Premier League

Subterms

    More stories

    • 225 Shares109 Views

      in Soccer

      Chelsea player ratings: Hat-trick hero Madueke shines in front of fuming Wolves crowd but Mudryk has quiet game

      by

      NONI MADUEKE bagged himself a second half hat-trick courtesy of Cole Palmer as Chelsea fired to a 6-2 victory away at Wolves.Palmer’s three assists and first half strike capped off a wonderful afternoon for the England ace, while Stamford Bridge flop Mykhailo Mudryk was hooked off at half-time.Noni Madueke was Man of the Match after a stunning hat-trick at WolvesCredit: AlamyNicolas Jackson opened the scoring inside two minutesCredit: GettyBefore Matheus Cunha levelled the score in the 27th minuteCredit: AFPPalmer lobbed Jose SaCredit: PABefore Jorgen Strand Larsen made it 2-2 before half-timeCredit: RexNoni Madueke’s second-half hat-trick put the visitors in cruise controlCredit: GettyAt times it resembled a basketball match, but Chelsea later took control after going into the break at 2-2.Madueke stunned after taking the game by the scruff of the neck and notching a 14 minute hat-trick after mistakenly sharing an X-rated message about Wolves ahead of the clash.And THREE feisty brawls capped off the EIGHT-goal Molineux thriller.SunSports’ Katherine Walsh has provided his ratings from the match…Robert Sanchez – 7/10Solid display. Held firm and kept Wolves at bay in the first half.Brilliant long ball distribution cross-pitch to Jackson who assisted Palmer’s goal and Chelsea’s second.FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSSanchez played a big part in Palmer’s goalCredit: GettyMalo Gusto – 5/10Out of position for Matheus Cunha’s 26th minute equaliser and didn’t get forward enough.Failed to have an influence on the game after a quieter second 45 minutes from Wolves. Most read in FootballWesley Fofana – 6/10Had his back to goal for Wolves’ second equaliser before half-time. The ball had been guided in by a free-kick and Jorgen Strand-Larsen cleverly guided it home with his right foot.Levi Colwill – 6/10Not a particularly noticeable performance from the 21-year-old in a positive or negative sense.Suppose it was a solid showing but was also caught ball watching for Cunha’s goal.Pulled Cucurella away from the third brawl of the match.Marc Cucurella – 6/10Worked hard and found himself centre of multiple fights with Wolves players throughout the 90.Solid as ever, needing to be alert with Wolves lethal in the first half.Cucurella was front and centre of a feisty afternoonCredit: GettyMoises Caicedo – 6/10Quiet afternoon for the midfielder. Didn’t do much right or wrong.Enzo Fernandez – 7/10Often in the right place at the right time after clearing two Wolves’ attempts from inside the box.Battled to win the ball for Madueke’s third goal and frequently recovered possession for the visitors.Enzo Fernandez worked well with MaduekeCredit: GettyCole Palmer – 9/10A brilliant goal and THREE assists finished off a sensational performance from the No10 position.Somehow managed to outshine hat-trick scorer Madueke after providing all of his goals. His own notch came against the run of play just after receiving a yellow. Picked up the ball 20 yards from goal after a long Sanchez kick and lobbed Wolves keeper Jose Sa just when the visitors were hanging on.Cole Palmer was back to best on SundayCredit: GettyMykhailo Mudryk – 4/10Enzo Marseca said he needed time and coaching to get his Chelsea career on track. But failed to make an impact against Wolves.Didn’t notice him being shipped off at half-time for former Wolves star Pedro Neto.Noni Madueke – 9/10The star man scored THREE in the second half after bagging against Servette on Thursday. Chelsea’s best player in the first half. The young winger has bundles of ability and energy. Looked lively and won several free-kicks in promising positions.Worth a note that he silenced the home fans who were heavily booing him throughout after his social media comments earlier today.Nicolas Jackson – 8Opened the scoring with a post header inside two minutes. But let himself down with silly antics while arguing with Cunha twice.Most non-penalty goals for Chelsea in the Premier League since the start of last season: 15. And assisted Palmer’s brilliant goal and Chelsea’s second.Stunned fans say ‘this guy is ready to throw anyone under the bus’ as Enzo Maresca lays into yet another Chelsea star SubsPedro Neto 7/10Put a shift in after coming on at half-time on his first return to the Molineux.Bagged himself an assist in the 80th minute.READ MORE SUN STORIESJoao Felix – 7/10Scored on his Chelsea 2023/24 debut after joining from Atletico Madrid for £42.6m.Combined with other new signing Neto for the goal.Christopher Nkunku – N/ARenato Veiga – N/AKiernan Dewsbury-Hall – N/A More

