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      Ex-Man Utd star Phil Jones opens up on mental health trauma caused by vile trolls that left him not wanting to go out

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      PHIL JONES lifted the lid on years of abuse and mental anguish he suffered at the hands of vile trolls.And the former Manchester United and England defender revealed he was only able to overcome the torment with help from a psychologist and a therapist.Phil Jones has exclusively opened up about how injuries and trolls ruined his mental healthJones won the Premier League under Fergie in 2013Jones, 32, who retired last month, avoided the public, rarely went to restaurants and dodged speaking to team-mates.All the while, fans who abused him were unaware of the true extent of his 14-year injury battle.Opening up about his struggles, Jones confessed that when he did play, the agony of his wrecked right knee was regularly numbed by painkillers and steroids.And while he was struggling physically, there was also a mental toll. READ MORE ON MAN UTDHe said: “I’d been through that much trauma mentally.”Jones first tore his meniscus as an 18-year-old at Blackburn and, although Sir Alex Ferguson signed him for United, it was the beginning of his injury nightmare.As the injury absences became longer, Jones became the subject of horrific abuse and ridicule both online and face to face in the street.Asked if it affected him, he said: “Anybody who tells you that it doesn’t is lying. And as footballers you have to put this mask on.Most read in Football“You get paid a lot of money so you are not allowed to have feelings or emotions.“The physical injuries made me mentally weak at times.“Obviously people will ask, ‘he is always injured?’ as though they  think that I wake up one day and  think, ‘oh, yeah, I fancy being injured  today’.“But my coping  mechanism  was to be  silent, put my   guard up, my shield up around with my really close family.“I wouldn’t even really communicate with my friends that well.”Jones said he tried to stay off social media but his friends would fill him in.Recurring knee injuries would spell disaster for JonesThe heartbreaking injuries heavily impacted his England careerHe said: “You’d go past people in the street and they’d say something and it would really aggravate you and get to you.“You just hear people whispering, ‘Oh there he is, f**king injury-prone’. People say, ‘you shouldn’t take that money then’.“As footballers you have to put this mask onPhil Jones“If they only knew what I was doing behind the scenes to get right.“Flip that on its head and say, ‘I’ll tell you what then, what I’ll do is I’ll take the money away from you and see if you go back into work’. Everybody’s got to earn money.“I found it really hard to go to restaurants for years. You put your head down when you’re walking through crowds and stuff. I didn’t want people to spot me.”Following surgery at Blackburn, Jones appeared to have recovered but his knee went again, a year after his move to Old Trafford and surgeons had to remove the meniscus.Again he fought back but eventually having to play with bone rubbing on bone took its toll.Although he never fully recovered, Jones said he “left no stone unturned” to carry on playing.Speaking to the High Performance podcast released this week, Jones said: “My knee would swell.“I’d be on compression boots, I’d be on the ice, I’d be in the pool, recovery, trying to get every inflammation down.“I would start getting really, really sharp pains every time  I passed the ball. Incredible amount of pain.“When I look back now I think ‘wow’, I give myself a pat on  the back for getting through  those periods.“Players and staff knew I had a bad knee but I hid it really well.”Despite taking strong pain medication, Jones revealed the team doctor would eventually have to inject his knee before games.After years seeing surgeons and specialists, Jones said he spent more time on the treatment table than a pitch.He started deliberately coming in late for physio to avoid well-meaning team-mates constantly asking how his knee was.Jones with wife Kaya at the United player awards in 2019And his anguish began affecting his family life.He even wanted his wife, Kaya, to remove a display of England caps — Jones played 27 times for his country — and a Premier League-winners trophy because he felt “worthless”.But eventually, and partly for the sake of his daughters, Jones realised he had to “deal with it”.Jones also came to accept that his playing days were over.He added: “It was a relief off my shoulders that I didn’t have to put myself through this pain.”United released him in the summer of 2023, a year after his final appearance in a 3-0 Premier League win over Brentford.READ MORE SUN STORIESBut after helping coach Red Devils’ youngsters, he is setting his sights on coaching or management.He says: “I’m looking forward  to the future and I’m positive about it.”WHERE TO GET HELP YOU NEEDIF you are ever worried that someone’s life is in immediate danger, call 999 or go directly to the emergency services.For anyone in crisis, struggling to cope or needing immediate help, use the Shout Crisis text line (text 85258) or The Samaritans (call 116 123) – which are both available 24/7, 365 days a year.CALM offer a confidential helpline (0800 585858) and livechat, both available from 5pm to midnight.Visit nhs.uk/mental-health/ to find NHS mental health support near you, and how to self-refer for talking therapies, such as CBT and counselling for mental health conditions including depression, anxiety, panic, OCD and more.Visit the Movember website for more advice on men’s health and recommended support groups, organisations and charities. Movember Conversations is an online tool that helps you practise difficult conversations with pretend scenarios. More

