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    Poyet sees Tottenham’s wild inconsistency under Ange and says things have not changed since he played for them

    ANGE POSTECOGLOU may be experiencing a wildly inconsistent season – but for Gus Poyet, things at Spurs are the same as they ever were.Tottenham started off last week beating Southampton 5-0 and Manchester United 4-3 in the Carabao Cup – but then were trounced 6-3 at home to Liverpool on Sunday.Gus Poyet played for three seasons at Spurs before going on to be a managerCredit: SportsfileIt means supporters never know what to expect from Postecoglou’s side.But Poyet sees no difference to how things were when he was playing for the club 20 years ago.And the Uruguayan does not believe that will change until the club fundamentally switches at its core.Poyet, who assisted Juande Ramos the last time Spurs won a trophy in 2008, told SunSport via Odds comparison: “It was like that when I played for them. I promise you, it was.Read more in football“We were there, we were able to beat the best team and then have the worst results. I remember being 3-0 up against Manchester United at home and we lost 5-3.“How can you be so good in the first half and so bad in the second half? “This year against Brighton was the same. Two-nil up at half-time and then they lost 3-2.“Things, they don’t change, until there is something from inside, and I mean right from the core, that change. Most read in Football“In Spurs, that core didn’t change over the years. It’s more or less the same.”Some supporters believe that change would involve chairman Daniel Levy and owners ENIC departing the club.Ange Postecoglou’s side have won seven and lost eight in the league – but scored more goals than any other teamThere was a protest ahead of the Liverpool game, and some balloons were released in the 24th minute to signify 24 years of ENIC ownership.But Poyet did not single out Levy or the way the club is run as the core switch that is needed – more a mentality shift akin to opponents Liverpool where everything is calmer.The ex-midfielder, who scored 23 goals in 98 Spurs games between 2001-04, added: “It’s a situation with Spurs where every year is like this wish from everyone that it’s going to be the year that something will change.“For whatever reason, I cannot explain, it’s unique, something always happens.“A bad result, or a terrible second half, or an incredibly bad performance.“The ups and downs are too dramatic. For a team to improve over the years, to be consistent, or to be there, you need to be more calm in the good and bad times.“We can talk about Liverpool, being good for so many years, but because you are competing with someone like Man City who are so good as well, it doesn’t mean you are going to win.“But you need to maintain it and not get frustrated for one bad result or one bad season.“With Spurs, everything is a bit up and down.“It has to come from inside, the consistency, from the core of the club. That’s something that will be important for Spurs if they want to achieve some stability.”A driving factor for the frustration that has engulfed Spurs in recent years is their 17-year wait for silverware.Postecoglou will hope to end that this term and is into the Carabao Cup semi-final, where they face Liverpool.READ MORE SUN STORIESTottenham fans protest ‘Levy out’ with black balloons as Spurs chairman akwardly watches on during Liverpool lossPoyet, who won the FA Cup as a Chelsea player, added: “If I was a Tottenham coach, I would not be thinking about anything else except winning a trophy.“You’re not going to win the Premier League but can I win a cup? Yes. Winning a trophy makes players winners. When you become a winner, it becomes a habit.” More

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    Inside Man Utd’s 12 months of Ineos, from PR disasters to 2 major sackings.. but hope for future under Sir Jim Ratcliffe

    CHRISTMAS EVE marks exactly one year since Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s arrival at Old Trafford.And it is fair to say it has been a rather chaotic 12 months.Sir Jim Ratcliffe arrived at Old Trafford on Christmas Eve a year agoCredit: PAThe first 12 months have plenty of PR own goalsCredit: AlamyIt has been a difficult year on the field for the Red DevilsCredit: ReutersThe British billionaire, 72, stumped up more than £1billion to take a 27.7 per cent stake in his beloved Manchester United.His minority ownership was officially ratified in February – but the announcement from the Red Devils came late on Christmas Eve in 2023.Pretty much every single Manchester United fan was delighted by the news of the Ineos chief’s arrival and received it as the best Christmas present imaginable.With his successful business and sporting background – plus his promise to invest heavily into the crumbling Old Trafford infrastructure – it felt like a major turning point for the club after years of regression under the Glazers and various managers since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.READ MORE ON MAN UTDThe reality, though, has been quite different from what the United supporters were hoping. The Glazers still own the club.United had their worst Premier League finish ever last season – and a lowest position at Christmas in 35 years in this campaign.There has been major sackings galore in the boardroom and dugout.