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      Watch Cristiano Ronaldo’s outrageous skill in Man Utd training leaving fans stunned

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      CRISTIANO RONALDO produced a silky bit of skill in Manchester United training ahead of their clash with Aston Villa.Erik ten Hag’s side are in action at Old Trafford on Thursday in the Carabao Cup third round.
      Cristiano Ronaldo produced a stunning bit of skill in trainingCredit: Twitter
      Man Utd’s cameras were on hand to capture his piece of brillianceCredit: Twitter
      The Red Devils will be desperate for revenge after suffering a 3-1 defeat to Villa in the Premier League on Sunday.
      Ronaldo, despite being his manager’s fourth-choice, captained United that afternoon but it remains to be seen whether he will start in the rematch.
      But it seems that the 37-year-old Portuguese legend was keen to make an impression with an eye-catching piece of skill in training.
      The clip was captured and shared by United’s social media team.
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      And it showed the forward, who only has three goals this season, using his right foot to flick the ball up before passing his left leg over the top of it.
      Ronaldo then uses his right foot to flick the ball up even higher before catching it on his chest and slowly leaning back.
      Fans were quick to take to Twitter after the footage was shared as they hailed the superstar.
      One wrote: “Too smooth!”
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      Another commented: “Messi can never do this.”
      A fellow United fan tweeted: “The king.”
      While another simply said “wow” after witnessing the moment of magic.
      However, his team-mates did not seem to be quite as impressed.
      Netherlands international Donny van de Beek was standing nearby but just remained focused on the ball and Anthony Martial only gave him a slight glance. More

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      Carabao Cup round-up: Blackburn stun West Ham on penalties as Southampton survive Sheff Weds scare and Wolves edge Leeds