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      Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber avoided a red card at Tottenham because of a ‘safe call’ from the referee

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      JURRIEN TIMBER avoided a red card at Tottenham because referee Jarred Gillett played it ‘safe’, according to a retired referee.Top former ref Mark Halsey ran the rule over the weekend’s Premier League action exclusively for SunSport.Jurrien Timber could’ve have seen red for his tackle on Pedro PorroThe Arsenal full-back was only given a yellow cardIt wouldn’t be the North London derby without some boiling tempers and on-pitch drama – and Timber ensured Sunday’s clash was no different in his first game against Spurs.The former Ajax defender left one on Pedro Porro after a crunching challenge but didn’t hear the whistle that came later.Timber, 23, caught his Spurs counterpart on the ankle after he went over the ball with his studs, which Gillett deemed worthy of only a yellow card.When asked for his take on the incident, Halsey said: “The temperature was rising, the game was reaching boiling point.READ MORE ON ARSENAL”I think perhaps the referee just took the safe bet and issued a yellow card for a reckless challenge.”Now, listen, when we look at Law 12 (Misconduct) a careless challenge is a free kick and no card, okay? A reckless challenge is a free kick and a yellow card.”And a challenge that endangers the player’s safety with excessive force or brutality must be sanctioned with a red card. “Now, it’s subjective, but for me, I thought they got it absolutely spot on.Most read in FootballSpurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario reacted negatively to Timber’s foulA scuffle then broke out between Spurs and their North London visitorsFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS”I thought it was a reckless challenge, free kick and a yellow card. I didn’t think it met the criteria of a serious foul play.”VAR looks at those challenges and they stayed with the on-field decision, which was correct.Arsenal ratings: Gabriel puts in impeccable display in North London Derby but Rice replacement struggles”I think the fact that he was on top of the ball and then his studs just went into the shin, I think that deemed it a reckless challenge. “So, listen, on another day, another referee may have just seen it as a careless.”But the chaos didn’t stop there.Arsenal ratings vs Spurs as Gabriel is the hero in feisty North London derbyGABRIEL headed in the only goal of the game as a depleted Arsenal snatched all three points in the North London Derby.Here’s how SunSport’s Lloyd Canfield rated the Gunners players…DAVID RAYA – 8/10Commanded his area well, and was a safe pair of hands throughout the game. Another great showing in what has been a spectacular start for the Spanish stopper. JURRIEN TIMBER – 7Did well from an attacking perspective, charging down the left hand side on various occasions. Solid defensively too against Spurs’ flying right side of Johnson and Porro.Some would argue he should’ve been sent off for a challenge on Pedro Porro in the first half, but he escaped despite squaring up to Vicario in the aftermath.WILLIAM SALIBA – 8A really good recovery challenge in the first half to deny Dominic Solanke, despite being booked early on.You can always count on Saliba to put in a solid display, and he didn’t disappoint today with fantastic passing out from the back too. GABRIEL – 9A fantastic defensive showing throughout, reinforced with a towering header inside the box to give his side the lead from a set piece (shock). Has formed an impeccable partnership with Saliba, personified by their heartwarming celebration together after the opener. He’s the man. BEN WHITE – 6Gave away the ball in a dangerous position in the first half, with Solanke failing to capitalise and had a tough first half against the quick feet of Heung Min-Son.Was not able to demonstrate the dangerous right-hand side overlap we saw work so effectively last season, but