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      Unai Emery put on tactical masterclass against Newcastle thanks to genius Aston Villa formation

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      UNAI EMERY masterminded a brilliant win over Newcastle on Saturday with Aston Villa employing a clever tactic to outclass their opponents.Villa are just six points off the top four after beating Toon 3-0 – their seventh win in eight games.
      Unai Emery masterminded the 3-0 win over NewcastleCredit: Alamy
      Aston Villa overloaded midfield with seven players
      Villa got plenty of players forward to support their attacks
      Villa’s full-backs were given license to get forward
      Emery has transformed the team’s fortunes after taking over a 16th-placed side down on their luck after Steven Gerrard’s reign.
      And he has done it all with largely the same players, with left-back Alex Moreno the only significant January arrival.
      The Spaniard terrorised Newcastle’s right flank on Saturday and produced a clever assist for Ollie Watkins’s first goal – the striker now has 13 goals in his last 14 Premier League games.
      Moreno was given license to roam forward to support the Villa midfield, which included up to seven players at times.
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      That allowed Villa to overload their opponents while creating space for their key dangermen – Watkins, Emi Buendia and Jacob Ramsey.
      Newcastle have been resolute at the back this season and boast the best defensive record in the league, but time and again they were exploited by Buendia and Ramsey.
      The midfield duo cleverly picked found space and hurt Newcastle will balls in behind for Watkins to chase, who could have had a hat-trick.
      Their runs into the box created chaos, with Watkins and Ramsey linking for the opening goal after 11 minutes.
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      Ollie Watkins has been transformed by Emery’s arrivalCredit: Alamy
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      Match of the Day pundit Jermaine Jenas was impressed with how Villa’s midfielders complemented one another, with Douglas Luiz and Leonardo Dendoncker also providing protection for the back four.
      Jenas said: “They were brilliant, the understanding between them. Newcastle didn’t know what to do with it.
      “These little smart intelligent movements that Buendia makes where he gets that space, they all react off it. McGinn goes, Ramsey goes and once they’re in behind you they flood threat box and they look dangerous.
      “Their involvement in what Ollie Watkins is now bringing to the table – the fight from McGinn, the cleverness of Buendia, the run from Ramsey, that’s how he’s getting the space in the box to do what he wants to do.” More

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      Frank Lampard puts Chelsea flops to work in training after cheeky dig at Graham Potter ahead of biggest game of season

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      FRANK LAMPARD put his Chelsea players through their paces ahead of their Champions League clash with Real Madrid on Tuesday.The Blues face the mammoth task of overturning a 2-0 quarter-final first-leg deficit at Stamford Bridge.
      Frank Lampard was out on the training pitch with Ashley Cole on MondayCredit: Reuters
      He is preparing for Chelsea’s clash with Real Madrid on TuesdayCredit: Reuters
      Cole has been appointed by Lampard as interim first-team coachCredit: PA
      Chelsea are looking to overturn a two-goal deficit against Real MadridCredit: PA
      And they come into the game off the back of a 2-1 home loss to Brighton on Saturday.
      Lampard has suffered three successive defeats since returning to West London as interim boss.
      But he was out on the training pitch on Monday morning as he bids to formulate a plan to defeat the 14-time European champions.
      It comes after a sly dig at former manager Graham Potter as he slammed the squad’s fitness.
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      Chelsea are looking to end a run of three defeats in a rowCredit: Reuters
      The Blues have not won any of their last six games in all competitionsCredit: PA
      Lampard is still searching for his first win since returning to ChelseaCredit: Reuters
      The Champions League is all Chelsea have left to play for this seasonCredit: PA
      Following the Brighton defeat, he said: “At the minute, it has been mostly conversations and meetings than training pitch stuff.
      “Training pitch stuff was all pretty walkthrough and low level because of the [tiredness] in the legs.

