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      Man Utd close to announcing decision on Erik ten Hag’s future after Sir Jim Ratcliffe left rocked by FA Cup final

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      MANCHESTER UNITED are close to announcing a decision on Erik ten Hag’s future.The club have been undergoing a review of the season before they publicly make clear whether they want to retain the Dutchman, who has a year left on his contract.Erik ten Hag lifted the FA Cup nearly a fortnight agoCredit: AlamySir Jim Ratcliffe and Co have mulled over Ten Hag’s futureCredit: AlamyAll indications continue to point to Ten Hag being dismissed.Candidates to replace him include Mauricio Pochettino and Graham Potter, with England boss Gareth Southgate still a post Euros possibility.Ten Hag is growing tired of the delay, having lifted the FA Cup at Wembley a fortnight ago.That was his second piece of silverware in two seasons at United.READ MORE MAN UTD NEWSBut his eighth-placed league finish and early Champions League exit last season left new part owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe believing change was needed.That was expected to take place after the FA Cup Final.The surprise 2-1 win over Premier League title winners Manchester City brought a new wave of support for Ten Hag from the United fanbase.This rocked Ratcliffe and his team, which includes Sir David Brailsford and Jason Wilcox.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSPLAY DREAM TEAM EUROS NOW!The best fantasy football game for this summer’s tournament.
      Brandon Williams posts 141-word statement with emotional video & Adele soundtrack as Man Utd release him after 16 years Those close to Ten Hag wonder why a review of the season post-Wembley was needed.Indeed the manager said it had already been done which was why he was flying out on holiday.Man Utd’s Ten Hag decision has turned into a fiasco
      NO ONE can accuse Sir Jim Ratcliffe of not being true to his word — he has insisted from the start it was a three-year plan, writes Phil Thomas.
      But maybe he should have said that wasn’t the timescale on turning Manchester United into title challengers once again.
      Clearly United’s would-be saviour was talking of how long it would take to decide who he wanted as manager.
      It has seemed that way at least, in a week when an against-all-odds FA Cup final win over neighbours City has barely had a mention alongside the debate over Erik ten Hag’s future.
      To the point that if — as appears increasingly likely — he gets a vote of confidence instead of a P45, Sir Jim will have made it look the exact opposite.
      You have to hand it to United and their new investor — when it comes to finding a cloud in every silver lining, they’re in a league of their own.Eight days have passed since Bruno Fernandes lifted the world’s most famous domestic knockout trophy.
      Eight days since Ten Hag finally gave a bit back to all those who have passed judgment on the job he’s done and whether he should keep it.
      Eight days since he gave Sir Jim a metaphoric dig in the ribs to make  a decision, by insisting he would happily go and win cups elsewhere if he wasn’t wanted.
      And eight days since Ratcliffe did not even have the decency to mention by name the man who had just won United’s first FA Cup in eight years, as he name-checked so many others.
      No wonder there has been a definite, if not decisive, mood shift among fans since last week’s triumph.
      Not necessarily a flood of support for Ten Hag, mind. The memory of beating City will live long but so, too, will a seven-goal hiding at Anfield, six at the Etihad, four at Palace.
      A frustration at squandered leads, a season of 19 defeats, an eighth-placed finish with a negative goal difference. Wembley alone can’t erase all that.
      It’s not so much a show of faith in the manager, more a shrinking one in Sir Jim and his tub-thumping vows of a Red resurrection.
      Bold promises that no longer would United be a laughing stock chucking money around like a drunken lottery winner. They would unearth their own stars instead.
      Old Trafford would once again become a cathedral of excitement and entertainment. They would demand it of the manager, whoever it was.
      Immediately after the FA Cup win, you’d have got a big price on that being Ten Hag — so the fact he is now odds-on to still be in charge at the start of next season proves what a fiasco it has been.
      Ratcliffe may be a dab hand at getting office desks tidied and youth- team dressing rooms swept but it’s a different story when it comes to the biggest calls.
      It is an open secret Sir Jim and his team have been eyeing potential new gaffers for months and you’d imagine there would be no shortage of takers or candidates.
      Graham Potter was an early front-runner but Sir Dave Brailsford and Co weren’t convinced he was a sexy — or big — enough name.
      Then it was Gareth Southgate but managing England’s Euro assault was always going to make that tricky — and there are also whispers he is now distancing himself from it.
      Next cab off the rank was Thomas Tuchel but despite a dip-your-toe- in-the-water inquiry, the German was a long shot from the off.
      Too volatile, too dear and too difficult to manage. No way would he meekly accept anyone telling him how his team must play. Even United’s kingmakers realised that.
      So the search moved on to Kieran McKenna, a former United coach and assistant manager who knew the club better than those doing  the interviewing.
      An eternal Ipswich hero after leading them from League One to the top tier in two years. But compared to one of the elite jobs in world football? It was a no-brainer.
      Only it wasn’t . . . the contract that the Northern Irishman chose was an extension at Portman Road rather than a new one at Old Trafford.
      Of the others to get a mention, only Mauricio Pochettino remains — but if Ratcliffe and the crew fancy him, why are they dragging their heels over appointing a free agent?
      It has been a farce from the start, with tales of United even picking the brains of other clubs. That really would be a sign of desperation.
      You couldn’t blame Ten Hag if he raised two fingers to Sir Jim and told him where to stick it. It’s been obvious for months that he wasn’t wanted.
      And equally clear that if he remains as manager, it will effectively be by default. So should that happen, don’t insult everyone with any statements of support. Don’t give us any bull about keeping quiet to avoid disrupting the Wembley build-up. It was your silence that brought chaos, when one sentence would have meant calm.
      Any public backing now would be as believable as the fast-fading idea that United were getting a saviour on a white charger when Sir Jim rode into town.
      A man returning to his Northern roots intent on rebuilding an empire — yet showing more interest in the bottom of a balance sheet than  the top of the table.
      Mike Ashley with a Failsworth accent, you could say — and at least the former Newcastle owner didn’t try to disguise it. More