wasn’t threatened in the second 45.JORGINHO – 4Struggled to replace the suspended Declan Rice for this North London derby, whom the Gunners really missed.A tough task, but didn’t come close to matching Rice’s intensity or ability to drive the ball up the pitch which left Arsenal weak in the forward areas.THOMAS PARTEY – 5Struggled in transition with Jorginho alongside him, another player who felt the full force of no Rice and Odegaard.Not fast enough with or without the ball, and will need to perk his ideas up for City next week. GABRIEL MARTINELLI – 6Looked like a bright spark with his running and forward movement, but was let down by his end product or lack thereof.Worked really really hard throughout, just looks short of confidence in the last actions. LEANDRO TROSSARD – 6Dropping deeper into more of a midfield role than he’s used to today, it should be noted that he did a job for the team when they needed him. Not the flying efficiency machine we have seen him be from the bench, but his versatility will be needed this season it seems. BUKAYO SAKA – 7Didn’t make the kind of impact on the game we are used to seeing from the brilliant Bukayo Saka, and looked less of a threat without Martin Odegaard to combine with. Did some really good defensive work nonetheless, and delivered the perfect corner to claim the assist for Gabriel’s opener. KAI HAVERTZ – 6A good header in the first half was saved well by Vicario in the spurs net – actually made more clearances (3) than he managed shots on target (2) in the first 45. Was a handful for the Spurs defence, but largely nullified by the pace and power of Mickey Van de Ven and Cristian Romero. Not reacting to the ref’s whistle, Timber continued with the ball at his feet until he reached the byline next to Guglielmo Vicario’s goal.Porro’s Tottenham teammates reacted angrily in response and a scuffle broke out between the two teams with plenty of pushing and shoving.Vicario was then booked for instigating the melee as VAR again checked the aftermath.But many felt Timber should have received his marching orders for grabbing the Spurs goalkeeper in response.On whether Timber should have received a second yellow for the confrontation, Halsey said: “We’ve been talking about we don’t want to see too many yellow and red cards. “And I thought Vicario deserved his yellow card because he adopted aggressive attitude towards the opponent. “Now, some may be a bit cynical and say Timber perhaps should have got a second yellow card. But not for me because he wasn’t the aggressor.”He was sort of putting his hands up to try and protect himself. So I thought, again, I thought they handled that well. “And if there was any other unseen incident, VAR would have picked it up.”Meanwhile Arsenal players called for a penalty when the ball accidentally struck Cristian Romero’s arm inside 18 minutes.Kai Havertz’ close range header was saved by Vicario with the ball rebounding onto Romero’s arm after the home side started brightly.However, Halsey said: “Well, it has to be a deliberate act, a deliberate movement of the arm to the ball, and making yourself unnaturally bigger.”And that handball didn’t meet the criteria. Absolutely, Gillett was spot on, not to give a handball.”The first 45 minutes of the clash saw seven yellow cards – the most bookings in the first half of a Premier League game in history.And Halsey was unimpressed with the number of cards handed out across the board as the Premier League saw a new record for one gameweek set.He said: “There were 65 yellow cards, so 66 if you count the red, in one weekend. Poor game management.”Refereeing is all about managing the players, managing the event, and it’s setting those tolerance levels. “And if we look at the game, the Arsenal-Tottenham game, I mean, the temperature was sky high.READ MORE SUN STORIES”As a referee at that level, and every game’s a big game, whatever game you’re in, you have to set your tolerance levels. “And I thought Jarred [Gillett] set his tolerance levels a little bit too low for a game of that magnitude.” More

