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      Why Man Utd may have LOST Galatasaray game by Premier League rules with Uefa VAR drawing different line for Icardi goal

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      MAURO ICARDI’S disallowed goal against Manchester United may have stood if it was scored in the Premier League.So United could have lost to Galatasaray as Icardi’s strike would have levelled the match at 2-2 just before half-time.
      Uefa judges offside from the start of the arm so Mauro Icardi was offsideCredit: TNT Sports
      Icardi’s strike would have made the score 2-2Credit: AP
      Instead Erik ten Hag’s side went 3-1 up before being pegged back, as VAR backed up the linesman’s call that Icardi was offside.
      Uefa use a semi-automated system to judge offside in the Champions League and Icardi was a fraction beyond the last defender Harry Maguire.
      But in the Premier League no such system is in place, with VAR officials instead reliant on drawing lines to determine offside.
      Icardi was offside by the tightest of margins with only his shoulder beyond Maguire, with the semi-automated system drawing a line right where Maguire’s arm started.
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      However Premier League officials judge the starting point of offside at the logo on the arm – lower than the automated system.
      That meant Icardi likely would have been called onside, so his goal would have stood and United may have lost.
      The Red Devils were also fortunate Scott McTominay was not penalised for handball when the ball struck his arm in the penalty area.
      Uefa referees have been quick to award penalties whenever the ball strikes an arm in the box, as Newcastle found out against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.
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      However, Galatasaray also benefitted from the officials for their first goal as Hakim Ziyech fired a free-kick past Andre Onana.
      Icardi broke a law of the game as the ball was hit, as he was stood too close to the wall – the law states attacking players must remain at least one metre away from a wall containing four or more players. More

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      Laura Woods lifts lid on how she prepares for huge Champions League clashes with Beethoven and lavish steak dinner

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      LAURA WOODS has lifted the lid on how she prepares to present a Champions League game for TNT Sports.The Telegraph were given behind-the-scenes access for Newcastle’s trip to PSG on Tuesday.
      Laura Woods during the PSG vs Newcastle gameCredit: Getty
      Fellow presenter Becky Ives’ showed just how hard the preparation for a game isCredit: Instagram @laurawoodsy
      A further look at Laura Woods’ prepCredit: Instagram
      Woods explained to the paper that her intense preparation for a game actually begins on the way to the match, with the presenter pouring over her notes on the Eurostar from London to Paris on Monday.
      Once in the French capital, she was joined by Ally McCoist, Jermaine Jenas, Rio Ferdinand and Becky Ives for a steak dinner overlooking the Eiffel Tower.
      She revealed that: “Those social occasions are quite important – just for a little bit of team bonding.”
      When Woods got to the stadium, she explained how she was holed up in a makeshift green room by the players’ tunnel with nothing but an iPad, a pair of headphones, Haribos and a Coke Zero for two hours.
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      Woods said that while making her preparations, she listens to classical music, saying: “No lyrics – and super calming, so I could be trawling through the number of shots Nick Pope blocked vs AC Milan accompanied by Beethoven.
      “I just like to get my head in something and be very insular. I’m very boring on the day of the game.”
      Woods also told the Telegraph that she feels more “balanced” since leaving her breakfast show role at TalkSPORT in favour of presenting Champions League nights on TNT.
      She said: “I feel quite human again – I sleep more, I’m healthier, going to the gym, doing all the things I wanted to do which is really nice.
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      Woods had been out with fellow TNT Sports presenter Becky Ives before the gameCredit: instagram
      As well as national treasure, Ally McCoistCredit: instagram
      “[It’s] Definitely more balanced. I’ve always enjoyed work but working too much you enjoy it a little bit less.”
      Woods was the lead presenter as Newcastle fell to an agonising 1-1 draw against PSG after a controversial penalty was awarded against Tino Livramento.
      The TNT anchor was on hand again to present Manchester United’s thrilling 3-3 draw against Galatasaray yesterday evening.
      Inside Laura Woods’ glamorous life as football, boxing and NFL presenter…
      Laura is the new face of TNT Sports’ Champions League coverage
      She has gathered a huge social media following in recent yearsCredit: Instagram @laurawoodsy
      Laura presented coverage of Anthony Joshua’s bout with Jermaine FranklinCredit: Rex
      Laura regularly hosts DAZN’s boxing coverage as wellCredit: Instagram @laurawoodsy
      She has become TNT Sports’ main Champions League anchor this seasonCredit: Getty
      Laura is dating former Love Island star Adam CollardCredit: Instagram
      Laura went Instagram official with her romance with Adam CollardCredit: Instagram
      Laura also likes to let her hair down when not workingCredit: Instagram @laurawoodsy
      The presenter is ITV’s host for Lionesses coverageCredit: Getty
      Woods previously hosted the talkSPORT Breakfast alongside great pal Ally McCoistCredit: Instagram
      She also works for ITV on their coverage of the NFLCredit: Instagram
      Laura has an enviable lifestyle and fans regularly go wild for her outfitsCredit: Instagram @laurawoodsy
      She loves a day at the races during the summerCredit: Instagram @laurawoodsy More

