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      RB Leipzig 2 Aston Villa 3: Barkley’s deflected strike gives Villans huge Champions League automatic qualifying boost

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      ASTON VILLA finally managed to grab the Red Bull by the horns as super sub Ross Barkley snatched a dramatic late win in Leipzig.Villa inspirational sub was only on the park for two minutes when he crashed home a shot which took a wicked deflection off Lukas Klostermann to leave Peter Gulacsi stranded.Ross Barkley scored the winner for Aston VillaCredit: RexJohn Duran came off the bench to score a crucial goalCredit: RexJohn McGinn came up with another goal in the Champions LeagueCredit: GettyVilla rode their luck at times and led Leipzig twice – only to let them back in twice.But Barkley’s winner proved just too much for the home side to recover from as Villa stormed into the top eight of the Champions League.If Carlsberg did starts to a football match they would have hand-picked this one for Villa.Unai Emery’s men were in dreamland when skipper John McGinn fired them in front with just two minutes and 33 seconds on the clock.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLMatty Cash, standing in for the injured Leon Bailey wide on the right – picked out Ollie Watkins with a deep cross to the back stick.The England striker rose on his own and cushioned an inviting header into the path of McGinn who accepted the gift with glee.The Scot expertly tucked the ball away with his less favoured right foot from nine yards to stun the hosts.Only Peter Withe against Vitoria Guimaraes and Spartak Moscow, both in 1983, had managed to score quicker goals for Villa in Europe.Most read in Champions LeagueBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSThe big stage certainly brings out the best in McGinn.He scored his last goal for Villa in this competition against Bologna.’Referee had no choice but to award a penalty after Tyrone Mings’ schoolboy error – he’s absolutely spot on’And he also overtook Scottish scoring legend Ally McCoist when he scored on his last two international outings against Croatia and Poland.At that point Villa looked in cruise control.Watkins was a fraction away from getting on the end of a Lucas Digne delivery which flashed across the face of goal.Then Youri Tielemans and McGinn worked a short corner which ended with the Scot blazing his shot high and wide.Tielemans was next to try his luck when he screwed his shot wide after good build-up play by McGinn, Digne and Watkins.We all sat and waited for the next goal.What we never expected was that RB Leipzig would score it!Yet somehow after 27 minutes Leipzig struck as Villa undid all their previous good work.Once again Villa’s Kamikaze defending reared its ugly head again in Europe.The last time they were on their travels, Tyrone Mings committed football hari-kari, picking the ball up in his own box to hand Brugge a soft penalty and three points.This time it was Emi Martinez and Diego Carlos’s turn to hang their heads in shame.Nicolas Seiwald’s hopeful punt forward should have been bread and butter for the World’s No.1 goalie and an experienced defender like Carlos to deal with.Martinez actually started to come but then had second thoughts as he realised the ball was going to bounce just outside his penalty area.So he slammed the brakes on and left Carlos to deal with the danger – only the Brazilian didn’t!As Villa’s pair played pass the buck and dithered, Lois Openda cashed in.He nipped in to nick the ball around Martinez and roll the ball into the unguarded net to notch a dramatic equaliser.Stung, Villa surged back onto the front foot.Matty Cash raced onto a Morgan Rogers through ball but Peter Gulacsi beat his shot away for a corner.Villa thought they had regained the lead when McGinn sent Watkins clear and the striker calmly drilled the ball through Gulacsi’s legs.But Villa’s joy was short-lived as the flag went up for offside and VAR agreed Watkins had just strayed a fraction off.It was to be the striker’s last act as he went off at the break holding his thigh and was replaced by Jhon Duran.The Colombian’s first involvement was to drill a low shot wide but boy did he make his second contribution count!Emi Martinez set the ball rolling with a quick throw out to Youri Tielemans and Villa passed through Leipzig before the ball was worked to Duran, 45 yards from goal.The big striker strode forward and unleashed an absolute peach of a left footer which ripped into the net, directly above Gulacsi’s head as he was caught slightly off his line.It was a sensational finish on a par with his stunning winner against Bayern Munich.Confidence soaring, Duran thought he had killed off Leipzig six minutes later.Matty Cash broke down the right and delivered a perfect centre which Duran strode onto and slotted into the net from six yards.However his celebrations were cut short by VAR who spotted Cash had strayed a fraction offside when he gathered the ball.Incredibly Leipzig used that let-off to inspire them to equalise again!Openda picked out Cristoph Baumgartner at the back post and his cushioned volley flew over Martinez to find the top corner of Villa’s net.It was another spectacular finish which left Emery scratching his head at how his side had let another lead slip.READ MORE SUN STORIESBut it was almost worse when Pau Torres presented Lois Openda with a gift in front of goal, only for Martinez to bail him out with a crucial save.Leipzig’s sponsors Red Bull might give you wings. But Villa’s RB gives you wins! More

