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      Nottingham Forest vs West Ham set to make Premier League history with unique managerial record

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      IT is the Premier League’s first Glove Affair for 31 YEARS.Uniquely among the managerial fraternity, both Julen Lopetegui and Nuno Espirito Santo were goalkeepers in their playing careers before becoming bosses.Former goalkeeper and Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo hosts West Ham on FridayWhile ex-LaLiga stopper and West Ham gaffer Lopetegui makes up the historic clashThe last time two stoppers faced each other in opposing dugouts in the top flight was on Friday, April 9, 1993.Tottenham crushed Norwich 5-1 at White Hart Lane — ex-Colchester keeper Mike Walker was manager of the Canaries, while former England No 1 Ray Clemence was in caretaker charge of Spurs along with Doug Livermore.However, Friday’s clash at the City Ground, as surprise package  Nottingham Forest face under-performing West Ham, represents the FIRST time two permanent chiefs who were former goalies going head to head.Any suggestion you have to be crazy to become a keeper in the first place has been shot down by the Hammers manager.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSWell-travelled Spaniard Lopetegui laughed: “This is a big lie! A very big lie.“Normally the most sensible people in the dressing room are the goalkeepers. Believe me.“You can say they are different but not crazy.”There is an eight-year age gap between Lopetegui, 58, and Nuno, 50, but they are both ex-Porto managers and they crossed paths earlier this century in LaLiga combat.Most read in FootballJulen Lopetegui played 149 LaLiga matches over nine seasonsNuno was called to the senior Portugal squad competing in Euro 2008, replacing the injured Quim, but did not play a matchFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSLopetegui, who also coached at Real Madrid and Sevilla, said: “I’m a little bit older than him. “Yes, I remember him as a keeper. I played against him as a coach, too. But we were never keeper on keeper. I didn’t play against him as a keeper.Meet the new Wags of the Premier League season, from a Belgian interior designer to a Portuguese model“Who was the better goalkeeper? Ha, I forgot my time. I don’t remember a lot. Maybe me. I don’t know.”Goalkeepers is a key theme of West Ham’s selection approach, as matchday 10 represents their first league visit outside of London.Frenchman Alphonse Areola was dropped after the 4-1 defeat at Spurs even though he had started in the opening eight league ties.Pole Lukasz Fabianski was given the responsibility for the home match with Manchester United last Sunday and pulled off several great saves to help the Hammers win 2-1 — a result that saw the Old Trafford axing of Erik ten Hag.Lukasz Fabianski was instrumental in keeping United goalless before half-time on SundayAsked if he empathised with Areola’s disappointment, Lopetegui said: “I was a goalkeeper a long time ago. But I understand.“I can change other positions. I repeat, you don’t change one player, it’s not about thinking that something is wrong with him.“It’s thinking that maybe you’re going to be positive with this change.“Sometimes it’s going to happen or not. In football, we don’t have a crystal ball. But we try to take the decision that we think will always help the team.“Did I get dropped? A lot! In my opinion, to my coaches, I was right! It’s like this.“We trust Alphonse a lot. He did very well in this team before. But we decided that in this match, Lukasz was more ready and maybe it was good to put him in for different reasons.READ MORE SUN STORIES“All of them have to be ready to play. It’s up to us to decide who is going to be in or not.“It’s not because we don’t trust them. It’s good, this kind of inside competition, to be more competitive.” More

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      Man Utd say Amorim is ‘one of most exciting coaches in Europe’… but we’ve heard it ALL before with Ten Hag, Moyes and Co

