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      Genius Cole Palmer is the simple reason Chelsea are in a Premier League title race and Man City are not

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      THERE is one common reason linking the facts that Chelsea are in the title race and  Manchester City are not. Cole Palmer.City are an ageing squad in desperate need of a world-class youngster to give them freshness and spark.Cole Palmer is Chelsea’s main man and just what old club Man City needCredit: AlamyEtihad chief Pep Guardiola must rue Palmer’s departure more than everCredit: GettyPalmer ran out of patience at Man City when they signed Jeremy DokuCredit: GettyThat player should have been Cole Palmer.Chelsea were a chaotic club in desperate need of an on-field leader to build a team around.That player is Cole Palmer.Pep Guardiola’s decision to allow Palmer to join Chelsea looked highly questionable even last season, when City were winning a fourth straight title and the young  Mancunian he released was the stand-out player in a wildly inconsistent Blues team.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLNow that Palmer is the stand-out player in an excellent Chelsea side, and now that City have suddenly imploded — winning just once in nine games — that chicken is well and truly roosting.And yes, yes, the Rodri injury. But City’s extraordinary collapse is not all about the absence of their Ballon d’Or-winning midfield anchor.Etihad chiefs are this week  trumpeting the tenth anniversary of their City Football Academy, which has “developed 40 players for the men’s senior team and generated fees of up to £300million”.City boast that “seven Premier League clubs and 12 Championship sides currently have a player from the CFA”.Most read in FootballHe was so influential in Sunday’s 4-3 comeback win at SpursFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSWhich is all well and good, except that Palmer — one of two world-class players to come through the CFA, along with Phil Foden — is currently tearing it up for a team higher in the table than City.And for an initial fee of £40m, which now looks an absolute steal.These mistakes happen in football. It’s just that they usually happen to Chelsea and certainly not to Guardiola.Look around at Chelsea’s main rivals and you’ll find Kevin De Bruyne, flogged by Chelsea aged 22, who has been Manchester City’s best player for years.And you’ll find Mo Salah, shipped out by Chelsea aged 23, who has been Liverpool’s best player for years.You’ll also find Declan Rice, rejected by Chelsea aged 14, who  is now the £105million midfield heartbeat of Arsenal.When Jose Mourinho was Chelsea boss he didn’t think De Bruyne or Salah were useless. Just not good enough for his first team at that point and certainly not future  Footballers of the Year.It’s the same with City and Palmer — who got my vote as Footballer of the Year above City’s Foden, who won the award because most voters seemed to think it was more impressive to be a great player in a great team than be a great player in a bad team.Guardiola rated Palmer so highly that, while other promising City youngsters were loaned out, he was jealously guarded by the Etihad boss, drip-fed first-team football and asked to remain patient at City, just as Foden was.Yet by the summer of last year, Palmer was 21 and ready to be a major Premier League footballer.Guardiola had promised him substantially more football and all looked well last August when Palmer netted a stunning goal at Wembley in the Community Shield against Arsenal and scored again in the European Super Cup against Sevilla.But the following week, City spent £55.5m on Jeremy Doku — who, while not a like-for-like player to Palmer, was another attacking player, the same age as Palmer, who City rated with a higher transfer value.This arrival surprised Palmer and his advisers, and was the straw that broke the camel’s back when it came to the player deciding he wanted to leave.Palmer notched two penalties at Spurs, including this Panenka effortCredit: AlamyChelsea chief Enzo Maresca has got the best out of PalmerCredit: RexGuardiola didn’t want him to go but didn’t want to keep a player against his will when