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      Chelsea player ratings: Mykhailo Mudryk rare bright spot in another torrid Blues display as Moises Caicedo woes rage on

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      CHELSEA’S woes continued as Reece James was forced off with injury in the 2-0 defeat to Everton.Mauricio Pochettino made four changes to the side that lost to Manchester United in mid-week as Raheem Sterling dropped to the bench.
      Reece James was forced off early on through injuryCredit: Getty
      Mykhailo Mudryk was Chelsea’s biggest attacking threatCredit: Getty
      Moises Caicedo faied to influence the game once againCredit: Getty
      Abdoulaye Doucoure scored Everton’s winnerCredit: PA
      Conor Gallagher was brought back into the side following his suspension and the England star’s performance was one of few positives Pochettino can take from the match.
      Mykhailo Mudryk was a constant menace with his pace but could not produce the quality needed to find a way past Everton’s stubborn defence.
      Armando Broja was handed a rare start but failed to take advantage as Blues recorded their first blank in seven matches.
      Moises Caicedo went missing for large parts in the game while Chelsea may have got something from the game if Enzo Fernandez had his shooting boots on.

      Chelsea have now won just one of their last five matches and here is how SunSport’s Kealan Hughes rated the players’ display on another day to forget for Blues.
      Robert Sanchez – 6
      Was very good on the ball and made a brilliant save low down to his right to deny Dwight McNeil.
      He also pulled off an incredible stop from Dominic Calvert-Lewin but the ball fell to Abdoulaye Doucoure who made no mistake with the rebound.
      Limped off the pitch in the last ten minutes after sustaining an injury earlier in the match.
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      Reece James – 6
      Started brightly before yet another injury forced him off in the 27th minute.
      Alex Disasi – 6
      Was mostly solid at the back in and out of possession and organised the backline well in the absence of Thiago Silva.
      But he allowed McNeil far too much time on the ball which meant the winger had no trouble playing in Calvert-Lewin in the build-up to the goal.
      Benoit Badiashile – 7
      A strong presence at the back which was needed to combat Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
      Won a lot of headers and comfortable in possession, a good outing considering how long he has been sidelined with injury.
      Marc Cucurella – 6
      Started at left-back but switched to the right following James’ injury and looked assured up against Jack Harrison and Dwight McNeil.
      Moises Caicedo – 4
      Struggled to influence the game which is becoming a recurring theme for the £115million man.
      Deserved to be substituted as he contributed very little in possession and nothing in the attacking final third.
      Conor Gallagher – 6
      Provided plenty of energy as usual but also made clever use of the ball and always picked the right pass.
      Perhaps lacked a bit of creativity to open up a stubborn Everton defence.
      Enzo Fernandez – 5
      Spurned two early opportunities to score. Helped to control midfield alongside Gallagher and put Blues on the front foot.
      Was taken off just after the hour mark after fading quickly in the second half.
      Cole Palmer – 6
      Almost opened the scoring with a rasping shot from distance that was well saved by Jordan Pickford.
      But other than that he wasted the half chances he was presented with, firing multiple shots high and wide.
      Mykhailo Mudryk – 7
      He was Chelsea’s biggest threat as he used his speed to break in behind the Everton defence on and off the ball.
      His composure and quality in the final third let him down on occasion but there were several positive signs on display.
      Armando Broja – 5
      He proved a tricky customer thanks to his runs in behind but his team-mates let him down by not providing him with goalscoring opportunities.
      Hooked shortly after the hour mark with Pochettino searching for a bit more presence up-front.
      Subs
      Levi Colwill (for James, 27 mins) – 6
      Solid if unspectacular, needs to offer more going forward if he is to make the position his long-term.
      Raheem Sterling (for Fernandez, 67 mins) – 6
      Was very lively when he came on which made his omission even stranger. Should have come on earlier as Chelsea never looked like scoring without him.
      Nicolas Jackson (for Broja, 67 mins) – 4
      Had a good chance to score immediately after coming on but he curled his shot some way off target.
      Read more on The Sun
      Dorde Petrovic (for Sanchez, 84 mins) – 6
      Did very little apart from picking the ball out of his own net after Lewis Dobbin fired home from a last-minute corner.
      Ian Maatsen (for Cucurella, 84 mins) – 5
      Was not given enough time to influence the match. More

