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      Arsenal fans buzzing as Gabriel Jesus posts training picture to boost title hopes following positive Arteta update

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      ARSENAL have been handed a title boost with star striker Gabriel Jesus back training on grass and “pushing the boundaries” ahead of a highly anticipated return to action.Jesus, 25, has been sidelined since the World Cup after hurting his knee while playing for Brazil.
      Gabriel Jesus is back working with a ballCredit: Instagram @stuart_photoafc
      Jesus’ return is a boost to Mikel Arteta and Arsenal’s title chancesCredit: Getty
      Eddie Nketiah has come in to replace him as Mikel Arteta’s men continue to top the Premier League.
      The Gunners are top points clear of title rivals Manchester City and hold a game in hand.
      Arteta said on Jesus: “He’s doing more and more on the field. The knee is not reacting, really positive. He’s pushing the boundaries right now.”
      The Spaniard added: “We want him back as quick as possible, but also respecting the timescale that the doctors and the specialists are giving us.”
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      And a picture of Jesus working with the ball on grass has fans excited with a massive final push to win the league coming.
      One fan said on Twitter: “Bad news for the premier league teams. 14 games winning streak starting tomorrow. It’s scary.”
      Another tweeted: “Best Brazilian striker of all time is back.”
      A third raved: “Better than Rashford no debates.”
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      Jesus netted five and assisted seven across all competitions before his injury.
      Arsenal have 14 massive Prem games left, with crunch clashes against Liverpool, Man City, Chelsea and Newcastle still to come. More

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      Chelsea in huge blow with Thiago Silva out for up to SIX weeks as Graham Potter faces two games to save his job

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      THIAGO SILVA has been ruled out of Chelsea’s crucial next two matches with a knee injury… and could even miss SIX WEEKS.The Brazilian limped off during the first half of Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at Tottenham.
      Thiago Silva suffered a knee injury against TottenhamCredit: Getty
      Graham Potter is under huge pressure at ChelseaCredit: Reuters
      Silva underwent scans on Monday to assess the extent of his knee issue.
      A subsequent Chelsea statement read: “Having sustained a knee injury during the first half of Sunday’s match against Tottenham Hotspur, Thiago underwent further assessment and a scan on his return to the training centre on Monday.
      “Scan results from those assessments have confirmed damage to Thiago’s knee ligaments and he will now work closely with the club’s medical department during his rehabilitation to return to action as soon as possible.”
      According to The Times, scans revealed that Silva is not likely to be out for the “long-term” – but he will have to sit out of his side’s games with Leeds and Borussia Dortmund at Stamford Bridge over the next week.
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      The Guardian, however, claim that Silva could even be out for up to six weeks.
      The injury comes at a bad time for boss Graham Potter, who is said to be facing a “defining” week in the Blues hotseat.
      Chelsea chiefs handed the former Brighton boss a four-year deal earlier this term and are determined to give him time to get it right at the Bridge.
      But a horrendous run of just two wins in 16 games in all competitions, as well as particularly listless performances against Southampton and Spurs, has put Potter under immense pressure.
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      Chelsea chiefs, including Todd Boehly, are aware of Arsenal’s previous struggles under Mikel Arteta, who found himself under huge pressure at various spells in his tenure.
      And they are also sympathetic to the task faced by Potter, whose squad was ravaged by injuries last month – and is bloated following six January arrivals.
      But should the Blues fail to pick up wins against Leeds and Dortmund, Potter could face the axe before his veteran centre-back’s return to fitness.
      Silva, 38, was replaced by £70million summer signing Wesley Fofana on Sunday.
      The Frenchman stepped in to partner Kalidou Koulibaly, with £35m Benoit Badiashile remaining on the bench.
      Chelsea could soon be bolstered by the long-awaited return of N’Golo Kante.
      The French midfielder has been missing since suffering a hamstring injury against Tottenham on August 14.
      He is yet to feature under Potter, but took part in some of first team training yesterday.
      Graham Potter has the worst win percentage of all Chelsea managers in the Premier League era
      The Blues could finally be bolstered by the return of N’Golo KanteCredit: Getty More

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      I’m a Man Utd wonderkid who Cristiano Ronaldo knew about.. when I arrived I thought ‘what am I doing here?’

