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      Tom Cleverley reveals he received Man Utd hate mail, got Fergie rollickings and Liverpool killed his Old Trafford career

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      TOM CLEVERLEY has lifted the lid on his Manchester United career – and how losing to Liverpool was the beginning of the end of his time at Old Trafford.Watford star Cleverley, now 33, realised a dream when he played for the club he supported as a boy and helped them win a Premier League title.
      Tom Cleverley has opened up on his Manchester United career and the ruthless instincts of Sir Alex FergusonCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      The Championship midfielder still has vivid memories of this time with United, the good and the bad.
      And he shared them with the club’s fans in a frank article on their website in March 2019, detailing how leaving the club hit him hard mentally.
      He said: “I was looking forward to 2012-13. The whole squad had a big boost, actually. Robin.
      “For longevity, I have to say that Scholesy and Wazza are the best two players I’ve played with in my career so far, but if that Premier League winner’s medal in my trophy cabinet was owed to someone, it would have to be Robin van Persie.

      “He was unbelievable. As an individual season, you’ll struggle to find many better than him in 2012/13.
      “Games where we didn’t even play well, that were such stalemates, you could just give him the ball and he would make a goal out of nothing. Just an unbelievable finisher.
      “For me, I couldn’t have imagined his move going as well as it did. Everything he struck that season seemed to find the back of the net.
      “How 2011/12 ended. It doesn’t get much worse.

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      “I wasn’t in the squad at Sunderland that day, but I was on my way down from the directors’ box at the Stadium of Light and as soon as Dzeko scored City’s equaliser, I knew. I could see it unfolding and that it was meant to be theirs.
      “It was a terrible, terrible day in my career.
      “I still can’t listen to Martin Tyler’s commentary when the clip comes on Sky Sports.
      “I’ll never forget in the dressing room after that game. The manager said to us all: ‘I told you. That’s why I wanted you to be more ruthless and really kill teams, because you can lose leagues on goal difference.’
      “And he was right. We’d gone in after beating teams 3-0 or 4-0 that season and he still hadn’t been happy with us in the dressing room.
      “That’s how much of a winner he was, how ruthless he wanted us to be.”
      HOW LIVERPOOL KILLED MY CAREER
      “When I look back on 2013/14, two games were massive in, well, my downfall, I suppose.
      “Liverpool away at the start of the season, we got beat 1-0, and it was a flat performance from myself. I’d already had a man-marking job on Hazard in our previous game against Chelsea, and that day I had the same job on Coutinho at Anfield.
      “For me to show the other side of my game, it was tough. Then you start hearing whispers.
      “It’s hard to get away from it all when you’re living in Manchester, your mates are all United fans and you’re playing for the biggest club in the world. Looking back, I probably wasn’t mentally ready for everything that was going to come my way.
      “I struggled with the mental side of things. In the mix of it all I had a couple of good games – the manager still had the faith in me to play and I played a lot that year – but then the Olympiacos away game killed me, really. I was poor that night.
      “The snowball had already started, but now it had real momentum.
      “I remember my next start, four weeks after Olympiacos, going into the City game at home when we got beat 3-0 and I’ve never, ever been lower on confidence.
      “For me, confidence is the biggest attribute a footballer can have, and that night I had none of it.”
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      “I’m not going to lie and say that I was enjoying my life at that time. Football was my life.
      “I was playing for a club that I loved, I’d worked so hard to get there and I could see it falling apart. It was devastating.
      “You get letters at the training ground. You try to respond to fan mail, but in the end it gets to a point where you’re better off not reading it.
      “Social media was just a hindrance, so I closed my accounts. Having a lot of followers on Twitter meant a lot less to me than my mental health and my football career.
      “I just got rid of it all and I’ve never gone back on since. I think that’s been good for me.” More

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      Cody Gakpo & Jarrod Bowen feature in the best Dream Team XI of Game Week 30