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      Thierry Henry leaves CBS panel emotional with his biggest fear as Kate Abdo says ‘he always takes it somewhere deep’

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      THIERRY HENRY’S wholesome response to being asked his biggest fear left his fellow pundits emotional.The Arsenal legend was on CBS Sports with Jamie Carragher, Micah Richards, Clint Dempsey and host Kate Abdo.
      Thierrh Henry left everyone emotional as he revealed his biggest fearCredit: X/@CBSSportsGolazo
      Henry was a pundit on CBS Sports last night
      Ahead of last night’s Champions League action, they all took part in a question and answer session.
      Abdo quizzed the panel on what their worst fear is, with Richards revealing he hates the turbulence on planes.
      Dempsey said he is scared of sharks and Carragher joked he has nightmares about trying to defend against Henry back in the day.
      But the mood was swiftly changed by the Frenchman as he admitted his heart-warming fear.
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      Henry said: “Not being a good dad.”
      There was a loud “aww” from all the pundits and Abdo responded: “Thierry always takes it somewhere deep doesn’t he.”
      Henry has three children from two relationships.
      He had his eldest daughter Tea, 18, with his ex-wife Nicole Merry.
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      His other kids Tristan, 11, and Tatiana, 8, came with his current partner Andrea Rajacic.
      Henry revealed plenty during last night’s Q&A, blowing his fellow pundits away by saying he swapped shirts with the Brazilian Ronaldo after the World Cup final in 1998.
      He also got hot under the collar after an accidental “rude” slip-up and was called out by Carragher.
      Thierry Henry with his daughter Tea in 2011Credit: Arsenal FC – Getty More

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      Champions League fans slam ‘naughtiest dive of the 21st century’ and fume ‘he shouldn’t be allowed to play anymore’

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      FANS have called for Lucas Tousart to never play again after performing the “naughtiest dive of the 21st century”.The Union Berlin star was playing against Portuguese outfit Braga in the Champions League.

      Lucas Tousart was trying to win a penalty off Jose FonteCredit: EPA
      His dive was slammed by fansCredit: AP
      Union were desperate for a result as they are on the cusp of missing out on European football after the new year.
      The Bundesliga side are bottom of Group C, and while they can not qualify for the Last 16, they could still make it to the Europa League with a third-placed finish.
      Tousart, 26, appeared to be willing to do anything to help his team as he took a tumble in the Braga penalty area without any contact.
      No penalty was given as the match finished 1-1 and referee Clement Turpin showed Tousart a yellow card for simulation.
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      Fans have taken to social media to slam the Frenchman.
      One fan hit out: “In case you missed the naughtiest dive of the 21st century yesterday, here’s Lucas Tousart.”
      A second commented: “That Tousart dive was so shameless.”
      A third wrote: “Tousart should be subbed out for that dive he shouldn’t be allowed to play anymore.”
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      A fourth said: “Even without VAR, you can’t make such a fool of yourself. Here the referee is perfectly positioned.”
      The midfielder was trying to win a penalty off of Jose Fonte.
      Premier League fans will remember the Portuguese defender for his spells at Southampton and West Ham.
      He also had a stint with Crystal Palace in the Championship before joining the Saints.
      Fonte, 39, left England in 2018 and joined Chinese Super League outfit Dalian Yifang before moving on to Lille and then Braga.
      Elsewhere in the Champions League Arsenal hammered RC Lens 6-0 while Manchester United drew 3-3 to Galatasaray. More

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      Lionel Messi brutally refused Champions League punditry role because of Jamie Carragher, says Kate Abdo