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      MANCHESTER UNITED wonderkid Alvaro Fernandez has admitted being clueless when he first arrived in England – but he is now thriving out loan. The 19-year-old arrived at Old Trafford with such pedigree that even Cristiano Ronaldo had heard of him.
      Alvaro Fernandez is enjoying his time in the second-tier with PrestonCredit: Rex
      He is tipped for big things, with the full-back now thriving on loan at Preston.
      But the left-back has admitted that his 2020 move from Real Madrid to United left him many questions.
      He told AS: “You come to a new country, to a new team. It’s time to adapt. It’s a bit crazy. 
      “You think about playing for a year in the Under-18s, calm, adapting, the family away because it was a pandemic and I couldn’t go home.
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      “I had several colleagues who helped me who were already there, especially [former United youth midfielder] Arnau Puigmal who is now at Almería, in the Spanish first division.
      “When he went up to the Under-23s, he was there and with the Under-18s there were [Alejandro] Garnacho, Marc Jurado, Mateo Mejía… they helped me with English. 
      “The first day I arrived, the coach gave a talk and I thought, ‘what am I doing here?'”
      The defender had such a good reputation at Real Madrid that even Ronaldo had been informed about him.
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      Fernandez said of the 38-year-old: “[I got on] very well with him, he is very nice. With young people he is very top, very close. 
      “On top of the fact that he spoke Spanish, he knew that I had been in Madrid. They had already told him about me.”
      Fernandez was voted United’s best U23 player last season and was rewarded with a loan move to Preston.
      He has made 27 appearances for the Championship side this season and insists the move is “what he wanted.” More

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      Man Utd snap up Gabriele Biancheri as Cardiff wonderkid forced to wait a month to complete transfer after medical

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      MANCHESTER UNITED have completed the signing of Gabriele Biancheri from Cardiff City.The 16-year-old forward is one of the most highly-rated wonderkids in the United Kingdom.
      Gabriele Biancheri has joined Manchester UnitedCredit: Manchester united FC via Instagram / @gabebiancheri_
      United beat competition from other Prem clubs to agree a deal to sign Biancheri last month.
      But according to the Mail, they were made to wait four weeks for Fifa clearance.
      Now that paperwork has been sorted, Biancheri has completed his move.
      The attacker was yet to make a senior appearance for Cardiff, but impressed while playing in the FA Youth Cup.
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      He could be subject to an international tug of war down the line, being eligible for Wales, England and Italy.
      Biancheri has initially joined on scholar terms, ahead of a first professional deal upon his 17th birthday in September.
      After his move, the teenager took to social media to thank the Bluebirds.
      He wrote: “After more than 9 years, my time with Cardiff has come to an end.
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      “I’d like to thank all of my coaches for helping me become the player and person I am today and to all my team-mates.
      “I’ll forever be thankful for the opportunity I’ve had at this club.”
      Then, accompanying a snap of himself in his new United shirt, he added: “I’m a Red.” More

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      New Man Utd bidder makes approach allowing Glazers to STAY, following ‘all or nothing’ offer from Qatar

