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      Arsenal verdict: Gunners shoot themselves in the foot yet again… and, as usual, Granit Xhaka is the culprit

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      IF the definition of insanity really is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result then Arsenal must be due a visit from the men in white coats.For no other team in the country shoots themselves in the foot on such a regular basis without learning any lessons.
      Granit Xhaka was sent off against LiverpoolCredit: Rex

      And no one epitomises that madness more than serial offender Granit Xhaka.
      Mikel Arteta had spent all week sweating over the availability of the Swiss international who had been in isolation after contracting Covid last week.
      But he probably should have spared himself the stress because Xhaka only lasted 24 minutes before he was heading for another early bath.
      And he really could have no arguments about the fifth sending-off of his Arsenal career after bringing down Diogo Jota on the edge of the area to deny the Liverpool striker a goalscoring opportunity.
      It wasn’t a malicious tackle and his eyes were on the flight of the ball all the time as he tried to intercept Andrew Robertson’s long pass over the top.
      But the second his raised boot caught Jota square in the chest he left ref Michael Oliver with virtually no option but to reach for red.
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      Don’t forget it was Xhaka who conceded the penalty which set Manchester City on their way to victory at the Emirates on New Year’s Day.
      And his indiscipline that day immediately set the tone for centre-half Gabriel, who minutes later became the club’s 100th red card of the Premier League era.
      No other team has yet reached that dubious landmark and rather than cleaning up their act it seems that Arsenal are actually getting worse.
      They have only just stumped up a £20,000 fine after accepting an FA charge of failing to control their players during that frustrating City defeat.
      PREM PLAYER RED CARDS SINCE 2016-17IN all competitions
      Granit Xhaka – 5
      Fernandinho – 5
      David Luiz – 4
      Christian Kabasele – 4

      But they have become so accustomed to playing with ten men that maybe it’s no surprise that they are learning to cope with being outnumbered.
      Because since Arteta was appointed manager in December 2019,  they have suffered no less than 13 red cards in all competitions.
      It’s almost as bad as the early days of Arsene Wenger’s reign, when the likes of Patrick Vieira and Martin Keown would regularly lose the plot and pay the consequences.

      Now Xhaka, who was also dismissed during the 5-0 defeat at Manchester City in August, will be suspended for Arsenal’s next two games away to Spurs on Sunday and the Emirates rematch with Liverpool next Thursday.
      And with Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny away at the Africa Cup of Nations, Martin Odegaard Covid positive and Emile Smith Rowe nursing a groin strain, Arteta needs the loss of another midfielder like a hole in the head.
      Yet at least he can take heart from the character and resilience the rest of his makeshift team showed last night to keep this semi-final alive.
      MARK HALSEY’S VERDICTON Xhaka’s red card
      GRANIT XHAKA made it easy for Michael Oliver to send him off after his challenge on Diogo Jota.
      The Arsenal midfielder tried stretching to reach Andy Robertson’s long ball but only succeeded in clattering into the Liverpool attacker.
      It is not clear whether Oliver shows the red card for serious foul play or a denial of an obvious goal scoring opportunity (DOGSO).
      With Xhaka’s boot connecting into Jota’s chest you could argue the challenge is endangering the player’s safety.
      However, if it was DOGSO there is an element of doubt to the likelihood of Jota keeping or regaining control of the ball as his first touch bounces off his chest at pace.
      Either way, Xhaka has forced Oliver into making a decision which went against him.

      It would have been the easiest thing in the world for young Arsenal heads to drop the minute Xhaka received his marching orders, particularly given their dreadful recent record at Anfield.
      Yet rather than feeling sorry for themselves they dug deep to keep Liverpool at arm’s length and unable to find a route through to goal.
      And no one owes a greater debt of gratitude to those exhausted Gunners than Xhaka.
      Diogo Jota was taken out by Granit XhakaCredit: Rex More

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      in Soccer

      Watch Granit Xhaka’s reckless waist-high challenge on Diogo Jota as Arsenal midfielder is sent off vs Liverpool

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      GRANIT XHAKA once again proved his recklessness after being sent off for a waist-high challenge on Diogo Jota. The Swiss midfielder left the Gunners down to ten men for 66 minutes of their Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg at Anfield.
      Granit Xhaka was sent off against LiverpoolCredit: Rex
      Granit Xhaka wiped out Diogo JotaCredit: AFP

