Premier League

NICKY BUTT has brutally slammed Christian Eriksen’s laboured performance during Newcastle’s 4-1 demolition of Manchester United.The Dane, 33, was outrun and outfought by Newcastle’s superior midfield, who mounted a second-half surge with the score level at 1-1 at half-time.Nicky Butt singled out Christian Eriksen while calling out of the rest of Man Utd teamButt said Eriksen couldn’t ‘run or move’ while being outpaced against NewcastleMan Utd were hammered as Newcastle completed the league double over them for the first time since 1931Alejandro Garnacho had cancelled out Sandro Tonali’s skilful opener at St James’ Park, but Man Utd were never really in it.Harvey Barnes scored twice in the second half and Bruno Guimaraes lashed in a fourth after a howler from No 2 keeper Altay Bayindir. The Turkish international came into the side because Andre Onana was dropped from the squad for his own errors in the Europa League last Thursday.However, Butt – who was spotted sitting next to Newcastle heroes Alan Shearer and David Ginola during the game – didn’t hold back in his assessment.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSSpeaking to Premier League Productions, Butt suggested his former club didn’t look like they cared on Sunday, before pointing out a lack of athleticism in Ruben Amorim’s struggling side.The Treble winner said: “It is easy to sit there and apologise but for me if you go on a football pitch you have to do something about it.”I did not expect Man Utd to come here and win. Newcastle are a better team, better individuals, better athletically, more power, more pace.”I don’t know how Man United go on the football pitch and allow it to happen. I came here [as a player] and lost 5-0, so it can happen. Most read in FootballJoin SUN CLUB for the Man Utd Files every Thursday plusin-depth coverage and exclusives from Old Trafford”But allowing it to happen is something different, I didn’t see one tackle or one bit of aggression. I didn’t see anybody go head to head with anybody.”You have to at least go and show that we are not going to accept this lying down. Ruben Amorim show his disappointment at Man Utd’s 4-1 loss to Newcastle “They just lay down and let themselves get beat too easily. They have no power and no pace. It is sad to see. “I see Christian Eriksen who was a top player and now he can’t move, can’t run. It’s ridiculous.” Barnes put in a proper winger’s performance, with Eriksen and shock starter Victor Lindelof unable to lay a glove on him or anybody else.Roy Keane also blasted the Red Devils as “physically and mentally weak” in the aftermath.Keane then reignited his feud with club captain Bruno Fernandes over a “meaningless” interview which was “full of sound bites”.Man Utd ratings vs Newcastle as Zirkzee does well before injury but dropped Onana’s stand-in has a shockerMANCHESTER UNITED’S worst ever Premier League season was confirmed with a 4-1 defeat to Newcastle.The Red Devils are now guaranteed to finish on less than 56 points, which is their lowest ever Prem total.And they can only get that high if they win ALL of their last six games.If they’re not careful, they could even finish 17th – just one spot above the marooned bottom three.It was another dark day that reflects a poor campaign for United as Newcastle carved them open with ease in the second-half.Ruben Amorim dropped keeper Andre Onana after his horror show against Lyon midweek.But stand-in Altay Bayindir had a game to forget too.Sandro Tonali’s volley, a double by Harvey Barnes and a Bruno Guimaraes finish cancelled out Alejandro Garnacho’s goal.Here is how SunSport’s Gary Stonehouse rated the United performances…Newcastle completed the league double over United for the first time since 1930-31, with Jason Tindall taking the reins in the absence of Eddie Howe.Man Utd’s 14 league defeats this season is their joint highest tally in a single Premier League campaign, also losing 14 games last season.They last suffered more defeats in a top-flight campaign in 1989/90 (16 in 38 games).After being undefeated with Sporting Lisbon before moving to Old Trafford, Amorim has now lost 10 Prem games since joining.Read More on The SunNext up, United host Lyon in the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final – their last chance of qualifying for the Champions League. Amorim’s side are currently tied 2-2 after two huge errors from goalkeeper Onana, while his spat with Nemanja Matic still overshadows the tie.  More