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      West Ham fans delayed getting to Craven Cottage for Fulham clash as boat CRASHES into Hammersmith Bridge

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      WEST HAM fans were delayed en route to Sunday’s game at Fulham after their boat crashed into a bridge.The bizarre scene was a hint of the sinking feeling to come for Hammers’ supporters – as their heroes trailed 4-0 inside the first hour.
      Probably quite stressful trying to get West Ham fans to the game on time… another blow for Hammersmith bridge, but the chants are a bit special… (seems minor damage and hope all ok) pic.twitter.com/vt6zhoM97L— Greg Jackson (@g__j) December 10, 2023

      Poor West Ham fans might have realised this was a bad omen as the bridge proved that size does matter when their boat tried to get under itCredit: X
      West Ham fans delayed getting to Craven Cottage for Fulham clash as boat CRASHES into Hammersmith BridgeCredit: X
      A group of fans kept up their tradition of going to Craven Cottage via the River Thames  – normally a pleasant way to get from the east to the west of London.
      But a clip posted on X shows the “Emerald of London” slowly turn sideways at Hammersmith Bridge – before banging into the iron structure an almighty noise.
      The singing supporters were briefly rendered silent by the collision – and the realisation that the boat won’t fit through.
      After coming to a halt, the Emerald made a U-turn – sparking boos from some fans
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      It’s understood the supporters then had to find another way to get to Craven Cottage.
      “Wtf is going on here?” responded one observer.
      And “could have been more serious,” wrote another, while a third joked: “High tide.”
      But a few fans suggested the “bridge was knackered” – claiming its “cast iron design was not a brilliant build idea”.
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      However, it was West Ham’s players who were all at sea later.
      Their bid for a victory to put them in the top six was dampened by falling 3-0 down within 40 minutes and destroyed after the interval. More

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      Tottenham vs Newcastle LIVE SCORE: Latest Premier League updates as Lascelles STARTS while Richarlison in for Spurs

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      TOTTENHAM host Newcastle in the Premier League to cap off an epic Super Sunday.Spurs are hoping to put an end to their dogged run of form after only picking up one point in their last five games.
      Meanwhile, Newcastle will be aiming to recover from their 3-0 plummeting away at Everton in midweek.

      Kick off time: 4.30pm GMT
      TV channel: Sky Sports Main Event/Premier League
      Live stream: NOW
      Tottenham team: Vicario, Porro, Romero, Davies, Udogie, Sarr, Bissouma, Johnson, Kulusevski, Richarlison, Son
      Newcastle team: Dubravka, Trippier, Schar, Lascelles, Livramento, Miley, Guimaraes, Joelinton, Almiron, Gordon, Isak

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      Everton 2 Chelsea 0
      Spurs fans will also be able to afford themselves a smile at the Chelsea result.
      The Blues, as Newcastle did on Thursday, went down to a convincing defeat at Everton.
      Abdoulaye Doucoure put the Toffees in front before academy graduate Lewis Dobbin netted his first goal for the club.

      Fulham 5 West Ham 0
      West Ham claimed bragging rights with a 2-1 win here in North London on Thursday night, but Spurs fans will be pleased to know the Hammers team came crashing down to earth at Craven Cottage.
      And in a more literal crash, a set of West Ham fans were delayed getting to the ground after their boat across the Thames collided with Hammersmith Bridge.
      They’ll be pleased not to have missed too much from David Moyes men though, as Fulham ran out 5-0 winners with five different scorers netting.

      Full time around the grounds
      It’s been a fascinating afternoon of 2pm kick-offs and we’re hoping to see something similar here at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
      Results are as follows:
      Everton 2 Chelsea 0
      Fulham 5 West Ham 0
      Luton 1 Man City 2
      The teams are out
      Son Heung-min leads Spurs out for the warm-up to applause from the home crowd.
      Jamal Lascelles and Newcastle have also taken to the field for what we’re hoping will be a cracker.
      Vicar not blessed
      Tottenham were beaten 2-1 by West Ham on Thursday but goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario could have prevented that from happening had he not appeared to have been in two minds about the backpass rule.
      In the face of a short backpass from Destiny Udogie, the Italian rushed out of his goal and punched the ball away from Jarrod Bowen, gifting James Ward-Prowse a simple tap-in.
      One reason for that may have been a concern about getting sent off for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.
      However, Fifa rules state that when a goalkeeper picks up a backpass in his penalty box, regardless of the circumstances, the punishment is an indirect free kick and no card.