      It came after Xhaka took out Jota following a cross field pass by left-back Andrew Robertson.
      Robertson’s pass put the Liverpool forward through on goal, before Xhaka’s misstimed tackle with the score level at 0-0.
      He ended up booting Jota in the stomach as he tried to clear and immediately saw red for denying the goalscoring opportunity.
      It is the fifth time Xhaka has been sent off for Arsenal, with the other four coming in the Premier League.
      He was last sent for an early bath in Arsenal’s 5-0 hammering at champions Manchester City in August.
      No player has received more Premier League red cards than Xhaka since his Arsenal debut in 2016.
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      Xhaka was slammed by Liverpool legend and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher following his latest gaffe.
      Carragher said: “Xhaka has two or three looks at Jota, he knows he’s there. It’s a perfect pass from Robertson and Jota just needs to get his chest on it.
      “Xhaka does what Xhaka does. Makes and absolutely ridiculous challenge when Jota has still got so much to do.
      “If the goalkeeper keeps coming, I think he maybe scares Jota and heads it away.
      “But, was it a red card? There is no doubt. The way he has taken him out, the forced he’s done it with, it’s a ridiculous challenge.”
      MARK HALSEY VERDICT
      GRANIT XHAKA made it easy for Michael Oliver to send him off after his challenge on Diogo Jota.
      The Arsenal midfielder tried stretching to reach Andy Robertson’s long ball but only succeeded in clattering into the Liverpool attacker.
      It is not clear whether Oliver shows the red card for serious foul play or a denial of an obvious goal scoring opportunity (DOGSO).
      PREM PLAYER RED CARDS SINCE 2016-17IN all competitions
      Granit Xhaka – 5
      Fernandinho – 5
      David Luiz – 4
      Christian Kabasele – 4

      With Xhaka’s boot connecting into Jota’s chest you could argue the challenge is endangering the player’s safety.
      However, if it was DOGSO there is an element of doubt to the likelihood of Jota keeping or regaining control of the ball as his first touch bounces off his chest at pace.
      Either way, Xhaka has forced Oliver into making a decision which went against him. More

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      in Soccer

      Mikel Arteta facing make or break eight days at Arsenal with season on brink of disaster if his team fail to deliver

      by

      MIKEL ARTETA might be facing a make or break eight days but remains convinced Arsenal can compete in the transfer market with any club in the world.The two legged Carabao Cup semi-final clash with Liverpool and Sunday’s North London derby are crucial to the Gunners’ big time ambitions.
      Mikel Arteta is facing a make or break eight days at ArsenalCredit: Getty
      And he has described his squad situation as volatile and uncertainCredit: Getty
      Yet even if they miss out on Champions League qualification and a Wembley final, Arteta has no fears about being shunned by any of his transfer targets.
      The club are currently trying to secure a £50million deal for Fiorentina’s superstar striker Dusan Vlahovic before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.
      And Arteta dismissed suggestions the Serbian international does not regard a move to Arsenal as a big enough step up in his career.
      He said: “Historically this club has always targeted the best players in the world and they are always interested in coming here.
      “And that situation has not changed. Anytime I have spoken to any player, they were so willing to come to Arsenal.
      “I haven’t faced any other situation and that’s one of our biggest powers, our capacity to get the attention of people to come and join our club.
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      “It’s something that is a big advantage for us and we have a strategy of how we want to evolve and improve the team.
      “Whenever that is possible we will try to do it but we know that this market is extremely difficult.”
      Yet Arteta acknowledges that his cause will be boosted if they can overcome Liverpool and beat Spurs to secure their grip on fourth place in the Premier League.
      He admitted: “This is a really important week for us because we are playing in two different competitions that we are engaged with and have a lot of enthusiasm for.
      “Against Liverpool we can reach a final and move closer to a trophy and in the other game we are going to play a big London derby against a team that is in the hunt for the same objectives we have.
      ‘VOLATILE AND UNCERTAIN’
      “We all know the impact these games are going to have on our season but the situation around the squad is extremely volatile and uncertain.
      “We have lost so many players in the last week for different reasons and we are trying to adapt to that.
      “But we have to make the most of what we have and move on because the next few games ahead of us are far too important.”
      Arteta had eight senior players unavailable for Sunday’s shock FA Cup defeat by Nottingham Forest and is still sweating over a couple of Covid tests before naming his team for the Anfield showdown.
      But he refuses to use those absentees as an excuse for the lacklustre performance and has delivered a few home truths to his squad ahead of tonight’s trip to Merseyside.
      He revealed: “We didn’t perform at a level that was good enough.
      “We lacked purpose and cohesion and I didn’t like the quality we had in our attacking phase. There were a lot of things we should have done much better.
      “Now I have tried to make it clear so that nobody gets confused about the standards that are required to play at this level against any opponent.”
      Granit Xhaka is battling to prove his fitness after spending seven days in isolation following a positive Covid test last week.
      ‘HOPEFULLY GRANIT WILL BE FIT’
      Arteta said: “We will put out the best team possible and hopefully Granit will pass the tests and be fit enough to play.
      “It’s very difficult when players are in isolation and sometimes we have to stop them when they are at home because they want to carry on and not lose any fitness.
      “That’s why the doctor and sports science department are really on top of them so they can understand what they are able to do.
      “We don’t want to risk the health of the players so absolutely the first thing we look at is how we can maintain their fitness.
      “But there is also a consideration about the mental effects of isolation because it’s very frustrating when you are away in your house for seven or ten days.”

