Premier League

ENZO MARESCA hopes that Chelsea’s KITCHEN STAFF can inspire his stars to Champions League football.And he called a meeting of 100 employees at the training ground to let everyone know they have a part to play — even the fruit-cutters.Enzo Maresca opened up on his plan to kickstart Chelsea’s seasonCredit: GettyThe Blues have struggled for wins of lateCredit: GettyHe reminded his under-performing stars just how many people are working hard behind the scenes to help them achieve their goals.Boss Maresca revealed: “I prepared a meeting with all the people: The kitchen staff, groundsmen, kit men, everyone inside the building.“I asked them to push until the end because our target was to bring this club back into the Champions League. I did this a month ago.“I said to the players in that meeting, ‘When I arrive here in the morning at seven o’clock, there are people from the kitchen cutting the fruit in the same way’. Cut, cut, cut, cut.READ MORE CHELSEA NEWS“So there are people behind who you cannot see, who are working every day to help you to reach your target.“The kitchen people are preparing breakfasts and they are doing it all perfectly.“I tried to convince them there are people behind who work hard and we need to push all together to reach our target.”Maresca, whose side face a crunch clash at fellow top-four contenders Aston Villa this evening, revealed his kitchen-staff plan was the result of a sleepless night.Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSHe said: “I went to bed at 12 o’clock and I woke up at four o’clock. It was when we were third or fourth. I couldn’t sleep.“I started to think, ‘It could be a good idea in the morning to arrive and pull all the people together in the building and share this message’. And they were there, everyone, at ten o’clock.”Humble Nicolas Jackson snubs mega-money supercars as he leaves Chelsea training in £30,000 Fiat 500 Maresca is not the first Chelsea boss to seek inspiration from fruit.Mauricio Pochettino, axed last summer to make way for Maresca, kept lemons in his office as he believes they suck up negative vibes.Chelsea certainly need inspiration from somewhere after a barren spell of two Prem wins since December 16.The Blues have slipped to sixth.Maresca made it clear his players had to step up in spite of an injury crisis.He said: “My ambition since I joined this club has been always the same, to bring this club where this club deserves to be.READ MORE SUN STORIES“It’s the reason why I joined this club, because I saw the same desire from the owners and the sports directors.“Otherwise there was no sense to join, because this club cannot just survive, it’s a club that you need to win games, you need to fight for something important.”Mauricio Pochettino used some unusual methods while Chelsea bossCredit: Getty More

MANCHESTER CITY got taught a lesson against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.And it sums up the state of them currently that they’ll be going into this game against Liverpool thinking: ‘Oh my god, I hope we don’t get slapped’.Liverpool will be looking forward to facing a struggling Manchester City sideCredit: EPAPep Guardiola has endured a harrowing seasonCredit: PAIt’s been a humbling year for City and Pep Guardiola, who is probably learning more about himself during this period than anybody else.Their struggles were cut and pasted into one 90-minute Champions League slog out in Spain on Wednesday night. The game was over after a couple of minutes when Madrid took the lead.Quite ironic that for all the chat of Guardiola changing the face of football and inspiring a tactical revolution with his pass-pass style, City were done by a long ball and a Kylian Mbappe lob.Pep’s teams have shown in the past that they are capable of reacting to a result, a performance, like that – but this is not a City team of the past.They’ve shown so many levels of vulnerability. They’ve become comfortable, soft.It was so difficult to win the trophies they have over the years, but they also had the luxury of people being in awe of them. Now, that awe has worn off and everyone wants to take them on.Liverpool certainly will. For years this was THE fixture – the decider for the title. Guardiola vs Jurgen Klopp. Two great sides going at it and it usually produced plenty of fireworks and drama.Pep Guardiola admits ‘best team won’ as Real Madrid knock Man City out of Europe But right now, I fear for City. I really do. They could get done on their own patch. Will they be able to shake off that Madrid humbling and respond? You would have to argue: probably not.They have been well beaten by the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham already this season, but this one is going to hurt them the most if it goes the way it should.It seems silly to say given how good City’s squad still is and how