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      Mikel Arteta claims Arsenal have entered ‘phase three’ of his five-step plan with title-chasers ‘ahead of schedule’

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      MIKEL ARTETA says Arsenal are in “phase three” of his five-step plan and admitted the Gunners are ahead of schedule. The north London club have a five point lead at the top of the Premier League as the season heads towards its closing stages.
      It’s been a season filled with joy, drama and hope for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal fans so farCredit: Getty
      Fans have been surprised by Arsenal’s sudden elevation into title-contenders especially with the club not even managing a top four finish last season.
      But Arteta has re-ignited hope at the Emirates and appears to have the Gunners back on track after years of mediocrity.
      The 40-year-old told Arsenal’s owners the Kroenke family when he was appointed in December 2019 that he had a five-step plan to rebuild the club.
      He updated ESPN what stage the club was at.
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      Arteta said: “[We’re at] phase three. Phase three is a period of time, and we’re a little bit ahead of schedule.
      “It’s something a little bit private. It’s just my understanding and vision of what the club was, and what we have to capture and develop.
      “I like to do it looking forward first and then you have to do it backwards. It just my idea of the club and the decisions we have to take to move it forward.”
      The Arsenal boss was also asked whether he could see himself trying to build a dynasty at the club, similar to the long-term reigns of Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool and Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.
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      He said: “If I’m in that position, it would mean we’ve done a lot of great things.
      “But I take it daily. It’s the only thing you can do when you’re a manager. There are so many decisions, so many things that happen throughout the day that you have to be focussed on that. And not get too lost. The bigger picture is clear.”
      It’s been an unpredictable journey of ups and downs for Arteta since he left his role as Guardiola’s assistant at the Etihad to replace Unai Emery.
      Only months after taking the role the country went into lockdown, with Arteta one of the first high-profile football figures reported to have Covid.
      He would win the FA Cup at the end of that season but struggled to string together league results, leading Arsenal to consecutive eighth-place finishes before last season’s stumble up to fifth.
      But he is now potentially just 11 games away from leading Arsenal to their first Premier League trophy in almost two decades. More

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      Can Casemiro play in Man Utd’s Europa League match against Real Betis?

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      CASEMIRO received a straight red card for a reckless challenge on Southampton’s Carlos Alcaraz.The midfielder was initially only shown a yellow card by referee Anthony Taylor, but he changed the decision to a red after consulting the VAR monitor.
      Manchester United’s Casemiro is consoled by Antony after being sent offCredit: PA
      Manchester United have chosen not to appeal to the FA over Casemiro’s red card offence against the Saints.
      It’s the Brazilian’s second red card of the season after being dismissed against Crystal Palace in the Premier League at the start of February.
      Can Casemiro play against Real Betis in the Europa League?
      The 31-year-old’s ban only applies to domestic competitions, not to European competitions.
      Meaning the former Real Madrid man will be available for selection for United’s trip to Spain on March 16.
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      The Red Devils have a healthy 4-1 lead in their Europa League Round of 16 tie.
      Barring a disaster in Spain, Erik ten Hag’s side should sail through to the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
      Casemiro in action with Ayoze Perez of Real Betis in the Europa League round of 16 first legCredit: GETTY
      Which games will Casemiro miss through suspension?
      The five-time Champions League winner has made a vast improvement to United’s first team.
      Erik ten Hag’s side has a win percentage of 43% without Casemiro in the side, as opposed to 76% when he is.
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      The Brazilian will be banned for four domestic matches, which include:

      Fulham (H) – March 19, FA Cup quarter-final
      Newcastle (A) – April 2, Premier League
      Brentford (H) – April 5, Premier League
      Everton (H) – April 8, Premier League

      Casemiro will return to domestic action on April 15, when the Red Devils travel to the City Ground to take on Nottingham Forest in the Premier League. More

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      Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke set to be ruled out of hosting 2026 World Cup final leaving him with stadium dilemma