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSFans are unhappy thanks to several PR own goals.And for the staff who still have their jobs, morale is through the floor. Man Utd fans launch foul-mouthed protest at Sir Jim Ratcliffe and call him a ‘c—‘ over ticket price decisionSo, what has happened in this tumultuous first year for Ratcliffe?Well, it all started very positively indeed with CEO Richard Arnold resigning before the Ratcliffe news was even announced and United managed to poach Omar Berrada from rivals Manchester City in January. In the same month, Ratcliffe and his right-hand man Sir Dave Brailsford were pictured smiling as they met Erik ten Hag and other staff at Carrington.Then in February, Arnold quit the board and left the club for good while Ineos pair John Rees and Rob Nevin were added as Ratcliffe continued to stamp his mark and influence. But there were the first signs that things weren’t completely going swimmingly as early as March.On one hand, Ratcliffe gave fans a major boost by announcing his grand plans to replace the dated and leaking Old Trafford by building an epic new stadium dubbed a ‘Wembley of the North’.But on the other, United’s share price on the New York Stock Exchange dropped to just $13.71 – down from $20.52 immediately after the takeover was announced just three months earlier. And in a slightly strange twist, it came out that Ratcliffe had banned words such as “awesome” and “lukewarm cappuccino” as part of a very corporate lingo drive. What we know about the ‘new’ Old TraffordMANCHESTER UNITED plan to build a new stadium rather than redevelop Old Trafford.The decision was made after a number of fact-finding missions to other stadiums including the Bernabeu and Nou Camp.The cost of the project is expected to be a staggering £2billion.A capacity of 100,000 is expected.It is felt that a club of United’s standing should have a new state-of-the-art facility.The new stadium will be built on land adjacent to the Red Devils’ current home.United are looking to not only build a stadium but regenerate the area of Trafford where the ground will stand.There had been plans to KEEP Old Trafford rather than demolish it, and use it as a scaled down second venue.However, it’s looking increasing likely that it will in fact be entirely demolished.The club consulted with 30,000 fans about what to do and believe there is roughly a 50-50 split on staying or moving.The club have appointed the architects Foster + Partners to come up with a “masterplan”. The company were behind Wembley Stadium.Old Trafford has been United’s home since 1910.The target is for completion by 2030. It was in April, though, that the ruthless businessman started to wield his cost-cutting axe when he cancelled company credit cards and private cars for senior members of staff.Around the same time, there were more changes upstairs as football director John Murtough followed Arnold out of the exit door and Jason Wilcox arrived as technical director once a compensation package with Southampton was agreed. Concurrently, the highly-coveted former FA and Brighton chief Dan Ashworth was on gardening leave from Newcastle.May proved to be a crucial month for United – and for Ratcliffe.On the pitch, the club followed up their nightmare Prem season where they came eighth by shocking City to win the FA Cup final, making it two major trophies in two years for Ten Hag, who had been on the brink of the sack. Off the pitch, it was a catalogue of errors. The extent of the leaking roof was laid bare as heavy Manchester downpours prompted waterfalls on the seats – before construction crew were pictured finally getting to work on fixing it. Elsewhere, Ratcliffe started making himself not-so-Mr-Popular with the club’s staff.It started with sending a strongly-worded email to employees slamming the “disgraceful” lack of cleanliness around both the training ground and the stadium, prompting a “toxic” atmosphere around Carrington.He then announced plans for redundancies, giving staff just one week to decide if they would accept packages to leave. And to make things worse, the new owner slashed FA Cup final benefits, limiting staff to just one ticket each and forcing them to pay for their own transport to Wembley. The pre-match party and hotel for senior staff before the final was also axed – although a night of celebration in the capital did go ahead after the goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo. Ratcliffe doubled down on his cut-throat approach in June when he introduced the “back to work” policy, forcing all staff to be in the office every day – or else they could leave for good. He also announced plans for a £50m Carrington upgrade but scored an own goal with disparaging comments about the women’s team. Ashworth finally made his long-awaited arrival in his role as sporting director after four months of gardening leave and a £3m compensation package agreed with Newcastle. Jobs slashedRatcliffe made the most of the off-season to oversee a major overhaul of staff roles in July. He kicked things off by slashing the number