much money they have invested, but which area of the pitch are they better than this Liverpool in?We all get excited about Ederson kicking the ball a long way, but Alisson is a better keeper. City’s back four is not better than Liverpool’s, nor is their midfield or front three.You would perhaps go with Erling Haaland, especially given the form of Darwin Nunez and his missed sitter in the 2-2 draw at Aston Villa.But let’s not forget, Diogo Jota also missed a very simple chance.But did I expect Nunez to score when he went through to an empty goal? No, I didn’t.It would have felt like a loss at Villa Park for Liverpool, and there is a chance City may turn up and give them another bloody nose, but I wouldn’t put my own money on that.This Liverpool, they don’t lose in the big moments. Arsenal fans will be hoping this is the start of the ‘wobble’. Some wobble this is, eight points clear with 12 games left.I wouldn’t have minded that sort of ‘wobble’ in my career. They’re in a perfect position knowing that even if it gets close towards the end, Arsenal still have to go to Anfield and win.I just don’t see how Liverpool lose the title from here, and if they do, it will make for a great f***ing column!Kylian Mbappe helped dump City out of the Champions LeagueCredit: GettyDarwin Nunez is the only Liverpool man to miss out in a combined XICredit: GettyTroy Deeney is backing Liverpool to get the job done at the EtihadCredit: Rex More

SIR JIM RATCLIFFE could be forced out of Manchester United THIS YEAR.The British billionaire, 72, invested more than £1billion to take a 27.7 per cent stake in his beloved Red Devils little more than a year ago.Sir Jim Ratcliffe could be pushed out of Manchester United this yearCredit: AlamyThe Glazer family reportedly have a deal which means they can sell up in six monthsCredit: PATo say it has been a tumultuous rollercoaster ride so far would be an understatement. Part of the minority takeover entrusted the running of the club to Ratcliffe from the Glazer family, who remain the majority owners.And he has wasted no time in making his mark with an overhaul of the board, a new manager, hundreds of redundancies and various unpopular money-making measures – from increased ticket prices to the staff Christmas party being cancelled.He has even made a start on plans for a brand-new £2bn, 100,000-seater stadium to replace the crumbling, leaking Old Trafford.READ MORE MAN UTD NEWSHowever, the Ratcliffe reign at Manchester United could be all over later this year.According to Bloomberg, the Glazers have the option to sell the club in six months’ time.And should they go ahead and proceed with it, they can force Ratcliffe to give up his United.The report does add that Ratcliffe would have the option to make his own bid first.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSAnd it is understood the Ineos chief not only wants to keep his stake – but increase it if the opportunity arises. It is unclear what the Glazers plan to do with the club.’Silence is deafening’ – Man Utd fans ready to protest at Arsenal clash and vow to ‘rise again to defend our club’The American family continue to own United from afar and keep a hands-off approach, even more so with Ratcliffe in charge of the day-to-day operations. Bloomberg state, though, that the Glazers were still happy with the state of the club at the end of last year.That is despite the club losing more than £100million in Ratcliffe’s first year and results on the pitch getting worse.Under new boss Ruben Amorim, United are 15th in the Premier League table.Internally, the ambitious plan is to win the title again by 2028. Off the pitch, the financial landscape is bleak.Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s first year at Man UtdSIR JIM RATCLIFFE’S minority takeover at Manchester United was announced on Christmas Eve in 2023 – and a lot has happened at Old Trafford since…December 2023 – Man Utd confirm Ratcliffe’s takeover on Christmas Eve, vowing to invest £245m into Old TraffordJanuary 2024 – Ratcliffe and right-hand man Sir Dave Brailsford photographed meeting Erik ten Hag during tour of Carrington January 2024 – Omar Berrada poached from Man City as new CEO February 2024 – Ratcliffe’s £1billion, 27.7 per cent takeover officially completed February 2024 – Former CEO Richard Arnold quits board as Ineos pair John Rees and Rob Nevin addedMarch 2024 – Ratcliffe bans words “awesome” and “lukewarm cappuccino” in bizarre moveMarch 2024 – Matt Johnson appointed head of women’s footballMarch 2024 – Ratcliffe announces plans to build “Wembley of the North” to replace Old TraffordMarch 2024 – Man Utd NYSE share price drops to $13.73 on March 21 – down from $20.52 immediately after Ratcliffe takeover in DecemberApril 2024 – Senior staff club credit cards and private cars cancelled April 2024 – John Murtough quits as football