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      Best XI of transfers on cards for January including Toney to Arsenal, Osimhen to Chelsea and Todibo to Man Utd

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      WITH injury crises hitting multiple clubs and teams beginning to take a look at the business end of the season, the rumour mill is in full effect.We’re expecting a busy period of transfer spending in the Premier League with several top clubs unafraid to splash the cash in January.
      Ivan Toney could move for £100million in JanuaryCredit: PA
      Victor Osimhen would cost even moreCredit: Reuters
      Here’s a look at the best players being lined up for moves…
      David de Gea
      De Gea has resisted offers from Saudi Arabia and the MLS as he bides his time on choosing his next club.
      The former-Manchester United stopper became a free agent in the summer after United were unwilling to extend his £350,000-a-week contract and has remained without a club ever since.
      Newcastle and Barcelona are now set to battle it out to sign De Gea in January with both teams experiencing long term injuries to their first-choice goalkeepers.
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      David de Gea has been linked with a move to Newcastle and BarcelonaCredit: AFP
      Denzel Dumfries
      Dumfries starred for Inter as they battled their way to last year’s Champions League final.
      Calciomercato have reported that Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham are set to battle it out for the £43.5m rated right-back this January – with Spurs prepared to offer Emerson Royal to Inter as part of a deal.
      Dumfries has been linked with a move to several Premier League clubsCredit: AFP
      Jean-Clair Todibo
      Todibo is one of the French national team’s most highly-rated defenders and is hotly tipped for a move in January.
      The centre-back is rated at £39million with United the favourites to sign him due to Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS owning Nice.
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      Spurs and Liverpool also reportedly hold an interest in the 23-year-old.
      Manchester United and Spurs are set to battle it out for Jean-Clair TodiboCredit: Alamy
      Antonio Silva
      Antonio Silva has become a stalwart at the heart of Benfica’s defence despite only being 20 years old.
      The centre-back has an £85million release clause in his contract that Manchester United are reportedly willing to meet.
      Silva has become a rock at the back for Benfica despite being 20-years-oldCredit: AFP
      Alphonso Davies
      The Canadian is arguably the best left-back in the world and tearing it up for Bayern this season but could leave Bavaria soon.
      The defender is unhappy with Bayern’s latest contract offer according to Bild and has Real Madrid, Liverpool and Manchester City willing to better their offer.
      Alphonso Davies is one of the best left-backs in the worldCredit: Getty
      Jota
      Al-Ittihad’s Jota has experienced a difficult time in the Saudi League after being left out of the first team squad by Nuno Esperito Santo.
      The ex-Celtic winger reportedly fancies a reunion with former manager Ange Postecoglou at Spurs but the Aussie is still weighing up a move.
      Jota and Postecoglou could reunite in JanuaryCredit: PA
      Douglas Luiz
      Douglas Luiz has starred for Aston Villa this season with the Villans currently sitting in fourth.
      Arsenal are long-term admirers of the midfielder and are keen to pair him with Declan Rice in their midfield.
      Arsenal are long-term admirers of Douglas LuizCredit: Getty
      Joao Palhinha
      Another midfielder Arsenal are looking at pairing Declan Rice with is Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha.
      The Portuguese midfielder narrowly missed out on a move to Bayern Munich on September’s deadline day and the Germans are likely to reignite their interest.
      The midfielder could reignite his move to BayernCredit: AP
      Pedro Neto
      Pedro Neto was electric for Wolves this season prior to his injury, bagging one goal and eight assists in his ten Premier League appearances.
      Arsenal are long-term admirers of the winger and could look to bring them in as they look to win the Premier League title this year.
      Arsenal have tracked Pedro Neto since before his move to WolvesCredit: Getty
      Ivan Toney
      With Ivan Toney’s gambling ban set to end on January 17 a number of Premier League teams are falling over themselves to sign the £100million-rated forward.
      Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs are the current front-runners for the 27-year-old’s signature.
      Read more on The Sun
      Ivan Toney is nearing his return from a gambling banCredit: PA
      Victor Osimhen
      Victor Osimhen was Serie A’s top scorer last season with 26 goals as Napoli romped to the league title.
      Chelsea are prepared to break the £115million transfer record that they paid for Moises Caicedo in the summer to sign Osimhen.
      Osimhen hasn’t quite replicated last season’s formCredit: Getty
      The best XI of players linked with a moveCredit: The Sun More

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      Who is Kate Abdo’s husband Ramtin Abdo?

