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      Graham Potter reveals why £86million Mykhailo Mudryk was subbed off at half time as Blues limp to 0-0 Fulham draw

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      CHELSEA manager Graham Potter has revealed why he substituted Mykhailo Mudryk at half-time during their goalless draw with Fulham.The Ukrainian forward, 22, arrived at Stamford Bridge for £88million last month and came off the bench to make his debut against Liverpool.
      Mykhailo Mudryk was taken off at half-time against Fulham on FridayCredit: Getty
      Graham Potter has revealed Mudryk was suffering with a coldCredit: Getty
      His first start came at home to Fulham on Friday evening as Blues supporters were given the chance to see what the former Shakhtar Donetsk man could do.
      But they were treated to just 45 minutes of Mudryk as Potter hooked him for fellow new signing Noni Madueke at the break.
      Now Potter has confirmed the decision was made due to Mudryk suffering a cold in the lead-up to the game.
      Speaking to beIN Sports, he said: “It’s always that way sometimes with the young players.
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      “He also had a really heavy cold as well. He’s suffered a little bit with that this week.
      “So he was just feeling a little heavy-legged at half-time. We didn’t want to take any risks with him.”
      In a separate interview, he then added: “He’s still in a process where we’re building up his minutes because of the break that he’s been on in Ukraine.”
      Prior to the Liverpool game, Mudryk had not played a competitive match since November due to the break in the Ukrainian season.
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      He contributed 12 goals and 17 assists in 44 appearances for Shakhtar.
      And Chelsea fans will be eager for him to have a positive impact after a dismal period for Potter’s side.
      The draw with Fulham leaves them down in ninth place in the Premier League table.
      Chelsea, who have won just two of their last 12 games in all competitions, go to West Ham next weekend, before the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Borussia Dortmund. More

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      How Conte and Kane can get revenge over Guardiola and Haaland as Tottenham take on Man City in key tactics battles