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      THE bidders hoping to take over Manchester United are expected to hear on Wednesday if they are allowed access to the Old Trafford club’s books.But growing fears that the Glazer family will not sell have increased after the latest valuation of United by financial experts – and an offer by a new investment consortium to help them STAY in charge.
      Bidders are expected to hear on Wednesday whether they’re allowed access to the Old Trafford club’s booksCredit: EPA
      Luxembourg-based hedge fund Genevra Associates say they want to take a “minority stake” alongside the “current majority owners” – the Glazers.
      But they also say they aim to open up 50 per cent of the ownership of the club to fans.
      In comments likely to alienate the Glazers from the off, Genevra’s Shah Farsi said: “We understand that United fans have been rightfully frustrated over the last several years. 
      “Our aim is to act as the force of reformation that harmonises the interests of the owners and the fans and push for some much-needed transformation at the club. 
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      “We have received a number of solid commitments over the recent weeks and we hope to transform that into a unique win-win opportunity for all those involved.”
      The move comes as the Glazers’ appointed bankers, the New York-based Raine Group, are understood to be ready to confirm which bid teams will be allowed to go through to the second stage of the process.
      That would allow the two declared suitors, Britain’s richest man Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani, to properly scrutinise the club’s accounts and submit a second offer.
      Raine are not naming any of the bidders which leaves the scope for additional potential buyers to emerge, including Genevra.
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      With no fewer than FOUR US hedge funds and financiers willing to stump up the money to help new bidders get into the contest, the fight for United could be about to intensify.
      Elliott Management, which previously owned AC Milan, was the first hedge fund to out itself as potential deal enablers 10 days ago.
      Now Elliott have been joined by three other financial institutions, Oaktree, Ares and MSD Partners, in the funding race.
      Oaktree, which has assets in excess of £100bn, lent China’s Suning corporation £226m towards its purchase of Inter Milan and has an 80 per cent stake in French Ligue 2 side Caen.
      All four are understood to be prepared to help potential bidders raise the capital required to entice the Glazers into a sale.
      But the Glazers’ £6bn asking price has been put into starker context by the latest valuation of the club by the Financial Times’ “Lex” column.
      Using a calculation known as “discounted cash flow analysis”, United was valued at just £1.32bn, less than a quarter of the £6bn the Glazers want.
      That valuation, though, does seem on the low side with United shares, trading on the New York Stock Exchange, giving a figure of £2.8bn, while evaluating the club based on revenues – and using the model set when Raine sold Chelsea to Todd Boehly last summer – gives a total of £3.55bn.
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      Those numbers may prompt the declared bidders to “go low”, with Ratcliffe’s Ineos petro-chemicals giant targeting just the Glazers’ 69 per cent stake rather than a complete takeover while Sheikh Jassim wants full ownership.
      But bids that do not get close to the Glazers’ target value could still see the family pull up the drawbridge and wait for market conditions to change in the future – much to the frustration of the many United fans who are desperate for them to quit the club. More

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      Brentford star Ivan Toney admits multiple betting breaches and could face lengthy ban THIS season

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      IVAN TONEY has admitted a number of FA betting charges – and is set to start a lengthy ban before the end of the season.Brentford striker Toney was charged with 262 breaches of FA rules outlawing betting on games across two batches of allegations in November and December.
      Ivan Toney is set to serve a lengthy banCredit: Getty
      The allegations were revealed by The Sun before the World Cup and while the FA did not put a block on him being selected by Gareth Southgate for Qatar they were something the England boss was fully aware of when he omitted the uncapped striker.
      Now it is understood that Toney has admitted a significant number of the charges although he is denying others.
      It is expected the formal FA disciplinary commission into the case will be held within weeks, allowing Toney to begin to serve any ban before the end of this campaign and which would include the fallow months across June and July.
      The striker has scored 26 Prem goals across two seasons for Thomas Franks’ Bees.
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      There is no suggestion that Toney placed wagers on any matches – which took place between 2017 and 2021 – in which he was involved.
      Toney, 26, was on loan from Newcastle at Wigan and Scunthorpe during the early part of that period before his moves to Peterborough and Brentford, whom he joined in 2020
      England star Kieran Trippier was penalised for breaking FA betting rules after telling a friend to “lump on” ahead of his transfer from Tottenham to Atletico Madrid in 2019.
      Trippier did not directly place a bet but following an investigation he was banned from football activity for ten weeks and fined £70,000.
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      In 2016 Joey Barton was found to be in breach of the betting rules after placing 1,260 bets over a period of ten years.
      The following April he was banned for 18 months, effectively ending his career as he retired instead of deciding to appeal his punishment.
      Former England striker Daniel Sturridge was banned for four months in January 2018 after being found guilty of passing on information relating to his transfer.
      He was also hit with a £150,000 fine and Turkish club Trabzonspor terminated his contract.
      Toney has been in red-hot form this season and is the joint-third top scorer in the Premier League.
      His tally of 14 strikes is level with that of Marcus Rashford, and only behind those of Erling Haaland and Harry Kane.
      Toney is uncapped at international level, but was an unused substitute for England’s 3-3 draw with Germany last September – prior to missing out on the World Cup.
      His impending ban is set to rule him out of the Three Lions’ clashes with Ukraine and Italy next month.
      Toney, 26, was part of Gareth Southgate’s England squad last SeptemberCredit: Getty More

