Premier League

WESLEY FOFANA has revealed how Chelsea stars educated Enzo Fernandez after his racism row this summer.The Blues midfielder was filmed singing a derogatory song about the French national team.Wesley Fofana has revealed how Chelsea stars educated Enzo FernandezCredit: AlamyThe midfielder was filmed singing a derogatory song about the French national teamCredit: AlamyFofana had labelled it ‘uninhibited racism’The vile chant dates back to the 2022 World Cup when Argentina beat France in the final on penalties.Appearing on live TV, some fans from the South American country sang that France’s players were “all from Angola”.Members of the Argentina team including Fernandez sang it after their Copa America triumph and Fofans reacted to the video calling it “uninhibited racism” with Chelsea launching an investigation into the incident.Fernandez also underwent education from his French team-mates including Fofana, who explained how they dealt about the situation.READ MORE ON CHELSEAHe told Free Foot: “It was sorted out in a very good way.“He came back, and we had a discussion with the club, with the manager, we had a meeting.“We explained why we took it badly because it was important for him to understand why it wasn’t a good thing for him to do and why we took it badly. We explained it to him. “We understood in his speech that he didn’t understand that it could have hurt us. He didn’t understand that it was something serious.”Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSFofana continued: “The best thing to do is to educate him to make him understand that certain things, in certain countries, that are perhaps acceptable in that country but that in others it is very serious and that it is punishable by the law. “I think he understood and now we move forward. We are a team and he is a great player. He is an example so I hope that he will be an example in the right way for everybody.”Paris Olympics kicks off with fans BOOING Argentina during national anthem after Fernandez’s racist video about FranceThe FA also launched a probe into the incident and while Fernandez could still be charged, he looks set to escape a ban that could have kept him out for 12 matches. More

RAY PARLOUR backed injury-hit Arsenal to handle their big-name losses for the North London derby — just as his team did against Inter Milan in 2003.Mikel Arteta’s Gunners have a potential triple whammy of key midfielders out for Sunday’s trip to arch-rivals Tottenham.Arsenal have been backed to beat Tottenham on Sunday despite their injury woesCredit: GettyRay Parlour has called on the Gunners to emulate the 5-1 win over Inter Milan in 2003Credit: ReutersDeclan Rice is suspended thanks to his red card against Brighton last month, while new signing Mikel Merino is sidelined due to an injury picked up in training.And now captain Martin Odegaard is a huge doubt after hobbling off during Norway’s 2-1 Nations League win over Austria on Monday.Odegaard was later spotted on crutches, nursing his injured ankle.Parlour admits the absentee list is a “huge blow” going into this weekend’s powder-keg clash in N17.But he wants a response from Arteta’s side similar to that of Arsene Wenger’s men 21 years ago when they headed to the San Siro in the Champions League group stage without the injured Patrick Vieira and the unavailable Dennis Bergkamp.READ MORE ARSENAL NEWSWenger’s men shrugged off the setback and famously ran out 5-1 winners, thanks to a Thierry Henry double and goals from Freddie Ljungberg, Edu and Robert Pires.Gunners Invincible legend Parlour, who captained the side in Vieira’s absence, told SunSport: “We had lost 3-0 at Highbury to Inter and we went to the San Siro.“Patrick was out, Dennis Bergkamp didn’t play because he didn’t fly.“I played in midfield with Edu. That was a time when everyone had to step up.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS“Everyone thought, ‘They’re missing two key players in Bergkamp and Vieira, do we give them much chance?’.“We always thought we could go there and win the game, no problem. But I didn’t expect us to win it 5-1.Ray Parlour names recent Arsenal kit the worst ever as he claims even the infamous ‘bruised banana’ shirt wasn’t as badArsenal have a tricky start to the season“I always remember after the game with Arsene Wenger, I said, ‘Boss, from now on I’ve got to be captain, surely. “If we lose 3-0 at home and Patrick’s captain and we go to the San Siro and win 5-1, I’ve got to be captain!’.“He started laughing and said, ‘No, Patrick is our captain’.“But that’s the sort of game to emulate. You’ve got to go there and players have got to step up. Edu was brilliant in midfield with me. Henry was unbelievable that night.“You had Pires, Freddie Ljungberg. You had people like Jeremie Aliadiere coming on and playing well.“That’s the sort of game where you needed people to step up and it’s very similar to this weekend.“You can never think that you’re missing players, ‘We’re going to struggle today’.“You’ve got to go out and think, ‘Hang on a minute, there’s another opportunity here’.”It’s a similar situation to this weekend. Jorginho won’t be used a lot but he’s probably a big influence in the dressing room and can come in, when needed, to do a brilliant job for the team.”Parlour captained Arsenal to a stunning Champions League victory at the San SiroCredit: AFPParlour fancies Leandro Trossard to play more centrally if Odegaard does miss the game and thinks the Belgian can interchange with Kai Havertz up top.Arsenal started the season with back-to-back 2-0 wins over Wolves and Aston Villa but went into the international break after a 1-1 draw with Brighton.By the time Sunday’s showdown kicks off at 2pm, they are likely to be five points behind  the top two of Manchester City and Liverpool, who have favourable home games against Brentford and Nottingham Forest respectively on Saturday afternoon.Some might say that is a gap Arteta’s side cannot afford to let open up, even at this early stage of the season — but Parlour disagrees.Speaking via NetBet Online Casino, the three-time Premier League winner added: “You can’t judge the league after four games.“It’s a rollercoaster ride  because you are going to have times when you have key players missing, like Arsenal have now. They’ve got to ride it.“It’s a long, hard slog. I always said, if you’ve got a chance with eight games to go, then that’s when you’ve got to push. You have to stay in the hunt.“Looking at the scenario now, I would say a draw is a decent result away at Spurs. If we win it’s a massive bonus but don’t lose it.”Arsenal will be without the suspended Declan Rice for the North London derbyCredit: ReutersMartin Odegaard will also miss the match after hobbling off for Norway this weekCredit: SplashParlour also feels Spurs can afford to lose this game and still achieve what they want to this season, amid suggestions manager Ange Postecoglou may be under pressure if his side are beaten.One player looking to make an impact will be James Maddison, who was left out of the England squad by interim boss Lee Carsley — despite Jude Bellingham being unavailable.The seven-cap ace now looks well down the pecking order for the No 10 slot, with Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Cole Palmer and  Morgan Gibbs-White all ahead of him too.Parlour, 51, who won ten caps for the Three Lions, said: “He needs to not even think about England.“All you’ve got to do is concentrate on your club football. You don’t sulk or feel sorry for yourself.READ MORE SUN STORIES“He needs to knuckle down, be the main man for Spurs, control midfields week in, week out, be a really important player to win Spurs that first trophy or make the top four.“England will then notice it and he’ll be straight back in that squad.” More

