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      Chelsea CAN still make top four and here’s how says former star – who insists Graham Potter MUST stay

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      CHELSEA can still finish in the Premier League top four if they beat the teams that are above them, claims club legend Gus Poyet.The Blues are 10th in the table with a game in hand and 11 points separating them from fourth-placed Tottenham amid a turbulent season.
      Gus Poyet claims Chelsea can finish in the top four if they beat the teams that are above themCredit: Getty
      Gus Poyet insists Chelsea manager Graham Potter is the right man for the teamCredit: Getty
      Poyet admits Champions League qualification is “difficult” for his former team because it doesn’t only depend on the results they get until May.
      The Greece manager insists a lot will also go down to how the West Londoners’ rivals fare in the top flight, which is why Graham Potter’s side must win as many games as possible.
      The 55-year-old head coach is also adamant Chelsea will have to beat Brentford, Brighton, Newcastle, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal to raise their hopes.
      Poyet told SunSport: “I think it’s difficult. But not difficult because of Chelsea, it’s because of the teams that are above Chelsea. They can do the same.
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      “I always say that it’s not only about you. When you’re up against someone next to you and you have to play against them you can say maybe it depends on us. But here, there’s too many teams ahead of Chelsea.
      “I think it’s difficult, it’s not impossible but practically they need to win every game and 100 per cent they need win against the teams that are above them. Non-negotiable.
      “The problem now is that they are in the Champions League. And the players’ mentality says, ‘We are there, who knows?’ So it’s something as well that can push one way or the other.”
      Potter has come under fire this season after losing 10 out of 28 matches, of which he has only won 11, across all competitions.
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      But Poyet has no doubt the former Brighton boss deserves more time and is the right man to lead the Premier League giants next season.
      The Uruguayan tactician is a “very big fan” of Potter and is impressed with how well he has handled the “tremendous” pressure after a recent poor run on the hot seat.
      However, the ex-midfielder admits the Chelsea boss will have to forget about the future and concentrate on the present, which has been the club’s priority since the Roman Abramovich era.
      Poyet said when asked if Potter deserves another season at Chelsea: “Yes, without a doubt. I’m a very big fan of Graham Potter.
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      “When he went to the club he knew exactly what he wanted to do, then the situation put him in a totally unexpected place in January with the new players arriving, the quantity of players he needs to coach every day, [and] not being able to pick the best team.
      “The consequences was not winning games and the pressure he’s had is tremendous. Every day was only about Graham Potter, and you need to live with that. And you need at those times the players to stand up. And they did.
      “And I’m sure today the feeling is totally different. But this is not going to stop if you don’t continue to perform. Yes, I want Graham Potter to do well. Yes, I think the young players that arrived in January they are a big part of the future. But Chelsea is today. No one at Chelsea thinks about next season.
      “Everybody is thinking what are we going to do at the weekend. Because that’s the way Abramovich and [Jose] Mourinho, [Carlo] Ancelotti, [Antonio] Conte convinced the fans what Chelsea are about. About winning trophies and winning every single game.”
      Chelsea picked up a comfortable 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday to qualify for the Champions League quarter-finals.
      Potter only started two out of the eight players he signed during a busy January transfer window that cost over £300million – those were Joao Felix and Prem record signing Enzo Fernandez.
      Poyet suggested the 47-year-old understands it is his more experienced players, rather than the most recent signings, that can push Chelsea back in the top four.
      Poyet added: “I think it was their best performance of the season or one of their best without any doubt. The desire, the togetherness, the way everybody put an extra effort on the game shows that it’s possible. We think about the starting XI, there was practically no new January players.
      “It’s the old group of the beginning of the season, which shows that Graham made a strong decision and said, ‘Okay I know the new players are good, I know the new players are the future of the club. But right now, I need the players that have the most experience’.
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      “So there was not that kind of mix of the experienced ones with the new ones that arrived in January. In this game they had to wait. Because sometimes – and I think Chelsea are one of these teams – it’s about today, it’s not about two years’ time.”
      Gus Poyet was speaking to The Sun on behalf of Neuecasinos24.com.
      Chelsea have been undergoing a turbulent season across all competitionsCredit: Alamy More

