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      Is Chelsea vs Leeds on TV? Pressure piles on Potter as Blues look to end woeful Premier League form – team news, odds

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      CHELSEA host Leeds United in a must win game for Blues boss Graham Potter.The West London club have just managed two wins in their last ten Premier League games.
      Chelsea players looking dejected after Tottenham’s second goal
      Pressure is mounting on Graham Potter after losing 2-0 to London rivals Spurs on Sunday.
      Chelsea sit tenth in the Premier League table and are a massive 14 points off Tottenham Hotspur in fourth.
      Meanwhile, Leeds travel to Stamford Bridge oozing with confidence off having beaten relegation rivals Southampton 1-0 last weekend.
      Meaning that the Whites now are out of the drop zone and will be hoping to build on that momentum by capitalise on Chelsea’s poor form.
      Read more on Chelsea
      When is Chelsea vs Leeds?

      Chelsea vs Leeds will take place on Saturday, 4th March.
      The game will kick off at 3pm UK time.
      Stamford Bridge will be the venue.

      Is Chelsea vs Leeds on TV?

      Unfortunately, the game won’t be shown live on TV in the UK due to the game being scheduled to play during the 3pm blackout.
      You can keep up to date will all the action on our SunSport live blog.

      Team News
      Thiago Silva was forced to leave the pitch on Sunday at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after Harry Kane fell on the 38-year-old following a challenge from the Brazilian.
      Christian Pulisic, N’Golo Kanté, César Azpilicueta, Edouard Mendy and Armando Broja will all be unavailable for the visit of Leeds on Saturday.
      Most read in Football
      However, the Blues will welcome the return of Mateo Kovačić, who is expected to return to the squad.
      Leeds will certainly be without Rodrigo who is facing another 2-4 weeks out after an injury picked up at the end of the FA Cup game against Accrington Stanley at the end of January. Stuart Dallas remains a long-term absentee with a thigh injury.
      Liam Cooper and Pascal Struijk are expected to be available for the trip to the Bridge. While, the Chelsea game should come too soon for Adam Forshaw.
      Odds

      Chelsea – 8/13
      Draw – 11/4
      Leeds – 9/2

      *Odds courtesy of Betfair are correct at the time of publication. More

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      in Soccer

      Gary Neville has incredible theory why bosses make bizarre subs and reveals Sir Alex Ferguson trick

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      GARY NEVILLE believes managers make bizarre substitutions because they cannot read the game properly.But he revealed the trick Sir Alex Ferguson used to get a better understanding.
      Gary Neville gave his explanation for managers making strange substitutionsCredit: Rex
      Sir Alex Ferguson used to sit in the stand and watch games from high upCredit: PA:Press Association
      Neville endured a torrid four-month spell in charge of Valencia in his only managerial role.
      And the former Manchester United full-back identified being in the dugout as the trickiest part of the gig – and explained his theory why it can lead to mistakes when trying to make changes.
      Neville, 48, tweeted: “One of the hardest things I found as a coach (there were many) was reading the game at ground level!
      “Sir Alex Ferguson used to watch the first half of a match from the stands to gain a clearer understanding of the game. He even raised the dugouts at Old Trafford.
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      “So many coaches make subs that we all think, ‘Why have they done that?’
      “I’m convinced it’s because they can’t see the game properly.
      “A lot of the time you see legs and bodies and not really what’s happening.
      “That’s why a lot of clubs have the coach in the directors’ box watching for them to spot the details.
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      “It’s one of the hardest things to do as a coach to get your subs right.
      “Watching a game from the perfect viewing point and with the tactical camera gives you an advantage in reading the game.
      “Managers used to go in the stand but now the perception is ‘you have to be down with the players’.”
      Ferguson’s tactic has been replicated by the likes of Nigel Pearson and Tim Sherwood to varying degrees of success.
      But the vast majority of gaffers stay on the touchline to take in the action at pitch level, where they can talk directly to players and their coaching staff.
      And Neville reckons current United boss Erik ten Hag is showing signs of becoming a top-class manager with his willingness to make bold calls during matches.
      The Sky Sports pundit added on Twitter: “Ferguson was unbelievable at affecting momentum within games and Jose Mourinho was great at Chelsea interfering with games with his subs.
      “Wouldn’t say Ten Hag is there yet due to both Ferguson and Jose’s achievements.
      “But he makes brilliant substitutions and changes within matches. He doesn’t wait!”
      Read More on The Sun
      Ten Hag also did not wait to win his first trophy as Red Devils boss – and end the club’s six-year wait for silverware.
      The Dutchman led United to glory in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday, with a 2-0 win over Newcastle at Wembley.
      Erik ten Hag made the big calls during the Carabao Cup finalCredit: Getty More

