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      Tottenham injury blow with star facing weeks out as he’s set for ankle surgery to repair stress fracture

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      TOTTENHAM have been rocked by the news Yves Bissouma has sustained a stress fracture on his left ankle and will undergo surgery.The Mali midfielder, who joined from Brighton for £25million in the summer, will go under the knife tomorrow.
      Yves Bissouma is set to undergo surgery on his ankleCredit: Rex
      In a statement, Spurs said: “A timeframe for his return will be determined after surgery. He will begin rehabilitation with our medical staff as soon as possible.”
      A stress fracture is sustained over time rather than a specific incident.
      It leaves boss Antonio Conte with a midfield selection headache ahead of the trip to AC Milan on Tuesday in the last 16 of the Champions League, given Pierre Emile-Hojbjerg is suspended.
      England Under-21 starlet Oliver Skipp is likely to step up to play in the San Siro alongside Rodrigo Bentancur.
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      It is the second bit of bad injury news for Spurs this week, following the revelation that Hugo Lloris will be out for five to seven weeks with a knee injury.
      Fraser Forster will deputise at the King Power for the stricken Frenchman, as well as the two upcoming last-16 ties in the Champions League against AC Milan.
      The 34-year-old joined Spurs on a free transfer from Southampton in the summer.
      He made his debut in November’s 2-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest in the League Cup, and looked shaky at Brentford on Boxing Day.
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      But he has kept back-to-back clean sheets in the FA Cup this year and does have six England caps to his name.
      Conte and his staff have complete faith in England international Forster, given his “great Premier League experience and good Champions League experience”.
      Spurs assistant Cristian Stellini said: “Fraser is a very good man. His behaviour this season was perfect. 
      “Every day he pushes himself to train really hard and with this behaviour he pushes Hugo to train very hard. 
      “Physically, he [Fraser] is a keeper perfect for the Premier League style, for the type of game we are going to play in the Premier League, he uses both feet when he plays with the ball.
      “So, it will be interesting to see him for some weeks to play with us. 
      “We completely trust in him.” More

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      Gary Neville U-turns on Premier League title prediction and reveals why Man City won’t win league

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      GARY NEVILLE has made a U-turn on his prediction of who will win the Premier League title.The former Manchester United defender is still backing Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City to win the league but has picked up on an area where they could slip up.
      Gar Neville have urged Pep Guardiola to stop ‘messing’ with his teamCredit: PA
      Neville had previously said in January that the Gunners would not win the league, even though they were eight points clear at the time.
      But now, he has changed his tune, after insisting that Guardiola is “messing around” with his team too much which could do Arsenal a favour in their hunt for their first title in 20 years.
      He said on The Overlap: “I think they [Arsenal] played quite well [against Everton], I didn’t think it was a bad one – obviously it’s a bad result for them.
      “Do you know something, we were at the City game on Sunday and when the team came through I thought for the first time that Arsenal could win the league.
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      “And that’s not looking smart after the event because City had lost, but I just thought he [Guardiola] is messing around, he’s tinkering far too much.
      “I don’t know why Kevin De Bruyne isn’t playing, I don’t know why Ilkay Gundogan is not playing, I don’t know why Ruben Dias is not back in the centre of that defence with Aymeric Laporte to make them solid.
      “I saw the team and I thought, from the point of view of my prediction – which is that City will catch Arsenal – I was less sure on Sunday than I’ve ever been.
      “I was pretty certain two weeks ago, I was actually certain on Saturday afternoon, I thought, ‘Right, City will do it proper tomorrow, this will be a proper champion’s performance, he [Pep] won’t mess around’, but if he carries on doing what he’s doing…”
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      City, in fact, did not put in a “proper champion’s performance” and instead lost 1-0 to Tottenham, with Harry Kane scoring the only goal of the game.
      Joao Cancelo was also offloaded to Bayern Munich on loan and along with the charges of breaking FFP by the Premier League, there is a lot of change at City.
      And Neville thinks that all the noise going on at the Etihad could be a big distraction from the pitch.
      But if they get back to their best and start “purring” they can still win the league.
      He added: “This is the stuff that we’re seeing in the last couple of weeks that makes me think my prediction could be wrong.
      “And it’s not because of what Arsenal are doing, it’s actually what City are not doing.
      “I’m not saying Arsenal haven’t had a great season.
      “But you cannot, if Man City are purring, win the league off Manchester City in my opinion.
      “I still think City will win the league, but the fact we’re even talking about Arsenal winning the league is a miracle from where I thought they would be at the end of last season.” More