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      Tottenham should SACK Conte and appoint out-of-work manager ‘as soon as possible’ says ex-England legend Merson

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      ARSENAL legend Paul Merson has told Tottenham to sack Antonio Conte NOW and replace him with the man everyone knows will replace him.The Italian’s future was plunged into serious doubt this week after they meekly bowed out of the Champions League.
      Antonio Conte’s future at Tottenham remains unclearCredit: Rex
      Spurs produced a tepid performance as they failed to overturn a 1-0 deficit against AC Milan with their manager receiving boos and jeers from supporters when he replaced attacker Dejan Kulusevski with centre-back Davinson Sanchez for the final minutes.
      Conte’s future had already been the subject of much scrutiny with his lucrative contract set to expire this summer and no talks to extend his stay.
      That has led to speculation over potential replacements for him at Spurs, with many wanting their ex-boss Mauricio Pochettino, who is out of work currently, to return.
      And former England attacker Merson has told the Daily Star to just get on with it.
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      He said: “Mauricio Pochettino is going to be appointed the manager of Tottenham in the summer, so why not get him now? There is no point messing about.
      “What’s the point in keeping Antonio Conte, do you want to get in the top four or not? Spurs have just gone out of two competitions and it’s now been 15 years since their last trophy.
      “I really don’t like to see managers get the sack as they are humans but at the same time you’ve got to shake things up.
      “I would do it now. Spurs are a big football club and are currently going nowhere.
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      “I was talking to a Tottenham season ticket holder on the school run in midweek and I told him that Wednesday night against AC Milan was the worst I’ve ever seen from a Spurs side. It really was that bad. He agreed.”
      Merson added: “For me, Pochettino should come on board as soon as possible. He could lift the players in the race for fourth and it also gives him time to prepare for next season.
      “It’s such a win-win as Conte no longer looks like he wants to be there anymore.”
      Spurs sacked Poch was sacked by Tottenham after five-and-a-half years in charge back in November 2019.
      Despite not winning a trophy for Spurs, he guided the club to four consecutive Champions League finishes.
      Prior to his arrival, Spurs had finished in the top four in just two of their previous 22 seasons in the Premier League.
      He also took the club to the Champions League final in 2019, but Liverpool prevailed as they won 2-0.
      After replacing Tim Sherwood in 2014, Poch took charge of 293 games, winning 159, losing 72 and drawing on 62 occasions.
      Mauricio Pochettino is the man that many fans want to return to SpursCredit: AFP More

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      Ten Hag ‘wants new Man Utd goalkeeper if transfer funds available with Raya and Diogo Costa lined up to replace De Gea’

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      MANCHESTER UNITED are being linked with David Raya and Diogo Costa as Erik ten Hag “can’t ignore” keeper David de Gea’s kicking problems.The Red Devils are monitoring other stoppers despite holding talks over extending the contract of top-earner De Gea.
      Manager Erik ten Hag says keeper David de Gea will ‘work’ on improvementsCredit: Getty
      The Telegraph suggest a summer replacement is a strong possibility.
      Boss Ten Hag’s main transfer aim remains a new world-class striker.
      Tottenham’s Harry Kane, Napoli hero Victor Osimhen and Benfica star Goncalo Ramos are rated prime targets in that department.
      But Ten Hag has admitted long-serving De Gea – United’s top earner – must work on his game.
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      The Spaniard, 32, almost gifted Real Betis a 2-1 lead before United stormed back for Thursday’s 4-1 Europa League last-16 first-leg win.
      Ten Hag said afterwards: “From today I can’t ignore it, but I think we have seen many games he did really well.
      “We work on that but David is working on that.
      “There was a lot of wind, a different ball, probably he had some problems with that, but I know we can deal with it and he will do better Sunday.”
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      Brentford ace Raya, who has won two Spain caps, has leapt to the forefront as an alternative for next season.
      But Tottenham and Chelsea are also keen on the 27-year-old.
      And Porto’s Portugal keeper Costa, 23, has been on the Red Devils’ radar for several months. More