    • 225 Shares179 Views

      in Soccer

      Kieran Trippier goes viral during Newcastle’s clash at Bournemouth after painful moment is caught on Sky Sports cameras

      by

      KIERAN TRIPPIER went viral on social media for his pained reaction live on TV.The Newcastle defender, 33, was named among the substitutes for this afternoon’s trip to Bournemouth amid speculation of a transfer exit.Kieran Trippier took his place on the bench for Newcastle’s trip to BournemouthCredit: GettyHe went viral for his brilliant reaction to the Cherries taking the leadCredit: Premier League via X formerly TwitterAnd his exasperation was clear to see on the Toon bench during the first half at the Vitality Stadium.Newcastle trailed 1-0 thanks to Marcus Tavernier’s close-range finish.And when the Sky Sports cameras cut to Trippier, he could not hide his frustration and disconsolation. The former Tottenham and Atletico Madrid man was sat in his with his face buried in his hands in his training top and fluorescent bib.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLAnd that prompted a huge wave of hilarious tweets from Newcastle fans.One said: “Kieran Trippier has had enough of watching this disastrous performance by Newcastle already.”Another wrote: “Trippier with his head in his hands in disarray on the bench.”A third added: “What’s Trippier playing at with his head in hands there? Awful to see.”Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSA fourth quipped: “Me watching that first half.”A fifth commented: “How about Trippier’s behaviour on the bench? So embarrassing. Clearly wants away.”Watch incredible tunnel bust-up as Newcastle ace Dan Burn grabs Jan Bednarek by the shirt during fiery Southampton gameAnd a final user typed: “Looks like Trippier has just been told his Everton move is happening.”Trippier reportedly wants to leave St James’ Park before Friday’s transfer window deadline day – after being replaced as captain and losing his spot in the starting XI.Rock-bottom Everton are said to be interested in a swoop that would see him reunited with ex-Burnley boss Sean Dyche. Trippier, who is under contract until 2026, was the subject of a £12.8million bid from Bayern Munich in January but Newcastle rejected the offer.And despite the speculation of an exit and his place on the bench, manager Eddie Howe insisted before the Bournemouth clash that Trippier remains part of his plans.Howe said: “Kieran is just freshly back from the Euros, he’s had limited training, Tino [Livramento] started last week, the team did well defensively. “As I said in my press conference, Kieran is a massive part of our future.”READ MORE SUN STORIESWith Newcastle still struggling, Howe turned to Trippier in the 58th minute and he was on the field when Anthony Gordon levelled for the Magpies.Bournemouth looked to have grabbed a late winner but Dango Ouattara’s goal was ruled out for a controversial handball. Trippier came on for Tino Livramento in the second halfCredit: Reuters More

    • 225 Shares129 Views

      in Soccer

      Wolves 2-6 Chelsea LIVE RESULT: Madueke nets hat-trick after calling Wolverhampton ‘s***’ as Felix bags on second debut