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      Marcus Rashford fined after he admits speeding in his £670k Mercedes and slapped with 6 points

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      MARCUS Rashford has been hit with a fine after admitting speeding in his £670,000 motor.The Man Utd ace, 25, was behind the wheel of his Mercedes G VRM in Manchester city centre when he exceeded the 20mph limit.
      Marcus Rashford has admitted speeding in his flash motorCredit: PA
      Rashford admitted the offence and was fined £574 at Manchester Magistrates Court.
      He was also handed six points on his licence following the incident in May last year.
      Last month it was revealed he’d sold his Mercedes after it appeared back on the market for half the £670,000 he paid for it.
      He used to drive the fancy motor regularly to Manchester United’s training ground at Carrington.
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      Rashford recently splashed out more than £280,000 on a McLaren 765 Long Tail sports car and a £390,000 Black Badge Cullinan Rolls Royce.
      It comes after the England star scored his 11th Premier League goal of the season against Leeds yesterday.
      Rashford has now netted 20 goals in total for Utd this season in all competitions.
      It means the striker has now scored in six consecutive Premier League home games.
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      He is the first Man Utd player to achieve that feat since Rooney managed it in April 2012.
      His agent was contacted for comment.
      Rashford scored his 11th Premier League goal yesterdayCredit: Reuters More

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      Chelsea outcast Hakim Ziyech ‘had talks with Roma over January transfer but move collapsed’ says Italian club’s director

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      CHELSEA ace Hakim Ziyech held talks with Roma but a deal fell through during the January transfer window, reports suggest.Ziyech has struggled for minutes at Stamford Bridge despite his stunning 2022 World Cup campaign as he helped Morocco become the first African nation to reach the semi-finals.
      Chelsea ace Hakim Ziyech held talks with Roma but a move collapsedCredit: Getty
      The winger’s troubles almost came to an end last month on deadline day when he nearly joined Paris Saint-Germain on loan.
      But that move collapsed as well after the Blues’ shambolic paperwork gaffe that saw them miss the deadline by four minutes.
      According to Roma director Tiago Pinto, the 29-year-old’s camp also tried a deal with the Serie A giants but nothing came to fruition.
      The Giallorossi looked further for attacking reinforcement but there were no additions after playmaker Nicolo Zaniolo turned down a move to Bournemouth.
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      Pinto said: “Hakim Ziyech was one of our targets, we had talks with his agents and Chelsea but the deal collapsed.
      “I can confirm we had another target but nothing happened because Zaniolo turned down Bournemouth proposal”.
      PSG launched a blistering attack on Chelsea after the failed loan move.
      The deal went up in flames after the West Londoners sent over the wrong documentation.
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      A club insider revealed: “The way Chelsea conducted themselves was shambolic and disrespectful. I can’t think of any other way to describe it.
      “Now Hakim is going back to a club where he’s not wanted and probably hasn’t got a place.
      “Chelsea have ruined six months of his career. It’s really poor behaviour, the club treated this transfer in a frivolous way.
      “There is a sense of utter dismay about the way Chelsea did this.
      “It’s unacceptable for a club of their stature but this seems to sum up their way of doing business at the moment.” More

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      Deadline for Man Utd takeover bids revealed as investors including Qataris scramble to buy club off Glazers

