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      Inside the world of Pep Guardiola’s disciples as Maresca and Arteta go head to head for first time in huge London derby

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      PEP GUARDIOLA smiled when it was put to him that two of his old assistants are now among his biggest rivals.He said: “If you want to be a manager, come on my staff — and maybe you’ll have a chance!”Pep Guardiola has had his say on his two former assistantsCredit: ReutersEnzo Maresca landed the Chelsea job after a year at LeicesterCredit: RexMikel Arteta worked on Guardiola’s staff for more than three yearsCredit: RexSpeaking last month, the Manchester City boss was only half-joking.But the fact is the managers of two of the Prem’s powerhouses have both served their apprenticeship under the master himself at the Etihad.And on Sunday, Arsenal chief Mikel Arteta and Chelsea boss Enzo  Maresca go head to head for the first time — in a vital London derby at Stamford Bridge.What’s more, both are now expected to push Guardiola’s side for the major honours.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLGuardiola said: “They are so young and will have much success in the future.“It was a pleasure for me to work with them. The knowledge is back and forth, not just in one direction.”Yet Maresca is sure that both he and his opposite number tomorrow owe a huge debt of gratitude to the man who has won six of the last seven Prem titles.The Blues boss, 44, said: “I learned many things from Pep. If I’m here today, it’s probably because of the amount of things that I have been lucky to learn next to him.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSMaresca worked under Guardiola at CityCredit: ReutersArteta assisted Guardiola prior to landing the Arsenal jobCredit: Reuters“Probably both of us, we have to be thankful because we worked beside the one who I consider the best manager in the world.”And Arteta echoed those feelings, saying: “Enzo has had many years learning from some top people and he is proving he is a very good  manager at the top level. Enzo has given his touch and you can see clearly what he wants to do.Enzo Maresca hails Chelsea professionalism in comprehensive win over FC Noah“He has been very brave from day one to consistently follow what he wanted to do.“I know a lot of people that know him well and are very happy with him that he’s making a lot of progress there.”Arteta was the first to become one of Pep’s disciples, way back in summer 2016, and served a longer apprenticeship at almost three-and-a-half years.It’s hard to believe it now — when you see him prowling the touchline at the Emirates — but Arteta was quiet when he first linked up with Pep.Guardiola had identified the former Rangers, Everton and Arsenal midfielder as someone who could help him learn about the Premier League.Arteta had only just hung up his boots and was determined to learn as much as he could for a future in management.ARTETA’S FIRST TESTIn the early days, Pep’s then-No 2 Domenec Torrent took his fellow Spaniard under his wing and relayed his ideas to the manager.They quickly realised he had something special though — and four months into the season, Arteta was given his first real test.Pep took the young coach into his office ahead of a game with Arsenal in December 2016 and told him ‘you’re in charge for this one’.Luckily the young apprentice had guessed he would be asked his opinion — as he had been playing for the opponents a few months earlier.So he had come prepared and Guardiola liked his ideas. City won the game 2-1 thanks to a late Raheem Sterling goal.’FROM THE START I WAS FASCINATED’That won him respect from his superiors but he was learning so much from the former coach of Barcelona and Bayern Munich.He says in the book ‘Pep’s City’: “From the start I was fascinated by Guardiola’s work ethic — his ability to transmit his ideas to his players and convince them they are going to work.“How he simplifies the most complicated things  so they appear straightforward.”Arteta was not long retired and he would often be asked to join in training — as he and Pep felt it was an excellent way to see things from the ‘inside’.After two years on the coaching staff, he stepped up to be the main assistant when Torrent moved to the MLS.’THE CLUB OF HIS HEART’And many even viewed him as a natural successor to Guardiola — before Arsenal, who Pep always knew was the ‘club of his heart’, appointed him a year later.It was a few months after that when Maresca first came onto the radar of the Etihad hierarchy.He was recommended to City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain by their old boss Manuel Pellegrini. And he was appointed head coach of the Under-23s in 2020 – taking charge of Cole Palmer, James McAtee, Tommy Doyle and Liam Delap.During his only season in that role, he led the club to the Premier League 2 title and impressed everyone.Crucially, with Covid restrictions in full swing, he found himself in the same bubble as Guardiola and Begiristain and they quickly realised what Pellegrini had been talking about.The City boss was soon telling everyone Maresca would go on to become an ‘extraordinary manager’.A move to Parma did not work out, so when Pep’s assistant Juanma Lillo left for a job in Qatar in summer 2022, he was brought back to City — this time with the first team.He was only back for a year — but what a year it proved to be as City swept to their historic Treble.Leicester came calling for him to replace Brendan Rodgers but Guardiola urged him to see the season out  and Maresca wanted to do that too.The recent Netflix documentary ‘Together: Treble Winners’ shows the pair having a heated debate around a tactics board at half-time in the Champions League final.Pep later felt the way he had approached the team-talk at the interval in Istanbul had been key to them beating Inter to win the trophy.Leicester came back in for him a few days later and, after one season with the Foxes, he landed a job with one of the Prem’s superpowers.READ MORE SUN STORIESGuardiola looked puzzled when it was put to him in pre-season that the new Chelsea boss was known as ‘Diet Pep’. He asked: “Is it because of the bald head and the beard?”But he has known for a while there is a lot more to the Italian than that. More