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      ALL the messages coming out of Manchester United were very positive.The appointment of a coach who “has proved himself to be one of the most exciting and successful coaches in Europe, renowned for his team’s attractive, attacking football and commitment to youth”.Ruben Amorim will officially take over at Old Trafford on November 11Credit: EPAErik ten Hag was sacked on Monday after two years at the clubCredit: GettyThat was April 21, 2022, and the words of then football director John Murtough on the announcement that Erik ten Hag was becoming the new manager of Manchester United.Hang on, haven’t we heard all of this before?Remember, there was also the bloke after Sir Alex Ferguson back in 2013 who had “all the skills needed to build on United’s phenomenal legacy”.So said chief executive Ed Woodward and yet just ten months into a six-year contract, David Moyes was gone.READ MORE ON MAN UTDWait. Then Woodward also introduced the next man who had “a track record of winning leagues and cups across Europe making him the perfect choice… we have secured the services of one of the outstanding managers in the game today”.That was Louis van Gaal, who went on to bore Old Trafford rigid with his football and get the boot straight after winning an FA Cup.Fear not! Because in May 2016 it was announced by Woodward that United had secured “quite simply the best manager in the game today”.A man Woodward was barely on speaking terms with two and a half years later as Jose Mourinho exited after two cups and a second-placed finish, which the Special One described as one of his greatest achievements.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSHe was not even ‘Special’ enough.So, that was five years since Sir Alex went and three bosses down.Sporting fans give verdict on Ruben Amorim ahead of move to Man UtdDavid Moyes endured a horrid time as Sir Alex Ferguson’s successorCredit: PA:Press AssociationIt was now time to rediscover ‘the soul’ of Manchester United under a man who said he knew it’s DNA.He would also find the revolving door at Old Trafford that had spun out those who went before.Ole Gunnar Solskjaer left with tears in his eyes after believing he had come “so close” to achieving something special.Let’s not forget too all the interims and caretakers along the way — Ryan Giggs, Michael Carrick and, of course, Ralf Rangnick, who told the club they needed “open heart surgery” and now Ruud van Nistelrooy after Dutchman Ten Hag’s sacking on Monday.But the club believe they really have cracked it this time because in Ruben Amorim they have, as a club statement said, “one of the most exciting and highly rated young coaches in European football”.Sorry, I thought that was Ten Hag.The 39-year-old is also “highly decorated as both a player and coach”.Highly decorated in Portugal anyway, as Ten Hag was in Holland.Louis van Gaal won the FA Cup but was dismissed after two seasonsCredit: PA:Press AssociationJose Mourinho won the League Cup and Europa League before being sackedCredit: PA:Press AssociationThe Premier League, however, is another level again and 11 years since Sir Alex bid farewell, the club is as far away as ever from challenging to win it.The point here is that there are no guarantees coming with this bloke either.Ten Hag had studied United long before Murtagh and the then chief executive Richard Arnold arrived to interview him.They were bowled over by the amount of information he had on them and the details of his plans to put United back on track.He will claim he did just that with two trophies but after that first season it just never looked right.The club wanted a disciplinarian and yet the way he handled Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho was, in the end, used as a stick to beat him with.Ruben Amorim is ‘Mourinho 2.0’ who turned Sporting from ‘walking dead’ into Portuguese champs… he can revive Man UtdWHEN Ruben Amorim took charge of Sporting Lisbon in March 2020, one club official compared their situation to the “walking dead”, writes Jordan Davies.Optimism and hope was at an all-time low.But the Amorim-effect was almost instantaneous, guiding the Portuguese sleeping giants to their first league title for 19 years in 2020/21, losing just once and only conceding 20 goals.Since then, Sporting have lifted another league title in 2023/24 – as well as two League Cups – and currently sit top with nine wins from nine this term.He may be young, but Amorim already has an eye for rebuilding and revitalising fallen super powers with his infectious charisma and intense tactical philosophy that hardly ever wavers. The “walking dead” at Manchester United must be praying for a similar sort of revival.And they may just get it from one of the most talented young coaches on the continent – a man accustomed to breathing new life back into crumbling institutions such as Old Trafford.Amorim has spent the last decade dreaming of one day gracing England’s Premier League, such was his admiration for an ex-United boss in Jose Mourinho growing up.Often nicknamed ‘Mourinho 2.0’, Amorim spent a week with his coaching idol in an internship capacity at United’s Carrington training base in 2018, going on to cite him as his “reference point”.United should not be expecting a mini-Mourinho, as Amorim said himself: “Mourinho is one of a kind. There won’t be another Mourinho. Mourinho is unique.”And yet, you cannot help but compare the two.For all the mismanagement in the Old Trafford hot seats over the years, this would be a real get – finally a slap in the face United’s Prem rivals have no answer for.Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was let go after a trophyless three years at the helmCredit: AFP‘Head coach’ Amorim will find dealing with this club and this level of player very different to Sporting Lisbon, where he was the highly lauded and respected boss who landed them two titles.The players responded to him, the football was marvellous — and he is now going to try and make that happen at Old Trafford.There will no doubt be a jump when he first arrives, there always is under a new boss. Ole won ten of his first 11 games.The problem comes when performances dip and you are left dealing with a dressing room of highly paid stars all too ready to down tools because they know, in the end, the manager will carry the can.This is probably a bigger job now than it was for any manager post-Fergie.That has happened in every instance since Sir Alex went. So why won’t it happen again?Amorim will have his own ideas on how to play in a 3-4-3 as he tries to reprogramme players and club who have been reprogrammed so many times it is a wonder Carrington has not short-circuited.The facts are that while £545.9million was lavished on this squad under Ten Hag, it is still not very good.The first team can be beaten by anyone in the Premier League. At their best they are not as good as any club currently in the top six.The mood in the dressing room is rock-bottom and there are sulky stars everywhere you look.This is probably a bigger job now than it was for any manager post-Fergie.This club is a giant, a monster and nobody seems able to control it.It has eaten up and spat out some of the biggest and best names in the game.Now we have someone who it clearly seems won’t have it all his own way as he is the first to be named ‘head coach’ in the club’s history rather than the manager.Which suggests there will be plenty of influence from the management team assembled above him by new part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.Dan Ashworth and Jason Wilcox are set to be much more hands-on than they felt able to be in their brief time working with Ten Hag.So, welcome Ruben, hope it goes well… until the next best coach in Europe is left to pick up the pieces.Above them, new chief exec Omar Berrada has spoken about a three-year plan to have the club winning the Prem by the 2027-28 season and celebrate their 150th year in style.Amorim will still be in charge at Old Trafford then, if the club have triggered the year extension in his contract — but nobody should be holding their breath.The state the club are in at the moment, it will take until then just to get back into the top four.READ MORE SUN STORIESSorry to sound cynical but how else can you view the current situation on the evidence of the last decade or more.So, welcome Ruben, hope it goes well… until the next best coach in Europe is left to pick up the pieces. 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      Why Ruben Amorim must SACK Ruud van Nistelrooy now to have any chance of fixing Man Utd ‘s***show’

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      WHEN Ruben Amorim arrives in Manchester, he has got a LOT of mess to sweep up in a short space of time.I really like Amorim — he is an excellent coach and everything about him is world class, even the way he has conducted himself in leaving Sporting Lisbon.Ruben Amorim has been confirmed as the new Man Utd managerIt is not yet known if interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy will stay on as part of Amorim’s staffTroy Deeney has urged Amorim to kick Van Nistelrooy to the curbBut he has a heck of a job.I am not saying these United boys are not fit but they will be nowhere near fit enough for Amorim. His Sporting teams run their arses off.There are going to be a lot of ups and downs between now and January 1 and then — oh my God — is he going to have to come out with a broom and sweep the lot.If you’re walking into that s**tshow with that ball of yarn to untangle, where do you begin? Good luck with that, Ruben.READ MORE ON MAN UTDYou’ve got to get rules in place, because sacked Erik ten Hag apparently tried to lead that club like a dictator and, from what I have heard, the Carrington training base is completely divided as a result.The