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      Man Utd blow as new £72m signing Rasmus Hojlund ALREADY injured and out for Premier League season opener

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      MANCHESTER UNITED’s new striker Rasmus Hojlund is injured and will miss the first two games of the season.Hojlund was unveiled to the Old Trafford crowd before their friendly against Lens.
      Rasmus Hojlund will miss Manchester United’s first two matches of the season
      He took no part in the match.
      Now it has emerged the £72million signing sustained an injury in pre-season training with his now former club Atalanta.
      That definitely rules him out of the season opener here a week on Monday against Wolves.
      But he is also a doubt for the trip to Tottenham the following Saturday.
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      He is training but will take at least a fortnight to get up to match fitness.
      Hojlund is United’s third signing of the summer, following the arrivals of Mason Mount and Andre Onana.

      The Danish forward scored 10 goals in 34 appearances for Atalanta last season.
      After being unveiled by the Red Devils, he said: “It is no secret that I have been a fan of this great club since I was a small boy, and I dreamed of walking out at Old Trafford as a Manchester United player.
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      “I am incredibly excited by this opportunity to turn that dream into a reality, and I am determined to repay the faith that the club has shown in me.
      “It is still early in my career, but I know that I am ready to make this step up and play with this group of world-class players.”
      Erik ten Hag will be able to call on Marcus Rashford in Hojlund’s absence.
      The England forward started through the middle in the friendly against Lens which Manchester United won 3-1. More

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      Man Utd fans demand ‘refund’ on Andre Onana after new goalkeeper signing lobbed from HALF WAY LINE

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      MANCHESTER UNITED fans have demanded a “refund” on new goalkeeper Andre Onana.The keeper was lobbed from the halfway line during Saturday’s friendly against Lens at Old Trafford.
      Manchester United fans have demanded a ‘refund’ on Andre Onana
      Andre Onana was lobbed during the first half against Lens
      Onana completed a £47million move to the Red Devils from Inter Milan earlier this summer.
      However, he had a moment to forget against the French side in his latest appearance.
      Florian Sotoca spotted the Cameroonian off his line during the first half, perfectly lobbing him from the halfway line.
      Onana’s mishap was made worse by the keeper landing in the net as he raced back in an attempt to stop the ball.
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      Fans were quick to criticise him on social media after the goal, with some even demanding a refund on the transfer.
      One supporter tweeted: “Can we get a refund on Onana and bring back De Gea.”

      Another wrote: “Lens have just scored from basically the halfway line due to Onana positioning. Oops.”
      Meanwhile, a third fan added: “Onana’s been lobbed from the half way line…. It’s only pre season lads don’t worry.”
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      Onana was brought in as a replacement for David de Gea following his exit from the club.
      The Spaniard departed when his contract expired at the end of June, ending his 12-year stay in England.
      Erik ten Hag previously worked with Onana at Ajax, where he made 145 appearances under the Dutchman. More

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      Michael Owen predicts entire 2023-24 Premier League final table with fans saying ‘you hate Tottenham’

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      FOOTBALL fans have been left bemused by Michael Owen following his 2023-24 Premier League predictions.England’s top flight gets underway on Friday, August 11 when Burnley host defending champions Manchester City.
      Michael Owen has made some bold Premier League predictionsCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Owen has tipped Tottenham to struggle again this seasonCredit: Getty
      Before that the annual curtain raiser takes place on Sunday as Pep Guardiola’s Treble winners take on Arsenal at Wembley.
      Ahead of the new season, Owen has guessed where each of the 20 teams will finish come the end of the campaign.
      Unsurprisingly, he has Man City claiming a sixth league title in seven years.
      The rest of his top four consists of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United.
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      Owen believes Chelsea will narrowly miss out on Champions League football, followed by Newcastle and Brighton.
      And he has gone out on a limb by predicting Tottenham will finish down in NINTH.

