embark on a week-long party in fancy dress.But for Cologne, that is pretty much the norm. This is the club that has a live billy goat mascot, who arrives for every match with the Rocky theme tune blaring and a line of cheerleaders… and then spends the game grazing on the touchline.Cologne star Anthony Ujah celebrates goal by grabbing horns of goat mascot Anthony Ujah once ‘celebrated’ a goal by grabbing the horns of Cologne’s famous goat mascot, HennesHamburg supporters see the famous club languishing in the second tierCredit: GettyHe even unwittingly joined in a goal celebration when former striker Anthony Ujah memorably grabbed his horns a decade ago.Anywhere other than Germany, and you would probably raise an eyebrow.But that is the beauty of the 2. Bundesliga, where every week something bizarre seems to happen.This season, in a match between Magdeburg and Greuther Furth, two penalties were awarded for players inexplicably picking up the ball, believing the whistle had blown.A few years back, VAR awarded a spot-kick to Bochum after a Kiel sub warming up behind the goal put out a leg to stop a wayward shot before it had left the field of play.And Brentford keeper Mark Flekken needs no reminding about the time he turned his back on the action to have a drink, thinking his Duisburg team had scored, only for the goal to be ruled out and Ingolstadt to run down the other end and net themselves.But don’t be fooled into thinking there is a lack of quality. Far from it.Rudi Voller, Jurgen Klinsmann, Marco Reus and Joshua Kimmich are among a host of star names who have all cut their teeth in the German second tier.And a certain Jurgen Klopp made his name there both as a player and manager with Mainz.As for the clubs, it is not just Cologne who are a powerhouse.Brentford keeper Mark Flekken was playing for MSV Duisburg when he famously conceded a goal while getting a drink of waterFlekken was left embarrassed when Ingolstadt scoredHamburg, Kevin Keegan’s old outfit, are second in the table and the other week took 20,000 away fans to another giant Hertha Berlin, resulting in a staggering attendance of 71,500 at the Olympiastadion – which hosted England’s Euro 2024 final against Spain.Former Bundesliga winners Kaiserslautern had plummeted into the third division but are now pushing for a return to the top flight, having gone from ninth to third in the space of a week in early December.Hannover are also knocking on the door, just behind Fortuna Dusseldorf, a club that is once again handing out free tickets to its matches as part of its Fortuna For All initiative.Last season, Dusseldorf trialled it for three games and received 350,000 ticket applications. This season, they extended it to four matches, with the Hamburg game in October attracting 135,000 requests for its 52,000-capacity stadium.And then there’s Schalke.Having reached the Champions League in 2019, they were trounced 7-0 at Manchester City and have lurched from one crisis to another ever since.Schalke, who still count former Everton defender Jonjoe Kenny among their ranks, sat top of the table after the first match of this season.But within a month they were flirting with relegation to the third tier of German football.To put that into perspective, they are the third biggest club in the country, akin to an Arsenal or a Tottenham. And when was the last time you saw Spurs mentioned in the same breath as relegation…England legend Kevin Keegan was with Hamburg from 1977-1980Credit: GettyAnother ex-Three Lions striker, Tony Woodcock, has icon status at CologneCredit: GettyDespite Schalke’s woes, their attendances still average just over 60,000.In fact, six clubs average more than 41,000 and as of last weekend, a whopping 5.5million fans had watched a match this season in the division.And where there are German football fans, there is beer and bratwurst – and lots of it.Schalke’s stadium, sponsored by brewers Veltins, has its own three-mile long beer pipeline so their long-suffering supporters are never short of a pint, while the club is still backed by a sausage magnate.The fans aren’t starved of entertainment either.Ridiculous scorelines and incredible comebacks are a regular occurrence, with the second tier averaging 3.19 goals a game. Even our wildly unpredictable Championship has managed only 2.48.On 13 of the 20 matchdays, at least one club scored five goals in a match, and on one of the weeks when it didn’t happen, five teams still netted four each.Nuremberg’s 8-3 win over Regensburg – a match that was 3-3 in the 58th minute – is still the highest scoring this season.But there has also been a 5-3 and a 4-4, while 4-3s are as common as a love of lederhosen.Throw in the fact the average season ticket costs you £170 and you can see the appeal.So if you like your football fast and frenetic, your beer strong and cheap and your sausages a foot long, you know exactly where to go.Magdeburg are dreaming of promotion to the elite domain of Bayern and CoCredit: Getty More