of staff to travel on the tour to the USA down to 125 and then made plans to make 250 employees redundant.That included the departures of popular media man John Allen, historian Cliff Butler and kitman Alex Wylie in subsequent months as Ratcliffe showed he was at Old Trafford for business, not for sentiment. Jean-Claude Blanc joined the board and ex-Chelsea technical director Christopher Vivell came in on a short-term basis as interim director of recruitment.The month also saw a merry-go-round in the coaching staff – but crucially one man kept his job.A new ‘Wembley of the North’ could replace Old TraffordCredit: Lord PingRatcliffe and right-hand-man Sir Dave Brailsford were all smiles on their arrivalCredit: GettyRatcliffe showed no mercy as he stopped paying Sir Alex Ferguson’s £2m-a-year ambassador contractCredit: GettyErik ten Hag won the FA Cup, signed a new contract then got sackedCredit: GettyTen Hag was tipped to get the boot regardless of the result in the FA Cup final but the club made a major U-turn and offered him a contract extension until 2026 – which he duly signed.However, his backroom team underwent a major reshuffle. Ruud van Nistelrooy and Rene Hake were appointed assistant managers, Andreas Georgson a first-team coach and Jelle ten Rouwelaar the goalkeeper coach.Darren Fletcher – previously the technical director – came into the coaching staff as a first-team coach, too.Steve McClaren, Mitchell van der Gaag and Benni McCarthy all departed – the former taking over as Jamaica’s head coach. By the end of August, the new-look board had given the green light for £199m on transfer signings in the summer window.But that coincided with Ratcliffe ditching lunchboxes for matchday staff – with reports that some were even forced to eat hospitality suite leftovers beside the toilets. Fergie axedRatcliffe once again demonstrated his ruthless streak by stopping the payment of Ferguson’s £2million-a-year salary as a United ambassador in October.He also cancelled the staff Christmas party in yet another measure that infuriated those working for the club behind the scenes. But all those savings were offset with the £15m pay-off for Ten Hag, sacked with the club 14th in the Premier League table just three months after putting pen to paper on his new deal. And it emerged that the “back to work” policy was actually costing United a fortune – because there was not enough desks at Old Trafford so hospitality suites were being temporarily converted into offices between home matches. November saw the arrival of Ruben Amorim as Ten Hag’s successor on a deal until 2027 but only after United were forced to stump up £10m to activate his release clause.Amorim axed legend Van Nistelrooy, who oversaw three wins and a draw from his four matches in interim charge, to bring in his own coaching staff. But despite the excitement of a new manager, friction from the former regime still lingered with Manchester United’s board members and chiefs locked in a bitter blame game over the summer shambles including transfer signings and the Ten Hag saga with his new contract and subsequent dismissal. And while most of Ratcliffe’s policies had largely impacted staff and the playing squad, his actions towards the end of his first 12 months at Old Trafford started to directly affect fans.Reports emerged he plans to cut the £40,000 budget paid to the Manchester United Disabled Supporters Association in half. Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s first year at Man UtdSIR JIM RATCLIFFE’S minority takeover at Manchester United was announced on Christmas Eve in 2023 – and a lot has happened at Old Trafford since…December 2023 – Man Utd confirm Ratcliffe’s takeover on Christmas Eve, vowing to invest £245m into Old TraffordJanuary 2024 – Ratcliffe and right-hand man Sir Dave Brailsford photographed meeting Erik ten Hag during tour of Carrington January 2024 – Omar Berrada poached from Man City as new CEO February 2024 – Ratcliffe’s £1billion, 27.7 per cent takeover officially completed February 2024 – Former CEO Richard Arnold quits board as Ineos pair John Rees and Rob Nevin addedMarch 2024 – Ratcliffe bans words “awesome” and “lukewarm cappuccino” in bizarre moveMarch 2024 – Matt Johnson appointed head of women’s footballMarch 2024 – Ratcliffe announces plans to build “Wembley of the North” to replace Old TraffordMarch 2024 – Man Utd NYSE share price drops to $13.73 on March 21 – down from $20.52 immediately after Ratcliffe takeover in DecemberApril 2024 – Senior staff club credit cards and private cars cancelled April 2024 – John Murtough quits as football director April 2024 – Jason Wilcox appointed technical director after compensation package agreed with Southampton May 2024 – Ratcliffe turns Carrington “toxic” after sending email to employees slamming “disgraceful” lack of cleanlinessMay 2024 – Work finally starts on leaking Old Trafford roofMay 2024 – Man Utd finish eighth in Premier League, worst-ever finish May 2024 – Ratcliffe gives employees just one week to decide if they want to accept redundancy May 2024 – Staff forced to pay for own transport to FA Cup final and only given one ticketMay 2024 – Pre-match party and hotel for senior staff before FA Cup final axedMay 