      by

      CHELSEA have thrashed Wolves 6-2 to claim their first win of the 2024/25 Premier League season.Nicolas Jackson put the Blues ahead before Matheus Cunha equalised minutes later.Cole Palmer then fired Enzo Maresca’s side in front once more with an incredible lob, but Jorgen Strand Larsen’s out-stretched strike meant that the match was all square at 2-2 at half-time.Just after the restart, Noni Madueke stroked home for 3-2 – and then minutes later, the winger doubled his tally to make it 4-2 to the Blues.The 22-year-old then completed a stunning second-half hat-trick just after the hour, with Palmer providing the assists to all three goals.Before the match, Madueke mistakenly shared an X-rated message to his social media account.The ex-PSV man posted an Instagram message showing his location as Wolverhampton and added: “Everything about this place is s***.”Joao Felix came off the bench to get in on the act as he marked his second Chelsea debut with a goal to make it 6-2.Match result: Wolves 2-6 ChelseaFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSFollow our live blog below…Young, gifted and BlueOne of the most impressive factors of Chelsea’s six-goal success this afternoon was the youthful exuberance of their side.Enzo Maresca named nine players aged 23 or younger in his starting XI today, and it is only the fourth time in Premier League history that has happened.The other instances are Middlesbrough vs Fulham in May 2006 (10), Aston Villa vs Swansea in January 2013 (10) and Chelsea vs Man Utd in May 2023 (9).Copy linkCopiedCole and Noni Mad for itAfter all of the pre-match hullaballoo regarding Noni Madueke’s social media post about the city of Wolverhampton, it was inevitable that the winger would have a say in matters on the pitch.And so it proved with the 22-year-old bagging his first senior hat-trick.All three goals were supplied to him on a plate by Cole Palmer, and were converted from a similar position in the area.It is is just the fifth time in Premier League history that a player has assisted a teammate for three or more goals in the same game.Mike Newell for Alan Shearer (3 in 1995)Stan Collymore for Robbie Fowler (3 in 1995)Freddie Ljungberg for Thierry Henry (3 in 2003)Harry Kane for Heung-min Son (4 in 2020)Cole Palmer for Noni Madueke (3 in 2024)Copy linkCopiedMatch stats from MolineuxChelsea’s victory at Wolves is one in the eye for the xG enthusiasts.Copy linkCopiedFull time – Wolves 2-6 ChelseaNoni Madueke didn’t think much of Wolverhampton on arrival this morning – but he’s certainly enjoyed his afternoon at Molineux.The Chelsea winger hit a 14-minute second half hat-trick that knocked the stuffing out of Wolves, and left the home fans howling in despair.It was a breathless contest throughout, but while the first half was end-to-end drama, the second half was all about the Blues.A debut goal for Joao Felix capped it off for Enzo Maresca’s side, who are up and running for the season with three points and six goals.Copy linkCopiedWolves 2-6 Chelsea90+7. I’ve just remembered that Enzo Maresca started his playing career at West Brom.That’s not going to help the locals around here tonight.Copy linkCopiedWolves 2-6 Chelsea90+5. There are a lot of empty orange seats around here.Meanwhile, Joao Felix makes a mess of a simple pass that would have had Neto in on goal.Copy linkCopiedWolves 2-6 Chelsea90+2. Mario Lemina hasn’t deserved to be on a losing side today.The Wolves captain looks crestfallen as he’s withdrawn in injury time with Tommy Doyle sent on in his place.Copy linkCopiedWolves 2-6 Chelsea90. Wolves’ players and supporters will have to endure another eight minutes before they are put out of their misery.The Chelsea fans are giving it the ‘oles!’ for every successful pass.Copy linkCopiedWolves 2-6 Chelsea88. Chelsea come forward looking for more.Nkuku carries the ball, but holds on to it too long before looking for Madueke.The hat-trick hero clearly fancies a fourth, and thumps just wide from 20 yards out.Copy linkCopiedWolves 2-6 Chelsea86. Strand Larsen has a half-chance to narrow the deficit, but snatches at his shot on the turn to arrow wide of Robert Sanchez’s goal.More Wolves fans head for the exit.Copy linkCopiedWolves 2-6 Chelsea84. Cole Palmer departs to a standing ovation from the travelling fans, and leaves with a stunning goal and three assists to his name.Christopher Nkunku gets a run out.Copy linkCopiedWolves 2-6 Chelsea82. The Chelsea fans are in full voice.The Chelsea players are at full pelt.Don’t rule out a seventh.Copy linkCopiedWolves 2-6 Chelsea80. There’s no doubt about this one though, and Joao Felix has his first goal since coming back to Chelsea!And on his return to Molineux, Pedro Neto also has his first assist in a blue shirt.It’s a sweeping counter-attack in which Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall sprays the ball out to the former Wolves man on the left.His run is direct, his low cross is perfect, and Joao Felix’s first time sidefoot into the top corner is sublime.If the first half was chaotic, the second has been a Chelsea masterclass.Copy linkCopiedSix of the best!Copy linkCopiedWolves 2-5 Chelsea78. Lemina slams Wolves back into the contest with a stunning finish!But the celebrations – as tame as they are – are cut short.Toti is adjudged to have been offside when picked out in the area, and the VAR reviews quickly back the linesman up on that.It’s such a shame for the Wolves captain, who ends up connecting with real power when running on to a loose ball just outside of the area to smash past Robert Sanchez.When your luck’s out, your luck’s out…Copy linkCopiedWolves 2-5 Chelsea75. Enzo Maresca decides that the sensible thing is to rest Moises Caicedo with the points seemingly in the bag.The midfielder limps out of the action and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is on for the remainder.Copy linkCopiedWolves 2-5 Chelsea73. The home have been completely rocked by that quickfire hat-trick from Wolverhampton nemesis Noni Madueke.Co-incidentally, it is the fifth time in Premier League history that one player has assisted another for all three goals of a hat-trick.Copy linkCopiedWolves 2-5 Chelsea71. Darren England has just about calmed things down out there.The referee books Mosquera for the foul that while hard was low, and also yellow cards Cucurella for his protests.Caicedo is moving very gingerly as a result of the challenge.Copy linkCopiedWolves 2-5 Chelsea69. Crash! That’s a thumping challenge on Caicedo by Mosquera!It brings a furious reaction from the Chelsea players, and now there is a big melee inside the Wolves half.Cucurella is asking for a VAR review, and the officials will do well to get a handle on this one.Copy linkCopiedWolves 2-5 Chelsea67. And now Joao Felix does come on for the BluesThe Portuguese forward replaces Nicolas Jackson.Meanwhile, Wolves make a trio of changes with Craig Dawson, Rodrigo Gomes and Pablo Sarabia on; Matheus Cunha, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Rayan Ait-Nouri make way.Copy linkCopiedWolves 2-5 Chelsea65. Enzo Maresca is preparing to give Joao Felix his second Chelsea debut.Let’s hope it goes better than the first.Copy linkCopiedWolves 2-5 Chelsea63. This is astonishing – for so many reasons!For the third time in 14 minutes, Chelsea score the same goal with Cole Palmer playing in Noni Madueke.On this occasion, Wolves are caught playing out from the back and the Blues go to work. A simple Palmer pass, a thumping Madueke finish, and this game is as good as over.The scorer celebrates his hat-trick by holding a ball aloft in front of the home fans, who started the afternoon by booing him relentlessly, but must now admit defeat.Copy linkCopiedHat-trick!Copy linkCopiedWolves 2-4 Chelsea60. What do Wolves do here?Gary O’Neil’s team have gone to pieces at the start of the second half, and are in danger of being blown away by a rampant Chelsea.Copy linkCopiedWolves 2-4 Chelsea58. Chelsea finally have the cushion of a two-goal lead!The Cole Palmer-Noni Madueke partnership pays dividends again with a carbon copy of the last goal.This time there’s no need for the deflection with the Chelsea winger powerfully firing through the legs of Jose Sa after being slotted in by Palmer.Their defence may be questionable, but the Blues attack has clicked into gear today.Copy linkCopied More

