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      Former Premier League star Alfred N’Diaye rushed to hospital after mystery emergency health scare

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      FORMER Premier League player Alfred N’Diaye has been rushed to hospital following an emergency health scare.The Paris-born defensive midfielder, who played for Sunderland and enjoyed loan spells at Hull City and Wolves, is said to be awaiting a “definitive diagnosis” from medics at a private hospital in the Costa del Sol resort of Marbella.
      Alfred N’Diaye has been rushed to hospital following an emergency health scareCredit: Getty – Contributor
      News of the Senegalese international’s mystery health drama emerged as his current side Malaga confirmed he was out of the team to face Las Palmas away on Sunday.
      The Spanish second division outfit has said the 32-year-old is out of danger and remains “stable and under observation.”
      Club officials have so far offered no more information on what prompted his emergency entry into private hospital Quiron Salud Marbella.
      N’Diaye, capped 27 times by Senegal but left out of the final squad for last year’s World Cup in Qatar, signed for Malaga on a free transfer from Saudi side Al-Shabab last September.
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      He is remembered at Sunderland for almost scoring with his first touch in English football after coming on as a substitute for Adam Johnson in their 3-0 home win against West Ham on January 12 2013.
      He produced an assist for Steven Fletcher to score and put Sunderland in front against Wigan away on his full debut.
      N’Diaye impressed during his 15 games at Hull City on loan from Villarreal but was unable to help keep them in the Premier League.
      He moved to Wolves on loan at the end of August 2017, playing 36 games for the team in all competitions and helping them gain promotion to the Premier League.
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      The midfielder, who can also play as a centre back, represented France at U17, U19, U20 and U21 level before opting to play for Senegal at senior level.
      His last game for Senegal was on July 19 2019 when they lost the Africa Cup of Nations final against Algeria in El Cairo.
      Alfred N’Diaye pictured in 2018Credit: Dave Pinegar – The Sun More

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      Fatboy Slim backs Gary Lineker live during concert sending fans wild after BBC pull Match of the Day host off air

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      DJ Fatboy Slim backed Gary Lineker during a live concert after the BBC pulled the Match of the Day host off air. Lineker was suspended from the show after he compared the Government’s plans to ban migrants arriving on small boats from settling in Britain with “1930’s Germany”.
      DJ Fatboy Slim backed Gary Lineker during a live concertCredit: Splash
      The former Premier League star was deemed to have breached the BBC’s guidelines and was forced to step back from his presenting role.
      But his suspension sparked chaos as scores of Match of the Day co-hosts refused to appear in solidarity with the veteran presenter.
      And even DJ Fatboy Slim – real name Quentin Leo Cook – is in Lineker’s corner as he performed with a picture of the footballer in the background.
      A video was posted of fans reacting wildly, with Leo Cook tweeting: “Enough respect #ImWithGary.”
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      Lineker’s son George responded: “That’s so elite.”
      Match of The Day has plunged into chaos as Ian Wright, Alan Shearer, Jermaine Jenas, Alex Scott, Mark Chapman and Micah Richards all refused to fill in amid the chaos.
      Even matchday commentators pulled out of the show.
      In a tweet, Steve Wilson, one of the flagship footie show’s commentators, said he and his colleagues will not be heard in Saturday’s episode.
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      He explained on Friday: “As commentators on MOTD, we have decided to step down from tomorrow night’s broadcast.
      “We are comforted that football fans who want to watch their teams should still be able to do so, as management can use World Feed commentary if they wish.”
      The move means the dulcet tones of commentators Conor McNamara, Simon Brotherton and Robyn Cowen will fall silent on Saturday night.
      Gary Lineker has been taken off air by the BBCCredit: Alamy More

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      How Man Utd could look like England next season as Harry Kane leads flurry of potential Three Lions signings