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      TWO weeks after one of the most thrilling matches of the season, Tottenham and Man City meet again this weekend.Two teams who are currently going through very different situations will face each other.
      The league’s top strikers go head to head
      While Pep Guardiola’s side are in second place and looking to stay in contention for the title, Antonio Conte’s men are fifth and focused on qualifying for the Champions League.
      As in their last meeting, a fairly intense and competitive match is expected.
      Due to the positive form that keeps Arsenal at the top of the Premier League, Guardiola knows very well that he must get victories in difficult games and this is one of them. 
      Therefore, he will be looking to keep his team’s spirits high, especially after the win over Mikel Arteta’s side in the FA Cup, by getting the three points in this one.
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      Tottenham will have a very important absence, but off the pitch.
      Antonio Conte will be out for a few matchdays after undergoing emergency surgery.
      The exact number of games the Italian coach will miss is not yet known.
      With the last match between these teams in mind, we decided to analyse four tactical areas that could make the difference this weekend in London.
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      City’s build-up vs Tottenham’s pressing
      Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City won the last game against Spurs in a thrilling 4-2 victory.
      However, as the Spanish manager let it be known, he didn’t like a lot of things about his team, who went into half-time 2-0 down.
      Many of these were evident on the pitch.
      “I don’t recognise my team. They (previously) had the passion and desire to run”, was one of the Spanish coach’s phrases that caused most impact during the week. 
      Man City lure the opposition into their box, and then as they press the ball, they switch play diagonally into midfield
      Harry Kane has once again led the way for Spurs
      Erling Haaland has been outstanding up front for Man City
      Manchester City’s intention in the build-up phase is to lure the opposition into their box and then link up with players in free areas.
      To do this, they have used Rico Lewis in the inside channels with the aim of attracting opponents higher, and then progressing by passing the ball to a player at the back of the opposing double pivot. 
      The accumulation of players in midfield is something Guardiola enjoys greatly and has been one of City’s main hallmarks this season.
      However, in the last game against Tottenham, Guardiola’s side were not quite right in these moments.
      In fact, after the first few minutes, Conte’s team changed their pressing and managed to win the ball back on several occasions.
      The Spurs press, led by Harry Kane, were very accurate in their runs to not give time or space to their opponents.
      Tottenham’s pressure was effective and led to Spurs scoring the first goal in the game in January
      Tottenham’s pressure was effective and led to Spurs scoring the first goal in the reverse fixture.
      For this reason, it will be very interesting to see what ideas Guardiola will have to counteract the defensive plans of a very intense opponent.
      Unlike last week’s FA Cup match against Arsenal, where the team benefited from long passes and Haaland-Holding duels, Man City will not be able to use this resource as often. 
      However, they could look to link up with the wide players more often and then pass the ball to players on the inside behind the opposition’s press.
      This brings us to the next potential key tactical decider.
      Gundogan’s role behind the pressure
      Ilkay Gundogan is one of City’s brightest players.
      This is something that is evident in the intelligence with which he moves as he manages to appear in free areas frequently.
      Gundogan has found space to receive the ball in the gap between two Spurs midfielders
      In the last match between the two clubs, many of City’s progressions were closely related to the German player’s ability to find space to receive the ball.
      On the occasions when Man City did manage to get to players out wide in the first third of the pitch, they were able to link up with Rodri so that he was the one to connect with Gundogan behind the opposition pressure. 
      Man City star Rodri is looking to link with his partner Gudogan
      The quicker City’s passing is, the more likely they are to get their captain between the lines.
      This is a way through which the team can progress very often. 
      Another option is to pass to right back Rico Lewis when he moves inside
      However, if Gundogan delays his position or is marked, City can use Rico Lewis on the inside as a “Plan B” to have a free man on the inside lanes.
      The positional interchange is usually fluid and difficult for the opposing double pivot to defend. 
      Kane-Rodri duel
      The Kane-Rodri duel was one of the keys to the last match and will be something to watch out for in this game as well.
      The Spurs striker is usually very mobile in midfield, as he often drops deep and uses link-up play to move his team forward. 
      To keep City’s centre-backs in their own zone, the man in charge of chasing Kane on many occasions was Rodri.
      Although the Spanish player did a great job defensively in this match, Kane managed to get him out of his area on several occasions and had it occupied by one of Tottenham’s midfielders, allowing his team to progress in an indirect way.
      Rodri was dominant against Tottenham in January
      Bentancur receives the ball, which forces Rodri to move up the pitch to close him down
      Harry Kane receiving with time and space will always be a source of advantage for Tottenham.
      Therefore, it will be one of the situations their opponents will try to avoid throughout the match.
      In this sense, it could be interesting to see how Rodrigo Bentancur is used in the match, as close to Rodri-Kane he could cause the Spanish midfielder to hesitate on occasion.
      This movement can allow Kane to receive with freedom to orchestrate his team’s attacks.
      Harry Kane only had four touches in the opposition penalty area v Man City
      As he showed in his last game, Dejan Kulusevski can also appear on the inside on several occasions and create passing lanes.
      He is also a player who could enter the “Rodri zone” to generate a 2v1 and allow his team to progress.
      However, both City full-backs are very clever at going long distances when pressing high.
      And this created several problems for Spurs in the last game. 
      Problems with Spurs’ ball progression
      Conte’s Tottenham also look to lure their opponents into the build-up phase and then progress quickly through vertical passes aimed at one of the team’s attacking players. 
      However, in the last game, City were able to control their intentions to progress very well.
      Guardiola’s team blocked all kinds of chances from close range and “forced” the centre-backs into making the most difficult pass on several occasions.
      Although this was Tottenham’s main idea, having their potential receivers very well defended prevented them from progressing numerous times.
      Tottenham defender Romero is panicked into making a tough pass as City’s press does its job
      Talent can sometimes come out on top. Kulusevski has plenty of quality to keep possession and link up quickly.
      However, he should also use some long passes into space for Son to attack behind the City defensive line.
      Lewis/Aké’s pressing runs are very intense, so drawing them in with one of the attacking players while another attacks the space in behind could be an interesting solution.
      Man City’s organisation forces Spurs’ defence to make a risky pass
      So what does this all mean?
      Tottenham and Manchester City will have a tough test on Sunday.
      Although both teams have different objectives this season, they need to win urgently.
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      Pep Guardiola’s side are aiming to reduce the number of points separating them and Arsenal but they will now face one of the teams that have made it more difficult for them in the last few seasons.
      Losing this game could mean that Manchester City will not win the Premier League this year, so they will have to play with maximum concentration to get the victory in what will be a gruelling fixture for the champions. More

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      Watch former Arsenal invincible predict Enzo Fernandez’s rise to World Cup win and record Chelsea transfer