expectation is going to be high because United have just spent over £10million getting you and your coaching team over from Portugal.You’re going to have your own fitness and nutrition guys in.Can these players do what you want them to do? Are they fit enough? Probably not.Most read in FootballRasmus Hojlund has been in and out of the starting XI as United sit 14thFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSYou’re going to have to tweak everything from gym work to the training routines and during that period you will have a few players dropping like flies because of it.I am glad United got Amorim sorted quickly. Had they not, they would have gone down the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer route again with Ruud van Nistelrooy.The new manager ‘bounce’ and 5-2 thrashing of Leicester in the Carabao Cup was always going to happen. It is no coincidence.Ten Hag would have been watching, thinking ‘How f***ing frustrating is this?’ even if he did deserve to lose his job.Bruno Fernandes scoring his first goals of the season and Casemiro suddenly firing in screamers with an Old Trafford hero like Van Nistelrooy on the sidelines.But a club legend taking over, playing a seriously poor Leicester team in a cup, with a new manager on the way… that was always going to be the case.Marcus Rashford has looked a shadow of his former self during the last 12 monthsMeanwhile, Casemiro has been both criticised and praised in recent weeks after scoring three in two games either side of Erik ten Hag’s sackingIt is like when you’ve been with your partner for a long time.You get dumped, so you go to the gym to get in shape to get someone new. It never lasts.And make no mistake, after this weird ‘new-manager bounce’ phase, reality would have hit them again, because you cannot bulls**t it over the course of a season.They’re 14th in the Premier League for a reason.With the games they have coming up after a free hit against Chelsea on Sunday — PAOK and Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League and Leicester, Ipswich and Everton in the Prem — suddenly United could have picked up some points and the board would think ‘Why not Ruud?’But that would just be bulls**ting it again until the next tough run heading into December with Arsenal, Manchester City and Spurs in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.I remember when Marco Silva was sacked at Watford and Javi Gracia came in and we went on a real run.Why? Partly because we were a really fit team and that paved the way for a clean transition. It is a really underestimated part of it.My one bit of advice to Ruben? Don’t keep Ruud on. You want to clear the decks once you are there, with only your people around you.Troy DeeneyThe person who will come out of this the best? Ruud. He will have a nice pay packet. His stock will rise and he won’t be tarnished with Ten Hag’s tenure.Even if United lose 7-0 to Chelsea, Ruud can say: “It’s not my fault. The players were distracted by Ten Hag going and the new manager.”My one bit of advice to Ruben? Don’t keep Ruud on. You want to clear the decks once you are there, with only your people around you.Only then can you figure out what the problems are — and how to solve them.What Man Utd said on hiring EACH of their post-Fergie managersDavid Moyes”All the skills needed to build on United’s phenomenal legacy.”Louis van Gaal”One of the outstanding managers in the game today.”Jose Mourinho”Quite simply the best manager in the game today.”Ole Gunnar Solskjaer “A wealth of experience, with a desire to give young players their chance and a deep understanding of the culture of the club.”Erik ten Hag”One of the most exciting and successful coaches in Europe.”Ruben Amorim “One of the most exciting and highly rated young coaches in European football.”VIN SNUB NOT ABOUT RACEYOU look up ‘Ballon d’Or’ right now and the first name that comes up is: Vinicius Jr.A lot has been made of him not turning up to the award ceremony after losing out to Rodri. Was it petulant? Yes. Embarrassing? It depends how you look at it.Vinicius has been exceptional this year, winning LaLiga and the Champions League, but he didn’t do well for Brazil, and that is what has cost him.You look at previous winners, like Lionel Messi last year — he was playing for Inter Miami but won the World Cup for Argentina.Vinicius Jr was shocked after he placed second in the Ballon d’Or on MondayThat’s what clinches a Ballon d’Or, it seems.Rodri did the same with Spain at the Euros. Had England beaten them in the final, it probably would have gone to Jude Bellingham.In my opinion, Vinicius has had the wrong people in his ear telling him