      ⚽ Get all the latest Arsenal news, updates and transfer gossip with our live blogs
      With Partey and Elneny still away at the Africa Cup of Nations, Arteta is dangerously low on central midfield options right now.
      Yet he has no regrets about the timing of Ainsley Maitland-Niles’s loan move to Roma last week.
      He added: “After what happened in the summer we felt it was the right thing to do and there are certain things you cannot miss out if you want to complete a deal.
      “You have to take into account if the player has the right mindset to compete knowing that he is going to be leaving the next day.
      “I don’t think it’s logical to make a decision that is going to have an impact for the next six to 18 months just for a day or two.”
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      Tottenham 0 Chelsea 1 (0-3 agg): Rudiger earns Carabao Cup final spot as VAR rules out a Spurs goal and TWO penalties

      by

      AFTER more than two decades as a top-flight referee, Mike Dean finally got to feel the love.Three times, VAR Dean over-ruled referee Andre Marriner and denied Tottenham – chalking off two penalty awards and one goal – as Chelsea confirmed their place in the Carabao Cup Final.
      Chelsea celebrate their opening goalCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      Harry Kane looks on in defeat after enduring a frustrating night vs ChelseaCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      And three times, thousands of Chelsea fans staged ecstatic wild-limbed celebrations.
      They might have preferred to celebrate a Romelu Lukaku hat-trick instead, but this is modern football and so they made do with celebrating the work of Wirral whistler Dean, who should have been awarded the match ball.
      Having dominated last week’s first leg and the first half-hour of this return match, the European champions could have chucked away all their good work had Marriner been working alone.
      Spurs boss Antonio Conte had made the bizarre decision to ‘rest’ his captain and first-choice keeper Hugo Lloris for this semi-final – and he saw stand-in Pierluigi Gollini gift Antonio Rudiger an early opener to extend Chelsea’s aggregate lead.
      But then it was down to Dean to rule out two penalties awarded by Marriner either side of half-time and then a Harry Kane strike which was scrubbed out for offside.
      It was a peculiar old night, with Conte seeming to have run up the white flag before kick-off, only for Spurs to stage a spirited, but unrewarded, fight-back.
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      Antonio Rudiger heads homeCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      Romelu Lukaku and Antonio Rudiger celebrateCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      Conte had bemoaned the ‘gap’ in quality between Chelsea and Spurs after the first leg – and he only managed to widen that chasm by leaving out his World Cup-winning skipper.
      The Italian claimed he was resting Lloris for league matches, seemingly admitting he had written off this tie. Which, to be fair, was the view of all the rest of us who’d been at Stamford Bridge last week.
      But do keepers actually need resting? Don’t they just stand there most of the time?
      Perhaps it is simply the psychological strain of playing behind Tottenham’s defence.
      But Gollini had played against Morecambe in the FA Cup on Sunday, anyway.
      Tottenham’s wonky back-line had handed Chelsea both of their goals in the first encounter – with Lloris playing a major role in keeping the deficit down – and this time it was Gollini who dished out the generosities.
      Tuchel’s team had already gone close twice – Timo Werner lobbing wide and Lukaku having a shot saved after a masterful long pass from Rudiger.
      And on 18 minutes, they extended their aggregate lead when Mount swung in a free-kick and Gollini staged a kamikaze mission, flying off his line, missing the ball and allowing Rudiger to score with a back-header which did not look particularly intentional.
      Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg goes down from an Antonio Rudiger challengeCredit: Reuters
      The Chelsea fans were constantly chanting ‘Tottenham get battered everywhere they go’ – a song which has become such a national earworm that people with no affinity to any of Spurs’ rivals have taken to singing in the street.
      The opening half-hour had been every bit as one-sided, every bit as embarrassing for Spurs, as the first leg.
      But then, suddenly, Spurs woke up and joined in.
      Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg had a curling shot deflected narrowly wide and from the resulting Giovanni Lo Celso corner, Davinson Sanchez headed on and Kane dived in at the post to poke wide.
      Kane, as is his wont, tumbled for a penalty shout which failed to sway Andre Marriner.
      But soon after, Marriner was pointing to the spot when Rudiger upended Hojbjerg.
      Dean took a long while to decide what was clear and obvious on the replay – that Rudiger had made contact outside the box and then thrown himself inside the 18-yard line.
      But eventually Dean did over-rule Marriner on the line call and Lo Celso’s free-kick was deflected over by the wall.
      Kepa wins the ball from Lucas MouraCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      Twelve minutes after the break, Marriner – who seemed determined to make this tie interesting – was at it again, handing Spurs another erroneous penalty.
      This time, Kane surged clear from the halfway line, batting off Rudiger – no mean feat – and feeding Lucas Moura.
      When the Brazilian sprinted into the box, keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga met him with a sliding tackle which needed to be perfectly-executed.
      Marriner didn’t think it was but Dean did, sending the ref to his monitor, where he changed his mind.
      Kepa’s chief League Cup memory was his extraordinary refusal to be substituted in the 2019 final – but this was a crucial positive intervention from the Spaniard.
      Kepa soon pushed away an Emerson Royal header but then the Chelsea keeper played a dodgy pass, Hojbjerg intercepted, Moura fed Kane, who netted.
      But with Kepa off his line, there was only one Chelsea defender between Kane and the goal-line and so Dean completed his treble and the away section descended into joyous bedlam.
      Should Chelsea overcome Arsenal or Liverpool at Wembley on February 27, will anyone remember Dean’s outstanding contribution?
      Perhaps not but Dean himself would greet it with a knowing smile and a little punch of the air.
      This was the night he had been waiting for.
      Harry Kane fires home before VAR rules out the goalCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      Harry Kane was just offsideCredit: Sky Sports More

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      in Soccer

      ‘Spider-Man: Can’t Win At Home’ – Baffled viewers spot Spurs fan in full Spiderman outfit before Rudiger’s Chelsea goal

      by

      FANS were left baffled as a Tottenham supporter wore a full Spider-Man costume for their League Cup semi-final against Chelsea. And the superhero-loving fan had the perfect view to watch as Antonio Rudiger headed the Blues 1-0 up.
      A Tottenham supporter wore a full Spider-Man costume
      #CFC have one foot in the Carabao Cup final! 🦶Antonio Rudiger beats Pierluigi Gollini to the corner and gives the visitors a 3-0 lead on aggregate! 💙 pic.twitter.com/NwJy0yGLUA— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) January 12, 2022