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      Lewis Koumas dared to score a hat-trick of debut goals in Wales senior bow against nation ranked 203rd in the world

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      LEWIS KOUMAS has been dared to score a hat-trick of debut goals.The Liverpool striker, 18, is set to win his first Wales cap in tonight’s friendly against Gibraltar in the Algarve.Teenage forward Koumas was on the bench for Liverpool’s Carabao Cup win over ChelseaCredit: RexKoumas celebrates scoring on his Reds debut in the FA Cup win over Southampton at AnfieldCredit: APKoumas, son of ex-Dragons midfielder Jason, netted on his Reds senior bow in February’s FA Cup fifth round 3-0 win over Southampton at Anfield.Then the wonderkid fired home on his Under-21s debut against Lithuania in Newport a month later.Now Koumas, called up to the Welsh senior squad for the first time, has been challenged by boss Robert Page to seal a personal goal scoring treble against Gibraltar, ranked 203rd in the world.The Football Association of Wales last night released a video of Koumas chatting to Page and Liverpool legend Ian Rush. read more in footballPage said to Koumas: “We want a hat-trick of debut goals please.”Wales great Rush, 62, who scored 28 times for his country, quipped: “I’ve not come all this way and he’s not going to score.” Page and Rush both laughed before the Dragons boss added: “No pressure now.”After Wales failed to qualify for Euro 2024, Page will turn to the next generation with Koumas, Leeds midfielder Charlie Crew, 17, and Brentford right-back Fin Stevens, 21, all in line to make their debuts.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSTeen star Crew was the Dragons’ captain at the Under-17 Euro finals in Hungary last summer.Crew was on Daniel Farke’s bench three times in the Championship last season.Electric atmosphere inside the Cardiff City Stadium as Wales fans blast out national anthemHighly-rated midfielder Crew said: “It’s a massive achievement and a really proud moment for me and my family.”The U17s Euros was a great experience and will help me in good stead for this. I’d love to make my debut.”Bolton’s Josh Sheehan, 29, will captain Wales’ new-look side. The five-cap midfielder posted on X: “Something you dream about. What an honour.” More