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      KATE ABDO hilariously revealed that Lionel Messi refused a Champions League punditry role because of a feud with Jamie Carragher.Popular presenter Abdo and her CBS Sports team broadcast last night’s Champions League action in a special show from Miami.
      Lionel Messi refused to join CBS Sports due to Jamie CarragherCredit: AFP
      Messi previously branded Carragher a ‘donkey’Credit: CBS Sport
      Carragher, Thierry Henry and Micah Richards were all present as the fan-favourite group watched various matches including Manchester United’s 3-3 draw with Galatasaray.
      And being based in one of America’s most glamorous cities presented the opportunity for Inter Miami star Messi to make a guest appearance.
      CBS Sports reached out to the Argentina ace to see if he fancied coming on air.
      But Messi brutally rejected the chance to voice his opinions due to an ongoing beef with Carragher.
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      The fallout started in January 2022 when the ex-Liverpool star criticised Messi’s move to Paris Saint-Germain.
      It resulted in the World Cup winner sending a private message to Carragher, branding him a “donkey”.
      And after learning the Anfield icon would be appearing on CBS Sports’ Miami show last night, Messi declined to make an appearance.
      Host Abdo revealed: “You know we made an official invitation extended to Inter Miami, and we asked him to come on the show.
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      Kate Abdo revealed Messi is refusing to do any TV work with CarragherCredit: CBS Sport
      “Do you know what the official response was? Apparently Lionel Messi will not be doing any television shows that Jamie Carragher is a part of.”
      However, the Sky Sports star brushed off Messi’s snub, declaring it a “claim to fame”.
      Revealing more about Messi’s “donkey” message, Carragher said at the time: “It was on Monday Night Football and I got a private message on Instagram.
      “From the man himself. I will not be showing private messages but he basically called me a donkey.”
      Carragher added in September: “I was coming home from a game, I got a message and was like ‘that can’t be him, must be a fake account’.
      “Then I looked and it came from that and he told me his opinion.
      “I had to Google and translate because I didn’t have a clue what he sent me.
      “I just said ‘thanks for your opinion’. The next night he was crowned the Ballon d’Or winner so I replied saying ‘congratulations’. He saw the message and didn’t reply.” More

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      I played under former Premier League manager who was like James Bond and turned up to training in a helicopter

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      CARLO ANCELOTTI has been compared to James Bond for his stylish lifestyle.The Italian manager has had two stints in the Premier League with Chelsea and Everton.
      Carlo Ancelotti has been likened to James BondCredit: X @vinijr
      Ancelotti with wife Mariann Barrena McClay who would fly him to workCredit: Instagram @mrancelotti
      Ancelotti managed in the Premier League with Chelsea and EvertonCredit: Instagram @mrancelotti
      Ancelotti, 64, has had a remarkable managerial career, having won 25 TROPHIES.
      He has managed at glamorous clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan, Bayern Munich, Napoli and Juventus.
      He is currently in his second stint at Real Madrid and is expected to move into international management with Brazil at the end of the season.
      Former Chelsea flop Alexandre Pato, 34, starred for the Italian while at AC Milan.
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      The Brazilian forward has revealed that Ancelotti was like “a father” to him and that he lives “with style”.
      Incredibly, Pato even compared the Italian to fictional spy James Bond.
      In an interview with the Players Tribune, he said: “Ancelotti became like a father to me. He even named his dog Pato.
      “You saw that picture of him on the bus parade in Madrid, with the sunglasses and the cigar?
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      “Well, at Milan he’d turn up to training in a helicopter.
      “He lived in Parma and his wife knew how to fly one. He’d step out like James Bond.
      “If anyone lived with style, it was Carlo.”
      Pato played for Ancelotti between 2007 and 2009, when he first emerged as one of Europe’s brightest talents.
      In 2011, however, he started to have issues with injuries that curtailed his development.
      The forward left the Serie A giants in 2013 as he moved back to his homeland with Corinthians.
      Pato would later join Chelsea on loan but only featured twice in the Premier League, scoring one goal.
      He went on to have spells at Villarreal, Tianjin Tianhai, and Orlando City, he is now playing for Sao Paulo.
      His contract expires in December, though there is an option to extend it for a further 12 months.
      Ancelotti has been compared to James BondCredit: Instagram @mrancelotti
      Alexandre Pato loved Ancelotti’s styleCredit: Getty More

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      Paul Merson says Kai Havertz isn’t playing in ‘right position’ and tells Arsenal boss Arteta how to get best out of him