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      Spain and Portugal set to DUMP Ukraine from World Cup 2030 bid and announce completely new country

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      SPAIN and Portugal are set to up the ante on their 2030 World Cup bid – by DUMPING Ukraine and enlisting Morocco.The Iberian-led bid is the official European standard-bearer ahead of the vote due from Fifa’s 211 member associations next year.
      Football representatives of Spain, Portugal and Ukraine had put together a World Cup bidCredit: AFP
      But just five months after announcing Ukraine would be added to the bid and house two groups if it was successful, the war-hit nation is on the verge of being replaced by the North African state.
      Morocco bid unsuccessfully to host the 2010 and 2026 tournaments and had mooted a standalone campaign or heading a three-nation option involving neighbours Tunisia and Algeria for 2030.
      But the success of the Morocco team on the pitch in their run to the World Cup semi-finals in Qatar saw further discussions about being recruited to the Iberian bid.
      That is now part of active discussions with the Spanish and Portuguese FAs, alarmed at being linked with the corruption, fraud and money laundering allegations aimed at Ukrainian FA chief Andriy Pavelko.
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      While Pavelko has vehemently denied all the claims against him there is growing pressure on Ukraine to announce it is no longer able to join the Iberian campaign, leaving the door open for Morocco to walk through.
      While the Iberian bid will have the total support of Uefa and its President Aleksander Ceferin it is facing an uphill battle to secure the 106 votes needed in the likely second stage of voting.
      England and the other Home Nations plus Ireland represent five certain votes for Spain and Portugal, with other major European countries likely to fall into line.
      But the four nation South American bid by Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Chile, officially launched last month, is the sentimental pick.
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      Montevideo’s Estadio Centenario, which hosted the inaugural final in 1930, would also fulfil the same role 100 years later.
      And Fifa President Gianni Infantino is more likely to put his unofficial weight behind the front-runner, the three nation bid led by Saudi Arabia.
      The Saudis have planted their flag already in both Africa and Europe, with games promised in co-hosts Egypt and Greece.
      Including Greece is an attempt to break open the 55-nation Uefa bloc vote.
      Russia, still a Fifa member and with the same vote as any other nation, is likely to use its influence to back the Saudi-led cause, far easier with Greece part of the bid.
      Including Morocco would be a way for the Spain-Portugal team to try to attract African support which would otherwise be likely to be mandated to go with the Saudi bid because of Egypt’s involvement. More

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      Lisandro Martinez reveals how Man Utd responded to Erik ten Hag’s ‘standards’ remark following Liverpool hammering

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      LISANDRO MARTINEZ insists Manchester United’s Europa League triumph over Real Betis “doesn’t say anything” as they are looking to meet manager Erik ten Hag’s “standards”.United destroyed Betis with a score of 4-1 at Old Trafford with goals by Marcus Rashford, Antony, Bruno Fernandes and Wout Weghorst – the visitors temporarily equalised with Leicester loanee Ayoze Perez.
      Lisandro Martinez revealed how Manchester United responded to criticismCredit: Getty
      Erik ten Hag blasted Manchester United aces for dropping standards against LiverpoolCredit: PA
      This comes shortly after Sunday’s 7-0 mauling to Liverpool, which led to some fiery remarks by Ten Hag accusing his players of dropping their “standards” after a dominant run across all competitions.
      Martinez suggested the team took the Dutchman’s criticism on board and are now refusing to lose their concentration.
      The Red Devils picked up a comfortable lead in the first leg of the Last 16 but the centre-back insists they need to remain focused ahead of a tough return fixture next week in Seville.
      Martinez told MUTV: “It was a great result for us, but we have to keep going.
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      “It doesn’t say anything this result. It’s the first leg and when we go to Betis, we have to be ready and focused, especially in their home, they play well and have the support of their people.
      “We are happy for this game. I think the energy of the team [lacked], they started to play, and in the second half we changed the passion, the energy and we showed our mentality and we created more chances, then we score.”
      Antony, Fernandes and Weghorst received immense criticism after the embarrassing loss at Liverpool.
      But Martinez backed all of his United three team-mates, who redeemed themselves with an improved performance against Betis.
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      The Argentina international added: “He’s a really good player [Antony], with a lot of quality, his skills are amazing and I’m happy for him because it’s important for his confidence. I’m really happy with the job of the team.
      “I’m happy for him [Fernandes] as well, as like you say, there was a lot of criticism to our team but it’s like this when you play for a big, big team, it can happen, so you have to be ready and be happy with where we are.” More

