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      Man Utd given glimmer of hope for FA Cup final against City as shocking stat about champions emerges

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      MANCHESTER UNITED have been given a glimmer of hope ahead of the FA Cup final against Manchester City. This is because a shocking stat against the Premier League champions has emerged.
      Manchester United have been given a glimmer of hope against Manchester CityCredit: Getty
      The final league table saw a 14-point gulf between Pep Guardiola’s and Erik ten Hag’s outfits.
      However, the two sides are level in their head-to-head record this season.
      But it is their respective away records which appear to have given the Red Devils a glimmer of hope as they aim to throw a spanner into Man City’s Treble dream.
      United’s woeful away record against the Premier League’s top nine has been well documented.
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      Man Utd’s away record is well-known to be poor
      City’s meanwhile is far from infallible and leaves a lot to be desired.
      While United failed to win any of their eight clashes, City only managed to do one better.
      This being said, the Cityzens sole victory came at the most important ground in the title race against Arsenal – the Emirates.
      In addition, City did manage to draw three matches, whereas United drew just one.
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      But Man City won just one more game
      It should also be noted that United held a gargantuan -20 goal difference from these matches.
      Meanwhile, Man City had a far more respectable -2 goal difference.
      With the relative frailties of both teams coming to bare ahead of the Wembley showdown, the neutral venue may prove to be a great equaliser.
      The two sides’ history when facing one another at Wembley boils down to two games in 2011, when City triumphed in an FA Cup semi-final before Utd won the Community Shield later on.
      United have history in the Cup on their side too.
      They have won it more times (12 to 6) and have beaten City in five of the last six meetings in the competition – with the one exception being the FA Cup semi-final in 2011.
      Man City have tasted FA Cup success under Pep Guardiola once beforeCredit: Reuters
      Though the Red Devils have already tasted cup success under Erik ten Hag this seasonCredit: Alamy More

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      Saudi Prince bought Premier League club for £1… now it’s worth £75MILLION just a decade later

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      NEWCASTLE won’t be the only Premier League side backed by Saudi investment next season after Sheffield United gained promotion from the Championship.The Blades have been part-owned by Saudi Prince Abdullah bin Musaid Al Saud since 2013 when he bought a stake in the club for just £1.
      Prince Abdullah Bin Mosaad Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud at BramallLaneCredit: Rex
      The Sheffield club had run into financial issues that season which forced former owner Kevin McCabe to sell 50% of the club to the Prince – with the expectation the two would then sell their shares to a third party.
      The prince refused to sell however, leading to a bitter legal dispute between him and McCabe.
      Prince Abdullah ultimately won the legal battle, with the high court finding he was the sole owner of the club in September 2019.
      He was able to buy McCabe’s remaining shares for just £5m.
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      Since then, Prince Abdullah’s shares have risen in estimated value to £75m.
      His ownership has been shrouded in controversy throughout, with the EFL only lifting a transfer embargo on the club last month after the club defaulted on transfer payments.
      Despite promotion to the Premier League, Prince Abdullah says he still plans to sell the club, with US investment firm 777 partners rumoured to be interested in a takeover.
      When the prince became involved with Sheffield United at the beginning of the 2013-14 season, Sheffield United were coming off the back of two years in League One.
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      They went on to gain promotion to the Championship in 2017, before earning promotion to the Premier League in 2019.
      They enjoyed a successful first Premier League season under Chris Wilder, finishing ninth.
      Their sophomore year was miserable, however, with the club relegated having spent the season rooted to the bottom of the table.
      They have bounced back impressively since relegation, making the play-offs last season before gaining automatic promotion back to the Premier League this year.
      Since becoming majority owner in 2019, the prince has not been afraid to splash the cash.
      Ahead of their 2019-20 Premier League season, United brought in Sander Berge from Genk for a then club-record £20m and Oliver McBurnie for £17.5 million.
      Buoyed by their ninth place finish that season, they went on to bring in Rhian Brewster from Liverpool for a club record £23.5 million and Arsenal-ace Aaron Ramsdale for £18.5 million.
      But since relegation to the Championship, the Blades have had to be savvy in the market, unearthing gems like Iliman Ndiaye.
      Ndiaye shone in The Championship this season scoring 15 and assisting 12 goals in his 52 appearances for The Blades.
      He also made his World Cup debut for Senegal despite the fact he’d been playing Sunday league football as recently as 2019.
      The Blades’ financial issues mean they have relied largely on loans and free transfers of late.
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      Prince Abdullah has said he wants to sell the club soon, saying to TalkSPORT: “To sell is my intention but nothing is guaranteed.
      “I’m not going to sell to just anybody. I care about who owns the club next.” More

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      Man City star Ederson reveals his bizarre private superstition that has seen him win seven titles in eight years