director April 2024 – Jason Wilcox appointed technical director after compensation package agreed with Southampton May 2024 – Ratcliffe turns Carrington “toxic” after sending email to employees slamming “disgraceful” lack of cleanlinessMay 2024 – Work finally starts on leaking Old Trafford roofMay 2024 – Man Utd finish eighth in Premier League, worst-ever finish May 2024 – Ratcliffe gives employees just one week to decide if they want to accept redundancy May 2024 – Staff forced to pay for own transport to FA Cup final and only given one ticketMay 2024 – Pre-match party and hotel for senior staff before FA Cup final axedMay 2024 – Man Utd shock rivals Man City to win FA Cup despite suggestions Erik ten Hag will be sacked regardless of resultJune 2024 – Man Utd announce £50m plans to upgrade Carrington training ground June 2024 – Ratcliffe introduces strict “back to work” policy forcing staff to come into officeJune 2024 – Ratcliffe scores own goal with comments about women’s teamJuly 2024 – Man Utd finally agree deal to bring in Dan Ashworth as sporting director after four months of gardening leave at Newcastle, who received £3m in compensationJuly 2024 – Erik ten Hag signs shock new contract extension until 2026July 2024 – Ruud van Nistelrooy and Rene Hake appointed assistant managers, Andreas Georgson first-team coach and Jelle ten Rouwelaar goalkeeper coach. Darren Fletcher’s role changes from technical director to first-team coach. Steve McClaren, Mitchell van der Gaag and Benni McCarthy depart.July 2024 – Ex-Chelsea technical director Christopher Vivell joins on short-term basis as interim director of recruitment July 2024 – Jean-Claude Blanc added to Man Utd board  July 2024 – Man Utd cut down number of staff on US pre-season tour to 125July 2024 – Ratcliffe makes 250 redundancies including popular media man John Allen, historian Cliff Butler and kitman Alex WylieAugust 2024 – Man Utd splash out £199m in the summer transfer window August 2024 – Matchday staff lunchboxes scrapped and some forced to eat beside toiletOctober 2024 – Man Utd stop paying £2m-a-year ambassador salary to Sir Alex FergusonOctober 2024 – Staff Christmas party cancelled October 2024 – “Back to work” policy costing Utd fortune to convert hospitality suites into temporary offices between home matchesOctober 2024 – Erik ten Hag sacked with club 14th in Premier League table, costing club £15mNovember 2024 – Ruben Amorim appointed new Man Utd manager on deal until 2027 after stumping up £10m release clause November 2024 – Coach Ruud van Nistelrooy axed by new manager Ruben Amorim November 2024 – Man Utd chiefs locked in blame game over summer shambles including Erik ten Hag situation and transfer signings November 2024 – Ratcliffe reportedly set to half £40,000 budget paid to Manchester United Disabled Supporters AssociationDecember 2024 – Ratcliffe admits “mediocre” Man Utd “still in last century” December 2024 – Fans protest after OAP and children concessions tickets ditched and minimum home ticket cost up to £66December 2024 – Dan Ashworth sacked after five months as sporting directorDecember 2024 – £100 staff Christmas bonus ditched for £40 M&S voucherDecember 2024 – Ceiling starts leaking during Ruben Amorim’s press conference after 3-0 defeat to BournemouthDecember 2024 – Reports of a mice infestation at Old Trafford as rodent droppings found in food kiosks and plush suites as food hygiene ratings drops to just two starsDecember 2024 – SunSport reveals Ratcliffe cuts £40,000 funding donation to Association of Former Manchester United Players charityThey posted losses of more than £300m over the last three years to put them at risk of breaching PSR rules while debts now stand at approximately £700m.So even if the Glazers did want to sell, finding a buyer willing to take on the mess of Manchester United could be difficult.It would likely require another mega-rich state-backed bid – similar to the one that rivalled Ratcliffe from Qatar.And one speculative option could be for the Qataris to go back in for United – fronted by Nasser Al-Khelaifi.Al-Khelaifi, 51, is the chairman of beIN and the Qatar Sports Investment group – which in turn sees him president of Paris Saint-Germain.But troubles are brewing with PSG and this could in theory be an ideal opportunity for the Qataris to jump ship out of PSG and taking on a new challenge. Al-Khelaifi has clashed aggressively with rival Ligue 1 owners – even calling Lyon counterpart John Textor a “cowboy” in leaked footage from an online meeting.READ MORE SUN STORIESHe has also, according to Agence France Presse, been charged with complicity in an “abuse of power” case this month relating to a key vote.And finally, Al-Khelaifi – who has failed to deliver the Champions League since his appointment in 2011 – has expressed his frustration that PSG will leave the Parc des Princes and look for a new stadium after the city’s mayor confirmed it was not for sale. United are struggling on and off the pitchCredit: AlamyFans are unhappy with the way the club is being runCredit: AFPNasser Al-Khelaifi may see United as a new venture if he quits PSGCredit: AP More

