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      in Soccer

      From tough childhood to sick racist abuse, how Jean-Philippe Mateta’s injury is latest hurdle for Crystal Palace star

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      A TOUGH childhood, attacks by racist rival fans, goal droughts – Jean-Philippe Mateta has overcome them all on the way to becoming the king of Crystal Palace.So his current battle to return to fitness after being on the receiving end of a horrific head injury is just another hurdle he must conquer on the road to success.French striker Mateta was struck by Liam Roberts’ boot in an awful tackleCredit: GettyJean-Philippe Mateta lays stricken on the floor following a horror injuryCredit: GettyJean-Philippe Mateta has established himself as one of Crystal Palace’s star playersCredit: GettyMateta is currently recovering from the injury suffered against Millwall in the FA Cup.He was on the receiving end of a wild head-high tackle from Liam Roberts in the first half of the tasty fifth-round tie.Mateta stayed down for several minutes as he was treated by the medics on the Selhurst Park pitch while distressed team-mates watched on.After nearly ten minutes on the ground, he was carried off on a stretcher and received oxygen as he was taken away.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLHe was later discharged from hospital after receiving 25 stitches to his ear.Mateta is recovering at home, and will hopefully be soon back playing for Palace. His career is a story of overcoming adversity driven, in part, by the example of his dad Philippe, whose own career was cut cruelly short.Mateta – grew up in Sevran, a district of “the 93” – the area in the north-east suburbs of Paris that is among the poorest parts of France and notorious for crime.Most read in FootballBut from the start the young man saw football as his way out and was determined not to go down the wrong path.Mateta said: “Lots of young people smoke weed, some end up in miserable situations, some even die.“But for you as a resident, that’s everyday life, you don’t see it as particularly threatening.The striker has scored 15 goals in 33 appearances this seasonCredit: AFPMateta forced a move from Chateauroux to Lyon in 2016Credit: Getty“I always knew in my head that I would be a professional footballer one day. And that that would be my ticket out.”Mateta dedicated himself to achieving his dream, even if it meant foregoing the usual excitement of teenage life.He said: “I skipped a lot of parties. Once there was even one right next to me in the high-rise, and I didn’t even go to that one.“My apartment was on the 15th floor, the party on the 11th. All my friends were there, I heard the noise.“I only had to walk a few flights of stairs and I would have been there.“But there was a game the next day, so I stayed home.’Endangered his life’ – Crystal Palace owner gives Mateta injury update live on BBC and slams ‘reckless’ Millwall star“I didn’t have a plan B. Not even close. In my head it was like this: either I become a professional – or I’ll fail.“In my area, a lot of people are looking for quick money, which is why they sell drugs or commit burglaries.“But I felt, deep down, that football would be my path.”Little did Mateta know, however, that his Congo-born dad did not want him to follow in his footsteps.Mateta explained: “ At first, my mother only told me later, he was completely against it. He didn’t want me to go through anything like him.“He played in Congo and then in Liega, But when he was 24, he seriously injured his leg.“Medicine wasn’t that advanced back then, and several operations went wrong. After that, he had to end his career.“He didn’t want me to go through anything like him. The injury, the end of his career, all of that mentally destroyed him.“He wanted to spare me that.”Mateta started training with and playing for Drancy, a club outside Sevran, when he was 14, and then joined Chateauroux’s youth set-up after bigger clubs passed on the chance to sign him.Mateta’s 13 goals in 26 third-tier games for the first team attracted the attention of Lyon and he boycotted training to force a move to the Ligue 1 giants early in the 2016/17, while other clubs, including Tottenham, hesitated.But after limited opportunities in the Lyon first team, Mateta went on loan to Ligue 2 Le Havre, where his goals fired the team to the play-offs to get into Ligue 1.But the semi final against Ajaccio in Corsica was postponed by a day after fans attacked the Le Havre team bus and hurled abuse.Mateta recalled: “They called me a dirty black, they insulted my family.“After the attack on the bus, we remained calm. Since they had broken the air conditioning, we had to open the doors, and the police hadn’t arrived yet.“So if they had wanted to attack us, they could have done so. But they didn’t.“It was just intimidation, but personally, it didn’t scare me at all.”When the game took place a day late, tempers flared on the pitch and Mateta’s provocative celebration when he made it 2-1 in extra time led to a melee.He and three other players were sent off before Ajaccio equalised and then won a penalty shootout.But Mateta’s 20 goals in 38 games earned him his own move to the top flight, with German side Mainz beating Newcastle and others to the punch.In Germany, too, he had to confront racism, as the club’s squad, which featured a number of players with African ancestry, was the target of snide comments and outright abuse.Mainz’s club record signing, at a fee of £6.5m, had an impressive first season, scoring 14 times in the Bundesliga.But Mateta found the net only 10 times across the next two campaigns.So there were reservations when he arrived at Selhurst Park in 2020, initially on an 18-month loan.The striker moved to Mainz in 2018Credit: GettyHe spent a season on loan at Crystal Palace before completing a permanent move in 2022Credit: GettyMateta joined permanently for £8m in January 2022 but still struggled to hold down a starting place.He ended a run of 28 Premier League appearances without a goal when he scored the winner in the game against Leicester in April 2023, which marked Roy Hodgson’s return as boss.But it was only when Oliver Glasner replaced Hodgson in February last year that Mateta’s Premier League career really took off.Mateta scored 13 goals in 13 games – having managed just 11 in his first 80 PL appearances – as Palace achieved their joint highest finish (10th) and points total (49) of the Premier League era.Glasner’s high-pressing tactics brought more turnovers and the frontman in his 3-4-2-1 formation capitalised.During that amazing run, Mateta became only the second French player to score in seven straight home game in the PL.The other one was Thierry Henry, who promptly picked the Palace star as an over-age player for the Olympic tournament in Paris.Mateta scored the only goal of the quarter final against Argentina, netted twice in the 3-1 semi-final win over Egypt and grabbed a 93rd-minute equaliser to send the final against Spain to extra time.The Spaniards won on penalties so Mateta and his team-mates had to settle for silver medals.But the 27-year-old has taken his golden touch in front of goal into the current season.Mateta’s two goals in the 2-0 win at Manchester United last month took his Premier League tally to 10 for the season.Glasner said: “It is amazing when you have a number nine who scores goals — that is what everyone expects from a striker.“He has the confidence and the feeling at the moment. Both goals were one-touch finishes.“For the set play, he was there; he had the feeling and the confidence to be in the right areas.“The second goal looked easy in the end because it was a one-touch finish, but it was his 20th run in behind.READ MORE SUN STORIES“He runs and runs, and many times, he does not get the ball, but in the end, he gets the rewards.”Which pretty much sums up the life and career of Mateta.Mateta scored twice for Palace against Man Utd last monthCredit: GettyThe Frenchman suffered a serious head injury against Millwall in the FA Cup at the weekendCredit: Getty More