      It extended their lead to 3-0 overall and gave Thomas Tuchel’s side one foot in the Wembley final.
      But just before the opener, fans on Twitter could not help but question the Spidey casually watching in the stands.
      One said: “SpiderMan – Can’t Win At Home.”
      Another said: “Just seen a spurs fan dressed in a spiderman suit so we deserve to get slapped tonight.”
      One added: “Spurs are that bad Spiderman can’t even help them lol.”
      Another added: “That’s exactly what Tottenham deserve for letting that grown man who is stood by the corner flag wearing a full Spiderman outfit but without the mask into the stadium.”
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      Perhaps connected to the bizarre match day attire, current Spider-Man actor Tom Holland is a huge Spurs fan.
      And while promoting the new ‘No Way Home’ blockbuster, Holland met PSG forward Kylian Mbappe.
      He cheekily asked Mbappe to join Tottenham – but was let down easy with a resounding no.
      Mbappe chuckled as he replied: “No, impossible. “That’s impossible!”
      Spider-Man’s Tom Holland and Kylian Mbappe More

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      Arsenal want emergency loan transfer after suffering more Covid cases with Smith Rowe and Tomiyasu doubts for Liverpool

      by

      ARSENAL are looking to make some emergency loan signings after being hit by more Covid cases ahead of their Carabao Cup semi-final against Liverpool.Emile Smith Rowe and Takehiro Tomiyasu are also injury doubts leaving Mikel Arteta’s squad looking worryingly thin.
      Emile Smith Rowe has a tight groin which could keep him out of Arsenal’s Carabao Cup semi-final with LiverpoolCredit: Rex
      Takehiro Tomiyasu also has a calf problem which has given Mikel Arteta a selection headacheCredit: Getty
      The decision to allow Ainsley Maitland-Niles to join Roma on loan has already backfired after Granit Xhaka tested positive for Covid at the weekend.
      That means Albert Sambi-Lokonga and 18-year-old rookie Charlie Patino will be the only central midfield players available for Thursday’s trip to Anfield.
      Manager Arteta is already sweating on Xhaka recovering from his second bout of the virus in time for Sunday’s crucial North London derby away to Spurs.
      Xhaka, who refused to be vaccinated before he tested positive while on international duty with Switzerland last September, is currently in isolation along with striker Folarin Balogun.
      And even though he is due out of quarantine before the weeknd, he will have missed a whole week’s training in the build-up to the game against sixth-placed Spurs.
      But with Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny both away at the African Cup of Nations, Arteta is desperately hoping to strengthen his squad with an emergency loan signing.
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      Granit Xhaka has tested positive for Covid ahead of the gameCredit: Getty
      And so has Folarin BalogunCredit: Rex
      JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)
      He knows it is crucial for his team to hold their nerve following back to back defeats by Manchester City in the Premier League and Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup.
      But with the Spurs game sandwiched between the two legs of the Carabao Cup semi-final, the next ten days could have a huge bearing on Arsenal’s ambitions to win a trophy and secure a top four finish.
      Arteta was deeply unimpressed by his players’ efforts during Sunday’s shock FA Cup exit against Forest.
      No-one struggled more than teenagee rookie Patino, who was substituted 20 minutes from the end of his first start for the club.
      Now Arteta wants to protect the promising youngster from unrealistic expectations at such a crucial state of his career.
      And he will be reluctant to include Patino in the starting line-up at Anfield on Thursday with so much at stake for the club.
      NEW ODEGAARD ROLE?
      That could mean Martin Odegaard dropping into a deeper role or a defender such as Ben White or Calum Chambers moving into midfield.
      But neither solution would be perfect, causing even greater consternation over the timing of Maitland-Niles’ departure to Roma.
      Arteta had been extremely reluctant to allow the England international to leave until the end of the month because of concerns over a lack of cover.
      But both Maitland-Niles and Roma boss Jose Mourinho made it clear that they were not prepared to wait and now Arteta’s worst fears have been realised.
      To add insult to injury, central midfielders Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira have also been loaned out by Arsenal and will need to be sold to fund any potential new signings.
      Arteta spoke of his midfield issues last week and claimed: “We are going to move and look for options because we are very short there.”
      But he seemed less optimistic after Sunday’s FA Cup setback, admitting: “I think it’s clear where we need to strengthen but at the moment we have to try to get the best out of the players we have.”
      ⚽ Get all the latest Arsenal news, updates and transfer gossip with our live blogs More

