Premier League

IF you’d been down the pub in August and forecast Harry Kane would be Spurs’ ONLY shoo-in among a combined Tottenham-Brighton XI, your mates might have thought you’d had one too many.Yet, going into the final stretch of the season and based on this term’s performances alone, you could justifiably make that case.
Brighton are enjoying a magnificent season under Roberto De ZerbiCredit: Reuters
A host of Spurs players have been out of form including Son Heung-min, centreCredit: Reuters
Roberto De Zerbi has taken the games of Solly March, Kaoru Mitoma, Moises Caicedo and more to another level since arriving at the Amex in October.
Victory in North London on Saturday could move the Seagulls to within a point of their hosts, with two games in hand.
Many fans are hoping De Zerbi is sitting in Spurs’ home dugout next season.
He is one of the names in the running to become Antonio Conte’s permanent successor.
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How a Spurs-Brighton combined team would look
For now, though, De Zerbi is focused only on taking Brighton into Europe for the very first time.
But, as this line-up suggests, his current team may already boast more quality…
Jason Steele – Brighton
Goalkeeper is the toughest spot to pick because none of the four candidates make a strong case.
Spurs skipper Hugo Lloris has struggled for form and fitness and although Fraser Forster fared well while the Frenchman was out injured, Lloris was straight back in when fully fit.
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De Zerbi surprisingly dropped Robert Sanchez last month and 32-year-old Steele has justified the call with some impressive displays — so he gets the nod.
Pascal Gross – Brighton
Not a right-back by trade but the German has been stellar when deployed on the right of a back four.
Honourable mentions for Spurs’ Emerson Royal — who had a great spell in February when he was nominated for Premier League player of the month but is currently injured — and January signing Pedro Porro while Brighton’s 34-year-old Joel Veltman looks a bargain at £720,000 from Ajax three years ago.
Lewis Dunk – Brighton
Only Gareth Southgate knows how the Seagulls skipper cannot get in the England squad.
De Zerbi called him one of the best defenders in the Premier League while former boss Graham Potter rated him his best player during his time at the Amex.
Dunk, 31, is having another fine season, taking his technical skills to new heights. A must.
Cristian Romero – Spurs
Cristian Romero’s combative style has been both a positive and negative for SpursCredit: Rex
Who partners Dunk is a tougher question.
Levi Colwill, 20, has impressed on loan at Brighton from Chelsea but he has only played 14 games while Adam Webster’s season has been a bit stop-start.
Eric Dier showed good form for Spurs earlier in the season, earning an England recall and going to the World Cup.
But Dier has dipped so World Cup-winner Romero gets the call because on his day he is a magnificent defender — even if he is a walking red card on off days.
Pervis Estupinan – Brighton
Selling Marc Cucurella for £62million and bringing in the Ecuadorian for a quarter of the price is another unbelievable bit of business.
Cucurella brought composure and versatility but Estupinan adds even more threat going forward.
Moises Caicedo – Brighton
Moises Caicedo has been linked with a big-money move to ArsenalCredit: Getty
There is a reason Arsenal were willing to spend up to £70million on Caicedo in January — and a reason why Brighton would not sell.
The Ecuadorian, 21, is one of the finest midfield prospects in world football and signed a new deal in February and looks an even better player for Brighton than Yves Bissouma, who they sold to Tottenham last summer.
Rodrigo Bentancur – Spurs
Arguably Spurs’ player of the season behind Kane until his knee injury in February.
Playing in Conte’s two-man midfield is not easy — just ask Bissouma — but the Uruguayan made it look so with his classy technique, relentless energy and crunching tackles. Notched an impressive six goals, too.
Solly March – Brighton
Solly March has been sensational for Brighton this seasonCredit: Rex
In hindsight, Potter did not fully appreciate March’s talents, playing him mostly at left wing-back.
March did a job there but those talents have been unleashed by De Zerbi.
Playing on the right wing, the Lewes lad has revelled in the spaces created by De Zerbi ball, regularly racing in behind as he did for his winner against Crystal Palace last month.
Seven goals since the turn of the year, a new contract and in the reckoning for England.
Alexis Mac Allister – Brighton
It would have been easy for Mac Allister to drop off like Lionel Messi has at Paris Saint-Germain following Argentina’s World Cup triumph.
Instead, he has come back from Qatar an even better player who, like Gross, has the intelligence to play in multiple midfield positions and brings a goal threat, too.
Kaoru Mitoma – Brighton
Seized Son Heung-min’s crown of best Asian player in the Premier League this season with an unbelievable campaign.
While Spurs’ beloved South Korean has gone stale since winning last year’s golden boot, Japan star Mitoma has seven goals and four assists in his last 15 league games.
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Harry Kane – Spurs
Harry Kane remains one of the best players in the Premier LeagueCredit: Getty
Evan Ferguson, 18, is a terrific prospect and already doing damage in the Premier League.
But Kane is one of the division’s most consistent goal- getters — even if the backlash to his reaction to being hit in the face by Abdoulaye Doucoure on Monday showed he is not universally loved. More