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      in Boxing

      Harrowing story of undefeated boxer who ‘lost his mind’ after drugs binge before ‘murdering wife’ and committing suicide

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      IT appeared Edwin Valero had the world at his feet as an undefeated champion with a beautiful wife and two children. But outside the ring he was battling a fight against drug addiction which would ultimately cost him his life.Edwin Valero had 27 wins all by KOCredit: AFPEdwin Valero pictured with wife JenniferBut he led a dark life in privateCredit: ReutersValero committed suicide in 2010Credit: AFPWBC president Mauricio Sulaiman told SunSport: “He had unbelievably heavy hands. “Very unfortunately his life ended in tragedy, in controversy, but what happened inside the ring was tremendous by him. “Valero grew up in Merida, Venezuela and began boxing at 12 in a bid to combat the anger that raged inside of him. He had an 86-6 amateur record with 57 knockouts, winning national titles three years in a row before turning professional in 2002. READ MORE IN BOXINGValero broke the record by winning his first 18 fights all by KO in a display of power never-before-seen. He was also becoming somewhat of a myth behind-the-scenes in boxing gyms, regularly KOing sparring partners in chilling fashion. By 20 bouts, Valero was WBA super-featherweight champion and later won the WBC belt in 2009. WBC boss Sulaiman – his father Jose in charge at the time – befriended Valero on the boxer’s rise to stardom. Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSSulaiman told SunSport: “He was very nice, very quiet. He had a great charisma, macho type, but he was a family man.” Valero shared son Edwin Antonio and Jennifer Roselyne with wife Jennifer.Mike Tyson doesn’t hesitate when revealing heavyweight who would have beaten him Heading into the late 2000s and Valero was making huge waves in the sport, linked with massive fights against the likes of Manny Pacquiao.But he also led a secret life of drink and drugs, which caused a strain on his relationship. In 2010, Valero was accused of assault after his wife was hospitalised with bruises and a damaged lung. The feared fighter denied wrongdoing – while wife Jennifer told cops she hurt herself falling down stairs. Valero’s troubles outside the ring also included being denied a 2009 fight on Pacquaio’s undercard after his visa was rejected due to a DUI in Texas. The boxer continued to KO opponents around the world, from America, Asia and Mexico. But he would celebrate with drug binges back home in Venezuela – something that would have fatal consequences. Valero was one of boxing’s hardest hittersCredit: AFPHe knocked out every one of his opponentsCredit: GettyHe was world champion in two weightsCredit: AFPSulaiman said: “The sky was the limit for Valero because he was young and talented and powerful. “Very unfortunately, he experienced the evil of cocaine. In just a short period of time, he lost his mind.” Valero’s final fight was against Antonio DeMarco in February 2010 in Mexico – he won via ninth-round KO and retained his WBC lightweight title.But just two months later and he was dead alongside his wife.Sulaiman said: “After his fight in Mexico – he fought in Monterrey, Mexico – he flew back to Venezuela and some people introduced him to cocaine and he had a horrible week.”We were contacted by his family and friends and my father was a couple of days away from getting a humanitarian visa so that he could travel to a rehab facility in the United States.”And there was also one in Cuba that was ready to receive him. And unfortunately, history turned that way and it didn’t happen.” Valero’s 24-year-old wife was found stabbed to death on April 18, 2010. Valero walks after being arrested in a police station in 2010Credit: ReutersHe would commit suicide one day laterCredit: ReutersValero was arrested after Jennifer’s body was discovered in a hotel in the city of Valencia, Carabobo.The 27-0 champion – who won every fight by KO – was considered the prime suspect – but he never faced his day in court. Valero was discovered hanging in his jail cell just a day after his arrest – committing suicide only 24 hours after allegedly killing his wife. Reports in Venezuela claimed Valero admitted to hotel security and police that he had murdered his wife.Jennifer’s family accused Valero of being a violent, drug-addicted bully who stopped eating or sleeping before taking it out on his wife.Sulaiman and his dad saw Valero and his family dining out after his last fight – unaware of the horrors that would follow. He said: “I never could have believed what happened.Very unfortunately his life ended in tragedy, in controversy but what happened inside the ring was tremendous by him. WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman”I was completely shocked. Heartbroken in disbelief because he was a real good friend.” “He was a very dear, fighter, dear friend. And it’s just a tragedy.” Both Valero and his wife had public burials in Venezuela.Their kids were taken in by Jennifer Carolina’s sister and their daughter later took up amateur boxing in her father’s honour. A 2016 film titled El Inca – Valero’s boxing nickname – was selected as Venezuelia’s entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars.Valero’s brother-in-law – Jennifer’s brother Yoel Finol – also became a boxer and represented Venezuelan at the 2016 Olympics. In the run up to the Rio Games, Finol revealed he had forgiven Valero for his alleged horrors and only began boxing as a kid due to his influence. Finol is now a 3-0 pro bantamweight but he has not fought since 2020.READ MORE SUN STORIESValero remains the WBC’s only champion with a 100 per cent KO ratio with his career in the ring still celebrated to this day. But the questions he left unanswered also still remain.Yoel Finol, left, is Valero’s brother-in-law and an Olympic boxerCredit: Reuters More

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      in Soccer

      A house of fury & the truth about Lauryn Goodman’s move… what’s really next for Annie & Kyle after THOSE pics?