      Son arrives
      Son Heung-min has been deemed fit enough to start this afternoon despite suffering a back problem against West Ham on Thursday night.
      Richarlison will be involved in the Spurs forward line after replacing Giovani Lo Celso in the starting line-up.
      Credit: GETTY
      Newcastle team
      Newcastle: Dubravka, Trippier, Schar, Lascelles, Livramento, Miley, Guimaraes, Joelinton, Almiron, Gordon, Isak
      Subs: Karius, Gillespie, Dummett, Wilson, Ritchie, Krafth, Hall, Longstaff, Murphy

      Tottenham team
      Tottenham: Vicario, Porro, Romero, Davies, Udogie, Sarr, Bissouma, Johnson, Kulusevski, Richarlison, Son
      Subs: Forster, Skipp, Hojbjerg, Gil, Royal, Lo Celso, Veliz, Donley, Dorrington

      More of the same
      Eddie Howe has called on Newcastle to deliver a repeat of last year’s display when they won 2-1 if they want to secure a victory at Spurs.
      He said: “I think it would need a very similar performance to last year, where we were excellent.
      “We were at our best defensively, we were at our best in attack as well.
      “That was a memorable day and that gave us a really big lift for what was ahead. It came at a key stage of the season, so we certainly know the importance of this match.”
      ‘Totally different’
      Eddie Howe has pointed out the main change that he has noticed in Tottenham’s style of play this season.
      The Newcastle boss said: “Tottenham have certainly changed a lot of their build-up patterns.
      “Their formation and the way they play is totally different. I’ve enjoyed watching them play. [They were] free-scoring early season, with a lot of interesting movements.
      “He [Ange Postecoglou] has done very well in a short period of time to implement his philosophy.”
      Credit: getty
      Howe about that
      Ange Postecoglou has revealed that Eddie Howe is the biggest reason he has ended up as Spurs manager.
      That’s because of a fateful day two and a half years ago when Howe decided to turn down the Celtic job.
      Howe’s decision led to former Australia manager Postecoglou getting a shot in Glasgow and grasping the opportunity with both hands, as he delivered five trophies in two seasons – a record that led to him getting the job at Spurs.
      The Aussie said of Howe’s decision: “Sliding doors moment.
      “There’s probably been no bigger decision in me being here today than Eddie knocking back the Celtic job.
      “I haven’t thanked him, I probably should.”
      Credit: getty
      Head-to-head
      The recent head-to-head stats between the two sides are very even.
      Last season it was Eddie Howe’s Newcastle who triumphed home and away.
      The Toon won 2-1 in North London before thumping Spurs 6-1 at St James’ Park – a result which saw Christian Stellini sacked as INTERIM manager.
      However, the previous season, Spurs were 5-1 winners at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and triumphed 3-2 on Tyneside in the Saudi owners first game at the Newcastle helm.
      And the previous year, the teams drew 1-1 in the North East and 2-2 in London.
      London calling
      Tottenham are taking on Newcastle in a Super Sunday clash between two teams who will be hoping for a drastic improvement on their midweek results.
      Spurs are on a run as bizarre as it has been dismal, having picked up just one point from their past five games – all of which they scored the first goal in.
      That run makes Ange Postecoglou’s men the first team in Premier League history to score first and fail to win in five straight matches.
      The last of those was a 2-1 loss at home to West Ham on Thursday night, which was particularly disappointing after Spurs picked up an impressive 3-3 draw at champions Man City on Sunday.
      However, there remains a lot of belief in Postecoglou’s methods and attacking style of football in this corner of North London with the mood completely different to a year ago under Antonio Conte.
      Newcastle, meanwhile, thought they were heading decisively in the right direction with a 1-0 win over Man Utd in which they were far more dominant than the scoreline suggested.
      However, Eddie Howe’s injury-hit side were brought back down to earth when they were outbattled at Everton on Thursday night and went down 3-0.
      The Toon will also have one eye on Wednesday’s huge Champions League clash at home to AC Milan, where they must win to have any chance of progression to the knockout stages.
      Despite turbulent recent runs, both teams will have an eye on a Champions League spot.
      Tottenham, in fifth, are currently three points behind fourth placed Man City with Newcastle a further point back in seventh.
      And fifth place could even be enough to qualify for the Champions League next season if Premier League teams’ average results in Europe are among the two best. More

