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      Chelsea eye £9m transfer to solve problem position with ex-Arsenal star who last played in Premier League 9 years ago

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      CHELSEA are reportedly plotting a shock swoop to bring an ex-Arsenal star back to London.Transfer business between the clubs has grown over recent years with both Jorginho and Kai Havertz heading from the Blues to the Emirates.Ex-Arsenal star Wojciech Szczesny has emerged as a shock taget for ChelseaCredit: AlamyWojciech Szczesny has been on top form this seasonBut this ace last played in the Premier League nine years and has since won several big prizes in Italy.Now Mauricio Pochettino could allegedly move to try and snap him up and solve a problem position.Todd Boehly has splashed out over £1billion on players since he took over at Stamford Bridge.That has seen both goalkeepers Robert Sanchez and Djordje Petrovic arrive at the club.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLThe Spaniard, 26, started the campaign as first-choice after last summer’s move from Brighton.However, an injury allowed Serbian Petrovic, who joined in August from New England Revolution, the chance to shine and he’s kept the No.1 spot since.But Tutto Juve is suggesting that Poch is still not happy with his goalie options.And they state that Chelsea could be set to make another signing in that department by targeting Juventus’ Wojciech Szczesny.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSThe 34-year-old is believed to be available for around £8.5m and Monza’s Michele Di Gregorio is already looking to replace him.He still has a year remaining on his deal, which is widely-reported to be worth around £125,000-a-week.Pochettino speaks out after Chelsea’s brilliant 2-0 win over Spurs.mp4But the Italian club wants to reduce their wage bill and the Polish international is one of those they are said to be prepared to listen to offers for.Szczesny has made 32 appearances in Serie A so far this season and kept 15 clean sheets as they sit third in the top-flight.He already has experience of England having spent 11 years at Arsenal from 2006 when he joined their academy from Legia Warsaw.The ace made his debut under Arsene Wenger in 2009 and played 181 times for the Gunners after gaining experience on loan at Brentford.Dave Kidd: Why I’ve voted for Cole Palmer to be Footballer of the Year despite Chelsea woesBy Dave Kidd
      THE voting for the Footballer of the Year award closes on Tuesday and, unlike many, I’ve gone for Cole Palmer.
      Most Football Writers’ Association members vote by starting with the likely Prem champs and work backwards. So the winner will be Phil Foden, Rodri, Declan Rice or Martin Odegaard.
      There is dissent if a player from a less successful team wins, like David Ginola from mid-table Spurs in Manchester United’s ’99 Treble- winning year.
      But enjoying a superb individual season in a poor team is a greater achievement.
      And for Palmer — just 21 and in his first season as a regular starter — to have chalked up 23 goals and 13 assists in such a basket-case team as Chelsea, makes him this season’s outstanding player.
      Read Dave Kidd’s full column here
      Or click here to check out all of Dave Kidd’s articles.

      He remains a popular figure with supporters after helping them to two FA Cup successes.However, he grew tired of waiting to be No.1 and, after a two-year loan at Roma, he left permanently for Juventus in 2017.READ MORE SUN STORIESSince then he has won Serie A three times and also has two Coppa Italia medals in his collection.Szczesny has played 249 times in total for the Old Lady.Wojciech Szczesny – The CVAll you need to know about the 34-year-old goalie:
      Clubs:
      Arsenal, Brentford (loan), Roma, Juventus
      International:
      Poland (81 caps)
      Club honours:
      Arsenal
      FA Cup (2014, 2015)
      Community Shield (2014)
      Juventus
      Serie A (2018, 2019, 2020)
      Coppa Italia (2018, 2021)
      Italian Super Cup (2018, 2020)

      The Pole spent seven years at Arsenal under Arsene WengerCredit: PA:Press Association More

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      Germany swiped extra Champions League spot from entitled Premier League while keeping fans happy – they put us to shame