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      FOR a man who fathered two children with his ex-mistress, enjoyed a covid-busting orgy with hookers, exposed himself in a bar and romped with a reality star in his Bentley, this is by no means a disaster for Kyle Walker.So what if he was pictured leaving an Italian hotel with two women late at night before heading off to a nightclub – merely hours after playing happy families with his estranged wife and four kids on a shopping trip?Love rat Kyle Walker got touchy-feely with Annie lookalikes at a hotel bar and club until around 2amCredit: BackGridHe treated the pair to £5,300 Super VIP extravagance at the Italian city’s star-studded Tocqueville 13Credit: BackGridAn onlooker said: ‘The women looked at ease in Kyle’s company, sticking close by his side’Credit: BackGridHe’s done far worse, surely. And yet, that’s the problem, isn’t it? He has set the bar so low that being photographed with two women leaving a hotel and heading to a nightspot is unlikely to cause him a sleepless night in the grand scheme of misdemeanours.But what about Annie?Those close to the couple have been at pains in recent weeks to stress that they are in the best place they’ve ever been since the scandal involving his former lover Lauryn Goodman erupted long over a year ago.In public, his representatives insist that the pictures taken outside the Casa Cipriani hotel are entirely innocent and there is no reason to believe otherwise. In private, they will be tearing their hair out that he could have put himself in this position, yet again.Sources tell me he flew home at the weekend (he’s currently injured) to collect more of his belongings to fill his £10,000-a-month apartment in Milan which is now ready for him to move into.He jetted back before the images of his latest night out emerged – no doubt thankful of the timing.FINAL NAILS IN COFFINBut whilst Casa Walker will be filled with fury today, those who advise him will also feel a twinge of exasperation. They had repeatedly warned him to behave from the moment he touched down.It was a near daily mantra for the England full-back. He was desperate for breathing space to gather himself away from the prying eyes of the British tabloid media.Man City star Kyle Walker confesses to betraying ‘soulmate & best friend’ Annie Kilner in astonishingly honest interviewBut far from using it to reflect, he appears intent on adding a few more final nails to the coffin for good measure. The images, however innocent they may be, will undoubtedly upset Annie.Sure, she’ll have been far angrier in the past, and with good reason. But it’s the lack of thought for her feelings that will sting most.He must have known how it would look just 24 hours after Annie and the kids made a flying visit to Italy? The images, however innocent they may be, will undoubtedly upset AnnieCredit: BackGridAnnie was pictured without her wedding ring this weekCredit: Eamonn and James ClarkeLauryn’s proposed move to Italy appears to be off – despite posing next to a removal truckCredit: BackGridOne source said: “He doesn’t care. It’s as though he is deliberately sabotaging any hopes they have of staying together. “And nothing is going to change. The bar has now been set at baby. If that can’t end their marriage then being pictured with two women outside a hotel isn’t going to cause any problems for him.”It’ll be put down to Kyle being Kyle. It’s what he does. It’ll anger Annie without a doubt, but he’s been doing this to her for years and it’s now an accepted part of their relationship.”They’re up and down. It changes from week to week. But the chances are this is going to be a bad week.”But they will no doubt take some comfort from the fact that Lauryn’s proposed move to Italy appears to be off. After vowing to emigrate to Italy to be closer to the £150,000-a-week footballer – whilst posing next to a removals truck with her worldly goods on the back – she remains in Blighty. More

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      in Soccer

      Arsenal’s Max Dowman, 15, is most exciting young talent in the country – no wonder Arteta is desperate to unleash him

