Premier League

JAMIE O’HARA stormed out of the talkSPORT studio after Tottenham caretaker manager Cristian Stellini claimed his side “played a good game” against Everton.Spurs led 1-0 against the ten-man Toffees going into the closing stages of the match, only to botch what would have been an important win.
Jamie O’Hara fumed at Cristian Stellini’s sideCredit: Twitter / @talkSPORT
The former Tottenham midfielder was wound up by co-host Jason CundyCredit: Twitter / @talkSPORT
O’Hara, 36, walked off in a huffCredit: Twitter / @talkSPORT
Stellini, who has stepped up to the top job after previously being Antonio Conte’s No2, bafflingly decided to send on Lucas Moura late on.
The decision proved to be a disastrous one, with the Brazilian being red carded for a reckless challenge in the 88th minute.
Just 90 seconds later Everton were level, with Michael Keane lashing a thunderous shot beyond Hugo Lloris from range.
Afterthe 1-1 draw, Stellini told talkSPORT’s Sam Matterface that his side “played a good game” – sending O’Hara over the edge.
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Co-host Jason Cundy repeatedly replayed the snippet of audio to an incredulous O’Hara.
Eventually the 36-year-old had enough, muttering “I’m done” as he removed his headphones and walked off.
Grinning to himself Cundy repeated one last time: “I thought they played a good game.”
Prior to storming off, O’Hara had fumed: “Someone save me. I’m done, I am done. Who is this imposter? Has Antonio Conte come back?
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“Has he done a [Jose] Mourinho and has got in the kit room or something? What am I hearing? What was that interview?
“He’s talking about keeping the ball and he put Davinson Sanchez on. A good game? I’m done, mate. I’m done. You can carry on, I’ve had enough of this.”
Earlier in the show, O’Hara had already ripped into his beloved Spurs.
Tottenham had possessed a man advantage from the 58th minute, after Abdoulaye Doucoure was red carded for striking Harry Kane in the face.
Kane then put his side ahead ten minutes later, following Keane’s concession of a penalty for a foul on Cristian Romero.
Everton responded well, however, gathering momentum even before Moura was sent for an early bath.
On Spurs’ display, O’Hara huffed: “We’ve got to talk about Tottenham, what a joke. Jase I’m sitting here, I’m boiling and I know Spurs fans are absolutely boiling.
“I have to say, it was a disgrace, the last 15 minutes of that game. They should be ashamed of themselves to be walking in the dressing room and it being 1-1. What on earth are them players doing?
“You know what, Conte come in for a load of stick Jase, a load of stick and how he said what he said and where he said what he said was wrong. But what he was 100 per cent correct in was the fact that this team are pathetic.”
Stellini, 47, was appointed caretaker boss until the end of the season following Antonio Conte’s dismissalCredit: Getty
Cundy wound up his co-host O’Hara by mimicking StelliniCredit: Twitter / @talkSPORT More