      His three relegated teams are Wolves, Sheffield United and Luton.
      But social media has taken apart some of his placings as Owen was critiqued – particularly by Tottenham supporters.
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      How Michael Owen believes the 2023/24 Premier League table will finish
      One said: “You hate Spurs that’s my thoughts.”
      Another added: “On what basis does Spurs finish 9th? Also think you’ve underrated Burnley here and completely overrated West Ham.”
      Others were also sceptical of Owen’s predictions as one replied: “How can a strengthened Newcastle United fall 3 places? Will not happen.”
      While a cutting fan simply responded: “The truth is you are always wrong..” More

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      I’m a former Premier League star burned by brutal reality TV… I beg all footballers to avoid falling into dark spiral

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      JERMAINE PENNANT has advised current Premier League players to avoid the “dangers” of reality TV and warned “nothing good can come of it”.Pennant became the most expensive youth player in the history of football when Arsenal paid Notts County £2million to secure him when he was just 15.
      Pennant has urged footballers to avoid following his lead by appearing on reality TVCredit: Getty – Contributor
      He would go on to play for the likes of Liverpool and Stoke City before ending his career at Billericay Town in 2018.
      After retiring, the former winger dipped his toe into the world of reality TV – appearing on Celebrity Big Brother in 2018 and Celebs Go Dating in 2019.
      While on Celebrity Big Brother, Pennant appeared to flirt extensively with fellow contestant Chloe Ayling – despite being married to Alice Goodwin at the time.
      He failed to disclose to Ayling that he was a married man.
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      He claimed the way the show was edited almost destroyed his marriage.
      He told The Sun in 2019: “I had no idea what was going on when I was in Celebrity Big Brother.
      “In there I know how it is, but the way they edit it, it looks 100 per cent worse. They are showing five minutes of a 24 hour day. There were times when I never had a conversation with a girl.”
      Despite undergoing couples counselling as part of Celebs go Dating, Pennant and Goodwin went their separate ways in 2020 after nine years of marriage.
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      And now Pennant has warned current footballers that are in a similar position to him to avoid the additional spotlight reality TV can bring.

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      He was asked by Lord Ping about the dangers of reality TV for footballers at the end of their careers, with the company asking if he would advise someone like Jack Grealish not to follow his path.
      Pennant responded: “I would urge footballers to stay away from reality TV.
      “There’s nothing good to come from it. Reality TV is all about controversy, they don’t care if you look good or bad, it’s all about entertainment value and production.
      “If you’re a footballer and that’s your niche that you’ve worked your whole life for, then to go to reality TV kind of washes that out and taints it to a certain degree.
      “Then trying to move on from reality TV is very difficult. You get a few who do well after, but 90 per cent find themselves in a dark spiral just to keep relevant. 
      “I wouldn’t say it’s a life to live, nothing good can come from it.”
      Pennant is not the only former footballer to enter the Celebrity Big Brother house.
      He followed in the footsteps of former Tottenham star Jamie O’Hara, who appeared on the show in 2017.
      While in the Boreham Wood studio home, O’Hara shared smooches with Nicola McLean and Bianca Gascoigne.
      John Barnes and Neil ‘Razor’ Ruddock are two other ex-pros that found themselves on the show.
      Meanwhile, Pennant recently bravely opened up about his own childhood trauma in the aftermath of Dele Alli’s emotional interview on The Overlap with Gary Neville.
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      He revealed he was called “the Cornflake Kid” by cruel bullies after neglect from both his parents left him with not enough to eat at home.
      He also opened up about how his mum was rarely in the house to look after him and how his father experienced substance abuse problems throughout his childhood. More

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      Aaron Ramsey has gone back to his roots in Cardiff return