2024 – Man Utd shock rivals Man City to win FA Cup despite suggestions Erik ten Hag will be sacked regardless of resultJune 2024 – Man Utd announce £50m plans to upgrade Carrington training ground June 2024 – Ratcliffe introduces strict “back to work” policy forcing staff to come into officeJune 2024 – Ratcliffe scores own goal with comments about women’s teamJuly 2024 – Man Utd finally agree deal to bring in Dan Ashworth as sporting director after four months of gardening leave at Newcastle, who received £3m in compensationJuly 2024 – Erik ten Hag signs shock new contract extension until 2026July 2024 – Ruud van Nistelrooy and Rene Hake appointed assistant managers, Andreas Georgson first-team coach and Jelle ten Rouwelaar goalkeeper coach. Darren Fletcher’s role changes from technical director to first-team coach. Steve McClaren, Mitchell van der Gaag and Benni McCarthy depart.July 2024 – Ex-Chelsea technical director Christopher Vivell joins on short-term basis as interim director of recruitment July 2024 – Jean-Claude Blanc added to Man Utd board  July 2024 – Man Utd cut down number of staff on US pre-season tour to 125July 2024 – Ratcliffe makes 250 redundancies including popular media man John Allen, historian Cliff Butler and kitman Alex WylieAugust 2024 – Man Utd splash out £199m in the summer transfer window August 2024 – Matchday staff lunchboxes scrapped and some forced to eat beside toiletOctober 2024 – Man Utd stop paying £2m-a-year ambassador salary to Sir Alex FergusonOctober 2024 – Staff Christmas party cancelled October 2024 – “Back to work” policy costing Utd fortune to convert hospitality suites into temporary offices between home matchesOctober 2024 – Erik ten Hag sacked with club 14th in Premier League table, costing club £15mNovember 2024 – Ruben Amorim appointed new Man Utd manager on deal until 2027 after stumping up £10m release clause November 2024 – Coach Ruud van Nistelrooy axed by new manager Ruben Amorim November 2024 – Man Utd chiefs locked in blame game over summer shambles including Erik ten Hag situation and transfer signings November 2024 – Ratcliffe reportedly set to half £40,000 budget paid to Manchester United Disabled Supporters AssociationDecember 2024 – Ratcliffe admits “mediocre” Man Utd “still in last century” December 2024 – Fans protest after OAP and children concessions tickets ditched and minimum home ticket cost up to £66December 2024 – Dan Ashworth sacked after five months as sporting directorDecember 2024 – £100 staff Christmas bonus ditched for £40 M&S voucherThen in December, supporters marched and protested against Ratcliffe after he scrapped OAP and children’s concessions tickets for home matches and simultaneously increased the minimum cost of a home ticket to a whopping £66. And he showed his Scrooge side by slashing the staff’s traditional £100 Christmas bonus, replacing it with a measly £40 M&S voucher. Then in a shock twist, £3m man Ashworth was suddenly sacked after just five months as sporting director. In the final match before the first anniversary of Ratcliffe’s arrival, it was somewhat fitting that United lost 3-0 at home to Bournemouth, one of their summer signings gave away a penalty and the ceiling leaked during Amorim’s press conference. Ratcliffe ended the year by investing an extra £79m and increasing his stake in the club to 28.94 per cent.But both he and those watching on know this first year has not gone as he would have hoped or envisaged. Gary Lineker labelled the Ashworth rigmarole “bloody embarrassing”, “laughable” and a “terrible look” while Michael Owen insisted the way Ratcliffe has “ripped out” the core of the football club is “heartbreaking”.And Ratcliffe himself admitted “mediocre” Manchester United is “still in the last century”. READ MORE SUN STORIESSo, will he be able to turn things around on and off the pitch in his second year at the helm? Everyone connected to the Red Devils will certainly hope so…Ruben Amorim came in as the new manager in NovemberCredit: GettyThe roof at Old Trafford leaks a waterfall when it rains heavily in ManchesterCredit: GettyThere have been major changes in the boardroom at Old TraffordCredit: GettyDan Ashworth and Jason Wilcox were both brought in – but the former got the bootCredit: GettyA 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth was the final match before the anniversaryCredit: AlamyThere hasn’t been much to celebrate for United so farCredit: AlamyCan Ratcliffe turn things around in his second year in charge?Credit: Alamy More

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    Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham: Get £60 in football free bets and bonuses with William Hill

