Premier League

ANTHONY GORDON is proving as much of a hotshot off the pitch as on it.The Newcastle forward banked almost £3million last season in image rights payments.Anthony Gordon is raking it in off the pitch with his image rights companyCredit: GettyGordon’s image was dented this month with a three-match ban for violent conduct after lashing out at Brighton’s Jan Paul van Hecke.His red mist meant he is suspended for Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Liverpool.But he remains a key member of Eddie Howe’s squad as they push to get back into the Champions League.Gordon earns £150k a week from his bumper contract with Toon.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLBut the 24-year-old also earned the eye-watering sum on top of that last year.His firm Ollenotna Ltd made about £2.9m before tax in 2023-24.After settling bills, the company was left with assets of £1,694,030.The company was set up in January 2023 when Gordon signed from Everton in a £45million deal.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERSThe huge sums were revealed in the first set of accounts posted by his firm, described as “other sports activities.”Gordon could earn even more should he eventually leave Newcastle.Iconic London landmark lit up by Newcastle stars in incredible projection show ahead of Carabao Cup finalThe winger was a target for Liverpool last summer.But he ended up staying put at St James’ Park before signing a new long-term contract in October.Gordon is now preparing to link up with England after being called up to Thomas Tuchel’s first squad.He will compete with Marcus Rashford for a spot on the left wing and will be hoping to line up in the first World Cup qualifier against Albania. More

CHRISTIAN NORGAARD gave sleepy Bournemouth nightmares.The Dane revealed last week he feared that he might become addicted to sleeping pills.Christian Norgaard completes Brentford’s comebackCredit: GettyNorgaard runs away to celebrate putting the Bees aheadCredit: PABut Norgaard was wide awake when he volleyed home a second half winner that equalled a 15-year record.Brentford claimed their fifth consecutive away win for the first time since they achieved it in League One in 2010.And his goal only served to add more misery on the Cherries who have never beaten the Londoners in the Premier League.This was a big blow to Bournemouth’s Champion League dreams having now lost three home games in a row.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe Cherries recalled Illia Zabarnyi after the Ukraine defender had served a three-match ban for a sending off against Wolves.Zaba had played every minute of Bournemouth fabulous season before he saw red.The Bees arrived on the south coast knowing they had the Indian sign over their hosts.Bournemouth were winless in their last eight league meetings since beating them in the Championship in August 2014.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERSYoane Wissa levels for the BeesCredit: GettyWissa wheels away after his equaliserCredit: ReutersAnd the Londoners love hitting their opponents fast having scored four times from kick-off.But it was the Cherries who came out flying in attack and left-back Milos Kerkez shot straight at goalkeeper Mark Flekken in the second minute.Then Bournemouth’s teenage centre-back Dean Huijsen stormed upfront, seeing his powerful drive blocked for a corner.Kerkez made a wonderful goal for Marcus Tavernier in last week’s 2-2 draw with Spurs.And the flying Hungarian who was born in Serbia was celebrating another assist on 17 minutes.Antoine Semenyo slipped the perfect pass into Kerkez who fired the ball across the box.Vitaly Janelt, in attempting to help clear the danger, bumped into a team-mate and the ball went into his own net off his arm.This woke the visitors up and it was Bournemouth’s turn to defend for the first time.And the Bees were level on the half-hour when Yoane Wissa outjumped goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and headed home Bryan Mbeumo’s corner.Vitaly Janelt inadvertently turns into his own netCredit: GettyBournemouth celebrate taking a first half leadCredit: ReutersOnce again there were question marks over Arrizabalaga’s goalkeeping because it was a weak effort from the Brazilian to fist the ball clear.Last weekend the Chelsea loanee gave away a penalty allowing Spurs to take a point after being 2-0 down.Kepa’s fellow countryman Evanilson nearly gave the hosts the lead again in this end-to-end contest.Huijsen crossed to the back post where Evanilson’s shot bounced off the ground forcing Flekken to tip the ball against the bar.At the other end Kristoffer Ajer set-up a chance for Janelt to belt the ball over the home bar.The fans must have thought they were at the Wimbledon tennis watching the ball ping around from one end to the other.Semenyo this time found Ryan Christie who drove just wide of the far post.Then two minutes after the break Semenyo thought he had given his team the lead.The Ghana international met Justin Kluivert’s cross perfectly with his head but the ball smashed against the bar.Evanilson burst down the left and as the unmarked Semenyo yelled for the cross Flekken came to the rescue and cut it out.Bournemouth went into this match having notched just four points since the start of February.And with European qualification places up for grabs boss Andoni Iraola was desperate to get his boys back on the Euro track.READ MORE SUN STORIESBut that won’t happen if his team continue to make defensive errors which led to the Bees second goal on 71 minutes.Two defenders allowed Kevin Schade’s long throw bounce in the box and a grateful Norgaard volleyed the ball into the net. More