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      in Athletics

      I was a Chelsea youth team star but gave it up for Olympics.. I nearly came back to football after shock transfer offer

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      TEAM GB star Adam Gemili nearly quit athletics to return to playing football having played on Chelsea’s books as a kid.Gemili has competed at the highest level as a sprinter, with one of his highs being making the 2012 Team GB Olympic team as an 18-year-old.
      Adam Gemili in team line at Chelsea’s academyCredit: Chelsea FC
      Gemili says he nearly quit athletics to return to playing footballCredit: Getty
      He has also since competed in the Rio Olympic games in 2016 and Tokyo in 2021.
      Gemili also has a gold medal in relay from the 2017 world championships.
      However, the 29-year-old questioned quitting athletics after crashing out of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, which came six years after agonisingly missing out on a bronze medal in the 200ms at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
      The British sprinter, who is of Iranian and Moroccan descent, considered going back to his roots: playing football.
      READ MORE ON CHELSEA
      Gemili was on Chelsea’s books between 2001 and 2008, and also had a stint at Reading before moving onto Dagenham & Redbridge, where he stayed between 2010-12.
      He told The Times: “I was going back to football.
      “I reached out to a few clubs and they said, ‘Come and do some training with us.’
      “I can’t say the clubs but there was a Championship club and a League One club.
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      “No Premier League clubs — maybe one day — but Chelsea are great and they’ve always said I can go down and do some stuff with them whenever I want.
      “After the Commonwealth Games it was a big, ‘Do I quit and go back to football and try it, maybe go into the National League and make a bit of money and enjoy my last few years of sport — or do I commit to this?’
      “And I thought, ‘Do you know what, I’ve got unfinished business.’
      “I’ve come fourth at the Olympics and the world champs [in 2019].
      “I’ve always been just about close and I believe that if I can get myself in shape, I can run with the best.”
      But Gemili says he’s starting to fall back in love with running – despite not making any money out of the sport or being sponsored.
      Gemili came second place behind the rising star Charlie Dobson in the 60m at the World Indoor Tour Finals in Birmingham on Saturday.
      He said: “I basically quit the sport.
      “I didn’t have any interest. I didn’t enjoy getting up [and] training.
      “I hated it and that was because of all the stressful stuff that was going on.
      “There were a lot of times last year where I was only training once a week, if that.
      Read More on The Sun
      “I’d wake up and just find little niggles, here-and-there injuries, and you can’t motivate yourself to get up and go.
      “I don’t make any money out of the sport and I’m not sponsored, but I’m finding the love again.”
      Gemili has now fallen back in love with athleticsCredit: Alamy More

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      in Soccer

      Phil Foden reignites season with “10/10 performance” but can Dream Team bosses trust Pep Guardiola?

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      PHIL FODEN’S (£4.6m) season came to a strange halt a few weeks ago.Manchester City’s homegrown starlet came down with illness at some stage, something that has affected a few Etihad residents this term, but his playing time was also reduced because of the form of his team-mates.
      Jack Grealish (£4.1m) has been in Pep Guardiola’s good books of late and Riyad Mahrez (£6m) has justified his regular starts with plenty of goal involvements too.
      Foden is more than capable of playing in midfield but in recent years he’s generally been deployed in the front three and with the false nine era having been ended by Erling Haaland’s (£8.9m) arrival at Eastlands, he’s had to wait his turn.
      Statement made
      The England international was given the full 90 minutes to strut his stuff against Bournemouth on Saturday for the first time since City’s 2-0 defeat to Southampton in the Carabao Cup back in mid-January.
      And boy did he take his opportunity.
      Micah Richards described Foden’s display at the Vitality Stadium as a “10/10 performance” on Match of the Day and while Dream Team’s ratings providers, WhoScored, were slightly less forthcoming (9/10) they agreed that City’s No47 was the best player on the pitch.
      Foden was great value for the Star Man award having created the most chances, registered the most touches in the opposition’s box and completed the most passes in the final third.
      Most importantly, he scored one of City’s four goals and assisted another.
      According to WhoScored, Foden’s exhibition on the south coast was his second-best of the campaign so far – his hat-trick in the Manchester derby back in October earned him a 10/10 rating.
      Most read in Dream Team
      Foden appears in 17% of Dream TeamsCredit: GETTY
      In Dream Team terms, Foden banked 15 points when all was said and done, his first double-digit haul since Game Week 17.
      The points would have come as a great relief to the 17% of Dream Team bosses currently backing the midfielder, who remains the fifth-most popular asset in his position despite a dip in returns recently.
      Presumably, Saturday’s performance would have put an end to Foden’s mini exile.
      With 114 points in total, he’s the fifth-best midfielder, five points ahead of Martin Odegaard (£3.4m) – Arsenal’s captain is over twice as popular.
      Foden has scored ten goals and been credited with six assists at club level in 2022/23 – which boils down to a goal involvement every 109 minutes.
      As has been established for a while now, he’s a top-tier Dream Team asset when fit and selected… but Guardiola is a cruel taskmaster at times. More