    TOTTENHAM are looking to bounce back from Sunday’s thumping defeat to Liverpool when traveling to high-flying Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day.And brand new William Hill customers who register an account and stake a tenner will be rewarded with a colossal £60 in free bets and bonuses to spend on football!Find The Sun’s betting publishing principles hereNottm Forest vs Spurs: Claim your £60 bonus – click here*How to claim..William Hill £60 bonusVisit the William Hill website on your mobile device HERE*Register a new account and deposit a minimum of £10 using the Promo Code: T60Place a bet of at least £10 from your main balance on football on the William Hill Sportsbook at odds of 1/2 or greaterAfter settlement – win or lose – William Hill will credit your account with £60 in free bets and bonusesWilliam Hill: Claim your £60 bonus – click here*Nottm Forest vs Spurs: Claim your £60 bonus – click here*Not got a William Hill account? No problem!It’s really easy to register an account and you can get your hands on that generous £60 in free bets and bonuses to spend on the footy!Simply register a new account and deposit a minimum of £10 using the Promo Code: T60After that, stake at least £10 from your main balance on football on the William Hill Sportsbook at odds of 1/2 or greater.After settlement — win or lose — William Hill will credit your account with £60 in free bets and bonuses to spend on football and in the casino!Nottm Forest vs Spurs: Claim your £60 bonus – click here*Remember to gamble responsiblyA responsible gambler is someone who:Establishes time and monetary limits before playingOnly gambles with money they can afford to loseNever chase their lossesDoesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressedGamcare – www.gamcare.org.ukGamble Aware – www.gambleaware.orgFind our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk*18+. Play Safe. New players only, using promo code T60. Valid from 13/04/2022. Online play. Get £60 Bonus split between Vegas & Sports in the following manner – (i) Deposit £10 to unlock £20 Vegas Free Bet on Selected Games (72hr expiry, wagering reqs apply); then (ii) bet £10+ (odds 1/2+) with cash (excl. £10 deposit) or Vegas winnings (after wager reqs met). Once settled, receive £40 Sports Free Bets excluding Virtual Markets (4x £10, 7 days expiry). Payment methods & country restrictions apply. Full T&Cs apply. More

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    Nottm Forest vs Spurs: Get £30 in free bets plus extra £10 casino bonus with talkSPORT BET

    NOTTINGHAM FOREST and Tottenham meet in an intriguing Boxing Day clash in the Premier League.And this festive period, bookmakers talkSPORT BET are offering new customers a fantastic Christmas welcome bonus, and you can claim it right now!Brand new punters with talkSPORT BET who register a new account and stake a tenner will be rewarded with £30 in free bets PLUS an extra £10 casino bonus!Find The Sun’s betting publishing principles hereNottm Forest vs Spurs: Claim YOUR £40 welcome bonus – HERE*How to claim talkSPORT BET offertalkSPORT BETCreate your account via mobile HERE*Opt in to this promotion via the OFFERS tabMake your first deposit of £10 or morePlace your first bet of £10 or more on any sport market at odds of Evens or greaterThis must be done before January 2, 2025Once that’s settled, talkSPORT BET will credit your account with £30 in free bets and a £10 casino bonusNottm Forest vs Spurs: Claim YOUR £40 welcome bonus – HERE*Nottm Forest vs Spurs: Claim YOUR £40 welcome bonus – HERE*What’s the offer?Brand new talkSPORT BET customers can claim £30 in free bets plus an extra £10 casino bonus when they sign-up and stake a tenner on any sports market.How to claim?Simply visit the talkSPORT BET website on your mobile device and create an account. Opt in to this promotion via the OFFERS tab and then make a deposit via debit card or Apple Pay.Stake £10 or more on any sports market at odds of at least Evens. Remember, you must do this within 7 days of opening your account and before January 2, 2025.What happens next?Once that’s settled – win or lose – your account will be credited with £30 in free bets plus a further £10 casino bonus to spend on selected games.On settlement of your qualifying bet, you’ll receive:£10 Free Bet — Any football market£10 Slots Bonus – to use on selected gamesAnd the following will be credited 24 hours after receiving the first bonus funds:£10 Free Bet — Any Horse Racing market – doubles or higher£10 Free Bet — Any Darts marketNottm Forest vs Spurs: Claim YOUR £40 welcome bonus – HERE**18+ New customers only. Opt in via mobile and bet £10+ on sports at odds 2.00+ by 10:00am on 02/01/25. Get 3x£10 in Free Bets & £10 in slot bonus on selected games, 40x wagering, max redeem £250. Bonuses expire in 14 days. Click for T&Cs | GambleAware.orgRemember to gamble responsiblyA responsible gambler is someone who:Establishes time and monetary limits before playingOnly gambles with money they can afford to loseNever chase their lossesDoesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressedGamcare – www.gamcare.org.ukGamble Aware – www.gambleaware.orgFind our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk More

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    Wolves vs Man Utd: Get £50 in free bets, plus 40/1 Bet Builder tips for Boxing Day Premier League showdown with Betfred