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      KATE Abdo is one of the most recognised football presenters in the world.Therefore, it comes as no surprise that fans of the sports broadcaster are keen to know more about her life off camera – including her marriage to husband Ramtin Abdo.
      Kate Abdo pictured in May 2023Credit: Getty
      Who is Kate Abdo’s husband Ramtin Abdo?
      English sports broadcaster, Kate Abdo, is married to businessman and investor Ramtin Abdo.
      Born in Manchester under the maiden name Giles, she took her husband Ramtin Abdolmajid’s surname – shortened to Abdo – when they wed.
      Aside from this, not much is known about the couple’s relationship, with the pair keeping their romance private from the public eye.
      When did Kate Abdo and Ramtin Abdo get married?
      In October 2023, fans were left in hysterics at Thierry Henry’s reaction after Kate Abdo joked that she was getting engaged.
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      The CBS Sports host and the Arsenal legend were joined by Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards as usual on Champions League nights, when the presenter revealed at the start of the show that she had a big announcement.
      There were audible gasps from Carragher before he quipped: “Are you getting engaged?”
      Abdo responded: “Yes, I am getting engaged, he doesn’t know yet.”
      However, it was only a joke as glamorous Kate is already married, having tied the knot to her husband Ramtin in 2010.
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      But as she made the gag, the cameras quickly cut to Henry – and some fans were convinced that he looked gutted.
      One said: “He almost threw up on the table,” while a second added: “He looks mortified.”
      What does Ramtin Abdo do for a living?
      As mentioned above, Ramtin Abdo is a businessman and investor.
      According to various reports, Ramtin has an estimated net worth of £10million.
      Kate on the other hand has also managed to amass an impressive fortune thanks to her successful career.
      The sports broadcaster is reported to have an estimated net worth of £2million – thanks to a job that has taken her all over the world.
      Kate began her broadcasting career in Germany covering the Bundesliga as a production assistant and has since worked in the UK, Spain, France, and the United States.
      Because of this, she speaks fluent French, German and Spanish.
      So, including English, multilingual Kate speaks an impressive FOUR languages – and she’s previously impressed fans with her skills live on air.
      During a show in November 2022, Kate and her ex-football star co-hosts were shown Champions League interviews by PSG star Kylian Mbappe, Federico Valverde of Real Madrid, and RB Leipzig boss Marco Rose.
      Kate then effortlessly translated the questions and answers from all three for the English-speaking viewers – earning the star a fist-bump from Thierry Henry.
      Read More on The Sun
      Meanwhile, Micah Richards said: “Wow, Kate! Three interviews, three languages!
      “The first one French, second one Spanish, third German. Das ist gut, Ja!” More

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      Arsenal legend Paul Merson predicts exact date when Erik ten Hag will be sacked by Man Utd