    • 200 Shares149 Views

      in Soccer

      Bournemouth 1 Newcastle 1: Match ends in major controversy as hosts’ last-minute winner is RULED OUT

      by

      BOURNEMOUTH were denied a stoppage time win over their former boss Eddie Howe after late VAR drama.The officials chalked off the goal for handball despite it looking like the ball had struck Dango Ouattara’s shoulder before it hit the net.Marcus Tavernier broke the deadlock for BournemouthCredit: GettyAnthony Gordon poked in at the back post to equaliseCredit: RexDango Ouattara’s late winner was disallowed in the 93rd minuteCredit: GettyVAR chalked it off for handballCredit: XAndoni Iraola was fuming and a a member of Bournemouth’s backroom staff was red carded by David Coote for his protests.Howe was also clearly upset with his team’s performance, shaking his head in clear frustration before VAR came to his rescue.The former Cherries gaffer played a seismic role on the south coast club’s 125-year history, lifting his home town club from League Two oblivion to Premier League stardom.In two spells he transformed the cash-strapped minnows, who were in danger of going out of business and losing their league status, from underdogs to serious top-flight opposition.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLBut Howe sampled once again the torment of failing to beat his beloved Bournemouth in the Premier League for the fifth time of asking.Liverpool-target Anthony Gordon salvaged a point for Newcastle 13 minutes from time after Marcus Tavernier had given Bournemouth a first-half lead.Howe has now suffered four draws and a 2-0 defeat in Dorset.The Cherries made five changes from the side that earned a late draw at Nottingham Forest, parading their new £40million Brazilian striker Evanilson for the first time.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSAnd Newcastle gave former Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly his full debut on his old stomping ground – no doubt to contest the strong and dangerous winger Antoine Semenyo.Bournemouth’s billionaire US owner Bill Foley was also in town to take in the weekend’s 125th anniversary celebrations as well as watch one of the most eagerly awaited fixtures of the campaign.Kieran Trippier goes viral during Newcastle’s clash at Bournemouth after painful moment is caught on Sky Sports camerasAlexander Isak was put clear down the right and should have done better than allow Cherries goalkeeper Neto to save with his legs.The Cherries had their best chance after 18 minutes when Ryan Christie played in Evanilson, whose first time effort was kept out of the net by goalkeeper Nick Pope’s outstretched leg.And immediately at the other end, the ever-dangerous Isak placed a wonderful pass across the home which England star Gordon couldn’t quite get to.Yet it was Newcastle who were saved by the woodwork on 27 minutes after a piece of magic by the irrepressible Semenyo.Marcus Tavernier also worried Pope with a free-kick which hit the wall, forcing the stopper to concede a corner with the ball spinning towards goal.But the former Middlesbrough star was soon celebrating his tenth goal for the Cherries on 37 minutes after more wonderful work by Semenyo.The winger dispossessed Joelinton in the middle of the park and ran straight at the visitors defence before crossing the perfect ball for Tavernier to slot home.The Ghana wide man moved inside to the edge of box and whipped a swerving shot over the air-borne Pope and onto the bar.Former Bristol City star Semenyo was a constant menace for the Toon boys and his one-man assault continued after the break.Andoni Iraola was fuming over the decision, claiming it hit Ouattara’s shoulderHowe had seen enough just before the hour and want-away Kieran Trippier replaced Tino Livramento, while Jacob Murphy came off for Harvey Barnes.But it was still Semenyo who caught the eye again when he weaved in and out of tackles and came within inches of setting up a goal for Evanilson at the back post.The Brazilian, signed from Porto as a replacement for Dominic Solanke, desperately stuck out his boot but he couldn’t get enough on the ball to deflect it home.Newcastle fought back as Joelinton thought he had sneaked a leveller when he met Gordon’s cross perfectly with his head only to see Neto pull off a remarkable one-handed save.Now the Magpies were swooping relentlessly on the Cherries goal and the breakthrough moment finally arrived 13 minutes from time.Barnes made space for himself before lifting an exquisite cross that just evaded Milos Kerkez allowing Gordon to volley into the net.READ MORE SUN STORIESBoth sides went close to clinching victory in the dying minutes before Ouattara suffered at the death from VAR.Even Newcastle legend Alan Shearer slammed the decision, tweeting: “A lucky point as that’s an awful decision re handball. Never handball for me.” More