ARSENAL legend Sol Campbell is confident that his former side can win the league if they beat Liverpool on Sunday.The centre-back reflected on the time Arsene Wenger’s men beat the Reds 4-2 on the road to winning the club’s last Premier League title.
Arsenal legend Sol Campbell, with Thierry Henry and Robert Pires, thinks Arsenal can win this season’s titleCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
Campbell reflected on the time Henry netted a hat-trick in the fixture before Arsenal won the league in 2004Credit: Getty
Campbell said: “I am hoping it’s an omen if Arsenal defeat Liverpool — the last time they beat them on April 9 the Gunners went on to win the title.
“I believe our win 19 years ago was a defining moment in us winning the championship — albeit our victory against Liverpool was at home.
“The only shock for me is that it has taken almost two decades for the club to be in this position to win the league again.
“I would have said you were having a laugh if anyone had suggested when we lifted the trophy in 2004 that the Gunners would still have been waiting for another title success two decades later.
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“Just getting to this point has been way too long in coming.
“What made our victory even more special was the fact we had gone into the game on the back of two defeats — exits from the FA Cup (vs Manchester United) and the Champions League (vs Chelsea on aggregate).
“When Liverpool went 1-0 up in the first five minutes, and then regained the lead at 2-1, it’s in those moments you look around at team-mates and hope that collectively we can find that something extra to turn a game.
“That’s easier said than done against a side like Liverpool, who were packed full of game-changers.
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“But like so many occasions in that season it almost felt our front four of Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Robert Pires and Freddie Ljungberg could just flick a switch and create moments of magic.
“Thierry’s hat-trick was just sublime — his second, and our third, was the pick of the goals.
“The way in which he picked up the ball just inside the Liverpool half and then danced and weaved his way past players was brilliant.
“At his peak, Theirry was unplayable. And his link up play with Robert, Dennis and Freddie was on another level.
“When we were 2-1 down at half-time you could sense a nervous tension among fans — particularly on the back of two draws and two defeats beforehand.
“But by the end Highbury was really rocking.
“Going into this match we were four points ahead of second-placed Chelsea and felt confident we were in the driving seat with eight games left.
“However, after this 4-2 win I genuinely think we all finally felt for the first time the title was in our grasp.
“Fast forward 19 years and I think Mikel Arteta’s Gunners are in the same mindset going into tomorrow’s game against, of all teams, Liverpool, on the same date.
“The progress they have made in 12 months — after missing out on a top four place a year ago — has been the story of the season.
“A combination of outstanding player recruitment, a brilliant start to the  season — with five wins in a row — and then reeling off their last seven Prem wins on the spin.
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“Even Pep Guardiola has admitted he would rather be in Arsenal’s position right now — because it’s the Gunners’ title to lose.
“I do believe that if they win at Liverpool tomorrow it would take something absolutely catastrophic for Arsenal not to be lifting the Premier League trophy at the end of next month.” More

ARSENAL manager Mikel Arteta has admitted he once could not “physically or emotionally cope” with playing at Anfield.The Gunners face Liverpool in the iconic stadium this Sunday, hoping to move one step closer to clinching the Premier League title.
Mikel Arteta has reflected on a time he found it tough to play at AnfieldCredit: Rex
Mikel Arteta is aiming to lift the Premier League in MayCredit: Reuters
Arsenal currently sit top of the table, eight points ahead of Man City, who have a game in hand.
Arteta previously opened up on a tough time he had while playing at Anfield.
The Spaniard said: “Suddenly I could only see red shirts flying around, the game is passing all over me and I cannot react.
“And people think, ‘what is he doing?’
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“And I am like, ‘I cannot do it, I cannot do it emotionally, physically I cannot cope’.
“Everything goes too fast and I only had that feeling in my career once, and it was at Anfield.”
Arteta will be hoping to support his players with the experience he has of playing away to Liverpool.
Arsenal have not won at Anfield since 2012.
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To help them prepare for a previous game at the ground, the manager even made his players train to the tune of anthem “You’ll Never Walk Alone”.
Pundit Gary Neville believes Arsenal will win the league if they can win the clash this weekend. More