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      Awkward moment Sky Sports pundits drenched and forced to run for cover after sprinkler gaffe on live TV

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      A SKY SPORTS presenter couldn’t resist joking as two pundits got a soaking – just as she had gleefully predicted.Caroline Barker’s pre-match analysis went beyond tactics when she took to the Etihad pitch with ex-Lionesses Steph Houghton and Izzy Christiansen.Houghton and Christiansen take evasive action after a belated Barker warningThe trio were discussing how Women’s Super League leaders Manchester City would fare against Tottenham on Friday night.But Barker suddenly spotted some ominous sprinklers springing into action behind the trio as they stood with their microphones.Pointing at the two ex-City stars, she smiled and told them: “You’re about to get soaked and I’m about to laugh.”Almost in the same breath, and just as the sprinklers took aim on their surprise new targets, Barker added: “There we go!”READ MORE TOP STORIESHoughton and Christiansen turned open-mouthed and moved as swiftly as they did at their peak of their playing careers – but this time to run for cover behind the Sky Sports table.Even the broadcaster joined in the fun at the duo’s expense.Sky noted on social media that the pair suffered “a surprise when one of the pitchside sprinklers attacked mid analysis!”Tottenham then faced an unwarranted torrent of their own – looking all over the place as City poured forward early on.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSKhadija Shaw bagged a double early on for Gareth Taylor’s team.Jill Roord’s thumping third goal in three games put City in command midway through the second half before Shaw completed her hat-trick in a 4-0 win.TV presenters Alex Scott and Jules Breach stun on red carpet for PFA awards night in daring outfitsFormer centre-back Houghton, 36, and ex-attacker Christiansen, 33, were each at the Etihad the last time City picked up the title.But that was way back in 2016.Chelsea have lifted every crown since then – bar Arsenal’ s 2018-19 triumph.But for Houghton such matters as titles are trivial compared to her husband’s battle with motor neurone disease.Former Liverpool, Bradford and Bolton defender Stephen Darby, 36, is now eating through a tube following a “life-changing” procedure.Steph told The Guardian it was the best thing for him during a “tough ride” and would allow him to relax a bit more. More

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      Real Madrid impressed nobody by snubbing Ballon d’Or but they’ll feel decision to back Vinicius Jr made perfect sense