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      WHAT a good week to be German — a sentence you never thought you would read in this newspaper.But confirmation that the coveted fifth place in next season’s expanded Champions League is heading to the Bundesliga instead of the Premier League caps a stunning few days for our noisy neighbours across the North Sea.Borussia Dortmund’s players genuinely shared their joy with fansCredit: ReutersHarry Kane notched a penalty for Bayern in a 2-2 draw with Real MadridCredit: APHow impressive to see Borussia Dortmund’s deliriously exhausted players celebrating Wednesday’s win over Paris Saint-Germain with the massed hordes standing on the famous Yellow Wall at their monstrous stadium.And the night before with the brilliant, cosmic glow of red neon strip lights illuminating Bayern Munich’s admirable fightback against Real Madrid.Two mighty German clubs, each with one foot in the Champions League final.If the irony is lost on you that more than 90,000 Germans could be descending on Wembley next month to contest the biggest game in club football, it shouldn’t be.READ MORE TOP STORIESWhen Uefa announced an extra place for the league performing the best overall in Europe this season, you could almost smell the sense of entitlement in the Premier League.State-backed Manchester City and Newcastle, Arsenal and Manchester United flying the flag for the blue-chip corporations of England? What could possibly go wrong?For the 20-team conglomerate whose unofficial motto is ‘here comes money’ it looked a shoo-in that it would lead to a fifth team from England asserting the Prem brand authority.Instead the prize for ‘best all-round effort’ is going to a league where there remains some notion of perspective.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSWhere the clubs are not allowed to ‘squeeze the lemons’ of the fans until the pips squeak even if they want to.Dortmund match-winner Niclas Fullkrug is not a particularly good dancer.Five things you didn’t know about Jadon SanchoBut the sight of his awkward arms-flapping, skip jive in full view of 81,000 fans during the post-match party on the pitch only fuels the feeling that German  football possesses something we do not. And it’s not money.German clubs are closer than ever to their supporters, just as English ones are growing further and further apart.Estimates put Fullkrug’s weekly pay at around £130,000 a week. That is comparable to some in the Premier League but it wouldn’t be a standout wage.Moreover, he has worked his way up from humble beginnings, playing second-tier football with Werder Bremen and Hannover, suffering dreadful injuries along the way.At 31, Fullkrug is believed to have earned less than £3million altogether before his move to Dortmund. His misfortune and spirited nature appeal to the fans.There are widespread discrepancies in pay levels like there are here. But there is no need to even mention pay caps for players in Germany like there is here.Ticket prices for Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final against PSG were as little as £17.Buy a ticket for any game and public transport within the city limits comes free. Germany is a big country. When clubs and TV colluded with the idea of Monday night football, it was met with tennis balls lobbed on pitches during games, angry demos and was quickly binned.No sending Newcastle fans to Arsenal for an 8pm Saturday kick-off.Bayern ended their association with Qatari Airways last June because it did not sit well with fans unhappy about allegations of human rights abuses in the Middle Eastern state.At the Allianz Arena, it is half price for pensioners. Let’s see what happens if Bayern tried scrapping that like they are at Spurs. Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen ended Bayern’s Bundesliga title gripCredit: GettyThe Prem clubs will argue that the ‘50 per cent plus one’ rule placing fans in majority ownership of German teams makes the league unwieldy, unable to operate as efficient businesses and uncompetitive.Bayer Leverkusen just won their first Bundesliga title. Bayern are the only team in the current top four who also finished there last season. Leverkusen are in the semi-finals of the Europa League.It’s almost as if German football is run for the people who fill its grounds, create the atmospheres and act as the lifeblood of the game. It’ll never catch on here.How very obviousHOWARD WEBB has revealed “football’s played by human beings and officiated by human beings”.Webb was a copper before he became  the most senior referee in the country but you do not need to be Sherlock Holmes to work out his  latest pearl of wisdom for yourself.Of course, his comments come after  an almighty ruck erupted because Nottingham Forest should have had a penalty against Everton last month.Webb’s effective public apology for a mistake by match ref Anthony Taylor points to the fact people get things wrong. It’s called the human condition.Yet the whole theory behind the introduction of hated VAR technology was to move away from the margins of error caused by malfunctions in the human brain.The umpteen cameras and replay facilities were — by design — supposed to eradicate discrepancies. But now  Webb has testified to confirm what most of us already thought.That is, until players, managers, fans, refs, assistant officials and VARs are replaced entirely by Artificial Intelligence or eagle-eyed gizmos with faster reaction speeds than a snail on Valium, there will still sometimes be the odd cock-up.Which means, m’lud, that VAR has only added another layer of potential arguments to a sport already riddled with angry people fired up by a burning sense of injustice.Therefore we can all deduce that it has merely just added to the  beautiful game’s existing problems instead of solving them.And, therefore, it should be scrapped with immediate effect.No further questions, Mr Webb. I rest my case.Infamy, infamy, they’ve all pot it in for meFAREWELL, Rocket Ronnie. Snooker’s greatest showman tumbled out of the World Championship with a typically colourful exit.If Ronnie O’Sullivan were a footballer, he would be strung up on an FA charge for claiming some referees ‘have got it in for me’ as a parting shot.Ronnie O’Sullivan congratulates his conqueror Stuart BinghamCredit: ReutersHopefully he won’t be punished, though, because O’Sullivan going out in the quarter-finals for the second year in a row is more of a blow for the tournament than it is for him.There are three qualifiers and the world No 12 left to fight for the biggest prize in the sport.O’Sullivan has had run-ins with snooker’s authorities before amid suggestions that no single player is bigger than the game itself.Let’s see what happens to the interest in events at the Crucible from now until Monday’s finale and then decide, shall we?Bax lyrical over dedicated keeperBOLTON play at Barnsley tonight in their League One play-off semi-final first leg.In goal for them will be Nathan Baxter, formerly of Chelsea, who went out on loan to seven clubs to gain experience.READ MORE SUN STORIESOne spell was at Scottish Prem side Ross County, where he barely played due to injury and was sent back to London for treatment.Baxter, now 25, paid his own air fares to fly to Scotland regularly just to remain part of the squad. If anyone deserves a bit of success, it is him. More