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      THE Carabao Cup third round threw up some astonishing results with three Premier League giants falling to shock defeats.Manchester City, Brighton, Nottingham Forest and Wolves all cruised through to the fourth stage with comfortable victories over Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham and Leeds respectively.
      Man City cruised past ChelseaCredit: Getty
      While Southampton, Blackburn, Newcastle and Liverpool edged through on penalties.
      Here’s what unfolded on a night that some clubs will be keen to forget…
      WEST HAM 2 BLACKBURN 2 (9-10 on pens)
      By Jordan Davies
      Ogbonna missed a penalty in the shootoutCredit: Getty
      ANGELO OGBONNA’S penalty shoot-out miss saw woeful West Ham crash out of the Carabao Cup against Blackburn’s B-team.
      Rovers boss Jon Dahl Tomasson made 11 changes ahead of their top of the table Championship clash with rivals Burnley on Sunday.
      They still managed to take the lead after six minutes through 21-year-old Jack Vale before Pablo Fornals first half equaliser and Antonio’s strike 12 minutes from time.
      Ben Brereton Diaz came off the bench to level in the 88th minute, and after 19 perfect penalties, veteran defender Ogbonna struck the bar with his 12-yard effort.
      David Moyes also switched up the Hammers’ entire XI. Declan Rice and Thilo Kehrer were left out of the squad ahead of their impending England and Germany World Cup call-ups.
      Summer signing Nayef Aguerd made just his third West Ham start in a back three, but almost gifted Blackburn the lead inside three minutes.
      The Moroccan international’s back-pass was under-hit and Dilan Markanday was through on goal only for Alphonse Areola – fresh from his France selection – to make a crucial save.
      Rovers got their goal three minutes later as Vale finished through the legs of Areola, sparking loud boos from the home support.
      Antonio and Fornals wasted several chances before linking up to level the scores, the latter firing a loose ball past Aynsley Pears.
      West Ham still looked shaky as Aguerd produced a last-gasp block on the line to deny Markanday a second after more defensive calamities.
      Moyes’ men upped the ante in the second half and it eventually paid off after Antonio’s half-volley looked to have secured a fourth round spot in normal time but for a beauty from Brereton Diaz.
      WOLVES 1 LEEDS 0
      By Graham Hill
      Traore netted the decisive goalCredit: Getty
      BOUBACAR Traore came off the bench to score a spectacular late Wolves winner.
      Traore had only been on the field for 13 minutes when he collected a cross from another sub Daniel Podence – and swept the ball home from 20 yards out for his first Wolves goal.
      They broke the deadlock with just five minutes to go – as the on-loan Metz midfielder sealed the tie.
      New Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui does not officially start work until next Monday – but six of his backroom staff were at Molineux tonight and introduced themselves to the players.
      Leeds boss Jesse Marsch made 10 changes for the tie – and the only survivor from the weekend Jack Harrison almost opened the scoring after three minutes.
      His free-kick deflected off the wall and Wolves keeper Matija Sarkic pushed it out for a corner.
      Sarkic made another key stop two minutes later when he saved a close range header by Leo Hjelde – then recovered to keep ball out in six yard box scramble.
      But keeper Joel Robles – one of four Leeds debutants – produced a superb save of his own after 58 minutes.
      Connor Roman – making his first Wolves start in five years – looked set to score with a close range volley, but Robles kept his shot out.
      SOUTHAMPTON 1 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 1 (6-5 on pens)
      By Jack Rosser
      Southampton edged through on penaltiesCredit: Reuters
      SOUTHAMPTON will tomorrow confirm Nathan Jones as their new manager just days after axing Ralph Hasenhuttl.
      And the Welshman was in the stands tonight to get a glimpse of the size of the task facing him on the south coast as his new side scraped past League One Sheffield Wednesday on penalties in the Carabao Cup.
      James Ward-Prowse cancelled out Josh Windass’ opener during the 90 minutes before the hosts managed to force their way into the next round through the shootout with Alex McCarthy saving Dominic Iorfa’s sudden-death spot kick.
      The Saints, who will pay Luton Town around £2.5million in compensation for nabbing Jones and two of his coaches, gave Hasenhuttl the boot after a desperate run of form left them in the Premier League bottom three.
      And the post-Ralph era hardly got off to a flying start.
      The hosts were under pressure from the off with McCarthy, a former teammate of his new gaffer, forced to save from Windass and Barry Bannan early on.
      Darren Moore’s side were taking the game to their Prem opponents and got their reward just before the half-hour mark.
      Fisayo Dele-Bashiru slipped a through ball into the path of Windass, who blasted past McCarthy.
      The Saints were struggling to create anything going forward, but in added time before the break got the chance to level.
      Moussa Djenepo drove into the box and was brought down by Marvin Johnson allowing Ward-Prowse to convert from the spot.
      Adam Armstrong fired into the side netting after the restart before sub Theo Walcott saw two efforts cleared off the line.
      Southampton had a late chance to win it in normal time with Stockdale tipping a Stuart Armstrong strike onto the bar.
      Walcott saw a late effort saved giving Wednesday the chance of victory in the shootout.
      The first five takers from both sides found the back of the net from 12-yards. Walcott bagged Southampton’s sixth before McCarthy denied Iorfa to sends Saints through.
      MANCHESTER CITY 2-0 CHELSEA
      Man City progressed to the fourth round thanks to goals from Riyad Mahrez and Julian Alvarez.
      Click here to read the full match report.
      Derby 0-0 Liverpool (2-3 on pens)
      A young Liverpool side narrowly edged past Derby County on penalties to progress.
      Click here to read the full match report.
      Arsenal 1-3 Brighton
      Premier League leaders Arsenal crashed out of the competition with a defeat to in-form Brighton.
      Click here to read the full match report.
      Nottingham Forest 2-0 Tottenham
      Jesse Lingard was Forest’s Carabao Cup hero as they stunned Tottenham at the City Ground.
      Click here to read the full match report.
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      Lingard stole the show as Forest defeated TottenhamCredit: Alamy More

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      Man Utd icon Ferdinand fears for England at World Cup as he predicts ‘worst-case scenario’ with ‘Achilles heel’ Maguire