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      STAN KROENKE is set to be ruled out of hosting the 2026 World Cup Final – because the pitch at his £4.1billion stadium is too small.Arsenal owner Kroenke supervised the construction of the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, which opened in 2020.
      Arsenal majority shareholder Stan Kroenke won’t be hosting the 2026 World Cup
      Stan Kroenke’s ground the SoFi Stadium doesn’t meet the required FIFA criteria
      Home to both the city’s NFL teams, the Rams and the Chargers, it was confirmed as a World Cup venue last year.
      With the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, which hosted the Final in 1994, not included in FIFA’s chosen grounds for 2026, the SoFi was thought to be in a head-to-head contest with New York’s MetLife Stadium to host the Final on July 19.
      But officials have been alerted to the fact that the artificial pitch laid to meet NFL demands is too narrow for official FIFA use.
      While a grass pitch will be installed for the World Cup, the area set aside for play is too tight to meet FIFA demands for photography positions and space for officials.
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      Incredibly, the current playing surface is 63ft – almost 16 yards – too narrow for FIFA demands.
      It means a number of “field seat suites” – hospitality boxes at pitch level – will have to be ripped out to provide the required infrastructure, with the plating surface itself raised slightly.   
      SoFi Stadium has a basic capacity of just over 70,000 under its state-of-the-art roof, although it can be extended, with the necessary alterations likely to bring a significant loss of seats.
      With FIFA mandating that the stadium for the Final must have a capacity of 80,000, it seems almost impossible for it to get the honour of hosting the biggest game in world football.
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      That makes the MetLife Stadium, home of New York’s two NFL sides and with a capacity of 80,242, as very much the frontrunner.
      The only downside of playing the Final there is that it is an open stadium and with a likely 3pm kick-off local time – 8pm in the UK – FIFA does have concerns about mid-summer heat impacting on its showpiece match.
      This comes after Arsenal’s majority shareholder Kroenke and his son Josh became the club’s Co-Chairs. More

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      ‘Edu wanted the boy’ – Jorginho’s agent reveals how controversial transfer from Chelsea to Arsenal unfolded

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      JORGINHO’S agent has revealed how Edu Gaspar convinced the midfielder to trade Chelsea for Arsenal.Jorginho swapped west London for the capital’s north with a stunning late switch on deadline day.
      Jorginho’s agent has lifted the lid on his move from Chelsea to Arsenal
      The veteran midfielder won plenty of trophies with Chelsea, including the Champions League.
      And he could now add to his bulging trophy cabinet with a first Premier League title.
      Jorginho discovered he was available for transfer late in the window after it emerged Chelsea were trying to sign Enzo Fernandez.
      Arsenal turned their attention to the Italian Euros winner after they missed out on Brighton’s Moises Caicedo.
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      And all it took was a quick phone call from Mikel Arteta to convince Jorginho to swap Stamford Bridge for the Emirates.
      But the driving force behind the deal was none other than football director Edu.
      Jorginho’s agent Joao Santos said: “Two days before the transfer market closed, we saw that Chelsea worked to sign Enzo Fernandez.
      “Edu Gaspar wanted the boy and so we made it happen. A new project – he did very well at Chelsea, winning a lot as a team and personally.
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      Edu Gaspar was desperate to sign Jorginho for Mikel Arteta
      “[Interest from Italy?] Not for January. We had talked to some teams for July.”
      Jorginho himself has opened up over the speed of the move, saying previously: “Arteta calld me and it was all very quick, we made the deal in less than 48 hours.
      “I had spoken to Chelsea and I knew I was no longer part of their plans.
      “I wanted progress in my career and the Arsenal project suits me. It’s a young team that plays good football and fits my characteristics.
      “I considered every scenario and made the decision. Sometimes you must accept when you are out of a project and that things come to an end.” More

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      Chelsea ‘enquire about Monchengladbach midfielder Manu Kone’ and have edge over PSG in transfer battle

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      CHELSEA have enquired about Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Manu Kone with the Blues having the edge over Paris Saint Germain according to reports.The French U-21 international joined the Bundesliga side in January 2021 from Toulouse.
      Manu Kone could be on the move to the Premier League this summerCredit: Getty
      Kone joined Borussia Moenchengladbach in 2021 from ToulouseCredit: Getty
      The 21-year-old has been in excellent form for Daniel Farke’s side this season and attracted the interest of some of Europe’s top clubs.
      According to German publication Sport Bild Chelsea and PSG have enquired about the midfielder.
      The report added that the Stamford Bridge club have the edge as Kone “dreams” of a move to the Premier League.
      Despite spending over £100million on Enzo Fernandez in January Chelsea are in the market for a defensive midfielder.
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      The Blues are trying to find a solution that would enable Fernandez to operate further forward.
      Fernandez has had to operate deeper of late following the departure of Jorginho to Arsenal, N’Golo Kante’s injury and the lack of a defensive midfielder in the squad.
      Graham Potter’s side have also been linked with moves for West Ham’s Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo of Brighton.
      A summer departure is a possibility for Kone with the report adding that his agents have met Gladbach sporting director Roland Virkus to talk about a summer exit.
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      Gladbach would be looking for in the region of £25m or more for a player who will have two years left on his contract come the summer.
      To date the midfielder has made 50 appearances for Gladbach, scoring three goals with his first for the club coming in the 5-0 win over Bayern Munich in the German Cup. More

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      ‘He deserves better’ – Tottenham fans ‘feel sorry’ for Harry Winks as he gives update on club situation