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      in Soccer

      Youngest ever FA Cup finalist Curtis Weston now dreams of biggest upset in history as minnows Chesterfield face Chelsea

      by

      CURTIS WESTON is dreaming Chesterfield can cause the biggest shock in FA Cup history at Stamford Bridge – but he has already made competition history.The midfielder will play for a National League team taking on a Chelsea side not just 91 places above them in English football’s pecking order but also the reigning European champions. 
      Curtis Weston made history by coming on as a sub in the 2004 FA Cup final for Dennis Wise aged 17
      Chesterfield captain Curtis Weston is hoping to cause a massive FA Cup upset at ChelseaCredit: Rex
      But the Spireites captain is also the youngest player to appear in an FA Cup final.
      Weston, now 34, came on as a late sub for Millwall player-boss and Chelsea legend Dennis Wise aged 17 years and 119 days against Manchester United in a 3-0 defeat at the Millennium Stadium in 2004.
      He told SunSport: “I’d only made my debut in the Championship as a sub two weeks earlier against Bradford.
      “I never thought I’d get on against the likes of Paul Scholes, Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Nicky Butt.
      “I was happy to just be around Millwall players like Paul Ifill, who I watched from the terraces as a kid.
      “And I was learning from top-calibre players like Tim Cahill and Dennis Wise.
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      “It was also good just to be able to stay in an expensive hotel for the first time and the size of the changing room at the stadium and the warm-up area in it blew me away.
      “And then there were the suits we had to wear on FA Cup final day. Everyone had theirs fitted but mine was just given to me so it was hanging off me a bit!” 
      With the game already lost with a minute left plus stoppage time, Weston made history after another Chelsea legend, the late Ray Wilkins, told him he was going on.
      I came on, looked round and Paul Scholes was standing next to me for about a second. I looked away and he was gone. It was unbelievable – we’re 90 minutes in and he’s still moving around like that.Curtis Weston
      He said: “I was warming up and soaking up the atmosphere when Ray, who was assistant, ushered me over and told me to get ready.
      “I was so nervous to be facing world-class stars and it was just a case of trying to get close to some of my idols. 
      “Scholes was my favourite all-time player. I came on, looked round and he was standing next to me for about a second. I looked away and he was gone.
      “It was unbelievable – we’re 90 minutes in and he’s still moving around like that.
      “I did manage a sliding tackle on Van Nistelrooy and went in for a 50-50 with Butt.”
      At the end, Weston managed to nab the shirt of Mikael Silvestre, widely considered one of the best defenders during Sir Alex Ferguson’s United reign.
      That memento – alongside his own shirt and runners-up medal – is framed and at his aunt’s home in Dartford.
      Curtis Weston will be facing Chelsea this weekend for National League leaders Chesterfield
      Chelsea legends Dennis Wise and Ray Wilkins were mentors to a young Curtis Weston at Millwall
      Weston, who signed for Millwall after impressing in a youth trial game against Chelsea, is indebted to Wise and Wilkins for grounding him.
      Wise made 332 appearances for the Blues while Wilkins played 179 games as well as enjoying various coaching spells with them – and both were his mentors.
      He said: “Ray always had time for me and wanted to improve my game.
      “And it wasn’t just teaching youngsters like me but also the older lads. He even helped improve an exceptional talent like Jody Morris at Millwall. 
      “Everything flowed with Ray. He’d always get involved in keep balls and rondos. Even approaching 50, he’d never give the ball away.
