Premier League

ARSENAL could be forced into a new-look midfield against Tottenham after Martin Odegaard became the latest star to suffer a blow.Mikel Arteta was already without Declan Rice and Mikel Merino for the upcoming derby in north London.Arsenal could have a new look against Spurs following Martin Odegaard’s injuryCredit: RexRice is suspended after being sent off in Arsenal’s draw with Brighton before the international break.While new signing Merino is out for several months after injuring his shoulder in a freak training ground fall.But Arsenal are now set to be without Odegaard as well after he picked up an injury on international duty.The Gunners captain was carried off the field in tears after hurting his ankle in Norway’s 2-1 win over Austria.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe 25-year-old went down after a 50/50 tussle as replays showed his ankle rolled out from beneath his body.Odegaard looked distraught as he was forced off the field.And it means Arteta is likely to be without him for Arsenal’s crunch clash at Spurs.Thomas Partey and Jorginho were already likely starters in the absence of both Rice and Merino.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSBut with Odegaard going too, Kai Havertz could be forced from his striker’s role into a deeper position.Arsenal do not have many other options in that creative 10 position, with Fabio Vieira loaned to Porto and Emile Smith Rowe sold to Fulham.’Arsenal’s Declan Rice should NEVER have been sent off vs Brighton’ | The Whistleblower, Mark HalseyArteta could take a gamble by moving Leandro Trossard as a false nine, presenting an opportunity for Raheem Sterling to make his debut on the left.While Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli will also be hoping to take advantage if Havertz is indeed dropped deeper.An even more rogue choice would be the inclusion of teen sensation Ethan Nwaneri, who only made one appearance last season following his debut in the 2022/23 campaign.Arteta could also decide to field one of his versatile defenders in midfield, with the likes of Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jurrien Timber capable of stepping in.However, he is already without Takehiro Tomiyasu for one of his full-back positions.And with Riccardo Calafiori taken off injured for Italy too, he may not want to leave himself light on defensive options by using a back-liner further forward. More

CHELSEA’S £4billion boardroom battle could drive a wedge through the club’s controversial policy on transfers.And former chairman Ken Bates reckons this power-sharing ‘committee’ is a recipe for disaster.Chelsea co-owners Behdad Eghbali and Todd Boehly are in a battle for control of the clubCredit: GettyFormer Blues chairman Ken Bates has warned of a power-sharing disaster at his old clubCredit: AFPBlues’ co-controlling owners Behdad Eghbali and Todd Boehly are at loggerheads and want to buy each other out.Their professional relationship has deteriorated to a point where they can no longer work together.Bates, 92, said: “Football is not the sport I once knew and loved. Clubs are now either an investment or among a group of investments. Chelsea is included in that.“I wouldn’t know how good a committee is or whether they can work because I only ever worked in committees of one.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL“When you get large groups or committees of people trying to work together, you usually end up with two or three people sitting around doodling on a notepad.”Eghbali and his pals from Clearlake Capital on one side of the fence own a 61.5 per cent majority share of Chelsea. Rival Boehly and his allies own 38.5 per cent.Chairman Boehly still has to sign off on all major decisions and that is where the sticking point arises if the stand-off deepens.Chelsea signed 11 players in the summer and Boehly gave the nod to them all, despite being in the minority in terms of shareholding.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSHe also gave the green light to the appointment of new head coach Enzo Maresca in June.But the two Americans have differences of opinion on how to do business and disagreements over spending could cause huge problems to the world’s busiest club in the transfer market.Chelsea Player Ratings vs Crystal Palace SocialChelsea are a circus – it will be TERRIBLE for football if they win anything, says Troy DeeneyCHELSEA are a circus — aren’t they?, writes Troy Deeney.But the bigger concern should be if somehow, some way, Todd Boehly’s insane master-plan brings about success this season.Finish in the top four. Win a trophy like the FA Cup.He will then turn around and say: “See, it works” and all of a sudden, other clubs will begin considering copying this