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      TOTTENHAM supporters are full of sympathy for Harry Winks after he revealed that no-one, including Antonio Conte, has contacted him from the club during his time at Sampdoria.The 27-year-old England international fell out of favour at his boyhood side under the Italian.
      Harry Winks is on a season-long loan at Sampdoria from TottenhamCredit: Getty
      That led to a season-long loan switch to Serie A side Sampdoria in August – but it soon turned into a nightmare.
      Midfielder Winks suffered an ankle injury that prevented him from making his debut for the Italians until January.
      Now he is back and looking to help fire Sampdoria from the foot of the table to top-flight safety.
      And he admitted that he feels “indebted” to them for their support through his rehab as he revealed that he had not heard a single thing from his parent club.
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      Winks told La Gazzetta dello Sport: “I feel indebted to Sampdoria, if I had been available from the start I would have given my all.
      “The club has always supported me, it was important for my ankle to fully heal.
      “No one from Spurs has contacted me, not even the coach.”
      And that has left supporters raging.
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      One tweeted: “Feel sorry for him yes not been great the last few season but probably another player getting mistreated by the club which a sad as Winks has passion for us.”
      Another wrote: “I’ve always thought Harry Winks seemed like a top bloke and he’s definitely Spurs through and through. To see that he’s been treated like this by the club is disheartening.”
      While another added: “He deserves better.”
      Winks, who is under contract at Spurs until 2024, has been with the North London club since he was five-years-old.
      Sampdoria are believed to have an option to buy him permanently, but when quizzed on his future, the ten-capped Three Lions ace said: “I have a loan contract until June, I’m satisfied with this experience.
      “I don’t know what my future will be after June and I don’t even think about it now.” More

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      Man Utd legend Sir Alex Ferguson shuts down ITV reporter with brilliant three-word response at Cheltenham Festival

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      SIR ALEX FERGUSON gave a sensational three-word response when asked who he thinks will in the Premier League this season.The legendary Manchester United manager, 81, attended Cheltenham Festival on Wednesday as he lapped up an afternoon of racing.
      Sir Alex Ferguson gave a superb response to being asked about the title raceCredit: itv racing
      But he was inevitably asked his view on footballing matters as ITV attempted to squeeze a title prediction out of him.
      Reporter Matt Chapman put it to him: “Man City or Arsenal, Sir Alex?”
      But the Scot refused to be drawn in one way or the other, simply replying: “I’m not interested”.
      The Gunners lead defending champions Manchester City by five points with 11 games remaining.
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      Ferguson battled both Arsenal and Man City in several title races over the years.
      He is the most successful boss in Premier League history, lifting the title on 13 occasions.
      And his longevity is perhaps the most impressive facet of his managerial career, with his first league triumph coming in 1993 and his final one in 2013.
      But this week he is more focused on the horse racing as he watches three of his stable compete at Cheltenham.
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      Protektorat is his main charge – a 14/1 shot to win the marquee Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday at 3.30pm.
      And he also has 25/1 Hitman for the Ryanair Chase on Thursday at 2.50pm.

      But his first horse of the week – Hermes Allen – failed to compete for the win in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle.
      Meanwhile, reporter Chapman reacted hilariously to one fan criticising him for asking Fergie about the title race.
      The ITV presenter received a tweet which read: “What a p**** you are asking Sir Alex ‘Arsenal or Man City’, have some respect you b******”.
      To which he replied: “You have to laugh at Twitter 😂😂😂”. More

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      Chris Smalling makes transfer U-turn as former Man Utd star sets out demands to stay at Jose Mourinho’s team

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      ROMA star Chris Smalling is holding talks for a new contract shortly after handing in a transfer request, reports suggest.Former Manchester United ace Smalling’s contract at the Olimpico runs out in June but the Giallorossi want him to stay.
      Chris Smalling attempted to force a move away from Roma in JanuaryCredit: Rex
      Roma star Chris Smalling is holding talks for a new contractCredit: Rex
      According to Corriere dello Sport, the centre-back wants a two-year contract with the exact same salary he currently earns.
      Roma initially offered the 33-year-old a one-year extension and have yet to raise their proposal after he laid out his demands.
      However, the same report suggests “white smoke” is likely to come out at the end of the negotiations.
      This poses as quite a U-turn by Smalling, who attempted to force a move away from Roma in January.
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      Inter Milan have been named as potential suitors for the former England international.
      Inter are facing financial issues and are likely to lose key defenders in the summer, with Milan Skriniar and Stefan de Vrij both out-of-contract.
      The Nerazzurri’s manager Simone Inzaghi sees Smalling as the perfect replacement after a series of impressive performances under Jose Mourinho.
      The defender joined Roma in 2019 initially on loan from United and earned a permanent contract a year later.
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      Smalling has since amassed a total of 10 goals and five assists in 131 appearances.
      The Londoner was also key in Roma’s Europa Conference League triumph last year.
      The ex-Fulham ace is still a prolific figure in Mourinho’s team with three goals and one assist in 35 appearances across all competitions this season. More