    • 225 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Anthony Gordon says the two words no Arsenal fan wants to hear in accidental dig after Newcastle thrashing

      by

      ANTHONY GORDON said the two words Arsenal fans didn’t want to hear following Newcastle’s 4-0 aggregate win over the Gunners in the Carabao Cup semi-final.Gordon scored in both legs as the Magpies got the better of Arsenal 2-0 on both occasions to book their spot at Wembley next month.Anthony Gordon threw an accidental jibe at Arsenal following Newcastle’s 2-0 win in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday nightCredit: RexGordon scored in both legs as Newcastle booked their spot in the final at WembleyCredit: GettyThe England winger tormented the Arsenal defence whenever he got the ball over the two legs and seemed to accidentally torment the Arsenal fans with his post-match interview on Wednesday night too.In a bid to keep his teammates grounded and focused on the next game after such a high, Gordon told Sky Sports that Newcastle must “stay humble”.He said: ” It feels amazing. A proper team performance and we got the win. Our fans are never in question, they make it so difficult for the opposition and we did it the right way.”We had a game plan we thought would work. Everyone knows we press. It is important for us to stay humble now. It will be a big occasion but it’s so far away.”READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe seemingly innocuous answer could have got under the skin of Arsenal supporters up and down the country after the Gunners’ high profile row with Man City’s Erling Haaland this season.Haaland sparked a feud between himself and the Arsenal faithful after telling Mikel Arteta to “stay humble” following City’s late equaliser in the 2-2 draw between the two sides earlier in the season.While Arsenal got their revenge on the pitch on Sunday when they thrashed City 5-1 at the Emirates Stadium.The Gunners didn’t hold back their feelings during the win as 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly even taunted Haaland by recreating the Norwegian’s famous mediation celebration when he put Arsenal 3-1 up.Most read in FootballMyles Lewis-Skelly recreated Erling Haaland’s celebration during Arsenal’s 5-1 dismantling of Man City on SundayCredit: GettyHaaland was taunted by the Arsenal fans throughout the matchCredit: GettyCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSThe crowd also played their part as they could be heard singing “stay humble, Haaland. Stay humble” throughout the 90-minute dismantling.And even the club’s DJ got in on the act, playing Kendrick Lamar’s song ‘HUMBLE.’ over the tannoy system on the final whistle.How Arsenal spent ENTIRE Man City clash winding up Erling Haaland – from brutal celebrations to grabbing shortsSo it’s no surprise that fans have latched on the the words of Anthony Gordon after last night’s Newcastle win and pointed out that perhaps Arsenal should have stayed a little more grounded themselves at the weekend.On social media, one fan wrote: “Anthony Gordon knows exactly what he’s doing here… #StayHumble”.While another added: “Life hits you fast in football nowadays.”A third commented: “Cheeky swipe there by Gordon”.And a fourth posted: “Anthony Gordon, I am a fan of yours for life now.”Newcastle have now beaten Arsenal three times this season with the Gunners yet to find the back of the net against Eddie Howe’s side.