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      ‘Is this a common phrase?’ – Gary Neville confuses fans after accusing Tottenham star of ‘having frogs in his pants’

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      GARY NEVILLE left fans baffled by his bizarre turn of phrase on commentary.The former Manchester United defender, 49, was on the gantry alongside Peter Drury for Sky Sports during the North London Derby. Guglielmo Vicario organised his defenders at a cornerCredit: RexGary Neville produced the strange piece of commentaryCredit: SplashTempers had already flared before kick-off in the tunnel with the MASCOTS and then again as Jurrien Timber sparked a mass brawl.And Tottenham were desperate to get in at half-time goalless and allow things to calm down.So goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario was busy organising his defenders as Spurs prepared to face an Arsenal corner. But Neville made the most of the opportunity to deliver his strange line.READ MORE ON ARSENALHe said: “Look at Vicario. He’s got frogs in his pants.”The insinuation being that Vicario was very busy and frantically moving around nervously in the goalmouth. But why he used “frogs” rather than “ants” left supporters watching the match on TV confused.One said: “Is ‘frogs in his pants’ a common phrase or is this like mini retirement again from Neville?”Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSArsenal ratings vs Spurs as Gabriel is the hero in feisty North London derbyGABRIEL headed in the only goal of the game as a depleted Arsenal snatched all three points in the North London Derby.Here’s how SunSport’s Lloyd Canfield rated the Gunners players…DAVID RAYA – 8/10Commanded his area well, and was a safe pair of hands throughout the game. Another great showing in what has been a spectacular start for the Spanish stopper. JURRIEN TIMBER – 7Did well from an attacking perspective, charging down the left hand side on various occasions. Solid defensively too against Spurs’ flying right side of Johnson and Porro.Some would argue he should’ve been sent off for a challenge on Pedro Porro in the first half, but he escaped despite squaring up to Vicario in the aftermath.WILLIAM SALIBA – 8A really good recovery challenge in the first half to deny Dominic Solanke, despite being booked early on.You can always count on Saliba to put in a solid display, and he didn’t disappoint today with fantastic passing out from the back too. GABRIEL – 9A fantastic defensive showing throughout, reinforced with a towering header inside the box to give his side the lead from a set piece (shock). Has formed an impeccable partnership with Saliba, personified by their heartwarming celebration together after the opener. He’s the man. BEN WHITE – 6Gave away the ball in a dangerous position in the first half, with Solanke failing to capitalise and had a tough first half against the quick feet of Heung Min-Son.Was not able to demonstrate the dangerous right-hand side overlap we saw work so effectively last season, but wasn’t threatened in the second 45.JORGINHO – 4Struggled to replace the suspended Declan Rice for this North London derby, whom the Gunners really missed.A tough task, but didn’t come close to matching Rice’s intensity or ability to drive the ball up the pitch which left Arsenal weak in the forward areas.THOMAS PARTEY – 5Struggled in transition with Jorginho alongside him, another player who felt the full force of no Rice and Odegaard.Not fast enough with or without the ball, and will need to perk his ideas up for City next week. GABRIEL MARTINELLI – 6Looked like a bright spark with his running and forward movement, but was let down by his end product or lack thereof.Worked really really hard throughout, just looks short of confidence in the last actions. LEANDRO TROSSARD – 6Dropping deeper into more of a midfield role than he’s used to today, it should be noted that he did a job for the team when they needed him. Not the flying efficiency machine we have seen him be from the bench, but his versatility will be needed this season it seems. BUKAYO SAKA – 7Didn’t make the kind of impact on the game we are used to seeing from the brilliant Bukayo Saka, and looked less of a threat without Martin Odegaard to combine with. Did some really good defensive work nonetheless, and delivered the perfect corner to claim the assist for Gabriel’s opener. KAI HAVERTZ – 6A good header in the first half was saved well by Vicario in the spurs net – actually made more clearances (3) than he managed shots on target (2) in the first 45. Was a handful for the Spurs defence, but largely nullified by the pace and power of Mickey Van de Ven and Cristian Romero. That is a reference to Neville’s infamous comment to the Diary of a CEO podcast that he goes on holiday – also known as taking “mini retirements”.Another viewer wrote: “Cheers Gary.”How much every Premier League club earns in shirt sponsorsA third added: “What does that even mean? Is it a Manchester thing?”And a fourth typed: “I get that he hasn’t looked particularly composed from set pieces… but Gary Neville saying Vicario looks like he’s ‘got frogs in his pants’ because he’s instructing his defenders where to be… whilst funny… feels harsh! Every goalkeeper commands his defenders pre corners!”Incredibly, a tweet from May references Neville mentioning “frogs in his pants” again – implying he may well have used the unusual phrase on commentary at the end of last season as well. Vicario did not organise his defenders well enough at a corner during the second half, though.He got crowded out in his own six-yard box as Gabriel made a run on Cristian Romero and headed powerfully into the back of the net as Arsenal took the lead. More