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      Ange Postecoglou’s four-word blast at Tottenham flops caught on camera as Gary Neville says ‘he’s snapped’

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      ANGE POSTECOGLOU was accused of losing it with his players in a four-word tirade caught on camera in Spurs’ costly 2-0 defeat at Chelsea.Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville reckoned the manager singled out two of his Tottenham stars and “snapped”.Ange Postecoglou was furious during what could prove a costly defeatPostecoglou was seen screaming “Stop passing it backwards!” as Spurs struggled to create anything meaningful in a tame Premier League loss.Tottenham, in fifth, are now seven points off fourth-placed Aston Villa in the hunt for Champions League places.Meanwhile, Mauricio Pochettino’s Blues are suddenly scenting a European spot themselves.Victory via Trevoh Chalobah’s header and Nicolas Jackson’s rebound nod-in put Chelsea eighth, two points off Newcastle just above them.READ MORE TOP STORIESPostecoglou, normally so calm, launched a stern-faced blast from the touchline at Stamford Bridge.Manchester United legend Neville responded: ”He is having a right go at (Pape Matar) Sarr, he’s having a right go at (Cristian) Romero, he has snapped, has Postecoglou.”But many fans on social media blamed the ex-Celtic chief himself – claiming his tactics are now being found out.Other Spurs fans are fed up with their dead-ball defending.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSOne posted: “It’s literally his football that’s got us in this absolute state.”Another argued: “Can’t defend set pieces, but there isn’t a problem with that… The football is awful.”Frank Warren reveals he was ‘quite close’ to joining Premier League club despite being massive Arsenal fanA third wrote: “Been found out. Needs a plan b (and better players).”And one observer suggested Poctecoglou is already worried chairman Daniel Levy will sack him – as Spurs risk fading after a brilliant start to the season.That fan said: “He knows he’s under pressure. He knows Levy will get rid if this gets worse.”Spurs’ set piece woesBY TOM BARCLAY
      ANGE POSTECOGLOU took the blame after another set-piece disaster left Tottenham’s Champions League hopes hanging by a thread.
      Trevoh Chalobah and Nicolas Jackson headed home from free-kicks to take the number of goals Spurs have shipped from dead-ball situations to SIXTEEN this season, excluding penalties.
      Only Luton, Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest have conceded more in a week where Postecoglou downplayed the importance of set-pieces.
      “We didn’t have the mindset that I expect us to have. That’s on me, I’ve got to take responsibility for that.
      “I’m the one putting them out there and preparing them for it. When we’re so far off it, I’ve got to look at myself and see how I’m preparing this team for it.
      “We lacked a real conviction and positive mindset in our football. We didn’t really have any fluency, any sort of aggression with and without the ball.
      “It’s a bit unlike us because if nothing else we’ve always been competitive.”
      He later added: “We had bigger issues tonight than set pieces.”