AN ex-Manchester United star looks unrecognisable with a bald head and bushy beard. The 42-year-old recalled the first goal he ever scored for the club, which was assisted by David Beckham.
This ex-Man Utd ace looks completely different compared to when he was a young star at the clubCredit: Arfa Griffiths – The Sun
Man Utd beat Bradford 3-0 that day back in 2001.
Reflecting on his memorable moment, he said: “Becks with the through ball, what a combination.”
Victory at Valley Parade proved vital as the Red Devils won the title that year with the unrecognisable man picking up a Premier League winners medal.
The player ended up scoring two goals for the club in 39 appearances across four seasons.
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He eventually left Old Trafford on a permanent basis to join West Ham in 2004.
But he was previously loaned out to Royal Antwerp, Reading and Burnley.
The midfielder also went on to play for the likes of Stoke and Norwich.
Have you worked out who it is?
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The man in question is Luke Chadwick.
Away from United, he spent most of his time with MK Dons, picking up two players of the year trophies at the club.
Chadwick then ended his career at Cambridge United.
He previously joked about being terrified of Roy Keane when he was breaking into the United first-team.
Luke Chadwick won the Premier League at Man UtdCredit: PA More

CARETAKER manager Frank Lampard took Chelsea training on Friday as he prepares to return to the dugout this weekend.The Blues legend, 44, shocked the footballing world on Thursday when he was unveiled as the club’s interim boss until the end of the season.
Frank Lampard will return to the Chelsea dugout on SaturdayCredit: Getty
He last took charge of a Chelsea game in January 2021Credit: Getty
Lampard is only set to be in charge until the end of the seasonCredit: Getty
He cut an animated figure during training on FridayCredit: Getty
It comes just two years after he was sacked by Chelsea and replaced by Thomas Tuchel.
The axing of Graham Potter – who lasted seventh months in the role – saw assistant Bruno Saltor take charge of Tuesday night’s goalless draw with Liverpool.
But now Lampard will assume control of the side for the trip to Molineux on Saturday as Chelsea bid to get back to winning ways against Wolves.
The ex-England international becomes the Blues’ fourth head coach of the season.
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Chelsea are searching for a first win in three Premier League gamesCredit: Getty
Ben Chilwell was out in the spring sunshineCredit: Getty
Conor Gallagher and Chelsea’s star-studded squad has been criticised in recent monthsCredit: Getty
And he put the squad through their paces on Friday as the players looked to impress their new head coach.
A host of Chelsea’s squad were managed by Lampard during his first spell in charge – which spanned 18 months.
Ben Chilwell, Conor Gallagher and Cesar Azpilicueta are among those who featured under him and they looked to be putting in maximum effort during Lampard’s first session.
The interim boss appeared more animated than usual as he instructed his players.
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They will be looking to get back on track away at Wolves this weekendCredit: Getty
Mykhailo Mudryk will be looking to make an impression under LampardCredit: Getty
Joao Felix looked lively against Liverpool on Tuesday nightCredit: Getty
Chelsea’s £600millon worth of spending over the last two transfer windows means Lampard also has lots of new players at his disposal.
They include Enzo Fernandez, Raheem Sterling, Joao Felix and Mykhailo Mudryk – all of whom were present at the session.
N’Golo Kante could also be in Lampard’s XI on Saturday after he made his first start since August in the draw with Liverpool.
But the Chelsea boss will undoubtedly have one eye on the trip to Real Madrid four days later as they prepare to kick off their Champions League quarter-final tie at the Bernabeu.
Enzo Fernandez has been one of the few shining lights for Chelsea since JanuaryCredit: Getty
Raheem Sterling has been in and out of the side since the World CupCredit: Getty More