he was a cert to win it and it would be unanimous and, I imagine, that has got to him.He has got caught up in it thinking he is going to be elevated to superstar status.I don’t think we should be making this a race issue, which is what is perhaps being implied by his cryptic tweets in the aftermath.Man City ace Rodri was named the world’s best player – but was hit with controversyTo think you’re going to win it, and then you don’t, it must take a lot out of you, especially after a bad weekend where his Real Madrid side have just been battered by Barcelona in El Clasico.READ MORE SUN STORIESFor what it’s worth, I think he should have won the Ballon d’Or.Should he have gone to the award ceremony? Probably, but let’s not pile in on him too much.Ballon d’Or 2024 results1: Rodri, Man City and Spain2: Vinicius Jr, Real Madrid and Brazil3: Jude Bellingham, Real Madrid and England4: Dani Carvajal, Real Madrid and Spain5: Erling Haaland, Man City and Norway6: Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid and France7: Lautaro Martinz, Inter Milan and Argentina8: Lamine Yamal, Barcelona and Spain9: Toni Kroos, Real Madrid and Germany10: Harry Kane, Bayern Munich and England11: Phil Foden, Man City and England12: Florian Wirtz, Bayer Leverkusen and Germany13: Dani Olmo, Barcelona and Spain14: Ademola Lookman, Atalanta and Nigeria15: Nico Williams, Athletic Bilbao and Spain16: Granit Xhaka, Bayer Leverkusen and Switzerland17: Federico Valverde, Real Madrid and Uruguay18: Emi Martinez, Aston Villa and Argentina19: Martin Odegaard, Arsenal and Norway20: Hakan Calhanoglu, Inter Milan and Turkey21: Bukayo Saka, Arsenal and England22: Antonio Rudiger, Real Madrid and Germany23: Ruben Dias, Man City and Portugal24: William Saliba, Arsenal and France25: Cole Palmer, Chelsea and England26: Declan Rice, Arsenal and England27: Vitinha, PSG and Portugal28: Alejandro Grimaldo, Bayer Leverkusen and Spain29: Mats Hummels, Roma and Germany30: Artem Dovbyk, Roma and Ukraine More

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      Erik ten Hag breaks silence after Man Utd sacking as axed boss tells fans ‘the dream has come to an end’

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      ERIK TEN HAG said his “dream has come to an end” as he broke his silence after being sacked by Manchester United.Ten Hag, 54, was dismissed on Monday morning after a dismal start to the season which sees the Red Devils languishing in 14th in the Premier League table.Erik ten Hag has sent a letter to Manchester United fans following his sackingCredit: GettyThe Dutchman, who has already been replaced by Sporting Lisbon head coach Ruben Amorim, won the League Cup and FA Cup during his two years at Old Trafford.And he graciously thanked both the fans and club staff in a lengthy farewell statement.In a letter to the Man Utd fans, he said: “Dear fans, Let me start by thanking you. Thank you for always being there for the club. Whether it was at a game far away or a tough match at Old Trafford, your support has been unshakeable.”The atmosphere at Old Trafford has always been electrifying, thanks to you. I felt it many times.READ MORE ON MAN UTD”Also in away games, it gave the team and me an incredible feeling to hear the United chants taking over the opponents’ stadiums, whether the game was in England, Europe or during the summer tours.”I always enjoyed meeting Manchester United fans throughout the world.”Walking the streets and being able to chat with fans in England, Europe, Asia, Australia, the USA – you inspired me and radiated a strong sense of unity. That’s what makes United supporters so special.”I want to thank you for giving me this feeling and for your support.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS”I also want to thank the staff in every department of the club for their unwavering support in good times and bad.”Ten Hag then turned his attention towards the successes and failures on the pitch.Amorim confirmed by Man Utd but it’s a huge gamble and delay to start is bizarreHe added: “We won two trophies – achievements that I will cherish for the rest of my life.”Of course, my dream was to bring more trophies to the cabinet. Unfortunately, that dream has come to an end.”I wish all Manchester United fans nothing but success, trophies and glory. Your support and the warmth I received from everyone at the club helped me feel at home.”Thank you for this chapter in my life. Erik.”Ten Hag arrived in 2022 and won the Carabao Cup in his first season, while he also guided Man Utd to a third-place finish in the Premier League.Despite finishing eighth last season, he was handed a one-year contract extension