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      Piers Morgan says ‘even our mascot is harder than Tottenham’s’ as Arsenal kid pushes counterparts before derby

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      PIERS MORGAN joked “even our mascot is harder than Tottenham’s” after Sky Sports cameras caught an Arsenal kid SHOVING his counterpart.The North London Derby is always a feisty affair on the field.An Arsenal mascot pushed his Tottenham counterpart in the tunnelCredit: X @SkySportsPLThe Spurs youngsters high-fived some of the Arsenal subsCredit: X @SkySportsPLBut the Gunners mascot showed the rivalry continues off it, too – and starts at a very young age.The Sky cameras gave a look inside the tunnel before the players lined up to come out for kick-off in the crunch clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.And the Arsenal youngster, decked out in the away kit like his heroes, proved he was up for the fight.After seeing the Spurs kids high-five a few of the Arsenal subs, the visiting mascot ran over towards his rivals.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLThen he jokingly shoved one of the Tottenham counterparts and gave it large ahead of one of the biggest games of the season.That prompted Arsenal-mad Piers to tweet a series of laughing emojis then added: “Even our mascots are harder than Tottenham’s…”And that prompted a wave of replies from fellow excited Gooners.One said: “Yes 100%. Arsenal blood.”Most read in FootballBest new sign-up offersSunSport exclusivesAnother added: “He’s so cheeky.”A third wrote: “The hatred is real.”Mikel Arteta signs three-year Arsenal contract amid fears he would join Barcelona in boost ahead of North London derbyArsenal ratings vs Spurs as Gabriel is the hero in feisty North London derbyGABRIEL headed in the only goal of the game as a depleted Arsenal snatched all three points in the North London Derby.Here’s how SunSport’s Lloyd Canfield rated the Gunners players…DAVID RAYA – 8/10Commanded his area well, and was a safe pair of hands throughout the game. Another great showing in what has been a spectacular start for the Spanish stopper. JURRIEN TIMBER – 7Did well from an attacking perspective, charging down the left hand side on various occasions. Solid defensively too against Spurs’ flying right side of Johnson and Porro.Some would argue he should’ve been sent off for a challenge on Pedro Porro in the first half, but he escaped despite squaring up to Vicario in the aftermath.WILLIAM SALIBA – 8A really good recovery challenge in the first half to deny Dominic Solanke, despite being booked early on.You can always count on Saliba to put in a solid display, and he didn’t disappoint today with fantastic passing out from the back too. GABRIEL – 9A fantastic defensive showing throughout, reinforced with a towering header inside the box to give his side the lead from a set piece (shock). Has formed an impeccable partnership with Saliba, personified by their heartwarming celebration together after the opener. He’s the man. BEN WHITE – 6Gave away the ball in a dangerous position in the first half, with Solanke failing to capitalise and had a tough first half against the quick feet of Heung Min-Son.Was not able to demonstrate the dangerous right-hand side overlap we saw work so effectively last season, but wasn’t threatened in the second 45.JORGINHO – 4Struggled to replace the suspended Declan Rice for this North London derby, whom the Gunners really missed.A tough task, but didn’t come close to matching Rice’s intensity or ability to drive the ball up the pitch which left Arsenal weak in the forward areas.THOMAS PARTEY – 5Struggled in transition with Jorginho alongside him, another player who felt the full force of no Rice and Odegaard.Not fast enough with or without the ball, and will need to perk his ideas up for City next week. GABRIEL MARTINELLI – 6Looked like a bright spark with his running and forward movement, but was let down by his end product or lack thereof.Worked really really hard throughout, just looks short of confidence in the last actions. LEANDRO TROSSARD – 6Dropping deeper into more of a midfield role than he’s used to today, it should be noted that he did a job for the team when they needed him. Not the flying efficiency machine we have seen him be from the bench, but his versatility will be needed this season it seems. BUKAYO SAKA – 7Didn’t make the kind of impact on the game we are used to seeing from the brilliant Bukayo Saka, and looked less of a threat without Martin Odegaard to combine with. Did some really good defensive work nonetheless, and delivered the perfect corner to claim the assist for Gabriel’s opener. KAI HAVERTZ – 6A good header in the first half was saved well by Vicario in the spurs net – actually made more clearances (3) than he managed shots on target (2) in the first 45. Was a handful for the Spurs defence, but largely nullified by the pace and power of Mickey Van de Ven and Cristian Romero. A fourth quipped: “What a blinder. This kid deserves a medal.”And a final user labelled the mascot a “legend”. But one Spurs fan hit back, jokingly calling the child “feral” for his rascal behaviour. Ten minutes before half-time, tempers flared on the field, too.Jurrien Timber was penalised for a questionable foul on Pedro Porro but did not hear the whistle and carried on into the Tottenham penalty area.He then squared up to Guglielmo Vicario, grabbing his shirt before players from both sides piled into the brawl – and both antagonists were booked.Timber got the last laugh though, as his team-mate Gabriel headed in the only goal of the game. The Gunners kid gave it large to his Tottenham counterpartsCredit: X @SkySportsPLA member of Spurs staff came across to separate the rivalsCredit: X @SkySportsPL More