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      What happened to Kim Källström after his Arsenal loan and where is he now?

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      KIM Källström is best remembered by Premier League fans after his ill-fated spell at Arsenal in 2014.The Swede only played four times, but he still claims to have enjoyed his time at the North London club. This is what he has be doing since leaving.
      Källström only appeared four times in his short spell at Arsenal in 2014
      Who is Kim Källström and who did he play for?
      Kim Källström is a former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.
      He made his name in Ligue 1, playing firstly with Rennes, before joining Lyon in 2006.
      He won two league titles and two Coupe de France’s during his stay, and helped the team reach the UEFA Champions League semi-final in 2010, knocking out Real Madrid in the process.
      Källström joined Russian Premier League side Spartak Moscow in 2012, but his first two seasons at the club were hampered by injury.
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      He joined Arsenal on loan in January 2014, in the hope that who could help the team in their fight for silverware.
      He was ruled out with a back injury a day after signing, which ruled him out for The Gunners following six matches.
      He eventually made his debut on March 25, 2014 against Swansea City in a 2-2 draw.
      His next game came in the FA Cup semi-final against Wigan Athletic at Wembley.
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      He was brought on for the second half of extra time with the teams locked together at 1-1.
      Källström stepped up to take Arsenal’s second penalty in the shootout that followed after the teams couldn’t be separated, sending his penalty past Scott Carson, as Arsenal reached the final for the first time since 2005.
      Despite this, Källström only played two more games for the club, and was not selected for their 3-2 victory against Hull City in the FA Cup final, despite receiving a medal.
      He returned to Spartak Moscow at the end of the season following the end of his loan spell.
      Källström had a successful international career with Sweden, appearing in four major tournaments across his 131 appearances for the national side.
      What happened to Kim Källström after his Arsenal loan?
      Källström returned to the Russian side, where he played fairly regularly, playing 28 league games, but couldn’t help them to European qualification.
      He then joined Swiss side Grasshopper, where he made 56 appearances across two seasons.
      Where is Kim Källström now?
      After a second spell with Djurgårdens IF in the Swedish top flight, Källström retired in December 2017.
      He has since completed the UEFA Executive Masters course for International Players, which helps former players prepare for a second career off the pitch. More

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      ‘Richarlison is right, his season is s***’ – Conte hits back at ‘SELFISH’ striker and hints he doesn’t deserve to play