in July after Man Utd beat Man City to win the FA Cup. He subsequently spent almost £200million in the transfer market to strengthen his squad – only to lead them to their worst ever Premier League start.They are also without a win in three Europa League matches.READ MORE SUN STORIESRuud van Nistelrooy took interim charge on Wednesday night as Man Utd beat Leicester 5-2 to reach the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.Former Man Utd striker Van Nistelrooy, 48, will remain at the helm for the games against Chelsea, PAOK and Leicester, before Amorim begins his new job on November 11.What Man Utd said on hiring EACH of their post-Fergie managersDavid Moyes”All the skills needed to build on United’s phenomenal legacy.”Louis van Gaal”One of the outstanding managers in the game today.”Jose Mourinho”Quite simply the best manager in the game today.”Ole Gunnar Solskjaer “A wealth of experience, with a desire to give young players their chance and a deep understanding of the culture of the club.”Erik ten Hag”One of the most exciting and successful coaches in Europe.”Ruben Amorim “One of the most exciting and highly rated young coaches in European football.” More

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      Hilarious moment Mikel Arteta ‘fines’ journalist during press conference as brutal discipline rules apply to everyone

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      ARSENAL manager Mikel Arteta jokingly threatened to fine a reporter for being late to his post-match press conference.The Spaniard was in good spirits as he addressed the media following Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Preston North End on Wednesday.Mikel Arteta jokingly threatened to fine a reporter during a press conferenceCredit: XOne reporter appeared to ask a question about young midfielder Ethan Nwaneri, seemingly unaware Arteta had already spoken about him.The Arsenal boss quickly jumped in to joke: “You are late! We already talked about him!”That’s a fine for you!”Gabriel Jesus ended a 25-game goal drought to put the Gunners 1-0 up against Preston at Deepdale.Read More in FootballNwaneri then fired a stunning shot into the top-left corner to extend the advantage.And Kai Havertz sealed the win with a bullet header after coming off the bench in the second half.Discussing Nwaneri’s impressive performance at full-time, Arteta said: “He’s a big talent, he’s got the right attitude, he’s got the right players and context around him and we need to make sure that we put brick by brick in the right order but we have some player here.”He’s going to really dictate how fast that’s going to go but I’m really happy with him.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSArsenal ratings vs PrestonARSENAL cruised through their Carabao Cup tie at Preston.The Gunners won 3-0 to set up a home tie against Crystal Palace in the next round.Sun Sport’s Sam Dymond reveals who has done enough to feature in the quarter final – and who might be a bit worried.Tommy Setford – 6A clean sheet on debut for the teenager. After a quiet first half, he looked nervous when put under pressure by Preston’s forward.Jurrien Timber – 7Really looking the part in the Arsenal defence after injury. His crosses caused chaos before being replaced at half-timeWilliam Saliba – 7Settled back into the side after suspension, and was rarely troubled on a night where he continually swept up possession.Jakub Kiwior – 8Partnered Saliba admirably in defence, but showed his attacking worth by providing two assists.Oleksandr Zinchenko – 7A solid display before his removal on the hour, perhaps with one eye on the weekend.Jorginho – 7Kept things moving in midfield, and even showed off some sublime skill when the opportunity arose.Mikel Merino – 7A much more confident performance from the Spaniard following his goal on Sunday. Combined well with Martinelli and Nwaneri during the opening 45 minutes.Ethan Nwaneri – 9Serenaded by the Arsenal fans as ‘one of their own’, this talented teenager once again excited Gooners everywhere.The scorer of one sublime strike, he came so close to bagging a second goal too.Raheem Sterling – 7The Carabao Cup king did everything but score. Perhaps let down by his decision making, he’s looking more at home at Arsenal than he ever did at Chelsea.Gabriel Jesus – 8Constantly alive to the ball inside the box, he was rewarded with a first goal since January to get the scoring underway.Gabriel Martinelli – 8Often Arsenal’s biggest attacking threat with his direct running and ability to beat defenders. Replaced after taking a couple of heavy knocks.SubsThomas Partey – 6Replaced Timber at the break