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      Premier League’s biggest transfer spenders ever revealed as Chelsea blow rivals away with four of top five spots

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      THE Premier League’s biggest transfer spenders have been revealed.And Chelsea have blown their rivals away by occupying FOUR of the top five spots.Chelsea have spent well over a billion under Todd Boehly and Behdad EghbaliCredit: GettyThe Prem’s status and wealth has long been a source of envy for rival continental leagues.Superstars including Mo Salah, Erling Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne all ply their trade in England’s top flight.And each summer sees clubs splash the cash in a bid for fight for trophies.Now, the biggest window spenders in history have been revealed.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLFinancial expert Kevin Maguire produced a list of the top money kings including Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, Manchester City and Manchester United.But it’s Chelsea who are the largest spenders with some eye-watering figures in the last few years.Money was no object for former Blues owner Roman Abramovich.Yet even that has paled in comparison to the billion-plus spent by successors Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSAnd Chelsea occupy no less than four of the top five spots in the list.But are they number one? Read on to find out…PREM RULE CHANGESJosko Gvardiol was a big purchase for Man City last yearCredit: Getty10. MANCHESTER CITY (2023/24): £222mPEP GUARDIOLA went on the offensive after winning the Treble.The Spaniard lost several big players including Ilkay Gundogan, Riyad Mahrez and Aymeric Laporte, with Cole Palmer also departing.And he made sure to replace them as best as he could, starting with the £75m capture of Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig.Matheus Nunes, Jeremy Doku and Mateo Kovacic all followed too.And Guardiola even forked out to secure the services of Argentina wonderkid Claudio Echeverri.Alisson remains a key player for LiverpoolCredit: Getty9. LIVERPOOL (2018/19): £223mJURGEN KLOPP’S historic season saw him lead the Reds to Champions League glory.Liverpool also finished second to Man City in the league with 97 points while losing only one match.And their savvy shopping played a huge role, with the Reds deciding to drop £53m on Brazil goalie Alisson.A similar fee was spent on RB Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita, with key man Fabinho also brought in from Monaco.And Klopp made sure he had quality on the bench too as he raided relegated Stoke for star forward Xherdan Shaqiri.Brennan Johnson was Ange Postecoglou’s first big-money signingCredit: Getty8. TOTTENHAM (2023/24): £232mANGE POSTECOGLOU’S first season saw some big changes.The Aussie was forced to deal with the loss of captain Harry Kane for starters.But he made sure Bayern’s £82m fee was wisely reinvested in numerous signings, with £46m Brennan Johnson from Nottingham Forest the biggest deal.James Maddison, Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro all came in alongside Guglielmo Vicario and Radu Dragusin.And Postecoglou also made sure Dejan Kulusevksi’s loan from Juventus was made permanent, while also planning for the future with the capture of young forward Alejo Veliz.Romelu Lukaku was a key figure at United under Jose MourinhoCredit: PA:Press Association7. MAN UTD (2017/18): £243mJOSE MOURINHO led United to their best-place finish since the Sir Alex Ferguson days during this term, coming second while also tasting defeat in the FA Cup final.After winning the Europa League the previous season, Jose attacked the market by beating Chelsea to the £84m signing of Romelu Lukaku from Everton.He then raided his old club for key midfielder Nemanja Matic.And the Special One also poached a young Victor Lindelof from Benfica.But Mourinho was not done yet, finishing January with an audacious swoop for Arsenal’s key player Alexis Sanchez.Arsenal sent out shockwaves