he knew his first-team chances would remain limited at City last season.Also, the Doku transfer meant City needed to balance the books  to comply with those ever-pesky  Premier League Profit and Sustainability Rules.Doku is a decent player — a bums-off-seats winger who may improve significantly but, at present, lacks end product and is often a substitute.He is certainly not in the same class as Palmer, whose two penalties and one glorious assist helped Chelsea close on leaders Liverpool with a statement comeback victory at Spurs on Sunday.After that 4-3 win at the  Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca — who had worked with Palmer as a coach in City’s academy — was glowing about his talisman.Especially interesting was Maresca’s admission that Palmer, who has scored 12 spot-kicks out of 12 in the Premier League, doesn’t practise penalties.The idea of not practising penalties is remarkable in the modern age.England didn’t practise penalties and they kept losing shootouts. Under Gareth Southgate, they practised and studied them pretty much to PhD level and started winning shootouts.But according to Maresca, Palmer is “not normal”. He is “not like us”.Normal players practise and get better. Even very good players practise and get better.The absolute best — the innate, blessed, ice-cool, off-the-cuff geniuses — are different.The strange thing is that Guardiola — an undoubted genius himself — didn’t realise he had an actual genius in his squad.For Manchester City, and for Chelsea, that is the difference.Ashworth exit so excruciatingMANY highly successful businessmen have gone into football and ballsed it up – but Sir Jim Ratcliffe is taking this trend to new limits.Sir Jim, literally the most successful businessman in England, has gone into Manchester United, England’s biggest football club, and, within a year, has made the biggest imaginable pig’s ear of it.This summer’s decision to hand Erik ten Hag a new contract and a huge say in transfer policy, only to sack him nine games into the season, was embarrassing enough.But now the exit of Dan Ashworth – the world-class sporting director poached from filthy-rich Newcastle United in a supposedly almighty coup – just five months into his role, is truly excruciating.Ashworth had an excellent track record of appointing managers – Gareth Southgate at England, Graham Potter at Brighton and Eddie Howe at Newcastle.Yet Ratcliffe apparently ignored Ashworth’s advice when appointing Ruben Amorim.Perhaps, Amorim will be a hit, perhaps not.But Ratcliffe’s blunders over Ten Hag and Ashworth have cost United around £25million.The multi-billionaire Ineos chief is currently trying to claw back some of his own immense wastage by charging children £66 to watch United and by sacking swathes of hard-working club staff. And that there is capitalism in motion, baby.’Smallest’ clubs hit treble top for bosses THIS summer, Bournemouth sold their star man, Dominic Solanke. Brentford flogged their goal machine, Ivan Toney. And Fulham cashed in on their best player, Joao Palhinha.Yet all three clubs – probably the three ‘smallest’ in the Premier League – have improved and sit in the top half of the table, looking down on several bigger, wealthier sides.Immense credit should go to managers Andoni Iraola, Thomas Frank and Marco Silva.Brentford have thrived despite Ivan Toney’s big-money exit to Al-AhliCredit: GettyChesterfield promoting Blues is a new spinFOOTBALL clubs don’t actually need expensive PR gurus.Win matches and people in the media will generally write and say positive things. Lose matches, and people in the media will generally write and say negative things.Yet Chelsea are apparently hiring a blue-chip spin doctor, Nerissa Chesterfield, who was director of communications in Rishi Sunak’s Downing Street regime. Which went well.Perhaps she can help to ship out all those unwanted members of Chelsea’s ‘bomb squad’. To Rwanda, maybe?READ MORE SUN STORIESCornering the marketLET’S not be snobbish about Arsenal’s reliance on set-piece goals.If it was good enough for Stoke City, it should be good enough for the footballing chatterati of Stoke Newington.Bukayo Saka’s corners are a major factor in Arsenal’s goal tallyCredit: Rex More