SIMON GRAYSON believes Wilfried Gnonto can provide the X-factor to keep Leeds in the Premier League.The ex-Whites boss reckons Javi Gracia’s men face a crunch week in their survival bid with home matches against fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest tonight and Crystal Palace on Sunday.
Wilfried Gnonto saw his impressive season with Leeds result in a call-up for ItalyCredit: Rex
Chennaiyin celebrate with the trophy after the match against BengaluruCredit: AP:Associated Press
Italy forward Gnonto, 19, is battling an ankle injury but has been a shining light in a tough campaign for the Elland Road outfit.
Grayson, Leeds boss between 2008-12, said: “I watched Gnonto recently against England and he has an X-factor to him. He’s had an impressive season.
“Hopefully the injury isn’t too serious. If he is available for Forest and Palace then people will be more than happy.
“I hope Leeds stay up. Gracia has come in, done a good job and has turned things around in and out of possession.
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“This week is crucial with Forest and Palace – they are must not lose games. If they can win them both then that will be a massive boost and get them steering in the right direction.
“It won’t be easy. It’s so tight down at the bottom. It’s going to be more intriguing than the top of the league.”
Leeds fan Grayson started his career with the Yorkshire club as a player and won promotion back to the Championship as a manager in 2010.
The 53-year-old knows the fierce Elland Road crowd can be a huge plus in retaining their top-flight status but concedes nerves will play a part in the run-in.
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Grayson added: “The crowd back the players to do well and it can really spur them on.
“But if the opposition scores first then it can get nervous and have a reverse effect.
“If they get off to a good start then the crowd will see them through.
“There’s nervousness around clubs now because of what’s at stake. Two big games like this can have a big impact.”
Grayson also played for managerless Leicester, who sacked boss Brendan Rodgers on Sunday, for five seasons and won the League Cup.
He said: “When Leicester looked like they were getting out of trouble they got more bad results. It’s not ideal because there’s unrest among the supporters but Brendan was restricted in recruitment because of finances.
“The ideal solution is both of them survive and three other teams go down.”
Grayson now manages in India, one of four English managers alongside Aidy Boothroyd, Des Buckingham and Stephen Constantine, and took Bengaluru to the Indian Super League final only to lose on penalties.
He watched England cricket star Jofra Archer play for Mumbai Indians against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Sunday.
Simon Grayson took Bengaluru to the Indian Super League final in his first seasonCredit: PA:Press Association
Grayson, who has another year on his deal, added: “I’ve really enjoyed it professionally and personally. It’s totally out of my comfort zone.
“I’ve been to the Taj Mahal but I’ve also seen the contrasting fortunes of the Indian people. “Some are wealthy and others are in slums, sleeping and begging on the streets. It makes you appreciate what you have.
“The traffic is horrendous and like wacky races. I was surprised it took six months until I saw an accident. I was in a rickshaw and a motorbike went past and clipped the front of it.
“It’s a life experience I never thought I’d be involved in.
“The standard of football is similar to the top of League One.
“My captain Sunil Chhetri is third in the list of active international goal scorers behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi with 85, scored in the play-off quarter-final against Kerala Blasters, chipping the goalkeeper from a quickly-taken free-kick.
“Sunil did nothing wrong but the opposition weren’t accepting it and their coach took his team off – they never came back even though there were 20-odd minutes left in extra-time. We were awarded the match by forfeit.
“It was an eye-opener and I was amazed that it happened in a professional game. I’d never seen it before.
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“Sunil is an icon of Indian football and gets mobbed everywhere we go, the airports and the stadiums, for pictures. It’s unbelievable.
“He’s 38, fit, humble and gets applause at every away ground when his name is announced. Imagine that happening to Harry Kane at the Emirates!” More

THE Manchester United ownership saga took a huge twist as it emerged there is serious Government concern about Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani.Nearly five months after United was put on the market, bidders remain in the dark over whether the Glazers REALLY want to sell the club.
There is Government concern about Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim
The Glazers value Manchester United at £6bnCredit: AFP
But the news that the Bank of England has flagged up previous regulatory failings at the UK branch of the Qatari Investment Bank headed up by Sheikh Jassim could prove a major turning point.
Sheikh Jassim, a member of the Qatari Royal Family, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos group both made world record bids in the region of £5bn at the end of the second stage of interest 10 days ago.
There was also an offer from US hedge fund Elliott Management, which is seeking to provide cash for an alternative bidder or for the Glazers themselves.
But while Sheikh Jassim, the most likely to meet the Glazer family’s £6bn valuation, had been seen as the slight front-runner, that could all be changed by the revelation of the issues being raised by senior Government officials.
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Those reservations are understood to relate to a £1.4m fine handed out to QIB’s UK unit by the Bank of England in 2016 for violating capital financial rules that left the bank exposed to high levels of risk.
Regulators said QIB had “failed to meet some of the most basic regulatory standards”.
QIB claimed at the time to have taken “remedial action” to prevent a recurrence.
Sheikh Jassim is bidding as a private individual via the Nine Two Foundation, rather than using any QIB funds.
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The fine by the Bank of England related to matters which took place in 2011 and QIB took immediate action to address the situation, restructuring its operations and governance.
It had previously been reported the Government officials were supportive of the bid but questions about the financial conduct at QIB may become a major issue.
Any final bid winner will have to pass the Prem’s newly beefed-up Owners and Directors Test requiring more extensive due diligence by League experts.
Representatives for Sheikh Jassim and the DCMS declined to comment but the news adds further intrigue to the sale process which remains far from clear.
While Sheikh Jassim and Ineos are the two public bidders to take control, and Elliott have gone public on their offer for a “small amount of common equity”, the Glazers’ deal-makers, the US-based Raine Group, have hinted at other genuine suitors.
Bidders have been told to expect an update from Raine in the next two weeks, although there is no fixed timetable.
That is adding to the frustrations of the would-be owners, who already feel they have gone through hoops over the past few months.
Sheikh Jassim sent his representatives to Old Trafford last month for a day of discussions, while Sir Jim, Britain’s richest man, headed the Ineos delegation.