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      Champions League LIVE RESULTS: Aston Villa edge five-goal thriller in Leipzig, Liverpool beat Girona – latest reaction

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      TUESDAY’S Champions League action has concluded after some thrilling ties around Europe.Earlier, Liverpool continued their perfect record in the competition with a win in Girona, as Mohamed Salah’s penalty was the difference between the two sides. On Tuesday evening, fellow Premier League giants Aston Villa edged a five-goal thriller with RB Leipzig.Elsewhere, Jude Bellingham helped Real Madrid to a 3-2 win over Atalanta – and Bayern thrashed Shakhtar 5-1 despite going 1-0 down early doors.Live stream: discovery+/Amazon Prime VideoTV channel: TNT Sports/Amazon Prime VideoFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSFollow ALL the action from Matchday Six with our live blog below…Still plenty to comeAnother huge card of Champions League action to come tomorrow night, too!Here’s what we’ve got to look forward to:5.45pmAtletico Madrid vs Slovan BratislavaLille vs Sturm Graz8pmMilan vs Red StarArsenal vs MonacoBenfica vs BolognaDortmund vs BarcelonaFeyenoord vs Sparta PragueJuventus vs Man CityStuttgart vs Young BoysCopy linkCopied’Love the competition’Jhon Duran says he’s enjoying the competition to be Villa’s number 9 with Ollie Watkins.And the forward – who turns 21 this week – insists there will be no celebrations with all eyes on scoring this Saturday.He told Amazon Prime Sport: “I am just happy to be here and love the competition with Ollie Watkins. When it is my turn hopefully I can step up and help the team.”We’re so happy to be where we are and we are almost through so we are delighted about that.”I am definitely not going out to celebrate my birthday [on Friday] because my aim is to score to celebrate on Saturday to celebrate.”Copy linkCopied50 upKylian Mbappe scored tonight’s opener for Real Madrid.But he was subbed with an injury in the first half as Madrid’s injury woes continue.It was the Frenchman’s 50th Champions League goal already!On the game, Jude Bellingham told TNT: “Really important for us to get the points tonight. We knew how difficult it would be. It was important we got over the line.”Copy linkCopiedVilla reportBy Graeme BryceAston Villa finally managed to grab the Red Bull by the horns as super sub Ross Barkley snatched a dramatic late win in Leipzig.Villa inspirational sub was only on the park for two minutes when he crashed home a shot which took a wicked deflection off Lukas Klostermann to leave Peter Gulacsi stranded.Villa rode their luck at times and led Leipzig twice – only to let them back in twice.But Barkley’s winner proved just too much for the home side to recover from as Villa stormed into the top eight of the Champions League.If Carlsberg did starts to a football match they would have hand-picked this one for Villa.Unai Emery’s men were in dreamland when skipper John McGinn fired them in front with just two minutes and 33 seconds on the clock.Copy linkCopiedReds reportBy Charlie WyettYou really have to spare a thought for Caoimhin Kelleher – he must be the only pi**ed off person under Arne Slot at Liverpool.Despite helping his team storm to the top of the table in both England and Europe over the last two months, winning 10 games and drawing two, the Irish keeper was booted out of the team the moment No.1 keeper Alisson was fit.Kelleher, who has made it known he wants to leave Merseyside, was forced to sit on the bench here in Catalonia and, predictably, watch Alisson prove why he is surely the best keeper in the world.On a night when Slot’s team under-performed, Alisson proved there was no rustiness in his game with five key saves. Slot’s surprisingly toothless attack was helped by VAR on the hour when it spotted that former Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek had stood on the heel of Luiz Diaz.Mo Salah, who barely got a kick all night, delivered a textbook penalty meaning that of Liverpool’s last 23 goals, 20 of them have come in the second half.Copy linkCopiedProgressionBrendan Rodgers was disappointed with the lack of quality up the top end for Celtic as they stuttered to a 0-0 at Dinamo Zagreb.But he reckons the fact there is disappointment in the camp shows how far they’ve come in this competition – despite still not winning away from home.He said: “The positive is we’ve come away from the game defensively strong and didn’t concede. I thought we lacked quality in the final third. The pitch was a little bit tricky.”We had great energy, good commitment. In the Champions League, if you get a clean sheet and take a point away from home and you’re not very happy, that shows how the team has progressed.”Copy linkCopied’Small injury’Unai Emery confirms Jhon Duran replaced Ollie Watkins at half time as the Englishman had a small injury.More on that to come likely – but it proved inspired anyway with Duran doing what he does.Copy linkCopiedHow we standA look at the top of the Champions League table after the halfway point of matchday 6.Liverpool still rolling along clear in front.Aston Villa up to third now after that win tonight!Copy linkCopied’Could’ve been more’John McGinn hailed the Villa substitutes for coming on and making a difference in their big win in Leipzig.The Celtic fan says this one sets them up for games against Monaco and the Hoops.He told Amazon Prime Sport: “It was disappointing losing the offside goal. I think the two goals we conceded were disappointing from our point of view. I thought overall we were the better team and we could have scored more.”We dealt with their problems well and what we needed today was substitutes to come on and make a difference.”It is exciting. We had some disappointing results off the great start and it is great to be in the top three. We have that Monaco game and then a nice one against Celtic.”Copy linkCopiedAngry SlotArne Slot was furious with his Liverpool team even though they maintained their 100 per cent Champions League record.Mo Salah’s second half penalty means the Reds look certain to finish in the top eight and avoid a play-off round in February.But boss Slot, who welcomed back keeper Alisson from injury, tore into his team for not being “aggressive” enough and failing to take control of the game in Spain.The Dutchman said: “I’m really pleased with the first five games, but I’m far from pleased about this performance. Especially two things. “If you play against a team that has such a good idea about football and knows how to bring the ball out from the back like some of the teams we’ve played recently, like City or Real Madrid, you need to be so intense if you want to make it difficult for them.