      “It is more about speaking to the players individually. When we do get the chance to work, I think the team needs some physical work.
      “I think that’s important for us because at this level you have to be right on the limit and we are not on the limit right now.
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      “I think that can be a capacity thing with the players for whatever reason. It doesn’t matter how we got there but it needs to be addressed now.”
      Ben Chilwell will be unavailable for the game following his red card at the Bernabeu last week.
      It means Marc Cucurella is expected to return at left-back, but Kalidou Koulibaly is unavailable with a hamstring problem.
      Armando Broja is still sidelined, with Kai Havertz, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Carney Chukwuemeka all facing late fitness tests.
      Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Benoit Badiashile, David Datro Fofana and Noni Madueke are all ineligible.
      Meanwhile, Real Madrid will still be without Ferland Mendy for the trip to Chelsea.
      But Vinicius Junior and Toni Kroos will be available despite missing Saturday’s 2-0 win over Cadiz due to minor knocks.
      Chelsea were eliminated by Real Madrid in last season’s Champions LeagueCredit: PA More

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      ‘Suffering’ Chelsea fans demand club re-sign Timo Werner with flop ‘feasting’ at Leipzig with goal of season contender

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      CHELSEA fans have criticised the club’s decision to sell Timo Werner amid the striker’s incredible run of form.Werner, 27, left Chelsea to re-join RB Leipzig in a £23.5million transfer last summer.
      Werner has scored 16 goals for RB Leipzig this seasonCredit: Getty

      He scored 23 goals in 89 appearances during his two-year spell with the Blues and some fans were happy to see the back of him when he left Stamford Bridge in August following a mixed stint.
      However, many Chelsea supporters are now begging the club to re-sign the striker amid his red-hot run of form for RB Leipzig.
      Werner has scored 16 goals in 33 appearances for the German giants this season.
      And he caught the attention of millions of football fans on Saturday when he netted a goal of the season contender against Augsburg.
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      After flicking the ball up just outside the penalty area, the striker riffled a half-volley into the top-right corner, leaving Augsburg goalkeeper Tomas Koubek stunned.
      After watching Werner’s wonder-strike, several Chelsea fans took to Twitter to lament the club’s decision to sell him.
      One person wrote: “Allowing Timo Werner to leave Chelsea was a big mistake; while we are suffering, he is feasting! What a goal!”
      Another added: “I miss Timo Werner at Chelsea.”
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      A third compared Werner to Kai Havertz, who is currently the Blues’ first choice No.9: “Timo Werner was better for Chelsea than Havertz has been.”
      While rival fans poked fun at the Blues, with one person commenting: “Chelsea should try and sign that Timo Werner bloke.”

      Another wrote: “Chelsea fans wish they still had Timo Werner… Man is feasting with Leipzig.”
      And a third added: “Gentle reminder Timo Werner has more goals than Chelsea forwards and midfield combined this season.”
      Chelsea sit 11th in the Premier League table, 12 points above the relegation zone and 17 points adrift of the top four.
      Following the dismissal of Graham Potter at the beginning of April, club legend Frank Lampard took over as caretaker manager until the end of the season.
      However, since returning to the dugout he is yet to win a match.
      The Blues are enduring a terrible run of three consecutive defeats.
      And they are set to face Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday.
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      Chelsea suffered a 2-0 defeat to Los Blancos at the Santiago Bernabeu last week. More

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      Garth Crooks’ team of the week slammed as ‘just mad’ by stunned fans after bizarre inclusion of Man Utd star