Both then made “non-indicative bids” by the second deadline, which saw Raine moving the goalposts at the last minute to add even further frustrations.
While Sir Jim is targeting the 69 per cent shareholding held by the Glazers, Sheikh Jassim has made it clear he wants to buy the entire club outright.
But with the Glazers understood to be holding firm on their £6bn valuation, the prospect of no sale taking place continues to be a genuine concern – especially for the United fans who are desperate for a change of ownership.
SunSport revealed last month that one serious option for the Glazers was to use the Elliott capital injection to hive off the club’s commercial and merchandising division into a separate company, believing that could be a source of serious long-term revenue growth.
There remains a strong suspicion that the two most active of the siblings, co-chairmen Joel and Avram, are keenest to stay at the club.
Ellliott’s offer of a large injection of cash in exchange would allow them to do that and possibly pay off their siblings if they are less inclined to hold onto their share capital.
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But until Raine make their intentions clearer – either by announcing a third bidding round or a preferred bidder –  the lack of clarity will add to the sense of disquiet among the bidding teams.
And if the latest development were to significantly impact on Sheikh Jassim’s viability as a candidate, the prospect of the sale being shelved could be increasingly serious. More

CHELSEA stars were forced to change in the corridor during Graham Potter’s chaotic tenure, according to reports.The former Brighton boss was axed by the Blues on Sunday following his side’s dismal 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa.
Details regarding Graham Potter’s chaotic Chelsea tenure have emergedCredit: Rex
Potter, 47, was ridiculed in January for claiming he had taken on the “hardest job in football” at Stamford Bridge.
But since his Chelsea departure, details have emerged of the sort of things he had to put up with.
With the Blues spending over £300million on eight new additions in January alone, Potter found himself having to work with as many as 40 first team players.
Not possessing the sort of ruthless streak it would have required to banish some players to train with the academy, Potter had an uphill battle trying to keep everyone happy.
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According to The Athletic, some players were forced to change in the corridor at Cobham, because the dressing room wasn’t big enough.
Potter’s squad became so bloated, that club chiefs had to have the changing room reconfigured to fit everyone in.
Team meetings held at Cobham would also require some players to sit on the floor.
Potter recently oversaw an 11 v 11 training game during a session… with another nine v nine match having to take place at the same time to make sure all senior players could play.
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The 47-year-old was initially viewed as approachable by his squad, especially following Thomas Tuchel’s authoritarian regime.
But approachability later became weakness in the eyes of many players as results entered a downward spiral.
Some players even referred to him as “Harry” or “Hogwarts” in cheap jokes at his surname.
While players were left astounded and bemused by Potter’s awkward proclamation that his side would “win the f***ing Champions League” this season during a recent fans’ forum.
Ben Chilwell is among just four Chelsea players to wish Potter well on social media.
The full-back took to Instagram to post a picture of himself hugging his former manager on his story.
He accompanied the snap with the message “thank you gaffer”.
Chilwell, 26, followed his sentence with a blue heart emoji.
Marc Cucurella also posted a snap of himself with Potter, writing: “Thanks and best of luck in the future, gaffer!”
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Noni Madueke wrote: “Will always be grateful to you Coach. All the best truly!”
While injured forward Armando Broja added: “Thank you gaffer!”
The Blues had to incorporate as many as 40 players into first-team trainingCredit: Getty
Ben Chilwell thanked Potter on social mediaCredit: INSTAGRAM / @benchilwell More

WILLIAM SALIBA is set to miss Arsenal’s Sunday showdown with Liverpool as the Premier League leaders look to end their 11-year Anfield nightmare.The French international defender is still struggling with a back injury and has been unable to train for the past fortnight.
William Saliba has missed the last two games with a back injuryCredit: Getty
Saliba has been a crucial player for Mikel Arteta this seasonCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
And Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is refusing to take any risks with the 22-year-old centre-half who is going to be a key player in the title run-in.
Saliba sustained the injury during the Europa League defeat by Sporting Lisbon on March 16 when he landed awkwardly after contesting a header and had to be replaced midway through the first-half.
Having started every Prem game this season up to that point, he has now missed back-to-back 4-1 home wins against Crystal Palace and Leeds, with Rob Holding impressing as his deputy.
But Saliba’s absence is going to be sorely felt on Sunday as they look to preserve their eight-point lead at the top of the table.
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The Gunners have not won a League game at Anfield since September 2012, when Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla scored in a 2-0 victory and Arteta was a key figure in midfield.
Since then they have managed just one point from nine visits to Liverpool, conceding a shocking 34 goals in the process.
And Arteta knows he is going to need his strongest possible team if they are going to reverse that trend and maintain the momentum in the title race.
But while Holding is set to continue alongside Gabriel Magalheas on Sunday, Arteta is confident that Saliba will soon be available for selection again.
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He has already ruled out suggestions that the £27million stopper needs surgery but admitted: “Back injuries are tricky but William and the medical staff are positive about it and he is so willing to be back in the team.”
After travelling to Liverpool at the weekend, Arsenal take on struggling West Ham and Southampton.
The Gunners then travel to title rivals Manchester City in a huge clash, before hosting Chelsea at the Emirates three days later. More