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      MANCHESTER CITY star Ederson has revealed the bizarre superstition which he believes has helped him win seven titles in eight years. The goalkeeper, 29, has been blessed with success throughout his playing career, winning trophies with Man City, Benfica and the Brazil National team.
      Ederson revealed the peculiar superstition he credits with helping to win him titlesCredit: AP
      Ederson has won seven of the last eight league titlesCredit: Getty
      However, he believes this success is down to more than just the skill of himself, team-mates and coaches.
      Instead, he puts it down to wearing the SAME PANTS across an entire season.
      Speaking in an interview with TNT Sports via Record, Ederson revealed the peculiar quirk.
      He said between laughing: “I have the superstition of wearing the same underwear in every game.
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      “It’s always the same! The people here at home even know, they already leave it stored in their corner – It’s one per season because it wears a lot.
      “It’s the only one (superstition) I have. It’s been [with me] since the time of Benfica.
      “The first year, it was like this: when I played, I used it.
      “And in the last eight years I’ve won seven national titles. It has worked.”
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      Since arriving at Man City in 2017, Ederson has won the Golden Glove three times.
      But it is his proficiency with sweeping behind his defence and the ball at his feet which set him apart from his colleagues.
      A return of 11 clean sheets in the league this season was still solid, but it was some way off the 17 David de Gea collected for Manchester United.
      And he will be hoping De Gea and Co do not have his pants down when the Red Devils face off against Man City in the FA Cup final on Saturday.
      Here’s how Ederson performed in the Premier League this season More

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      Promising Arsenal pair including ‘the next Phil Foden’ set to leave in summer for first-team football

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      ARSENAL are set to let a promising pair including “the next Phil Foden” leave for first-team football this summer.The Gunners are planning for their return to the Champions League next season, with players expected to join and leave in the coming weeks.
      A pair of promising Arsenal youngsters are set to leave the club this summerCredit: Getty
      Charlie Patino had been dubbed ‘the next Phil Foden’ back in 2021Credit: Getty
      Two products of the club’s fabled Hale End academy are amongst those set to depart the Emirates Stadium.
      According to the Daily Telegraph, teenagers Zach Awe and Charlie Patino will leave when their contracts expire on June 30.
      The duo are understood to be after more first-team opportunities next season, with only Patino making any senior appearances.
      He has made two, having scored on his debut against Sunderland in the Carabao Cup last season.
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      That substitute appearance came just days after he had been dubbed “the next Phil Foden”.
      His last Arsenal appearance came in January 2022, though, and he was relegated from the Championship on loan at Blackpool this season.
      Patino’s rumoured exit has left Arsenal fans devastated as he departs after eight years with the club.
      However, the England under-20 international is not short of suitors, with Barcelona previously linked with the midfielder.
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      Meanwhile, central defender Awe will depart after 11 years in North London and is attracting interest from Championship clubs.
      Despite not appearing in a matchday squad since February 2022, Awe was not loaned out last season and instead made 27 appearances for the under-21s.
      Awe did regularly train with Mikel Arteta’s first-team last season, though, including before the Europa League clash with Bodo/Glimt in October.
      Zach Awe is attracting interest from Championship clubs this summerCredit: Getty More

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      Chelsea owner Todd Boehly ‘left shocked after Tuchel rejected chance to complete transfer for in-form Arsenal star’

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      CHELSEA owner Todd Boehly was left shocked when Thomas Tuchel rejected the chance to sign Gabriel Jesus last summer. The striker left Manchester City last summer and has since impressed at Arsenal this season.
      Todd Boehly was left shocked over the Thomas Tuchel’s transfer decisionCredit: PA
      Thomas Tuchel declined the chance to sign Gabriel JesusCredit: AFP
      Gabriel Jesus instead went to ArsenalCredit: Getty
      Chelsea reportedly made a last ditch attempt to hijack the deal with the player heading to their London rivals.
      However, the Guardian report that Tuchel prevented the move and there was “surprise” amongst the board over his decision.
      The Blues struggled for goals this term, netting only 38 times in the Premier League.
      Problems with strikers were a continuous theme throughout the campaign with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Kai Havertz not hitting top form.
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      Meanwhile, Jesus led Arsenal to a second place finish, scoring 11 league goals despite missing months because of knee surgery.
      Reports suggest that the club listened to Tuchel’s wishes on transfers last summer.
      He wanted to spend big on defence after losing Antonio Rudiger as well as Andreas Christensen and the choice was also made due to fitness issues regarding Reece James and Ben Chilwell.
      Tuchel then splashed £160million on Wesley Fofana, Marc Cucurella and Kalidou Kouliably.
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      The now Bayern Munich boss was sacked after his relationship with the board became frosty and he was replaced by Graham Potter, who was then axed after just seven months.
      Mauricio Pochettino will now take over as manager for next season following on from Frank Lampard’s interim spell.
      Boehly is expected to step back from running the club, which was reportedly always the plan, and not because of poor results on the pitch. More

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      Chelsea ‘to focus on signing midfielders in transfer window with next season’s number 9 already in place’