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      AARON RAMSEY is being tipped to deliver more HAIR-OICS on his sensational return to the Championship with boyhood club Cardiff.The Wales captain, 32, turned down a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia when he sealed a third spell with the Bluebirds which kicks off at Leeds on Sunday.
      Aaron Ramsey with short hair in his first spell with Cardiff
      Ramsey is back at his boyhood club after signing on a free transfer from NiceCredit: Alamy
      Ramsey left Cardiff for Arsenal in 2008 and had a loan spell back in the Welsh capital in 2011.
      But the ex-Gunners and Juventus star has been backed to be a cut above and show he is the best midfielder in the league by close pal Chris Gunter.
      Gunter recalled former Cardiff and Wales team-mate had the confidence to make the grade when he made his first-team debut at the age of 16 and 123 days – still a record for the Welsh club’s youngest player – in April 2007.
      Prior to breaking John Toshack’s record when Ramsey came on as a substitute for Paul Parry in the 1-0 home defeat to Hull at the old Ninian Park, he had shaved his hair off.
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      Gunter said: “Most people at that time knew he had quite long hair, he was in the matchday squad and turned up to the game with his hair shaved off. I thought it was a bit of a surprise.
      “That was Aaron, he had a lot of confidence even though it sounds daft to say something about his hairstyle.
      “It felt it was only going to be a matter of time before he got into the team properly.
      “The season finished, he came back and seemed to go on and on. Everyone realised that if he was breaking records from somebody like John Toshack there was a reason behind it.
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      “And as soon as he established himself he never looked back.”
      Gunter has been mates with Ramsey since their teens coming through the Cardiff ranks together.
      The Wales coach, 34, who won 109 caps for his country, also came off the bench for that Hull game as a 17-year-old.
      He knew then what a talent Cardiff had on their hands – and he reckons the former Nice star, who joined on a free transfer, can light up the second tier.
      Gunter added: “Even back then, if Aaron gave the ball away, he’d continue to try because he always had that inner confidence and self-belief. As a young player, that’s hard to do.
      “He dominated and ran games and scored goals from 25-30 yards so it wasn’t hard to see what ability he had.
      “But it was more his character and the way he carried himself, even around people a lot older than him.
      “He’s had an amazing career and hopefully it can finish with real success back home, carrying the Welsh flag like he’s done for many years.
      “Cardiff have a superstar on their hands and there won’t be a better midfielder in the league.
      “There are not many creative players who are more inventive and reliable than him.
      “He is a top-class midfielder and someone you want right in the middle of your team who will demand what you need.
      “The opposition will see his name on the team sheet and he’ll have a lot of attention but he’s the Welsh captain and has been at the forefront of the national team at major tournaments.
      “At his age and the way he is as a person, he’ll be really comfortable with the move. It makes total sense. He can get into a zone of being focussed.
      “He’ll enjoy that responsibility of going back home, being one of the main players and will find his feet quickly.”
      Ramsey follows former international team-mates Craig Bellamy, who hung up his boots at Cardiff in 2014, and Swansea midfielder Joe Allen, 33, by returning to Wales in the final stages of their careers.
      Gunter said: “Welsh people feel a real sense of belonging. We’re not the biggest country but when you’ve grown up in the environment, there’s something strong and powerful about it.
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      “Aaron’s family still live in Wales, it’s where he grew up and he wants his family to now do the same.
      “Craig did something similar and there’s no coincidence why. If you’re from Wales then that’s you for life.” More

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      Gary Lineker makes shock prediction for Premier League title and confident mega-money signing justifies price tag