mad model to try and compete in the Premier League.Before you know it, there will be a bigger divide between the top clubs and the rest and this country’s top flight will become something we have been fighting against — a Super League.The smaller sides and promoted teams will be wiped out by the elite and will end up saying, ‘What’s the point?’Football as we know it will change, and there will be no going back.As a neutral, you don’t want to wish failure on a club or a regime, but it’s depressing to think about.We should almost be looking at it in amazement — the owners have come in with this model and they’ve treated it as if they are buying stocks and shares, not players or human beings.Boehly has wiped away any sense of sentiment or old-school values from that club and the worrying thing is that he doesn’t seem to care.Does he even like football?Read Troy Deeney’s hard-hitting opinion on Boehly’s Chelsea shambles in full.Or check out all of Troy’s columns on SunSport.Bates was the combative chairman at Stamford Bridge for more than 20 years until selling the club to Roman Abramovich in 2003.Boehly and Eghbali have spent more than £1.2bn on new players since buying out the Russian in May 2022.The club have shipped some big names out of the dressing room during that time, including £325,000-a-week £47.5million winger Raheem Sterling, who joined Arsenal on loan last month.The board has also pushed through the £76.6m sale of two hotels on the grounds of Stamford Bridge to parent company BlueCo, easing the recent pressure on overspending.Eghbali will not sell his stake to Boehly and is ready to dig his heels in as the tussle for overall control of the West London club ramps up.Boehly and Co have spent more than £1.2billion on players since buying Chelsea in 2022Credit: AlamyEghbali is refusing to sell his stake to Boehly as he looks to buy his co-owner outCredit: AFPBut the Iran-born businessman does not want a war with his partner turned rival.Chelsea were run for years by sole trader Abramovich who made unanimous decisions.But sanctions placed on the oligarch by the UK Government forced him into an emergency sale of the club.READ MORE SUN STORIESBoehly joined forces with Clearlake Capital investment firm to raise £2.5bn to buy Blues with a further £1.75bn promised for investment.Chelsea finished sixth in the Premier League last season and Maresca is the fourth full-time manager since they bought out Abramovich. More

MARTIN ODEGAARD is a major injury risk for the North London Derby after limping off on international duty in tears.Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta will already be without key midfielder Declan Rice following his red card against Brighton.Martin Odegaard injured his ankle on international dutyCredit: YouTubeHe suffered the injury against AustriaCredit: YouTubeOdegaard hobbled off with a classy touch from his team-mate Erling HaalandCredit: RexHis girlfriend Helene Spilling watched on concernedCredit: YouTubeAnd now the Gunners boss is sweating on his skipper’s fitness in what could be another bitter blow. Odegaard, 25, captained Norway in their Nations League Group B3 clash against Austria. But he was in agony just after the hour mark after a seemingly innocuous 50-50 tussle for possession, rolling his left ankle.Odegaard immediately went down clutching the joint, writhing around in agony as replays showed the severity of the seemingly innocuous incident with Christoph Baumgartner.READ MORE ON ARSENALAnd concerned Norway boss Stale Solbakken admitted it looked “painful” when quizzed by the media after full-time.He said: “It looked painful, in the locker room, too.”He was sitting with the physios and had no chance to continue. We know it was an ankle sprain.”And, as those of us who have played football know, with luck it can turn out OK, if the ligaments aren’t torn.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS”But I’m not sure Mikel Arteta will call me tonight to praise me.”TV cameras cut to the crowd and showed Odegaard’s girlfriend Helene Spilling looking on concerned. Arsenal wages 2024-25 revealedThe playmaker was treated by physios on the pitch with his head in his hands before hobbling off gingerly and in tears, assisted by the medics as he was barely able to put any weight on his left foot.Baumgartner apologised for the collision – although the RB Leipzig forward was not at fault for the injury in the genuine battle for the ball.Erling Haaland gave his team-mate a touch of consolation as the star headed off.But ironically, the injury could boost Haaland’s own title hopes.I’m not sure Mikel Arteta will call me tonight to praise me.Stale SolbakkenArsenal face a trip to Spurs on Sunday afternoon – before their opening Champions League clash