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      MANCHESTER UNITED appear to be finally on the right track as Erik Ten Hag closes in on a top four finish.But a 7-0 hammering at Liverpool showed there is work to be done on the transfer front for the Red Devils to be ready for Champions League football.
      Erik ten Hag will need reinforcements ahead of a likely Champions League campaign next seasonCredit: EPA
      Harry Kane is top of Man Utd’s summer wish listCredit: PA
      Man Utd’s line up could look a lot more like England next season
      Harry Kane is a top target, with United confident of a deal.
      And there is little doubt that should Kane join, he will be accompanied in a front three by Marcus Rashford.
      The local hero has yet to pen a new deal but with him already enjoying a record goal tally under Ten Hag, why would he want to be anywhere else?
      On the right, Jadon Sancho will continue to face competition from Alejandro Garnacho and Antony.
      READ MORE MAN UTD NEWS
      However, the ex-Man City youngster is expected to hold down regular place at Old Trafford for many years to come.
      Sancho’s old Dortmund team-mate Jude Bellingham is the most sought after player in Europe going into this summer’s transfer window.
      Real Madrid and Liverpool are the favourites to land the midfielder but he has been a United target since his Birmingham days.
      Should Liverpool fail to make the top four and Bellingham not fancy a move to Spain, the Red Devils will instantly move to pole position for his signature.
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      Man Utd still have an eye on Jude Bellingham despite Liverpool and Real Madrid leading the raceCredit: Getty
      Declan Rice is a player United have been interested in for a long timeCredit: Getty
      Mason Mount is available on a free transfer in 2024, so could be allowed to leave on the cheap this summerCredit: Getty
      And partnering Bellingham could be Declan Rice, who has also been a long term United target.
      The signing for Rice would also set up an intriguing battle for a place with enforcer Casemiro, who has more than lived up to his £70m price tag to become one of the team’s most impressive performers.
      However, the Red Devils will face stiff competition from London sides Arsenal and Chelsea for Rice’s signature.
      But they could get one over Chelsea by purchasing Mason Mount in a cut price deal, with his contract to expire in 2024.
      The attacking midfielder has yet to agree a new deal with the Blues and both his performances and relationship with the West London club’s hierarchy appear to be deteriorating.
      It is thought that the West Londoners would be prepared to sell for a fee of around £50m.
      Signing Mason Mount would also ramp up the pressure on Bruno Fernandes.
      The vice-captain infuriated United fans with his display at Anfield, as he was even accused of asking to be substituted.
      Aaron Wan-Bissaka has yet to impress Gareth Southgate sufficiently on the ball to earn an England cap.
      However, things are different at Old Trafford where his attitude has impressed the manager and he has muscled his way into first team contention.
      Captain Harry Maguire is also in and out of the team, and a potential candidate to leave United in the summer.
      However, he claims Erik ten Hag has told him he is a top centre-back and he may yet decide to stay and fight for his place.
      Luke Shaw has shown himself to be capable of filling it at left-centre-back when called upon, and is set to continue starting there or at left-back for the foreseeable future.
      Man Utd have used among the lowest number of English players in the Premier League this season, but that could be about to change
      Should Shaw make a more permanent switch to centre-back, United would need to decide whether or not to sign competition for Tyrell Malacia at left-back.
      Chelsea’s Ben Chilwell is far from a top Man Utd target, but he is a lifelong fan of the club.
      In goal, David de Gea is closing in on a new deal but is looking less and less a long-term option.
      That is reflected in Man Utd preparing to offer the Spaniard a reduced and incentive-based contract.
      The Sun has revealed that the 32-year-old will only be able to pick up the maximum £250,000-salary he is being offered if he plays in over 50 per cent of matches.
      England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford is in no hurry to leave Everton as he has just agreed a new £150,000-a-week deal.
      However, the Toffees are 18th in the table having played a game more than the competition.
      Read More on The Sun
      With Pickford’s impending new contract containing no relegation clause, it is difficult to see the Three Lions stopper playing in the Championship.
      And though Chelsea are said to be the club most keen on Pickford, with their need for a new goalkeeper greater than Man Utd’s, the Red Devils will have to purchase a new man between the sticks in the relatively near future.
      Ben Chilwell is a lifelong Man Utd fanCredit: Getty
      Jordan Pickford is at risk of being relegatedCredit: Alamy More