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      Man City’s hearing over 115 alleged Premier League financial rule breaches CONCLUDED as D-day edges closer

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      THE hearing into the Premier League’s charges against Manchester City has concluded, according to reports. City were slapped with a whopping 115 charges over alleged breaches of Financial Fair Play rules back in February.Manchester City were hit with 115 charges of alleged Financial Fair Play breaches last yearCredit: GETTYThe hearing into the club’s alleged breaches of FFP rules began in SeptemberCredit: GETTYThe Premier League and City have completed their closing arugmentsCredit: PACity have vehemently denied the charges and have been fighting their corner at London’s International Dispute Resolution Centre since mid-September.But according to reports, the hearing has come to a close.That’s according to The Daily Mail, who claim both parties have made their closing arguments.A three-man panel will now go away and deliberate the evidence before delivering the verdict anticipated around the world.READ MORE ON MAN CITYBut it won’t come any time soon due to the sheer scale of the evidence involved.It could take MONTHS before the Premier League giants learn their fate.City’s alleged rule breaking is said to have taken place over a 14-YEAR period.They were initially hit with 115 charges, although they were increased to 130 following an an administration issue.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSWhat will happen to Man City?MAN CITY began the season as favourites to win the Premier League title yet again – but there is one elephant in the room that threatens to put the skids under the Etihad giants.Sunsport’s MARTIN LIPTON discusses what the next few months could hold with Head of Sport SHAUN CUSTIS….Custis: So the big question – will there be a resolution this season?Lipton: Yes…. probably! It will take at least a month to go through the evidence. So I suspect around March, April time, we will get a result. But that’s where it starts to get tricky.Custis: Why is that?Lipton: If the result is in City’s favour, that’s the end of the matter. They will be cleared. They will have no punishment to face.But if City are found guilty, these will be the heaviest penalties ever imposed by the Premier League.I suspect if they are found guilty, they will be expelled from the league or given a massive points deduction and a huge fine so that they’re not in the Premier League next season.Check out the full discussion on Man City’s future.City have been accused of failing to accurately report their finances over a nine-year period from 2009-10 and 2017-18.It’s also alleged they failed to provide all the details about former manager Roberto Mancini’s pay packets between 2009-10 and 2012-13.Pep Guardiola responds to ‘sacked in the morning’ chants at Anfield from Liverpool fans The charges also relate to their alleged failure to disclose full player salaries between 2010-11 and 2015-16.In addition to their alleged financial wrongdoings, City have been accused of failing to co-operate with the Prem’s investigation.The investigation only began after the material alleging the club’s breach of the rules was published in Germanmagazine Der Spiegel in 2018.If found guilty, City could be hit with huge financial penalties and a points deducation.They could also be RELEGATED if they’re found to have committed the most serious charges.The club will likely appeal any verdict which doesn’t go their way, meaning the final decision may not be made until the end of NEXT SEASON.City have repeatedly denied the allegations since they were first published and recently stated they have “irrefutable evidence” to exonerate themselves on any wrongdoing.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe Etihad club have stated they’re looking “forward to this matter being put to rest once and for all.”Pep Guardiola’s troops will be back in action on Wednesday night, travelling to Turin to take on Italian giants Juventus in the Champions League. More

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      Furious Pep Guardiola confronts referee after Man City draw with Crystal Palace and red card that can’t be overturned

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      FUMING Pep Guardiola confronted the referee on the pitch following Manchester City’s 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace.The reigning champions lost more ground in the title race as they were held to just a point at Selhurst Park by Oliver Glasner’s side.Rico Lewis was sent off for a second yellow card after this challenge on Trevoh ChalobahCredit: ReutersAn angry Pep Guardiola confronted referee Robert Jones after the gameCredit: PADaniel Munoz had given Palace the lead after just four minutes before Erling Haaland looped a header into the goal on the half hour mark.The second half then saw Maxence Lacroix head home a far post corner before Rico Lewis netted the second equaliser for City.But the England international went from hero to zero as he was sent off by Robert Jones with a second yellow card for a challenge on Trevoh Chalobah even though it appeared he had come off worse.VAR could not overturn the decision – which was the first red card of Lewis’ career – due to it being a second yellow card rather than a straight red.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe only time VAR is permitted to intervene for a second yellow card is when there is a belief the card should be upgraded to a straight red.City stars on the pitch were adamant the decision was an error and confronted Jones both at the time and after the game.However, manager Guardiola also took to the pitch after the game to speak to the ref and assistant refs.He was seen with his hands in his pockets saying something to them before walking away.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSSpeaking after the game, the Spaniard said: “So proud of the team. I liked everything of the team, how we fought. We have a lot of problems with our squad.”We fought incredible. We came back twice. It’s a difficult place to come. We struggled in the beginning. We gave everything and we take a point.Pep Guardiola responds to ‘sacked in the morning’ chants at Anfield from Liverpool fans “Long balls, second balls, they’re stronger than us. We started the second half a bit sloppy. After 2-1 we reacted well.”We lost another player defensively for the next game for a second yellow card.”With Liverpool’s clash at Everton postponed due to Storm Darragh, City’s point in London moved them to eight behind the league leaders. More

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      Crystal Palace 2 Man City 2: Rico Lewis scores and then sees red as Man City lose yet more ground on Liverpool