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      Tom Brady applauds enthusiastically as mass brawl erupts after Wrexham ace almost BITES Birmingham star

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      TOM BRADY applauded encouragingly after a brawl erupted following a Wrexham star almost BITING a Birmingham player.The Blues came from behind to beat the Red Dragons before tempers boiled over towards the end of the match.The incident was sparked as Paul Mullin almost bit Birmingham’s Alex CochraneThe striker then had a coming together with Krystian Bielik who was bookedCredit: RexThe vast majority of players on the pitch would become embroiled in the scrapCredit: AlamyTom Brady clapped enthusiastically as the brawl broke outThe incident was sparked after Wrexham striker Paul Mullin was fouled by Alex Cochrane near the halfway line.Mullin ended up on top of Cochrane and looked as if he was about to bite the defender after opening his mouth on top of his leg.However, at the last minute he refrained from sinking his teeth into the opponent.Another Birmingham star Krystian Bielik also got involved as Mullin got to his feet, and he began pushing the forward.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe pair grabbed one another by the shirt as Bielik continued to inflame the situation by pushing Andy Cannon.Soon almost every player on the pitch was involved including Wrexham’s James McClean, who was booked for his involvement.Bielik was shown a second yellow card four minutes later and sent for an early bath after mistiming a lunge on Cannon.But Birmingham fans appeared to love the fracas and Brady, who is a minority owner of the club, was seen applauding in response.Most read in EFLCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSHowever, one fan crossed the line by throwing what appeared to be a cup of Bovril towards former Premier League bad boy James McClean.The ex-West Brom star then responded in surprising fashion by taking a sip from the cup.And as he was subbed off, he added fuel to the fire by making an X-rated gesture towards the home fans.However it was the Blues supporters who had the last laugh as their side came from behind to win 3-1 with record-breaking signing Jay Stansfield scoring twice.Bielik later picked up a second yellow card for a bad tackleCredit: GettyFormer Premier League bad boy James McClean grabbed a drink that was thrown at him from the crowdCredit: ReutersMcClean then took a sip from the cup of BovrilCredit: GettyHe then appeared to perform an X-rated gesture towards the Birmingham fans after being subbed offFormer England captain David Beckham took in the match next to BradyCredit: GettyWatch moment Ryan Reynolds is surprised by Wrexham star live on BBC Radio 1 More

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      Laura Woods gets engaged to boyfriend Adam Collard at ‘the place we fell in love’ as she posts emotional 36-word message