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      Football fans CONVINCED Jose Mourinho will replace David Moyes at West Ham after Roma boss shares cryptic post

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      JOSE MOURINHO has taken social media by storm with a cryptic post that has sent fans into meltdown.Roma boss Mourinho posed with a series of designer’s accessories as he wore a black pair of glasses from adidas, a silver bracelet from Matilde and a swanky watch by Hublot.
      Fans think Jose Mourinho has hinted he will join West Ham because of his gestureCredit: https://www.instagram.com/p/CpnpXvfo0SE/?hl=en
      The Special One then crossed his arms in a way that was very similar to the West Ham ‘hammers’ symbol.
      The ex-Chelsea boss shared that picture on his personal Instagram account and thanked all three brands for the goodies.
      Some fans hoped the Portuguese tactician could be hinting at an imminent Premier League return to replace David Moyes at the London Stadium.
      The ex-Tottenham boss is among the big names that have been linked with the post.
      Read More on Football
      The club has supposedly already made an offer to the former Real Madrid manager.
      Moyes has come under fire amid an intense relegation scrap and West Ham are reportedly on the lookout for his successor ahead of next season.
      And some fans mostly joked that Mourinho could be set to end their suffering.
      However, that might not be the the case as the 60-year-old could have simply been showing off the bracelet and the watch.
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      One fan commented: “Mourinho to West Ham confirmed.”
      Another posted: “Welcome to West Ham mate glad to see you.”
      A third wrote: “Mourinho winning West Ham the Premier League.”
      This supporter said: “Mourinho to West Ham, here we go confirmed!”
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      And that one stated: “Nah mate he’s coming to West Ham.”
      Mourinho is enjoying an impressive stint at Roma after winning the inaugural Europa Conference League last season.
      The ex-Manchester United boss is also chasing after a second-place finish in the Serie A.
      Roma boss Jose Mourinho has enjoyed success at Serie ACredit: Getty More

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      My brother was murdered but two days later I played for Tottenham before flying home to comfort my grieving mother