with the signing of Gabriel JesusCredit: Getty6. ARSENAL (2022/23): £251mMIKEL ARTETA was eager to make up for a disappointing season by strengthening Arsenal’s squad with higher-quality players.His first move was to sanction a £73m double-swoop for Man City duo Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko.And he followed that up with deals for Fabio Vieira, Matt Turner and Marquinhos.But Arsenal challenged for the title, Arteta realised he needed more depth.So in January, he splashed out again on Leandro Trossard, Jorginho and Jakub Kiwior before Arsenal finished second.Kepa Arrizabalaga remains the most expensive goalie in historyCredit: PA5. CHELSEA (2018/19): £281mMAURIZIO SARRI was not shy upon his arrival at Stamford Bridge.The Blues had lost Thibaut Courtois and Eden Hazard to Real Madrid.And Sarri responded by spending a record £67m on goalie Kepa Arrizbalaga from Athletic Bilbao.A big fee was also spent to bring key player Jorginho from Napoli, while Chelsea even forked out a huge loan fee to sign Gonzalo Higuain on loan from Juventus in January.That same month saw them pre-purchase Christian Pulisic ahead of a season-long transfer ban, with Sarri going on to lift the Europa League before quitting his post.Alvaro Morata struggled to impress at ChelseaCredit: PA:Empics Sport4. CHELSEA (2017/18): £290mA YEAR earlier, the Blues set out to defend their title under Antonio Conte — which remains the last time Chelsea won the Premier League.Key figures in Diego Costa, Nemanja Matic and John Terry departed.And Chelsea were left with some questionable replacements — who still cost a king’s ransom.A sweet £55m was spent on Alvaro Morata alone, with the striker proving to be one of the worst signings of the Abramovich era.Chelsea also splashed out on flops like Tiemoue Bakayoko, Danny Drinkwater and Davide Zappacosta, although Antonio Rudiger and Olivier Giroud eventually showed their worth.Kyle Walker was one of Pep Guardiola’s big early signingsCredit: Getty3. MAN CITY (2017/18): £328mPEP GUARDIOLA was not used to losing titles and decided to go big in the market after his debut City season ended in a third-place finish.Aymeric Laporte was his most expensive signing that term at £65m.While a new defence was completed with the purchases of Kyle Walker, Benjamin Mendy, Danilo and Ederson.Guardiola also made a key purchase in Portuguese playmaker Bernardo Silva.While fees were also paid on youngsters like Douglas Luiz and Jack Harrison.Moises Caicedo is the most expensive signing in Premier League historyCredit: Getty2. CHELSEA (2023/24): £396mNOT content with their splurge the previous January, Chelsea decided to shell out on no less than 12 players.Moises Caicedo was the biggest signing at £115m, with fellow midfielders Romeo Lavia and Lesley Ugochukwu also arriving for big fees.In attack, Christopher Nkunku was joined by Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson.While defender Axel Disasi came in with TWO goalies in Robert Sanchez and Djordje Petrovic.And in true BlueCo fashion, youngsters like Deivid Washington and Angelo arrived for fees usually spent on more senior figures.Chelsea rocked the boat with the £105m capture of Enzo FernandezCredit: Reuters1. CHELSEA (2022/23): £754mTHE BLUES rewrote the book in the first full season under Boehly and Eghbali.A bizarre summer window under Thomas Tuchel, who was sacked the following month, saw huge fees dropped on stars like Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly, Wesley Fofana, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Marc Cucurella.Fast forward several months and this time it was Graham Potter who was having to deal with a bloated squad as Chelsea embarked on more major spending.READ MORE SUN STORIESA stunning £105m was spent on Enzo Fernandez, while Mykhailo Mudryk, Benoit Badiashile, and Noni Madueke were signed for tasty fees.There were more big deals for teens completed too, while Joao Felix’s loan from Atletico cost a cool £10m — and all that spending resulted in a 12th place finish. More