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      CHELSEA will reportedly focus on signing midfielders this summer with next season’s No.9 already in place.New manager Mauricio Pochettino is planning a busy summer at Stamford Bridge after his appointment was confirmed on Monday.
      Mauricio Pochettino will focus on midfielders in the transfer windowCredit: Getty Images
      Christopher Nkunku will be Poch’s No.9Credit: AFP
      Pochettino will officially replace caretaker boss Frank Lampard on July 1 but has already began overhauling his squad.
      The midfield has been identified as a key area for reinforcements, with The Guardian reporting that new midfielders are seen as more of a priority than a striker.
      Instead, Chelsea are said to have identified Christopher Nkunku as their striker for the 2023-24 season.
      Nkunku is set to join the Blues when the transfer window opens after signing a pre-contract agreement with the club last year.
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      The Frenchman, who currently plays for Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, has primarily played behind the main striker but does have experience in the position.
      He scored 22 goals for Leipzig in 35 appearances across all competitions last season.
      With their striker for next season decided, Chelsea are looking at midfield reinforcements.
      Manuel Ugarte is currently seen as a the first-choice target, with a substantial bid tabled amid interest from Paris Saint-Germain.
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      Manchester United have also now joined the race for the Sporting Lisbon star and could hijack Chelsea’s move for Ugarte, who has a £52million release clause.
      Other midfield targets include French trio Khephren Thuram, Adrien Rabiot and Manu Kone.
      Declan Rice has also been mooted as an option.
      Pochettino’s midfield overhaul also extends to departures, with Denis Zakaria loan ending and Ruben Loftus-Cheek in talks with AC Milan.
      There is also major uncertainty over Mason Mount with the club unable to agree a new contract with the England international.
      Manuel Ugarte is thought to be one of Chelsea’s top targetsCredit: Getty More

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      Newcastle’s ‘Wheel of Fortune’ fines board revealed as strict Eddie Howe lays down the law in training

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      NEWCASTLE’S new state-of-the-art training ground includes a ‘Wheel of Fortune’ fines board.Magpies legend Shola Ameobi gave fans a look around their upgraded facility on Tuesday in a hilarious Cribs-style tour.
      Newcastle’s new training ground includes a unique fines boardCredit: YouTube / Newcastle United
      Ameobi gave fans a tour of the groundCredit: YouTube / Newcastle United
      Toon’s Saudi owners hope to build a new base but have ploughed millions into their Benton HQ – previously described by co-owner Amanda Staveley as “really awful” – as they prepare for Champions League football.
      A swanky new cafeteria, games area and cinema all caught the eye, along with the hydrotherapy pool and foot-tennis table.
      But supporters were left in hysterics when Ameobi showed off the “unique” giant wheel – without explaining what it was.
      It is a board used by Newcastle manager Eddie Howe to hand out fines and forfeits to his squad.
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      A stickler for punctuality, Howe only punishes those who are late, whether it’s for training, meetings or the team coach.
      Chelsea players during Frank Lampard’s first spell had to cough up £20,000 for not being at training on time, on top of a number of other strict rules imposed.
      But star striker Callum Wilson said: “We only do lates.
      “We have a wheel and you spin it, and on the wheel there are the figures that you have to pay.
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      “The maximum is three figures and it’s kept quite low-key.”
      French winger Saint-Maximin has regularly fallen foul of Howe and his predecessor Steve Bruce since signing from Nice in 2019.
      Midfielder Jonjo Shelvey – who left for Nottingham Forest in January – revealed the 26-year-old “gets fined every day because he’s got earrings in”.
      He added: “If he weren’t that good, you’d probably have the hump with him but when he’s that good, you don’t really want to have a go at him”.
      And Howe had to reprimand Saint Maximin last July for constantly parking his Ferrari directly outside the training ground entrance in bays where there were clear ‘no parking’ signs. More

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      Former Man Utd star tipped to succeed Cristiano Ronaldo now on hunt for new club after he is released aged 36

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      FORMER Manchester United star Nani has been released by Melbourne Victory. The 36-year-old winger was once tipped to succeed Cristiano Ronaldo at Old Trafford.
      Nani is now a free agentCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      He spent the year with Melbourne VictoryCredit: Getty
      Nani had played in Australia for one season, featuring ten times and failing to score in all his appearances.
      And he will now be looking for a new team as he is a free agent.
      Nani arrived at Man Utd for £21million from Sporting Lisbon in 2007 and went on to play for the club 230 times.
      He won four Premier League titles and the Champions League under Sir Alex Ferguson.
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      The fans’ favourite was even named United player of the year for his efforts during the 2010/11 season.
      He left the Red Devils in 2015, signing for Fenerbahce before moving to Valencia, Lazio and then returning to Sporting.
      Nani followed it up with a three year spell at Orlando City in the MLS.
      Last season, he made a shock return to Europe with then Serie A outfit Venezia.
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      However, he could not help them avoid relegation and he made the switch Down Under.
      Melbourne Victory had a poor season, finishing second-bottom in the A-League table.
      Nani was unable to play a part for much of the season after picking up an injury in January.
      Fans hoped Nani could fill the void left by Cristiano Ronaldo after he left for Real MadridCredit: Getty More