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe Toon Army will return to Wembley next month for the Carabao Cup final after falling at the final hurdle under the arch in 2023 against Manchester United.But Howe’s fighting Magpies will have a tough task waiting for them at the Home of Football as they will face the winner of tonight’s semi-final second leg clash between Liverpool and Tottenham.ARSENAL PLAYER RATINGS: Saliba will be having nightmares about Isak as Lewis-Skelly is only Gunners star to show upARSENAL were humbled by Newcastle at St James’ Park as the Magpies beat them 2-0 to secure a spot in the League Cup final.The North Londoners knew they needed to take an early advantage if they were to overturn the 2-0 defeat at the Emirates.But Jacob Murphy was on hand to put the Magpies a goal ahead after Alexander Isak’s shot rebounded off of the post and out to him.Shortly after the break, Anthony Gordon doubled the lead to all but confirm a second League Cup final in three years for Eddie Howe.Here’s how SunSport’s Gary Stonehouse rated the Gunners.David Raya – 5Stitched Declan Rice right up for the second goal.And that absolutely killed this as a contest for his side.Jurrien Timber – 6Tried to get forward and support the attack early but soon found himself dropping deeper to avoid being caught on the counter.Tough night for the Dutchman up against Gordon in front of the red-hot home crowd.William Saliba – 4Let frustration get the better of him when he got himself booked for grabbing Anthony Gordon’s shirt.And the winger almost embarrassed him again at the start of the second period when he caught the defender sleeping, nicked the ball from him, but could only shoot wide.The usually assured star will be having nightmares of Gordon and Isak.Gabriel Magalhaes – 6Another who struggled to contain Toon’s two pacey attacking threats but did fair slightly better than his usually formidable partner.Myles Lewis-Skelly – 7Another assured performance from the full-back in a raucous atmosphere.Could not be faulted for any of the goals and showed flashes off his potential despite the humbling.Martin Odegaard – 6Everything Arsenal did try came through the skipper.Although he loses a mark as things could have been a very different story if he had finished his first half effort had hit the inside rather than outside of the post.Thomas Partey – 6Plenty of running about but very little to show or product for his efforts.Declan Rice – 6Looked to take a knock late in the first half and continued to struggle on after the restart.Was hung out to dry by his goalie for the second goal and he did keep pushing until the very end.But it was a disappointing night for the England star and his partner Partey as they came up short against Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes.Gabriel Martinelli – 5Struggled to get past big Dan Burn during his brief time on the pitch.And his night was brought to an abrupt end when he limped off before the break.Kai Havertz – 4Outmuscled, outbattled and outthought but Svan Botman and Fabian Schar.Produced zilch on an evening when he and his team-mates lacked creativity and ideas.Leandro Trossard – 5Many will have been fancying him to cause some problems for the 34-year-old Kieran Trippier but the veteran had him in his pocket all night.Arteta had seen enough by the hour mark and opted to let Raheem Sterling have a go instead.Subs usedEthan Nwaneri (37 mins for Martinelli) – 6Desperately tried to inject some pace and threat into the faltering Arsenal attack but the task proved too much for the young Gunn.He should have plenty more big occasions to look forward to though in his career.Mikel Merino (70 mins for Odegaard) – 5The game was already done and dusted when he entered the fray for battle.Some nice touches, but like those before him, he couldn’t produce anything for the visitors.Raheem Sterling (61 mins for Trossard) – 4Got half an hour to try and get at Trippier but, just like Trossard before him, he was not given an ounce of joy.Riccardo Calafiori (78 mins for Timber) – 4Was brought on simply to get some minutes in his legs.Jorginho (78 mins for Partey) – 4See above. Little chance to make an impact with the game well and truly over. More