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      REAL MADRID cancelling their appearance at the Ballon d’Or awards night was silly, small-minded and unsporting.The Spanish club acted in support of Vinicius Jr, whose claim to be football star of the year was rejected in favour of Manchester City’s Rodri.Rodri won this year’s Ballon d’Or in a ceremony boycotted by Real MadridCredit: APReal Madrid acted in support of runner-up Vinicius Jr, who has suffered appalling racist abuseCredit: AlamyReal impressed no one. Yet, from the club’s point of view, acting in sympathy with Vinicius Jr made sense.He consistently suffers appalling racial abuse and missing out on such a major award would have been a further blow in public.This is what racism on the terraces can do. And you don’t have to be a sensitive soul to be depressed by a barrage of filth aimed at you.Even minor abuse on the pitch, as well as from the sidelines, is unsettling and must be firmly punished.READ MORE REAL MADRID NEWSAbusers of Vinicius Jr appear regularly in Spanish courts and so do other contaminators — including a Real fan in the El Clasico at the Bernabeu no less.Barcelona’s 17-year-old Lamine Yamal was on the end of vile language after scoring.English football suffers similar incidents but the number of them in Spain is even more shameful.LaLiga has reported 25 cases of racial abuse of Brazilian Vinicius Jr, 24, and recently three men were jailed for eight months.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSSuch has been the applause for his own conduct that, last season, he was presented with the Socrates Award for his fight against racism.Yet his efforts to stop this filth is like standing in front of a fast-moving car in a gamble to dodge it.Rodri claims the 2024 Ballon d’Or and is congratulated by his motherIn tears at one press conference, Vinicius Jr (above) said: “I just want to play football but it’s hard to move forward . . . I feel less and less like playing. It never crossed my mind to leave Spain as, if I do, I give the racists exactly what they want.“I will stay because, that way, the racists can continue to see my face more and more.“I’m a bold player, I play for Real and we win a lot of titles — and that doesn’t sit well with a lot of people.”But from fans of Osasuna, Mallorca, Real Valladolid, Barcelona, Atletico and at least five other clubs, the insults have continued.Ballon d’Or 2024 results1: Rodri, Man City and Spain2: Vinicius Jr, Real Madrid and Brazil3: Jude Bellingham, Real Madrid and England4: Dani Carvajal, Real Madrid and Spain5: Erling Haaland, Man City and Norway6: Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid and France7: Lautaro Martinz, Inter Milan and Argentina8: Lamine Yamal, Barcelona and Spain9: Toni Kroos, Real Madrid and Germany10: Harry Kane, Bayern Munich and England11: Phil Foden, Man City and England12: Florian Wirtz, Bayer Leverkusen and Germany13: Dani Olmo, Barcelona and Spain14: Ademola Lookman, Atalanta and Nigeria15: Nico Williams, Athletic Bilbao and Spain16: Granit Xhaka, Bayer Leverkusen and Switzerland17: Federico Valverde, Real Madrid and Uruguay18: Emi Martinez, Aston Villa and Argentina19: Martin Odegaard, Arsenal and Norway20: Hakan Calhanoglu, Inter Milan and Turkey21: Bukayo Saka, Arsenal and England22: Antonio Rudiger, Real Madrid and Germany23: Ruben Dias, Man City and Portugal24: William Saliba, Arsenal and France25: Cole Palmer, Chelsea and England26: Declan Rice, Arsenal and England27: Vitinha, PSG and Portugal28: Alejandro Grimaldo, Bayer Leverkusen and Spain29: Mats Hummels, Roma and Germany30: Artem Dovbyk, Roma and UkraineIn England, the Kick it Out campaign quickly made an impact on supporters but the problem is far from over.Racism is still an issue, while arrests are infrequent but still occur. This was illustrated by the horrific racist abuse faced by England players Bukayo Saka, Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford after missing penalties in the Euro 2020 final shootout against Italy.Much of this came on social media and, frankly, any player who bothers with it is asking for trouble.There is a good deal of legislation against racial abuse in and around football grounds.And I am happy to say it is not welcomed on the terraces either, with fans making it obvious what they think of culprits.But for Vinicius Jr, nothing much has improved. He scores a lot of goals and after he does so, often he dances. And why not?His samba moves have been used as a reason for racial insults — but that’s garbage.READ MORE SUN STORIESIn a further disgrace, his effigy was hung from a bridge near Madrid before a derby with Atletico and four men were later arrested.That is what hate can do: curdle humanity and bring tears.So thank goodness Vinicius Jr is still scoring goals. More

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      Coaches should tell kids ‘you don’t have to be like Haaland, you can be like Chris Wood’ after stunning October spell

