Champions League

GRAHAM POTTER fumed “do you want me to swear?” as he suffered a meltdown after West Ham went seven games without a win.The normally level-headed Hammers boss was left fuming in his press conference as his side were beaten 3-2 by Brighton at his old stomping ground.Graham Potter had a meltdown after West Ham lost to Brighton at the AmexPotter was asked about the X-rated West Ham fans chants directed at himWest Ham lost their 16th game of the season on SaturdayPotter was taunted with chants from his own fans in support of Niclas Fullkrug, saying “The German’s right we’re f***ing s***e” throughout the game.He was also booed by Brighton fans after he quit the Amex for Stamford Bridge in 2022, while West Ham now sit 17th on 36 points.Potter said: “The pain at the moment is pretty hard. “We’re all devastated. We’re unable to sustain what we need to do to win games in the Premier League.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSWhen asked about the chants, he said: “They’re entitled to sing whatever they want” before denying that he left out German striker Fullkrug from the starting line up due to his outburst following the Southampton loss.He added: “No one wants to hear positives. It doesn’t matter. I’m sick of talking about positives.“We have to stick together, because it’s a tough last four weeks. We have to be together.“Honestly, I don’t feel like I want to speak about anything positive, because I’m in too much pain to talk about positives, and no one wants to hear positives.Most read in Champions LeagueCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS“But there were some of course, there were I’m not stupid, but we’ve lost and two goals have gone in from 35 meters. Congratulations to Brighton.“I’m going to be frustrated. I’m not a robot. I’m a human being as well. ‘Give Fullkrug the manager’s job’ – West Ham star launches expletive-laden rant at team-mates for ‘not playing football’“I stand there myself, give everything to this, what I’m doing of course, I’m gonna be upset.“I have to come here and speak calmly to you guys, but that’s not how I’m feeling inside. If you want me to swear, I can swear.“I can assure you, there are not many human beings that will be feeling more pain than me at the moment about a football match.”I understand the supporters’ frustration. I understand that, absolutely. And yes, it’s tough for us all.”Fullkrug launched a blistering attack on his West Ham team-mates after last week’s 1-1 draw with relegated Southampton.The German apologised for being “s***” and accused his team-mates of lacking motivation and ability in a scathing assessment.Fullkrug, who set up Jarrod Bowen’s goal against the Saints, fumed: “It is a mindset problem. Very angry today.”We don’t try to play football anymore. Sorry we were s*** and I’m very angry.Read More on The Sun”We don’t push up anymore, we just sink and that’s not the way we want to play.”It is not the first time where we score a goal and then the next goal kick we just shoot the ball long.”Niclas Fullkrug launched a furious rant against his own team-mates last week More

THIS wasn’t supposed to happen.Not with a rookie manager replacing a legend, a disaffected Galactico seemingly wanting out and a lack of action in last summer’s transfer window.Arne Slot has led Liverpool to the title in his first season in charge at AnfieldCredit: AFPMo Salah led the charge for the Reds who lift the trophy for the first time since 2020Credit: EPALiverpool players celebrate with their fans on the pitch after beating Spurs 5-1Credit: AFPThere were jubilant scenes at AnfieldCredit: APPlayers soaked up the atmosphere as fans sang ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’Credit: PAVirgil van Dijk celebrates winning his first title as captainCredit: GettyLiverpool’s Premier League campaign was so consistently good, and their title win so inevitable for so long, that we have forgotten how few people gave them a hope in hell of winning the title in Arne Slot’s maiden campaign.The Dutchman isn’t the first boss to be crowned champion in his first season in English football – the Chelsea trio of Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and Antonio Conte all managed it, as did Manuel Pellegrini at Manchester City, with Arsene Wenger winning the Double in his first full campaign at Arsenal.Yet the exit of Jurgen Klopp was supposed to be debilitating, the uncertainty over the future of Mo Salah was supposed to be an almighty distraction.Throw in the frustration of Liverpool’s failure to land any significant summer recruits and there was little expectation that they could dethrone Manchester City and overhaul Arsenal to reach the summit.