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      Our clubs are playthings of US wealth funds and billionaire Arabs who don’t care, says ex-Chelsea owner Ken Bates

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      FEW people played a greater role than Ken Bates in revolutionising and globalising English football.During his controversial 21-year reign as chairman, Chelsea fielded England’s first all-foreign starting XI, appointed a string of overseas managers and eventually sold to Roman Abramovich — the first foreigner to buy a Premier League club.Ken Bates pulled no punches when talking about the state of the Premier LeagueCredit: RexHe sold the club to Roman AbramovichCredit: GettyYet as Chelsea’s latest owners, Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali, appoint Enzo Maresca as their fifth manager in two years, Bates hates what English football has become.He told SunSport: “Most clubs are the playthings of multi-billionaire Arabs or (like Chelsea) part of American wealth fund portfolios, people who know nothing and care even less about football.“Football clubs used to be run by men like Jack Walker, who loved their local community.“I met Jack once and said, ‘I’m very proud of what you achieved at Blackburn. I admire you immensely but I wouldn’t want to be you’.READ MORE CHELSEA NEWS“He asked why not and I told him, ‘Because I wouldn’t want to live in f***ing Blackburn!’.”Bates offered me a rare interview in the Monaco tax haven he and his third wife, Suzannah, have called home for 20 years because he’d read a column in which I’d poured manure over the ills of modern football.He sees me as a kindred spirit and, while I’m not entirely sure about that, a 2½-hour lunch with Old Greybeard is an in-depth education and a glorious entertainment.At 92, Bates retains a sharp mind and an acid tongue. He swears like a docker and is spectacularly rude about most of the people he encountered in football.Most read in FootballMan City owner Sheikh Mansour is now taking on the Premier LeagueCredit: AlamyCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSHe sees himself as a working-class outsider, always standing up for smaller clubs.After the scrapping of FA Cup replays and the lack of proper recompense for those further down the pyramid, he proposes that all 72 Football League clubs resign from the FA — a reverse of the European Super League, with the rank-and-file breaking away from the elite.Jose Mourinho’s iconic first Chelsea press conferenceBates says: “They should persuade non-league clubs to join them and find out what the FA would do when their Cup only has 20 entrants.“But the EFL haven’t got anybody with enough balls to do it. The FA is feckless and f***ing useless.”It’s now 20 years since Bates left Chelsea, after serving a further nine months as chairman following the sale to Abramovich.That deal was done within 48 hours of Bates even knowing who the Russian oligarch was.But Bates soon disliked what the club became, and also decried Abramovich for appointing former Manchester United chief executive Peter Kenyon, “who couldn’t run a f***ing egg-and-spoon race”.He adds: “It became a different club. The trouble is Russia is a communist state based on fear…“Licking the a**e of the guy above you and s**ting in the face of the bloke beneath you. It’s crude but it sums it up. That’s how Chelsea went. The culture changed.“London-based Russians were using our executive boxes to discuss deals with Vladimir Putin.”Abramovich tried to buy Tottenham first but, Bates says, Spurs chairman “Daniel Levy always wanted a bit more”.To understand Bates best, it is instructive to hear him discuss his 1982 takeover of a bankrupt Chelsea from the Mears family, who founded the club 77 years earlier, and aristocratic chairman Viscount Chelsea.Bates said clubs have become playthings of billionairesCredit: GettyBates recalls: “They told me, ‘We’ve got two cheques — one for the FA and one for the wages — which one shall we bounce?’.“I handed over a £300,000 cheque on the Friday. Viscount Chelsea then asked if I’d like to be their guest tomorrow for the match. I thought, ‘Great, I’m being invited to attend a match at a club I’ve just bought!’.“Knowing my place in the working class, I said, ‘That’s very kind of you my Lord, I accept’.“The next day 30 people were having a four-course lunch — all the directors, their wives and kids.“Champagne, wine, brandy, port, big cigars — I said, ‘This lot said they couldn’t pay the players’ wages!’.“They were giving away 700 free tickets. I stopped the lot, making 700 enemies for life.“One of the Mears family said, ‘My great-grandfather built this club’. I said, ‘Yeah and your father f***ed it up! You want tickets? Walk 50 yards and you’ll see the ticket office’.”Bates — a father of five, with “15 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and two more on the way” — spent much of his time in football eating with people he despised.Like one disgraced FA exec who “left his wife for a woman who was as fat as he was but was a vegetarian. I was at dinner where they served his wife lamb chops so he stuck the chops in his suit pocket”.Or a colleague who “was an arrogant b****d with a snotty-nosed b**ch of a wife. I was at dinner where she was served the finest foie gras and she said, ‘I don’t eat tinned meat’. He split up with her and said, ‘As long as I can keep the dog . . . ’.”Bates was brought up by his grandparents in Hanwell, West London. Despite being born “a cripple” with a club foot, he came close to being a professional footballer.He adds: “I had seven unsuccessful operations before a doctor walked past at Great Ormond Street Hospital and said he could fix it for £20 cash — and did.“I was right-footed but not having any instep, the ball went everywhere, so I trained myself to be left-footed.“I wanted to be a footballer — I didn’t drink, smoke or go with girls.“When I was 20 I realised I’d wasted my f***ing youth!”He got as far as Arsenal’s youth team before a motorcycle accident “b***ered my knee” — then made his fortune in business, owned Oldham Athletic and a major share in Wigan before buying a Chelsea side on the brink of the Third Division.Bates says: “But 16 years later we won the European Cup-Winners’ Cup on the smell of an oily rag.”That was under Gianluca Vialli, who replaced Ruud Gullit as player-manager and was succeeded by Claudio Ranieri — this when foreign bosses were rare in English football.Bates says: “Gullit spent too much time on commercial interests. I’d see him posing in black swimming trunks on the back of London buses.“I told him to stop playing. He said, ‘I’ll decide that’ — he was very arrogant. I said, ‘Yeah and I will decide when I stop paying you’.”Meet Pep Guardiola disciple Enzo Maresca
      ENZO MARESCA is considered among the most exciting young coaches on the planet.
      Born in Italy in 1980, he managed to guide Leicester to the Championship title in his first season as Foxes boss.
      His management career started at Italian minnows Ascoli before he was snapped up by Man City in 2020 to manage their Elite Development Squad.
      He guided the youth team to the Premier League 2 title in his one season working for the Citizens – with Cole Palmer in the side.
      His first senior job was with Parma but he was sacked after just a few months after failing to impress.
      Despite the team playing in Serie B and Maresca having an impressive squad he was unable to get them on course for promotion.
      He returned to Man City and worked as one of Pep Guardiola’s assistants for the 2022/23 season as they won the Treble.
      He took over relegated Leicester last summer and made an immediate impact, with the Foxes winning the Championship title.
      Maresca showed his dedication to the job by living at the training ground for the first two months after his appointment.
      He’s considered something of a Pep disciple and has said: “For a coach, it’s important to have the mentality of a chess player.”
      During his playing career he played under Carlo Ancelotti and Marcello Lippi – and alongside ex-Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi.