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      CHRIS WOOD’S career revival should help inspire every kid, every non-league hopeful, across the country.He has proved that, at the age of 32, there’s still a space in football for different types of players.Chris Wood won the Premier League Player of the Month award for OctoberCredit: GettyErling Haaland isn’t ‘real life’ for most coaches – but Wood can give hope to upcoming prospects in non-league and academiesCredit: GettyWe get so caught up in how Pep Guardiola plays, what Pep has, what Pep wants — but that isn’t real life.It is not real life to have Erling Haaland.Coaches should be telling these kids: you don’t have to be like Haaland . . . you can be like Chris Wood.It gives people in the lower leagues, all those who are not traditional academy prospects, hope.READ MORE ON NOTTINGHAM FORESTAnd what you are seeing now is based purely on his hard work — his determination to keep going.It is just incredible to see his numbers. 14 goals in the Prem last season. Eight in ten now.Who’s to say he can’t go and get 20 come May?All he needs is two goals a month until then.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSA lot of people had written him off. He had gone to Newcastle from Burnley in 2021 and it didn’t work.And before he arrived at Nottingham Forest last summer on a permanent deal, he would have heard people tell him: You’re finished, you’re old, you should go to the Championship.Fans chant ‘you don’t know where you’re going’ as Edson Alvarez gets LOST trying to find tunnel at Nottingham ForestFor some reason, when a player hits 30 it’s then a danger zone.Why? Trust me, nobody in a dressing room cares about age. And where he is at now, he is cutting out the noise.Those poor experiences at Newcastle have taught him so much, knowing what to do and how to act in the tough times.He’s been there, he’s battled it, he’s got the scars and he has the look of a guy who isn’t afraid to keep working in the shadows because you know one day, you will get a chance.You must remember, the start to his career was tough, too, coming over from New Zealand to England at West Brom.He was then shipped out on loan after loan to the likes of Barnsley, Brighton, Birmingham, Bristol City, Millwall . . . All of those would have shaped him.And I even remember when he was at Leicester as a 21-year-old, playing against him for Watford in the Championship play-offs back in 2012-13.In that second leg, when I scored a fairly memorable winner at Vicarage Road, he started up front, but was taken off after an hour for a young Harry Kane.I don’t mean this disrespectfully but he was sluggish — a bit cumbersome.It looked like his shoulders were too big for him with skinny legs.He was decent, a big target man, but nothing special. Now, he is a Rubik’s Cube of a man — just so solid.And he is a lovely bloke, what you would expect with a guy from Down Under.But did I think that, 11 years later, he would be in the early running for the Prem Golden Boot? Absolutely not.He has stuck at it and with the way football is now, he is really suited to it.No one really defends any more. Everyone has a high line and you can find space.And, then, Nuno Espirito Santo has come in at Forest and believed he could get more out of this fella.So he tweaked the system, getting more pace around him with Morgan Gibbs-White and Callum Hudson-Odoi.That’s a sign of a great coach. Nuno doesn’t get the credit that he deserves for looking at the players he has and changing things around to win games.You compare that to someone like Russell Martin over at Southampton who looks at what he has got and still plays his way, sticks to a philosophy, a style, regardless of results.Apparently now, that’s the way to go? What about winning games . . . ?What about getting the very best out of what you have? What about being smart and pragmatic?And those two words — smart and pragmatic — perfectly sum up Nuno and Wood.Forest have a chance to do something special this season.I am not saying they will go and do a Leicester and win the league but the stars are aligning early doors.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe ‘big boys’ just aren’t as dominant. Manchester City are in a mini-crisis. Arsenal are having a bit of a wobble. Liverpool look good but are still in transition.And against his old club Newcastle tomorrow, he now has the chance to say: You didn’t think I was good enough? Just watch this. More

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      Banned for threatening ref & not eating when he loses – fiery new Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim will bring ‘hairdryer’ back