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      ENZO FERNANDEZ’S rise to superstardom has been a meteoric one.A year ago the Premier League record signing was still playing his football in Argentina, before Benfica snapped him up in a transfer worth up to £16m.
      Enzo Fernandez is the Premier League’s record signing following his transfer to ChelseaCredit: Reuters
      A former Arsenal Invincible predicted his rise to stardom when he attended a River Plate game in February 2022Credit: Twitter
      But during his three years at River Plate, he was not the first name on the teamsheet that sprung out.
      That accolade went to Julian Alvarez, now of Manchester City.
      When Arsenal legend Robert Pires visited the club for a match a year ago, he was even asked if any players impressed him “in addition to Julian Alvarez”.
      The former Invincible, who played for France but has a Spanish mother, replied in fluent Spanish.
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      He said: “There are many [who impressed me]. The number 13 [Fernandez].
      “He has a really good way of playing. He’s expressive. He always offers solutions to his team-mates. He’s very good on the ball.
      “What I like most is he always wants to break the lines and play with the wingers. He tried to play with the striker.
      “So for me, I loved everything I saw from Enzo.”
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      Fernandez would burst on to the scene at the World Cup when he scored a wondergoal to give Argentina a 2-0 win in their crucial clash with Mexico.
      But that would not have been a surprise to Pires, who said a month before the tournament that he felt Fernandez could be the difference-maker in midfield.
      He told La Nacion: “I like Enzo a lot… Lo Celso, Paredes and De Paul have quality to play in midfield, in the heart.
      “And there is De Paul, obviously, that I like a lot.”

      Robert Pires was a key man in Arsene Wenger’s Invincibles squadCredit: PA:Press Association
      Fernandez caught Pires’ eye while he was still at River Plate.Credit: Getty More

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      Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher send brutal warning to Chelsea fans over £600m transfer splurge after drab Fulham draw

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      PUNDITS Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher have issued Chelsea fans a warning after the club’s huge transfer spending spree. The Blues were held 0-0 by Fulham in their first match after recruiting £330million worth of talent in January, taking owner Todd Boehly’s overall purchases to £606million.
      Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher have warned Chelsea fans that it could take a while before they see better performancesCredit: Getty
      Enzo Fernandez made his debut versus FulhamCredit: AP
      New faces Enzo Fernandez, Benoit Badiashile and Mykahilo Mudryk all started in the lacklustre performance, with the winger even getting hooked at half-time.
      And Neville believes supporters may have to suffer watching more poor displays while their new stars settle in.
      The ex-Manchester United man said: “Everything was really basic from Chelsea.
      “‘I think it’s because Graham Potter hasn’t had time to work with them, he hasn’t had time to develop them. He’s going to need some time here.
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      “The front line needs to improve, the midfield needs to improve, so even though they’ve spent £600m I looked at every department and thought they need to get a lot better. 
      “I wasn’t that impressed. It’s going to take a lot of time for players to settle in.
      “You can’t get away from the money. It’s jaw-dropping, staggering. £600m has been spent.
      “They are going to need to be patient as nobody has done this before and it’s easy to see why it’s so difficult to put a team together.
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      “Chelsea and Potter have got a lot of work to do. Fulham were outstanding but Chelsea were toothless in attack.”
      Neville’s concerns were echoed by Carragher, who was also left baffled as to why the club didn’t buy a marquee out-and-out striker.
      Kai Havertz led the line for Chelsea and 20-year-old January addition David Datro Fofana came off the bench as Chelsea searched for a goal.
      With Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang seemingly out of favour, it left Carragher confused as to why another centre-forward was not signed.
      He said: “The thing that leaves you scratching your head a little bit is they haven’t brought a striker in, they’ve spent 5 or 600 million. 
      “There’s nothing really there right now. Aubameyang’s not in the Champions League squad either, it does feel really glaring that one big position for them hasn’t been addressed.”
      Chelsea sit ninth in the Premier League table and nine points off the top four places.
      Chelsea’s spending spree since Todd Boehly’s takeover
      Graham Potter subbed Mykhailo Mudryk off at half-timeCredit: EPA More

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      Fans all say same thing as Chelsea owner Todd Boehly caught on camera looking at phone while transfer flops play Fulham