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      A HEARTY round of applause for Andy Rogers, Dream Team’s top gaffer for Game Week 30.The Northampton Town fan amassed 115 points, nine more than his closest rival, when all was said and done.
      Let’s take a closer look at how he did it…
      Andy’s team ‘Beardster FC’Credit: DREAM TEAM
      David de Gea (£3.9m) earned five points against Nottingham Forest at the weekend but had something of a howler against Sevilla on Thursday night to incur minus two points as Man United were eliminated from the Europa League.
      Diogo Dalot (£4m) also lost two points to the La Liga outfit but he was still the best-performing defender of the Game Week because of his goal/clean sheet combination at the City Ground.
      An 11-point Game Week has moved the Portuguese full-back onto 129 overall, putting him sixth among assets in his position.
      Liverpool failed to keep a clean sheet against Leeds at Elland Road despite their domination but Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.3m) and Virgil van Dijk (£4.7m) combined for ten points nonetheless, mostly thanks to the former’s brace of assists.
      The 24-year-old has played his fair share of minutes in midfield of late and his Dream Team returns have increased as a result.
      Bowen has made good use of his busy schedule this month
      Dream Team’s top two midfielders, Kevin De Bruyne (8.1m) and Bruno Fernandes (£6.7m), combined for 15 points.
      The pair have nine Star Man awards each, more than any of their rivals – what a duo.
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      Here at Dream Team HQ we tipped Jarrod Bowen (£4.2m) for a prosperous April and the West Ham winger delivered this past week.
      He scored against league leaders Arsenal for an eight-point return before adding five more to his tally via an assist and 7+ rating against Gent in the Europa Conference League.
      Martin Odegaard (£4.1m) also produced 13 points for Andy with a goal and Star Man showing against the Hammers.
      The Gunners’ captain is close to overtaking Phil Foden (£5.1m) to become Dream Team fourth-best midfielder this season.
      Andy was among just 1.1% of gaffers who benefited from Gakpo’s double-digit haulCredit: GETTY
      Another Game Week, another 20 points for Erling Haaland (£9.9m) – what else is there to say about Man City’s predatory No9?
      He’s ever so close to costing £10m, which is simply obscene.
      Full credit to Andy for his other forward picks as Ollie Watkins (£6.4m) features in just 2.5% of teams while Cody Gakpo’s (£3.7m) ownership is even lower at 1.1%.
      Aston Villa’s main man made it 11 goals in 12 games with a masterclass at home to Newcastle for a 20-point return while Liverpool’s Dutchman helped himself to ten points against Leeds’ shambolic defence.
      Love your work, Andy, best of luck to you and all other gaffers for Game Week 31. More

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      Cristiano Ronaldo becomes unverified as Elon Musk begins purge, but Twitter boss PAYS for GOAT rival to keep blue tick

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      CRISTIANO RONALDO has lost his blue tick after controversial Twitter owner Elon Musk’s outrageous purge, which has seen him “personally” pay for some celebrity’s verification badge.The social media platform erased all checkmarks from verified accounts on Thursday, which led to worldwide fear of misinformation being spread and impersonation.
      Manchester United legend Cristiano Ronaldo has lost his blue tick on TwitterCredit: AFP
      Ronaldo is no longer verified after Elon Musk’s unpopular purgeCredit: Twitter / @Cristiano
      Twitter owner Musk confirmed he pays for some celebrities’ blue ticksCredit: Reuters
      Users who have refused to sign up to Musk’s unpopular subscription service, which charges $8 per month, have been stripped of their blue tick amid the businessman’s chaotic takeover.
      Football superstar Ronaldo didn’t avoid the cull as he was stripped of his verification badge despite his 108.3million followers.