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      SERGE AURIER wore his heart on his sleeve during four torrid years at Tottenham.Never more so than when he put his own personal pain and grief aside for 90 gut-churning minutes to do Spurs and his family proud — two days after his younger brother was  murdered.
      Nottingham Forest’s Serge Aurier returns to old club Tottenham on SaturdayCredit: Getty
      The defender played for Spurs two days after his brother was shot deadCredit: Getty
      Christopher Aurier was shot dead outside a nightclub on the outskirts of Toulouse, France, in the early hours of Monday, July 13, 2020.
      The 26-year-old amateur footballer was senselessly killed hours after right-back Aurier had enjoyed one of the highlights of his Tottenham career when he helped them come from behind to beat North London rivals Arsenal 2-1.
      But the Ivory Coast skipper had to dig much deeper that midweek when he ignored the sleepless nights, spent trying to make sense of everything, to give his all for Spurs again.
      In an amazing show of character, Aurier ran his heart out to help Jose Mourinho’s team beat Newcastle 3-1 at St James’ Park and maintain their push for a Euro spot.
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      Immediately after that victory, he flew home to comfort his grieving mother.
      But, incredibly, he was back in action that weekend in a 3-0 win against Leicester — he only  missed one minute of Spurs’ run-in that saw them play six games in 20 days and qualify for Europe.
      Now, heading back to Spurs today as a Nottingham Forest player, Aurier has lifted the lid on why he insisted on  playing through the pain three years ago.
      He said: “I played for my mum. She needed to know that life doesn’t stop.
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      “We lost my brother, who we loved so much, but I wanted to play that night at Newcastle because this is my profession.
      “Afterwards we have our own life as a family. So although it was a bad moment for me, I am strong in my mind.
      “I just wanted to show my mum that, ‘Yeah, we lost my brother but you have another kid in this life, too’. I wanted to show her this is a bad moment but, don’t worry, because I’m here and I am going to work so hard again for you and for the family.
      “When my mum saw me on the pitch, running and fighting, of course it couldn’t change anything.
      “But she felt that, ‘Yeah, I lost my kid but I have another one I can see on TV, running and playing with pride’.
      “Then I went home and I felt she was proud of me. This is my family mentality. We see everything in a different way. We try to take bad things in life and handle them.
      “Don’t be crying and stay in that mindset for ten months —  try to do something good to change the mentality and the mood.
      “It was difficult to see myself, my mother and brother being so sad. But it’s impossible for my family to let someone feel sad all the time.
      “We put bad energy away and replace it with positive energy. We realise life doesn’t stop and this was real. It’s what makes us as a family.
      “Today you cry and tomorrow you laugh. Today you win, tomorrow you lose. You have to know this is the ritual of life — we cannot stop for bad news.
      “It’s difficult but tomorrow’s another day, and this is my family’s mentality.
      “Now I try to help my family, my daughter, and I try to help my sister.
      “Sometimes we just sit together and we talk about everything. This is how I put football pressures out of my mind.
      “My family laughs a lot and we never accept the bad — we just always stay positive.”
      Aurier’s positivity has rubbed off on his Forest pals, who have benefited from the experience of the star full-back, who arrived at Spurs from Paris Saint-Germain for £23million in 2017.
      Forest were bottom of the Prem having lost five games on the spin when under-pressure boss Steve Cooper handed free-signing Aurier his first start.
      Since that 1-1 October draw with Aston Villa, they have been much improved and now sit four places and four points clear of the relegation zone — they also reached the Carabao Cup semi-final.
      Aurier, 30, is loving life again as a father figure in the dressing room.
      He said: “The pressure here is different to Spurs or PSG.
      “I have enjoyed everywhere I’ve played. I enjoyed it in Spain with Villarreal, who were not a big, big team but we made the Champions League semi-final last year.
      “In life, you need love and at Villarreal you could feel it from the fans. It’s the same at Forest, so it’s easy to give your best.
      “When you are a footballer it is the small things you treasure, like the atmosphere at the City Ground, or meeting the fans in the street, which doesn’t always happen at the biggest clubs.
      “We started the season badly but we have fought hard to get where we are and now we have every chance of staying up.
      “We’ve beaten Liverpool, drawn with Chelsea and Manchester City —  and for me that’s massive.
      “But we need to keep believing because it’s not easy when everyone is fighting to stay up.
      “I had four amazing years at Tottenham and now I just want to help Nottingham Forest.
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      Forest boss Cooper added: “Serge has been a great presence. The stuff you don’t see is the presence at the training ground and in the group.
      “It’s been a real positive and I have encouraged it. I like our senior players to take leadership and responsibility. It’s vital to have a strong dressing room. Serge is a good example of that.”
      Forest boss Steve Cooper has been delighted with the star’s impactCredit: Getty More

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      Premier League players could BOYCOTT BBC interviews before and after matches in solidarity with Lineker and pundits