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      WHEN Ruben Amorim arrives at Manchester United on Monday, the Premier League had better be ready for some hairdryer treatment.The Portuguese manager has gained a reputation for struggling to contain his temper both on and off the pitch during his career.New Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has a fiery side, just like former boss Sir Alex FergusonCredit: RexIt is the kind of rage that fans and players at Old Trafford got used to when Sir Alex Ferguson was in charge.Amorim, 39, who impressed United supporters by beating their rivals Man City 4-1 in his penultimate game in charge of Sporting Lisbon this week, is charged with bringing back the glory days achieved by Fergie in the 1990s and 2000s.The former midfielder has admitted letting anger get the better of him as a player, and he was banned from the touchline as a manager for three months after allegedly telling a referee: “I’ll smash your face in.”Amorim, who played 14 times for his country, also conceded that he struggled to hide his frustration when his team wasn’t doing well and got “impatient” with young stars.READ MORE RUBEN AMORIMHe has gained inspiration by reading about great leaders such as Barack Obama and the late Apple boss Steve Jobs.Different atmosphereHe is also said to be a fan of Peaky Blinders and has seen every episode of the BBC gangster drama starring Cillian Murphy, reportedly telling pals he was “addicted” to the show, which was mainly shot in Birmingham, but also in Manchester.And thanks to some anger management therapy, he is said to be calmer now.But Amorim, who gives few interviews, once admitted: “One problem I have is I can’t control my body language when something is, in my opinion, incredibly wrong.Most read in Football“Because there are things that should be known at a certain level and when I see players making certain mistakes I quickly get frustrated and can’t hide it.”Amorim is set to earn around £8million a year as boss at Manchester United.’Sporting fans will be upset with Ruben Amorim but he will be much better than Erik ten Hag’It is a huge change of fortunes for the man who was raised on the breadline in a household in Lisbon.His parents split up when he was a year old, and money was tight as he and older brother Mauro were raised by their mother Anabela.When Amorim was 13 they moved to the Corroios area of Almada, across the river Tagus from Lisbon, and matters got worse.Amorim’s father Virgilio said: “We were separated and it was an important change for our sons.“Ruben was used to a quiet school and I remember he was attacked once or twice in Corroios, it was a different atmosphere.”Amorim, who has a half-sister, Catia, is said to have been teased at his new school for preferring water to Coke.His friend Daniel Oliveira said: “We teased him a lot because at meals we nearly had to force him to drink something else.”But that healthy approach proved wise, as Amorim’s footballing talent was noticed by local side Belenenses, which signed him in 2003.Amorim is a hero at Sporting where he has won two league titles, and beat Manchester City this weekCredit: PAIn 2008 he joined Benfica, one of Portugal’s top sides, and for him, winning was everything.He said: “In my first derby, Sporting v Benfica, I lost, and I didn’t eat all weekend. “My week, if Benfica lost, I was depressed.”Unfortunately his career was blighted by injuries, such as a torn cruciate ligament in his right knee and tendonitis.Sitting on the sidelines deeply frustrated Amorim, who grew so annoyed he is said to have hurled his boots across the physio room.He said: “An injured player gets stressed and in a bad mood, and contrary to what one might think, you spend more time at the club recovering.”But Amorim was fit to play for his country in the 2014 World Cup. He said: “It was the only year I didn’t have injuries. I was so happy.”A year later he accepted that his physical state meant he could no longer play at the highest level, and he decided to sign for Al-Wakrah in Qatar on loan. It didn’t go well.He recalled: “I knew I wouldn’t have much success there. “Things went against me a lot.“I was sent off twice when I’d never been sent off before. “It must have been the frustration and it turned to anger. “I was stupid.”13-time title winner Sir Alex Ferguson became known for the ‘hairdryer’ treatment dealt out to his playersCredit: GettyAfter just 14 games in the Middle East he decided he would rather quit than accept a losing mentality, even though he could have earned a fortune at the wealthy side.Amorim said: “People said I could stay there five years and earn a lot of money, and that’s what I thought.“But when you go on the pitch I couldn’t think that way — you want to perform well.“I couldn’t stand players greeting me and chatting during the game when we were losing.”In 2017 he decided to retire from playing football at the age of 32.Four years earlier, in 2013, he had married interior designer Maria Joao Diogo in an impressive ceremony at a historic palace in the city of Coimbra.Unlike many footballing partnerships, the couple, who have sons Miguel and Manuel, do not advertise their romance on social media and prefer to keep a low profile.But Amorim did dance with Maria on the pitch when he won his first league title as manager of Sporting Lisbon in 2021.He had had some doubts about going into coaching because the demand of the job means you do not get to see much of your family.He revealed: “At first I wanted to look at doing other things because it’s not very easy for family life.“As I finished playing early, it’s a way of filling the gap. “I’ll try it. I don’t know if I’ll be good or bad.”His rise to the top has been meteoric, having started as a manager in 2018 with lowly third- division side Casa Pia in Lisbon.Amorim has been supported through his managerial career by wife Maria Joao DiogoCredit: D. RAmorim’s hot-headed nature got him into trouble the following year.During a match against Amora he put his head against that of referee Hugo Silva and was reported to have told him: “I’ll smash your face in.”Having been restrained by colleagues, he then took the dispute into the changing room, continuing to berate the ref.Amorim was banned for 90 days and fined 408 euros.According to Espresso, a Portuguese daily newspaper, he went to a psychologist for anger management sessions. Much of his success is down to a strict work ethic, which includes starting his day at 6am.And he has a reputation for looking after his players — including paying the rent for his Casa Pia central defender Deritson Lopes for a year after after he heard that the player was having to work nights at a fast food joint to support his three children.Lopes said: “He was an angel in my life.”Amorim left Casa Pia because he had been banned for coaching without the right level of qualifications and he went to Braga instead.His friend Tiago Ribeiro said: “When he went to Braga B, there were some months without work during which his assistants didn’t get paid, and he took it upon himself to make sure they weren’t lacking anything.” At Braga’s first team he won the league cup and took the unfashionable side into Europe.In 2020 Sporting Lisbon, the bitter rivals of the Benfica side he had supported as a child, paid a record fee to secure his services.It proved to be money well spent because he won the club’s first league title in 19 years.That is what Manchester United hope to be buying, having not finished top of the Premier League since 2013. He is a young coach who should be given the time to succeed, like Ferguson was.Amorim said: “I’ve grown with experience in every respect. “It’s normal to improve with experience.“I’ve made mistakes. “I’ve learnt, I keep learning.READ MORE SUN STORIES“I’ve come through difficulties, I have had great support and I’ve been lucky.”Additional reporting: VICTOR VAGOAmorim, 39, has enjoyed a meteoric rise to the topCredit: Getty More