      Vialli and Ranieri were favourites of Bates, who speaks with affection about Gianfranco Zola, Roberto Di Matteo, Celestine Babayaro, Frank Leboeuf and Marcel Desailly  — most of whom were part of that all-foreign XI which played at Southampton on Boxing Day 1999.But he credits captain Dennis Wise for ensuring there were no cliques, insisting only English was spoken in the dressing room. All that was a far cry from the Chelsea Bates inherited, which had hooligan and racism problems — with the National Front to the fore.Infamously, Bates put in electrified fences at the Bridge but the council wouldn’t let him switch them on.That story sees Bates remembered as an acolyte of Margaret Thatcher — the Prime Minister who declared war on football fans with a proposed ID card scheme, only ditched after the Hillsborough disaster. Bates says: “We’d had a pitch invasion and I was a farmer then.“Cows s**t all over the place, s**t on tomorrow’s breakfast — so you used electric wire to control them.“One of my guys said, ‘Why don’t you use it on the fences at  Chelsea?’ People accused me of wanting to murder my own family and other bulls**t.“Thatcher said hooliganism was football’s problem. I said, ‘No, football reflects society’.“David Evans, a Tory MP, was chairman of Luton. They’d had Millwall fans rioting, so Evans tried to score political points with Thatcher by banning away supporters.“Chelsea were Luton’s next visitors. He banned away supporters and sent us our usual allocation for the directors’ box. I gave the directors’ tickets up to ordinary Chelsea fans and didn’t go myself. “When Luton visited us, I banned their directors and invited ordinary fans into the directors’ box.”READ MORE SUN STORIESPochettino’s Chelsea record
      MAURICIO POCHETTINO had just started to turn Chelsea around.
      An impressive run of end-of-season form saw the Blues leapfrog the likes of Manchester United and Newcastle to finish sixth in the Premier League – and earn a Europa League spot.
      But it wasn’t enough to keep him in a job as it was announced on Tuesday evening that the Argentine had left.
      Here are all Pochettino’s Stamford Bridge stats:
      Premier League – 6th
      FA Cup – Semi-finals (lost to Man City)
      Carabao Cup – Runners-up (Lost to Liverpool)
      Total record:
      Games 51Wins 26Draws 11Defeats 14
      Goals for 103Goals against 74