STEVE COOPER is battling to keep some of Leicester’s senior players on board after just three games in charge.SunSport has learnt a number of the squad have found it hard to adjust to the manager’s hands-off approach.Steve Cooper is facing dressing room unrest just three matches into the new seasonCredit: GettyLeicester players are unhappy at being given too much freedom under CooperCredit: GettyThat is because they were used to being told exactly what to do in almost every aspect of the game by his predecessor Enzo Maresca.Cooper prefers players to think for themselves and make their own decisions, which some Foxes have found difficult.His habit of asking them for input on tactics — and even about potential signings — has also left a few of them nonplussed.Leicester have failed to win in their three games back in the top flight.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSDefeats to Fulham and Aston Villa followed a decent home draw against Tottenham.Cooper is relaxed about the situation and accepts it takes time for a new boss to earn the trust of players — particularly given the big differences in style between him and Maresca.The Italian was not universally popular either despite leading Leicester into the Premier League last season — some players feeling he was too bossy and demanding.There is no tension between Cooper and the players other than from those he is not picking regularly — but the squad have not gelled as well as he had hoped.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSThe Foxes’ legal victory over the Prem in escaping a charge for breaking their Profitability and Sustainability Rules last week has given them a huge boost ahead of their return to action at Crystal Palace on Saturday.But Cooper has admitted he was “frustrated” by the decision to clear the club AFTER the transfer window shut.Best ten new Premier League kits for next seasonChanges to the Premier League for 2024/25NOTHING stays the same forever.And that includes the Premier League, which is making a number of tweaks this season.Team news will now be released 75 MINUTES before kick-off, 15 minutes earlier than had been the case before.Things could get crowded on the touchline, with the number of substitutes permitted to warm-up boosted from three players per team to FIVE.There’s also a change to how added time is calculated when a team scores a goal, an update to the ‘multiball’ system and the introduction of semi-automated offsides – but not straight away.Go here to read about all the changes to the Premier League for 2024/25.He said: “It may have added a bit of frustration in terms of the window and may have affected certain decisions — we could have spent more.“It would have been better if the decision had come early.”Cooper has picked up one point since replacing Enzo Maresca in the summerCredit: Getty More

A FORMER Man Utd Champions League winner’s son has signed his first professional contract as he looks to follow in his footsteps.The player, 17, has joined Zeljeznicar Pancevo as he makes his own way in professional football.The Man Utd legend’s son has signed his first senior contractHe joins the top-flight club from second tier Vozdovac, where he had appeared for their under-19 side.The midfielder made 31 youth team appearances for his former club, scoring once.However, he will now look to make his senior debut after joining Zeleznicar and being handed a first-team squad number.His first chance to feature will come away to Vojvodina on Saturday evening.READ MORE MAN UTD NEWSZeleznicar have been on a meteoric rise from the fourth tier to the Serbian SuperLiga with three promotions since 2014.They currently sit fifth in the table after seven matches following a 14th place finish last term.Previously, he had spent time in the academy of his dad’s former club Red Star Belgrade.The player is Luka Vidic, oldest son of Manchester United legend Nemanja.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSHis dad made 300 appearances during eight years at Old Trafford, scoring 21 goals from centre-back.He also won 15 major trophies with the Red Devils, including five Premier League titles and the Champions League.Man Utd wages 2024-25 revealedVidic also had spells with Red Star, Spartak Moscow and Inter Milan during his illustrious career.The defender won 56 international caps, which included three appearances for Serbia at the 2010 World Cup.He retired from professional football aged 34 in January 2016.Nemanja Vidic’s oldest son Luka has signed his first professional contractCredit: Bradley Ormesher – The TimesVidic won 15 major trophies during eight years with Manchester UnitedCredit: Getty More