      The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is the highest earner in the history of sport as he bags a staggering £173million per year at Al-Nassr.
      But that didn’t help his case as the Manchester United legend has become unverified alongside a number of other celebrities as well as journalists, academics and politicians.
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      However, some celebs managed to hold on to their ticks as Musk decided to pay for their subscriptions himself.
      Among them is NBA legend and LA Lakers superstar LeBron James, whose profile remained intact.
      The American entrepreneur took to Twitter to back a post from T(w)itter Daily News claiming that some famous people have been offered a “complimentary Twitter Blue subscription”.
      The 51-year-old appeared to confirm that he has indeed covered those expenses.
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      Musk tweeted: “I’m paying for a few personally.”
      However, the world’s richest person has a history of tongue-in-cheek tweets ever since purchasing the platform for $44billion (£35.5bn) in October.
      Such as when he created a poll in December asking users to vote whether he should step down as head of Twitter.
      Musk lost the vote by 57.5 per cent but still remains in charge even though he promised to abide by the result. More

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      Man Utd were refunded for Chinese disaster Dong Fangzhuo after the infamous striker flopped with the Red Devils

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      MANCHESTER UNITED were given a full refund for Dong Fangzhuo after the Chinese striker flopped at Old Trafford.United infamously signed Fangzhuo from Chinese club Dalian Shide in 2004 for an initial fee of £500,000, which could have risen to £3.5million, depending on appearances.
      Man Utd were given a full refund for Dong Fangzhuo after the infamous Chinese striker flopped at Old TraffordCredit: Getty – Contributor
      But the forward only played three matches and failed to score a goal before his contract was terminated four years after moving to England.
      The Premier League giants were not out of pocket for the gamble signing, though, due to a clause inserted when they signed Fangzhuo.
      According to The Athletic, Dalian Shide agreed to refund United if they were not satisfied two years after the striker completed the move to Old Trafford.
      The flop moved back to his ex-club after leaving Manchester, and retired aged 29 after spells in Poland, Portugal and Armenia.
      Fangzhuo’s spectacular fall from grace culminated in appearing on a Chinese reality TV show undergoing plastic surgery.
      In 2015 Fangzhuo was without a club and was struggling to stay fit.
      Overweight, he appeared on a Chinese TV show where he underwent plastic surgery on his jowly face.
      Despite the cruel twist of fate in his career, his former United team-mate Darren Fletcher claimed Fangzhuo had all the attributes to be a success in England.
      Fletcher said: “Listen, it was difficult for Dong. You’re talking about a stage and a time at Manchester United where the competition for places was crazy.
      “But there was something there with Dong. He was aggressive, he was quick, he had a great shot. He had attributes. But he was still learning the game and things like that.
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      “Confidence is a massive part of it for any young player, especially when you struggle with the language and the cultural changes.
      “It’s difficult to say someone wasn’t good enough. It wasn’t like he was miles off it at Manchester United.
      “I didn’t see any reason why he wouldn’t have been a success elsewhere. But I think he went back to Asia and we never really saw or heard of him again.”
      United signed Fangzhuo from Dalian Shide in 2004 for an initial fee of £500,000, which could have risen to £3.5 million, depending on appearancesCredit: Getty – Contributor
      However, a spectacular fall from grace culminated in Fangzhuo appearing on a Chinese reality TV show undergoing plastic surgery More

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      Chelsea urged to flog SEVEN stars in summer transfer exodus including two Todd Boehly signings