    • 225 Shares119 Views

      in Soccer

      Fans ask ‘how can you not love him?’ after Haaland’s blunt eight-word response to reporter’s fantasy football question

      by

      HOW can you not love Erling Haaland – even if he does not care about your fantasy football team?The Manchester City ace shut down a reporter with a brutally witty eight-word response to a Premier League fantasy football question.Erling Haaland gave a blunt eight-word response in his post-match interviewCredit: X formerly Twitter / @OptusSportHaaland was asked a fantasy football questionCredit: X formerly Twitter / @OptusSportHaaland was in goal monster form after a netting his tenth Man City hat-trick in Saturday’s 4-1 win against Ipswich.And most footie fans around the country reaped the benefits of having the double Golden Boot winner run rampant against the newly-promoted side. Around nine of out ten fantasy football managers would have captained the Norwegian striker on the second Gameweek.Captains score double points and strikers are typically awarded four points per goal and gain an additional three for being the best-rated player – so most Haaland owners bagged 34 points on Saturday.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSThe reporter asked him: “What was your favourite goal from today.”Before the 24-year-old said: “I liked all of the four.”The journalist then quizzed: “I’ve got a fantasy league with my friends and we all captained you today apart from one guy. We’ve all been laughing at him today. What’s your message to the guy who left you out?”To which Haaland replied: “Yeah it’s sad for him and I don’t care”, before grinning.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSAnd fans were left amused with the light-hearted encounter.One wrote on X: “HOW CAN YOU NOT LOVE HIM!”A second said: “Haaland is brilliant. He honestly doesn’t care.”A third replied: “Winning mentality. Lets be honest we all have in our fantasy teams.”Manchester City’s Phil Foden shuns posh holiday for £100 tent at a £14-a-day fishing lake in the CotswoldsHaaland also hilariously jabbed at Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella after the champions stormed to a 2-0 victory at Stamford Bridge last Sunday.The battle between the pair came to the surface after Cucurella sang a cheeky song mocking Haaland in the wake of Spain’s Euro 2024 victory.When Haaland was asked about the Blues star after their season opener, he delivered an amusing dig at the 26-year-old.He told Viaplay: “Well, Cucurella is a funny man. Last season he asked for my shirt… and this summer he sings a song about me.”Changes to the Premier League for 2024/25NOTHING stays the same forever.And that includes the Premier League, which is making a number of tweaks this season.Team news will now be released 75 MINUTES before kick-off, 15 minutes earlier than had been the case before.Things could get crowded on the touchline, with the number of substitutes permitted to warm-up boosted from three players per team to FIVE.There’s also a change to how added time is calculated when a team scores a goal, an update to the ‘multiball’ system and the introduction of semi-automated offsides – but not straight away.Go here to read about all the changes to the Premier League for 2024/25. More

    • 238 Shares149 Views

      in Soccer

      Napoli agree £25m deal to sign Scott McTominay in move that could help Man Utd land top transfer target