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      RIO FERDINAND believes England are facing a “worst-case scenario” by relying on Harry Maguire at the World Cup when he is short of form and fitness.And the ex-Three Lions centre-back predicts Gareth Southgate’s deficiencies in defence will be our “Achilles heel” out in Qatar.
      Harry Maguire is expected to be named in England’s squad for the World Cup in Qatar despite a lack of game-time at Man UtdCredit: Getty
      Rio Ferdinand thinks that Maguire could be England’s Achilles heel in the backline at the World Cup.Credit: Reuters
      Southgate has stood by Maguire during the Manchester United man’s nightmare season where he has lost his starting spot at Old Trafford and struggled with a thigh injury.
      The England boss has pointed out that Maguire played a huge role in the nation’s successful runs in the last two major tournaments — and will back his man at the upcoming finals.
      Ferdinand can understand that loyalty — even if it may be “blind trust” — but is concerned about the number of defenders with recent injury problems set to be named in the squad.
      Manchester City’s Kyle Walker looks as if he will win his race against a groin injury but Chelsea pair Reece James and Ben Chilwell are out.Ferdinand, 43, admitted: “Harry has not let England down ever. He’s been phenomenal for England.
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      “But his form has gone out the window for Man Utd. He’s not in the team, he’s got an injury as well.
      “Going into a tournament, I couldn’t think of another worst-case scenario. I would be concerned about that.
      “You can go in there with one, maybe, like that. But we’ve got Walker and Maguire in the defensive line who are potentially going to be going in there off the back of injuries and a lack of form.”
      Ferdinand won 81 caps in his 14 years playing for England.
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      Being such a great player meant the likes of Jonathan Woodgate and Jamie Carragher rarely got a look-in — two players who surely would rack up the appearances if they were playing today.
      Were there such depth at centre-back available to the current Three Lions boss, Ferdinand does not believe he would be so reliant on Maguire.
      He added: “He trusts him. It could be blind trust, I don’t know. But he does trust him. As a manager you’re going to go with what you know, with what you’re comfortable with.
      “The problem he’s got is it’s not like he has four or five other candidates like in my generation where you’d be able to go ‘he’s out of form’ or ‘he’s not playing’ or ‘he’s injured’.
      “I had Sol Campbell, Carragher, Woodgate, Ledley King, the list goes on. All of those players start today.
      “I’ve always thought if you’re going to win a tournament, you’ve got to have a good defence.
      “That’s where we’re probably at our weakest now. Even if there weren’t injuries or lack of form, I feel like that was our weakest area anyway.
      “Walker, our quickest defender, out. Maguire, form and injuries. When you’re looking at it, you’re thinking, ‘What are we going to do?’ Is (Trevoh) Chalobah going to be ready? He’s playing really well. But last month it was (Fikayo) Tomori. Before that it was (Marc) Guehi.
      “There’s no one in there that you go, ‘They jump out as the No 1 candidates to go and play’. So it’s very difficult. That could in the end be our Achilles heel.”
      Despite his reservations over the Three Lions’ backline, Ferdinand still reckons a successful tournament for England can only be defined if they come back with the trophy next month.
      It is what he sees as the next step after reaching the semi-finals in Russia and the final at Euro 2020.
      He said: “If you base it on the last two tournaments of semis and then final, surely the progression has to be to win it.
      “Anything less is going to be seen as a bit underwhelming because you are looking at the trajectory and the FA’s plans would have been that.”
      To win it, England would most likely have to win a quarter-final against reigning champions France, who are many people’s tip, including Ferdinand’s, for the title.
      There are some that believe that whatever happens this could be Southgate’s final tournament in charge, despite being contracted until 2024.
      The Three Lions chief copped flak over the summer for a run of six Nations League games without a win which included a 4-0 hiding at home to Hungary.
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      Yet Ferdinand added: “I don’t know how seriously they take the Nations League. But he’s earned the grace from what he’s done. For just morale, given what we’ve been through.“He was that close, a whisker away from winning the Euros. He’s taken us to heights that we’ve not seen since 1966, in two tournaments.
      “He obviously knows how to get through to the latter stages of a tournament. What are you going to get rid of that for?”*Rio Ferdinand’s Tipping Point launches tomorrow exclusively on Prime Video. More

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      Rio Ferdinand reveals he has blazing rows with wife Kate – and admits it’s always over the same thing