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      CHELSEA owner Todd Boehly has been urged by a former England international to sell SEVEN players this summer – including two recent arrivals.Things have not gone to plan for the American billionaire since buying Chelsea from Roman Abramovich for £4.25billion last May.
      Gabriel Agbonlahor has urged Chelsea to have a major clearoutCredit: TalkSport/Twitter
      Two of Todd Boehly’s signings would be sold as well by the former Villa starCredit: Alamy
      Despite spending £600m on new players, the Blues are on to their third manager of the season – after Frank Lampard was installed as caretaker – have slumped to 11th in the table and have been dumped out of the Champions League.
      Now, despite the huge influx of new players, ex-Aston Villa captain Gabriel Agbonlahor believes the squad needs a huge overhaul.
      He believes academy graduates Conor Gallagher, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Mason Mount, who has stalled on a new contract and been linked with Liverpool, should all be let go.
      Agbonlahor also named club captain Cesar Azpilicueta, wingers Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic and striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who was a Boehly signing in January, as others who must leave.
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      And defender Kalidou Koulibaly, who has failed to impress since joining last summer, is another he feels could depart in a huge exodus.
      Agbonlahor told talkSPORT: “So I’ve got the list out here.
      “Loftus-Cheek, for me, I would get rid of. Mason Mount, I wouldn’t give him a new contract.
      “Conor Gallagher, I would get rid of. Aubameyang is an easy one to get rid of, and for Pulisic I would say ‘bye-bye’.
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      “Koulibaly, touch and go, he hasn’t looked like the Koulibaly they wanted to sign from Napoli.
      “Azpilicueta I’d let go and Ziyech I would let go.”
      Veteran defender Thiago Silva, 38, hit out at the club for decisions made over recent weeks after the midweek defeat to Real Madrid.
      And Agbonlahor believes Boehly will not be happy with those remarks and that could mean that the Brazilian may be the ninth player let go.
      He added: “Did you see Thiago Silva’s interview after the game? Even he said it didn’t he, he was really honest.
      “Yeah [he could leave], I think Todd Boehly will look at him and think you’ve been a bit too honest. But you can’t have 31 players, imagine trying to take a session?” More

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      Arsenal fans convinced Moises Caicedo is signing as Brighton star sends clear title message after transfer request

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      ARSENAL fans believe Moises Caicedo will join them in the summer after the Brighton midfielder opened up about his failed January move and revealed he is backing the Gunners for the title.The Ecuadorian, 22, was heavily linked with a transfer to the Emirates as Mikel Arteta eyed mid-season reinforcements.
      Moises Caicedo has revealed a move to Arsenal was on the cardsCredit: Alamy
      But the Gunners saw offers of £60million and £70m rejected by the Seagulls as the South Coast side kept hold of their man – who joined for £4.5m in February 2021.
      Caicedo then took to Instagram and pleaded with Brighton to let him go.
      But he only succeeded in being dropped from Roberto De Zerbi’s side as the window closed without a deal being agreed.
      Now the former Independiente man has opened up about the saga and the criticism he received – while leaving the door open to a move in the future.
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      Speaking to The Telegraph, Caicedo said: “I was really close to going [to Arsenal]. I suffered a lot.
      “I’m sure I’m going to have many more opportunities. That’s why I continue to do things well. [But] it was tough.
      “At the beginning when I didn’t end up going, lots of people would make fun of me on Instagram.
      “People treated me badly. I didn’t check my social media because it would hurt me to see things.”
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      Caicedo, who insists he “hopes” Arsenal win the title this season, also spoke about what he saw in the club that attracted him.
      He added: “I’d seen a lot of Arsenal before knowing that there was a possibility of me signing for them.
      “I watched them and I liked them because they have very young, talented players and some stars but they always have that mindset of wanting more.”
      The comments have led Arsenal supporters to come to the conclusion that the South American is still keen to come to the Emirates.
      Reacting on social media, one person said: “He’s one of us ❤️ get him to [the] Emirates next season.”
      Another added: “Bring him home now!!”
      A third replied: “Love him already, he is a gooner through and through.”
      And a fourth responded: “This guy is desperate to play for the badge 💯. It’s over to Arsenal to get the job done.”
      Since the transfer speculation ended, Caicedo has penned a new Brighton contract until 2027.
      But he is still being linked with a move to Arsenal in the summer.
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      His form in the second half of the season has remained impressive as Brighton push for a European spot.
      De Zerbi’s men sit seventh in the Premier League table, four points adrift of fifth-place Tottenham with two games in hand. More

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      Paul Scholes savages Man Utd over ‘DISGRACEFUL’ Europa League exit and blasts De Gea as ‘not a fantastic footballer’