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      A DEADLINE has been set for potential buyers to lodge their bids for Manchester United.The Red Devils were put up for sale by the Glazer family in November after 17 years.
      Avram Glazer, left, and Joel Glazer, right, could finally sell Man UnitedCredit: Getty
      United have received plenty of interest, with British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe being joined in the race by Qatar this week.
      US merchant bankers Raine, who are overseeing the sale, have set a February 17 deadline for offers to come in.
      The Glazer family have been targeting an eye-watering offer of £6billion to sell the 20-time league champions.
      But given the £2bn required for a buyer to renovate Old Trafford and Carrington, they may have to settle for less.
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      A fee in the region of £4.1-£4.5bn has been deemed more realistic.
      February 17 is being viewed as a “soft” deadline, however, meaning that a better bid could later be lodged.
      If the Glazers don’t feel they have been made a fair offer, they could instead sell a minority stake and retain control.
      Boyhood United fan Ratcliffe, 70, has reportedly recruited Wall Street giants JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs to try and get a deal done.
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      But Qatar will provide stiff competition.
      Uefa laws prohibit Qatari Sports Investment (QSI) from buying United, due to their existing ownership of Paris Saint-Germain.
      But the money driving Qatar’s Man United bid reportedly comes from an individual fund – rather than a sovereign wealth fund – meaning they would likely receive the green light.
      Sir Jim Ratcliffe is being rivalled by QatarCredit: PA More

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      Dream Team managers would do well to remember James Maddison’s impressive stats over the last three years

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      LEICESTER won the FA Cup for the first time in their history in 2021 but the club’s fortunes have steadily declined since that impressive achievement.The Foxes finished outside of the European places last season and they’re on track for a bottom-half finish this term having lost 12 of their 21 league fixtures – only Southampton have suffered more defeats.
      Brendan Rodgers’ side may have let their standards drop in the last two years but James Maddison (£5.4m) has pulled twice his weight from an individual perspective.
      A formidable Dream Team assetCredit: GETTY
      Having recently returned from an injury lay-off, the 26-year-old scored upon his first Premier League start since mid-November when he netted against Aston Villa on Saturday.
      Leicester’s No10 has scored eight goals and provided four assists in 15 league appearances this season – an immense effort in a struggling team.
      Naturally, Maddison’s performances have translated to Dream Team success.
      An eight-point haul at Villa Park took his overall total to 76 which puts him 14th among midfielders but the stat to focus on is his average points-per-game of 4.5.
      Among midfielders to have played at least three games, Kevin De Bruyne (£7m) is the only asset with a better average than Maddison at the time of writing.
      If he can avoid further injury setbacks and enjoy a long run in the team, there should be plenty of points on offer.
      Leicester fans will be hoping their No10 can stay fit for the rest of the season
      Dream Team managers should always be on the hunt for midfielders who specialise in goal involvements and Maddison fits the bill perfectly.
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      The England international (just the one cap to date) scored 18 goals and provided 12 assists in all competitions last season – there are plenty of out-and-out strikers who looked upon that return with envy.
      And the season before that he reached double figures in both metrics too.
      Because of his recent injury, Maddison’s ownership currently sits at a very modest 3% so gaffers in need of differential players in hope of gaining ground in their mini-leagues would be wise to consider him.
      That being said, Leicester face a tough run of fixtures this month with Spurs, Man United and Arsenal to come in their next three games – although Maddison has a good record against the so-called big six. More

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      Man Utd legend Ferdinand reveals who he thinks is best defender in Premier League.. and admits he questioned transfer