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      FOOTBALL fans hilariously joked Chelsea owner Todd Boehly preferred to play games on his phone than watch his new-look side’s goalless draw with Fulham.The American businessman, 49, has spent a remarkable £606MILLION on new players since taking over from Roman Abramovich in May of last year.
      The cameras caught Todd Boehly on his phone during the gameCredit: Sky Sports
      Fans have joked he was playing games rather than watching the matchCredit: Sky Sports
      Chelsea’s spending spree since Boehly’s takeover
      Yet the Blues continue to struggle for results under manager Graham Potter, with the disappointing 0-0 against their neighbours on Friday night leaving them ninth in the Premier League.
      And Boehly did himself no favours after he was caught by the Sky Sports cameras looking intently at his phone during the match.
      Reacting on social media, one person said: “Boehly was playing video games and saw himself on camera then pretended to watch the game 😂😂😂”.
      Another added: “Todd Boehly caught in 4K playing Call of Duty instead of watching his £620m flops”.
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      A third replied: “Todd Boehly caught playing Clash Of Clans at the Chelsea game 🤣🤣🤣”.
      And a fourth said: “Boehly’s playing Football Manager on his phone trying to find the next five star potential winger 😭😭😭”.
      January signings Enzo Fernandez, Mykhailo Mudryk, Benoit Badiashile, David Datro Fofana and Noni Madueke all featured for Chelsea during the Fulham clash.
      Summer arrivals Marc Cucurella and Raheem Sterling were also involved at Stamford Bridge.
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      Boehly spent £276m ahead of the 2022/23 season but did not see the desired impact – which led to the sacking of Thomas Tuchel.
      Following the arrival of Potter, the American owner then spent £330m in the January window, and that figure could still rise once add-ons are paid out.
      Among the new arrivals was Fernandez – who broke the British transfer record in his move from Benfica.
      And the Argentine, 22, impressed on his Chelsea debut as he controlled the Blues midfield.
      But it was not enough to break down Fulham’s organised defensive unit.
      The result leaves Chelsea nine points adrift of the top four, with a trip to West Ham next up for Boehly’s star-studded squad.
      They then return to Champions League action to take on Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their last-16 tie. More

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      Unrecognisable Man Utd star has completely different career and even ‘wants to go by a new name’

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      A FORMER Manchester United star has been living a completely different life since retiring – and even occasionally goes by a different name. The Red Devils were the dominant team of the 90s in England and enjoyed great success under Sir Alex Ferguson.
      The United ace was one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s first signingsCredit: Richard Pelham
      This photo of the Man United man went viral last monthCredit: Twitter @BanditBus
      The ex-midfielder was a big part of period, playing for the club between 1987 and 1998.
      He made well over 350 appearances during that time but now enjoys a drastically different lifestyle.
      The man in question is Brain McClair, who has distanced himself from his playing days both in looks and personality.
      The Scot now has a giant grey beard with long grey locks that come downs to his shoulders and lives life as a successful podcaster.
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      The midfield star admitted on his podcast Life With Brian that his new appearance often triggers confusion in fans.
      He said: “It happens an awful lot more than I ever imagined it would, particularly the fact I’m covered in this lovely grey stuff that’s growing out of my face.
      “It’s entertaining listening. Sometimes I’ve been in situations where my name has cropped up and they’ve no idea it’s me, which is pretty bizarre.
      “What I tend to say now when they ask if I’m Brian McClair is “I used to be”, which is quite flummoxing for a lot of people. How can you used to be? Who are you now? What are you now?”
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      The former footie player, who was nicknamed Choccy during his career, even playfully introduces himself by a different name sometimes.
      He revealed he calls himself “Chocrates” because “I’m a philosopher now.”
      A picture of McClair sat at a pub went viral last month with fans in disbelief at the changes to his appearance.
      The 59-year-old explained that even autograph-hunting fans think that his friends are him due to how different he now looks, and recounted a tale when he and a mate were approached at a pub.
      McClair added: “My mate looks nothing like me and is comfortably three stones heavier for a start. He pointed at me and the guy said, “no that’s not Brian McClair.”
      “My mate handed me a bit of paper and I signed it. The guy was totally disgusted and turned to my mate and said: “What kind of f*****g person are you? Can’t you even f*****g sign an autograph?”
      McClair won four Premier League titles with Man United before departing for Motherwell.
      He later coached United’s Director of Youth Academy between 2006 and 2015. More

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      Man Utd title winner storms out of press conference after being accused of signing ‘Brazil’s least efficient striker’