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      LAURA WOODS has announced her engagement to Adam Collard.The couple first revealed they were dating last year and Woods said yes after Adam proposed at “the place they fell in love”.Laura Woods has announced her engagement to Adam CollardWoods said yes to the proposal at the place the pair fell in loveAdam got down on one knee on a beach in CornwallThe couple have enjoyed a whirlwind romanceAdam got down on one knee on a beach in Cornwall, and Laura was delighted to say yes.She later took to social media to announce her engagement.Laura wrote: “And just like that…💍💫 You make me happy @adamcollard 🤍 “Thank you @carbisbayestate – the place we fell in love and now the place we got engaged, you made it so special 🥹 What a summer x”READ MORE IN FOOTBALLLaura, 37, has had an eventful summer which included hosting the Euros before she enjoyed a romantic getaway to Ibiza with Adam.The pair announced they were dating last October and have constantly shared loved-up posts with followers online since making things official.Then in July the couple revealed they were expecting a baby with Laura sharing a picture of an ultrasound on Instagram, complete with her French bulldog peeking over the top.Adam spilled the beans on how he won over Laura following a string of dates including at the Black Bull pub in Trimdon, Co Durham.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSThey then enjoyed a weekend away in St Ives in early October before going public later that month, and returned to the Cornish town for the proposal.Many shared their well wishes with John Terry saying: “Congratulations to you both 💙❤️”Behind the scenes at Eurosport studios where Laura Woods will present live TV for Paris Olympics 2024A fan wrote: “Congratulations to you both. Looks perfect location for it. Hope you’ll have years of happiness.”Another added: “Congratulations beautiful girl. So happy for you ❤️”And a third commented: “Such happy news 🙌❤️ Congratulations you absolute beaut… you deserve all the love xxx”The two embraced following the proposalLaura announced she was dating Adam last OctoberHow Laura Woods tamed Love Island bad boy Adam CollardHE was one of Love Island’s most notorious bad boys – but one woman seems to have changed all that.Personal trainer Adam Collard, 28, has been dating Euro 2024 presenter Laura Woods, 36, since 2023.The former loverat has called her “The One,” spent Christmas with her – the first time he’s done so with a girlfriend since he was 21 – and kept their relationship relatively out of the limelight, seemingly on Laura’s wishes.It’s a far cry from the man who admits himself he’s been “ruthless” in the past, claims to have had 25 girlfriends, and spent many years partying and juggling flings with girls including Zara McDermott and Lottie Moss.Relationship expert Jo Hemmings says: “He’s now 28, he’s a professional with a job, and I think he just went off the whole idea of ever realistically meeting somebody on a TV show.“He’s now met somebody who is also a professional, and is only on TV as a byproduct of what she does in sport.“He’s got himself in a comfortable place. Financially, he’s older, he’s more mature, he’s more settled.“He once played into this roguish character that people saw him as, and became a parody of himself. But look who’s laughing now.“He’s got a fabulous girlfriend, they’re in a long term relationship, he’s well off, he’s still in the public eye, and he’s getting on with his life in the way that I think he always wanted.”Read the full article here More

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      Major change to Champions League knockout stages draw with Wimbledon-style system and potential all-Premier League ties

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      THE new-look Champions League begins with Liverpool meeting AC Milan in the San Siro and Aston Villa at Switzerland’s Young Boys.SunSport explains how it now works:Every team will play eight games in the first stage of the expanded Champions LeagueCredit: GettyNewcomers Aston Villa get their campaign underway on TuesdayCredit: APUefa agreed to expand the Champions League from 32 teams to 36 and scrap the long-standing group stage.Instead, all teams will play eight matches in the initial stage as part of a single 36-team league competition.Unlike in previous seasons, where the group games were completed before Christmas, the league stage will now run through to the end of January.This week’s games will be split over three nights before the next six match days are played on just Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with two matches on each day starting at 5.45pm and the rest at 8pm.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLBut the final set of 18 matches will be played simultaneously with an 8pm kick-off on January 29.After eight matches, the top eight sides in the table will automatically go through to the last 16.The teams ranked from ninth to 24th will play off over two legs to join them. The bottom eight clubs are out of Europe and teams no longer drop into the Europa League.Uefa had previously drawn the knock-out games at each stage but now a Wimbledon-style seeded draw will be conducted after the league stage meaning the top two sides in the initial table cannot meet until the final.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSOwen Hargreaves Season PredictionsHARGREAVES ON BELLINGHAM“I SAW the Super Cup and Jude Bellingham played the best game of his life.“He’s playing a bit more in his natural position, a little bit deeper. He’s the perfect midfield player.“Jude is just going to get better and better with Kylian Mbappe and Endrick.“I know a lot of people have not seen much of Endrick but to go with him and Rodrygo, Valverde, Modric, Courtois and Alaba, Rudiger, Carvajal . . .“That is some collection of players, it’s amazing.”HARGREAVES ON CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DARK HORSES“PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN, just in the way Luis Enrique plays. He plays such aggressive football and they’ve got so many really good ball players.“I’m happy to see they’re focused on young French players. That’s probably what they should have done long ago.“Inter are really good. They’ve got a clear identity to how they play under Simone Inzaghi.“Marcus Thuram came on a free, it’s amazing no one else picked him up.“They’re not the most offensive team but often those teams do really well in the Champions League.“They don’t make mistakes in silly moments.”HARGREAVES ON PREM CONTENDERS“MANCHESTER CITY have the best squad and they’re using four centre-backs so defensively they’re a bit more stable.“Arsenal need a little bit more experience in the Champions League. “To win the Champions League might take a little bit more time in the transfer windows. But they’re going to win trophies, it’s a question of when.“Liverpool have crazy firepower. Federico Chiesa is an amazing player and he’ll suit the Premier League because he’s crazy explosive.“I’m excited for Aston Villa as Villa Park is going to be one of the best atmospheres in Europe this season.”HARGREAVES ON PLAYERS TO WATCH OUT FOR“MICHAEL OLISE is going to be great at Bayern Munich.“Playing at Crystal Palace he probably didn’t get the notoriety he deserved but he’s such a good finisher and technically really good.“Endrick at Real Madrid is cool because people don’t know a lot about him. He’s still so young but he’s just got it.“Florian Wirtz at Bayer Leverkusen is an amazing player with a really unique style. His numbers from last season were crazy.“As a young kid, putting himself in the Ballon d’Or conversation is rare. He’ll be playing at Real Madrid or Man City in a couple of years.Prem clubs can meet each other at any point in the knock-out stage of the competition.Champions League newcomers Aston Villa get their campaign underway against Young Boys on Tuesday.Champions League releases new anthem as fuming fans say ‘the beautiful game has died’While Manchester City meet Inter Milan on Wednesday and Arsenal face a trip to Atalanta on Thursday. More