“But we were so easily outplayed and then this team can cause you a lot of problems. They showed this in their games, in all of the Champions League this season, except PSV Eindhoven. I almost feel sorry for them as they deserve so much more points than the three points they have.“The other part is every time we lost the ball, we were not aggressive enough so every time we lost the ball, they could go almost all the way to our goal and have a shot. We had hardly any control at all over the game. Maybe the second half was a bit better – I’m trying to be positive.”Copy linkCopiedFT – Club Brugge 2-1 SportingClub Brugge do cling on in stoppage time.Huge win for them as the post-Ruben Amorim era continues to stall for Sporting!Copy linkCopiedFull time from Graeme Bryce in LeipzigRB Leipzig were beaten by Villa’s very own RB …. Ross Barkley.Villa’s supersub came off the bench to grab a famous win – although his winner owed everything to a massive deflection.The midfielder won’t care about that however.Leipzig’s sponsors Red Bull might give you wings.But Villa’s RB gives you wins!Copy linkCopiedFULL TIMES!Still playing in Brugge where the second half kicked off late due to a first half injury.But we’re all done everywhere else.Girona 0-1 LiverpoolDinamo Zagreb 0-0 CelticAtalanta 2-3 Real MadridBayer Leverkusen 1-0 Inter MilanClub Brugge 2-1 Sporting Lisbon LATESTRB Salzburg 0-3 PSGShakhtar Donetsk 1-5 Bayern MunichRB Leipzig 2-3 Aston VillaBrest 1-0 PSV EindhovenCopy linkCopied90 – GOAL! Shakhtar 1-5 BAYERNIncredible solo goal from MICHAEL OLISE!He collects the ball 25 yards from goal and beats five defenders to get into the box and 1v1 with the keeper.He fakes a shot to sit the keeper down and cheekily rolls the ball into the back of an empty net. Potential for goal of the night, that. Beauty.Copy linkCopied84 – GOAL! CLUB BRUGGE 2-1 SportingHuge, huge goal in Belgium for the home side!CASPER NIELSEN is off the bench for the matter of a couple of minutes before he’s sent clean through down the right.He shows great pace to stay clear and finishes tremendously well beyond the keeper into the far corner.Copy linkCopied90 – GOAL! LEVERKUSEN 1-0 InterThe deadlock is finally broken in Germany!Mukiele attempts an overhead kick but instead plays it down the right of the area for a team-mate.The ball is flashed across goal and when the kick is missed from a few yards out, it lands at the feet of NORDI MUKIELE who smashes home from six yards out!Copy linkCopied87 – GOAL! Shakhtar 1-4 BAYERN JAMAL MUSIALA wraps it all up!He is down in the area looking for a penalty as Bayern play on. He hops to his feet on the penalty spot when the ball lands at his feet.He feigns to shoot and sits two defenders down before passing into the corner.Copy linkCopied85 – GOAL! Salzburg 0-3 PSGSplendid team goal and DESIRE DOUE has it.PSG work it superbly down the right and when Hakimi looks set to score from eight yards out, he opts to roll it across the six-yard box for Doue to smash into the top corner.Copy linkCopied85 – GOAL! Leipzig 2-3 ASTON VILLAA huge, huge goal for Villa and it’s ROSS BARKLEY who has it!But it ‘s with the help of an almighty deflection.Leipzig struggle to clear it on the edge of their own box and it’s cleared to Barkley 25 yards from goal. He takes a touch and slips as he hits it, it takes a wicked deflection to wrong-foot the keeper and arrows into the opposite corner.Villa won’t care one jot.Copy linkCopiedLatest scoresChampions League latest scores entering the final 20 minutes:Atalanta 2-3 Real MadridBayer Leverkusen 0-0 Inter MilanClub Brugge 1-1 Sporting LisbonRB Salzburg 0-2 PSGShakhtar Donetsk 1-3 Bayern MunichRB Leipzig 2-2 Aston VillaBrest 1-0 PSV EindhovenCopy linkCopiedSecond half view from Graeme Bryce in LeizpigOllie Watkins left the pitch at half-time clutching his thigh and was replaced at the break by Jhon Duran.And the Colombian kid rose to the occasion again as he swept home another stunner to put Villa ahead.He thought he had wrapped up all three points when he tapped home a Matty Cash centre – only for VAR to catch Cash offside.And amazingly Leipzig cashed in on the reprieve to stun Villa with another equaliser as Openda picked out Cristoph Baumgartner whose cushioned volley flew over Martinez to find the top corner of Villa’s net.A big finale is needed now from Villa.Copy linkCopied72 – GOAL! Salzburg 0-2 PSGAnd that looks like game over in Austria!Barcola involved again, sliding in Doue down the left. His cut-back is met by NUNO MENDES who carried on his run and he smashes into the top corner from seven yards.Huge win this!Copy linkCopied69 – GOAL! Shakhtar 1-3 BAYERNNo, no. This CANNOT be a penalty! Madrid’s luck is matched by Bayern’s here. Extremely harsh and maybe a bit of ‘big team’ tax there.Sacha Boey is shutting a shot down and slides in, hitting the turf first and almost as a trip on himself makes contact with a Bayern man.Penalty given but very harsh.MICHAEL OLISE strokes it home.Copy linkCopied65– GOAL! ATALANTA 2-3 Real MadridGame on again after a terrific ADEMOLA LOOKMAN strike!He’s picked out with a switch of play wide on the left.He works it inside onto his right foot away from Lucas and smashes low and hard at the near post, beyond Courtois with sheer power.Copy linkCopied62 – GOAL! LEIPZIG 2-2 Aston VillaStunning finish this and Leipzig – who thought they were 3-1 down a couple of minutes ago – are level!Jhon Duran gives the ball away midway inside Leipzig’s half and the hosts break, via a long ball for Openda.He gets in behind but has to slow up. He does so and waits for CHRISTOPH BAUMGARTNER who is at an angle and delicately volleys back across goal and into the far corner passed a despairing Martinez. Beauty.Copy linkCopied More