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      LAURENT BLANC stormed out of a press conference after being asked by journalists about signing Brazil’s “least efficient striker”.Jeffinho joined Lyon on transfer deadline day as Blanc turned to the January window to give their season a boost.
      Blanc replaced Peter Bosz as Lyon boss in OctoberCredit: AFP
      The French side are languishing in mid-table in Ligue 1 after an underwhelming season.
      But the signing of the 23-year-old for close to £9m from Brazilian club Botafogo has been met with some criticism.
      Lyon boss Blanc, who won two titles as a player with Manchester United in the early 2000s, fielded questions from journalists on the forward.
      But he did not take kindly to a point on Jeffinho’s efficiency, with Opta stats suggesting he is not the sharpest shooter around.
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      The new signing only scored two of his 55 shots for Botafogo last season and one journalist asked why Lyon opted to sign “Brazil’s least efficient striker”.
      Unhappy with the question, former France manager Blanc abruptly left the press conference after a further brief exchange with reporters.
      He was reportedly unimpressed with questions on the club’s transfer business rather than the upcoming game against Troyes.
      It has been a difficult season for Lyon who would have been looking to improve on last season’s disappointing 8th place.
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      Yet Les Gones sit 10th after 21 games, 11 points off a European position.
      They are also set to lose rising star Malo Gusto to Chelsea permanently in the summer after he was loaned back to the French club amid the Blues’ busy transfer business. More

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      Premier League teams are revolutionising football but there is one worrying trend after epic January transfer spending

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      PREMIER LEAGUE clubs are continuing to revolutionise high-level football — as they have in the 31 years since the competition was founded.From an English view that’s good, beyond the Channel, not so.
      Chelsea unveiling new signing Enzo FernandezCredit: Getty
      As the divergence from Europe grows, it’s a kind of accidental Brexit that works. Making much more money, filling stadiums and attracting star players.
      The big leagues on the Continent don’t like the way things are going, either.
      In some ways I sympathise because the Prem has become a magnetic attraction to many of the world’s best players and to the world’s TV audiences. That can’t be easy to take.
      But at a time of difficulty for many people here, it wouldn’t be surprising if there was some gloating that, in the one area common to a lot of us, we are top dogs, feeding off the juiciest bones.
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      Before we bark too loudly, though, the fact that we can outbid the Europeans in the transfer market has dangers.
      I admire Chelsea’s Truss-like attitude to spending £285.8million in the last month and I then wonder what will happen if they potter about and fail to generate a Champions League place this season or next.
      Manchester United tried to buy their way back to the top and it became clear something more than money was needed, starting with love and care from the owners.
      “All you need is love,” The Beatles sang. And without it from top to bottom, the engine grates and the ride is bumpy.
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      All bar the giant clubs of Europe are beginning to fear the might of pound sterling as it is wielded here, even if they appreciate the cash-cade that will boost Benfica after the British-record £106m sale of Enzo Fernandez to Chelsea.
      There are others grateful for the millions that land in their bank accounts but they also know the damage the sale of a star can inflict on their ambitions.
      For them, though, sustainability is everything and fresh money is welcome funding.
      This instant transfusion became a wasted dream for teams in the Championship, whose reputation as a talent factory has ruptured. Unbelievably, in all our spending last month, only £25m went to second-tier clubs.
      That is worrying. It means that either their academies are not producing outstanding young players or that the top teams have attracted the vast majority of them.
      Just take a look at the Premier League squads, too, and it will soon become clear that they are propped up by talented players from dozens of countries, seeking riches in our Hollywood league.
      To many players, the temptations of a move here are immense — a Porsche-style living and the type and quality of football. Allied to the agent’s hunger for a big fee, persuasion is practically complete.
      An example: Flamengo’s top midfield prospect, Brazilian Joao Gomes, turned down a better offer from Ligue 1’s Lyon to join Wolves because, he said: “I want to play in the Premier League.”
      A total £2.8bn has gone on transfers this season, more than in the Bundesliga, LaLiga, Ligue 1 and Serie A combined — fundamentally a result of the Premier League’s far superior TV contracts.
      This differential leads to my belief that we have the biggest league in the world, greater in overall impact even than the Champions League — which, after all, is half-league half-cup and involves a select group from the previous season.
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      Nice work if you can get it. But make it to the Premier League and club and player are guaranteed at least a year of fame, money and, yes, fear of losing them.
      Chelsea owner Todd Boehly splashed the cash in the transfer windowCredit: Getty More