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      Reece James return delayed as Chelsea star’s hamstring injury fails to heal as well as expected

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      REECE JAMES has suffered a delay to his long-anticipated return for Chelsea.The defender’s latest hamstring injury has not healed as well as expected after he got crocked again in the summer.Reece James has suffered a delay to his injury comebackCredit: GettyAnd club medics have now put his comeback on hold.The Chelsea captain has endured a nightmare run of hamstring issues in the past couple of years.He most recently underwent surgery in December last year and looked to be making solid progress at last.He played regularly on the summer tour of the US but then became injured again shortly after and is yet to play a single minute this season.READ MORE ON CHELSEAInsiders at Stamford Bridge insist there has been no setback or fresh, new injury to the affected muscle.Simply that the area concerned has not recovered as quickly as they would like.They are also adamant James will not be rushed back and therefore he needs a longer than expected spell on the sidelines.James has been plagued by injuries for the last few years and picked up several problems last season.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSChelsea ratings vs Bournemouth as Sanchez and Sancho are heroes… and Palmer strugglesCHELSEA needed a late moment of magic from Christopher Nkunku to snatch all three points from Bournemouth.Marcus Tavernier crashed a super strike against the crossbar early on and Robert Sanchez saved an Evanilson penalty before the break.Jadon Sancho came on for his debut at half-time and made the difference for the Blues as he set up Nkunku’s winner.Here’s how SunSport’s Graham Nickless rated Maresca’s men…Robert Sanchez – 8Man-of-the-match show with first-half penalty save from Evanilson and a handful of excellent saves.But rather fortunate to stay on the pitch after denying Evanilson a clear goalscoring opportunity with a deliberate foul that led to the spot-kick.Axel Disasi – 5The right-back was given an uncomfortable night down the right side.Given the runaround by Cherries dangerman Antoine Semenyo and was replaced just after the hour.Wesley Fofana – 6Did his best to keep a clean sheet when run ragged by the home strikers.Luckily for the centre-back, he could rely on Sanchez to keep them out.Levi Colwill – 6Did his best to calm the storm that came the Blues’ way for most of the match.Made sure he kept record-signing Evanilson away from notching his first Premier League goal.Marc Cucurella – 7Always busy and making a nuisance of himself when he wasn’t being buffeted by Semenyo’s marking.But overdid it with one stupid, deliberate shoulder barge on the Bournemouth winger.Renato Veiga – 5Suffered like most of his team-mates to open up the home side’s defence.The Portuguese midfielder didn’t see enough of the ball to make an impact.Moises Caicedo – 7The captain was always looking for that defence-splitting pass when he wasn’t on defensive duty.Gave an example to others around him who weren’t putting in a decent shift.Noni Madueke – 5Was quite mad attempting an early shot at the home goal that ended up as a throw-in.And it didn’t get much better than that for the winger who was hauled off just after the hour.Cole Palmer – 5Rested by England for tired muscles and there wasn’t much energy in this performance.But the Cherries, worried by his reputation, did target him in the first half.Pedro Neto – 5Failed to make any impact on the wing but could claim he had little or no service.Boss Maresca had seen enough and brought on Sancho to replace him at half-time.Nicolas Jackson – 5Chelsea fans won’t want to suffer another nine years of this from the big striker.Had one shot comfortably saved and another blocked but will need to show more upfront for his ludicrous long contract.SUBSJadon Sancho (for Neto) – 8Was booked 11 minutes after coming on then, looked likely throughout second half and set up Nkunku’s equaliser on super debut.Tosin Adarabioyo (for Disasi) – 6Was seldom troubled.Joao Felix (for Madueke) – 5Tidied up in midfield.Christopher Nkunku (for Jackson) – 8Burst through three players to score and snatch the winner.The defender was hit by injuries last season tooHe was limited to just ten Premier League appearances, having only played 16 league games in the campaign before that. The defender’s injury woes also meant he missed the Euros in the summer. Chelsea boss Maresca aims cheeky dig at Erik ten Hag after Jadon Sancho makes dazzling debut after Man Utd transfer More