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      Mason Greenwood being encouraged to consider suing Man Utd after Benjamin Mendy successfully sued rivals City

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      MASON Greenwood is being encouraged to consider suing Man United after Benjamin Mendy successfully sued their rivals City.Legal sources say there could be “potential implications” following Mendy’s victory.The footie ace is to get £9million in wages which were withheld after he was charged with rape and sexual assault — of which he was later cleared.Mason Greenwood could launch a legal bid against Manchester United relating to loss of earningsCredit: ReutersFormer Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy has successfully sued his former clubCredit: GettyHis reps remain unhappy with United’s decision to get rid of him six months later.They believe it affected his future earning ability and attractiveness to sponsors such as Nike, who ditched him after he was arrested.A source said the club was prepared for legal action if Greenwood decided to try to launch a case.READ MORE MASON GREENWOODThey said: “This is something that has been on the cards ever since criminal charges against Mason were dropped. “The club has noted the Mendy case and the potential implications it has for them.“But the two cases are fundamentally different. “Mendy was suspended without pay by City, whilst Mason was suspended on full pay.Most read in FootballBenjamin Mendy has won the majority of his battle against Manchester City over £11.5million in unpaid wages“If he were to launch legal action it would be for a loss of potential earnings.“He was one of the hottest prospects in Europe. “His suspension destroyed it all in an instant.In March we told how Greenwood had liquidated his image rights company in an apparent nod to his lack of appeal to sponsors.The source went on: “He could also claim for damage to his mental health. “The Mendy case has emboldened those around Greenwood. “They feel he was unfairly treated.“But the club sought legal advice at every single stage and is prepared should he go through with it.”Greenwood, now at Marseille, is expecting a second child with partner Harriet Robson.It comes after a tribunal ruled Man City acted unlawfully when they stopped paying Mendy’s wages in 2021. READ MORE SUN STORIESJudge Joanne Dunlop said the French defender, 30, was “ready and willing” to work.We approached United for comment.Greenwood is enjoying success at Marseille after leaving Manchester UnitedCredit: AFP More