      And that’s Ken Bates — at least Ken Bates’ version of Ken Bates.  An ordinary bloke who stood up to the powerful, the arrogant, the feckless and the f***ing useless.Whether you believe him or not, he is always worth listening to. More

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      Marc Guehi can be England’s secret weapon… and it could cement multi-million pound transfer this summer

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      MARC GUEHI has been tipped to solve England’s Euro centre-back woes.Boss Gareth Southgate is sweating on the fitness of first-choice Harry Maguire after the Manchester United star missed last weekend’s FA Cup final with a muscle injury.Marc Guehi, second right, has been tipped to make England’s final Euros squadCredit: AlamyGuehi is firmly in Gareth Southgate’s thoughtsCredit: GettyDanny Gabbidon is a McDonalds Fun Football ambassadorMaguire will to sit out England’s first friendly warm-up against Bosnia in Newcastle tonight.Fellow centre-back John Stones has had limited game-time at Manchester City and will be rested after reporting for Three Lions duty late following the FA Cup final.That means Crystal Palace ace Guehi, 23, will get the chance to claim a Euro 2024 place.He played alongside Maguire against North Macedonia and Malta last November before a knee injury ruled him out of the March friendlies.read more in footballNow nine-cap Guehi is one of four Eagles stars in Southgate’s provisional squad alongside Dean Henderson, Adam Wharton and Eberechi Eze.And former Palace centre-back Danny Gabbidon believes he has all the ingredients to be a hit in Germany and even win a summer move to a bigger club.Gabbidon, 44, said: “England have some issues at centre-back, so places are still up for grabs.”He was involved in the November internationals before the injury, so he has a chance. I don’t see why not.Most read in FootballGuehi has impressed in the Premier League with his performances for Crystal PalaceCredit: AlamyBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS”He’s a fantastic player. He is only getting better and better and he’s one to watch. “If he does produce good performances, then all eyes will be on him and clubs will be wanting to take him.”England have two Euro warmups, with Bosnia followed by Iceland at Wembley on Friday.Impressive showings in those fixtures could get Guehi a shot in the Group C opener against Serbia on June 16.Guehi made his England debut in a 2-1 Wembley win against Switzerland in March 2022.He came through the ranks at Chelsea before a loan spell with Swansea elevated his status.Palace snapped up the defender for £18million in 2021.Ex-Cardiff and West Ham star Gabbidon, who won 49 caps with Wales and is a McDonald’s Fun Football ambassador, added: “I’m delighted he is fit. He has been unlucky with injuries this season and he’s just come back.”Now he’s built a great relationship at Palace with Joachim Andersen and he’s been capped by England. READ MORE SUN STORIES”Marc is someone who has developed fantastically well over the years.”McDONALD’S Fun Football is available to all children aged 5-11 across the UK. Sign up now for your nearest FREE session at mcdonalds.co.uk/footballJack Grealish’s Euro 2024 place in jeopardyBy Martin Blackburn and Charlie Wyett
      JACK GREALISH is sweating on a Euro 2024 place after a nightmare end to the season.
      The £100million star celebrated Manchester City’s four-in-a-row title success on a bus parade yesterday.
      But now he is battling with Tottenham’s James Maddison to secure a spot in Gareth Southgate’s England squad.
      Cole Palmer, Jarrod Bowen and Anthony Gordon all look certain to go after excellent seasons with their clubs — while Bukayo Saka is guaranteed a spot.
      But Grealish, 28, has struggled  and his lack of match action for his club will be a big concern for the Three Lions boss.
      The former Aston Villa captain has featured in only one of City’s final five matches.
      That was a ten-minute run out in the 5-1 win over Wolves  this month.
      He was not thrown on at Wembley as the below-par champs desperately searched for a way back in to Saturday’s 2-1 FA Cup Final defeat to rivals Manchester United.
      City boss Pep Guardiola explained his decision afterwards by admitting the attacker has “struggled” this season.
      He has challenged him to recapture the form from the back end of the 2022-23 season when he helped the club secure an historic Treble.
      Guardiola said: “He will be back. He’s struggled this season — Jeremy Doku has made an incredible step forward as everyone has seen in the last games.
      “But Jack will be back at the level of last season — I’m pretty sure.”
      READ THE FULL STORY HERE More