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      ANTONIO CONTE has revealed that he is in full agreement with Richarlison that the Brazilian has been “s***” this season.And in an explosive press conference, the Tottenham boss also said that the 25-year-old had “scored no goals” and labelled the forward “selfish”.
      Antonio Conte says he agrees that Richarlison has had a ‘s***’ seasonCredit: Alamy
      The Brazilian launched a stunning blast at his boss for benching himCredit: Alamy
      Spurs splashed out £60m to Everton last summer to sign Richarlison but he has only managed two goals in 25 appearances after an injury-ravaged campaign.
      He was brought on for the final 20 minutes of his team’s Champions League draw with AC Milan on Wednesday, a result which eliminated them from the competition, and afterwards the star let rip at his manager for benching him and said that it has been “s***” this season.
      However, ahead of their game with Nottingham Forest tomorrow, Conte said: “First of all I watched the interview of Richarlison. He didn’t criticise me. He said his season was s*** and he’s right. 
      “His season has been not good. He had injuries, played and scored in the Champions League and then went to the World Cup and then had a serious injury. 
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      “He’s scored no goals for us. I think he was really honest to say his season was not good. His season has not finished yet. If he deserves to play I’ll give him the opportunity.
      “For the rest of the interview, I think he made a mistake. When you speak of ‘I’ and not ‘us’ you are being selfish.
      “I say to my players if we want to build something important and win a trophy we have to speak with ‘we’ not with ‘I’, because otherwise you’re thinking of yourself.
      “He made a mistake and he apologised and it was good for me to clarify with the team again about this. In this aspect we have to improve. We have to be more of a team and show more spirit positive, especially in negative moments.”
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      Conte continued: “Sometimes it’s not enough to be a good guy. You have to to show the right desire and fight to win the game and the duels, to be nasty. I think that sometimes we are a bit soft, but I’m the coach and I’m the first responsible for this to happen and it doesn’t happen every time.
      “I have to improve the team and I have to improve the spirit of my team. It always happened in the past and I hope it happens here.”
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      Pressure is mounting on Conte as speculation over whether he will stay or go at Spurs rumbles on.
      He added: “Again my future. In this moment, the most important thing is to be focused on the league. 
      “You know what is my opinion, what is my desire. I say to you a lot of times that the situation that I have found, and we are far to aspire to be competitive to fight to win. 
      “I repeat this for a long time. We need time and patience. I see the environment has no patience or the environment does not want to see the reality. 
      “The club knows very well what is my situation and they know what are my thoughts. We can’t do miracles. If I am to take the people as a target. I am not this person. The reality is this.
      “We’ll see what happens in the future. I’m not stupid to kill myself. Until the end though I am ready to die for this club but then we’ll see, I’m not too stupid to keep killing myself.” More

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      Ten Hag makes alarming admission about David de Gea’s kicking as he identifies possible cause for keeper’s struggles

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      ERIK TEN HAG says David de Gea still needs to work on his kicking despite the 32-year-old goalkeeper having played over 500 games for Manchester United.At the Carabao Cup Final he surpassed Peter Schmeichel’s long-standing record with his 181st clean sheet for the club as they ran out 2-0 winners over Newcastle.
      Manchester United star David de Gea struggles with his kicking, claims Erik ten HagCredit: Rex
      Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag issued some productive criticismCredit: Getty
      But there has long been question marks over his distribution from the back.
      They were raised again on Tuesday when he gave the ball away almost leading to a second Real Betis goal.
      Speaking after the game Ten Hag said: “From today I can’t ignore it, but I think we have seen many games he did really well.
      “We work on that but David is working on that.
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      “But I think we have seen in this season that he is improving and he will keep improving, I’m sure.
      “I don’t know what the reason today was. There was a lot of wind, a different ball, probably he had some problems with that, but I know we can deal with it and he will do better Sunday.”
      De Gea is still to agree on a new contract with his current United deal running out at the end of the season.
      He is the club’s top earner on £375,000 a week but will have to take a cut to £200,000 a week if he wants to extend his stay.
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      The player himself continues to publicly claim that an agreement will be reached to keep him on at the club.
      Meanwhile, injury-plagued Anthony Martial, currently out with a hip problem, has returned to training but will not be ready for Sunday’s home game against Southampton.
      Ten Hag said: “He is on his way back, he’s back in training but we will be cautious.”
      The United boss also remains positive about Christian Eriksen returning to action before the end of the season.
      He has been out of action since suffering an ankle injury in the FA Cup win over Reading at the end of January after a hefty challenge from Andy Carroll.
      Ten Hag said: “I think his progress in the rehab is OK, is going according to plan, so we will definitely see him but not before the international break.” More