      “Wisey would ask him to take a corner in training – and Ray would ask, ‘How do you want it, fella? Right foot? Left foot? Inswinger? Outswinger?’ Whatever, he’d nail it.”
      I couldn’t afford to go out with some of Millwall’s top-earners so asked Wisey if I could borrow some money. He took some notes from his wallet and said, ‘Take this and don’t be embarrassed if you need more'”Curtis Davies
      Weston revealed how he asked to borrow cash from Wise while on a pre-season tour to Canada with the Lions … so he could get a round of drinks in.
      He said: “I was around first-team players like Jody who were earning far larger amounts and got embarrassed because I couldn’t afford to go out with them.
      “So I asked Wisey if I could borrow some money and before I finished the sentence he was taking notes from his wallet, saying ‘Just take this and don’t be embarrassed if you need more.’
      “It wasn’t a case of me trying to keep up with the others while out but at least I could buy a round of drinks.
      “I went to pay it back when we returned home but Dennis said he didn’t want it.
      “Wisey led by example. After he finished playing, he’d go on 5k and 10k runs to keep fit. He instilled into me that work ethic.
      “The biggest piece of advice he gave me was, ‘Never let anybody out-work you.’ That’s why he had such a great career.” 
      Weston followed Wise to Swindon and Leeds where he also enjoyed working with another Chelsea old-boy, Gus Poyet.
      He said: “I enjoyed both clubs but can safely say Leeds was the best for me because I absolutely loved my time there. Obviously, they’re a huge club who were playing in League One at the time with incredible facilities.
      Curtis Weston loved his time at Leeds United under Dennis Wise
      “I loved playing with people like Jonny Howson and Tore Andre Flo.
      “But Leeds was the best city I lived. It was good for shopping, going out and just the people up there. I’m a Southerner and will happily admit Northerners are friendlier!”
      But it was at Gillingham where he tasted his biggest success – winning promotion to League One via the play-offs in 2009.
      However, he spent six seasons with Barnet, suffering relegation from the EFL twice and enjoying one promotion.
      While there he worked with Dutch legend Edgar Davids, who was the most ruthless manager he worked with.
      Jamal Lowe let the ball roll over his foot and Edgar Davids told him to leave the training pitch. It was a genuine mistake but that was the last time I saw him at Barnet.” Curtis Weston
      Weston said: “Look how well Jamal Lowe is doing at Bournemouth but, when he was at Barnet, he let the ball roll over his foot when it was passed out to him in training.
      “Then it happened a second time. It was a genuine mistake but Edgar told him to get off the pitch. That was the last time I saw him at Barnet. 
      “Jamal dropped down the leagues, worked on things and now he’s flying.
      “There’s two ways of looking at it – Edgar was either harsh or demanding. If the standards were not met, see you later.
      “But he’s a generous man. On our way back from an away game once, we stopped at Nando’s and he told us to order whatever we wanted and he’d pick up the tab.” 
      Weston is in his fourth season at Chesterfield and cannot wait for the Chelsea challenge.
      Weston played under Edgar Davids at Barnet and admits it was a rollercoaster ride
      Weston would love to have N’Golo Kante’s shirt today as he is the Chelsea player he admires most
      Asked whose shirt he wanted, he said: “If he plays, N’Golo Kante. He’s my favourite player because of his work ethic, endeavour and willingness to work hard for the team. 
      “I love his humbleness on and off the pitch. There’s nothing big-time about him.
      “Not long ago, he went to a fan’s birthday party and stayed the whole evening. That’s class.
      “There’s no expectation on us at Stamford Bridge and whoever plays for Chelsea, because I’m sure they’ll rotate, it’ll be a privilege to share the same pitch.”  More