BOURNEMOUTH’S European venture is back on track thanks to Antoine Semenyo.The Ghana star lifted the Cherries above Fulham in the race for a Europa Conference place with a sparkling winner after 53 seconds!  Antoine Semenyo scored the decisive goal after 53 secondsCredit: GettySemenyo’s goal was enough to see Bournemouth through to a winCredit: PASemenyo’s eighth goal of the campaign sent the Cherries into eighth spot on goal-difference and ended a seven-game winless run.The Cottagers left Dorset cursing the fact that they dominated most of the play but left their shooting boots back at the Cottage.This was not only a battle for Europe but a contest between two managers being linked with Tottenham should Ange Postecoglou lose his job.Cherries’ Spanish gaffer Andoni Iraola and Fulham’s Portuguese chief Marco Silva have both caught the eye this season.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLBournemouth made one change from the side that drew 2-2 with West Ham last time out.And it was a bit of a shock move too by boss Iraola, dropping Ukraine defender Illia Zabarnyi to the bench for the first time for Marcos Senesi.Nor surprisingly Fulham arrived on the South Coast unchanged from the team that beat champions elect Liverpool 3-2 in London.But any delusions of grandeur they may have had in seeing off the Reds was quickly quashed at the Vitality Stadium.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSFor it took Semenyo just 53 seconds to jink his way into the Fulham box and score only his fourth Premier League goal in 21 matches.Alex Scott set it up with a strong run and when he found his team-mate the Ghana striker moved inside Joachim Andersen and tucked the ball into the far corner.Inside Fulham’s wild dressing room celebrations as rowdy stars launch bottles and dive around after win over Man UtdThe forward had told yesterday’s Sun Sport that he wasn’t fussed by his lack of goals and had the belief he would get back on the score sheet.But no-one expected he would find the net so quicky in the league for the first time since the Cherries trounced Nottingham Forest 5-0 in January.  And it should have been 2-0 after only 17 minutes when Evanilson hit the underside of the bar from barely four yards out.Milos Kerkez’s excellent cross was played back by Scott only for the Brazilian to smack the woodwork with his half-volley.Hesitation between Senesi and Dean Huijsen opened up an opportunity for Rodrigo Muniz but the Fulham striker shot wide when clean through.This inspired the visitors who saw Muniz and Ryan Sessegnon test Cherries goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga with firm headers.Yet Scott came so close to netting in first half stoppage time when his solo effort was pushed around the post by Fulham stopper Bernd Leno.Marco Silva was furious when a mistake led to Ryan Sessegnon being substitutedCredit: AlamyZabarnyi’s exile on the touchline ended on 45 minutes when he was brought on for the struggling Senesi after the break.Within 10 minutes Fulham were grateful for Leno’s outstretched foot which denied Tyler Adams a second Cherries goal.A desperate Silva made a triple substitution on the hour although Sessegnon wasn’t happy being replaced by Adama Traore.And it took a brilliant diving save from Kepa to deny Alex Iwobi an equaliser minutes after the changes.Then sub Tom Cairney set-up up a shooting chance for Sasa Lukic who lifted his shot weakly straight at Kepa.Kepa was being labelled “a Chelsea reject” by the visiting fans but their taunts were music to the Spaniard’s ears especially when he was named man-of-the-match!Read More on The SunAt the other end Leno looked to have conceded a penalty nine minutes from time when he took out Evanilson.But VAR came to his rescue when they decided he had just managed to punch the ball clear before clattering into the Brazilian. More

CHELSEA remain top of the agent payments charts this season – but even the Blues have slashed the amount they splash out to intermediaries.The Stamford Bridge club paid out £60.4m to players’ representatives over the course of the current campaign according to figures lodged with the FA.Chelsea spent more than any other Prem team on agents fees this seasonCredit: GettyChelsea paid out to agents representing 44 playersCredit: GettyThat is a 20 per cent cut on the £75.1m Chelsea laid out last term, with all of the Big Six reducing their agents bill.Chelsea paid out to agents representing 44 players – 26 of whom are still to make their first team bow – as well as the agent of former boss Mauricio Pochettino.While the Blues spent more than £200m across the two windows, many of the payments related to previous deals completed since Roman Abramovich was forced to sell to the Todd Boehly-led consortium in 2022.Manchester City’s £60.6m bill last term was reduced to £52.1m, Liverpool dropped £10.6m to £20.9m with small falls at Manchester United, Arsenal and Spurs.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThat contributed to a slight overall drop in spending of £455,000 across the 20 top flight clubs to a total of £409.1m.Eight of the clubs who stayed up last season – Aston Villa, Brentford, Brighton, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Newcastle, West Ham and Wolves increased their fees to agents.Brentford, whose total rose from £8.1m to £14.7m, recorded the biggest rise by any club.And agents fees rose across all three divisions of the EFL.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSThe total for the Championship stood at £63.2m this term compared to £61.3m in 2023-24, with a £2.4m rise to £7.6m in League One and an increase of £300,000 to £2.7m in League Two.Leeds United spent the most by far with £18.8m – significantly more than second-highest spenders Burnley with £5.3m.In contrast, Oxford United splashed out just £572,808 on agents fees.Leeds spent the most on agents feesCredit: Getty More

MARCO SILVA was left fuming with the fourth official after the WRONG Fulham player was subbed off during his side’s 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth.A bizarre admin error meant Ryan Sessegnon was forced off as part of a triple substitution in the 57th minute.Marco Silva was fuming with the officials during Fulham vs BournemouthSilva was left raging with the mix-upFulham didn’t want to take Sessegnon off, but had no choice in the endSessegnon had gone close to finding a Fulham equaliser in the 37th minuteWith Bournemouth leading 1-0 after a 53-second opener, Adama Traore, Raul Jimenez and Tom Cairney were brought on to find a goal.Fans at home saw the trio replace Sessegnon, Sander Berge and Rodigo Muniz at the Vitality Stadium.But the changes took more than FIVE minutes and were so long in fact that referee Michael Oliver had to walk over and see what was going on.It has since transpired that Fulham didn’t want to take Sessegnon off, but had no choice in the end.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSAnd Fulham manager Silva looked absolutely incensed with the mix-up.Silva was up on the touchline shouting at fourth official Tim Robinson, but it’s not clear which player he wanted to come off instead of the winger.According to Premier League rules, once a player is subbed off, he “cannot return to the field of play during the same match”.The Sky Sports commentator said: “The card went in with Ryan Sessegnon’s name on it. Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS”But our understanding from the Fulham technical area is that he wasn’t supposed to be coming off.”The Cottagers were undone by a stunning low finish from Antoine Semenyo inside 53 SECONDS.The Premier League’s Top 10 sexiest managers according to AIEvanilson then struck the post from a yard out in the 17th minute.Sessegnon then missed a huge chance with a straight forward header to level for the Cottagers on the stroke of half-time.But Silva’s subs couldn’t find a leveller, with the Cherries overtaking Fulham to eighth in the Prem table.Bournemouth won their first game in nine matches in all competitions and are back in the race for a place in the European Conference League last season. More