      by

      NAPOLI are closing in on a deal for Manchester United star Scott McTominay, according to reports.A fee of £25million has been agreed between the two clubs, with the Red Devils set to receive a percentage of the fee should he leave the Italian side in the future.Scott McTominay is set to join Napoli for £25mCredit: GettyManuel Ugarte is set to replace McTominay at Old TraffordCredit: GettyBoth Man Utd and Napoli are now waiting to get the green light from the player. McTominay, who has been the subject of interest from Fulham this summer, sees his deal expire at Old Trafford come the end of the season.The club have an option to extend his stay by 12 months but would rather cash-in.McTominay’s sale will go down as “pure profit” as he is from the United academy.READ MORE ON MAN UTDThis will help them comply with Profit and Sustainability Rules.The Athletic claim Napoli chief Giovanni Manna has been in Manchester this week to strike a deal for McTominay.The 27-year-old Scot has been on the books of United since he was aged five.He has played 255 times for the club, scoring 29 goals. Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSMan Utd are now set to put the funds towards signing PSG star Manuel Ugarte. He is the club’s No1 midfielder target and they are reportedly set to pay £51million for him.SunSport’s Latest Transfer HeadlinesUgarte is keen on the switch and is ready to travel to Manchester.Meanwhile, Napoli representatives have also been in England this week to discuss deals with Chelsea’s Romelu Lukaku and Brighton’s Billy Gilmour.Man Utd ratings vs Brighton: Diallo shines again by Maguire costs Red Devils againMANCHESTER UNITED suffered more misery on the seaside as they lost again at the Amex.It was almost all so different for the Red Devils as, at 1-1, fans celebrated what they thought was a winner – only for the goal to be ruled out in a bonkers offside call.And Joao Pedro pounced to snatch the three points for Brighton deep into added time.Here’s how SunSport’s Lloyd Canfield rated United’s stars…ANDRE ONANA – 4/10Not convincing from a goalkeeper we know can perform with the best in this league.NOUSSAIR MAZRAOUI – 6Has been a good upgrade on Wan-Bissaka judging by his opening performances in a United shirt.HARRY MAGUIRE – 4Was caught ball watching for Danny Welbeck’s opener, and was rendered useless after letting it run past him twice.Improved in the second half with some crucial blocks and was decent in terms of building from the back, but his error may have cost his team three points.LISANDRO MARTINEZ – 5Not a particularly noticeable performance from ‘The Butcher’ in a positive or negative sense.Suppose it was a solid showing but was also caught ball watching for the opening goal.DIOGO DALOT – 7Was unlucky not to have an assist in the first half, but played well and put the team on his back at times.Made a crucial goal line block early on in the second half to deny Brighton a two-goal lead and played some good crosses throughout.CASEMIRO – 6Stepped into tackles well when required and is having something of a resurgence at the start of this season – doesn’t look as off the pace as he did last campaign.His final ball was disappointing at times, but overall a solid showing.KOBBIE MAINOO – 7Composure personified, Kobbie played like a midfielder well beyond his years.Was always on hand to break up play, a la N’Golo Kante, but showed a calmness and ability on the half-turn which really puts him up there with the best in the league – a great performance let down by that of his teammates.MASON MOUNT – 5Didn’t play badly in the first half, but also added nothing really going forward for this Man Utd team.Hooked at half-time for the more threatening Joshua Zirkzee.MARCUS RASHFORD – 6Had a goal ruled out in the first half after he had persisted brilliantly to head home.A little unlucky but it was still far from the finest Marcus Rashford performance we have seen, he looked a little low on confidence before being hooked for the more confident Garnacho.AMAD DIALLO – 8Had a great chance to open the scoring early on in the game as he arrived at the back post, but it wasn’t quite at the right height for him.The young winger clearly has bundles of ability, and bagged the equaliser with a fine cut inside and finish with his left foot.Worth a note that after losing his mother it takes a hell of a man to even be out on that pitch at 22-years-old. Well played Amad, we are with you.BRUNO FERNANDES – 7Cut a frustrated figure up front for Man Utd in the first half before thinking he’d bagged an assist when Alejandro Garnacho tapped home, only for it to be ruled out by VAR.Just wasn’t his day today, but still created chances for his team and looked the most likely source of a winner for the Red Devils.SUBS:JOSHUA ZIRKZEE (MASON MOUNT, 45) – 4His only real action of note in the game was denying his team the winning goal.Alejandro Garnacho had done the hard work and was about to give Man Utd the lead, only for Zirkzee to slide in and see it ruled out for offside.His mistake did display an eagerness to score, but it was an error which cost his side nonetheless.ALEJANDRO GARNACHO (MARCUS RASHFORD, 65) – 6Did his job well in replacing Marcus Rashford and adding the end product which was needed by Erik ten Hag, but was robbed of a goal by his teammate as aforementioned.Looks a danger whenever he plays on that left hand side, but after the goal that never was he was well defended for the remaining minutes.SCOTT MCTOMINAY (BRUNO FERNANDES, 79) – 5Bought on as a target man once again to try and get the winner for United, he wasn’t really provided with many opportunities in just over 10 minutes to really do that.MATTHIJS DE LIGT (HARRY MAGUIRE, 79) – 5Wasn’t really given enough of a chance to show what he is all about, but it’s minutes in the tank for the new man and he did what was asked of him after coming off the bench.ANTONY (AMAD DIALLO, 90) – 5In fairness to him, made a good run as soon as he entered the pitch and crossed well for Scott McTominay.However, he wasn’t given enough time to make any significant impact. More