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      Inside Birmingham City’s stunning £2bn new ‘spaceship’ stadium with 62,000 capacity scheduled to open in five years

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      BIRMINGHAM CITY are planning to build a stunning new and state-of-the art complex that may end up looking like a ‘spaceship’ – but it will cost them £2billion.Earlier this year Blues majority ownership group, Knighthead, announced that they had acquired a 48-acre site within a mile of St Andrews.A polo club will be opened to fansThe new owners are planning to build more than just a stadiumFans will have plenty of choices when it comes to bottles of fizzThey have since purchased 12 more acres of land next to the former Wheels site and have taken inspiration from Manchester City’s Etihad Campus.Knighthead plan to create a Sports Quarter that comprises a stadium, training and academy facilities.There are also plans for office spaces, restaurants and social hubs for the surrounding community. Co-CEO and Chairman Tom Wagner wants it to be built in time for the 2029-30 campaign, with the overall project costing between £2-3billion.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSWagner told the Birmingham Mail: “My timeframe is lunacy but we’d like to get this completed in five years. “That is the perfect world if everyone works with us at the same pace we’re willing to work. I’m going to keep saying that even though it makes everyone around me sweat. “A lot of it is outside our control but that’s the goal.”But the capacity plans are certainly ambitious.Most read in FootballIt will create more than 3,000 jobs for the areaPremium hospitality packages will be on offerTom Wagner promised brilliant food and drink facilitesAn AI platform has predicted what Birmingham’s new £2billion stadium will look likeFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSEarly indications suggest that the new stadium will have a capacity of 62,000.This would make it the eighth-largest stadium in England, 850 seats under the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and slightly more than Anfield, which has 61,276 seats.Inside David Beckham’s Inter Miami stadium with palm trees and a bar on its roof It would make the venue suitable for large scale non-football events.Taylor Swift concerts and NFL fixtures in Birmingham could become a possibility.As fans gasped at the video shown by Wagner, he said: “I don’t know if we’re going to go with the spaceship look but I think it gives you a strong idea of what our intent is.“Maybe the most important aspect is this huge promenade where people are coming in because not everyone will be watching the game in the stadium because obviously all 62,000 seats are sold.”Wagner likened the possible design to a ‘spaceship’Fans will have incredible dining experiences on offerHe then joked: “That’s no problem.“But there’s a lot of activity in the offices and all of this (pointing to offices) will be built with the tenant in mind – we’ve already had inbound calls from people looking to partner with us on this.“We want something that fits in the community and critically it’s important that this doesn’t look like a blight on the skyline of Birmingham and that it fits within the context of the city and more importantly, the neighbourhood.“There’s a lot to be done here but all of this is in keeping with our broader objectives.”Last season, the Blues struggled to regularly sell out St Andrew’s which only has a capacity of 29,409.Despite their best efforts, the club were relegated from the Championship after flirting with League One for several seasons.The new base is within walking distance of the city centre and Knighthead have said that the “world-class Sports Quarter” will create 3,000 jobs.There is no official name for the new ground yet.AI platform Midjourney, with the assistance of Chat GPT, provided images of the new stadium’s design.It includes a partly retractable roof, solar panels and efficient lighting.St Andrew’s has looked tired for many years now, but the club spent a fortune on renovation works in 2023.This summer, they also upgraded the stadium’s hospitality areas, but the decision has been made to leave and move to a new site.READ MORE SUN STORIESNFL legend Tom Brady is one of Birmingham’s investors, but has no voting rights.Birmingham go head-to-head with Wrexham, who are also bankrolled by US celebrities Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney in a League One blockbuster on Monday night. More