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      PEP GUARDIOLA cannot get a break. Even when he gets a break.Yet as Manchester City’s Prem misery deepened at Selhurst Park, the sense that even the Catalan magician knows the title is a lost cause was hard to shift.Rico Lewis saw red after a tackle on Trevoh ChalobahCredit: PAPep Guardiola saw his team drop points once againCredit: AlamyCity stars confronted the referee after the gameCredit: ReutersBut Crystal Palace were worth their point earned by goals from Daniel Munoz and Maxence LacroixCredit: GettyIn normal circumstances, finding a way to battle back on terms twice and dominating long periods would have been a sign of City slowly starting to find their feet.But these are not normal circumstances.Not when City have lost four of the previous five league matches to have been blown off title pace before they walked into the teeth of Storm Darragh.And dropping more points, as well as seeing Rico Lewis sent off for two cautions in the space of a quarter of an hour when they should have been pushing for the winner, added to City’s winter woes.read more in footballThere is something wrong with City. Badly wrong.Everyone can see it. Everyone HAS seen it.Yes, at times they can briefly recapture that swagger and poise, can appear on the cusp of regaining their confidence.But it only takes the next mistake to rip that veneer of self-belief away and display the gaping vulnerabilities.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSMistakes that continue to emerge under pressure, that allowed Daniel Munoz and then Maxence Lacroix to twice put Palace ahead.In the end, after terrific replies from first Erling Halaand and then, before his dismissal, Lewis, those moments were not enough to earn Palace their first home win over City since 2015 – before Guardiola took the Etihad helm.’I won fair and clean,’ says Jose Mourinho as he hits back after Pep Guardiola dig There are reasons, of course. The City missing list is seemingly limitless – and growing with every passing week.Guardiola, already without John Stones, Nathan Ake, Mateo Kovacic and long-term absentees Rodri and Oscar Bobb, travelled down to the capital without both bronchitis victim Phil Foden and Manuel Akanji.But there cannot be ANY excuses for a team with City’s financial resources.Injuries are simply part of football and it has been Guardiola’s choice to drop Ederson and play Stefan Ortega in goal.What was an additional factor, though, were the conditions, teeming rain and the threat of 50mph-plus winds.Not that the conditions were responsible for the opener, inside four minutes.Jean-Philippe Mateta span off the lazy Josko Gvardiol to play a return to Will Hughes.The midfielder spotted that Lewis had switched off, allowing Daniel Munoz – played onside by Ruben Dias – to run in on goal.Munoz obliged, his drive flicking the inside of Ortega’s glove on its way to the net.Appeals for a VAR reprieve, led by Dias, correctly fell on deaf ears at Stockley Park.Initially, it looked darker for City as Haaland, of all people, wasted two chances to put them back on terms.The first was just three minutes later, when Kevin de Bruyne played perfectly in behind the Palace backline.You would have put your house on Haaland. Instead, he smashed into the face of the onrushing Dean Henderson.Then Haaland shrugged aside Maxence Lacroix to find de Bruyne but overran the return pass, allowing the home defence to hack clear.Ismaila Sarr spooned over from the edge of the box fro Palace before Henderson’s left-hand upright denied Ilkay Gundogan’s volley, with Savinho frustrated as he steered the rebound wide of the other post.But after a brilliant block by Dias prevented Jefferson Lerma making it two after Munoz shrugged off Lewis’ attentions and linked up with Sarr and Mateta, City did equalise.Nunes flung in a ball to the back post where Haaland rose as high as a skyscraper, out-jumping both Henderson and Marc Guehi – back wearing the regular armband after the week’s rainbow furore – and raising his left arm as his header floated into the far corner.Instead of waiting to be congratulated, Haaland urged his team-mates to join him for an impromptu huddle inside the PALACE box before they returned to their own half.Lacroix just prevented De Bruyne’s low cross finding Haaland in front of goal before the interval.City were starting to play, Palace forced deep. Only for Guardiola’s men to cause themselves more damage.Hughes, gifted the ball 30 out, saw his shot deflected behind but jogged over to take the right-wing corner.It looked a routine, middle of the six yard box inswinger.But Ortega was stuck like a statue, Walker got caught underneath the ball, and Lacroix cashed in, thumping home an unstoppable header from close range.Another defeat would have been true crisis.Instead, Palace were unpicked after a drop ball, quick passes between Gundogan, de Bruyne and finally Bernardo Silva creating the opening for Lewis, running through the channel, to lash high right-footed past the stranded Henderson.No celebrations for this goal either – City knew a point was not enough.Henderson clawed away a deflected Savinho effort, Haaland’s header was touched over the bar and you expected the storm to overwhelm Palace.But Lewis, booked for dissent soon after his goal, slid in to send Chalobah flying inside the Palace box, a needless foul that sent them down to 10.READ MORE SUN STORIESIf anyone was going to win it after that, it was Palace. Which tells you all you need to know. More