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      MK Dons star Matt O’Riley wanted by DENMARK over international call-up with 21-year-old also on England’s radar

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      IN-DEMAND MK Dons star Matt O’Riley is being closely watched by the Danish FA.The Londoner, 21, is eligible for Denmark and Norway from his mum’s side and speaks Danish.
      Denmark could be set to rival England for Matt O’Reilly’s servicesCredit: Getty
      SunSport understands the midfielder would be interested in representing either Scandinavian nation or England should they show interest.
      He is a player on England Under-21s’ radar and is being monitored by Lee Carsley’s team in every game.
      Ex-Fulham kid O’Riley has been lighting up League One and is set to move this window with a host of clubs from home and abroad showing interest in a possible swoop.
      Bournemouth and Middlesbrough are among the Championship sides reportedly keen on the League One ace.
      And Huddersfield and Barnsley are also thought to be eyeing a potential move.
      Swansea are in the driving seat thanks to the player’s relationship with boss Russell Martin who managed the midfielder at MK before leaving for City in August.
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      But foreign clubs including Bordeaux, PSV and Venezia – as well as Rangers – are also keen on a player who has netted six goals already this season. 
      O’Riley made 44 appearances for Fulham’s Under-23s between July 2017 and July last year before making a January move to MK.
      The midfielder, who made regular appearances for the Cottagers’ youth sides, turned down the chance to stay at the club in a bid to gain first-team playing time.
      And the London-born starlet, who has made 51 first-team appearances for MK, was named EFL Player of the Month in November.
      O’Riley is reportedly a transfer target for several domestic and overseas clubsCredit: Alamy More