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      GARTH CROOKS’ team of the week has been slammed as “just mad” by stunned fans after he bizarrely included David de Gea.The goalkeeper was hardly troubled as Manchester United defeated Nottingham Forest 2-0 on Sunday.
      David de Gea did not have a shot to save against Nottingham ForestCredit: Reuters
      He still made it into Garth Crooks’ Team of the Week much to the bemusement of fansCredit: Getty
      The Spaniard did not have a single save to make throughout the contest, while his opposite number Keylor Navas produced six brilliant stops.
      However, former Tottenham and England forward Crooks – who has a reputation for his sometimes bizarre selections – still picked De Gea as his goalie in his latest BBC Team of the Week.
      And that choice left football fans completely bamboozled.
      One tweeted: “Garth Crooks picked De Gea in his team of the week. Forest didn’t have a shot on target… How does he get paid for this?”
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      Another wrote on Twitter: “Garth Crooks definitely went full Garth Crooks this week.”
      A fellow fan said: “Navas made some great saves during the game. De Gea faced a grand total of 0 shots on target.”
      The fun continued as a fellow supporter commented: “Garth Crooks’ team of the week is a frequency source of ridicule. But to include De Gea who made no saves over even Navas who made 6 (let alone any other keeper) is just mad.”
      While another added: “Garth Crooks’ goalkeeper in his Team of the Week? David de Gea after he had *checks notes* 0 (ZERO) shots to save against Nottingham Forest yesterday.”
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      Crooks did explain why he opted for De Gea in his column, saying: “The most difficult period for a goalkeeper is when he has nothing to do and then is called upon at a moment’s notice.
      “If there is one goalkeeper capable of winning a match having spent a considerable amount of time out of the action it is David de Gea.
      “His performance against a stubborn Nottingham Forest wasn’t anything special but thoroughly dependable.”
      He then even called for him to be made United’s club captain, adding: “De Gea has come a long way since the days he was talking about returning to his native Spain.
      “The former international should now be the Manchester United club captain – he’s earned it.” More

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      How Man Utd can drop SIX points from their remaining Premier League games and still qualify for the Champions League

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      MANCHESTER UNITED can drop six points from their remaining eight games and still qualify for the Champions League.Erik ten Hag’s side are plagued by injuries at the moment, and are still fighting on multiple fronts.

      Man United beat Nottingham Forest 2-0 on SundayCredit: Getty
      The Dutchman’s squad is set to be stretched to the limit in the coming weeks, with the Europa League and FA Cup still to fight for.
      Defenders Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez are among the absentees, as well as star forward Marcus Rashford.
      Even if United lose twice in the run in, however, they are still guaranteed to clinch a place in the Champions League by winning the other six.
      Six wins and two defeats would take the Red Devils on to 77 points.
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      The maximum tally Tottenham can reach by winning all of their remaining matches is 74 points.
      While Brighton, who have played fewer games, could reach 76 points if they were to win their final nine.
      In-form Aston Villa can reach 71 points by winning all of their remaining fixtures – the same figure as inconsistent Liverpool.
      Man United still have to play a number of the teams below them.
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      Aston Villa are surging up the tableCredit: Alamy
      Brighton won at Chelsea on SaturdayCredit: Rex
      Their next Premier League match is against Tottenham in North London on April 26.
      They then host Villa four days later, before a tricky trip to Brighton on May 4.
      That’s followed by an away fixture at West Ham and a home assignment with Wolves.
      United then finish their Prem season with a trip to Bournemouth and a final day rematch with FA Cup quarter-final opponents Fulham.
      Having beaten the Cottagers at Old Trafford, United face Brighton in the Wembley semi-finals this weekend.
      Before that they travel to Spain for Thursday night’s Europa League quarter-final second leg against Sevilla.
      United’s top four rivals Tottenham have a difficult run of fixtures coming up.
      Spurs travel to Newcastle this weekend ahead of their showdown with the Red Devils next Thursday.
      Just three days after taking on Ten Hag’s men they will then have to play Liverpool at Anfield.
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      They then finish their campaign with matches against Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, Brentford and Leeds.
      Among Brighton’s run-in are trips to Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea and Brentford – while they finish with a final-day home clash with top four-hunting Newcastle.
      Tottenham slipped up to Bournemouth on SaturdayCredit: Getty More

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      How Chelsea could line up under Vincent Kompany including Aymeric Laporte and Ilkay Gundogan

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      CHELSEA could look to snap up several Manchester City outcasts if Vincent Kompany arrives as manager.The Burnley boss has reportedly been added to Chelsea’s shortlist of targets, with the Blues said to be admirers of the work he has done at Turf Moor.
      Vincent Kompany could try to reunite with some Manchester City pals
      Chelsea have added Kompany to their managerial shortlistCredit: Getty
      Kompany, 37, has guided the Clarets back to the Premier League at the first time of asking and is on course to achieve more than 100 points.
      Chelsea would be a big step up for the inexperienced manager so he could call on a few old pals if he gets the gig.