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      MAX DOWMAN is quickly proving to be the most exciting young talent in the country.At 15-years-old, the Hale End midfielder made a mockery of Arsenal’s FA Youth Cup quarter final against Manchester United on Friday night – despite the eventual 3-2 defeat after extra-time.Arsenal wonderkid Max Dowman put on a masterful display in the FA Youth CupCredit: GettyDowman, 15, was the star of the show against Man Utd in the semi-finalCredit: GettyArsenal boss Mikel Arteta is desperate to unleash Dowman into the first teamCredit: GettyUp against opponents two or three years older, Dowman was easily the best player on the pitch, and seemingly on a different planet, already vastly too good for U18s football and the envy of rival academies.As well as the 7,500 fans present at the Emirates, this jaw-dropping performance was streamed live on the FA’s YouTube channel for all to appreciate.If Dowman was not known nationwide already, he certainly is now.By full-time, his name was trending on social media, partly thanks to a mesmerising second half dribble from the halfway line to win a penalty that he then converted to make it 2-1.Read more Arsenal newsIt is no wonder Mikel Arteta is desperate to fast-track another academy star into his senior squad, especially after the frightening impact of Ethan Nwaneri, 17, and Myles Lewis-Skelly, 18, this term.Had it not been for red tape, Dowman – who turned 15 on December 31 – may have already made his senior debut, following in the footsteps of Nwaneri who became the youngest ever Premier League debutant at 15 years and 181 days in September 2022.Having been registered for the U15s at the start of the season, Prem regulations state that no player under the U16s age group can be included in a match day squad.It is the same in the Champions League, needing to be at least 16-years-old to feature.Most read in FootballDespite this, Dowman has spent large parts of this campaign training with the first team, including joining the senior stars on their mid-season warm-weather trip to Dubai last month, and will likely be a part of the pre-season travelling party this summer.Mikel Arteta bizarrely hints Arsenal should be mid-table but still won’t give up on title But just like with Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri, Arteta will be patient to find the right moment to unleash him.In January, Arteta said of Dowman – who also plays for England’s U17s: “Very impressive. At his age as well, some of the things he does in training are unbelievable.“He’s a player with huge talent and we have a lot of belief that we can develop him to become one of our own. He’s doing very well so far.“At the moment with all the legislation there are a lot of restrictions for his age, something that in other countries you don’t even mention. It is very difficult to change as well.“We’ll have to wait and see. He’s taking very fast steps because every time you put him in a different challenge, a different level, he overcomes that hurdle really quickly which is great.”Dowman already has an aura about him, hence why he was kicked lumps out of by United’s kids, something he may have to get used to – akin to Jack Wilshere or Jack Grealish.He reacted at the end of the first half when he earned a yellow for a studs up tackle of his own, showing a nastiness to his game.At full-time, after a gruelling 120 minutes, Dowman was clearly angry, but showed his maturity by heading straight to the home fans to applaud them on his own.There was a buzz in the crowd when he glided around the pitch with the ball, untouchable at times.Yet you could tell he was playing with the handbrake on – not wanting to embarrass his opponent too much.Youngster Dowman created a huge buzz at the Emirates in the FA Youth Cup semiCredit: GettyDowman is already training alongside Arsenal’s first team starsCredit: GettyRecords tumble whenever Dowman is involved, becoming the youngest player to feature for Arsenal’s U21s earlier this season.And in September, he was the youngest in history to score in a UEFA Youth League tie in a 4-1 loss to Atalanta at the age of 14 years, eight months and 19 days.Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri were at the Emirates on Friday to watch Dowman and the rest of their former teammates. In another world, they would have been playing.Academy manager Per Mertesacker was also present, smiling as he applauded the team down the tunnel from the director’s box. What a job he has done since taking the role in July 2018.It was not just Dowman who impressed. Centre back Marli Salmon, 15, and keeper Jack Porter made their mark too. The Arsenal’s production line is strong yet again.The U18s were given the first team experience at the Emirates, even playing the anthem ‘North London Forever’ in the dressing room, as well as over the stadium speakers before kick-off.When Dowman was in full flight United’s youngsters couldn’t handle himCredit: GettyDowman will hope to follow Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly into the first teamCredit: GettyMeanwhile, United’s youngsters also stuck to tradition, arriving at the ground in their club-embroidered blazer, shirt and tie.READ MORE SUN STORIESArsenal coach Adam Birchall said: “[The Emirates] is a spectacular place to come and play your football. It’s where a lot of these lads will go to bed at night dreaming of playing in the end.“When the dust settles, I know that they’ll never forget this night. But we need to make sure that this night, regardless of the score, is a springboard to go and kick on and try to build a career.” More

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      in Soccer

      Forget the sob stories, five years without an Arsenal trophy means Mikel Arteta risks facing same fate as Poch at Spurs

