Premier League

THE story behind Liverpool owners John Henry and Tom Werner’s billions is certainly a laughing matter.That is because part of their fortune was made thanks to a highly-successful comedy TV show.
John W. Henry, pictured with wife Linda Pizzuti, has co-owned Liverpool since 2010Credit: Getty
Tom Werner, left, made his breakthrough in the TV industryCredit: Getty Images – Getty
The Fenway Sports Group business partners launched the company in 2001 and have since added NBA superstar LeBron James to the ranks.
Their two main assets are the Boston Red Sox baseball team and Premier League giants Liverpool.
They bought the football club for £300million in 2010 and have overseen a hugely successful period including Champions League glory and ending their Premier League duck.
But despite seeing the Anfield side’s value multiply ten-fold over the last 13 years, Henry and Werner have come under criticism for a lack of investment.
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They were interested in selling last year – but confirmed they are now staying put but remain keen for fresh investment in the form of a minority ownership.
But their influence in elite-level sports is a long way from the soya beans that helped Henry on his way.
He grew up as the son of soya bean farmers and used his expertise in the field to make his first steps into the business world by trading the beans and corn.
He advanced from that into further investments after setting up JW Henry & Co in 1981, which turned him into a billionaire.
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Now worth around £3billion, Henry also owns the Boston Globe newspaper, which now has his wife Linda Pizzuti as managing director.
As for Werner, the New Yorker graduated from Harvard in 1971 and stepped into the television industry where he rose through the ranks at ABC.
However, it was when he left the network to form The Carsey-Werner Company with Marcy Carsey that his wealth boomed and now stands at around £1.3bn.
They launched a load of successful sitcoms – including 3rd Rock from the Sun, That ’70s Show, Roseanne and The Cosby Show starring Bill Cosby.
The Cosby Show – which had 201 episodes across eight seasons from 1984 to 1992 – reportedly generated a staggering £1.93bn in TV revenue including advertisement and syndication.
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Werner’s first venture into sport came when he bought MLB outfit San Diego Padres before FSG also pumped money into NASCAR and French side Marseille.
Now the Liverpool co-owners, both 73, are hoping Jurgen Klopp can fire the Reds back into the top four after a disappointing 2022-23 season.
They have stumped up more than £100m to bolster the midfield with Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai.
Off the pitch, the owners also paid for the new Main Stand and Anfield Road Stand, the latter of which will be opened in the coming weeks.
It has been a successful period on the pitch for the RedsCredit: PA:Empics Sport
Henry and Werner also own Boston Red Sox as part of FSGCredit: AP:Associated Press More

MANCHESTER United couldn’t recover from a nightmare start in their 2-0 loss to Real Madrid that saw Jude Bellingham net his premiere goal for Los Blancos.The Red Devils lost starlet Kobbie Mainoo to an injury before the Bellingham opened the scoring – all within the first six minutes.
Andre Onana had a solid Man Utd debut despite conceding two goals against Real MadridCredit: Getty
Casemiro often looked shaken as he faced his ex-Real Madrid teammatesCredit: Getty
Andre Onana shined in his United debut – making a number of solid saves while impressing with his trips outside the box to help move the ball up the pitch.
But he conceded twice on his big night, in big part because of Man Utd’s poor defensive effort.
Casemiro seemed particularly nervous as he faced his ex-Real Madrid teammates in Houston, Texas, on Wednesday night.
Who stood out and who struggled for Man Utd? SunSport rates every single player at NRG Stadium:
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ANDRE ONANA – 7
Onana couldn’t do much to prevent Jude Bellingham’s goal – which also seemed to have come from an offside position. He might have been a bit too slow to react as Joselu set the score with a worldie. But overall, the ex-Inter Milan star had a promising debut – and showed off tremendous confidence, often leaving the box to help the Red Devils moved the ball up the field.
LUKE SHAW – 3
Just slow and out of position for the majority of the game.
LISANDRO MARTINEZ – 3
Martinez was all over the place on Wednesday night and, like Casemiro, seemed to have forgotten he played in a friendly against Real Madrid – losing his temper at time and making some reckless challenges.
RAPHAEL VARANE – 5
The Frenchman was far from his best against his former team, although his teammates certainly didn’t make his job any easier.
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AARON WAN-BISSAKA – 4
Shaky at the back – and if Bellingham was indeed onside before scoring early on, it was because the full-back stayed too deep and broke the offside line as Antonio Rudiger found the England star with a beautiful lob pass.
KOBBIE MAINOO – N/A
The young midfielder left the field two minutes into the game after picking up an apparent ankle injury.
CASEMIRO – 3
The Brazilian looked nervous right from the start, which translated into late – and often unnecessarily aggressive – challenges. And those didn’t even prevent Real Madrid from creating scoring opportunities.
ALEJANDRO GARNACHO – 6
He hustled, trying to make something happen as the Red Devils struggled to create offensively. It did look like the Spanish winger played too selfishly at times, but he was probably United’s most dangerous man against Real Madrid.
BRUNO FERNANDES – 6
The United captain did all he could to orchestrate his team’s attacking efforts as usual, but Erik ten Hag didn’t help the Portuguese midfielder by playing him out of position.
MASON MOUNT – 5
A no-show for Mount, who was overshadowed by Garnacho in United’s offensive play while leaving the playmaking to Fernandes and Eriksen.
MARCUS RASHFORD – 5
The striker tried his best to find an equaliser after United fell behind early, but he couldn’t do much against Rudiger and David Alaba.
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CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN – 6
Solid but unspectacular performance for Eriksen, who anchored United’s midfield from in front of the back-four after replacing Mainoo.
HARRY MAGUIRE – 3
Real Madrid had no problems exposing Maguire’s lack of pace the moment he checked in. He was also nowhere to be found when Josely scored with a stunning bicycle kick. The centre-back deserved the boos he heard at times during the game.
ANTONY – 6
Caused Real Madrid lots of problems with his pace immediately after coming on as a second-half sub.
DIOGO DALOT – 6
A solid effort from the full-back, engaging in Man Utd’s attacking play.
VICTOR LINDELOF – 4
Credit for trying to help his teammates advance the ball, but the centre-back often risked too much going forward. Just like Maguire, Lindelof was also at fault for Real Madrid’s second goal.
JADON SANCHO – 4
Careless with the ball after coming on as part of ten Hag’s nine-man lineup reshuffle. A poor shift from Sancho.
SCOTT MCTOMINAY – 7
A good sub – McTominay created United’s best scoring chance with a wild run right after coming on the pitch.
DONNY VAN DE BEEK – 6
The Dutchman was eager to take get United going as they were running out of time to find an equaliser.
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FACUNDO PELLISTRI – 6
Together with McTominay and van de Beek, Pellistri really rejuvenated United’s midfield after coming on.
BRANDON WILLIAMS – 6
The 22-year-old was active, running deep into Real Madrid’s half as Man Utd looked to tie things up. More