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      RIO FERDINAND has confessed he and wife Kate have full-blown rows — and most of the time he is to blame.Though the former no-nonsense Manchester United and England footballer thanks Towie’s Kate for his reinvention, teaching him how to talk about his problems.
      Rio Ferdinand revealed he has rows with wife KateCredit: PA
      But former Man Utd footballer Rio thanks Towie’s Kate for his reinventionCredit: PA:Empics Sport
      The 44-year-old’s told of his troubles in the podcast Football Ramble, broadcast this week to mark the launch of his new three-part TV documentary series Tipping Point.
      He shared on it: “My missus will tell me a problem that she’s got going on, and I talk about it from my point of view.
      “Most men are like this, we try to help them solve the problem. And she’s going ‘I don’t want you to try and solve it’.
      “And I end up having arguments with her. We only argue about stuff like this. We get into a full-blast row because you’re trying to solve it.
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      “She says, ‘I don’t want you to solve my problem for me. I just want to be able to vent, and you listen, and just help me that way’.
      “As a man you’re sitting there going ‘Well why are you telling me then if it can’t be solved? Just solve it’.
      “Men feel ‘don’t discuss it if you’re not trying to make a solution’.
      “What’s the point in discussing it if there’s no solution-based foundations of why you’re making that conversation’, which is probably the wrong way to look at it.”
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      Rio has become concerned about mental health in football, especially among young players.
      While playing for Queen’s Park Rangers in West London he would drive to training with team-mate Bobby Zamora.
      But Rio refused to confide to fellow players that his first wife Rebecca Ellison was dying with breast cancer.
      She passed away, aged 34, in May 2015, leaving him to look after their three children Lorenz, Tate and Tia, then aged nine, six and four respectively.
      Two years later he started dating Kate, now 31. They married in Turkey in 2019.
      But Rio said he has become a better communicator since meeting Kate, with whom he has a 23-month-old son Cree.
      He said: “I think that’s an important factor in feeling good, when you communicate how you feel to someone else or people around you that you care about.
      “It’s since I met my missus. I was never really a good communicator before that.
      “Then I met Kate. She’s really good and has got really open lines of communication, and she’s pushed me into that way of thinking.”
      Talking about why he did not tell his team-mate about Rebecca’s condition, Rio said: “A big part of my make-up as a football player was you don’t show emotion, you don’t show weakness, especially.
      “If you’re going to show any type of emotion, weakness isn’t the one you show.”
      Rio continued: “Young men in our generation, we were definitely brought up to have a stone face and a hard exterior. If you did have those feelings of vulnerability or emotions you better make sure you quash them quickly.
      Rio with Kate and dad Julian with his OBE at Windsor CastleCredit: AP
      “I very much became that, quite hardened. I had no real empathy for some people when they had issues. I wasn’t where I am today.
      “I saw people come into the dressing room who, when I look back now and I think about it, they were going through a tough time.
      “I didn’t even have any time in my headspace to even think about addressing that because I thought they were a negative impact on our team’s quest to try and win.
      “And it was such a backwards way of looking at it.
      “If you’d looked and taken an interest and spoken to those people and paid a bit more attention to those things you might have been able to help those people get back on track and then become a positive impact on your team’s chances of winning.
      “Mental health wasn’t even part of any sentence.
      “I remember Carlos Queiroz, Manchester United’s Portuguese former assistant manager, and his approach to training was very different to us English lads.
      “We were 100 miles an hour in training every day and he used to just chill in training. Come a game, he was an animal.
      “I remember one day, as we walked out to training, he was actually laying face down on the bed getting a massage.
      “I went to the coach ‘What’s going on with Carlos, what’s he doing having a massage, he’s not injured?’
      “He said ‘No, he’s not injured, he’s just had a baby and he’s a bit tired, a bit drained’.
      “Looking back now, mentally and physically, that was the right way to approach it.
      Once you open up about how you’re feeling from your mental standpoint, how light you feel after you’ve had that conversation, you can’t put into words.Rio Ferdinand
      “Whereas us English guys would just bat on, got to be hard, got to get through this, and we all kind of laughed at Carlos about that.
      “We were like ‘this is a joke’, with disbelief really, ‘we’ve all had kids mate. Jesus, what makes you special?’
      “Everyone’s case is very individual, everyone deals with things very differently.
      “My previous wife was passing away and the fella I went to training with every day in the same car, Bobby Zamora, didn’t know for a long time.
      “My team-mates, that I shared a dressing room with, didn’t know.
      “That’s football, that’s a place where I go to work and no one needs to hear that. No one needs to be a part of that.
      “I can deal with this outside. I don’t want to put any more strain and pressure on those guys, they’ve got enough pressure to win a football match. So I didn’t really feel it was a place to do it.
      “You don’t want to put an extra burden on anyone else’s shoulders when they’ve got enough going on in their life.
      “With situations like that, with hindsight, you think people would actually embrace that more.
      “They’d want to help you, they’d want to open their arms and give you a cuddle and bring you in and have a coffee together and just discuss how you’re feeling and help you along the way.”
      The angry Rio is a long way from his apparently perfect family depicted on social media.
      This week the couple were photographed outside Windsor Castle, where the once England centre back received his OBE from Prince William.
      Rio and Kate pose on the beach on holidayCredit: Instagram
      Kate gushed: “I am so proud. An inspiration to us all, my husband. I love you.”
      Tipping Point covers racism in football and sexuality and mental health in soccer academies.
      The ex-player believes many professional footballers struggle when they retire.
      He said: “I’d get up every day at 7.30, sort the kids out, drop them to nursery, go to training, get home by two o’clock. Routine, routine. All of a sudden that disappears.
      “You start seeing your missus another six, seven hours a day, ‘hold on, this is someone I don’t even know, didn’t know she was like this, didn’t know she had these habits’.”
      Rio now urges people to open up if they’re suffering mentally.
      He said: “One bit of advice I’d always give to people in workplaces, in schools or at home, is every now and again to just ask someone ‘How you doing?’ — not once, twice.
      “Because normally people can get away with going ‘I’m all right, I’m all right’.
      “And you go ‘Really, is everything all right for real?’.With that second one you might get a different answer and then a conversation could start that might help that person.
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      “Once you open up about how you’re feeling from your mental standpoint, how light you feel after you’ve had that conversation, you can’t put into words.
      “It’s just a beautiful feeling.”