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      PREMIER LEAGUE stars could reportedly boycott interviews with BBC before and after matches in solidarity with Gary Lineker.Match of the Day hosts staged a mutiny after the Beeb yanked Lineker off air over his controversial tweet.
      MOTD hosts have staged a mutiny after BBC yanked Gary Lineker off airCredit: Getty
      Ian Wright and Alan Shearer have walked out in ‘solidarity’ with LinekerCredit: BBC
      Ian Wright and Alan Shearer walked out in “solidarity” with Lineker, 62, who had compared the Government’s language around its small boats crackdown to that of 1930s Germany.
      The BBC was left scrambling to find a panel for the show, as other stars ruled themselves out, which saw them announce there would be NO HOST at all.
      Commentators could also join the boycott to force the show into a further radical change.
      The Times journalist Henry Winter has claimed that several players could boycott being interviewed by the broadcaster.
      READ MORE ON GARY LINEKER
      He tweeted: “Football’s backlash against @BBC intensifies over its treatment of @GaryLineker. Many @premierleague players keen to show support for ex-pro pundits who step aside from @BBCMOTD. And @PFA will also fully support players who face fines for not completing required broadcast duties.”
      We reported how Gary wept when told how his mates had publicly backed him. 
      On a day of chaos, the corporation claimed Lineker had agreed to step back from presenting Saturday’s flagship highlights show.
      But friends said Lineker had been blindsided by the statement and was being benched against his will.
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      It left Match of the Day facing the prospect of having no host or pundits and now potentially no pre or post-game interviews either while they may also face boycotts from commentators who call the action.
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      The Beeb could not say when ex-England ace Lineker will return and tonight it appeared there was no way back for the star at the BBC.
      He was ordered to issue a “humiliating apology” by execs or face being “rested” from the show. 
      A source said: “This has been a tumultuous 24 hours. Gary is in shock and had no idea this was coming. He wanted to go on air, make no bones about it, this was not his decision.
      “Privately, everyone at the Beeb is in meltdown too. They genuinely don’t know how they will get a show out because no one wants to touch it.
      “Everyone in the industry is appalled at how Gary has been hung out to dry, and the general BBC inconsistency. 
      “Gary wept when he found out his mates had all publicly backed him. 
      “The support has been overwhelming which, essentially, is a massive pie in the face for the BBC. 
      “Gary wasn’t willing to pretend to support something he vehemently doesn’t agree with.
      “He doesn’t need the cash and, frankly, it seems hard to imagine a way back for either party from here.”
      Lineker’s co-hosts tweet their support after the BBC announces he will be stepping back from the showCredit: Twitter
      The ex-striker had compared language around the Government’s small boats crackdown to that used by Germany in the 1930s.
      The BBC initially said Lineker would be spoken to, then appeared to take no action against him. 
      That triggered a backlash from Tory MPs furious about a perceived breach of BBC impartiality rules.
      Yesterday afternoon, the BBC issued its botched statement stating Lineker had stepped back from presenting MoTD.
      Pal Wright then tweeted that he will step away, saying: “Everybody knows what Match of the Day means to me, but I’ve told the BBC I won’t be doing it tomorrow. Solidarity.” 
      Shearer soon followed, saying: “I have informed the BBC I wont be appearing on MoTD.”

      And Football Focus host Alex Scott appeared to rule herself out, posting a meme which read “Nah, not me”.
      Piers Morgan said of the Beeb last night: “This is a ridiculous decision. If the BBC really believes its presenters shouldn’t have political opinions then I look forward to them suspending David Attenborough and Alan Sugar and everyone else who has presented BBC shows but makes public their opinions.”
      Broadcasters Jeff Stelling and Laura Woods also backed Lineker. 
      Lineker appeared to have ridden out the row until yesterday, and had tweeted: “Well, it’s been an interesting couple of days. Happy this ridiculously out of proportion story seems to be abating and very much looking forward to presenting Match of the Day on Saturday.”
      PM Rishi Sunak said he hoped critics such as Lineker would eventually see why they were wrong about his immigration plan.
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      Ex-Culture Secretary John Whittingdale said: “Gary is of course entitled to hold his views. 
      “The problem is he is the highest-paid person working for the BBC and is closely associated with the BBC. I’m afraid that those things are not compatible.” More

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      Jimmy Greaves and Co were such forward thinkers.. now Harry Kane is reaping the rewards of striker evolution