      Chelsea were more clinical than the visitors More

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      Chelsea ratings: Badiashile gives Rolls-Royce performance to keep Richarlison quiet but Cucurella nearly cost Blues goal

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      CHELSEA extended their brilliant run at home to Tottenham – thanks to two headers.The Blues have not lost at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League to their fierce rivals since April 2018.Trevoh Chalobah celebrates his first goal since March 2022Credit: GettyChelsea continued their excellent record against TottenhamCredit: EPAAnd Trevoh Chalobah and Nicolas Jackson ensured Mauricio Pochettino did not let that record slip against his former employers.The pair found the net either side of half-time from two very different free-kicks that ended up with the same outcome: the ball in the back of the net and the home fans going bananas. Here’s how SunSport’s Joshua Jones rated Mauricio Pochettino’s men…Djordje Petrovic – 6Completely uninvolved for opening stages before a smart low stop to turn away a cross – then did the same seconds after the break. read more on footballThat was just about that for the Serbian stopper. Alfie Gilchrist – 6Could not resist the cry of 40,000 Chelsea fans screaming “shooooot” as the ball fell kindly to him on the corner of the box – but the right-back couldn’t keep his sweet drive down.Outjumped at the back post by Cristian Romero who should have equalised but failed to find the target with his close-range header – where have we heard that before this week?Limped off with five minutes to go having put in a top shift against some quality attackers. Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSTrevoh Chalobah – 9Sent Stamford Bridge into raptures with his cracking, old-school header after evading his marker at the back post. His first goal since March 2022 – and he had even longer to wait as VAR checked offside and a foul but eventually it was confirmed… well worth the extra few minutes. Jose Mourinho’s iconic first Chelsea press conferenceThen made a vital last-ditch challenge to deny Pape Sarr just before half-time and produced another fine sliding tackle to dispossess Son Heung-min. Benoit Badiashile – 9In the week Thiago Silva announced his exit, Badiashile showed what Chelsea fans can expect for years to come with a Rolls-Royce performance keeping Richarlison very quiet. So much so that the Brazilian was dragged off on the hour having offered absolutely nothing – well, 18 touches to be precise. Organised the back four, solid throughout and confident stepping out with the ball. Excellent. Benoit Badiashile was immense from the first whistle to the lastCredit: ReutersChalobah leapt highest to thunder a header home on 24 minutesCredit: ReutersMarc Cucurella – 5Caught out of position a couple of times early on then touch let him down at other end in great position. Could have been in Chalobah’s bad books if he was penalised for a cynical off-the-ball block before the goal.Did make an important intervention as Spurs built pressure, though, and was fortunate to win the very soft free-kick for second goal.Conor Gallagher – 7Chelsea fans showed their love for the skipper before kick-off with a giant tifo unfurled up The Shed. And the captain delivered with a peach of a free-kick delivery to the back post for Chalobah to open the scoring. Helped provide calm head in what is always an emotional game, constantly barking out orders and instructions to his team-mates.Moises Caicedo – 6Again seemed to thrive with a bit more freedom in the absence of fellow £100million-plus midfield partner Enzo Fernandez. Just put too much weight on a through ball that could have set Nicolas Jackson through for a one-on-one – should have done better, really. The home fans revealed a massive tifo in support of their skipper Conor Gallagher before kick-offCredit: ReutersMarc Cucurella could have been penalised for his blockCredit: Sky SportsThe Spanish left-back was not at his best in the derbyCredit: GettyNoni Madueke – 7Might have had his heart in his mouth when tussling with Emerson Royal in Blues area, but the Spurs man’s theatrical fall did not help his penalty appeals. At the other end, his eyes lit up as he flashed a fizzing effort just over.Very much won his battle with Emerson Royal and often made the right decision – even if it did not yield a goal. There’s a lot to like about the winger when he’s on song. Cole Palmer – 8Had no chance with early open goal as ball smashed at him and just couldn’t sort his feet out in time. As usual, effortlessly carried the ball forward with that languid style of his – but was a bit too casual with his first-time effort early in second half. Desperately, desperately unlucky not to make it 2-0 when his pearler of a free-kick flew over the wall and crashed against the underside of the bar… thankfully Jackson was following in. Cole Palmer could not sort his feet out in time with an open goalCredit: Sky SportsPalmer came within centimetres of getting Chelsea’s secondCredit: GettyNoni Madueke was not punished after Emerson Royal went down too easilyCredit: RexMykhailo Mudryk – 7Certainly Chelsea’s liveliest player in the first half.Constantly wanted to get on the ball and cause havoc for the Spurs defence – creating plenty of chances before curling one of his own beyond the far post. A few hits and a few misses – the story of his Chelsea career so far. Much quieter after the break.Nicolas Jackson – 7Less than 90 seconds on the clock when he got into his first spat with Cristian Romero. Who had minute two on the sweepstake?READ MORE SUN STORIESThree minutes later was in behind the Argentine and should have scored but Guglielmo Vicario and Micky van der Ven combined to just about clear.Did get the goal for his efforts on 72 minutes, though, as he reacted first to that Palmer free-kick and looped a header over three Spurs men on the line, cue bedlam inside the Bridge. Mykhailo Mudryk was lively throughoutCredit: ReutersNicolas Jackson did very well to head in when Cole Palmer’s effort came back off the crossbarCredit: RexSUBSCesare Casadei (for Mudryk, 75 mins) – 6Josh Acheampong (for Gilchrist, 85 mins) – N/AJimi Tauriainen (for Jackson, 90 mins) – N/AChelsea’s bench was full of youngstersCredit: Getty More