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      Fans say ‘the tinfoil looks more appetising’ as picture of £4.50 hotdog at EFL club goes viral for all the wrong reasons

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      FOOTBALL fans think they’ve found the country’s worst half-time scran.A horrifying hotdog for sale at League One side Northampton Town has gone viral for its dismal looks. A hotdog sold at Northampton Town has been universally slated by footy fansCredit: X @FootyScranPriced at £4.50, the stomach-turning snack was posted by X account Footy Scran.The popular page sees hungry fans rate concourse grub from stadiums around the world. Northampton’s horrendous entry was criticised for its “pale” colour, with the sausage barely big enough to fit into the un-buttered baguette.Footy fans piled in the snack, with one docking points for the “dry” bread and declaring it “red card worthy.”READ MORE ON FOOTBALLOne laughed on X: “That sausage looks like it’s caught the flu.”Another wrote: “I love hot dogs. In fact, it’s one of my favourite things in the whole world. I’ve tasted countless types of hot dogs from all over the world. Never in my life have I seen a worse hot dog than this.”A third joked: “Someone from @ntfc needs to be arrested for this.”And a fourth commented: “The tinfoil looks more appetising.” Most read in FootballAn accompanying poll saw almost 95 percent of the 11,000 entries declare the hotdog ‘not scran.’The hotdog was likely bought during Saturday’s clash between Northampton and Wycombe Wanderers. Football Food Tour: Behind the Scenes of Hospitality at Inter Miami, with incredible foodFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSAny fan tucking in was in for a double disappointment at Sixfields, with Northampton throwing away an early lead.The Cobblers led through a Sam Hoskins penalty, only for goals from Daniel Udoh and Richard Kone to give visitors Wycombe all three points.Northampton’s defeat leaves them 18th in League One, with just one win from their opening five games.In previous months, Doncaster Rovers won the hearts of hungry fans after releasing an outrageous Chippy Tea Butty.The tasty treat is a Yorkshire fishcake served on a bed of chips and topped with mushy peas and tartar sauce.READ MORE SUN STORIESAt the other end of the scale, Scotland appears to have a knack for horror scran.A shocking burger sold by Scottish Premiership club Aberdeen currently ranks as the highest ‘no scran’ vote ever. More