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      RIO FERDINAND has revealed who he thinks is the best defender in the Premier League.Virgil van Dijk has been regarded as the standout player in his position in recent years.
      Rio Ferdinand has revealed who he thinks if the best defender in the PremCredit: PA
      But the ex-Manchester United star doesn’t think the Dutchman is top of the pile anymore.
      Instead, Ferdinand reckons that Lisandro Martinez is No.1 based on form.
      The 25-year-old has enjoyed an exceptional first season in English football, helping United to third in the Premier League and reach the Carabao Cup final.
      This comes despite Martinez, who’s made 31 appearances in all comps, being almost written off just two games into his United career.
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      The World Cup winner was criticised for his height, which stands at 5ft 7, following United’s 4-0 defeat at Brentford back in August.
      But he’s bounced back emphatically and has since proven himself as one of the most feared defenders in the league.
      And he’s made Ferdinand eat his words.
      Speaking on his Vibe with Five podcast, he said: “On form right now, I don’t think there’s really much argument coming from anywhere else.
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      “I think he’s dominant, he’s aggressive, he’s a leader, he communicates well, he shows character, he’s there in big moments.
      “But I was one of the ones questioning, ‘Is he physically gonna be able to compete here if teams isolate him, if teams isolate him?
      Lisandro Martinez is enjoying an excellent season at Manchester UnitedCredit: PA
      “And that’s where Erik ten Hag has been confident in tactically being able to keep teams away from being able to dominate enough possession to isolate someone like Martinez.
      “And, up till now, he hasn’t been exposed in that sense.
      “On a regular basis, week after week, are we not sitting there going, that’s a recurring problem, there.
      “It continues to happen, someone’s pulling out on him and jumping over him or bullying him physically.
      “We haven’t seen that, that hasn’t become the narrative, and you have to say well done to him but also well done to the recruitment up to now.” More

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      ‘You wanted to kick him’ – Chelsea star Cesar Azpilicueta reveals toughest opponent he’s ever faced

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      CESAR AZPILICUETA has lined up against some formidable opponents in his lengthy career.None more so than one particular player, who the 33-year-old admitted he “wanted to kick” at times.
      Cesar Azpilicueta has revealed the toughest player he has ever facedCredit: Getty
      Chelsea club captain Azpilicueta first got a taste of playing against them during his time in France with Marseille.
      But after the pair both joined Chelsea, the Spaniard was forced to face the tricky winger day in, day out in training.
      And there are no surprises to discover that player is Eden Hazard.
      The Belgian wizard was at his mesmerising best when in action for the Blues, scoring 110 goals and providing 92 assists before leaving for Real Madrid in 2019.
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      Azpilicueta gushed to The Athletic: “The hardest opponent I have faced was Eden Hazard.
      “Obviously there were many in other teams, but I will always say training every day with Eden was something that gave me a good taste of the Premier League.
      “To face the best player in the Premier League, always one against one — I could take that experience into the games.
      “I was ready to face anyone after facing Eden every day.”
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      Azpilicueta admitted Eden Hazard is the toughest player he has facedCredit: PA:Press Association
      The Spain international admitted Hazard was so good it left him wanting to “kick him”, but even then the Belgian wouldn’t go down.
      Azpilicueta continued: “The way he turned… he could get the ball and turn so quickly.
      “He could shoot with his right and left foot. He was strong, too. Even if you wanted to kick him sometimes, you couldn’t put him down. It was quite impressive!
      “There were occasions I would get the better of him but, to be fair, sometimes he was a bit lazy in training. But when he wanted to be on it, he was very hard to stop.”
      Azpilicueta was also full of praise for former bosses Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte.
      Mourinho was Blues boss for Azpilicueta’s first Premier League triumph in 2014-15, and Conte was at the wheel for Azpilicueta’s second title two years later.
      And Azpilicueta revealed he shared the same winning mentality with legendary Portuguese gaffer Mourinho.
      He said: “I had a very good relationship with Jose. He is someone I learned a lot from.
      “The levels he was at in terms of thinking about all the little details — he knew how to win.
      “He could see maybe that same winning mentality in me. Like him, I hated losing. I always have done, since I was a kid.”
      Meanwhile, Azpilicueta credited Conte for getting him into the best shape of his career.
      He said: “Antonio was someone who was very demanding in every training session.
      “I remember his first pre-season — it was about sacrifice. But you could soon feel on the pitch that you were stronger.
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      “Was it the fittest I’ve felt? Yes, although that was also because I was playing every minute and felt that confidence in me from the beginning with him.
      “It’s important for you to feel that in your mind. You push even more.”
      Azpilicueta was full of praise for Antonio ConteCredit: Rex Features More