      Manchester City’s rotation policy means big names like Kyle Walker and Aymeric Laporte have found themselves out of the team in recent weeks.
      Walker’s long-term future was cast into doubt earlier this month after Pep Guardiola admitted the right-back is struggling to adapt to new tactical demands.
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      The City boss claims it might not be possible for Walker to change and with less than 18 months left on his contract the right-back could be available in the summer.
      Laporte is another player who has been frozen out at the Etihad and limited to just eight Prem appearances this season, while Ilkay Gundogan’s contract expires in June.
      Kompany played with both at City and would be able to count on their Prem experience at Stamford Bridge.
      Another player Kompany knows he can rely on is left-back Ian Maatsen.
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      The Belgian should have money to spend if he joins
      The 21-year-old has had a successful season on loan at Burnley and the positive for Chelsea is that he is already contracted to the club.
      He is already familiar with Kompany’s style of play and would add pace on the left flank – his return of four goals and six assists shows the Dutchman is capable of going forward too.
      Chelsea could even make a bold move for Joao Cancelo who joined Bayern Munich on loan in January after falling out with Guardiola.
      Kompany also has several contacts from his years playing with the Belgian national team.
      Romelu Lukaku, another Chelsea player currently out on loan, could be welcomed back into the set-up.
      His compatriot Yannick Carrasco could add versatility and has been linked to Chelsea in the past, as has Borussia Dortmund right-back and Belgium international Thomas Meunier.
      Finally, Kompany could look to bolster his midfield with the capture of Romeo Lavia.
      The Southampton star has caught the eye since his summer move from City, but Chelsea are believed to be leading the race for the Belgian amid interest from Manchester United. More

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      Ex-Liverpool star Daniel Agger is a tattoo artist and even invested in sewers when his career came to an end