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      Man Utd ‘make first move to sign Bundesliga striker who’s scored 16 goals in just 11 games and will cost just £17m’

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      MANCHESTER UNITED have “inquired” about one of Europe’s deadliest strikers ahead of the January transfer window.United manager Erik ten Hag needs to add some firepower up front amid a painful campaign in the Premier League as well as the Champions League.
      Manchester United are keeping tabs on Stuttgart star Serhou GuirassyCredit: Rex
      Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag needs to add firepower up front in JanuaryCredit: AP
      Marcus Rashford has failed to replicate last season’s stunning numbers, £72million signing Rasmus Hojlund is goalless in the Prem, Antony is poor and Jadon Sancho is axed from the first team.
      That is why the Red Devils have turned their attention to Stuttgart star Serhou Guirassy.
      Guirassy has taken the Bundesliga by storm with a staggering total of 16 goals in 11 league appearances.
      According to Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg, the Manchester giants have already put the wheels in motion as they weigh up a move for the centre-forward.
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      The 27-year-old is one of Ten Hag’s top January targets as he also poses as a bargain move that may cost less than €20m (£17m).
      However, negotiations are still at an “early stage” between United, Stuttgart and the Guinea international’s camp.
      Nevertheless, Guirassy is open for “concrete talks” with Ten Hag’s side next month.
      But the forward prefers to stay at the MHPArena until the end of the season.
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      Guirassy has a contract until 2026, therefore Stuttgart are not in a hurry to sell him.
      Plus, the Guinean star’s goals have skyrocketed Sebastian Hoeness’ side to third place in the Bundesliga table.
      Therefore, the German outfit won’t be keen to offload their best player as they aim to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
      Plus, Guirassy should be called up by Guinea manager Kaba Diawara for next month’s Africa Cup of Nations, which means United would be deprived of his services for up to a month if they signed him. More

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      Gary Lineker rants VAR is ‘spoiling the game’ and admits he feels ‘guilty’ over backing its introduction in shock U-turn

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      GARY LINEKER has admitted he feels “guilty” for backing the introduction of VAR after performing a U-turn on its implementation.Despite the technology being brought in to provide clarity and certainty, it feels as though it now creates more debate than ever before.
      Gary Lineker no longer backs VARCredit: EPA
      Lineker fumed at the decision to penalise Havertz for a handballCredit: Getty
      Clubs such as Liverpool, Arsenal and Wolves have all been on the wrong end of high-profile errors this season.
      PGMOL bigwig Howard Webb has already had to issue apologies to several managers this season after complaints from clubs.
      Lineker has complained on Match of the Day several times this season about VAR and revealed he regrets ever backing its implementation.
      Lineker was speaking with Jermaine Jenas and Ian Wright when they analysed Aston Villa’s victory over Arsenal.
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      Arsenal fans felt they were wrongly denied a penalty during their 1-0 defeat to Villa, as Douglas Luiz brought down Gabriel Jesus in the box.
      Kai Havertz also had a goal ruled out for a handball during a scramble with Matty Cash in the Aston Villa box.
      Lineker was particularly incensed by the incident, saying: “Why is it that the defenders can accidentally hand ball it but the forwards can’t? Why are we trying to stop goals? 
      “The people who make the laws of the game, why are they doing that, its really bizarre.
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      “I have to say I really don’t like VAR very much anymore, I was one of those that advocated it and I actually feel quite guilty, I was definitely wrong, it’s spoiling the game.”
      Wright also chimed in to call the handball ridiculous and called it “the most ridiculous law in all of law, not just football”.
      Wolves fans even staged a protest yesterday during their draw with Nottingham Forest More

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      How Sheff Utd’s new assistant manager’s contract forced him to bizarrely sit in empty office after Wilder was sacked