    WOLVES welcome Manchester United to Molineux in the Premier League’s teatime Boxing Day clash.So as part of the festive fun, our team of betting experts have selected a Bet Builder for the game, which Betfred have priced up at a cracker of a price at 40/1!Not just that! New Betfred customers who register an account with Betfred and stake a tenner on football will receive £50 in sports free bets!Find The Sun’s betting publishing principles hereHow to claim..Betfred welcome offerVisit the Betfred website HERE*Register an account using the Promo Code: BETFRED50Deposit £10 using a Debit CardPlace your first bet of £10 or more on any qualifying Sportsbook markets, at odds of Evens or greaterOnce that bet has settled, Betfred will credit your account with £50 in Free BetsBetfred: Get your £50 in free bets – Claim here*Wolves vs Man Utd tipsOur Bet Builder selections: Match to end a draw, both teams to score, Amad to score and Mario Lemina to be carded.Back our 40/1 Bet BuilderHere’s why we’ve made those selections..Match to end a draw: United have lost two on the spin and were pretty poor in both those games, including when thumped at home by Bournemouth. New manager bounce and home advantage makes Wolves a tough test and both sides might need to settle for share of spoils.BTTS: United have too much fire power to be shooting blanks like Sunday and they’ll need to get back firing here. As for the opposite end of the pitch, they’ve kept one clean sheet in Ruben Amorim’s nine games so you’d be daft for thinking they can keep Wolves at bay.Amad to score: One of only a few really bright sparks in a pretty dull United campaign but needs to show derby heroics weren’t a flash in the pan. Good price to get on scoresheet.Mario Lemina to be carded: Was one booking away from missing this game but carried slight knock so missed Leicester win. Will return fresh here and back to combative role against competitive United midfield.Back our 40/1 Bet BuilderRemember to gamble responsiblyA responsible gambler is someone who:Establishes time and monetary limits before playingOnly gambles with money they can afford to loseNever chase their lossesDoesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressedGamcare – www.gamcare.org.ukGamble Aware – www.gambleaware.orgFind our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk*New customers only. Register with BETFRED50. Deposit £10+ via Debit Card and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. T&Cs apply. More

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    Wolves vs Man Utd prediction: Betting tips, odds and Premier League preview

    MANCHESTER UNITED are aiming to avoid three successive defeats when traveling to a rejuvenated Wolves in Boxing Day’s late kick-off.SunSport betting experts have previewed the festive contest and selected the best bets, tips and exclusive sign-up bonuses from our leading betting partners.Find The Sun’s betting publishing principles hereNew sign-up offersSunSport exclusivesFirst scorer and correct score predictionsJorgen Strand Larsen to score first at 5/1 with William Hill – CLAIM HERECorrect score – 1-1 at 13/2 with Betfred – CLAIM HEREWolves vs Man Utd previewOne step forward two steps back, Marcus Rashford bombed out the squad and a home thumping by Bournemouth.Not much has changed from Erik ten Hag to Ruben Amorim on the face of it as United’s inconsistency continues to haunt them.The late win in the Manchester derby looked hugely significant and a major turning point. But as it turns out, everybody beats Man City these days.And since then they were dumped out the League Cup by an injury-hit Spurs side before Sunday’s disappointing 3-0 drubbing at home to the Cherries.It’s now four defeats in their last six games for United as the owners continue to make strange off-field decisions and the players under-deliver on it.For Wolves, they couldn’t have wished for a better start under their new boss Vitor Pereira as they ended a four-game losing run by thumping fellow toilers Leicester at the King Power.Sunday’s game was Pereira’s first in the dugout and the 3-0 victory – with all three goals scored in the first half – was a welcome one for Wolves who cut the gap to the Foxes in 17th.United have won their last four against Wolves and are maybe surprisingly odds-on to make it five here.Wolves vs Man Utd latest oddsOdds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.How to claim..William Hill £60 welcome bonusVisit the William Hill website HERE*Register an account using the Promo Code: T60Once your account is registered, click ‘opt in’ on the ‘Vegas Promotion’ pageDeposit a minimum of £10 in your main account to receive a £20 Vegas Bonus for use on Selected GamesThen place a bet with a minimum stake of £10 at odds of 1/2 or greater on any football marketOnce that’s settled, your account will be credited with £40 in free betsWilliam Hill: Claim £60 welcome bonus – click here*Wolves vs Manchester United predictionsSpoils sharedOne new manager’s bounce was a big one and the other has had his disappear already.Vitor Pereira must have the Wolves fans backing already and a packed Molineux on Boxing Day can help inspire his rejuvenated players on it.Ruben Amorim can’t afford another defeat and the two sides can cancel each other out.Draw and both teams to score at 7/2 with William Hill – CLAIM HERELeadingIt’s no exaggeration to say Bruno Fernandes could quite easily have had a hat trick in the seven or eight minutes before half time on Sunday.Alongside Amad, United’s captain looks the most likely to have multiple attempts on the Wolves goal, having reached 50 efforts at goal already in his 17 appearances.Penalty taker too which is always handy for these kind of bets.Bruno Fernandes over 1.5 shots on target at 41/20 with BetMGM – CLAIM HERE*William Hill. 18+. 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    Newcastle vs Aston Villa: Get £40 in free bets and bonuses to spend with BetMGM