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      Millie Bright hopes Chelsea maintain ‘monster mentality’ with team chasing European glory in her tenth year at the club

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      MILLIE BRIGHT wants Chelsea to maintain their “monster mentality” with the WSL leaders currently unbeaten so far this season. And taking on Barcelona in the 2021 Champions League final remains one of her standout memories despite her side’s 4-0 loss.Millie Bright says winning a Champions League trophy for the first time is one Chelsea’s “ultimate goals”Credit: GettyThe Blues captain and her team-mates hope to extend their winning run in Europe by beating FC Twente in their penultimate group stage gameCredit: GettyThe Blues are chasing an eighth WSL title are currently unbeaten so far this seasonCredit: GettyAt 8:00pm tomorrow the Blues skipper and her team-mates host FC Twente at Stamford Bridge with the aim of finishing top of group B While their place in the tournament’s knockout phase has already been booked, Chelsea hope to extend their winning streak to 14 games in Europe and the WSL this term.For Bright, 31, the idea of going unbeaten has sat in her mind. The centre-back, who sealed a Blues move ten years ago today, hopes the team retain its “winning DNA” will be one of her legacies.Read More Football Stories Bright, whose side are currently unbeaten this term, said: “I want my legacy to be winning. “I’ve always said that since day one and from lifting that first trophy. “I want Chelsea to keep that winning DNA and monster mentality. “I always joke about being a surprise signing. No one expected it and there were a lot of doubts.Most read in Football”I want everyone to look at that and know that if you have the right mentality, attitude and apply yourself properly, you can be successful in whatever environment you go into.”Since joining Chelsea from a Doncaster Rovers Belles side that were demoted in 2013, Bright has lifted seven WSL titles, four FA Cups and two Women’s League Cups. One major prize that has thus far eluded her is a Women’s Champions League trophy. And Bright hopes her tenth term at Chelsea could be the season she lifts one. She adds: “To be able to play in that Champions League final (against Barcelona three years ago) is a standing memory because I want to be able to go to one again. “I don’t have any regrets (about the result). I learnt so much from that experience.Bright wants Chelsea to maintain momentum by registering wins in their last three games for this yearCredit: Getty”Everyone knows that’s the trophy that we’re after. “We have been for so long and nothing changes in that mindset. “That’s the ultimate goal.” More