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      Shocking moment furious Pep Guardiola has to be held back from fan as he tries to confront him in street

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      THIS is the shocking moment Pep Guardiola had to be held back from angrily confronting a fan.Footage has emerged of the under-pressure Manchester City manager being berated while walking through the street.Pep Guardiola was filmed confronting a fan in the streetCredit: GettyAnd the clip shows the 53-year-old SNAPPING after appearing to snub the man.Guardiola is seen walking along a street in Manchester city centre wearing a dark grey suit and black tie.He was accompanied by what appeared to be his son Marius and another man.The cameraman shouted at the former Barcelona gaffer: “F***ing hell mate, just because you lost.”READ MORE ON GUARDIOLAAn incensed Guardiola immediately turned around to confront the person but was restrained by his security guard.But the irate Catalan tried to make another beeline for the cameraman, saying as he was held back: “Do you know what is lost?”Do you want I sign? I’m gonna sign it?”The cameraman replied “No it’s fine” before Guardiola tried to confront him for the third time.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSGuardiola was eventually calmed down and walked away from the scene.The footage appears to have been shot in Chapel Street in Salford and fans have speculated it was filmed in the aftermath of last season’s FA Cup final defeat to Manchester United.Five Man City disasters that led to Pep Guardiola scratching his OWN face before ‘self-harm’ apologyPep Guardiola’s troops were a whopping 11 points behind Liverpool following their 2-0 defeat at AnfieldCredit: REXPep pictured at the 2024 FA Cup final, after which its believed the footage was filmedCredit: GettyIn the footage, Guardiola appears to be wearing the same suit he wore when Man City lost 2-1 to Manchester United.City have denied claims the row happened after this month’s 2-0 defeat at Liverpool.Defeat at Anfield left the defending Premier League champions a whopping ELEVEN points behind the Merseysiders.But they reduced the gap between themselves and Arne Slot’s side on Wednesday with a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest at the Etihad.The victory ended a seven-match winless run for City and relieved some of the pressure on Guardiola’s shoulders.He said: “We needed it. The club, the players, everyone needed to win.“But it is just one game and in three days we are at Selhurst Park, where it has always been difficult.“We played good. We still conceded some transitions and missed some easy things and lost some passes that you have to avoid.READ MORE SUN STORIES”But in general, the most important thing was to break this routine of not winning games and we won it.”City will be back in action on Saturday afternoon, travelling to south London to take on Crystal Palace.But they reduced the gap to nine points on Wednesday night thanks to a 3-0 win over Nottingham ForestCredit: PA More

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      ‘Who the f*** do you think you are?’ Man City told after ‘making outrageous bid for Lionel Messi by accident’