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      ALAN KNILL’S return to the Sheffield United management team is a bizarre turn of events for the coach.Knill had to go into Bramall Lane and do nothing at the start of his ‘gardening leave’ after Chris Wilder was sacked in March 2021.
      Alan Knill was forced to sit in an empty office after Chris Wilder’s sacking in 2021Credit: Getty
      As part of his contract he was obliged to be at the club — even though he was only sitting alone in an office.
      Now Knill is back there with Wilder, who was also in the peculiar position of being paid by the Blades during his time between leaving and returning.
      The 59-year-old spent five years with the club after joining as Wilder’s number two in 2016.
      During that time, the Blades won promotion from both League One and the Championship before spending two seasons in the Premier League.
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      He has also been Wilder’s assistant at Northampton, Middlesbrough and Watford either side of their first stint at Bramall Lane.
      The former Torquay boss has also been Robert Page’s assistant with Wales for the past two years.
      Knill returned to the Blades this week after Wilder replaced the sacked Paul Heckingbottom in the dugout.
      Meanwhile, Heckingbottom is now being lined up for the vacant Sunderland job.
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      Wales assistant Knill is now back at Bramall Lane alongside WilderCredit: Getty
      After losing his comeback clash with Liverpool in midweek, Wilder’s side claimed a crucial victory over Brentford on Saturday.
      The Blades remain bottom of the table and face Chelsea away next Saturday. More

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      Fulham step up transfer interest in Le Havre centre-half Arouna Sangante but face shelling out £15million

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      FULHAM are stepping up interest in Le Havre skipper Arouna Sangante.The Senegalese centre-half, 21, is on the Craven Cottage radar and was watched in last week’s Ligue 1 clash with Paris Saint-Germain.
      Arouna Sangante, left, is wanted by FulhamCredit: Getty
      He played on the right of a back three but is versatile and a tough competitor.
      Le Havre have started the term well and Sangante has been a key man in their tight defence.
      Marco Silva’s side may have to pay around £15million for him and are expected to take another look before committing to that level of fee.
      Fulham are also understood to be plotting a move for Chelsea striker Armando Broja.
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      The Cottagers are desperate to boost their forward line after selling Aleksandar Mitrovic to Saudi side Al-Hilala in the summer.
      Broja spent months on the sidelines with a knee injury but returned in September and scored in a 2-0 win over Fulham.
      Fulham could sign the striker on loan if Blues are willing to let him leave, having previously loaned the 22-year-old to Southampton.
      The West London club are also said to be interested in Stuggart’s goal menace Serhou Guirassy who has netted 16 goals in 11 Bundesliga matches.
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      Wolfsburg’s Jonas Wind is another player on Fulham’s radar. More

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      Man Utd ‘identify top transfer target after scouting him vs Man City’ as £72m Hojlund and Martial struggle for goals

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      MANCHESTER UNITED have identified RB Leipzig’s Lois Openda as their top transfer target.Scouts from the club watched the Belgian striker score twice against Manchester City in the Champions League last month.
      Manchester United have made Lois Openda their top transfer target for next summerCredit: Getty
      Openda, who was also on target in the reverse fixture, is now being tracked ahead of a potential move next summer.
      According to the Mirror, United are keeping an eye on the forward as they line up replacements for Jadon Sancho and Anthony Martial.
      Club scouts were in attendance for his brace in Leipzig’s 3-2 loss at the Etihad Stadium on November 28, the report adds.
      Staff had been present to check on defender Castello Lukeba, who is also a United target.
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      Openda has scored 14 goals in 22 appearances this season, including his three Champions League strikes against City.
      His form in front of goal is attracting interest from clubs both in Europe and the Premier League, including Tottenham.
      As a result, Leipzig are said to have slapped a £75million price tag on the 23-year-old, who they signed from Club Brugge for £33million in the summer.
      The Belgium international would boost United’s striking options as both Martial and Rasmus Hojlund continue to struggle for form.
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      Anthony Martial and Rasmus Hojlund have scored one league goal between them this termCredit: Getty
      Martial’s sole league strike is the only Premier League goal the pair have scored across 25 combined appearances.
      Hojlund, who signed from Atalanta for £72million in August, has scored five goals in five Champions League matches, though.
      Meanwhile, Martial has just two goals across all competitions and is out of contract at the end of the season.
      United are said to have opened talks over a potential new deal as well as holding the option to extend his existing contract until 2025. More