and once again did the job asked of him with few complaints.Kai Havertz – 8Scored a superb header shortly after his arrival as a half-time sub, and was an imposing figure in both penalty areas.Bukayo Saka – 6More minutes in the legs for the Arsenal star as he continues the recovery from his hamstring injury.Myles Lewis-Skelly – 6Misplaced a couple of passes after his introduction, but fits in well among the first-team squad.Ayden Heaven – 6Offered a glimpse of genuine pace as he made his senior debut for the final ten minutes.”So much personality there, he wants every ball, he wants to make things happen.”Outside and around he’s still a bit quiet as usual, he’s 17 years old, very respectful, his work ethic is tremendous and he loves what he does, you can tell that.”Arsenal Dominates Preston: Player RatingsArsenal next face Newcastle in the Premier League on Saturday.The Gunners currently sit third in the table, behind Liverpool and Manchester City. More

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      Pep Guardiola admits Man City facing squad ’emergency’ after star stretchered off in tears and another injury blow

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      PEP GUARDIOLA admits Manchester City are facing an “emergency” situation amid the club’s injury crisis.Forward Savinho, 20, became the latest casualty on Wednesday as he was stretchered off in tears during Man City’s Carabao Cup defeat to Tottenham.Pep Guardiola has admitted his side are ‘in an emergency’ with their injury listCredit: RexSavinho was stretchered off in tears during Manchester City’s defeat to TottenhamCredit: AlamyThe Brazilian is set to be out for two weeks with an ankle sprain.Manuel Akanji has also experienced a fitness issue after he felt a tweak in the warm-up ahead of the Spurs clash as he joins a host of star players on the sideline.They include Rodri, Kyle Walker, Jack Grealish, Jeremy Doku, Kevin de Bruyne, Manuel Akanji, Oscar Bobb and Josko Gvardiol.The absentees leave Man City desperately short in terms of squad depth.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLAnd Guardiola has revealed he may have to rely on his academy players in the coming weeks.He said: “It happens in many clubs and we’re not the only club in the world to be going through it. There are a lot [of injuries] in certain departments and positions but it is what it is.”We are using them [the academy players] because we are in an emergency in certain positions but some of them, we trust them, like in the past.”They help us, that’s why the academy is there… We don’t have other options, sometimes.”Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSManuel Akanji pulled up in the warm-up ahead of the Tottenham gameCredit: GettyYoungsters Nico O’Reilly, James McAtee and Jacob Wright all featured in midweek and could play a part against Bournemouth on Saturday.Guardiola is hopeful a number of his side’s injury problems will be resolved by the turn of the year.Man City star Savinho talks about his rise to football stardom He added: “Maybe in January we will have all the players back, except Rodri.”When we are all together, the squad is enough, when completely focused and fit.”For now we just have to try to recover players as quick as possible and then we will see.”Following the trip to Bournemouth, Man City travel to Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League as they test themselves against incoming Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim.Their final game before the international break then comes away at Brighton on November 9. More

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      Diogo Dalot’s Halloween costume choice comes back to haunt him as Man Utd star is savaged by one-liner

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      DIOGO DALOT has been left haunted by his vampire Halloween costume choice. The Manchester United star was the butt of the joke after one fan’s savage one-liner.Diogo Dalot and fiancee Claudia dressed up as vampires for HalloweenDalot has faced heavy criticism for his mistakes this seasonDalot swapped his recently suspect performances for a scary look.The Portugal defender and fiancee Claudia Pinto dressed as Count Dracula and his wife, to celebrate their daughter’s first Halloween.Their child Clara, who turns one years old later this month, was dressed in a cute pumpkin outfit as the Prem star shared his holiday festivities to his 3.4m Instagram followers.But some quick-witted fans jumped at the chance to compare Dalot’s vampire outfit to his defensive struggles this season.READ MORE ON MAN UTDOne hilarious X user wrote: “No wonder he’s afraid of crosses.”While another said: “From sucking blood to sucking at football all in a day’s work.”In folklore and fiction, vampires are often depicted as being afraid of crosses, crucifixes, and other holy Christian symbols.After winning United’s Players’ Player of the Year in May, Dalot has been cursed with misfortune, as he’s faced heavily criticism this term.