next Thursday away at Atalanta then a visit to the Etihad to take on the champions on September 22.And the fear of being without their influential skipper is now very real.Rice’s suspension rules him out of the clash at Tottenham while new £32million midfielder Mikel Merino is sidelined with a fractured shoulder picked up in his very first Gunners training session.Arsenal have a tricky start to the seasonAnd should Odegaard also be unavailable for the derby, Arteta will need to experiment.Thomas Partey, Jorginho and dropping Kai Havertz in could be the most likely option – with the manager unlikely to turn to the inexperienced youngsters Myles Lewis-Skelly or Ethan Nwaneri for such a high-profile match. Elsewhere, it has already been a costly international break for Arteta with new defender Riccardo Calafiori picking up a bizarre injury and leaving the Italy camp following the freak incident. READ MORE SUN STORIESIn Oslo, Felix Horn Myhre’s opener was cancelled out by ex-Manchester United loanee Marcel Sabitzer.But Haaland grabbed the victory ten minutes from time after initially being flagged offside before a lengthy VAR check proved he was on. The incident was a genuine and fair tussle for the ballCredit: RexThe Norwegian was clearly in significant painCredit: YouTubeOdegaard’s Arsenal have a crunch week with three tough away games coming upCredit: RexHe could barely put any weight on his left foot as he headed offCredit: Rex More

ERIK TEN HAG has been slammed by Piers Morgan in an astonishing rant.The broadcaster called the Manchester United manager a “complete idiot” after launching into a tirade whilst discussing Cristiano Ronaldo.Piers Morgan has slammed Erik ten Hag in an astonishing rantCredit: GettyManchester United boss Ten Hag was called a ‘complete idiot’ by Morgan during his tiradeCredit: GettyThe broadcaster’s rant was prompted by discussing Cristiano Ronaldo’s performancesCredit: GettyMorgan did not hold back in his assessment of Ten Hag, who is already under pressure this season.He infamously interviewed Ronaldo in November 2022 prior to his controversial Old Trafford exit.Appearing on talkSPORT, Morgan praised the 39-year-old’s performances during the international break.Ronaldo’s strikes against Croatia and Scotland have seen him pass the landmark of 900 career goals.READ MORE MAN UTD NEWSHowever, when asked why Ten Hag allowed Ronaldo to leave United for Saudi Arabia, the TalkTV presenter exclaimed: “Ten Hag is a complete idiot. I’m sorry, he is, he has been since he went there (United).”He even took aim at the Dutchman’s recent comments following United’s 3-0 loss to Liverpool, adding: “He talks complete gibberish, he’s now banging on about Harry Potter or something.”As for his now iconic chat with Ronaldo in the build-up to the 2022 World Cup, Morgan said: “Ten Hag is everything Ronaldo told me he was in that interview that led to him leaving United.”Ronaldo criticised the club and his treatment by the Red Devils boss amid the straining of his relationship with Ten Hag.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSHe ultimately left United before signing for Al-Nassr after just 13 appearances under the former Ajax boss.Morgan continued to hit out at Ten Hag, fuming: “You know the problem with Ten Hag? He’s like that bossy little school teacher you get who doesn’t know how to handle supreme academic talent. Watch moment pitch invader joins Portugal attack before ‘trying to hug Cristiano Ronaldo’… and steward has a nightmareMorgan sat down with Ronaldo for an explosive interview in 2022 which led to his United exitCredit: TalkTVTen Hag has lost two of his three Premier League matches already this seasonCredit: Getty”You look at the players he’s been unable to handle at United, Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford – it’s all the top players.”He can handle the lesser ones, he can handle the guys he brings in from Ajax who’ve never been on the big world stage, but he cannot handle top players.”I can’t believe I’m saying this, as it’s a miracle, but United have got worse than they were last season and there are two hopes for United of getting the top four this season – no hope and Bob Hope, and Bob Hope’s been dead about 20 years.”United have lost two of their first three Premier League matches following an eighth placed finish last term.Meanwhile, Ronaldo has scored 62 goals in 68 appearances for Al-Nassr since joining the Saudi Pro League side.His goals in the Nations League over the last week have also taken his career tally to 901 for club and country.Ronaldo scored just three goals in 13 United appearances under Ten HagCredit: ReutersThe 39-year-old’s two goals during the international break have taken his career tally to 901Credit: Getty More