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      PAUL SCHOLES slammed David de Gea and questioned his Manchester United future following his pair of Sevilla howlers.The goalkeeper made a two glaring errors in the 3-0 defeat which saw United crash out of the Europa League.
      Paul Scholes slammed David de Gea and called United’s performance a “disgrace”Credit: BT Sport
      De Gea made two big mistakes against SevillaCredit: Getty
      The Spaniard let down his team with his footwork for two goals, leading Scholes to question whether he is the right keeper for Erik ten Hag.
      De Gea is out of contract in the summer but has been tipped to sign a new deal on reduced terms.
      However, Scholes feels he is not suited to the passing game Ten Hag wants to play, and accused the No1 of making his team-mates nervous.
      He told BT Sport: “You have to question the goalkeeper, especially tonight. Erik ten Hag, eventually, will want to play out from the back.
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      “David de Gea has been a fantastic goalkeeper, but he is not a fantastic footballer. We saw the pass he played into Harry Maguire.
      “Look, it’s not a bad pass and I know that Harry Maguire wanted it, but you have to read the situation, read what’s going on in the stadium and it is not a place [to do it].
      “Regardless of whether the manager wants him to play, read the situation. He needed to read what was going on.
      “They fell into the trap of playing those passes and Sevilla were aggressive in getting to the ball.
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      “I think he was making the whole team nervous. It’s a question of: does he fit Erik ten Hag’s philosophy?”
      De Gea helped gift Sevilla an opener when he underhit a pass to an under-pressure Harry Maguire, who gave away the ball for Youssef El-Nesyri to score.
      The striker later added his second goal of the game after De Gea failed to control a loose ball, leaving an empty net behind him.
      Some have even questioned the goalie for the second goal, as Loic Bade’s header looped over him and perhaps could have been kept out.
      Scholes also tore into the rest of the team, labelling United’s performance across the two legs a “disgrace”.
      He added: “‘Over the two games the own goals gave it away.
      “It has been an absolute disgrace of a quarter-final. United were outfought. Outplayed. They were sloppy on the ball. They lacked aggression.
      “They didn’t handle the aggression from Sevilla tonight.” More

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      Fabio Paratici RESIGNS from Tottenham after his appeal to overturn ban is rejected plunging Spurs into further chaos

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      TOTTENHAM chief Fabio Paratici has quit the club after he failed to overturn his ban from certain football activities.The Italian, 50, was suspended by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) for his role in the alleged financial irregularities scandal at Juventus.
      Tottenham managing director Fabio Paratici has resigned from the clubCredit: Getty
      He has been hit with a worldwide ban for his role in the alleged financial irregularities scandal at JuventusCredit: PA
      He then took an immediate leave of absence after having his 30-month ban extended worldwide while he launched an appeal.
      However, the Premier League club have now announced that has been unsuccessful and he has left the North London side.
      A Spurs statement said: “Fabio Paratici was unsuccessful with an appeal against his Italian Football Federation (FIGC) ban on certain football related activities.
      “Fifa ruled to extend the ban worldwide and, whilst there continues to be a dispute as to the scope and extent of the ban, the current worldwide ban prevents Fabio from fulfilling his duties as our Managing Director of Football.
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      “Fabio has consequently taken the decision to resign from his position at the club with immediate effect to focus on his legal position in respect of the FIGC and FIFA rulings.”
      Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy, who is still searching for a permanent replacement for Antonio Conte as manager, said: “This has been a stressful time for Fabio and his family.
      “We wanted to ensure that we allowed for due process to be followed.
      “Fabio is a man who lives and breathes football – we wish him well.
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      “As outlined in our year end results, we started several months ago to restructure our football operations and last week announced the appointment of Scott Munn as Chief Football Officer to head up all the departments.
      “We shall continue to strengthen our football functions over the coming months.”
      Spurs will appoint a new managing director of football rather than promote from within. 
      Gretar Steinsson, who was appointed as Paratici’s assistant last year, will be one of a few people within the club who is set to step up in the meantime.
      Scott Munn, arriving in the summer as Tottenham’s new chief football officer, will likely have a lot on his plate when he begins his new role. More