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      ERIK TEN HAG will be sacked if Manchester United lose their next three games, according to Paul Merson.The Red Devils currently sit seventh in the Premier League table with 24 points from 14 games.
      Erik ten Hag could be sacked by Christmas, according to MersonCredit: Reuters
      Paul Merson believes Ten Hag will be sacked if Man Utd lose their next three gamesCredit: Getty
      They are also at risk of crashing out of the Champions League in the group stages.
      And amid the club’s poor run of form Ten Hag has allegedly lost half of the dressing room, with several players losing faith in him.
      As United continue to struggle both on and off the pitch, Arsenal icon Merson believes Ten Hag could be dismissed within a number of DAYS depending on results.
      In fact, Merson reckons Ten Hag could be sacked on December 12, 2023 after the Champions League clash against Bayern Munich.
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      In his column for Sportskeeda, the ex-midfielder wrote: “I’m not exaggerating when I say that Manchester United’s game against Newcastle was one of the most one-sided matches I’ve ever seen in the Premier League.
      “I thought it was embarrassing. I was shocked by the way United played and the lack of effort they put in.
      “Chelsea, on the other hand, got a great result [against Brighton]. I didn’t see them winning the game after they went down to ten men, but they held their own, and fair play to them.
      “Chelsea have the players to have a go at United, and I think this is going to be an exciting game.
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      “Chelsea are a more settled team now – you know their starting eleven, and if you take away that bad half against Newcastle, they’ve been good recently.
      “They have a few defensive problems, but they did very well against Brighton with ten men.
      “Manchester United are one of those teams that turn up in these games.
      “They’ve had two bad games on the trot, but they do have a knack for keeping their head just above the water.
      “If they lose to Chelsea, Bournemouth, and Bayern, I don’t see how Ten Hag keeps his job. I do think they’ll beat Bournemouth, however, and they could do well against a Bayern Munich side that has already qualified for the Round of 16.”
      Man Utd host Chelsea in a huge Premier League match on Wednesday.
      Merson believes the Red Devils will be able to hold Mauricio Pochettino’s side to a 3-3 draw.
      He added: “I’m going to go in swinging with my prediction for this game – I expect a high-scoring draw.” More

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      Ex-Man Utd star and Champions League winner unrecognisable with long hair gone in favour of clean-shaven look

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      MANCHESTER UNITED’S last Champions League-winning No8 is now sporting a very different look to when he lifted European football’s biggest prize 15 years ago.The Brazilian came up clutch for the Red Devils against Chelsea in Moscow, scoring in the penalty shootout after being thrown on by Sir Alex Ferguson.
      The former Man Utd star now has significantly shorter hairCredit: De Boa Bet
      The former Prem ace is also clean shaven in retirementCredit: Instagram
      He hung up his boots in 2019Credit: Instagram
      His first season at Old Trafford ended in a Premier League and Champions League double.
      And later in 2008 he was even awarded the prestigious European Golden Boy gong, won in the past by the likes of Wayne Rooney, Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham.
      The midfielder didn’t quite reach the heights that were expected of him after his impressive debut campaign at United.
      But he did go on to play 181 times for the Red Devils between 2007 and 2015, eventually leaving to return to Brazil with Internacional.
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      In total he won four Premier League titles with United, in addition to the Champions League, Club World Cup and a League Cup.
      And he also earned eight caps for Brazil.
      During his playing career he sported his hair in distinctive long braids.
      His penultimate Man Utd appearance came in the infamous 4-0 League Cup drubbing at MK Dons, and by this point he’d chopped his braids off.
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      Anderson now wears his barnet even shorter in retirement.
      Now 35, he hung up his boots four years ago.
      In snaps taken since his retirement he can be seen with virtually a buzz-cut.
      He is also now clean-shaven as part of his new look.
      Following the humiliation at the hands of MK Dons he played just 20 more minutes for United the following Saturday before never appearing in their matchday squad again.
      In February 2015 he ended his Old Trafford first team exile by signing for Internacional in Brazil.
      He went on to play 55 times for them during a three-year stint, also spending time on loan at Coritiba.
      Anderson finished his playing career with a two-year stint in Turkey with Adana Demirspor, only playing 15 times before retiring.
      Since hanging up his boots he has coached at Adana Demirspor, who are managed by Patrick Kluivert.
      Earlier this year he was described as a “lazy party animal” by former Man Utd Power Development Trainer Mick Clegg.
      Read More on The Sun
      The ex-United coach said: “Anderson was more than capable of being an absolute stormer of a player. He just needed his head knocking. He didn’t keep fit.
      “He chose not to put in the work, so it’s hard to have too much sympathy for him. He was a party animal.”
      Anderson poses with his European Golden Boy awardCredit: Getty
      The Brazilian hoists the Champions League trophy with Carlos tevezCredit: Getty
      The midfielder starred for the Red Devils alongside Wayne RooneyCredit: PA:Press Association
      Anderson sported a shorter haircut during his latter United daysCredit: PA:Empics Sport More