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      Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham LIVE RESULT: Chalobah and Jackson dent Spurs’ top four chase as Blues win thrilling derby

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      CHELSEA have put a huge dent in Tottenham’s top four race after beating them 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.Trevoh Chalobah climbed above Richarlison to nod in the Blues’ first.And Nicolas Jackson wrapped up the game with another sublime headed goal in the second half.
      RESULT: Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
      Live stream: NOW TV
      TV channel: Sky Sports Main Event/Premier League
      Chelsea XI: etrovic, Gilchrist, Chalobah, Badiashile, Cucurella, Caicedo, Gallagher, Palmer, Madueke, Mudryk, Jackson
      Tottenham XI: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Royal; Bissouma, Sarr; Johnson, Kulusevski, Son; Richarlison
      BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSFollow ALL the action from Stamford Bridge with our live blog below…That’s all from Chelsea
      Tottenham’s top-four hopes were dealt a massive blow after a heartbreaking 2-0 loss to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
      The Blues, on the other hand, saw a major boost to their European hopes as they target seventh place and Europa Conference League qualification.
      Trevoh Chalobah and Nicolas Jackson scored the West Londoners’ goals following a stunning improvement in recent performances under Mauricio Pochettino.
      That’s all from us here at SunSport, have a great evening!
      Credit: Getty
      Copy linkCopiedPochettino on star players
      Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino explained his philosophy when picking his strongest team.
      Today was an easy selection for us [because of injuries] but we showed it’s not about ‘name’ football it’s about being competitive, to behave like a team.
      Even if you have big players, big names, if they don’t play like today, trying to help the team in a defensive situation or when we have the ball to believe in every single offensive action we can score, then it’s impossible because the Premier League is so competitive.Mauricio Pochettino
      Credit: Getty
      Copy linkCopied’Pochettino has to stay’
      Jamie Redknapp insists Chelsea need to hold onto manager Mauricio Pochettino after the last few weeks’ drastic improvement.
      I look at it and think when you’re trying to build a young team – in the summer they’re going to need to bring in some experienced heads to help them because they’re going to lose Thiago Silva – you need continuity on the bench.
      The last thing they need to be doing right now is changing the manager. For a number of reasons.
      One, there aren’t many candidates out there. I’ve always been a big fan of him, especially with young players. I like what I saw there [in his interview]. I saw anger in him.
      There have been times this year when he’s been a little bit passive, trying to be everyone’s friend. He wasn’t like that as a player and he wasn’t like that in his Tottenham days. I think they’d be crazy to get rid of himJamie RedknappSky Sports
      Credit: Getty
      Copy linkCopiedAnge Postecoglou addresses defeat
      Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou made no excuses after a poor performance against Chelsea.
      We lacked a real sort of conviction and positive mindset in our football. We didn’t really have any fluency, any sort of aggression with and without the ball.
      It’s a bit unlike us because if nothing else we’ve always been competitive, especially in the first half it was missing today.
      It wasn’t a great night and it’s fair to say we didn’t play anywhere near the sort of football and didn’t have the mindset that I expect us to have.
      That’s on me and I’ve got to take responsibility for that ultimately as I’m the one who is putting them out there and preparing them for it.
      We were so far off it and I’ve got to look at myself and see how I’m preparing my team for it.Ange Postecoglou
      Credit: Reuters
      Copy linkCopiedPostecoglou on Maddison
      Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou explained he left James Maddison out of his starting line-up because he felt he needed “some legs” against Chelsea’s pace.
      I thought we needed to freshen up the team.
      I thought we needed some legs today as they’ve obviously got a real mobile and quick front three and four and I just felt we needed some legs in the midfield.
      With Biss [Yves Bissouma] and Pape [Matar Sarr] coming in, and Deki [Dejan Kulusevski], I thought it would help us. Fair to say it didn’t work though.Ange Postecoglou
      Credit: Rex
      Copy linkCopiedPochettino on his future
      Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino insists he doesn’t know if he will continue in the hotseat next season after a turbulent campaign.
      But Pochettino insists he is very proud of his young team and the way they reacted to such a difficult start to the campaign.
      It’s difficult to see every single week that I’m under scrutiny and judgement. But it’s not my decision to be here or not to be here.
      What can I say? If we want the history of Chelsea, it’s a lot of work to do. We will see if we have time to be in this way.
      My feeling that I’m so, so proud that all these guys, all the squad we have, 25-27 players. We want the best for them and until the last day we’re going to try to help them.Mauricio PochettinoSky Sports
      Credit: Rex
      Copy linkCopiedTrevoh Chalobah shines
      Chelsea ace Trevoh Chalobah stood out against Tottenham at Stamford Bridbge.
      Chalobah was rock solid in defence next to centre-back partner Benoit Badiashile.
      The 24-year-old also impressed as he moved forward to midfield.
      And the England Under-21’s stunning performance was rewarded with a goal.