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      Fans demand Cole Palmer be given another assist after spotting what he did in build up to Bournemouth penalty miss

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      CHELSEA fans have praised Cole Palmer for his “mind games” in the build-up to Bournemouth’s penalty miss.The Blues secured their second Premier League win of the season last night as they beat the Cherries 1-0.Cole Palmer was seen trying to put off Evanilson before his penaltyCredit: Instagram @skysportsPalmer said something to him before being pushed awayCredit: Instagram @skysportsRobert Sanchez brilliantly denied Evanilson from the spotCredit: GettyChristopher Nkunku’s strike made the difference as Jadon Sancho impressed in his cameo and set up the goal.But some Chelsea supporters are demanding Palmer also gets registered with an assist for his role in a decisive moment.With the score level in the first-half, Bournemouth were given a penalty after Evanilson was fouled by goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.But Chelsea’s No1 immediately redeemed himself and saved the spot-kick brilliantly.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLBefore Evanilson took his shot, eagle-eyed fans noticed Palmer trying to put him off.The England star was seen speaking to him before being ushered away by Justin Kluivert and Marcus Tavernier.Chelsea fans loved his tricks, with one saying: “Palmer needs credit as he got into penalty taker’s head.”Another added: “Palmer with another assist…this time for a penalty save. Mind games.”Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSMore reacted: “Palmer man of the match for getting in Evanilson’s head before the penalty.”Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp said: “The Bournemouth players were having a chat, Palmer is trying to get into peoples’ heads, ‘are you going to take it?’Chelsea boss Maresca aims cheeky dig at Erik ten Hag after Jadon Sancho makes dazzling debut after Man Utd transfer”Having a little discussion about it, trying to get into his head, all part of the psychology of football.”Interesting to see how good his [Evanilson’s] English is. He hasn’t been here that long, he probably doesn’t understand Palmer. He got the gist of it I’m sure.”Chelsea ratings vs Bournemouth as Sanchez and Sancho are heroes… and Palmer strugglesCHELSEA needed a late moment of magic from Christopher Nkunku to snatch all three points from Bournemouth.Marcus Tavernier crashed a super strike against the crossbar early on and Robert Sanchez saved an Evanilson penalty before the break.Jadon Sancho came on for his debut at half-time and made the difference for the Blues as he set up Nkunku’s winner.Here’s how SunSport’s Graham Nickless rated Maresca’s men…Robert Sanchez – 8Man-of-the-match show with first-half penalty save from Evanilson and a handful of excellent saves.But rather fortunate to stay on the pitch after denying Evanilson a clear goalscoring opportunity with a deliberate foul that led to the spot-kick.Axel Disasi – 5The right-back was given an uncomfortable night down the right side.Given the runaround by Cherries dangerman Antoine Semenyo and was replaced just after the hour.Wesley Fofana – 6Did his best to keep a clean sheet when run ragged by the home strikers.Luckily for the centre-back, he could rely on Sanchez to keep them out.Levi Colwill – 6Did his best to calm the storm that came the Blues’ way for most of the match.Made sure he kept record-signing Evanilson away from notching his first Premier League goal.Marc Cucurella – 7Always busy and making a nuisance of himself when he wasn’t being buffeted by Semenyo’s marking.But overdid it with one stupid, deliberate shoulder barge on the Bournemouth winger.Renato Veiga – 5Suffered like most of his team-mates to open up the home side’s defence.The Portuguese midfielder didn’t see enough of the ball to make an impact.Moises Caicedo – 7The captain was always looking for that defence-splitting pass when he wasn’t on defensive duty.Gave an example to others around him who weren’t putting in a decent shift.Noni Madueke – 5Was quite mad attempting an early shot at the home goal that ended up as a throw-in.And it didn’t get much better than that for the winger who was hauled off just after the hour.Cole Palmer – 5Rested by England for tired muscles and there wasn’t much energy in this performance.But the Cherries, worried by his reputation, did target him in the first half.Pedro Neto – 5Failed to make any impact on the wing but could claim he had little or no service.Boss Maresca had seen enough and brought on Sancho to replace him at half-time.Nicolas Jackson – 5Chelsea fans won’t want to suffer another nine years of this from the big striker.Had one shot comfortably saved and another blocked but will need to show more upfront for his ludicrous long contract.SUBSJadon Sancho (for Neto) – 8Was booked 11 minutes after coming on then, looked likely throughout second half and set up Nkunku’s equaliser on super debut.Tosin Adarabioyo (for Disasi) – 6Was seldom troubled.Joao Felix (for Madueke) – 5Tidied up in midfield.Christopher Nkunku (for Jackson) – 8Burst through three players to score and snatch the winner. More

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      Why are Arsenal not wearing their red kit against Tottenham?

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      ARSENAL are all set to face bitter North London rivals Tottenham in another thrilling Premier League encounter – but they will NOT be wearing red.The Gunners did the double over Spurs last season, most recently beating them in a five-goal thriller after leading 3-0 at half-time.Arsenal beat Tottenham 3-2 in this same fixture last seasonCredit: The TimesAnd other than the result, another thing both games had in common was that Arsenal wore their traditional red kit for each win.But for the first time in recent North London Derby history, this will not be the case.Why are Arsenal not wearing their red kit?The PGMOL and Premier League ruled that Arsenal’s 2024/25 home kit features too much white which clashes with Tottenham’s traditional colours.Arsenal also discussed the option of wearing red shorts and red socks but it was rejected.Read more on ArsenalAs a result, for the first time in recent ‘NLD’ history, the Gunners will be wearing their changed colours – a black Adidas away kit.The Gunners will be wearing their changed kit for the NLDCredit: GettyThey’ll be aiming to clinch a third-straight victory at the Tottenham Hotspur venue.The decision by the PGMOL and Premier League will also mean Tottenham will wear different colours when they visit Emirates Stadium in January.Arsenal have a tricky start to the seasonWhat happened in the last North London derby?Arsenal picked up a huge win over Tottenham in the last North London Derby which at the time, helped them move four points clear at the top of the Premier League table.Most read in FootballThe Gunners dominated a controversial first half that saw Spurs being denied Micky van de Ven’s equaliser as well as two penalty appeals by James Maddison and Timo Werner.However, Mikel Arteta’s men still managed to lead 3-0 by half-time thanks to an own goal by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and goals by Bukayo Saka as well as Kai Havertz.Spurs tied to stage a dramatic comeback with Cristian Romero’s strike and Son Heung-min’s penalty kick but Arteta’s men held firm. More

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      Bournemouth vs Chelsea break ridiculous Premier League record for most yellow cards EVER as fans call ref ‘pathetic’