    • 200 Shares179 Views

      in Soccer

      Enzo Maresca explains Romeo Lavia’s absence after Chelsea star is left out of squad against Wolves

      by

      ROMEO LAVIA missed the trip to Wolves due to a hamstring injury, Enzo Maresca confirmed.The Belgian youngster, 20, played just once in the entirety of his debut season at Stamford Bridge due to a series of injuries.Romeo Lavia’s injury woes have struck again with a hamstring strainCredit: GettyHe started the 2-0 opening-weekend defeat to Manchester City, playing 67 minutes alongside Moises Caicedo before being replaced by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.Lavia then came on for the final six minutes against Servette in Conference League qualifying.And he was just beginning to build confidence and make his mark in the starting XI.Lavia insisted “we are building something amazing” in West London while Cole Palmer tipped the ex-Southampton man to blow fans away this term. READ MORE ON CHELSEABut his injury woes returned and the crocked £58million star was ruled out of today’s clash away at Wolves.Maresca tried to play down the seriousness of the problem, though.The Chelsea manager revealed: “Romeo has a small hamstring issue but not a huge concern.”Carney Chukwuemeka also missed out on the matchday squad at Molineux amid reports linking him with a transfer exit. Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSNew signing Joao Felix is involved following his permanent switch from Atletico Madrid.However, he must settle for a place on the bench alongside fellow Portuguese stars Renato Veiga and Pedro Neto.Why Joao Felix’s transfer to Chelsea is not as crazy is it soundsEvery Chelsea signing under Todd BoehlyHere is a list of all Chelsea’s signings under Todd Boehly…Raheem Sterling – £50mKalidou Koulibaly £33mGabriel Slonina – £8mCarney Chukweumeka – £20mMarc Cucurella – £57.5mCesare Casadei – £13.3mWesley Fofana – £70mPierre-Emerick Aubameyang – £10.3mDenis Zakaria – £2.7m (Loan fee)David Datro Fofana – £10.6mBenoit Badiashile – £33.7mAndrey Santos – £11.1mJoao Felix – £9.7m (Loan fee)Mykhailo Mudryk – £62m Noni Madueke – £30mMalo Gusto – £26.75mEnzo Fernandez – £107.8mChristopher Nkunku – £52mDiego Moreira – FREENicolas Jackson – £31.5mAngelo Gabriel – £13mLesley Ugochukwu – £23.3mAxel Disasi – £38.9mRobert Sanchez – £20mMoises Caicedo – £100mRomeo Lavia – £53.2mDeivid Washington – £13.7mCole Palmer – £40.1mDjordje Petrovic – £13.6mTosin Adarabioyo – FREEMarc Guiu – £5.1mCaleb Wiley – £8.63mRenato Veiga – £12mAarón Anselmino – £14mOmari Kellyman – £19.2mFilip Jorgensen – £21mKiernan Dewsbury-Hall – £30.2mPedro Neto – £51mJoao Felix – £42.6mNew No7 Neto left Wolves for Chelsea this summer in a £54m but was given a warm reception by the home fans when he got off the bus on his return. It meant Maresca opted for skipper Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo in midfield – with the ex-Brighton man dropping into a deeper role to fill the Lavia’s spot.Noni Madueke started on the right – following his X-rated assessment of Wolverhampton on social media – with Mykhailo Mudryk on the left.Cole Palmer supported striker Nicolas Jackson – meaning Christopher Nkunku dropped to the bench.Maresca stuck with a back four of Malo Gusto, Wesley Fofana, Levi Colwill and Marc Cucurella in front of goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. More

    • 238 Shares139 Views

      in Soccer

      Rio Ferdinand gasps ‘imagine being a player now’ as he spots Man Utd coaches’ instructions for Zirkzee vs Brighton