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      EFL stadium set to be invaded by Greek ultras armed with flares… weeks after shocking vandalism following Euro clash

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      FLARE-CARRYING ultras from Greek giants Panathinaikos are about to invade Shrewsbury.At least 900 of the Athens giants’ fans look set to descend on the Shropshire town to watch their club take on Welsh Premier League minnows The New Saints at The Croud Meadow.Shrewsbury’s Croud Meadow is set to host TNS vs PanathinaikosCredit: GettyPanathinaikos ultras are known for creating a lively atmosphereCredit: AFPCroud Meadow was vandalised by Djurgårdens last time outCredit: Shrewsbury Town FCThe Greek side’s Gate 13 ultras are famous for the noise, passion and atmosphere they create home and away.TNS are playing their Conference League games at the home of the League One club because their own Park Hall Ground in Oswestry does not meet Uefa regulations.And 19 miles along the A5, the locals are gearing up for tonight’s showdown in the hope that Craig Harrison’s players will smash some plates in their history-making campaign.As SunSport paid a visit, the only proper Greek restaurant in Shrewsbury — Exo Poli, just over a mile away from the ground — promises “a little bit of Crete” for customers heading to the match.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLCloser still is the Charles Darwin pub, named after the “theory of evolution” naturalist who was born in the town.Manager Katy Hutchings coped with plenty of visiting supporters after 1,800 Swedes descended on Shrewsbury for last month’s visit of Djurgarden.Those fans left The Croud Meadow in a mess — despite the visitors winning 1-0 — with graffiti sprayed on three sides of the ground and damage in Smithy’s Bar while two dozen seats were ripped out.But in the Charles Darwin there were no problems. Hutchings said: “We had some bouncers on the doors but we didn’t need them.Most read in Football“And I’m pretty good at throwing customers out myself anyway!“We’re well-used to visiting fans coming in here for Shrewsbury’s games and the Swedish lads were fine.“These games are great for the local economy — and in this town we’re proud of the way we always welcome visitors.”At the Oxon Priory pub close to the Roman Road, general manager Pam Hayward said: “The more the merrier. We’ll have extra staff in.“And we look forward to entertaining as many Greeks as want to join us before the game. Everybody around here is hoping The New Saints stay in the competition.”The Croud Meadow safety officer Lawrence Ellerby added: “There was talk on social media that there might be as many as 4,000 Panathinaikos fans coming. What we know is about 900 visitor tickets have been sold, with plenty of Greek ex–pats here buying them.“Damage done by Djurgarden fans was disappointing but we know how to cope with big numbers at this club.“We’ve had the likes of Liverpool and West Ham and never had any big problems.“We’re looking forward to the Panathinaikos game and their fans and good luck to TNS, we’re happy to give them a temporary home.”The campaign is not just a money-spinner for the town but also for 16-time domestic champs TNS — the first-ever Welsh League club to qualify for a European competition proper — as they made £4.1million in reaching the league stage.Goals from Rory Holden and Declan McManus gave them a 2-0 victory over Astana from Kazakhstan at The Croud Meadow to register another first by a Welsh outfit in a major European competition and a £330,000 win bonus.There was the TNS trip of a lifetime to Florence and a 2–0 loss to Fiorentina plus the 2-1 Dublin defeat to Shamrock Rovers.But a win over 20-time Greek title winners Panathinaikos would open the way to another Welsh League first — qualification for a European knockout stage.Last up is a visit to Celje in Slovenia and TNS are just one point off the Conference League’s play-off zone.READ MORE SUN STORIESBoss Harrison said: “Panathinaikos is huge for this club but if we could even come away from our last two games with four points to reach a total of seven we could have a chance of going through.“We’ve lost games but we haven’t conceded more than two in any — goal difference could be the deciding factor, if we can get seven points or more!” More