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      CHELSEA’S win over Bournemouth saw the most yellow cards in a Premier League game EVER.Enzo Maresca’s Blues nicked a late win at the Vitality Stadium thanks to a timely strike from super-sub Christopher Nkunku.Chelsea’s win at Bournemouth saw a record amount of yellow cards dished outCredit: ReutersThe result allowed Chelsea to climb up the Premier League table to seventh spot.But Saturday’s game also resulted in a record amount of yellows shown to players by card-happy referee Anthony Taylor.Previously, there had never been more than 12 bookings made in a league match.The first game that saw the huge number of yellows was Wolves vs Newcastle in 2010.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLNo less than 12 cards were shown in that encounter.And it was matched six years later when Chelsea hosted Tottenham in the infamous Battle of the Bridge.However, tonight’s match saw 14 yellows dished out.Taylor could not resist going to his pocket through the heated clash.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSAnd it was a miracle that nobody was sent off.The official actually flashed the yellow SIXTEEN times.Chelsea fans can’t name their OWN PLAYERS after another wild transfer window under owner Todd BoehlyBut two of those were for the dugout, with Enzo Maresca and a Bournemouth coach getting booked in the second half.A clearly frustrated Andoni Iraola refused to give his opinion on the referee after the final whistle.He told Sky Sports:  “I will not talk about the referee.”I have been talking and it is not working so I have decide now I will try the opposite and see what happens.”Blues boss Maresca revealed how earned his yellow card.He said: “I complained about a foul on Wesley Fofana which for me was quite clear but it can happen.All 14 yellow cards17m 46s – Ryan Christie (Bournemouth) – Tactical foul30m 6s – Wesley Fofana (Chelsea) – Foul reckless34m 11s – Lewis Cook (Bournemouth) – Tactical foul35m 16s – Marc Cucurella (Chelsea) – Reckless offence36m 10s – Robert Sanchez (Chelsea) – Foul37m 25s – Adam Smith (Bournemouth) – Dissent51m 40s – Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea) – Dissent56m 7s – Levi Colwill (Chelsea) – Tactical foul56m 14s – Jadon Sancho (Chelsea) – Dissent59m – Justin Kluivert (Bournemouth) – Tactical foul79m 58s – Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth) – Foul reckless86m 2s – Renato Veiga (Chelsea) – Excessive celebration90m 31s – Joao Felix (Chelsea) – Foul reckless95m 36s – Antoine Semenyo (Bournemouth) – Dissent”Eight yellow cards probably because these sort of games are about duels and fight and this can happen.”It is not a problem for me with this amount of yellow cards. It is what it is.”Sometimes the game demands the way you have to behave.”Taylor’s card-happy antics did not please fans though.One said: “That’s pathetic.”Another declared: “What’s wrong with Anthony Taylor?”READ MORE SUN STORIESOne noted: “Just heard Taylor booked the tea lady.”Another added: “Joke of a referee.”Chelsea ratings vs Bournemouth as Sanchez and Sancho are heroes… and Palmer strugglesCHELSEA needed a late moment of magic from Christopher Nkunku to snatch all three points from Bournemouth.Marcus Tavernier crashed a super strike against the crossbar early on and Robert Sanchez saved an Evanilson penalty before the break.Jadon Sancho came on for his debut at half-time and made the difference for the Blues as he set up Nkunku’s winner.Here’s how SunSport’s Graham Nickless rated Maresca’s men…Robert Sanchez – 8Man-of-the-match show with first-half penalty save from Evanilson and a handful of excellent saves.But rather fortunate to stay on the pitch after denying Evanilson a clear goalscoring opportunity with a deliberate foul that led to the spot-kick.Axel Disasi – 5The right-back was given an uncomfortable night down the right side.Given the runaround by Cherries dangerman Antoine Semenyo and was replaced just after the hour.Wesley Fofana – 6Did his best to keep a clean sheet when run ragged by the home strikers.Luckily for the centre-back, he could rely on Sanchez to keep them out.Levi Colwill – 6Did his best to calm the storm that came the Blues’ way for most of the match.Made sure he kept record-signing Evanilson away from notching his first Premier League goal.Marc Cucurella – 7Always busy and making a nuisance of himself when he wasn’t being buffeted by Semenyo’s marking.But overdid it with one stupid, deliberate shoulder barge on the Bournemouth winger.Renato Veiga – 5Suffered like most of his team-mates to open up the home side’s defence.The Portuguese midfielder didn’t see enough of the ball to make an impact.Moises Caicedo – 7The captain was always looking for that defence-splitting pass when he wasn’t on defensive duty.Gave an example to others around him who weren’t putting in a decent shift.Noni Madueke – 5Was quite mad attempting an early shot at the home goal that ended up as a throw-in.And it didn’t get much better than that for the winger who was hauled off just after the hour.Cole Palmer – 5Rested by England for tired muscles and there wasn’t much energy in this performance.But the Cherries, worried by his reputation, did target him in the first half.Pedro Neto – 5Failed to make any impact on the wing but could claim he had little or no service.Boss Maresca had seen enough and brought on Sancho to replace him at half-time.Nicolas Jackson – 5Chelsea fans won’t want to suffer another nine years of this from the big striker.Had one shot comfortably saved and another blocked but will need to show more upfront for his ludicrous long contract.SUBSJadon Sancho (for Neto) – 8Was booked 11 minutes after coming on then, looked likely throughout second half and set up Nkunku’s equaliser on super debut.Tosin Adarabioyo (for Disasi) – 6Was seldom troubled.Joao Felix (for Madueke) – 5Tidied up in midfield.Christopher Nkunku (for Jackson) – 8Burst through three players to score and snatch the winner. More