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      NO ONE in the Premier League makes and scores goals like Harry Kane.Football jewellery of such quality has been exceedingly rare since the competition began in 1992.
      Tottenham star Harry Kane is such a unique goalscorerCredit: Getty
      His claim to unique standing was emphasised further when he became only the third striker behind footballing icons Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney to reach 200 Prem goals.
      And he isn’t yet 30 years old. It was at Tottenham, too, that Jimmy Greaves scored most of the 357 goals which still stands as England’s top-tier record.
      An effective striker may be the most vital contributor to league success, so it is interesting   to note that Spurs have failed to win the title with either Kane or Greaves in their ranks.
      Fussy grandads might well claim that Greaves wasn’t even a centre-forward, as strikers were called in his day.
      READ MORE ON FOOTBALL
      He wasn’t a captain, a colonel or a corporal either.
      Perhaps, courtesy of The Who, a pinball wizard.
      Kane is similarly locked into the secrets of the penalty area.
      Some of this can be learned from coaches, but much more comes from the instinct of identifying every blade of grass, never mind the lines or the goalkeeper’s position.
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      There are a few with that talent and two who stand out, combining goals with great passing skills were midfielders Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard.
      Their careers are remarkably similar, England caps galore, each with more than a century of league goals — Lampard with a spectacular 177 for sixth place overall and Gerrard on 120. Even high scorers are not typical.
      The leader in the Prem era, Alan Shearer, scored 260 with a goal-to-games ratio of 0.59, and he knocked them in from practically anywhere, anytime.
      Greaves was a Jack-in-the-box, clinical, spectral and, at the sniff of a chance, a terrier.
      The deadliest finishers do so with feet, shins, knees, bottom, chest and head.
      With Greaves, almost everything but the moustache he grew later.
      He really was a cheeky chappy. And, by the way, he scored 124 of his league goals for Chelsea and (how could we forget?) 13 for West Ham.
      Hundred-plus scorers come in all sizes and most shapes, except corpulent. Tallest, with 108 on the 33-strong list of  Prem century scorers, is 6ft 7in Peter Crouch, whose footballer  humour works well on television.
      Although the camera operator might have to stand on tiptoe to capture his full frame.
      At 5ft 9in, Mo Salah, who has just set a Liverpool Prem record with 129, is among the best. The Egyptian ace is a ball-hugger on the ground, sometimes. It looks as if he’s lost it but, no need to worry, it’s in the back of the net.
      There’s no non-Hammer I enjoy watching more.
      Match-killing scorers mostly head the value table.
      Think of the Paris Saint-Germain duo of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, maybe Kane in time, certainly peak Erling Haaland if ever he now leaves Manchester City.
      The strapping blond is 6ft 5in of fast-moving muscle in the penalty area.
      No aggression there and when he and Newcastle’s Dan Burn, an inch taller, went eye to eye in a melee, these titans shrugged, clearly thought ‘this is ridiculous’ and then simply parted ways with smiles.
      Otherwise, the Earth might have moved.
      No opponent ever smiled at Thierry Henry, whose 175 Arsenal goals came in 258 games at the leading ratio of 0.68.
      For 13 years up to 2012, he was frightening defences with an array of skills we may never see again.
      Quick and supple, he alarmed with changes of direction and the ability to cause wounds.
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      He fizzed like champagne and, yes, he was probably our best import from France.
      I think we would all agree: “Vive les strikers!”
      Karren Brady writes exclusively for Sun SportCredit: PA More

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      Under-fire Antonio Conte hits out at ‘impatient’ Tottenham fans after team booed off in Champions League exit