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      Man Utd and Crystal Palace fined £55,000 following mass brawl that saw Casemiro sent off

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      MANCHESTER UNITED and Crystal Palace have been FINED £55,000 for an on-pitch mass brawl which saw Red Devils midfielder Casemiro sent-off.The 20-man touchline confrontation was sparked after Man Utd winger Antony was left on the deck in the second half of the Red Devils’ 2-1 win on February 4.
      Both clubs have been fined for the Old Trafford brawlCredit: Getty
      Casemiro received a red card for putting his hands around Will Hughes’ neckCredit: Getty
      A shoving match ensued and midfielder Casemiro was sent off for grabbing Palace’s Will Hughes’ neck.
      A statement from the FA read: “Manchester United and Crystal Palace have both been fined £55,000 for a mass confrontation between their players in the 67th minute of a Premier League match on Saturday 4th February.
      “Manchester United and Crystal Palace respectively accepted and denied that they failed to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion and refrained from provocative behaviour.
      “An independent Regulatory Commission subsequently found the charge against Crystal Palace proven and imposed both of the clubs’ fines.”
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      Manager Erik ten Hag said after the game: “The player from Crystal Palace takes a big risk.
      “Antony could be badly injured by pushing him across the line. Then everyone reacts – our players and their players.
      “Casemiro is protecting our player, and protecting the player [Hughes], holding him back.
      “If Casemiro should have been sent off, many more players should have been sent off.
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      “We get some warnings about our team reacting like this. You have to do it, you have to protect each other, but we want to keep our standards and values at Man Utd.
      “You can’t cross lines, but you have to stick together. We have to stand up for each other.”
      As a result of the straight red, Casemiro missed three crucial Premier League fixtures.
      The Brazil ace, 31, was absent for the double header with Leeds, as well as the 3-0 win over Leicester.
      Thankfully for Ten Hag and Co, Casemiro was able to play in the Europa League round of 32 tie against Barcelona, and his suspension ended before Sunday’s Carabao Cup final.
      The serial trophy winner scored in the 2-0 victory, helping secure United’s first pot since 2017. More

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      Last season’s Dream Team breakout star Jarrod Bowen has produced 43 points in his last six games

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      POUND for pound, Jarrod Bowen (£3.8m) was arguably Dream Team’s standout asset last season.Having previously looked promising without substantial returns, the ex-Hull winger suddenly ascended to another level, scoring 18 goals and providing 13 assists across all competitions.
      When all was said and done, West Ham’s No20 racked up 210 Dream Team points, the fourth-best tally among midfielders.
      Naturally, Bowen was then a popular selection ahead of Game Week 1 this season.
      But the 26-year-old’s backers were left disappointed as he mustered just 13 points from his first eleven outings.
      Bowen’s form has been erratic this season
      He enjoyed some prosperous appearances between Game Weeks 8 and 9 when he bagged 34 points from four games but then netted zero points from the following 12 fixtures – a fallow spell that saw his price from £4.6m to £3.2m.
      However, the England international has been resurgent of late, registering 43 points in his last six outings.
      This purple patch has featured two assists, three goals and three Star Man awards – reminiscent of his 2021/22 form.
      Bowen’s upturn has coincided with improved results for the Hammers.
      Make no mistake, David Moyes’ side remain in the relegation dogfight but a run of three wins and two draws in their last six games (all competitions) has given the London Stadium faithful reason to be optimistic.
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      From a Dream Team perspective, many gaffers may have written off Bowen as a one-season wonder of sorts but his recent returns deserve suitable consideration.
      It’s remarkable, and perhaps an indication of his pedigree, that he’s among the top ten midfielders despite two relatively long lean spells this term.
      Bowen’s returns have improved in recent weeks
      If Bowen can continue his good form then March may be the best time to enact a transfer for Dream Team managers tempted by this proposition.
      West Ham resume Europa Conference League duties in Game Week 25 with two legs against AEK Larnaca, currently second in the Cypriot top flight.
      Saying that, the Irons’ domestic fixtures aren’t too friendly; they face Man United in the FA Cup this week before league meetings with Brighton, Aston Villa and Man City.
      Still, Bowen’s returns are worth monitoring. More