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      How Man Utd’s tearful security guard inspired FA Cup final victory over Man City after Erik ten Hag’s genius trick

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      MANCHESTER UNITED were inspired to FA Cup glory after receiving a heartfelt message from a club security guard.The Red Devils clinched a shock 2-1 win over local rivals Manchester City last week to win the FA Cup in spectacular style.Erik ten Hag inspired his team with a recorded message from a security guard before the FA Cup finalCredit: AlamyMan Utd went on to win the matchCredit: GettyHaving been deemed the underdog ahead of the Wembley clash, Erik ten Hag was desperate to fire his team up.The Dutchman set out to find unorthodox methods to inspire his team – and he sought help from a member of security.According to The Athletic, Ten Hag walked around the club’s Carrington training base with the officer in the run-up to the match, asking about her experiences and background.After being moved by her story, the United boss asked his colleague to record a video for the squad.Read More on FootballIn the clip, the staff member opened up about her experiences in the military.She revealed that one day in Afghanistan, she became trapped in a village with her platoon.Nobody thought they had a chance of escaping, but after working together some managed to fight their way out.However, a small number of her colleagues died in the attempt.Most read in FA CupCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSThe overarching message of the story emphasised the importance of teamwork and sticking together.Many players were inspired by the video.Sir Jim Ratcliffe sets five strict rulesThe security officer in question was guarding the Royal Box at Wembley during the match and, when the United stars found out, they invited her down to the dressing room at full-time to say thank you.Goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo fired United to the FA Cup win.However, Ten Hag’s future at the club is still in doubt. More

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      Chelsea plunged into further financial woe as Man Utd’s FA Cup win costs Blues £7MILLION and dents future earnings