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      ANTONIO CONTE has launched a stinging attack on impatient Spurs fans and his “selfish” £50million flop Richarlison.Tottenham fans booed during and after Wednesday’s limp Champions League exit to AC Milan, which ended a week from hell as they also crashed out of the FA Cup.
      Antonio Conte launched a stinging attack on RicharlisonCredit: Alamy
      And the Italian, set to leave when his contract expires in the summer, slammed the supporters, saying: “The patience of the fans has finished. And we feel this. I feel this. The players feel this.
      “This does not help the situation because there are many players in this moment, also young players that are playing, and they need to improve and go step by step to grow.
      “The club has patience. But the problem is the club also has to make the fans (be patient) because the fans for many, many years are waiting to win something.”
      Richarlison’s outburst means he is unlikely to start at home to Nottingham Forest today,  where the atmosphere could become very uncomfortable for the manager if his side make a poor start.
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      The exit to Milan left the club facing a 15th successive season without a trophy, with chairman Daniel Levy set to wield the axe on Conte’s reign.
      Former Everton striker Richarlison appeared to blast Conte for not explaining why he had been benched for the last two games.
      But Conte said: “The guy understood very well that he made a mistake because when you speak with ‘I, I and I’, not with ‘we’, it means you are thinking only about yourself and you are selfish.
      “If he deserves to play, I give him an opportunity otherwise we will play another player.
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      “I watched the whole interview and he didn’t criticise me. He said his season is ‘s***’ and he is right because his season is no good.
      “Because he had a lot of injuries. He started well with us, he then had injury in the Champions League and then he went to World Cup and he had another serious injury.
      “He came back and stayed one month out. Then another injury.
      “He scored zero goals with us, only two goals in Champions League and I think the guy was really honest to tell that his season is not good.
      “His season and our season has still not finished and he has time to recover. ”
      Richarlison has rarely started, with the Italian boss preferring Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski up front.
      Conte’s other option is to start January loan signing Arnaut Danjuma, who has had just 47 minutes of action since arriving.
      Arnaut Danjuma has hardly featured under Antonio ConteCredit: Reuters
      But worryingly, Conte admitted it was the club’s choice to sign the Dutchman — and  questioned if he could fit into his favoured line-up.
      He said: “I am sorry for (Danjuma) because he arrived in January and the club wanted to sign on loan this player.
      “Maybe he has not specific characteristics to be a No 10.  Maybe he is more a second striker or a winger.”
      Conte also claimed that he was doomed to fail in his spell at Tottenham as his trophy-laden career meant fan expectations were miles too high from day one.
      But he insisted that he is “ready to die for this club” until his contract expires at the end of the season.
      He said: “The problem for me is only one — that every club where I coached, I won. Expectation has always been very, very high.
      “I remember very well when I arrived at this club everybody said, ‘Now, we have Conte — he won in the past, so now we are going to win!’
      “But we have to win together. We have to create the right situation.
      “I can teach you the path to win, but you have to follow me. And have patience. I need time and patience.
      “Maybe I do have time, because the club can give me that. But I am seeing there is no patience (from the fans). For me it’s really, really difficult. Maybe my past penalises me.”
      This was the man with the midas touch, who had tasted success everywhere he went, securing league titles at Juventus, Chelsea and Inter Milan. Surely he would be the one to finally deliver the silverware that Tottenham supporters have been craving.
      Richarlison looks set to be left out again against Nottingham ForestCredit: PA
      But 15 months into his tenure and after a week from hell, Conte feels any grace from the terraces has evaporated.
      Emergency gallbladder surgery saw assistant Cristian Stellini stand in for four games before he returned for a second time for Wednesday’s Champions League nightmare against AC Milan.
      It is a matter of when, not if, Conte leaves, but the fiery boss is adamant he will give his all until the end of the campaign.
      The Premier League winner said: “Until the end of the season I am ready to die for this club and then we will see because I am not so stupid to continue to kill myself.
      “You know with the club we signed a contract, a strange contract – one-year-and-a-half.
      “Usually you sign a contract for three years but I think it was for the club and also for myself to see the situation.
      “For the club to understand my personality, my capacity as a coach and for me from my side it was also the same. To understand if we were on the same page and if we wanted to do something important.
      “Now after one year and a half, the club knows me, I know the club and it is clear this situation.”
      Spurs are currently in fourth and now, after their cup exits, have free weeks leading up to ten of their remaining 12 league games.
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      That extra time to prepare certainly helped them finish strongly last season and they have a favourable run coming up too, starting with Forest.
      Still, Conte claimed finishing in the top four will be harder than it was last season, adding: “For us, it is like winning the Premier League in this moment.” More