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      in Soccer

      Is Arsenal vs Everton on TV? Stream, kick-off time and team news for Premier League clash

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      ARSENAL host struggling Everton in the Premier League – with Mikel Arteta hoping his side go five points clear at the top.The Gunners beat Leicester City at the King Power on Saturday, putting them two points clear of Man City in second.
      Martinelli scoring Arsenal’s winner at Leicester
      Gabriel Martinelli scored Arsenal’s winner at Leicester on the weekend.
      This fixture was due to be played in September 2022 but was postponed due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
      Everton’s resurrection under Sean Dyche took a hit on the weekend with a 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa.
      Dyche won his first game in charge of the Toffees against Arsenal at the start of February.

      When is Arsenal vs Everton?

      Arsenal vs Everton will take place on Wednesday, 1st March
      The game will kick-off at 7:45pm UK time.
      The Emirates will play host.

      Is Arsenal vs Everton on TV?

      Unfortunately, the game won’t be shown live on TV in the UK due to the game being scheduled to play during the 3pm blackout back in September.
      You can keep up to date with the action on our SunSport live blog.

      Team news
      Mikel Arteta will definitely be without Gabriel Jesus and Mohamed Elneny who are both recovering from knee surgery.
      Thomas Partey returned to the Arsenal squad in Saturday’s win at Leicester, albeit only getting a few minutes from the bench.
      Most read in Football
      Sean Dyche will be waiting on the fitness of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, as he is close to recovering from a thigh problem.
      Everton will be without Andros Townsend, Nathan Patterson and James Garner for the trip to the Emirates.
      Odds

      Arsenal – 1/3
      Draw – 4/1
      Everton – 9/1

      *Odds courtesy of Betfair and correct at the time of publication. More

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      in Soccer

      Ex-Southampton ace Graziano Pelle’s stunning wife Viktoria Varga shows off sizzling body as she poses on beach in bikini

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      EX-SOUTHAMPTON striker Graziano Pelle’s stunning wife Viktoria Varga has showed off her red-hot body on the beach.Pelle, 37, scored 30 goals in 80 appearances for the Saints between 2014-16.
      Viktoria Vega stunned as she slipped into a bikini for a beach photoshootCredit: Instagram @vikyvarga
      The Hunagrian model is the wife of former Saints striker Graziano PelleCredit: Instagram @vikyvarga
      The couple have been together since 2012, it has been reportedCredit: Instagram @vikyvarga
      Fans have flooded Viky’s comments sectionCredit: Instagram @vikyvarga
      And wife Viktoria was with him during his time on the South Coast, having met the charming Italian goalscorer in 2012.
      While Pelle forged a successful career on the pitch, which included 20 appearances for his country, his Hungarian model partner built one off it.
      Viktoria has over 600,000 Instagram followers and regularly shares her jet-setting adventures.
      This time, the blonde beauty and founder of swimwear company Vamaswim, showed off her sizzling body and she laid on a sun-kissed beach.
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      Viktoria, 31, captioned the post: “The beach is not always a place, sometimes it’s a feeling.”
      And the series of eye-catching snaps has fans drawn to the comments section.
      One follower responded, saying: “I agree Viky, it’s a very nice feeling just like you.”
      Another replied: “I would like to be that sand.”
      Most read in Football
      Hubby Pelle has been without a club since the summer of 2021.
      His last club was Parma in Italy.
      Viktoria was with Pelle during his two-year spell in EnglandCredit: Instagram @vikyvarga
      Viktoria often shares her jet-setting adventures to her InstagramCredit: Instagram @vikyvarga
      Pelle is a free agent aged 37Credit: Instagram @vikyvarga More

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      in Soccer

      Man Utd fans convinced Erik ten Hag will win TREBLE thanks to spooky coincidence in Carabao Cup final victory