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      Jose Mourinho ‘identifies shock Premier League manager’s job he is ready to take straight away’

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      JOSE MOURINHO has taken talk of a Prem return to a new level.The Fenerbahce chief blasted Turkish football last week and is reportedly targeting one high-spending English club in particular.Jose Mourinho is eyeing an English top-flight returnCredit: AFPMourinho fancies making waves in the Premier League once more after landing in hot water in Turkey.The ex-Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham chief has been banned for one match as well as fined after scorching comments about officials and fighting “the system”.The Portuguese 61-year-old suggested the Turkish League “smells bad”.He also questioned why international fans would watch it when there are exciting alternatives such as the Prem.READ MORE TOP STORIESNow The Guardian reckon the two-time Champions League winner is paying extra attention to one Prem team.It’s reckoned the former Real Madrid and Inter Milan manager has been eyeing the situation at Newcastle.St James’ Park chief Eddie Howe is under pressure as the club’s Saudi owners are itching to qualify for the Champions League football.Howe has eased the short-term strain on his position with victories over Chelsea and Arsenal.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSBut ahead of Sunday’s trip to third-placed Nottingham Forest, Newcastle still sit just 11th.It’s understood Mourinho met Newcastle chairman Yasir al-Rumayyan socially at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in March.Jose Mourinho jokes that he could become Millwall manager as he says ‘it’s just across the bridge from my house’And The Guardian say the three-time Prem winner has “maintained the connection” since then.Mourinho’s recent outbursts included a frank admission he was keen to boss again in the Prem – albeit at a STRUGGLING team.He said: “So you find a club in England from the bottom of the table (that) needs a coach in two years, I’m ready to go.”Ironically, Mourinho appears to have grown ever more outspoken since picking up a red card against old club United last month.He was banished for his touchline antics in a 1-1 Europa Conference League draw at Fenerbahce.Now it appears he’s eager for a chance at another United in England – with the Magpies potentially becoming his first swoop on the North East. More

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      Jude Bellingham drops huge hint over relationship with stunning model Laura Celia Valk as she posts series of racy snaps

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      EAGLE-EYED fans have spotted Jude Bellingham interacting with Laura Celia Valk’s latest Instagram post.The Sun exclusively revealed in April that the pair had begun dating.Laura Celia Valk shared a series of glamorous snaps to InstagramCredit: Instagram @ lauraceliavIn one she wore a black leotard and ballet shoesCredit: Instagram @ lauraceliavJude Bellingham liked Laura’s postCredit: GettyIn the summer, Bellingham faced claims that the relationship was a “publicity stunt” – with the pair having not been seen together in public.But the Real Madrid midfielder does follow Laura on Instagram.And fans quickly noticed when his account liked her latest set of snaps.Earlier this week, Laura posted a photodump, which included a snap of herself in a pink corseted dress.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLSpotting Bellingham’s like, one fan commented: “Hey Jude Bellingham.”While a second added: “Jude liked it”.The post received plenty of other gushing comments.One fan swooned: “Soo pretty and gorgeous.”Most read in FootballWhile a second gushed: “I’m literally blinded by your beauty.”A third added: “I wish I could be as beautiful as you.”Jude Bellingham’s model girlfriend Laura Celia Valk helps him get over England heartache in bikini Laura has a huge Instagram followingCredit: Instagram / @lauraceliavShe regularly shares glamorous snapsCredit: Instagram / @lauraceliavLaura’s posts receive thousands of likesCredit: Instagram / @lauraceliavShe often posts from exotic locationsCredit: Instagram / @lauraceliav More