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      GARY LINEKER today gives SunSport his lowdown on the new Premier League season.The Match of the Day host was a prolific England striker, a World Cup Golden Boot winner, a star at Barcelona — and even won a major trophy with Tottenham.
      Gary Lineker has spoken to SunSport about the upcoming Premier League seasonCredit: Getty
      The Match of the Day host is predicting Arsenal to win the Premier LeagueCredit: Getty
      Here he tells us exactly why Erling Haaland is such a lethal goalscorer, why he thinks Arsenal can win the title and the Saudi Arabia threat to the Prem.
      To mark the launch of his new podcast ‘The Rest Is Football’ — with Match of the Day pals Alan Shearer and Micah Richards — Lineker gives us some of his exclusive takes.
      Gary on… Arsenal
      I’M tipping Arsenal to win the title this season — maybe just to avoid being predictable but I do think they have had an impressive summer in the transfer market.
      Rather than demoralising them, going close and missing out last season will benefit Mikel Arteta’s side. Being in the title race has given them an experience that they didn’t previously have.
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      A lot of players who move for big money struggle to cope with their price tag but I don’t think that’ll be the case with ex-West Ham skipper Declan Rice.
      He is an exceptional player — a holding midfielder but also far more than that. Rice is a real leader, who will run all day, a player who can break the lines and make things happen with the ball at his feet.
      Of course, £105million is a massive fee but he will not have the same pressure as a forward player who moves for big money because they are constantly judged on their scoring record.
      I’d like to see Rice add more goals to his game but nobody is expecting that of him.
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      I’m also intrigued to see where Kai Havertz fits in because he is a wonderful talent.
      Despite scoring Chelsea’s winner in the 2021 Champions League final, I don’t think we’ve seen the best of the German yet. He looks to me like his best position might be as a No 10 but Arsenal have the excellent Martin Odegaard there already.
      Havertz may start the season at centre-forward as Gabriel Jesus is injured but he could also operate wide on the left or right or in a deeper role.
      He certainly adds depth and I’d expect Arsenal to add to their squad even further before the deadline.
      Losing William Saliba to injury during last season’s run-in was a massive blow for them — possibly a decisive one — but with more depth Arsenal are capable of going one better this coming season.
      On.. Erling Haaland
      Erling Haaland netted 36 goals in the Prem last seasonCredit: Getty
      MOST strikers don’t actually know how to score goals — the fact that Erling Haaland does is the key factor in making him so successful.
      I don’t agree when people say goalscoring is about instinct. It’s about mathematics, it’s about the law of probability — and you have to learn the art.
      Haaland has pace, power and stature, he puts the fear of God into defences, who tend to drop deep to combat him but it’s almost impossible to stop him.
      What really sets him apart, though, is his intelligence.
      A goalscorer will attack space and nine times out of ten, the ball might not arrive exactly where you want it to — but when it does, you know you have an easy chance to score. Haaland gets this.
      When I played, people often said that I’d done nothing all game but then scored the winner.
      But for the rest of the match, I’d be making 15, 20 or 30 runs with the ball rarely going where I’d want it — and with Haaland there are many similarities.
      I’d seen plenty of him at Borussia Dortmund and when he arrived I knew he was an absolute banker to score a lot of goals for Manchester City.
      They are such a creative team who get the ball to the byline more than any other team I’ve ever seen.
      City won the title without an authentic centre-forward the previous season but they didn’t win the Champions League until Haaland arrived and even though he didn’t score in the final or semi-final, the threat of him being there makes such a difference.
      The genius of Pep Guardiola has helped him. I believe Pep is the greatest manager of all time — an obsessive, who is constantly evolving his tactics.
      But this season represents a real challenge. Pep will be as dedicated as ever but will his players experience a dip after winning the Treble?
      On.. Liverpool hopes
      Lineker is expecting big things from Darwin Nunez this seasonCredit: Alamy