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      Chelsea player ratings: Robert Sanchez excellent between the sticks but returning Cole Palmer puts on lethargic display

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      CHELSEA needed a late moment of magic from Christopher Nkunku to snatch all three points from Bournemouth. Marcus Tavernier crashed a super strike against the crossbar early on and Robert Sanchez saved an Evanilson penalty before the break.Robert Sanchez flew to his left to save Evanilson’s penaltyCredit: GettyChristopher Nkunku grabbed the late matchwinner on the south coastCredit: PAJadon Sancho came on at half-time while Joao Felix then Nkunku also got thrown on by Enzo Maresca as the Blues struggled to find a breakthrough.In fact there were more yellow cards than shots on target as Anthony Taylor ran out of space in his notebook.But with five minutes to go, Sancho cut inside and threaded a superb pass for Nkunku, who held off his markers and found the net in style.Here’s how SunSport’s Graham Nickless rated Maresca’s men…READ MORE ON FOOTBALLRobert Sanchez – 8Man-of-the-match show with first-half penalty save from Evanilson and a handful of excellent saves.But rather fortunate to stay on the pitch after denying Evanilson a clear goalscoring opportunity with a deliberate foul that led to the spot-kick.Axel Disasi – 5The right-back was given an uncomfortable night down the right side.Given the runaround by Cherries dangerman Antoine Semenyo and was replaced just after the hour. Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSWesley Fofana – 6Did his best to keep a clean sheet when run ragged by the home strikers.Luckily for the centre-back, he could rely on Sanchez to keep them out. Man Utd flop Jadon Sancho makes bizarre claim about Enzo Maresca being reason he joined Chelsea but it doesn’t add upSanchez picked up a yellow card for clattering the BrazilianCredit: GettyChelsea struggled to break down the Bournemouth defenceCredit: GettyRenato Veiga and Moises Caicedo double up on Antoine SemenyoCredit: PALevi Colwill – 6Did his best to calm the storm that came the Blues’ way for most of the match.Made sure he kept record-signing Evanilson away from notching his first Premier League goal. Marc Cucurella – 7Always busy and making a nuisance of himself when he wasn’t being buffeted by Semenyo’s marking.But overdid it with one stupid, deliberate shoulder barge on the Bournemouth winger. Renato Veiga – 5 Suffered like most of his team-mates to open up the home side’s defence.The Portuguese midfielder didn’t see enough of the ball to make an impact.Moises Caicedo – 7 The captain was always looking for that defence-splitting pass when he wasn’t on defensive duty.Gave an example to others around him who weren’t putting in a decent shift. Noni Madueke – 5Was quite mad attempting an early shot at the home goal that ended up as a throw-in.And it didn’t get much better than that for the winger who was hauled off just after the hour. Cole Palmer – 5Rested by England for tired muscles and there wasn’t much energy in this performance.But the Cherries, worried by his reputation, did target him in the first half. Pedro Neto – 5Failed to make any impact on the wing but could claim he had little or no service.Boss Maresca had seen enough and brought on Sancho to replace him at half-time. Nicolas Jackson – 5Chelsea fans won’t want to suffer another nine years of this from the big striker.Had one shot comfortably saved and another blocked but will need to show more upfront for his ludicrous long contract.SUBSJadon Sancho (for Neto) – 8Was booked 11 minutes after coming on then, looked likely throughout second half and set up Nkunku’s equaliser on super debut. Tosin Adarabioyo (for Disasi) – 6Was seldom troubled. READ MORE SUN STORIESJoao Felix (for Madueke) – 5Tidied up in midfield. Christopher Nkunku (for Jackson) – 8Burst through three players to score and snatch the winner. Nkunku wriggled free of his markers to find the bottom cornerCredit: RexEnzo Maresca sent on Joao Felix during the second halfCredit: AFPCole Palmer and Jadon Sancho tried to conjure up some magicCredit: GettyAnthony Taylor was a busy man at the Vitality StadiumCredit: AFPSancho celebrates with Nkunku after teeing up the FrenchmanCredit: Getty More

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      Bournemouth 0 Chelsea 1 LIVE RESULT: Super sub Nkunku earns Blues vital 3 points after Sancho’s assist – latest updates