    NEWCASTLE and Aston Villa are both in great form ahead of their St James’ Park meeting on Boxing Day.Bookmakers BetMGM are offering brand new customers a cool £40 in free bets when you register an account and stake a tenner on the Premier League showdown.Find The Sun’s betting publishing principles hereHow to claim..BetMGM £40 welcome bonusVisit the BetMGM website HERE*Select SPORTS OFFER on the websiteRegister a new account – No Promo Code necessaryOpt in for this promotion by depositing and placing at least £10 on football at odds of Evens or greaterOnce that’s settled – win or lose – your account will be credited with £40 in free betsNewcastle vs Aston Villa: Get £40 in free bets — claim yours here*Not got a BetMGM account? No problem!This offer is just for you, and it’s incredibly easy to claim!Simply register a new account, deposit and stake a minimum of £10 on football at odds of Evens (1/1) or greater. This must be done within seven days of opening your account with the bookmaker.Once that’s settled – win or lose – your account will be credited with £40 in free bets!Newcastle vs Aston Villa: Get £40 in free bets — claim yours here**BetMGM. New customers only. 7 days to place a qualifying bet of £10 at 1/1 (2.0) to receive 4 x £10 Free Bets: 1x £10 Free Bet on Football, 1x £10 Free Bet on Horse Racing, 2 x £10 Free Bet Builders. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. Full T&Cs apply.Remember to gamble responsiblyA responsible gambler is someone who:Establishes time and monetary limits before playingOnly gambles with money they can afford to loseNever chase their lossesDoesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressedGamcare – www.gamcare.org.ukGamble Aware – www.gambleaware.orgFind our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk More

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    Last Christmas Man Utd fans gave Ratcliffe their hearts – this year he’s left them in tears after disastrous decisions

    LAST CHRISTMAS they gave him their heart.But the very next year many Manchester United fans are beginning to believe that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is giving it away.It has been a year since Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Man Utd takeover and fans aren’t feeling the festive spiritCredit: PAThings have failed to improve since the Ineos chief took over football operations from the GlazersCredit: AFPIt is exactly 12 months since Ratcliffe and his Ineos Group announced they were taking control of football operations from the Glazers at Old Trafford.Ratcliffe made a bold statement following the initial £1.03billion buy-in, which secured a minority 25 per cent stake, but it sounds hollow and even embarrassing right now.Ratcliffe, a lifelong Red Devils fan from Failsworth, said: “Our shared ambition is clear: We all want to see Manchester United back where we belong, at the very top of English, European and world football.”Forget Europe and the world, 13th-placed United celebrated Christmas in the bottom half of the table for the first time in the Premier League era.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLAll the fans’ hopes and dreams of ending almost a quarter of a century of dissent under the Glazers and bringing back the good old days of Premier League dominance under Sir Alex Ferguson still seem as far away as ever.Old Trafford booed the players off in Sunday’s 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth but it is not just the results on the pitch which have caused unrest.Ratcliffe’s ruthless cost–cutting saw 250 members of staff being axed to save around £45million  per year.On top of that, Ratcliffe also dropped Ferguson, who won a record 13 Premier League titles, from his £2m-a-year global ambassador role in October.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSUnited great Eric Cantona blasted his ex-former club, when the Frenchman fumed: “It’s totally scandalous. I will thrown them all in a big bag of s**t.”As public relations disasters go, the down-grading of the legendary Scot’s position — although still a non-executive director — was a belter.Man Utd hero Lee Sharpe warns Marcus Rashford potential exit could come back to haunt club if he joins Prem rivals The brutal axing of Sir Alex Ferguson went down like a lead balloonCredit: GettyEric Cantona lashed out at Ratcliffe over the decisionCredit: GettyUnited’s record since Ratcliffe took overThings look like they’ve got worseUnited have splashed out, but the jury’s out on their new signings… and their managerBut there have been plenty of them. The latest came after the loss to the Cherries when new boss Ruben Amorim had his post-match press conference delayed by a leaky roof.It was not a good optic yet there have been few, if any, good looks since United’s announcement of the Ineos takeover on