    • 238 Shares179 Views

      in Soccer

      Cristiano Ronaldo given incredible birthday cake by Al-Nassr complete with childhood pics and all 5 of his Ballons d’Or

      by

      CRISTIANO RONALDO reckons no other player can hold a candle to him.And he can also wax lyrical about his 40th birthday cake – thanks to a majestic creation from Al-Nassr.Cristiano Ronaldo got a cake others can only dream ofCredit: Instagram / alnassrThe cake top was a nod to some of his goalsCredit: Instagram @alnassrRonaldo shared a birthday pic with Georgina RodriguezCredit: Instagram @cristianoAl-Nassr players joined in celebrations with their big nameCredit: Instagram @alnassrRonaldo’s Saudi club served up a triple-tier offering, laced with three truly special extras.In front of the cake sat five tasty Ballons d’Or, looking golden delicious.Embedded around it was a touching selection of childhood pictures.And perched on top was a mini version of the legend himself, performing the type of overhead kick that rekindles memories of the cream of his 923 goals (and counting).READ MORE IN FOOTBALLAl-Nassr posted snaps of the beaming ex-Manchester United frontman gazing down at the carb-crammed construction – something that health-conscious Ronaldo might normally avoid eating.They added the words: “Happiness looks good on him.”Team-mates like new £64million striker Jhon Duran crowded alongside CR7 in other photos.And as supporters responded to the pics with a stream of good wishes to the Portugal great, Ron also shared his verdict on the big day.Most read in FootballRonaldo and all his family joined in the celebrationsCredit: Instagram @cristianoTeh Portugal icon seemed impressed with the designCredit: Instagram / alnassrJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSThe ex-Real Madrid hero posted a cosy picture with girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez and said: “Thank you all for the amazing birthday messages! “Had a great day with family and friends, couldn’t wish for anything better.”How Sir Alex Ferguson ‘refused to let Cristiano Ronaldo leave stadium until he signed for Man Utd’ Ron has revealed in interviews this week he believes playing on “a year, or two, or three” is still possible.But as he reached what many regard as a landmark birthday, he appeared to be more philosophical about his future on the pitch.Ronaldo claimed he “doesn’t care” how long his playing career lasts.He suggested too he’s relaxed about whether he bags the 77 more strikes needed to make four figures.He said: “If I reach 1,000 goals, great. If not, that’s fine too. Numbers don’t lie.”Ron won the Champions League four times, all with Real, plus La Liga twice, three Prem crowns with United and Serie A on a couple of occasions with Juventus.And as represented by his Ballons d’Or cake accessories, he was also named world player of the year five times.So, at least in terms of honours, he’s the perfect antidote to the argument that life begins at 40.But he’s certainly chosen the moment to serve up some strife – for those who like a heated debate.Ronaldo stirred up the eternal question of “Who is the GOAT?” by again insisting he’s “the best player ever”.He added: “I’m fast, I’m strong, [I score] with my head, with the left, no one has ever been more complete than me.READ MORE SUN STORIESTeam-mates enjoyed the moment almost as much as RonCredit: Instagram @alnassr“You may prefer Pele, Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona, I understand and respect that…. I am the best in history. Period.”And whatever Al-Nassr or anyone gave Ron for his birthday, it surely won’t beat perhaps the greatest gift of all – his sense of fulfilment.CR7 maybe reflected on his career as he surveyed the cakeCredit: Instagram / alnassr More

    • 275 Shares159 Views

      in Soccer

      Joao Felix scores stunning goal just 12 minutes into AC Milan debut as fans say ‘we can now agree Chelsea ruins players’

      by

      JOAO FELIX took just 12 minutes to score his first AC Milan goal following his loan transfer from Chelsea.The 25-year-old completed a move to Italy on deadline day.Joao Felix scored after 12 minutes on his AC Milan debutCredit: GettyFelix chipped the ball over the Roma goalkeeper to put Milan through to the Coppa Italia semi-finalsCredit: GettyJust five months ago Chelsea paid £45m to sign him from Atletico Madrid.However, Felix was down the pecking order under Enzo Maresca and managed seven goals in 20 appearances, many of which came in the Europa Conference League.The Blues subsequently loaned him out to AC Milan, who paid a £5million loan fee with no obligation to buy.But the Serie A might be thinking it was some shrewd business after Felix scored an important goal to put them in the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLWith the score 2-1 in Milan’s favour, Felix was introduced in the 59th minute as a replacement for Christian Pulisic – another Chelsea reject.The Portuguese forward was then played into open space in the 71st minute by fellow deadline-day signing Santiago Gimenez. Felix then proceeded to calmly chip the ball over Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar to make the score 3-1 and mark a perfect debut for himself and Gimenez – a £27m buy from Feyenoord.Reacting on social media, some fans were critical of Chelsea’s handling of Felix, with one saying: “We can now agree Chelsea ruins players.”Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSA second said: “Chelsea has ALWAYS ruined players, they were the club that would buy players so other teams couldn’t and then sit them on the bench.”A third added: “Chelsea almost ruined him.”Chelsea new-boy Joao Felix has plaque at Atletico Madrid stadium vandalised by thugs after transfer exitAnother fan argued it was a motivation issue, saying: “He’s motivated for the first few games and then it will drop.”A fifth fan said: “They should make his move there permanent.”Felix did also manage to score for Chelsea on his second debut for them this season during the 6-2 thrashing of Wolves, before failing to score another league goal.Milan have been joined in the semi-finals by Bologna, while two of Inter Milan or Lazio and Juventus or Empoli will make up the rest of the last four.The final will be held on May 14, where the Rossoneri will be hoping to win the competition for their sixth time overall and the first time since 2003.Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme – Sun Club. More