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      FORMER Manchester City assistant Mark Bowen has revealed the club once lodged an “accidental” £35m bid for Lionel Messi.And the offer got City’s new ownership in hot water with Barcelona’s president who told the Prem side, “who the f*** do you think you are?”Mark Bowen has revealed the club once lodged an ‘accidental’ bid for Lionel MessiLionel Messi was slowly becoming the best player in the world back in 2008Bowen served as Mark Hughes’ assistant manager at a number of clubs and followed his countryman to City in 2008 following Sheikh Mansour’s takeoverBack in 2008, flushed with cash from their new Abu Dhabi backed owners, City were spending money for fun. During that summer, they brought in Vincent Kompany, Pablo Zabaleta, Tal Ben Haim, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Brazilian striker Jo.But they were still keen to land a marquee name – which eventually saw them break the British transfer record for Robinho from Real Madrid for £32.5m. However, there was a point during that summer that the Cityzens were just throwing out bids here, there and everywhere.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSAnd this approach led to a “messy” mix-up which saw City chastised by Barca president Joan Laporta for their accidental £35m Messi bid.Bowen told the ‘Business of Sport’ podcast: “So Garry Cook [Ex-Manchester City CEO] had said to Mark Hughes, right, the owners, they want to make a statement. They have to make a statement straight away, you know.“So we played in the Man City Academy’s Golf Day, and we were on the buggy going around, and almost every 10 minutes, Mark’s phone was going bing, bing, bing.”And at one time we had £30m plus, circa £30m for Dimitar Berbatov, for Robinho, for Franck Ribery, because they were just chucking out to these clubs in Europe, £35m, £30m, to see which one would bite, right?Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS”So while all this was going on, Cook’s in London, he’s got different people on the board who are in there, and you’re all chasing around, ringing this, ringing that.”All of a sudden they get this thing through from Barcelona, from Laporta, who basically goes online and in the media saying, ‘who the f*** do Man City think they are, they’re taking the p***'”.Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez’s sons playing in same Inter Miami team as incredible video shows wonderkids in action Robinho was Man City’s first marquee signingHe continued: “So what’s happened here? Well, apparently Man City have offered £35m for Lionel Messi. “Now at the time, believe it or not, it wouldn’t have been a ridiculous thing to say because people were talking at the time about Ribery and Messi, which is the better of the two, whatever.”We get to the bottom of it, true story. So they were kicking off going, what actually happened were all the people in this office and somebody had turned around, probably Cook and said this is getting messy.”So somebody has literally sent an offer to Barcelona for Lionel Messi, we are interested in Lionel Messi. The president’s come back and gone, ‘you think you can buy Lionel Messi off us?'”Robinho’s signing had come out of the blue and the Brazilian made an infamous gaffe on arrival after calling his new club Chelsea.And his reason for signing remains unforgettable: “Yes, I thought I was joining Manchester United.”I was misled by all involved. I wasn’t aware there was another Manchester club.”He made 41 appearances for City before being loaned out to Santos for a season before joining AC Milan.Cook also penned deals for Wayne Bridge, Craig Bellamy, Shay Given and Nigel de Jong.READ MORE SUN STORIESHughes’ No.2 Bowen played in the Premier League for Tottenham Hotspur, Norwich City, West Ham and Charlton. More

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      Fifa Club World Cup draw simulated with Chelsea landing horror group and Man City facing Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami

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      THE REVAMPED Fifa Club World Cup increases to 32 teams in 2025 with Manchester City and Chelsea among those in action. It will now be contested with a similar format to the World Cup, staged next year in America from June 15-July 13.Erling Haaland’s Manchester City are a top seed in the groupCredit: RexCole Palmer’s Chelsea face a horror drawCredit: RexTeams will be divided into eight groups of four and play each other once, with the top two teams in each group progressing to the knockout stage.The last 16 is the first single knockout round – followed by the quarter-final, semi-final and then final.But it all kicks off with the group-stage draw, staged in Miami, where the likes of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich find out their fate.Certain teams cannot draw each other, for example sides from the same league such as Chelsea and City or Flamengo and Fluminense.READ MORE IN football Fifa split the top seeding pot by handing four slots to Europe and four to South America, based on their continental coefficient ranking.So City, Madrid, Bayern and PSG are joined by Brazilians Flamengo, Palmeiras and Fluminense and Argentina’s River Plate.The other eight European sides, including Chelsea, are in pot two.Pot three is made up of the remaining South American teams – Boca Juniors and Botafogo – and the two highest ranked sides from the other three major confederations.Most read in FootballPot four will see the remaining sides, although Inter Miami are already confirmed as playing in Group A and Seattle Sounders will play all their games at home.SunSport simulated the draw and it would be exciting news for City fans but not so much for Chelsea.Fifa confirm 12 stadiums for new-look Club World Cup including TWO £1.2BILLION NFL grounds and 88,500-seat Olympic venueThe Premier League champions drew Inter Milan, Botafogo and Inter Miami – meaning they would come up against Lionel Messi. But Chelsea suffered a horror draw alongside Real Madrid, Monterrey of Mexico and South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns FC.There were also glamour ties including Flamengo vs Port and Palmeiras vs Juventus. Boca Juniors vs Bayern Munich also looks particularly exciting.Details on how footy fans can watch the Club World Cup emerged earlier this week, with DAZN snapping up the rights. More

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      Man City 3 Nottingham Forest 0: Guardiola finally stops the rot as De Bruyne masterclass gets champions back winning