      Copy linkCopiedUpdated Premier League table
      Tottenham’s top-four hopes have been dealt a massive blow after their 2-0 loss to Chelsea.
      Spurs are still fifth and seven points away from fourth-placed Aston Villa.
      The North Londoners still have a game in hand but will also have to face title challengers Liverpool and Manchester City after already losing to Arsenal and the Blues.
      The West Londoners, on the other hand, are eighth with only two points separating them from seventh place and Europa Conference League qualification.
      More below:

      Copy linkCopiedChelsea vs Tottenham stats
      Tottenham dominated 62 per cent of possession but couldn’t produce anything significant.
      Spurs registered 19 shots but only three of them were on target.
      Chelsea, on the other hand, produced 16 shots but only five them were on target.
      More below:

      Copy linkCopiedFT: Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
      Chelsea dealt a massive blow to Tottenham’s top-four hopes at Stamford Bridge.
      The Blues opened the scoring on 24 minutes when Conor Gallagher’s pinpoint cross from a free-kick down the right found Trevoh Chalobah on the far post who beat Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario with a stunning header.
      The visitors struggled to produce anything significant throughout the match and paid for it in the 72nd minute.
      That was when Blues’ star man Cole Palmer delivered a thunderous free-kick that rattled Vicario’s crossbar before Nicolas Jackson picked up the rebound and scored a header of his own.
      Credit: Rex
      Copy linkCopiedFT: Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
      Peep!
      That’s full-time at Chelsea!!!
      Copy linkCopied90+4 Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
      Substitution
      Chelsea boss Pochettino brings on another youngster for his debut as Tauriainen replaces Jackson.
      Copy linkCopied90+3 Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
      Chance
      Another wide effort from Tottenham, this time it’s Maddison shot that unlike Bentancur it’s way too powerful.
      The ball goes way over the crossbar and all the way to the nosebleed seats.
      Copy linkCopied90+2 Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
      Chance
      Another shot by Spurs ace Bentancur but just like his first shot it lacks power.
      If anything, this one was even weaker…
      Tottenham fans are leaving the ground.
      Copy linkCopied90 Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
      Six minutes of added time to go.
      Maddison tries a curling shot that just misses the target but gets a corner-kick after a slight deflection.
      Nothing comes off the set-piece.
      Copy linkCopied89 Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
      Chance
      Tottenham sub Bentancut tries a long-range shot but it lacks power and goes straight to Petrovic who picks it up with ease.
      Copy linkCopied86 Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
      Substitution
      Tottenham boss Postecoglou makes another change as Lo Celso comes on for Emerson.
      Copy linkCopied85 Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
      Substitution
      Uh-oh, Gilchrist can’t continue and is replaced by 17-year-old fellow academy graduate Acheampong who is making his senior debut.
      Copy linkCopied85 Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
      Chelsea youngster Gilchrist is down and receiving attention from the physios.
      That is the last thing Pochettino wishes to see amid his growing injury crisis.
      Copy linkCopied83 Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
      Tottenham boss Postecoglou looks very frustrated down the touchline.
      It’s an absolute party at the other end with the home crowd loving every minute of this.
      Copy linkCopied80 Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