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      WHEN was the last time the manager of a Big Six club was allowed to go five years without winning a trophy and stay in his job?The answer is Mauricio Pochettino, sacked by Tottenham early in his sixth season.Arsenal have once again failed to keep pace in a title raceCredit: GettyMikel Arteta is facing a fifth season without a trophy at the EmiratesCredit: RexBefore him, it was Arsene Wenger, who already had three Premier League titles – including two Doubles – to boast about before his long eight-season trophy drought.So unless Arsenal are going to be crowned champions of Europe this year for the first time in their history – and without a striker – Mikel Arteta is going to be entering into some pretty exclusive company.Arteta is under no immediate threat at the Emirates.Arsenal remain likely to finish as Premier League runners-up for a third straight season and if they defeat PSV Eindhoven, they will reach a second successive Champions League quarter-final.READ MORE ON ARSENALBut there comes a time when questions must be asked.And five seasons without a trophy is that sort of time.Sure, Arteta has improved Arsenal substantially but is he the man to take them over the line and win a Premier League or Champions League?Arteta did win the FA Cup just months after succeeding Unai Emery – with the team he inherited and then comprehensively dismantled.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSPierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored both goals in that behind-closed-doors 2-1 victory over Chelsea but was stripped of the captaincy the following year and bundled out of the door along with Mesut Ozil.When Kieran Tierney leaves this summer, Bukayo Saka and out-on-loan Reiss Nelson will be the only remaining Arsenal players to have won a trophy at the club – although they were both unused subs in that 2020 triumph over their London neighbours.‘Second again, ole ole’ – Brutal West Ham fans taunt Arsenal with three cheeky chants after stunning the EmiratesThe team Arteta subsequently built appeared young, vibrant and hungry during the previous two seasons, when they ran Manchester City close for the Premier League crown on both occasions.This year, there has been no title race, despite City’s extraordinary implosion. Liverpool have been allowed to run away with it.Arsenal failed to score for the third time in four matches in a God-awful goalless draw at Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.That was a clash between the second and third teams in the table, which showcased exactly how far Arne Slot’s Reds are ahead of everybody else.Unless Arsenal are going to be crowned champions of Europe this year for the first time in their history – and without a striker – Mikel Arteta is going to be entering into some pretty exclusive company.Now 13 points ahead, the Merseysiders might well surpass Manchester City’s record 19-point winning margin of 2018.Any current conversation about the Gunners has to revolve around the absence of a fit striker.Season-ending injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, as well as a long-term lay-off for Saka, represent extremely bad luck. But then neither the German nor the Brazilian are authentic centre-forwards.Arsenal’s need for a striker predates those injuries.The debate was raging during the previous two seasons.Arsenal ratings vs Forest as NOBODY looks like scoring for Gunners but Saliba’s a Rolls Royce againMIKEL ARTETA may not have anyone to put the ball in the back of the net but in William Saliba he has one of the best defenders in the Prem.The Arsenal boss watched his side’s faint title hopes go well and truly up in smoke in the goalless draw with Nottingham Forest.But his brilliant backline emerged, once again, with credit from this tricky clash at the City Ground.Together with Gabriel, Saliba kept a tight lid on Forest dangerman Chris Wood, who scored a hat-trick in his last appearance on this ground.But the fact the Gunners’ biggest threat at the other end of the pitch came from left-back Riccardo Calafiori – who was subbed off at half-time – says it all about the dire situation Arsenal somehow find themselves in.Here is how SunSport’s Graeme Bryce rated the Gunners stars’ displays…And if Arteta had prioritised a striker, the club would have signed one last summer, rather than having to leave it until late in January to make a failed bid for Aston Villa’s England international Ollie Watkins.Havertz, who was most effective as a No 10 in his Chelsea days, has the height and ability to link up play but he is not a top-class finisher.When Jesus was at City, Pep Guardiola preferred him as a winger and often played with false nines rather than employing the Brazilian through the middle.Talk of former Brentford hitman Ivan Toney, Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres came and went and RB Leipzig’s raw 21-year-old Slovenian striker Benjamin Sesko looks the most likely summer recruit. But Arsenal’s failure to bolster their forward line has been negligent.Still, even when Havertz and Jesus were fit, Arsenal’s playing style had clearly regressed this season.They have become Set Piece FC, an upper-class version of Tony Pulis’ Stoke City and a difficult watch.Mikel Arteta bizarrely hints Arsenal should be mid-table but still won’t give up on title An image of Arsenal’s set-piece coach Nicolas Jover has been painted on to a mural near the Emirates.The days of Wenger’s Arsenal playing eye-candy football and being obsessed with scoring the perfect goal are long gone.Five red cards in the Premier League have cost the Gunners up to ten points.Dark conspiracy theories among Arsenal fans cannot mask a basic lack of discipline and game-management.Forget the sob stories, half a decade without silverware simply isn’t good enough.Arteta has done much to foster a bond between players and supporters after years of the ‘Wenger Out, Wenger In’ civil war and the short reign of Emery.The atmosphere at the Emirates has improved greatly — sometimes vast swathes of the crowd do not leave early to catch their trains.But this term there have been rumblings of discontent.Arsenal have gone backwards and most supporters recognise it.Opposition to the ownership of ‘Silent’ Stan Kroenke has been silenced but if it kicks off again, the manager will be in danger.Pochettino improved Spurs immeasurably, reaching a Champions League final after two successive near-misses in title races.But even at Arsenal’s bitter rivals, five years without a trophy was enough to see the Argentinian gone.READ MORE SUN STORIESUnless Arteta oversees a miracle in Europe – and Arsenal would probably have to beat Real Madrid in a quarter-final and Liverpool in a semi to do so – then the Spaniard will be on trial at the beginning of next term.Forget the sob stories, half a decade without silverware simply isn’t good enough. More

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      in Boxing

      I made deal with God as I lay dying after husband’s attack – I’m still trying to keep my end, says boxer Christy Martin