IF YOU wanted confirmation that Leicester City are heading back to the Championship  — this was it.Ruud van Nistelrooy’s beaten Foxes became the first team in top-flight history to suffer SIX defeats in a row at home in the same season without scoring a single goal during the run.Leicester lost their sixth home match in a row without scoring a goalCredit: PABrentford won 4-0 at the King PowerCredit: GettyPressure is building on Ruud van NistelrooyCredit: ReutersThis was just all too easy for Brentford, who were three goals up before the break.And the crowd reaction was predictable as fans turned on the club’s board again after the Foxes’ season went from bad to worse.Some supporters were leaving their seats before the half-hour mark as Brentford scored at will and had an effort disallowed for Keane Lewis-Potter’s handball.Quite where this leaves the club now is unclear.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLSurvival is still possible — but not with this kind of chaotic defending.It is difficult to see where Leicester’s next win is coming from.But, tellingly, fans are not yet calling for Van Nistelrooy’s head, although he is no better than previous manager Steve Cooper, who was sacked to make way for the Dutchman.Supporters want change — in particular director of football Jon Rudkin, who has been targeted continually from the stands.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSAnother managerial change would seem pointless with this squad, so Van Nistelrooy will have to beat the odds if Leicester are to stay up.By the end of the game, the storm clouds were gathering at the King Power Stadium as heavy rain fell, which pretty much summed up the state Leicester are in at the moment.Arsenal post new footage of Mikel Merino goal… but supporters are more interested in what Leicester fans are doingBut the Bees’ dominance cannot be ignored and summed up their run of form away from home.This was a fourth win in a row on the road for Thomas Frank’s side — and they are unbeaten in five away trips.Ironically, Leicester started well and could have had two goals in the first five minutes.Keeper Mark Flekken had to save well from Woyo Coulibaly, on his full debut, and skipper Jamie Vardy after a pacy break from the Foxes legend. But that was as good as it got for Leicester as Frank’s men picked them off.Brentford took a 17th-minute lead when Boubakary Soumare lost the ball and Mikkel Damsgaard floated a pass through for Yoane Wissa to score from inside the six-yard box.Vardy brought another save from Flekken but Brentford were two up after 27 minutes thanks to a superb finish from Bryan Mbeumo from the edge of the area.A few Foxes fans chanted, “You’re not fit to wear the shirt” and their mood was not improved as the Bees added a third five minutes later.Mbeumo’s free-kick was lifted into the mix and Christian Norgaard headed in.Coulibaly’s frustration boiled over as he wiped out Norgaard with a reckless tackle but only a received a yellow card.He was lucky not to see red and Van Nistelrooy took him off at half-time. Brentford could have had more — Kristoffer Ajer headed against the post and Foxes keeper Mads Hermansen stopped Wout Faes from scoring an own goal.There were ironic cheers from home fans after 55 minutes when the ineffective Jordan Ayew was replaced by Facundo Buonanotte.Hermansen pulled off an excellent save from sub Yehor Yarmoliuk’s header but the Bees’ fourth finally arrived with two minutes left.Mbeumo’s effort was saved but sub Fabio Carvalho forced the ball over the line — sparking angry words between keeper Hermansen and team-mate Soumare.READ MORE SUN STORIESBy the end, thousands of Leicester supporters had left the stadium with the faithful Bees singing “we’ve got more fans than you” and “you’re getting sacked in the morning”.And as Frank’s men coasted to an impressive win, Van Nistelrooy looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders as he trudged back to the dressing room.Yoane Wissa bundled in the opener for the BeesCredit: AlamyBryan Mbeumo curled home for 2-0Credit: RexChristian Norgaard headed in the third on 32 minutesCredit: RexFabio Carvalho wrapped up the win with a fourth just before the endCredit: RexIt could have been worse as Keane Lewis-Potter had a goal ruled out for handball and the Bees hit the postCredit: ReutersWissa and Mbeumo linked up once againCredit: ReutersPlenty of fans walked out earlyCredit: PAVan Nistelrooy is not having things his own wayCredit: ReutersLeicester are enduring a nightmare run of formCredit: PA More