      MY sons are all obsessed with fantasy football teams and when they ask me for tips, I tell them to sign up Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez as I think the forward will have a massive season this time around.
      The Uruguayan certainly isn’t the only player to take his time to settle into the Premier League but he’d improved by the end of last season and he has great strengths.
      Sure, he missed a lot of chances but I don’t mind strikers missing chances. It shows he is getting into the right positions.
      This should be a much better season for Liverpool.  Jurgen Klopp’s sides have often had a difficult season every three or four years but come back stronger.
      They needed a midfield refresh and that is happening.
      Alexis Mac Allister is an excellent signing and they have also added Dominik Szoboszlai, the Hungarian whose name I am going to learn to pronounce before the first Match of the Day!
      On.. Chelsea new era
      Mauricio Pochettino will take charge of Chelsea for the new Premier League seasonCredit: Getty
      CHELSEA have made a really great appointment in Mauricio Pochettino —  and they needed to as last season was an absolute shambles.
      I got to know Mauricio well when he worked with us at the BBC during the World Cup in Qatar and he is a very smart and engaging man who did a great job at Tottenham.
      I don’t think any player at Chelsea — those who have left and those who are still at Stamford Bridge — should ever be judged on what happened last term because it was a mess of the club’s making.
      They have slimmed down their squad, which was absolutely necessary, and signed a fair few as well.
      One of the reasons Thomas Tuchel left early last season was because he clashed with the owners. I hope they learn from that and listen to Pochettino.
      He needs time to get things right and Chelsea are the most difficult to predict in the season ahead — although they can’t finish as low as 12th again.
      On.. Man Utd buys
      Andre Onana will be Man United’s No.1 this seasonCredit: Getty
      I’M really looking forward to seeing Manchester United’s new goalkeeper Andre Onana.
      The Cameroonian, from Inter Milan, is excellent with the ball at his feet and I’m interested to see how that changes the way Erik ten Hag’s side build up from the back.
      Onana’s greatest strength was David de Gea’s real weakness.Sure, Onana will make some cock-ups but the benefits of having a keeper who can play will outweigh those moments when he gets things wrong.
      Mason Mount is another good signing. He’s an under-rated player because a lot of what he does goes under the radar — he presses so well and works hard.
      He dipped at Chelsea last year but so did everyone at Stamford Bridge. He needs this fresh start.
      United have spent a lot of money on 20-year-old Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund from  Atalanta and I can’t say I have seen a lot of him.
      Perhaps they see him more as one for the long term but I’m not convinced he’s going to make the difference for them.
      On.. Saudi cash splurge
      Karim Benzema is one of the stars to join the Saudi Pro LeagueCredit: Getty
      SAUDI Pro League clubs have been throwing around a vast amount of money this summer.
      But until they sign Kylian Mbappe, or another genuine world star in his prime, then the major European clubs will remain relaxed about it.
      Right now, it’s just the latest league where older players go to die their footballing deaths — like Karim Benzema joining Al-Ittihad — for one last earner.
      It’s the same with Major League Soccer in America, it was the same with China for a while, and I did it myself in Japan at the end of my playing career.
      I don’t want to sound holier-than-thou but Saudi Arabia has a deeply troubling human rights record — last year 80 people were executed in one day, most for what we would regard as minor offences.
      There are many other serious human rights concerns.
      It is easy to say, ‘I would never go there for any money’, until millions and millions are dangled in front of your face — then that dilemma becomes very real.
      Players can guarantee the financial security of their family for generations to come. It can’t be easy to turn down that sort of offer.
      The Saudis, and their sportswashing project, are not going away — in football as in golf, boxing, tennis and other sports.
      They have ambitions to host World Cups and Olympics and they have such vast wealth. But until they can land an Mbappe, they will not be seen as a major threat by the top European leagues.
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      Some clubs, such as Chelsea, are even seeing the emergence of the Saudi Pro League as a major positive.
      They have been able to offload unwanted players for big money, instead of having to loan them out while still paying half of their wages.