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      BOXING legend Christy Martin has revealed she made a deal with God as she lay dying after her husband’s brutal attack – and says she’s still trying to keep her end of the bargain.The 56-year-old – nicknamed The Coal Miner’s Daughter because of her father’s job in West Virginia, where she grew up – was a pioneer in the ring.Boxing legend Christy Martin is a survivor of domestic abuseCredit: GettyChristy survived an attempted murder by husband JimCredit: Office of the State Attorney, Ninth Judicial Circuit of FloridaChristy, right, poses with actress Sydney Sweeney who will be playing her in the upcoming movieCredit: FacebookShe won 49 fights, with 32 by way of knockout, in a career that began in the late 1980s, and was represented by legendary promoter Don King.However, behind the scenes manager James ‘Jim’ Martin, who she would marry in 1991, made her life a living hell by beating her physically and stripping her down mentally.All the while, Christy, who is gay, was wrestling with her sexuality and identity in the macho world of her profession.In 2010, Martin would attempt to take Christy’s life – repeatedly stabbing his wife, before shooting her in the chest.Martin, who was 25 years Christy’s senior, was sentenced to 25 years in prison.He died last November, while serving his sentence at Graceville Correctional Facility in Florida.Understandably, Christy’s astonishing story has caught the attention of Hollywood.It’s not a boxing movie. It’s about domestic violence and it’s about sexuality. There’s so many different aspects and groups of people that this movie can affectChristy MartinA movie, directed by acclaimed Aussie filmmaker David Michod and starring actress of the moment Sydney Sweeney as Christy, wrapped in late 2024.Netflix also chronicled the tale with a powerful documentary called Untold: Deal with the Devil released in 2021.Speaking to SunSport, Christy, 56, told us: “To me, it’s the underdog story.Christy Martin was a boxing legend, but her ex-husband and trainer attempted to murder her”It’s not a boxing movie. It’s about domestic violence and it’s about sexuality. There’s so many different aspects and groups of people that this movie can affect.”The meaning behind the movie, for me, is don’t hide who you are – whatever it be, whatever makes you different. Be true to you.”Christy admitted she was surprised, at first, by the casting of Hollywood superstar Sweeney.”My first reaction was, ‘Wow, it kind of doesn’t fit,'” she said.”But when I spoke with Sydney, I learned she actually has an MMA background. We had some great conversations.”She is very much a competitor, like I was. I think this role will show people a whole other side to her they are not used to seeing.”She’s very real and a completely normal person, not like some Hollywood people I have met in my life and throughout my boxing career.”Christy met future hubby Jim when she was 22 and he was 47. She was an up and coming boxer, and he promised her the world by claiming he had contacts that could get her to the top of the tree.They married in 1991, although it was a marriage of convenience. Before Jim, Christy was in relationships with women.”I got involved with Jim by accident,” she said.”It was one of those things, I was impressionable and young and he claimed he knew everyone in the boxing business.”Christy was in an abusive marriage with Jim Martin who was her managerCredit: GettyGlam Sweeney was a surprise choice to play Martin in the new filmSweeney flexes her muscles on set of the untitled Christy Martin biopicCredit: instagram/sydney_sweeneySydney is unrecognisable on set for the upcoming movieCredit: BackGridBy the mid 1990s, Christy became a showbiz name in her own right.She featured on the undercard for Mike Tyson’s pay-per-view fight against Frank Bruno, and appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated.There was even an appearance on classic US TV sitcom Roseanne.But away from the public eye, she was under duress from Jim who controlled her every move.That included trash-talking gay fighters, even though she was hiding her own past and sexuality.Christy revealed: “Jim would encourage me to trash talk fighters who were gay.”I would tell him, ‘You’re treading on thin ice because if I say something, then someone from my past might hear it and come out of the woodwork’.”I would always tell him he was pushing me to walk a dangerous line.”It could have come out at any point, at any time, and something could have exposed me. How would I have looked then?”I was living two lives with what was going on in front of the camera and what was happening behind closed doors.”We would argue about everything, at press conferences, at home. I got to the point where I would pick and choose my battles.”As the first superstar of women’s boxing, Christy appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1996Credit: SuppliedLegendary boxing promoter Don King represented ChristyCredit: GettyChristy became a celebrity in her own right – appearing on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in 1996Credit: NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal viaTheir blistering rows would often erupt into violence. “Once he knocked my tooth through my lip when I tried to leave him,” Christy confessed.”I had put a contract together to go our separate ways. I just wanted to live my life and go in a different direction. But I was his personal ATM. Without me what was he going to do?”As their relationship further deteriorated, Christy began to get hooked on cocaine, which she used to ease her pain.As he was beating my head into the dresser, I thought, ‘You know motherf***er, you are not going to kill me. Not today.’Christy MartinOn November 23, 2010 it all came to a head. After spending a few days with her friend, Sherry Lusk, Christy returned to their Florida home to find an agitated Martin.She recalled: “I had a headache, so I went to lay down in the bedroom. The entire time I’m laying down, I could hear Jim sharpening a knife.”Then I overheard him talking on the phone, calling people up and telling them I left him for a woman.”I got up and I was getting ready to go for a run. I put one shoe on and then he came into the bedroom.”He said, ‘I have something to show you.’ I thought he had a boxing contract, but instead he had a knife and a gun.”He started to stab me and cut me up and we got into a fight. In my mind, I was ready to die. “But, as he was beating my head into the dresser, I thought, ‘You know motherf***er, you are not going to kill me. Not today.’Christy refused to give up on life after being stabbed and shotCredit: GettyIn 2010, Martin repeatedly stabbed his wife with this knifeCredit: Office of the State Attorney, Ninth Judicial Circuit of FloridaHe then shot Christy in the chest with this pink gunCredit: Office of the State Attorney, Ninth Judicial Circuit of Florida”It was like a switch just flipped and I wanted to live. When he cut me, he cut his own hand. And so he stopped beating me and went to clean up his own hand.”I started to walk out the room. He came back in and picked up the gun. I said to him, ‘You don’t have the balls to shoot me.'”But he did. He shot me and I remember I just prayed to God and asked for a way to get out.”Christy was stabbed four times in the chest, her left lung was punctured, her left leg was sliced to the bone, and a bullet was lodged three inches from her heart.Callous Martin left his wife for dead on the bedroom floor and went to have a shower.The crime scene where Christy was stabbed four times and shotCredit: Office of the State Attorney, Ninth Judicial Circuit of FloridaChristy managed to make it out of the flat when Martin went to have a shower, picture shows blood on the bathroom floorCredit: Office of the State Attorney, Ninth Judicial Circuit of FloridaThe boxing legend’s left leg was sliced to the boneCredit: Office of the State Attorney, Ninth Judicial Circuit of FloridaJim Martin in hospital with injuries sustained in his attackCredit: Office of the State Attorney, Ninth Judicial Circuit of FloridaMartin was sentenced to 25 years in prison for attempting to murder ChristyCredit: Alamy”I heard the shower water turn on and that was God telling me it’s time, Christy, now’s the time. So I tried to get up, but blood was coming out of all these holes,” she said.Miraculously, she managed to make it out of their condo, before flagging down a stranger who rushed her to a nearby hospital.She survived her ordeal, as she believes, by the grace of God.In the emergency room, as she recovered from her wounds, she was also able to kick her drug habit to the kerb.”I had always been that athlete that said no to drugs,” she said.”In college, you smoke weed in high school and college and stuff – but I said I was never going to get addicted.”But cocaine became my drug of choice, and it was because I was so miserable with Jim. I was trying to find a happy place.I had always been that athlete that said no to drugsChristy”Cocaine was putting me in that happy place, even though it was really killing me and putting me in a worse place. It was an escape every day for around three years.”I quit because I wasn’t miserable anymore. I was free of Jim. I didn’t need that drug anymore.”Christy is thankful to be alive to tell her story, which she hopes will help women who have been in similar situations to her.”I made a deal with God in the hospital,” she told us.”You know, you let me live through this and I promise you I’m going to help. I’m going to help at least one person every day so they don’t suffer what I went through.”That’s why I keep talking about domestic violence because I gotta keep up my end of the bargain.”Christy in action against Laila Ali in 2003Credit: GettyJim Martin, right, died in 2024 while serving his sentence at Graceville Correctional Facility in FloridaToday, Christy Martin regularly discusses her domestic violence ordealCredit: GettyPioneering Christy led the way for female boxers like Katie Taylor, rightCredit: Sportsfile More