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      Gareth Southgate admits England face nightmare build-up to Euro 2024 with host of big names missing

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      GARETH SOUTHGATE has admitted England may face a nightmare build-up to Euro 2024 with a host of big names set to be missing.With the Champions League final just a fortnight before the first Three Lions match in Germany, players could snub England’s final warm-up friendlies.
      Gareth Southgate admitted some of the England stars could miss warm-up friendlies before Euro 2024Credit: Rex
      Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane and Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham, plus Manchester City’s English contingent, are hoping to go all the way in the Champions League.
      It means if Pep Guardiola’s side want to retain their title Kyle Walker, Jack Grealish, John Stones and Phil Foden could play in the final at Wembley on Saturday, June 1st.
      That is just two weeks before England begin their Euro 2024 campaign against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen on June 16th.
      Southgate has organised two pre-Euro friendlies, the first at Newcastle’s St James’s Park on Monday June 3rd and another at Wembley.‌
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      But with the Three Lions stars playing for the top sides in Europe, there could be a few absences during these fixtures.
      This could cause major disruption as seen before the previous Euros when Chelsea beat City in the Champions League final in 2021.
      And the England boss has confirmed players will not be getting a break after the Premier League term finishes on May 19th.
      He said: “We had that, in the Euros, we had that, Chelsea-Man City last time around, so again we’re used to dealing with that.
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      ‌“You’d love to have all of the players for all of the prep camps, but that’s not our reality.
      “We’ve dealt with that in the past, so we know what it needs to look like.
      “It’s important they get some sort of psychological break in between but, of course, the longer they play, the less you can give them is the reality.”
      England have landed a relatively comfortable draw on Saturday, facing Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia in Group C of Euro 2024. More

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      Supercomputer predicts final Premier League table with Man Utd in never-before-seen territory.. but who’s tipped to win?

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      A SUPERCOMPUTER has predicted how the Premier League season will end – and Manchester United fans should look away now. Bettingexpert’s supercomputer BETSiE simulated the season 100,000 times for its results.
      Erik ten Hag’s Man Utd are struggling, and it looks set to get worseCredit: Getty
      It took account of all match results from last term across all competitions, pre-season and the current campaign.
      And Betsie’s latest calculations see Manchester City retain the title, finishing on 83 points, six less than last season.
      And Arsenal are again set to finish second, with Liverpool back in the Champions League places in third.
      Rounding out the top four will be Newcastle, replicating last year’s finish.
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      But that sees United out of the Champions League places and instead ending up in TENTH.
      Should that happen, it would be the club’s worst ever Premier League finish, having never landed outside the top seven.
      After all, the results were taken following United’s 1-0 loss at Newcastle.
      Chelsea would take some pride in finishing six, above rivals Tottenham, but it would be in-form Aston Villa in fifth.
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      But facing the drop are Burnley, Luton and Sheffield United, according to Betsie’s algorithms.
      Everton – having been docked ten points for breaking financial fair play rules – do currently sit in the relegation zone.
      But with only one loss in five, form indicates they will avoid a first-ever Premier League relegation. More

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      What happened to Sir Alex Ferguson’s 7 ‘terrific’ Man Utd prospects including midfielder he swore at down the phone