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      Player suffers suspected heart attack during FA Trophy before leaving pitch in ambulance as game abandoned

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      A PLAYER suffered a suspected heart attack during the Third Round FA Trophy match between Gateshead and Farsley Celtic.Tuesday night’s match was abandoned as Celts’ captain Lewis Turner, 32, was rushed to hospital via ambulance after collapsing on the pitch.National League North captain Lewis Turner has been rushed to hospital following a medical emergencyGateshead’s FA Trophy clash with Farsley Celtic has since been abandonedCredit: Getty – ContributorFarsley Celtic later released an update on his health saying Turner was “conscious and talking”.Play was stopped in the 28th minute as medical staff rushed onto the pitch to attend to the right-back.National League side Gateshead were 1-0 up at the time, with the ref sending both sets of players to the changing rooms in the 31st minute.Turner was taken away via ambulance to be treated in hospital.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSReports state that Turner’s team-mates were reduced to tears and desperately called for help.Gateshead FC wrote on X: “Following discussions between both clubs, the decision has been taken to abandon tonight’s game.”Our thoughts go out to Lewis Turner & all involved with @FarsleyCelticFC at this time.”While the visitors, who are in the National League North, wrote: “We will update supporters on Lewis’ condition when possible.”Most read in FootballThe club were able to do so later on, writing in a statement: “In tonight’s FA Trophy match with Gateshead, our captain Lewis Turner suffered a suspected cardiac arrest.”Thanks to the superb professional work by the medical staff and paramedics Lewis was resuscitated and was taken to hospital.Non-league stars go SWIMMING on their pitch as entire stadium covered in water as Storm Bert wreaks havoc”It is with great relief and happiness that we can report that Lewis is conscious and talking.”We will provide further updates as and when it is appropriate to do so.”We have been in contact with the relevant governing bodies, and in conjunction with them we will be offering all the support possible to Lewis, his family, and the other players and staff.”Incidents like this put life into context and we hope you will all join us in wishing Lewis and his family all the very best and we look forward to seeing him again soon.”Leeds United’s official X account wrote: “The thoughts of everyone at #LUFC are with Lewis at this time and we’re all wishing him a speedy recovery.”Turner came through the youth ranks at Leeds, before being loaned out between Harrogate Town and Chester.Both sets of supporters took to X to show their support for Turner.One fan inside the ground wrote: “Really wish for the best to him that was absolutely horrifying to see ❤.”A second said: “Praying for a full recovery 🙏.”While another praised: “Excellent work from the paramedics.”A fourth added: “It was so scary to watch. Hope and pray he recovers well and hope all the players are OK.”One more wrote: “That was one of the hardest things I’ve witnessed.”Gateshead striker Luke Hannant scored the opener around seven minutes before the horrifying incident.Whether the match will be replayed remains to be seen, but whichever team advances will host Boston United in the fourth round of the FA Trophy.READ MORE SUN STORIESGateshead are currently fourth in the National League, while Step Six West Yorkshire outfit Farsley sit 20th in the league below.Turner signed a contract extension with Farsley Celtic in May 2022 after making more than 100 appearances the club. More

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      Man Utd flop rips Luis Diaz’s boot off as he suffers nightmare vs Liverpool’s to gift former rivals winning penalty

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      MANCHESTER UNITED flop Donny van de Beek gifted Liverpool a win after a clumsy foul on Luis Diaz inside the box.The Reds were not at their fluid best against Girona but won 1-0 thanks to Mo Salah’s 63rd minute spot-kick.Donny van de Beek brought down Luis Diaz inside the boxCredit: ReutersThe clumsy challenge resulted in Mo Salah scoring a penaltyCredit: AFPDIaz’s boot was ripped off in the tackleDiaz won the penalty after being fouled in the penalty area by Van de Beek.A clumsy challenge from the midfielder resulted in him bringing down the Colombian.Van de Beek stood on the back of Diaz’s left foot, causing his boot to rip off as the winger fell to the floor.Diaz still attempted a shot despite missing a boot, but slipped as he had no grip wearing just his sock.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLSalah stepped up and made no mistake to take his goal tally to 15 for the season.Liverpool continued their 100 per cent record in the Champions League with six wins from six.Fans poked fun at Van de Beek with one saying: “Man Utd flop always costing clubs😭😭”Another added: “Take a man out of Manchester but you can never take out the Manchester United in him.”Most read in Champions LeagueBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSA third wrote: “Van de Beek left Man United months ago and is still haunting Man United fans.”Van de Beek, 27, made just 62 appearances for United in three years at Old Trafford, of which just 23 were starts.Gary Neville throws DRINK over Carragher after Liverpool blow Newcastle lead as fans say ‘he was gonna go for him there’He was signed for £25million but scored just two goals, and was subsequently loaned out to Everton and Eintracht Frankfurt before joining Girona on a permanent basis in the summer. More