      Rio with first wife Rebecca Ellison who died from cancer in 2015Credit: Getty – Contributor
      Rio and Kate pose for a family Christmas photo on the beach More

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      ‘Want to get Man Utd back on top of the WORLD’: Erik ten Hag tells fans glory days will return after ‘standards slipped’

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      MANCHESTER UNITED manager Erik ten Hag has revealed that he is determined to carry the club back to glory within the next few years.The Dutchman, 52, became United boss back in May when Ralf Rangnick stepped down from his temporary position.
      Ten Hag believes he can carry Man Utd back to gloryCredit: EPA

      He was quick to make a number of changes upon his arrival, including the introduction of a phone ban during meal times.
      As a result, the Red Devils have won 12 out of 19 games so far this season.
      And Ten Hag believes Man Utd will continue on the upward spiral, even if there are setbacks along the way.
      He said: “It’s a great challenge and I like it. It gives me energy and I want to give everything in my power to get us back where we belong and that is on the top of the world.
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      “I knew from the start, it’s an exciting process but also a difficult process, because I think Manchester United was far away from the standards that we need to be top.
      “So we’ve worked for the last five months on the process and, as you see, it goes up and down. Sometimes you have to swallow bad performances, defeats, to get better and to get lessons.
      “Also sometimes you are conscious that you are not where you want to be and that you have to work really hard.
      “I have a feeling that we are in the right direction and I’m quite impatient. I want to be straight and to win all the games and be on top of the league, but I know that is not a reality.
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      “The process takes time, but when we are not there – where we should have been – then something is wrong.”
      Man Utd are due to take on Aston Villa in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Thursday.
      The Red Devils suffered a 3-1 defeat to Unai Emery’s side at the weekend, and Ten Hag added: “Sometimes you have a setback like Sunday and we are definitely not happy with the performance.
      “I feel responsible. When I see my team on Sunday, that is not Manchester United.
      “I know players are not robots but we were not happy with our performance at Villa Park on Sunday.
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      “We made it quite clear in our analysis: it’s not acceptable, it’s never acceptable. We have to deliver every game and that is the culture that has to be here. It’s not good.
      “We can’t change that anymore but it’s clear, we want a reaction tomorrow from the team. A change in attitude, a better winning attitude and, tomorrow, we have to bring that on the pitch.”
      United suffered a 3-1 defeat to Aston Villa on SundayCredit: AFP More