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      Premier League side release stunning new away kit with brilliant dig at rivals as ace rocks ‘Byker Grove’ look

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      SHEFFIELD UNITED have released their new away kit for their return to the Premier League.The Errea kit was released with a slick video campaign which featured the teams’ players relaxing at a fictional ‘Blades Social Club’.
      Sheffield United have released a retro new away kitCredit: TWITTER @SheffieldUnited
      The release included a cheeky dig at rivals’ Sheffield WednesdayCredit: Twitter @SheffieldUnited
      Anel Ahmedodzic models the new away kit in ‘The Blades Social Club’Credit: TWITTER @SheffieldUnited
      The away kit comes in a bold yellow and is paired with Blades’ black and red accents.
      The theme of the kit and campaign is “classic away days” and harks back to the Sheffield United kits of the 1980s and 90s.
      Current stars Chris Basham, Anel Ahmedhodzic, George Baldock, Adam Davies, Yasser Larouci, Tara Bourne and Maddy Cusack all appeared in the promotional video to celebrate the kit’s release.
      They were joined by former stars Carl Asaba, Rob Kozluk and Brian Gayle, along with the club’s greatest ever player Tony Currie.
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      Blades fans will take anything they can to cheer themselves up at the moment after losing star man Iliman NDiaye to Marseille this week.
      Eagle-eyed fans also spotted a cheeky dig at rivals Sheffield Wednesday with a sign in the social club reading: “Wednesday – closed.”
      One fan replied: “I love the pettiness.”
      Another wrote: “The pettiness I can get behind.”
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      A third wrote: “Wednesday closed – class.”
      Another Blades fan saw the fun side of the retro kit, saying: “Hi @antanddec.
      “Fancy getting Chris Basham in for the Byker Grove reboot?”
      United’s white away shirt from last year will be used as a third strip next season.

      The club said in a statement about the kit release: “The yellow strip is made from a jacquard fabric with thin stripes woven into the material, it’s complimented by black and red elasticated ribbed collar and cuffs alongside yellow shorts with black trim and yellow socks with black and red trim.
      “The alternative socks and shorts options for this kit are red while the black home options will also allow for a number of different kit combinations should the Bladesmen require.
      “The launch of the kit is set in Neepsend Social Club and Canteen in Kelham Island on the outskirts of Sheffield City Centre and reflects the club’s deep connection to it’s local community and commitment to celebrating the city’s rich history, in which social clubs have a long history in Sheffield.” More

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      Crystal Palace ‘open loan transfer talks’ for Chelsea wonderkid, 18, who made nine Premier League appearances last term

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      CRYSTAL PALACE are reportedly working on a deal to sign Lewis Hall on loan from Chelsea.The 18-year-old looks set to sign a new deal at Stamford Bridge before heading out elsewhere to gain regular first-team minutes.
      Lewis Hall looks set to join Palace on loan for the 2023/2024 seasonCredit: Getty
      Hall picked up Chelsea’s academy Player of the Season award and made nine Premier League appearances last term.
      The talented youngster – who was left out of the England U21 Euro winning team due to age – can be deployed at left-back or in midfield.
      And despite Chelsea’s disastrous season, the youngster delivered some impressive performances.
      Stepping up in Ben Chilwell’s absence, the teenager came the closest to scoring in Chelsea’s Carabao Cup defeat at Manchester City.

      According to the South London Press, Hall could be heading to the south of the capital with Palace this summer.
      The Blues are intent on keeping Hall long-term, but want him to gain regular first-team minutes.
      Chelsea have a lot of left-back options right now, so it may be best if Hall does spend some time away from Stamford Bridge.
      The Englishman is currently fighting Ben Chilwell, Marc Cucurella and Ian Maatsen for a place in Mauricio Pochettino’s starting XI.
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      Selhurst Park is an ideal loan location for Hall as Palace have a history of making use of Chelsea’s youngsters.
      The Eagles have taken Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Patrick Bamford, Michy Batshuayi and Conor Gallagher on loan from the West Londoners since winning promotion to the Premier League in 2013.

      Palace’s squad is currently looking rather depleted, after the expiry of Luka Milivojevic and James McArthur contracts, and club legend Wilfried Zaha’s exit on a free transfer.
      Roy Hodgson’s side kick off their Premier League campaign at newly-promoted Sheffield United August 12. More