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      SIR ALEX FERGUSON helped to produce some top talents during his 26-year tenure at Manchester United.From David Beckham and Nicky Butt to Paul Scholes and Gary Neville, the legendary manager nurtured several academy hopefuls and turned them into Premier League and European champions.
      Sir Alex Ferguson tipped seven Man Utd youngsters for greatness in 2001Credit: Reuters
      And in 2001, shortly after winning his seventh league title, Ferguson tipped seven stars for greatness.
      He said: “We’ve got some terrific prospects at Old Trafford.
      “Darren Fletcher, who we hope will get over his broken leg, is good. Michael Stewart and Luke Chadwick are doing very well, and John O’Shea’s doing well too.
      “There’s a young left back called Paul Tierney who’s doing well, as is Danny Pugh.
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      “But there’s a young boy who has started now, he’s 16, called Kieran Richardson. He’s going to be a fantastic player.”
      While some went on to become United icons, others went on to enjoy time elsewhere in England and Scotland.
      But what happened to them all?
      Darren Fletcher
      Every Man Utd fan, no matter how young or old, will likely recognise the name Darren Fletcher.
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      The midfielder joined United’s academy at the age of 11 and signed his first contract four years later.
      Fletcher made his first team debut in 2003 and went on to spend 12 years at Old Trafford, winning five Premier League titles, three League Cups, an FA Cup and a Champions League title.
      After leaving Man Utd he enjoys spells with West Brom and Stoke City before retiring in 2020.
      The former Scotland international is now technical director at Old Trafford.
      Darren Fletcher won several trophies with the Red Devils and is now technical director at Old TraffordCredit: AFP
      Michael Stewart
      The midfielder signed his first professional contract with Man Utd in 1998, but found game time hard to come by.
      He made just 14 senior appearances before leaving in 2005 to join Hibernian.
      Stewart went on to spend time with Hearts, Turkish side Gençlerbirliği SK and Charlton before retiring in 2011.
      The 42-year-old now works as a pundit on BBC and TNT Sports, usually covering the Scottish Premiership.
      Michael Stewart made 14 appearances for the Red DevilsCredit: Getty
      Luke Chadwick
      Chadwick made his professional debut for the Red Devils in 1999 against Aston Villa.
      However, he struggled to establish himself as a regular first team player and was subsequently loaned out five times – twice to Royal Antwerp, twice to Reading and once to Burnley.
      The midfielder eventually left Old Trafford in 2004 after making 38 appearances.
      He went on to play for West Ham, Stoke, Norwich, MK Dons, Cambridge United and non-league side Soham Town Rangers before retiring in 2016.
      Chadwick is now involved with Football Fun, a program that aims to help young children enjoy the sport.
      Luke Chadwick left Man Utd in 2004Credit: PA
      John O’Shea
      O’Shea signed his first professional contract for Man Utd at the age of 17 and made his first team debut in a League Cup defeat to Aston Villa in 1999 – at the same time as Chadwick.
      The defender went on to win five Premier League titles, the Champions League and the FA Cup with the Red Devils before leaving in 2011.
      He then went on to play for Sunderland and Reading.
      After retiring from football in 2019 O’Shea turned to coaching and has since worked with Reading, Republic of Ireland and Stoke.
      He is now Wayne Rooney’s assistant at Birmingham City.
      John O’Shea enjoyed a successful career with Man UtdCredit: PA:Empics Sport
      Paul Tierney
      The full-back signed his first professional contract with Man Utd in 2000, but struggled to break into the first team.
      His first, and only, appearance for the Red Devils came in a League Cup defeat to West Brom in 2003.
      Following several loan spells, he was eventually sold to Livingston in 2005 and also went on to play for Blackpool, Stockport and Altrincham.
      He stepped away from football in 2009 and is now a Council Tax Team Leader for Salford City Council.
      Danny Pugh
      Pugh made his Man Utd debut in a Champions League group stage match against Maccabi Haifa in 2002, just a matter or days before his first Premier League appearance.
      He was limited to just seven senior appearances for United before joining Leeds.
      The midfielder then went on to play for nine different clubs across the English football pyramid.
      He is now a UEFA A Licensed Football Coach.
      Kieran Richardson
      Ferguson predicted that Richardson would become a “fantastic player” back in 2001.
      The winger and midfielder went on to win two Premier League titles and the FA Cup with United, making 81 appearances and scoring 11 goals.
      He left Old Trafford to sign for Sunderland in 2007, five years after making his professional debut.
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      Richardson went on to play for Fulham, Aston Villa and Cardiff before retiring in 2016.
      He is now a luxury watch dealer.
      Ferguson predicted that Richardson would become a ‘fantastic player’Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd More