December 24.Ratcliffe, alongside chief henchman Sir Dave Brailsford, he of “marginal gains” during his time as the head of British Cycling, did at least get to enjoy last season’s 2-1 FA Cup final triumph over noisy neighbours Manchester City.But that gain really was only marginal at best considering the turbulence around then manager Erik ten Hag before Wembley and the complete 360-degree turn to keep him afterwards.Just about everybody and his dog had been mentioned as his successor, not least former England chief Gareth Southgate, Graham Potter and Roberto De Zerbi.Ten Hag himself headed to Ibiza on holiday believing his two–year tenure was over.Then, having found nobody willing to replace him, Ratcliffe and Brailsford turned up on his Spanish doorstep to say that, after all, he could, after all, keep his job.Five months later, of course, he was sacked, complete with around £17m in pay–off money the pair had baulked at giving him to go in the first place.Erik ten Hag was given a vote of confidence before being firedCredit: GettyRuben Amorim is struggling to turn things aroundCredit: AlamyRatcliffe had battled hard and paid £3m to Newcastle for the transfer of Dan Ashworth as sporting director.He was supposed to be the top dog of a recruitment drive to bring in only top the best new stars.But he was gone after just 160 DAYS — just 27 days more than Ashworth had spent on gardening leave while waiting to exit the Toon Army.Having also brought in Omar Berrada from Manchester City as chief executive and Jason Wilcox as technical director it was decided that too many cooks were spoiling the broth by the time Ashworth was brutally dumped early this month.Yet Ratcliffe, Brailsford and Ineos are now supping from a  poisoned chalice. Old Trafford — even under bright new boss Amorim — is threatening to become as toxic as it ever has been since the Glazers took over in 2005 and dumped £660m of debt on the club.The hits on Britain’s richest man have just kept on coming with issues over a new stadium and ticket prices.Ratcliffe said in March he would build a “Wembley of the North” and increase Old Trafford’s capacity to 100,000.Even with his wealth, he wanted to go cap in hand to the government for Levelling Up money to fund the £2bn-plus project. But he was told swiftly that the taxpayers would not be having it.Dan Ashworth was fired after five monthsCredit: AFPOld Trafford continues to show its ageCredit: GettyThe future of the new stadium is due to be decided next summer.Meanwhile there has been outrage from supporters over members’  ticket prices increasing to £66 and  the removal of concessions for kids and pensioners.That led to demonstrations outside Old Trafford and the first signs of anti-Ratcliffe chants.Ratcliffe is also considering plans to half the annual £40,000 budget given to the Manchester United Disabled Supporters’ Association.United’s defence was that they have to borrow the money after their latest financial results showed the club had eaten into £232.3m of their revolving credit facility by the end of September compared to £35.6m in June.One MUDSA (Manchester United Disabled Supporters’ Association) insider said: “The optics would be horrific — it feels like the club has lost touch with its soul.”Then there was Ratcliffe’s snub to the women’s team in the FA Cup final when they thrashed Tottenham 4-0 in May.The part-owner opted to stay in the North-West and watch the men’s side lose 1-0 to Arsenal. Ratcliffe claimed: “There’s only so much that you can do. And our focus has been on the men’s team.”United’s summer signings such as Joshua Zirkzee have failed to impressCredit: AlamyUnited’s poor form saw them beaten 3-0 at home by Bournemouth on SundayCredit: RexBeating Pep Guardiola’s City under the famous arch ended up a happy occasion.But United staff were told beforehand they would have to pay for their own food, hotel and transport in a break from tradition.Senior employees had their corporate credit cards withdrawn and lost the use of chauffeur-driven cars while match-day staff no longer get complimentary lunch boxes for their efforts.The staff’s Christmas party was also cancelled. Ratcliffe has complained about the facilities at the club’s Carrington HQ with the “mess” of an IT department branded a “disgrace”, while the “dressing rooms of the Under-18s and Under-21s were not much better”.Amorim also happens to have taken over a mess, too. The day before last December’s Ineos announcement, Ten Hag’s team lost at West Ham to lie in eighth.Now they are 13th and the £200m spent after keeping on Ten Hag on isn’t helping.Only Noussair Mazraoui’s arrival from German giants Bayern Munich could be considered worth his £12.8m initial fee. Leny Yoro’s start to his United career, after a £42m move, has been hampered by injury.The rest — £36.5m for Joshua Zirkzee, £38.5m for Matthijs  de Ligt   and £42.3m for Manuel Ugarte — is looking like a waste of the money Ratcliffe sees as so precious.READ MORE SUN STORIESTheir presence represents another disaster for Ratcliffe as well as the recruitment team at the end of what has been little short of an annus horribilis.Oh and Jim, those leaks from the roofs around the ground at Old Trafford still need fixing . . . More