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      MANCHESTER UNITED fans believe a remarkable coincidence could be a sign they are set to win another treble.The Red Devils claimed their first trophy in six years at Wembley on Sunday as they beat Newcastle 2-0 to lift the Carabao Cup.
      Manchester United won their first trophy since 2017 on SundayCredit: Getty
      Erik ten Hag’s men will now seek to build on that success as they turn their attention towards their remaining three competitions.
      Man Utd are in the fifth round of the FA Cup where they will host West Ham on Wednesday.
      They are also into the Europa League last-16 where they have been drawn against Real Betis.
      And they are in with an outside chance of winning the Premier League title, albeit while sitting eight points adrift of table toppers Arsenal.
      READ MORE ON MAN UTD
      It remains to be seen how many trophies United end up with… but one strange coincidence identified by Tom McDermott points towards a potential treble.
      Man Utd’s 1999 side claimed the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.
      In the FA Cup final, they beat Newcastle 2-0 thanks to goals from No10 Teddy Sheringham and No18 Paul Scholes.
      And on Sunday, they beat Newcastle 2-0 in another final as No18 Casemiro gave them the lead before No10 Marcus Rashford doubled their advantage with his deflected strike.
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      It is this stark similarity that has left United fans believing two more trophies could be on the way before the end of the campaign.
      Reacting on social media, one supporter said: “We went on to win the treble, omen maybe”.
      Another added: “Wow 😯 just wow 🤩”.
      A third responded: “We won two more trophies 🤣 you telling me…?”.
      And a fourth replied: “Blimey! What a stat”.
      Teddy Sheringham and Paul Scholes were the scorers for Manchester United when they beat Newcastle 2-0 in the 1999 FA Cup finalCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd More

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      in Soccer

      Graham Potter has ‘two make-or-break matches’ to save his job with Chelsea boss under pressure after horror winless run

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      GRAHAM POTTER faces “two make-or-break” games to save his job as Chelsea boss, according to reports.The Blues manager’s struggles continued with Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at Tottenham.
      Graham Potter is clinging on to his job as Chelsea managerCredit: Getty
      Chelsea have now lost their last three games without scoring and are winless in six – with just one goal.
      And according to The Telegraph, the matches against Leeds and Borussia Dortmund are key to keeping Potter in charge.
      Goals from Ollie Skipp and Harry Kane in the second half saw the Blues fall to that 2-0 defeat at White Hart Lane yesterday.
      That came after last week’s shocking 1-0 home loss to relegation-threatened Southampton.
      READ MORE ON CHELSEA
      Their Champions League hopes are also on thin ice after a 1-0 defeat at Borussia Dortmund.
      They take on the German giants again next Tuesday, knowing an early exit from Europe would effectively end their season.
      The first-leg defeat was preceded by draws with West Ham, Fulham and Liverpool.
      Chelsea’s last win came in 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace on January 15.
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      That remains their only win from 11 matches in 2023, including an FA Cup hammering at Manchester City.
      Chelsea owners have supported Potter and recognise it will take time for the £600million worth of new signings to gel.
      They also know the new manager’s appointment is a long-term project, just as he demonstrated at Brighton.
      Potter signed a £10m-per-season, five-year contract at Stamford Bridge in September.
      But The Telegraph report suggests patience is finally beginning to wear thin with the owners, senior players and fans.
      New signings are even said to be stunned by the pressure they are under and others are furious at being left out of matchday squads due to the number of players at the club.

      Mateo Kovacic missed the Spurs defeat through illness while Potter admitted Trevoh Chalobah, Marc Cucurella, Carney Chukwuemeka and David Datro Fofana were “unfortunate” to be left out of the squad.
      The problems of an overloaded squad will only worsen when N’Golo Kante, Christian Pulisic and Edouard Mendy return from injury.
      Potter is said to be concerned about the size of the squad and has altered his regular training methods to accommodate the high numbers.
      Speaking about the increased pressure after the Tottenham defeat, Potter added: “If results aren’t good enough, which they aren’t at the moment, you can’t rely on support forever that is for sure.
      “I take full responsibility for those results and it isn’t good enough for Chelsea. We want to improve it, absolutely.
      “My job is to keep going, to keep working with the team to try and change the moment. The players are hurting. It’s a tough moment for us.

      “We were talking before the game about watching ‘All or Nothing’ and Arsenal two years into Mikel’s [Arteta] reign, he is close to getting the sack, people are wanting him out and it is a disaster.
      “Obviously now things have changed a little bit, but that is just the way it is. You look at Jurgen’s [Klopp] situation. He hasn’t got the results and all of a sudden people want him out. That is just the nature of football.”
      Boehly is set to be joined by co-controlling owner Behdad Eghbali for the upcoming clashes with Leeds and Dortmund.
      And even though a further two matches without victory may not spell an immediate sacking next week, it is thought there would ultimately be no way back.
      A petition for Potter’s sacking has hit more than 30,000 signatures with the club languishing down in tenth in the Premier League table, 14 points adrift of the top four.
      Incredibly, Chelsea are now closer to bottom-side Southampton with their tally of 18 points just 13 fewer than the West Londoners’ 31.
      Read More on The Sun
      However, as Mikel Arteta has shown at Arsenal, it is not impossible to turn this dire situation around.
      The Spaniard battled through a torrid patch at the beginning of last season and now his side sit top of the Premier League with a game in hand.
      Potter is struggling to get a song out of the Chelsea playersCredit: Getty More