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      MANCHESTER UNITED’S FA Cup final triumph cost Chelsea £7million – and added to the Blues’ Profitability and Sustainability issues.The Stamford Bridge side’s sixth place Prem finish would normally have been enough to earn them a Europa League spot alongside Spurs.Man Utd’s FA Cup win has put Chelsea into deeper financial woe due to being bumped into the Europa Conference LeagueCredit: RexChelsea have lost £7m as a resultCredit: PABut United’s Wembley win earned the Old Trafford club a place in Europe’s second competition – and sent Chelsea spinning into the Conference.And that will have a significant knock-on financial impact on BOTH clubs next term – with the biggest impact on the London club as they seek to balance their books after their £1bn transfer splurge over the past two years.Uefa have redrafted the cash distribution for the three competitions with the expansion to a 36-team initial league phase.The vast bulk of that cash pot – totalling £2.82bn – will go to the Champions League, with the Europa League prize fund £481m and the third competition worth just £243m.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLAnd it means a huge £36m difference in the guaranteed money Manchester City will get without kicking a ball and the MAXIMUM Chelsea can earn if they win the Conference League.No matter what happens, City will earn a minimum £53.7m from the qualification bonus and the new merged TV and coefficient pool.Liverpool will bag £52.1m, Arsenal £46.3 and Aston Villa, back in Europe’s senior competition for the first time since they were defending European Cup holders in 1982-3, £31.1m.Depending on their progress, all four Prem sides could add a maximum £68.2m in prize money.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSPremier League sides deducted points and others at risk
      Nottingham Forest
      Deducted four points during the 2023-24 season for breaching Premier League spending limit by £34.563m. Failed in their appeal with decision upheld.
      Everton
      Initial 10-point deduction for 2021-22 Premier League breaches reduced to six points on appeal. Were deducted a further two points later in the 2023-24 season. Appealed, but since withdrawn following Prem survival.
      Sheffield United
      Hit with a two-point deduction for their finances during the 2022-23 EFL season. Will begin the 2024-25 Championship season on -2 points following their relegation from the Prem.
      OTHERS WHO COULD FACE PUNISHMENT…
      Manchester City
      Etihad club emphatically denies the 115 allegations laid against them in February 2023. The lengthy Commission case has been scheduled to start in October or November but a final decision is not expected until March or April 2025.
      Chelsea
      Blues chiefs flagged up illicit payments made to agents and others during the Roman Abramovich era. Fined £8.6m by Uefa but still to be formally charged by the Prem despite an ongoing investigation.
      Leicester
      Foxes breached Prem PSR loss limits last season but did not have to report their 2022-23 accounts until this month because of their relegation. That puts the timetable back and means that they will probably face a Prem points deduction for the 2024-25 season following their return to the top flight.
      Everton (again)
      The Toffees are again at risk of breaking PSR rules and are in a race against time to raise funds and balance the books. Not only could that lead to another charge but also administration. That would lead to an automatic nine-point deduction for the 2024/25 season.

      United, who would not have qualified for Europe at all without their Wembley success, will bank an initial £12.8m, compared to Spurs’ £12.4m.Further prize money could add an extra £21.3m to their coffers if they win every game in the initial phase and go all the way.Meet Pep Guardiola disciple Enzo MarescaBut that means Villa would have to lose almost EVERY match to gross less than the absolute maximum either United or Spurs could earn in the Europa League.And Chelsea, who would have started with United’s £12.8m boost if City had won the Cup Final, will start with just £5.3m guaranteed and with a MAXIMUM total prize money of £17.3m, less than a third of the amount City are certain to take.United’s win also cost Newcastle a fraction under £5m and up to £17m after the Toon were evicted from the Conference League and any European football.Meet Pep Guardiola disciple Enzo Maresca
      ENZO MARESCA is considered among the most exciting young coaches on the planet.
      Born in Italy in 1980, he managed to guide Leicester to the Championship title in his first season as Foxes boss.
      His management career started at Italian minnows Ascoli before he was snapped up by Man City in 2020 to manage their Elite Development Squad.
      He guided the youth team to the Premier League 2 title in his one season working for the Citizens – with Cole Palmer in the side.
      His first senior job was with Parma but he was sacked after just a few months after failing to impress.
      Despite the team playing in Serie B and Maresca having an impressive squad he was unable to get them on course for promotion.
      He returned to Man City and worked as one of Pep Guardiola’s assistants for the 2022/23 season as they won the Treble.
      He took over relegated Leicester last summer and made an immediate impact, with the Foxes winning the Championship title.
      Maresca showed his dedication to the job by living at the training ground for the first two months after his appointment.
      He’s considered something of a Pep disciple and has said: “For a coach, it’s important to have the mentality of a chess player.”
      During his playing career he played under Carlo Ancelotti and Marcello Lippi – and alongside ex-Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi. More