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      KAI HAVERTZ needs to play in the “right position” according to Paul Merson – who has told Mikel Arteta how to get the best of out the German.Arsenal thrashed Lens 6-0 at the Emirates on Wednesday night.
      Paul Merson thinks Kai Havertz should be played in a ‘different position’Credit: Getty
      Merson has hinted to Mikel Arteta how to get the best out of the starCredit: Rex
      Havertz scored again on Wednesday in Arsenal’s 6-0 win against RC LensCredit: Getty
      The Gunners have secured the top spot in Champions League Group B and are now in the knockout stage.
      Arteta’s squad are the first team in the competition to have five different goalscorers in the first half of a game.
      In their biggest Champions League victory Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard and Jorginho all bagged a goal.
      But Arsenal legend Merson, 55, feels Havertz – who started on the left of midfield last night – can be even better if Arteta takes his advice and plays him in a different spot.
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      He said after the match on Sky Sports: “Havertz is a confident player and he’s playing with confidence right now.
      “I thought he was the best player on the pitch tonight. He was elegant, he picked the right passes and made the right decisions.
      “He’s a top player. I don’t think he’s playing in the right position but he’s still a top player.”
      During his Chelsea days, Havertz starred as a centre-forward but since his arrival in North London Arteta has switched him to midfield.
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      Havertz has had a difficult start at Arsenal and struggled to bring his goalscoring prowess to Arteta’s squad.
      But he seems to have found his feet again recently.
      He scored for Germany against Turkey on the international break and managed to find the back of the net again on Saturday in the Gunners’ 1-0 win against Brentford.
      And the ex-Bayern Leverkusen star will hope to continue his excellent form in Arsenal’s Premier League clash against Wolves on Saturday afternoon. More

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      Jude Bellingham spotted wearing unreleased boots as fans convinced Real Madrid star is ‘following in Zidane’s footsteps’

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      JUDE BELLINGHAM sent fans wild after they spotted what boots he was wearing last night.The English superstar made more history by scoring in the 4-2 Champions League victory over Napoli.
      Jude Bellingham made more history for Real Madrid against NapoliCredit: Rex
      Zinedine Zidane was at the Bernabeu to watch the Englishman in actionCredit: AFP
      Bellingham was spotted wearing the unreleased new Adidas Predator bootsCredit: Getty
      They are the same boot Zidane made famous during his playing heydayCredit: Getty
      And the 20-year-old then drew praise from stopping Joselu from apologising to the crowd after a series of misses when he finally got on the scoresheet following his assist.
      Bellingham became the first player to score in each of his first four Champions League appearances for Madrid with his header yesterday.
      And he is now also only the fourth player to reach 10 goals before the age of 21 in the competition’s history.
      The ex-Birmingham City midfielder joined the Spanish giants in a £115million transfer from Borussia Dortmund in June.
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      And he has made a stunning start to life in Spain with 15 goals in 16 appearances for Los Blancos so far.
      That has led to many comparing him to legendary Madrid icon Zinedine Zidane – who was in attendance on Wednesday to witness his potential successor live in action.
      And those comparisons went into overdrive after fans spotted Bellingham’s footwear against Napoli.
      The youngster wore unreleased Adidas Predator boots for the Bernabeu clash – similar to the ones Zidane used to wear in his heyday.
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      Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold also had them on for his equaliser against Manchester City on Saturday after penning a deal with the sportswear giants and joining his compatriot on their star-studded roster.
      Bellingham has already taken the No.5 shirt at Madrid that was made famous by Zidane.
      Now he is sporting almost identical boots as the iconic Adidas Predator boot prepares to celebrate their 30-year anniversary by teasing the release of a new edition of the footwear worn previously by the likes of ZZ, DAvid Beckham and Steven Gerrard.
      And eagle-eyed fans quickly took to social media after spotting Bellingham donning them.
      One wrote: “Following Zidane’s footsteps.”
      Another said: “Jude Bellingham’s boots are giving us Zidane 1998 World Cup vibes.”
      “Jude Bellingham dropped a masterclass wearing these boots with the number 5 shirt whilst Zinedine Zidane was watching,” said another before adding: “This is poetry.”
      A fellow supporter said: “Wearing no.5 jersey, adidas Predator boots. What else?
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      “A reincarnation of the legend, Zidane. A legend in making, Jude Bellingham.”
      While another wrote: “Number five on the back, rocking the retro adidas boots that Zinedine Zidane wore… Jude Bellingham is turning back the clocks at Real Madrid.”
      Zidane was given the No5 shirt when he signed for Real MadridCredit: Reuters
      Bellingham is now blossoming with the same number on his back at the BernabeuCredit: Getty More