      by

      RIO FERDINAND admitted he “couldn’t imagine” being a Premier League player now after watching Joshua Zirkzee receive information on a tablet at half-time against Brighton.The Dutch striker was brought on at the break at the Amex after Manchester United saw themselves 1-0 down – before falling to a 2-1 defeat in stoppage time.Rio Ferdinand said he couldn’t “imagine being a player now”Credit: TNT SportsAs Joshua Zirkzee was given instructions on an iPad before being subbed onCredit: TNT SportsZirkzee would later play a pivotal role in the ruled out goal dramaCredit: TNT SportsZirkzee replaced Mason Mount, who was deployed in a joint false-nine role with Bruno Fernandes in the first half.United had started the game strongly but were haunted by former forward Danny Welbeck – who notched his 100th Prem goal inside 32 minutes.Erik Ten Hag summoned reinforcements and sent Zirkzee on to replicate his goalscoring showing from the season opener against Fulham.As the United players lined the tunnel, Zirkzee was seen checking out a tablet that was apparently revealing his role in a zonal marking system. READ MORE ON MAN UTDJust as the TNT cameras returned, Ferdinand said: “I couldn’t imagine being a player today. There’s so much information.”Look at that, there’s pages and pages, scrolls and scrolls and scrolls of different ways to play.”We used to have one hand meant that, and the other hand meant this.”United were struggling to deal with the Seagulls’ high line before Amad Diallo equalised for the visitors.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSZirkzee found himself at the centre of the biggest drama of the afternoon after his freak offside saw Alejandro Garnacho’s goal chalked off.Garnacho thought he had tapped in an easy finish to put United 2-1 up but the ball ricocheted off Zirkzee’s knee on the line – with the striker in an offside position after having already slid in.Did Mazraoui Just Solve Man Utd’s Attacking Problems? | Tactics ExposedHad Zirkzee made contact with the ball once the ball had fully crossed the line, the goal would have stood.Meanwhile, Ferdinand later slammed Antony for a “powder puff tackle” before Joao Pedro’s last-gasp back post winner in the 95th minute.In the build-up to the decisive goal, substitute Antony failed to win the ball off Simon Adingra on the edge of the United box.The ball was then recycled back to the winger, who crossed in for Pedro to head home.Man Utd ratings vs Brighton: Diallo shines again by Maguire costs Red Devils againMANCHESTER UNITED suffered more misery on the seaside as they lost again at the Amex.It was almost all so different for the Red Devils as, at 1-1, fans celebrated what they thought was a winner – only for the goal to be ruled out in a bonkers offside call.And Joao Pedro pounced to snatch the three points for Brighton deep into added time.Here’s how SunSport’s Lloyd Canfield rated United’s stars…ANDRE ONANA – 4/10Not convincing from a goalkeeper we know can perform with the best in this league.NOUSSAIR MAZRAOUI – 6Has been a good upgrade on Wan-Bissaka judging by his opening performances in a United shirt.HARRY MAGUIRE – 4Was caught ball watching for Danny Welbeck’s opener, and was rendered useless after letting it run past him twice.Improved in the second half with some crucial blocks and was decent in terms of building from the back, but his error may have cost his team three points.LISANDRO MARTINEZ – 5Not a particularly noticeable performance from ‘The Butcher’ in a positive or negative sense.Suppose it was a solid showing but was also caught ball watching for the opening goal.DIOGO DALOT – 7Was unlucky not to have an assist in the first half, but played well and put the team on his back at times.Made a crucial goal line block early on in the second half to deny Brighton a two-goal lead and played some good crosses throughout.CASEMIRO – 6Stepped into tackles well when required and is having something of a resurgence at the start of this season – doesn’t look as off the pace as he did last campaign.His final ball was disappointing at times, but overall a solid showing.KOBBIE MAINOO – 7Composure personified, Kobbie played like a midfielder well beyond his years.Was always on hand to break up play, a la N’Golo Kante, but showed a calmness and ability on the half-turn which really puts him up there with the best in the league – a great performance let down by that of his teammates.MASON MOUNT – 5Didn’t play badly in the first half, but also added nothing really going forward for this Man Utd team.Hooked at half-time for the more threatening Joshua Zirkzee.MARCUS RASHFORD – 6Had a goal ruled out in the first half after he had persisted brilliantly to head home.A little unlucky but it was still far from the finest Marcus Rashford performance we have seen, he looked a little low on confidence before being hooked for the more confident Garnacho.AMAD DIALLO – 8Had a great chance to open the scoring early on in the game as he arrived at the back post, but it wasn’t quite at the right height for him.The young winger clearly has bundles of ability, and bagged the equaliser with a fine cut inside and finish with his left foot.Worth a note that after losing his mother it takes a hell of a man to even be out on that pitch at 22-years-old. Well played Amad, we are with you.BRUNO FERNANDES – 7Cut a frustrated figure up front for Man Utd in the first half before thinking he’d bagged an assist when Alejandro Garnacho tapped home, only for it to be ruled out by VAR.Just wasn’t his day today, but still created chances for his team and looked the most likely source of a winner for the Red Devils.SUBS:JOSHUA ZIRKZEE (MASON MOUNT, 45) – 4His only real action of note in the game was denying his team the winning goal.Alejandro Garnacho had done the hard work and was about to give Man Utd the lead, only for Zirkzee to slide in and see it ruled out for offside.His mistake did display an eagerness to score, but it was an error which cost his side nonetheless.ALEJANDRO GARNACHO (MARCUS RASHFORD, 65) – 6Did his job well in replacing Marcus Rashford and adding the end product which was needed by Erik ten Hag, but was robbed of a goal by his teammate as aforementioned.Looks a danger whenever he plays on that left hand side, but after the goal that never was he was well defended for the remaining minutes.SCOTT MCTOMINAY (BRUNO FERNANDES, 79) – 5Bought on as a target man once again to try and get the winner for United, he wasn’t really provided with many opportunities in just over 10 minutes to really do that.MATTHIJS DE LIGT (HARRY MAGUIRE, 79) – 5Wasn’t really given enough of a chance to show what he is all about, but it’s minutes in the tank for the new man and he did what was asked of him after coming off the bench.ANTONY (AMAD DIALLO, 90) – 5In fairness to him, made a good run as soon as he entered the pitch and crossed well for Scott McTominay.However, he wasn’t given enough time to make any significant impact. More