VITOR PEREIRA can start planning ahead, Ivan Juric can start packing his bags.Southampton fans finally lost patience with their second manager of the season as Jorgen Strand Larsen’s double gave Wolves an even bigger cushion over the relegation places.Wolves won 2-1 at Southampton to move closer to Premier League safetyCredit: ReutersJorgen Strand Larsen scored both goals in the victoryCredit: GettyThe Norwegian had not scored since late December, but the ever generous Saints gifted him the opener before a well-taken second.Substitute Paul Onuachu bagged a fortunate one back for Saints but they never really looked dangerous enough to grab an equaliser.Wolves, now nine points clear of the drop, can surely start planning for next season in the Premier League.Just as Liverpool’s title is effectively wrapped up, the bottom of the table appears sealed too.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLSouthampton are by far the worst of the bunch, but neither Leicester nor Ipswich look capable of troubling those above them either.Pereira will not say so until his side are mathematically safe, but everyone knows they will be alright.Given the desperate state of the three promoted clubs preparing to head straight back down – Wolves could probably stop playing now and still finish above the bottom three.The one thing Saints have to push for is beating Derby’s record low points tally of 11.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSOne win would do it for them, but that feels an awful lot to ask for watching the way this side collapse at the first sign of difficulty.It has been the story of Southampton’s season that just as they start to look half decent in a game, someone does something to remind everyone why they are heading straight back down.Dan Burn’s gone from pushing trolleys at Asda to potential England glory – he fully deserves his call-upThis time around it was Armel Bella-Kotchap’s turn.Saints had started brightly, for a side on nine points in March, and Joe Aribo had the chance to put them ahead before firing over the bar.Two minutes later they fell behind as Strand Larsen was left free to rise and meet Jean-Ricner Bellegarde’s well placed cross as Bella-Kotchap, the closest defender, stood and watched a few yards away.Saints offered little in the way of a response before the game as supporters turned on hapless boss Juric – calling on him to play a striker having started without one for the second game on the bounce.The Croatian caved at the break, sending on Onuachu, but as a replacement for one of Southampton’s few competent players, Matheus Fernandes.This prompted more tumult from the stands, with loud boos and chants of “you don’t know what you’re doing”.Saints have already decided Juric will leave in the summer, the question now is whether they make the change sooner.Southampton were terrible under Russell Martin, but look even worse now.Juric wanted to stop them conceding, but their statuesque defending smacks of a team who have given up.Two minutes into the second half, Saints allowed Wolves to stroll through them, Marshall Munetsi and Bellegarde playing first time passes to tee up Larsen on the edge of the box who powered a smart finish low into the far corner.Saints did start creating some chances, with Yuki Suguwara, Tyler Dibling and Onuachu all having a sniff.Juric’s forwards all lack the quality to provide a cutting edge when it counts and even the goal they got back was more luck than judgement.Onuachu collected the ball just inside the Wolves half and fed Dibling.The teen, who is destined for much bigger and better than St Mary’s come the summer, carried the ball forwards.READ MORE SUN STORIESHis low shot had beaten Sa, but struck the far post and fell for Onuachu to tap in.Southampton looked to have a bit of belief about them that a point was within reach, especially after Joao Gomes had missed a sitter to get Wolves’ third, but no one in the stands really believed it would come.Larsen was given far too much space to head in the openerCredit: PAThe striker had not scored since December before his doubleCredit: GettyPaul Onuachu grabbed a close-range consolation for SaintsCredit: PAVitor Pereira can surely start preparing for life in the Premier League again next seasonCredit: GettySouthampton manager Ivan Juric looks utterly lost for ideasCredit: Reuters More

SIR JIM RATCLIFFE claims that co-owning Manchester United is turning him “into an old man”.The British billionaire, 71, also admits that he doesn’t know why he decided to buy into his boyhood club.Sir Jim Ratcliffe has spoken out about Manchester UnitedCredit: AlamyWith United facing criticism on and off the pitch, Ratcliffe has performed several interviews this week.In the latest, the Ineos chief – who also owns chunks of Mercedes F1, Ineos Grenadiers cycling and OGC Nice in Ligue 1 – was asked about his motivations for buying into the Red Devils.On if it was the money that appealed, he said: “That is 100 per cent not where I’ve come from at all. I’m making enough money in chemicals and oil and gas and all that stuff.”He then added: “I can’t honestly answer why we did it. It’s quite a difficult question.READ MORE ON MAN UTD”With Nice, in the French league, you can buy a club for £100million. It’s much cheaper access.”But I don’t particularly enjoy going to watch Nice because there are some good players but the level of football is not high enough for me to get excited.”Ratcliffe also revealed that Sir Alex Ferguson warned him of the stresses of Man Utd after he completed his purchase.He said: “The first thing Alex Ferguson said to me was that the shirt can be too heavy.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS”It applies to everyone here really, the coach, the players — the owner. It’s turning me into an old man.”It’s hard to do the interviews. On camera for 40 minutes, one cock-up and you’re legendary for it.”Sir Jim Ratcliffe launches scathing attack on struggling Man Utd squad saying some ‘not good enough’ and ‘overpaid’Ratcliffe refused to criticise the Glazer family during the interview.On possibly taking similar criticism to what United’s majority owners receive, he admitted: “So, eventually, if it reached the extent that the Glazer family have been abused, then I’d have to say, look, enough’s enough guys, let somebody else do this.”They can’t really come to a match, the Glazers. They’ve retreated into the shadows a bit now, so I’m getting all the bloody stick.“We bought in and I haven’t seen them since.”At the moment, I don’t have security, I don’t have to walk around like that.”But it would defeat the object, wouldn’t it? You couldn’t tolerate it at that level, it just wouldn’t be fun.”I wouldn’t have tolerated Ed Woodward, or Richard Arnold.Sir Jim RatcliffeRather than the Glazer family, Ratcliffe decided to take aim at two former United executives.He said: “I mean, I wouldn’t have tolerated Ed Woodward, or Richard Arnold.READ MORE SUN STORIES”Richard was a rugby man, he didn’t even understand football. Ed didn’t have the credentials to manage the club.”He was a merchant banker, an accountant. He wasn’t the chief executive.”Ed Woodward and Richard Arnold came under fire from RatcliffeCredit: PA More