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSFans were left “disgusted” when he failed to do the basics and track Brennan Johnson’s run for Tottenham’s opener in their 3-0 win at Old Trafford in September. He then failed to track goalscorer Ethan Pinnock’s clever run from a Brentford corner just before half-time of United’s win 2-1 a fortnight ago.Ruben Amorim showed flashes of a young Jose Mourinho is his latest press conference – and teased a big announcementDalot was even guilty of failing to deal with crosses during United’s 5-2 thrashing of Leicester in the Carabao Cup Round of 16.Luke Thomas’ in-swinging free-kick bounced off Dalot into the path of Conor Coady, who was free to fire home from two yards to make it 4-2 just before the break.And it’s not just the defensive work that Dalot’s been struggling with.The full-back left fans in disbelief when he failed to score an OPEN GOAL in United’s 2-1 defeat to West Ham.His miss of the season contender contributed to United’s overall lack of fortune in front of goal at the London Stadium, which proved to be the final nail in Erik ten Hag’s coffin.Dalot produced one of the misses of the season at West HamThe Dutchman was sacked first thing Monday morning, with Dalot later “thanking” him on Instagram.But the full-back will hope for an upturn in fortunes under new boss Ruben Amorim.Former Portugual international Amorim will take charge on November 11 after seeing out a brief notice period with Sporting Lisbon.Dalot told Sky Sports: “I am very exciting to start working with him.”He’s very demanding, that’s what I can expect – and I think that’s the perfect match for a club like this. “Standards are really high – he’s a person that you can see has really high standards and he stands by them, so I hope that can be a really good match and that we can win together, that’s what I wish the most.”READ MORE SUN STORIESAmorim’s first match in charge will be against Ipswich on November 24, with Ruud van Nistelrooy continuing as interim manager until then.The former United striker will oversee games against Chelsea, PAOK and Leicester again before the international break. More

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      I tried following Gareth Bale’s diet to see if I could be as good as him – it didn’t quite work out for me

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      FORMER Tottenham striker Peter Crouch has recalled the time he tried following Gareth Bale’s pre-match diet.Crouch spent two years with Spurs before joining Stoke City in 2011.Peter Crouch has revealed he once copied Gareth Bale’s pre-match dietCredit: PACrouch and Bale played together at Tottenham for two yearsCredit: AP:Associated PressDuring that time he managed 45 goal contributions in 93 games and played alongside the likes of Luka Modric and Jermain Defoe.But he claims Bale stunned him more than anyone else.In a recent episode of his podcast – That Peter Crouch Podcast – the ex-striker revealed that he even started copying Bale’s pre-match meal in a bid to match his performance levels.Crouch explained: “You know, what changed for me was watching Gareth Bale.Read More on Man Utd”I’ve talked about this before, watching Gareth be the most intense runs, the most distance covered, it was ridiculous.”He was one of the most fittest players I’ve ever seen.”He’d just literally have baked beans on toast every time. And I thought, ‘what is in those beans?'”So I started doing it. I started doing baked beans on toast.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS”I thought it must be the difference. It didn’t quite work for me!”But you know when you see other people doing different things and, certainly later on in your career, you see definitely the chefs and stuff at the training ground has changed.”I played with Frank Lampard at Chelsea and we never lost.. but I’d still rather line up alongside Steven Gerrard’Crouch was discussing pre-match meals with co-host Steve Sidwell when the topic of Bale came up.The former England star also revealed that he would usually eat chicken, pasta and boiled potatoes before a match – sometimes at 9am if he was preparing for an early kick-off.After leaving Tottenham, Crouch went on to spend eight years at Stoke before retiring at Burnley. More