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      Police charge 46 men, including one for possessing a knife, over violent scenes outside Aston Villa’s with Legia Warsaw

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      POLICE have confirmed that 46 men have been charged after the violent scenes outside of Aston Villa’s clash with Legia Warsaw – including a man in possession of a knife.West Midlands Police announced yesterday that 46 Legia fans were in custody following Thursday’s serious disorder outside Villa Park at the Europa Conference League match.
      Violent scenes marred Aston Villa’s clash with Legia Warsaw on ThursdayCredit: Rex
      Cops were attacked by the visiting fans outside of the stadium
      Police have now confirmed 46 men have been chargedCredit: Rex
      Uefa have reported Legia to Uefa after the shocking scenesCredit: Rex
      Now a statement from the police has confirmed: “We’ve charged 46 men over Thursday night’s violence outside Villa Park.
      “Of those, 43 have been charged with a public order offence, while two have been charged with assaulting police officers and another has been charged with possession of a knife.
      “Those charged are aged between and 21 and 63, and around 40 are believed to be from Poland. A small number are believed to be UK residents.
      “All apart from one of the men is due in court today. He has been bailed to appear at a later date.
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      “A special court has been set up at Birmingham magistrates and will begin hearing the cases this morning.”
      It continued: “We are continuing to review CCTV and body-worn video footage to identify further suspects in what was an appalling and violent public disorder.
      “It is now known five officers suffered minor injuries in the disorder.
      ASTON VILLA TROUBLE TIMELINEAccording to Villa the following timeline outlines Legia’s refusal to follow normal procedure.
      10:30am – Match Day meeting during which Legia failed to accept their ticket allocation and informed those in attendance they would not be able to confirm if they would until 2.30pm.
      2.30pm – Legia officials miss the first deadline to report back.
      3.00pm – Legia officials miss the second deadline to report back despite repeated calls to them.
      4.00pm – Legia officials finally confirm they wish to receive their ticket allocation, with a pick-up point arranged at the stadium.
      6.00pm – Villa hand over tickets to Legia to distribute among their fans.
      7.00pm – Police who have penned Legia fans into the Witton Lane car park, close to the Doug Ellis Stand they will occupy, begin to release fans.
      7.05pm – Legia Ultras orchestrate violence and try to storm through police lines to gain access for ticketless fans, four police officers are injured in the ensuing violence.
      8.00pm – The match kicks off – no Legia fans have been allowed into the away section.