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      Troy Deeney: Beware Sir Jim Ratcliffe, keep making staff redundant and you’ll lose heart and soul of Man Utd, trust me

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      MORALE among Manchester United’s players must be low enough as it is.But when you throw in a total of 450 staff losing their jobs – around 40 per cent of the club’s workforce – it is hardly going to help matters.Sir Jim Ratcliffe has announced another sweeping round of cuts at Old TraffordCredit: PANothing is going right on or off the pitch for Manchester UnitedCredit: GettyTroy Deeney has seen first hand what staff redundancies at a club can meanCredit: The SunFirst and foremost, it must be ­killing boss Ruben Amorim to have to keep answering questions about something which is not his fault, when he has only been at the club for two minutes.And from a PR point of view – with United in the bottom half – the optics are terrible.When was there last any positive news at Old Trafford?Probably when Amorim was appointed – although that optimism didn’t last long.Having spent most of my career at Watford, a far smaller operation with fewer employees, I was gobsmacked to hear United employed as many as 1,140 people before Sir Jim Ratcliffe got his axe out.Maybe many of the roles Ratcliffe is slashing are non-essential. Maybe there genuinely was fat to trim.And maybe the players themselves wouldn’t ever have met a lot of them.When you hear about 450 job losses – 250 in the last round of redundancies, with 200 more to follow – it can sound like just a figure.BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSBut then I started thinking about the behind-the-scenes staff at ­Watford, people I actually know, and then it became more personal.Because some of these people are the heart and soul of a football club.Andy Goldstein insists Sir Jim Ratcliffe has got everything wrong at Man Utd after drastic cuts For instance, in the training-room canteen at Watford, there were Linette and Sharon.They served us food and drink but they did far more than that.If we’d lost a few games, they were the people who lifted us.If we needed bringing down a peg or two, they would keep us grounded.Some of these people are the heart and soul of a football club.”Oh yeah, you scored the winning goal in an FA Cup semi-final but do you think you can leave your dirty plates lying around?”Linette had been at the club for 35 or 40 years – since Graham Taylor’s first spell as manager.If you were feeling down, just try moaning at her and Sharon and you would hear something along the lines of ‘oh yeah, it must be so hard being a professional footballer, my heart bleeds for you’.There will be staff like that at United’s training ground.Man Utd ratings vs Ipswich as Maguire saves the day after Onana makes case to be WORST ever signingMANCHESTER UNITED eased their fears of the drop in a topsy-turvy relegation six-pointer with Ipswich.The Red Devils triumphed 3-2 despite playing the second half with ten men.A major cock-up from Patrick Dorgu and Andre Onana saw Ipswich take a third-minute lead through Jaden Philogene.Then, after United had recovered to lead 2-1, Dorgu saw a straight red card for a poor challenge on Omari Hutchinson.Philogene scored again to level it before the break only for Harry Maguire to nod in to be United’s saviour.But who was United’s best player on the night?Here, SunSport’s Phil Thomas reveals his Manchester United player ratings…And I hope for the sake of the players, that those sorts of people are not being made redundant.Then there was Gail, Watford’s club secretary. Or should I say the club secretary/therapist.When I needed to vent, I’d go and vent at Gail in her office and the world seemed a better place.It was the same for a lot of players.And then there was Scott — also known as ‘Eeyore’ — the miserable head groundsman, who was actually one of the funniest blokes you could ever meet. He won awards for the playing ­surface at Vicarage Road.He took such pride in his work that he resented you actually playing or training on his pitches.If he could have erected a ‘Keep Off The Grass’ sign at the training ground, he would have done.There was Richard, the long-serving media officer, who protected the club’s image with his life.And another Richard, the player liaison officer, who was a godsend.His was a role which some might reckon showed how pampered footballers can be – but I disagree.We’d have so many youngsters, aged 18 to 21, coming over from abroad, with little grasp of English, who had never lived away from home.Rich would do everything for them.Even when the club’s owners don’t actually care. All of these people were invaluable and would have excellent ­relationships with many players.He would tell them where to live, how to pay their bills, work out where their parents would stay if they came to visit.For older players, he would find schools for their kids.As captain, I’d have to tell players not to take the p*** because Richard was so dedicated he’d be sorting out their social diaries.Some of the biggest unsung heroes at any club are those who work in the community department – many of whom are volunteers.They ensure a club is in touch with its roots, playing a proper role in the local area.United’s players have endured a horror season and their mood won’t be improved by staff redundanciesCredit: GettyEven when the club’s owners don’t actually care. All of these people were invaluable and would have excellent ­relationships with many players.When Watford were relegated, quite a few people I knew were made redundant by the club and that was what killed me more than anything.As a player, you know you have a short career, and that you’ve worked hard to get to the top in a very ­competitive industry.But you also know you are very well paid, that you could go six months without money if you had to — and you were fully aware that most of these people being made redundant were facing the possibility of real hardship.I don’t believe that United can make 450 people redundant without it having any impact on the players. Cut away too much ‘fat’ and you can end up losing your heart and soul.I thought long and hard about whether I should dig into my own pocket to help them out.Now, I’m a rarity in the modern game in that I stayed at one club for ten years and really got to know many of the staff at Watford.Many players who are just passing through won’t be so bothered because they don’t have those ­personal relationships with staff.And in a workforce of over a ­thousand, there will be people who are expendable.Footballers can be a selfish breed. In some ways, it is part of the ­mindset needed to be a successful professional sportsman.But I don’t believe that United can make 450 people redundant without it having any impact on the players.Cut away too much ‘fat’ and you can end up losing your heart and soul. More