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      France World Cup squad named as Deschamps gambles on crocked Man Utd star Raphael Varane and big-name forwards axed

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      FRANCE have named their 25-man squad for the Qatar World Cup – and there is room for crocked Man United star Raphael Varane.Didier Deschamps’ side are looking to defend their 2018 crown in the Middle East this month.
      Raphael Varane will have the chance to defend his World Cup after making France’s squad for QatarCredit: Getty
      And the France boss has named a strong group with plenty of quality firepower.
      But he has also opted to include injured United defender Varane.
      The centre-back has been missing for weeks with a hamstring problem.
      And there were serious doubts over whether he would make it in time for the competition.
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      But Varane will be heading to Qatar to defend his World Cup crown after convincing Deschamps he is fit enough to feature.
      Meanwhile, Eduardo Camavinga got a call-up despite reports in France suggesting he would be left out.
      However, there was no room for AC Milan goalie Mike Maignan or Real Madrid left-back Ferland Mendy.
      Other big names to miss out include Man Utd’s Anthony Martial, Sevilla’s Wissam Ben Yedder, Bayer Leverkusen’s Moussa Diaby and Aston Villa’s Lucas Digne.
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      France’s confirmed World Cup squadGOALIES

      Hugo Lloris – Tottenham

      Steven Mandanda – Stade Rennais

      Alphonse Areola – West Ham

      DEFENDERS

      Benjamin Pavard – Bayern Munich

      Ibrahima Konate – Liverpool

      Dayot Upamecano – Bayern Munich

      William Saliba – Arsenal

      Jules Kounde – Barcelona

      Raphael Varane – Man Utd

      Lucas Hernandez – Bayern Munich

      Theo Hernandez – AC Milan

      Presnel Kimpembe –PSG

      MIDFIELDERS

      Aurelien Tchouameni – Real Madrid

      Jordan Veretout – Marseille

      Matteo Guendouzi – Marseille

      Eduardo Camavinga – Real Madrid

      Adrien Rabiot – Juventus

      Youssouf Fofana – Monaco

      FORWARDS

      Kylian Mbappe – PSG

      Kingsley Coman – Bayern Munich

      Ousmane Dembele – Barcelona

      Christopher Nkunku – RB Leipzig

      Antoine Griezmann – Atletico Madrid

      Karim Benzema – Real Madrid

      Olivier Giroud – AC Milan

      Otherwise it is business as usual for France.
      Deschamps has named three goalkeepers in his side, with captain and Tottenham star Hugo Lloris joined by West Ham’s Alphonse Areola and Stade Rennais’ Steve Mandanda.
      As for right-backs, France have opted for Bayern Munich’s Benjamin Pavard and Barcelona’s Jules Kounde.
      And on the left, Milan’s Theo Hernandez and PSG’s Presnel Kimpembe are the preferred choice.
      There’s plenty of options at centre-back too, with Arsenal’s William Saliba, Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate and Man Utd’s Varane in alongside Bayern Munich duo Lucas Hernandez and Dayot Upamecano.
      Midfield was the main area of concern for Deschamps, with N’Golo Kante and Paul Pogba both missing through injury.
      And joining Veretout are Juventus’ Adrien Rabiot, Monaco’s Youssouf Fofana and Marseille teammate Matteo Guendouzi, plus Real Madrid’s Aurelian Tchouameni and Camavinga.
      But it’s in attack where France will shine, with Deschamps giving himself plenty of options.
      The wide players consist of PSG’s Kylian Mbappe, Bayern’s Kingsley Coman and Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele.
      Read More on The Sun
      There are two link-up forwards in RB Leipzig’s Christopher Nkunku and Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann.
      Finally, there are two further No9s consisting of Real’s Karim Benzema and Milan’s Olivier Giroud. More

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      Erik ten Hag reveals he urged Man Utd squad to heal fractured relationship with fans as a priority after taking charge