      “Two of these were from West Midlands Police, two from West Mercia and one from Derbyshire. They are receiving support at this time.
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      “Two dogs from West Midlands Police and two horses from Thames Valley were injured and are recovering.”
      Det Supt Jim Munro, who is overseeing the criminal investigation, said: “Our investigation is very much continuing and we’ll be reviewing footage and speaking to witnesses over the coming days.
      “To charge this number of people so soon after such a major disorder has taken a huge effort by staff who have been working around the clock.
      “We’ve had a number of messages of thanks from the club and fans who were present on Thursday night and saw the policing operation first hand, and we are really grateful for that support.”
      Villa have reported Legia Warsaw to Uefa following the shameful scenes of violence.
      Sources close to Uefa claim the Polish side’s fans face being banned from all future away games after the shameful incident.
      The chaos lasted over 90 minutes and was described by one cop as “the worst violence I’ve experienced in 28 years.”
      Police struggled to disperse the Legia Warsaw fansCredit: PA
      Two police dogs and two horses were injured in the violence scenesCredit: Reuters
      Mounted officers joined riot police and dog handlers to try and disperse around 2,000 Legia fans who had been penned into a nearby car park prior to kick-off.
      Four cops were injured in the disorder as they were attacked with flares, bricks, metal poles and tree branches.
      After Villa secured their place in the knockouts with a 2-1 win, Assistant Chief Constable Damian Barratt said: “This was appalling and completely unacceptable disorder.
      “What we saw was 90 minutes of planned violence, with one officer saying it was the worst he had seen in 28 years of policing.
      “Our officers bravely put themselves in harm’s way and I would like to commend each and every one of them for their efforts.
      “We are committed to charging and remanding any and all responsible for attacking our officers and endangering the public.
      “We had no issues with the home fans and would like to thank them and Aston Villa for their support and kind words last night and this morning.
      “The only issues inside the ground last night were from a small number of away fans who had managed to get into home areas.
      “We will be liaising with the club and footballing authorities in the coming days to discuss last night’s appalling scenes.”
      No away fans were allowed into Villa Park for the matchCredit: Getty
      Home fans were also kept inside the stadium during half timeCredit: Reuters
      Aston Villa went on to win the match 2-1 and secure a place in the knockoutsCredit: EPA
      Villa swiftly dismissed claims by some Polish media outlets that were trying to lay blame on them for failing to provide enough tickets to Legia fans.
      And they have contacted Uefa to report the unacceptable conduct of Legia Warsaw officials ahead of the high-risk tie.
      Visiting teams to Villa Park would usually receive 5 per cent of capacity, which amounts to around 2,600 tickets for away supporters.
      However, trouble flared during Legia’s last visit to England when they lost 3-1 to Leicester City in 2021 as 20 police officers were injured that night when Polish Ultras ran riot.
      In light of that, Villa agreed a revised figure of 1700 tickets with Legia officials nearly four weeks ago, with the full approval of Uefa.
      However, when Legia fans again fought with Dutch police during their recent tie in Alkmaar, Uefa banned their fans from their next away tie against Zrinjski Mostar in Bosnia.
      At that point, the UK Safety Advisory Group – which passes safety certificates for major events – refused to sanction the full 1700 allocation and slashed it by almost 700 to 1002 tickets.
      That decision was completely out of Villa’s control and was ratified by Uefa.
      Villa claim Legia failed to convey that message to their fans immediately, which led to around 1,000 ticketless fans travelling to the UK.
      Furthermore, Villa have accused Legia of being obstructive during a Match Day meeting on the morning of the match.
      But Legia Warsaw released a statement earlier today blaming Aston Villa for the incident and claimed they did not listen to advice from them to ensure safety.
      And they also stated that the English club even escalated the already tense atmosphere by reducing the number of tickets for their fans.
      It read: “Regrettably, as a consequence of both actions and inactions by the Aston Villa F.C. club, unfavourable incidents unfolded.
      “In declining to embrace our constructive critiques and recommendations, the hosts bear full responsibility for the situation.”
      Legia also added that they are not responsible for people that have no official ties to their club, saying: “No club should bear accountability for the actions of unidentified individuals lacking match tickets.”
      At the customary meeting attended by representatives of both clubs, Uefa, broadcasters, security staff, police and emergency services, Legia stunned Villa representatives by refusing to confirm if they would accept the reduced ticket allocation.
      SunSport understands Legia representatives seemed determined to adopt and endorse their Ultras motto of: ‘Don’t leave anyone behind,’ and were reluctant to accept the reduced allocation.
      The police have confirmed that all apart from one of those arrested are due in court todayCredit: Reuters
      Uefa observers were present at the Witton Lane car park and witnessed the shocking scenes of violence which followed.
      They immediately launched an investigation into the shocking scenes but were quick to praise West Midlands Police and Villa for their handling of the explosive situation.
      It now appears certain Legia will face a lengthy ban from travelling to away fixtures after “off the scale violence,” erupted for the third time in recent away trips.
      At the height of the violence Villa raced to collect fire extinguishers from the stadium and nearby supporters hall and supplied police with them to try and douse the flames from hundreds of flares.
      At one flashpoint Legia thugs tried to overturn a police van which was blocking their route.
      Read More on The Sun
      SunSport understands some Legia fans arrived in the UK hell-bent on causing mayhem and spoiling for a fight with police or Villa fans. 
      We understand border police found Mixed Martial Arts mitts and gum shields in the luggage of some fans, who had clearly come prepared to battle. More