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      Liverpool have a secret weapon in bid to win Premier League title – and he’s only played 20 minutes this season

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      LIVERPOOL have a secret weapon as they bid to turn their Premier League lead into a title.Arne Slot has a player who is earning a reputation as the ideal man to bring on to close out a game.Wataru Endo is a Liverpool super-sub but was left on the bench for the draw against NewcastleCredit: Rex FeaturesEndo#s game time has been extremely limitedCredit: ReutersBut the Kop boss failed to give Wataru Endo a late cameo against Newcastle.And some Liverpool fans reckon it cost the Reds two points as Fabian Schar grabbed a last-minute equaliser in the 3-3 thriller at St James’ Park last week.Supersubs like David Fairclough and Divock Origi have gone down in Anfield folklore.But bit-part player Endo has made his mark by helping to stop goals rather than score them, despite playing only 20 minutes of top-flight football this season.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe most popular sport in Endo’s homeland of Japan is baseball.Like a closing pitcher brought in from the bull pen to stop the opposition batters from scoring at the end of a match on the diamond, Endo has proved effective as a substitute at shutting down games and seeing Liverpool over the line.The Reds have conceded only once during the Japan captain’s 15 appearances as a replacement in the Premier League since he arrived from VfB Stuttgart in summer 2023.FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSThat was the stoppage-time own goal by Joel Matip which handed Tottenham a 2-1 victory in September 2023.Most read in FootballThe game was overshadowed by controversy because of a VAR cock-up that led to Luis Diaz’s first-half goal for Liverpool being wrongly disallowed.Gary Neville tells Jamie Carragher to ‘f off’ after Liverpool legend performs incredible U-turn on ‘selfish’ SalahEndo has been brought on 11 times since and the Reds have not let in a single goal.And the only other top-flight match Liverpool have lost after the midfielder’s introduction was the 2-0 defeat at Everton in April, when the Toffees scored both their goals before his arrival.Overall, Endo’s record as a Premier League sub is played 15, won 11, drawn two, lost two, across a total of 149 minutes of football.His only top-flight goal was the 87th-minute equaliser against Fulham in December last year, four minutes after coming on for Ryan Gravenberch.And a minute later Trent Alexander-Arnold scored what turned out to be the winner in a 4-3 victory.Endo, 31, has been on the field for only 20 minutes in the Premier League this season, across six substitute appearances.But Reds fans will wonder whether his energy and combativeness would have allowed them to see out another come-from-behind win at Newcastle in their last Premier League match.Slot has had a brilliant start as Liverpool boss, guiding the team clear at the top of the league in his debut season after replacing Jurgen Klopp.But one area where the Reds are lagging behind is in substitutions changing games.Slot bottom of the leagueIn fact, Slot is bottom of the table of Premier League bosses for making an attacking impact with substitutions.So far the Dutchman has made 56 changes in 14 games, but none of his replacements have scored and only three times has a sub created a goal.At the other end of the table is Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola, whose 72 substitutes have produced seven goals and 13 assists between them.Slot could quite reasonably argue that Liverpool are sitting top of the league because he gets his starting XI right and makes changes mainly to stop the opposition from coming back into games, rather than to score more goals.Maybe the Kop boss missed a trick by not bringing Endo on against Newcastle.But Liverpool continue to be linked with Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi, after failing to land the Spain midfielder in the summer.READ MORE SUN STORIESGravenberch has been a revelation in the No 6 role under Slot, which has been a big factor in the lack of opportunities for Endo.If the Japan star is still at the club after January, he may yet have an important role to play as Liverpool try to close out a record-equalling 20th English title win.Arne Slot’s substitutions have failed to make an impactCredit: PA More

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      Girona 0 Liverpool 1: Salah scores from spot and Alisson returns to help Reds keep 100% Champions League record