ANDRE ONANA’S FIRST major act as Manchester United’s new number one was…picking the ball out the back of the net.The match was just six minutes old when England ace Jude Bellingham was put through by Antonio Rudiger and executed a delightful chip over the Red Devils goalkeeper.
Andre Onana shined on Man Utd debut but conceded twice in a loss to Real MadridCredit: Getty
Jude Bellingham netted his first goal for Los Blancos early in the first halfCredit: EPA
What a moment for the 20-year-old who United themselves were trying to get before he headed to Borussia Dortmund in 2020.
Now at Real Madrid he looks totally comfortable in one of the greatest teams on the planet and was rightly chased and congratulated by his teammates for his finish.
Onana meanwhile was looking to the assistant referee for a flag for offside and his teammates for an explanation as to what had just happened.
Neither was forthcoming.
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He would go on to recover the ball from the back of the net again on 88 minutes as Real Madrid doubled their lead through on loan Joselu who executed a stunning overhead kick from Lucas Vazquez cross.
Onana was slow to react to that on a disappointing night for United just 24 hours after their second team had been beaten 3-1 by Wrexham.
The £47million buy from Inter Milan did at least show one of the main reasons why Erik ten Hag has bought him.
Constantly off his line and in the centre of his own half he looked comfortable in the sweeper-keeper role that David De Gea could not adapt to
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His distribution skills are what the boss wanted and he looks toally comfortable on the ball where David De Gea was nervous.
United once again lacked quality up front.
They tried to get back on level terms in the first half with Alejandro Garnacho firing over and Mason Mount finding the goalkeeper from close range.
Marcus Rashford too pulled an angled shot wide.
But it was Real that looked much the better with Vinicius Jr a stand out performer with his scything runs through the middle of the park.
Bellingham too looked a level above what Manchester United had to offer.
The only way they could stop him seemed to be to foul him as Lisandro Martinez did on a number of occasions causing him to get a booking and provoking a short melee.
Manchester United did well to get back into the Champions League by finishing third last season.
But if this was anything to go by they are still a long way off challenging some of the best that the competition has to offer.
With nine players changed on the hour, it is difficult to make major judgements.
Except the fact that they continue to lack firepower.
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The hope is they will have Atalanta’s  Rasmus Hojlund by the start of the season.
They need him, they need a striker, any striker. More

MANCHESTER United suffered a nightmare opening in a friendly against Real Madrid, losing starlet Kobbie Mainoo to an injury TWO minutes after kick-off.And it immediately got worse for the Red Devils as while they were temporarily down to 10 men, Jude Bellingham opened the scoring.
Kobbie Mainoo limped off the pitch injured two minutes into Man Utd’s pre-season friendly against Real MadridCredit: Getty
Shortly after, Jude Bellingham scored his first goal for Real MadridCredit: Rex
Mainoo was having a strong pre-season, impressing during Man Utd’s tour of AmericaCredit: Getty
Mainoo got hurt in a particularly unfortunate manner.
Casemiro fouled Rodrygo as he charged past his fellow Brazilian and charged at Andre Onana’s goal.
As the Real Madrid star lost balance, he fell to the ground while also taking down Mainoo.
The 18-year-old midfielder needed medical attention after the collision.
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He then limped off the field with the help of United trainers.
Shortly after, as Christian Eriksen was getting ready to replace Mainoo, Bellingham netted for Real Madrid.
The English midfielder seemed to be offside as he received a lob pass from Antonio Rudiger inside Onana’s box.
But the official’s flag stayed down after Bellingham calmly chipped the ball over the United keeper and into the net, bagging his first goal for Real Madrid.
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Mainoo earned a start against Los Blancos having impressed earlier in Man Utd’s pre-season tour of the U.S.
Last season, he won the Jimmy Murphy Player of the Year award given to the best young Red Devils player. More