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      CHELSEA have beaten Bournemouth in a thrilling Saturday night Premier League clash – and they have Christopher Nkunku to thank.Jadon Sancho impressed on his debut and capped it off with an assist.And the man on the end of his assist was Nkunku – who had to wriggle past a couple players before firing the Blues to all three points.RESULT: Bournemouth 0-1 ChelseaStream/TV: Sky Sports Premier LeagueBournemouth XI: Travers; Smith, Zabarnyi, Sensei, Kerkez; Cook, Christie, Semenyo, Kluivert, Tavernier; EvanilsonChelsea XI: Sanchez; Disasi, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Veiga; Madueke, Palmer, Neto; JacksonFollow ALL the action from the Vitality Stadium with our live blogSancho the way to goA strong debut from Jadon Sancho.Here’s his impressive stats.Copy linkCopiedMatch statsWere Chelsea fortunate to win tonight?Copy linkCopiedChelsea player ratingsSunSport has also helpfully rated every single Chelsea player from tonight.But who was the best man on the pitch?And who had a game to forget?Find out below!Copy linkCopiedMissed the game?And want all the action in a tight and concise package?Look no further with our match report!Copy linkCopiedSome of the best momentsA big night for Maresca’s Blues….Credit: ReutersCredit: ReutersCredit: ReutersCredit: GettyCopy linkCopiedBlue dayThat win sees Chelsea move from 13th to 7th in the table.The result was Bournemouth’s first defeat of the campaign.And Maresca is sure to be delighted with a much-needed victory.Copy linkCopiedFull time – Bournemouth 0 Chelsea 1IT’S OVER!A huge win for Chelsea here.They were second best for most of the match.But Chelsea pulled through and were saved by super-sub Nkunku.Copy linkCopiedBournemouth 0 Chelsea 1YELLOW CARDAnd another one.Semenyo booked for a foul on Cucurella.That’s 14 for outfield players, and 16 if you include the two for coaches.Copy linkCopiedBournemouth 0 Chelsea 195. Another great save from Sanchez.This time Unal pulls the trigger from outside the box.But Chelsea’s goalie gets down again to save.Copy linkCopiedBournemouth 0 Chelsea 194. Two more minutes of added time here.Bournemouth are giving it some welly and Colwill is forced into a block.The Cherries get a corner but it’s saved by Sanchez.Copy linkCopiedBournemouth 0 Chelsea 1YELLOW CARDHere we go, it’s a Premier League record.Taylor shows his 15th yellow – 13 for outfield players – and that’s history made.Joao Felix is in the book now.Copy linkCopiedBournemouth 0 Chelsea 1He always seems to do the business.Another appearance, another goal for Nkunku.He’s surely got to start the next league game for Chelsea.And a debut assist for Sancho to boot.Credit: PACredit: PACredit: GettyCopy linkCopiedBournemouth 0 Chelsea 1YELLOW CARDRenato Veiga is in the book.He jumped into the stands to celebrate with fans.And it was not missed by Taylor, who reached into his pocket for a 14th time.It’s now the most yellows shown in a Premier League game for EIGHT years.Copy linkCopiedBournemouth 0 Chelsea 1It’s taken a long time but it’s finally come!Nkunku gets onto a pass from Sancho and powers his way into the box before firing a shot past Travers.It’s a great finish and he celebrates in style with his trademark balloon.Copy linkCopiedGOAL – NKUNKUHE’S GONE AND DONE IT!Copy linkCopiedBournemouth 0 Chelsea 085. It’s felt all game like Chelsea haven’t been able to get enough players forward to support attacks.Another potential move comes to a swift end as they are forced to play it back after failing to break down Bournemouth’s low block.The Blues have all the possession though.And it’s not over until it’s over.Copy linkCopiedBournemouth 0 Chelsea 0Bournemouth make another change.And it’s an attacking one!Tavernier comes off.And striker Enes Unal comes on in his place.Copy linkCopiedBournemouth 0 Chelsea 082. Cucurella is very lucky to not be sent off.He barges his opponent in the back to give away a free-kick.But the Spaniard escapes a second yellow.You’d think if he hadn’t already got one, that would have definitely gone in the book.Copy linkCopiedBournemouth 0 Chelsea 0YELLOW CARDSenesi becomes the 13th victim of Taylor’s yellows.Incredible that nobody has been sent off.Copy linkCopiedBournemouth 0 Chelsea 080. 10 minutes left.Both sides want to win this.But nobody wants to lose it either! This is going to get very tense indeed.Copy linkCopiedBournemouth 0 Chelsea 0CHELSEA SUBHere comes Nkunku!Jackson’s off for the Frenchman.Can Nkunku find a late winner?Copy linkCopiedBournemouth 0 Chelsea 076. The Cherries break quickly into Chelsea’s box.Caicedo goes sliding in and the hosts appeal for a handball!But Taylor is not having it and ignores the pleas.Copy linkCopiedBournemouth 0 Chelsea 0More subs for BournemouthSmith gets a round of applause as he comes off for new signing Araujo.Kluivert is also subbed with Billing now on the field.Copy linkCopiedBournemouth 0 Chelsea 072. Veiga goes on a crazy run and dribbles past two players before getting sight of Bournemouth’s goal.But he is unable to shoot as he overplays his hand. There’s also two balls on the pitch right now.And cheers go up as the second is eventually kicked off.Copy linkCopiedBournemouth 0 Chelsea 0Sancho has looked bright since coming on.He’s tried to take on his man each time he’s been on the ball.And Chelsea need to get him involved more if they want the three points.Credit: GettyCredit: ReutersCredit: GettyCopy linkCopied More