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      DANIEL AGGER’S retirement is much like his playing career – mixing dirty work and artistry.Following his premature hanging up of the boots in 2016, at the age of 31, the former Liverpool hard-man decided to put money into his passion and necessity: tattoos and poop.
      Former Liverpool defender Daniel Agger is now a qualified tattoo artist
      The Danish defender, now head coach at HB Koge, trained to be a tattoo artist and is now part of one of the biggest parlours across the world, called Tattoodo.
      But for Agger that was not it, as he had more money to invest in s***.
      Now 38, Agger launched a company in 2013 called KloAgger, putting £450,000 into a company that manages sewage systems in his native Denmark.
      So how did they come up with the name? KloAgger translates to ‘Agger toilet’.
      Agger is regularly involved with the firm but his younger brother Marco and their friend Rune Rasmussen oversee the day-to-day ongoings.
      Inked-up Agger is more interested in the tats.
      He started and finished his career at Danish club Brondby, and it was as a 15-year-old youth player that he got his first work done.
      “I was about 15 and on a school trip to Paris,” Agger said in an interview on Tattoodo’s website.
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      “It wasn’t something I’d thought about before. Me and a friend went into the shop and said that’s what we’re going to have and we got it. I still have it today.”
      But it’s been added to dramatically, with almost every inch of his body containing a tattoo.
      There’s the Viking graveyard across his back, the love hearts on his calves, Latin proverbs all over his body and the names of his family members etched in.
      “I see it as one piece,”, the qualified tattooist said. “When I speak to people I talk about my tattoo as one piece but obviously every tattoo has a story, some better than others.”
      One of the more recent is the ‘YNWA’ stamped onto his knuckles – the well-known Liverpool acronym for Anfield’s anthem You’ll Never Walk Alone.
      “Timing was quite good,” Agger said. “[There were] a lot of rumours sending me to another club for a lot of money but I knew I was staying.
      “Somehow I wanted to show that to the footballing world and this was a way I wanted to show it.”
      Agger did eventually leave Liverpool in 2014 and spent two years at Brondby before ending his career earlier than expected.
      Back problems throughout his career saw Agger rely on painkillers to see him through, but he believes they were his downfall.
      Danish defender Agger has also invested in a sewage companyCredit: Kloagger
      He runs it alongside his brother Marco and a friendCredit: Kloagger
      The name KloAgger translates directly to ‘Toilet Agger’Credit: Kloagger
      Agger’s sewage company is only based in his homeland of DenmarkCredit: Kloagger
      Agger leaves the daily running of the company to his brotherCredit: Kloagger
      “I have taken too many anti-inflammatories in my career,” he told Jyllands-Posten.
      “I know that full well, and it sucks, but I did stop it [in the end]. I am not gaining anything personally from saying this but I can only hope that other athletes do.
      “It could be that others take a pill or two less.”
      Agger’s passion for tattooing has somewhat been put on the back burner following his venture into management.
      The Dane took charge of First Division side HB Koge in March 2021 along with former international team-mate Lars Jacobsen.
      Agger guided his troops to a seventh-placed finish last season.
      However, he will no doubt be fuming with his squad today after they suffered a 6-1 thrashing at the hands of FC Fredericia at the weekend.
      The 38-year-old is more into his tattoosCredit: Twitter @danielagger
      Agger got his first tattoo while a 15-year-old boy on a school tripCredit: Action Images
      The former Liverpool centre-back has a Viking graveyard across his backCredit: Getty – Contributor
      He won the Community Shield and League Cup during his 12 years at the clubCredit: PA:Press Association
      Agger sees his tattoos as just one big artworkCredit: Instagram @danielagger22
      The Dane is a qualified tattoo artist and invested in a big parlour called TattoodoCredit: Instagram @danielagger22
      Agger got YNWA printed onto his knuckles during speculation over his future at LiverpoolCredit: Instagram @danielagger22
      He was part of a strong Liverpool side alongside Steven GerrardCredit: Instagram @danielagger22
      Agger retired in 2016 at the age of 31 which he believes was due to painkillersCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd More

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      Chelsea ‘hold face-to-face talks with Julian Nagelsmann after slashing several names off manager shortlist’

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      CHELSEA have held face-to-face talks with ex-Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann, according to reports.Nagelsmann, who was sacked by the Bundesliga giants last month, has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge following the dismissal of Graham Potter.
      Chelsea held talks with Nagelsmann last weekCredit: Getty
      Lampard has taken charge of the Blues until the end of the seasonCredit: Alamy
      And according to Sky Sports News, the Blues have already spoken to him face-to-face.
      Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, Chelsea’s co-sporting directors, flew out to Germany to hold talks with Nagelsmann last Thursday.
      Several members of Chelsea’s legal team have also been in contact with Bayern Munich to discuss potential compensation fees should co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali decide to appoint the 35-year-old.
      Chelsea’s initial managerial shortlist was comprised of up to ten candidates, but that has been reduced in recent weeks.
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      The process of finding and appointing a new manager has now entered the closing stages, according to The Athletic.
      Ruben Amorim, who was interviewed by Boehly last week, is no longer in the running for the job.

      The former Portugal midfielder is understood to be happy at Sporting Lisbon, so Chelsea officials have decided to focus their attention elsewhere.
      Former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique has also been linked with a move to West London.
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      And Burnley manager Vincent Kompany emerged as a shock target at the weekend.
      The 37-year-old took charge of the Clarets following their relegation from the Premier League last summer and has led them straight back into the top-flight in his first season at the helm.
      Chelsea legend Frank Lampard was appointed as the club’s caretaker manager until the end of the season shortly after Potter’s dismissal.
      But the Blues have suffered three successive defeats following his return and face Real Madrid next in the second leg of their Champions League tie on Tuesday. More