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLYet he we are, with just weeks of the season still to run, and Liverpool’s record-equalling 20th English top-flight title already confirmed.The Reds are now able to parade the Premier League trophy at a packed Anfield for the first time – their only previous such success having arrived behind closed doors, during the pandemic.Contrary to their anthem, Liverpool have walked alone at the top of the table for months.Since hopes of the Quadruple, a Treble or even a Double evaporated during February and March, Slot’s side have been damned with faint praise, as ‘lucky’ champions during a poor season.Most read in FootballBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UKYet this is nonsense. The Reds were unbeaten in the league for almost seven months between a home defeat by Nottingham Forest in September and a loss at Fulham in early April.For almost four months, they did not suffer defeat in any competition – winning 15 of 16 games during one run as remorseless as anything Klopp achieved.Mo Salah commits to Liverpool with new two-year contract And City’s record 19-point winning margin of 2018 is still very much in Liverpool’s sights, so there has been nothing lucky about it.Has it been a poor league season overall? Well the scale of City’s mid-season meltdown was extraordinary after Pep Guardiola’s side had rattled off an unprecedented four successive English titles.Yet Arsenal, who have been Liverpool’s closest – if distant – challengers have been good enough to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League, thrashing Real Madrid.Newcastle have been resurgent, Forest a remarkable surprise package and Aston Villa a growing force, even if Chelsea flattered to deceive, while Manchester United and Tottenham disappeared without trace.For Liverpool, stand-out results and performances have been rare – an early-season demolition of United at Old Trafford, away-day thrashings of Tottenham and West Ham and a hugely significant double over City.After that was completed with a victory at the Etihad – which Klopp never achieved in the league – Liverpool were 11 points clear and Salah declared: “Me and the big guys in the team, we need another title.”HOW LIVERPOOL WON THE TITLETHE Reds’ Premier League results this seasonAug 17 Ipswich (a) W2-0Aug 25 Brentford (h) W2-0Sep 1 Man Utd (a) W3-0Sep 14 Nottm Forest (h) L1-0Sep 21 Bournemouth (h) W3-0Sep 28 Wolves (a) W2-1Oct 5 Crystal Palace (a) W1-0Oct 20 Chelsea (h) W2-1Oct 27 Arsenal (a) D2-2Nov 2 Brighton (h) W2-1Nov 9 Aston Villa (h) W2-0Nov 24 Southampton (a) W3-2Dec 1 Man City (h) W2-0Dec 4 Newcastle (a) D3-3Dec 14 Fulham (h) D2-2Dec 22 Tottenham (a) W6-3Dec 26 Leicester (h) W3-1Dec 29 West Ham (a) W5-0Jan 5 Man Utd (h) D2-2Jan 14 Nottm Forest (a) D1-1Jan 18 Brentford (a) W2-0Jan 25 Ipswich (h) W4-1Feb 1 Bournemouth (a) W2-0Feb 12 Everton (a) D2-2Feb 16 Wolves (h) W2-1Feb 19 Aston Villa (a) D2-2Feb 23 Man City (a) W2-0Feb 26 Newcastle (h) W2-0Mar 8 Southampton (h) W3-1Apr 2 Everton (h) W1-0Apr 6 Fulham (a) L3-2Apr 13 West Ham (h) W2-1Apr 20 Leicester (a) W1-0Apr 27 Tottenham (h) W5-1The Reds have been relentlessly good, rather than captivatingly brilliant, but many clubs have staged similar title-winning campaigns.That largely barren summer transfer window – during which the lesser-spotted Federico Chiesa was Liverpool’s only signing – may have provided a happy accident for Slot.Desperate to sign Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad to anchor his midfield, Slot instead relied upon Ryan Gravenberch as his holding player – then the sliding-doors moment saw his compatriot become arguably the best player in the league during the first half of the season.Salah, meanwhile, had ended last season in open revolt against Klopp, a touchline tantrum at West Ham as Liverpool’s title challenge fell apart last spring adding to suggestions that the Egyptian wanted out.The ambition of filthy-rich Saudi Pro League bosses to capture Salah – the highest-profile Muslim footballer on the planet – has been an open secret for 18 months.Yet while Salah frequently whined about the supposed absence of a new contract offer from the Anfield board, he never took his eye off the ball, producing one of his finest campaigns and currently tops the charts for goals as well as assists.Salah is known to prefer Slot’s man-management style to that of Klopp and his decision to sign a new two-year deal has done wonders for Liverpool’s hopes of defending their crown and winning back-to-back titles for the first time in more than four decades.Like most champions, this Liverpool side is built on firm defensive foundations laid down during Klopp’s glory years.Alisson remains world class between the sticks, skipper Virgil van Dijk has been at his imperious best for most of the season, with Ibrahima Konate a rock alongside him.Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk has penned a new two-year contractCredit: PAWith Trent Alexander-Arnold headed for Real Madrid and Andy Robertson having disappeared over the hill, Alisson and Van Dijk remain the trusty stalwarts of Klopp peak years.Slot has been wise in his ‘ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ approach, when a manager with a greater ego would have been desperate to provide his own stamp.Yet Liverpool’s playing style has become less frenetic, more risk-averse than during Klopp’s heavy metal era.The midfield trio Klopp assembled during his 2023 revamp – Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have gelled and excelled under Slot.Up front, Salah has taken the bulk of the goalscoring responsibility – only he and Luis Diaz have netted more than six league goals for the Reds this season.Me and the big guys in the team, we need another title.Mo SalahBut even the misfiring Darwin Nunez had his moments – including a late double to beat Brentford in January, on the same day Arsenal surrendered a two-goal lead against Aston Villa on a day which went a long way to denying us a proper title race.One more thing, while Liverpool will never be wildly popular champions across the nation – thanks to the grating superiority complex of their fans – they have become more difficult to dislike under Slot.For all Klopp’s goofy grins, he and his attack-dog assistant Pep Lijnders were widely disliked by rival managers and coaches, as well as by many referees – as David Coote so infamously let slip in one of the videos which would spell his downfall.Slot was punished for one major tantrum aimed at Michael Oliver after the concession of a late equaliser during the final Goodison Park derby in February, telling the ref he would blame him if Liverpool failed to win the title. He needn’t have worried.MOST TOP-FLIGHT TITLESLIVERPOOL have joined Manchester United on 20 Premier League titles20 – Liverpool, Manchester United13 – Arsenal9 – Everton, Manchester City7 – Aston Villa6 – Chelsea, SunderlandBut the Dutchman is, at heart, an agreeable, understated bloke.Slot has won his title with Klopp’s squad and with no desire to make this all about himself.At the moment, he looks like being the modest Bob Paisley to Klopp’s bombastic Bill Shankly.The rest of the league will hope this ends up as a false comparison.Paisley won six league titles and three European Cups.Read More on The SunBut while Klopp unleashed a tempest on Merseyside, that storm has ended.In its place, is a golden sky.MANAGERS’ PREMIER LEAGUE TITLESTWELVE bosses have won the Premier League title13 – Sir Alex Ferguson5 – Pep Guardiola3 – Jose Mourinho, Arsene Wenger1 – Arne Slot, Antonio Conte, Carlo Ancelotti, Roberto Mancini, Jurgen Klopp, Claudio Ranieri, Kenny Dalglish, Manuel Pellegrini More

CARLO ANCELOTTI is reportedly on the verge of leaving Real Madrid.It was reported earlier this month that the Italian would leave the Bernabeu following Los Blancos’ Champions League quarter-final exit to Arsenal.Carlo Ancelotti is seemingly on the verge of leaving Real MadridCredit: APBrazil are confident of appointing the Italian as their new managerCredit: REXThe former AC Milan and Chelsea gaffer has long been on the radar of international football icons Brazil. And the Brazilian Football Federation are now said to be “very confident” of landing their man, who they’re hoping to agree a deal with in the coming days.That’s according to reporter Fabrizio Romano, who wrote on X: “Brazilian Federation, very confident to get the green light for Carlo Ancelotti as new head coach. “He’d join before the Club World Cup, clear indication from Brazil.”Federation emissaries remain in Spain to agree deal, waiting for Real Madrid decision/steps.”Ancelotti could end up being replaced at the Bernabeu helm by Jurgen Klopp.The 57-year-old was appointed as Red Bull’s new Global Head of Football just a few months after leaving Liverpool last year. But Brazilian outlet UOL claims that the German is “unhappy” in his new role. Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSJurgen Klopp could replace Carlo Ancelotti in the Bernabeu dugoutCredit: GettyAnd he’s allegedly open to managerial offers from both Real Madrid and the Brazil national team. It’s also been claimed that the Kop icon would be willing to leave Red Bull to replace Julian Nagelsmann as manager of the German national team.Ex-Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp talks about his new role at Red Bull Ancelotti broke his silence on rumours he could leave Real last week, insisting he’s still in his honeymoon period in the Spanish capital.He said: “I love being here [at Madrid] and I hope this will last as long as possible.”The honeymoon continues. I’m very happy, contented. “There is a lot of pressure, true, but that is always the case at this point of the season. “I’m happy with the club, they know this has been a tough season. Stress is fuel – it doesn’t bother me, it gives me more energy.”Real’s season went from bad to worse on Saturday night as they lost a thrilling Copa Del Rey final to bitter rivals Barcelona 3-2. More