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      YOU really have to spare a thought for Caoimhin Kelleher – he must be the only pi**ed off person under Arne Slot at Liverpool.Despite helping his team storm to the top of the table in both England and Europe over the last two months, winning 10 games and drawing two, the Irish keeper was booted out of the team the moment No.1 keeper Alisson was fit.Mo Salah’s penalty was the only goal of the game as Liverpool edged a nervy encounter in GironaLiverpool fans were delighted to see Alisson back in business between the sticks after a lengthy injuryEx-Man Utd midfielder Donny van de Beek conceded the penaltyCredit: GettyCaoimhin Kelleher was dropped back to the bench after Alisson was declared fitKelleher, who has made it known he wants to leave Merseyside, was forced to sit on the bench here in Catalonia and, predictably, watch Alisson prove why he is surely the best keeper in the world.On a night when Slot’s team under-performed, Alisson proved there was no rustiness in his game with five key saves. Slot’s surprisingly toothless attack was helped by VAR on the hour when it spotted that former Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek had stood on the heel of Luiz Diaz.Mo Salah, who barely got a kick all night, delivered a textbook penalty meaning that of Liverpool’s last 23 goals, 20 of them have come in the second half.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSAlisson has delivered some exceptional performances for Liverpool in the Champions League over the years. He will never beat the stoppage time save from Napoli’s Arkadiusz Milik in December 2018 which kept Liverpool in the Champions League – and they went on to beat Tottenham in the final.But Alisson has proved that six years later, he has got even better and the only worry are his dodgy hamstrings.There were also moments against the third best team in Spain last year when the 32-year-old was just as good with his feet, playing tight passes with his defenders and at one stage, delivering a brilliant chip over the head of an onrushing player.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSKelleher’s mistakes against Newcastle in the Prem last week came at the worst possible time before Alisson’s returnDespite Kelleher’s fine displays – his only blip was against Newcastle six days earlier – and Alisson was always going to be parachuted back into the team.And he now finds himself back in a team that have still only lost once all season. Mo Salah drops yet another hint about leaving Liverpool win days after admitting he was ‘more out than in’ Four points clear in the Premier League and now looking certain to finish in the top eight of the Champions League. This means they will miss the play-off round with two matches to be played in February.Crucially, the second leg of the games will be played before Liverpool’s scheduled Prem trip away to Manchester City on February 23.While Slot’s team will be able to put their feet up in that week, City – potentially – have a play-off game.Nevertheless, it looks as though City are out of the title race and Liverpool will take some stopping in all competitions.Prime Alisson is back as he put in a Man of the Match performance in SpainSlot also has the added bonus that he will be able to rest any players with aches and strains for the remaining group matches against Lille and PSV Eindhoven in JanuaryBut the Dutchman will be mildly concerned about the performance from his team. In a crowd of around 10,000 – restricted as Uefa do not allow temporary seating – there were just 492 Liverpool fans .To qualify with points, fans had to have been to 27 European away matches including Spartak Moscow in September 2017. Talk about dedication.One player making his 235th Liverpool appearance was Joe Gomez and remarkably, he is still looking for his first goal.He was denied the moment he must be dreaming of in the fourth minute when Paulo Gazzaniga, who had stints at Spurs and Southampton among others, showed good reactions to push a header over the bar.Gazzaniga then kept out a well-hit drive from Darwin Nunez who was then guilty of wasting a couple of other chances in the first half, particularly one before the break. It was exactly the sort of performance from Nunez which makes him such a frustrating player.Joe Gomez was handed a rare start from SlotThe penalty was awarded after Van de Beek stepped on Luis Diaz’s footAlisson was forced to stop former Spurs star Bryan Gil on several occasionsThe best chance of the first game – until the goal – came in Girona’s first attack. Unfortunately for the home team, fell to Daley Blind although it will come as no surprise to United fans that he completely missed the ball from six yards.Alisson saved the follow-up from Alejandro Frances and then threw out a desperate arm to avoid being beaten at his near post by Miguel Gutierrez.The Brazilian kept out an effort from an offside-looking Bryan Gil but his finest moment came before the break when he used both his hands to keep out a decent strike from former Watford midfielder Yaser Asprilla. Just seconds into the second half, Alisson was at it again, saving at his near post to keep out Arnaut DanjumaGirona’s defence certainly had few problems dealing with the Liverpool attack, who looked to have run out of ideas when Diaz fell to the ground after tangling with Van de Beek.Ex-Man Utd star Daley Blind missed the best chance of the first halfFrench referee Benoit Bastien told Diaz to get up as he thought it was a dive. Yet after Andy Robertson’s shot had been saved for a corner, VAR checked over the clash.Bastien was called over to the screen and did not take long before pointing to the spot and Salah stuck away the penalty by sending the keeper the wrong wayREAD MORE SUN STORIESLiverpool avoided any late dramas for yet an 18th win in 21 matches for Slot. When he landed on Merseyside, at no stage did he think it would be this easy. More