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      ‘IQ score beat my wife’s… that’s the best thing’ – Brainiac Frank Lampard on why he’s proving smart choice at Coventry

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      AFTER failing his last two tests at Chelsea and Everton, Lampard is gaining pass marks again.It does not take a genius to work out why… but if it did the high-flying Coventry boss would certainly fit the bill.Frank Lampard is loving his time with Coventry CityCredit: GettyThe Chelsea legend has taken Coventry from 17th to play-off contentionCredit: PAAfter all, how many football managers qualify for Mensa with an IQ of 150 — which puts him in the top one-two per cent of Britain’s brainiacs?Lampard, who also has a GCSE A-star in Latin, told SunSport: “It’s true, I do have an IQ of 150!“I was tested at Chelsea in the aftermath of John Terry getting kicked in the head in the Carabao Cup final.“Our doctor, who was Brian English at the time, made us do IQ tests to get us all a base-level IQ so we could be registered again if you had a concussion or a head injury.Read More in Football“I just breezed it. Other people seem more interested in it than me.“But I am quite proud of it. My score of 150 just beat my wife, Christine, which was the best thing about it.“She was just below me. I don’t know the exact numbers but we were around the same.“But I think she’s smarter than me — at least it feels that way in the house!Most read in ChampionshipCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS“It was a strange test. I’d never done one before. For whatever reason, I came out on top of it.“That was my one and only IQ test. I retired after taking one, just in case it was a false test!”Fans spot Frank Lampard do his trademark face change as clip of his first day at Coventry training emergesLampard admitted he was thrilled when he found out his IQ was higher than his wife’sCredit: GettyLampard was also a smart cookie as a schoolboy, dreaming of following in the footsteps of his father and making it as a professional player with West Ham.He added: “I got 11 GSCEs. Four or five A passes, the rest Bs and one C, as well as one A-star-plus for Latin!”Lampard replaced Coventry fans’ favourite Mark Robins in November when the Sky Blues were 17th in the Championship.Yet three months on, it is beginning to look like one of the smartest moves of the season as Lampard has lifted Robins’ relegation candidates to within one point of the play-off positions.Coventry head to Oxford United tomorrow with the confidence of a side who have won seven out of their last eight games — their only defeat coming against leaders Leeds.But I am quite proud of it. My score of 150 just beat my wife, Christine, which was the best thing about it.Frank LampardAfter being burned at Everton and his second stint at Chelsea, Lampard is clearly loving life again in the dugout.Having enjoyed success as a TV pundit it would have been easy for him to take the easy option of becoming a full-time football critic.But he admits he has been bitten by the managerial bug and believes he is young enough — and wise enough — to succeed as a top-level boss after learning some harsh lessons from his past.He said: “I enjoyed the media when I packed up playing. I did it for a year and it was lovely to still have one foot in the game.“When I’ve been in between jobs, sometimes you want to rest, other times you want to work a bit and the media is great for that.“You work with great people. You see the game from the outside. You look at other teams more.“But this is what I love doing the most. I love the day-to-day involvement of being a manager.“I love the challenge, with all of its frustrations.“People tell me: ‘You don’t need to do it’. But it’s not a monetary thing.“I’m 46 years of age. I love working and I’m doing something I love to do.“The media life is easier, that’s for sure! It’s so much easier to comment on everyone with the benefit of hindsight. Management is much tougher.“I’ve been criticised before by former team-mates. Does it feel like betrayal? No, I’m pretty balanced about it now.Coventry have won seven of their last eight gamesCredit: Getty“I’ve experienced that situation, it’s not so much former team-mates, as some ex-players who don’t know what it’s like to manage.“They’ve never worked in management so they don’t understand the rigours.“They don’t understand the working week, don’t understand the challenges of team selection and injuries and managing players and formations.“It doesn’t mean you can’t be in the media.“But if you haven’t worked in management then I take what you say not with a pinch of salt — that sounds disrespectful.“But if I sense that it’s a little bit of a loaded dig or something that’s not well backed up, then I note it and move on.”So has Lampard ever dug up an ex-pro for his on-air comments? He replied: “I’ll answer that by not answering it… what do you think?”Lampard was a battler on the field and he has not lost his competitive edge now he is back in the dugout and in a tracksuit on the training ground.Management has chewed up and spat out so many of England’s so-called Golden Generation.Wayne Rooney has become the latest casualty, following in the footsteps of Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, John Terry to a lesser extent, and Steven Gerrard, who have all experienced failure and criticism.The media life is easier, that’s for sure! It’s so much easier to comment on everyone with the benefit of hindsight. Management is much tougher.Frank LampardLampard said: “I don’t feel like I’m the one left holding the torch for the Golden Generation. It’s a lazy generalisation.“Anyone that goes into this job as an ex-player who’s had a highly regarded career should get a lot of credit because you understand that there’s a bigger fall for you.“There’s a bigger level of interest. Maybe we’ll succeed but what about if we fail?“It’s a little bit of a cultural issue. I think we’re all a bit guilty of that in our British culture.“So I don’t listen to the Golden Generation stuff.“It’s just a really lazy thing to say: Great players don’t make great managers.“And then you actually start listing them. Zinedine Zidane, Carlo Ancelotti, Johan Cruyff, Pep Guardiola and all the other ones.READ MORE SUN STORIES“It’s just a fallacy. It’s just picking an argument with confirmation bias.“It’s nonsense.”Lampard’s ex-England team-mate Wayne Rooney was axed by Plymouth on New Year’s EveCredit: Getty More