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      EVERY cloud has a Silva lining.There have been plenty of very dark ones gathering over Manchester City over the past six weeks.Manchester City got back to winning ways against Nottingham Forest with a 2-0 winCredit: EPABernardo Silva opened the scoring early in the first halfCredit: REXKevin De Bruyne doubled City’s lead on the half-hour markCredit: EPAUnder-pressure Pep Guardiola couldn’t hide his reliefCredit: GETTYSix defeats in seven extraordinary matches had seen the wheels well and truly come off Pep Guardiola’s juggernaut.Amid it all, there have been plenty of critics forecasting that this is the end of City’s era of dominance.But one of Pep’s stalwarts Bernardo Silva lifted some of the gloom by putting them ahead inside eight minutes here.And by the end, there were clear signs that brighter days could still be ahead for the four-in-row champs.READ MORE ON MAN CITYKevin De Bruyne took centre stage on his first start in almost three months – setting up that opening goal for his fellow midfielder.He also scored one himself and looked like he had never been away as he ran the show for almost 75 minutes before taking the applause from his adoring fans.In some ways it felt like normal service was resumed at the Etihad – but don’t believe it just yet.City gave Forest far more chances than their manager would have liked – and the visitors should have taken at least one of them.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSBut at least this performance and result will have given their rivals – many of whom have delighted in the demise of the champions – something to think about.After four straight defeats in the Prem – which had left them 11 points off leaders Liverpool – their first priority was to stop that disastrous run.Pep Guardiola responds to ‘sacked in the morning’ chants at Anfield from Liverpool fans And with De Bruyne around, there is just a different feel to this team.He may not have started a game since mid-September but he didn’t take long to get back to doing what he does best – just eight minutes in fact.Ilkay Gundogan’s cross to the back post was nodded across goal by KDB and there was Bernardo to turn it in from close range.It was the Portuguese midfielder’s first league goal since January and just what was needed to calm the nerves.The home fans have not lost their sense of humour amid their recent slump and some of them chanted ‘City’s staying up’ as the gloom lifted.They had a chance to add a second soon afterwards as Bernardo’s cross was nodded wide by an unmarked Josko Gvardiol.The Croatian defender was axed for the trip to Anfield on Saturday after a horror show against Feyenoord.And he almost dropped his team in it again as he lost a duel with Jota Silva on the wing but Stefan Ortega bailed him out – saving superbly from Morgan Gibbs-White.Then Gvardiol found himself clean through as he raced onto a pass from Erling Haaland but dragged his shot inches wide.De Bruyne seemed to be enjoying his return and thumped a low shot that Matz Sels but drifted wide of the far post.The Belgian had been bossing proceedings for the opening half an hour – but then came a sign of rustiness.His pass back caught Ruben Dias flat-footed and Chris Wood went clean through – only to place his shot wide.As if to make up for it though he doubled City’s lead less than a minute later.His countryman Jeremy Doku made it for him, jinking his way into the box before rolling it back to KDB who thumped a rising shot past Sels.It looked like he took all the frustration of the last few months out on that shot as he scored for the first time since August.Jermer Doku bagged Manchester City’s third goal of match in the 57th minuteCredit: GETTYPep Guardiola gave the returning Kevin De Bruyne a big embrace during the matchCredit: PAPep Guardiola ridiculed claims from Sky pundits that there was a problem between him and De Bruyne – by insisting he was ‘desperate’ to get him back.And no wonder. Even at 33 he still has the quality to turn City’s season around.You could sense the relief around the Etihad – but nobody was getting carried away.They all remember what happened against Feyenoord eight days ago when a three-goal lead was chucked away in 15 minutes of madness.And their team were still offering the visitors chances – with Anthony Elanga curling a shot wide and Alex Moreno seeing a shot superbly blocked by Jack Grealish.There were more openings for Forest after the break with Murillo’s thumping shot just clearing the angle.But just before the hour, City extended their lead with Haaland turning provider as he turned in the centre circle and sent Doku racing clear.The Norwegian was screaming for a return pass but the winger cut in and bent a beauty around Sels from 15 yards.Despite what happened here against Feyenoord, Forest seemed to know the game was up.And City looked to extend their lead with De Bruyne’s cheeky free-kick going just the wrong side of the post with the keeper motionless.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe Belgian playmaker then linked up with Grealish and saw a deflected effort turned around the post by Sels.His work was done though and when he was replaced by Rico Lewis with 17 minutes remaining, he fully deserved his ovation. 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