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      ERIK TEN HAG revealed that he prioritised Manchester United stars making amends with the club’s disgruntled fanbase.Over the last decade, the club has struggled for the success that fans had become accustomed to under former manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
      Erik Ten Hag wants his players to fix the relationship with the fans.Credit: Getty
      This has seen fan groups become unhappy with the leadership of the Red Devils all the way up to the boardroom.
      The Dutchman however wanted to fix this relationship and thought the players could be key to the reparations.
      He told ESPN: “It was definitely one of our plans, part of our plan that we had.
      “You need a connection with the fans. Manchester United is that big in the world and you have to show commitment and make an engagement.
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      “You have to build a togetherness because also, we want to act like that on the pitch as well.
      “The team has to understand that and everyone around Manchester United has to understand that the fans are there for us.
      “You play football for your fans and we have to be aware of it.”
      The former Ajax manager was appointed in the summer and saw a host of new talent join the club.
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      Ten Hag signed Casemiro, Martin Dubravka, Christian Eriksen, Tyrell Malacia, and his old Ajax stars Antony and Lisandro Martinez in a summer spend worth £200million.
      The new blood has helped the Red Devils improve this season and they are now challenging for a Champions League spot, despite a poor start to the season.
      However, they suffered a blow at the weekend as Aston Villa beat the Old Trafford outfit 3-1 in the Premier League.
      On the game, Ten Hag admitted that he was not happy with his side’s performance.
      He added: “We were not happy with our performance at Villa Park and we make it quite clear in our analysis that it’s not acceptable, it’s never acceptable.
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      “We have to deliver in every game and that is the culture we have to have here.
      “We can’t change it [the defeat to Aston Villa] but we want a reaction.” More

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      Rashford and White ‘set to be named in England’s 26-man World Cup squad but Southgate to snub Sancho and Maddison’

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      GARETH SOUTHGATE is reportedly set to include Marcus Rashford and Ben White in his 26-man England squad for Qatar.But it’s claimed both James Maddison and Jadon Sancho are both set for World Cup heartbreak.
      Ben White and Marcus Rashford will both reportedly be in England’s World Cup squadCredit: Getty
      James Maddison is set for World Cup heartbreakCredit: Getty
      Jadon Sancho will also be left out, according to reportsCredit: Getty
      Three Lions gaffer Southgate will announce his squad for Qatar on Thursday, with England’s first game less than two weeks away.
      And Manchester United star Rashford will be IN, according to the Guardian.
      The 25-year-old has not featured for Southgate since the Euros, but a stunning start to life under Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford has seen the forward force himself back into international contention.
      Elsewhere the Guardian say Arsenal defender White is set to replace the devastated Reece James, who has confirmed he will be missing the tournament, in the squad.
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      White has excelled at right-back for the Gunners this season, helping Mikel Arteta’s side to the top of the Premier League.
      Maddison, on the other hand, is set for heartbreak.
      The Leicester playmaker has scored six goals and provided four assists in 12 Prem games this season, but is not reportedly deemed worthy of a seat on the plane.
      The same can be said for Sancho, although the United man has not reached the same heights as Maddison this term.
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      While James is set to miss out through injury, it is claimed Kyle Walker will be included.
      The Manchester City defender is expected to be on the plane, despite not playing since undergoing groin surgery last month.
      His City team-mate, Kalvin Phillips, had shoulder surgery in September but is also likely to be in the squad. He was on the bench for Wednesday night’s Carabao Cup tie against Chelsea.
      Up front, the understudy to Harry Kane has been a hot topic of debate.
      Brentford striker Ivan Toney and Roma ace Tammy Abraham – who scored on Wednesday night – are waiting nervously on their inclusion, according to the Telegraph.
      Newcastle striker Callum Wilson, who has netted six goals in 10 Prem games this season, could be called up instead.
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      At the back, White’s inclusion could make it a shootout between Fikayo Tomori and Marc Guehi for the final defender spot.
      While in the middle, Chelsea pair Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Conor Gallagher are both reportedly set to miss out.
      Kyle Walker has not played since the start of OctoberCredit: Getty
      Kalvin Phillips had shoulder surgery in September, but is reportedly expected to be in the squadCredit: PA More