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      Man Utd fans spot moment FA Cup final was ‘won before the game even started’ as footage from Wembley emerges

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      MANCHESTER UNITED fans reckon they’ve spotted the real moment they won the FA Cup final.The Red Devils denied their local rivals Manchester City of a domestic double last weekend thanks to a shock victory at Wembley.Erik ten Hag guided Manchester United to FA Cup final glory last weekendCredit: GETTYManchester United’s stars arrived suited and booted for the Cup finalCredit: GETTYCity, on the other hand, donned incredibly casual attire for the Wembley occasionCredit: GETTYErik ten Hag’s troops ran out 2-1 winners thanks to goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo.No one saw a United win materialising, although some of the Old Trafford faithful reckon the writing was on the wall when the teams made their respective arrivals to Wembley.United’s stars arrived at the home of English football suited and booted and dressed as if they could be heading out for a wedding.City’s players, however, were dressed incredibly casually for the match – turning up in a T-shirt and jeans combo.READ MORE ON MAN UTDAnd after seeing the footage of the team’s respective arrivals, United fans reckon City were too confident going into the match.One wrote on X: “We won before the game started.. the difference in class.”Another said: “They thought it would be easy until we turned up with style.”And another said: “That city team fit is shocking.”Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSOne remarked: “Who uses T-shirts? They didn’t rate us or the competition!!”Another chimed in: “They disrespected the FA Cup.”Erik ten Hag’s record as Man Utd bossThe Red Devils’ pre-match confidence was boosted by personalised messages from their partners, which they received when they arrived at the team hotel in London on Friday.They were then, according to the Daily Mail, surprised with video messages of support from their friends and family on WhatsApp.Despite getting his troops to fire on all cylinders against City, SunSport understands Ten Hag’s FA Cup triumph WON’T save him from the axe.The Red Devils brass decided weeks ago that the final would be the Dutchman’s last game in charge.But Johnny Evans hopes the club performs a U-turn, saying: “I hope so.“He’s been amazing for me this season, bringing me back in.“I’ve only got good things to say about him and over the last month I think he’s showing incredible tactical flexibility.”READ MORE SUN STORIESWhen asked directly if he wants Ten Hag to stay, Evans added: “He’s been amazing for me and I can only thank him for that and I have a good relationship with him.“So I hope he stays.”Erik ten Hag’s winning of the FA Cup final won’t save him from the axeCredit: Getty More

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      Tom Heaton tells Rasmus Hojlund ‘I remember my first beer’ as Man Utd star responds to team-mates Instagram post

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      RASMUS HOJLUND was the victim of a cheeky dig from team-mate Tom Heaton following Manchester United’s FA Cup final win.Hojlund came on as a substitute at Wembley as United stunned rivals City to a 2-1 victory. Harry Maguire shared a picture with Scott McTominay and an excited Rasmus HojlundCredit: Instagram harrymaguire93And the celebrations from the red half of Manchester were jubilant with Erik ten Hag’s men enjoying a boozy party. Hojlund posed with a bottle of champagne alongside Scott McTominay and Harry Maguire. United’s third-choice keeper Heaton posted a picture in the aftermath of Ten Hag’s side celebrating with the cup at Wembley. He captioned it: “Winning.” READ MORE ON MAN UTDHojlund then replied: “Biggin.” To which Heaton jibed: “I remember my first beer.”Hojlund – signed by Ten Hag for £72million last summer – ended the season as United’s top scorer on 16 goals. But whether the man who brought him to Old Trafford will remain in charge is unclear, despite Ten Hag making it two trophies in as many seasons.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSThe Dutchman looked to be heading on the way out before the final even kicked off. Former Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino, Ipswich’s Kieran McKenna and unemployed Graham Potter have all been linked. Erik ten Hag’s record as Man Utd bossBut it now appears as though United are at least considering giving Ten Hag another chance to turn things around next season. More