      Just 10 more minutes to go and Tottenham are practically out of ideas.
      Spurs have been unable to do something significant throughout the game, a really good performance by Chelsea’s defence and midfield.
      Copy linkCopied78 Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
      Substitution
      Tottenham boss Postecoglou brings on Gil who replaces Johnson.
      Copy linkCopied77 Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
      Ouch!
      Tottenham ace Romero is down after coming together with Casadei for a header.
      The two aces clash heads and the Spurs defender gets it worse.
      Copy linkCopied75 Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
      Substitution
      Chelsea boss Pochettino makes his first change as highly-rated youngster Casadei comes on for Mudryk.
      Copy linkCopied72 Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham
      Absolutely stunning by Chelsea!
      Palmer takes ona free-kick and delivers a fabulous shot that rattles Vicario’s crossbar.
      Jackson follows it up and gets the header to score in front of open goal!
      Credit: Reuters
      Copy linkCopied More

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      Sandro Tonali took pay cut to £130k-a-week Newcastle wages after betting ban as his wagers on Toon are revealed

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      SANDRO TONALI took a pay cut to his £132,500-a-week wages after being slapped with a 10-month ban for betting breaches.The Newcastle midfielder, 23, received the punishment from the Italian FA back in October and has not featured since then.
      Sandro Tonali admitted to placing a host of bets after joining NewcastleCredit: PA
      On Thursday, he was handed a further two-month suspended ban after admitting more betting breaches since arriving at St James’ Park last summer.
      Tonali was also fined £20,000 and warned by the FA about his future conduct.
      However, according to journalist Mark Douglas, Tonali’s decision to take a cut in wages following his ban helped to reduce the size of the financial penalty.
      It is not known exactly how much of a wage cut he has taken.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      But some of the bets that landed him with the two-month suspended ban have been revealed.
      Tonali placed between 40 and 50 bets after joining from AC Milan.
      They included:

      An accumulator bet involving either Newcastle to beat Brighton on September 2, 2023 or Newcastle to beat Burnley on September 30, 2023
      An accumulator bet including Newcastle to beat Brentford, September 16, 2023
      A single bet on Newcastle to beat Manchester City, September 27, 2023
      An accumulator bet including Newcastle to beat West Ham, October 8, 2023

      Most read in Football
      Tonali’s new ban is a suspended punishment throughout the 2024/25 campaign, meaning he is still set to return to action on October 27.
      The two-month ban will only be served if he commits further betting breaches.
      Newcastle to snub new stadium and expand St James’ Park in ‘one of most ambitious rebuilds seen in UK’
      Tonali started five of Newcastle’s opening nine Premier League games, before he was charged with the betting breaches and suspended.
      His last match came in the Champions League against Borussia Dortmund on October 25.
      Speaking about the situation earlier in the season, Newcastle boss Eddie Howe said: “The most important part of this whole incident is Sandro and his welfare.
      “It’s very easy for people to forget how young he is and the changes he’s had in his life, coming from Italy to England. That’s hard enough to deal with and now he has this situation.
      “Straight away, it was throw our arms round him and protect him, and try to give him the love and support he needs to try to find solutions to the problems that he’s had.
      “That’s what we’re endeavouring to do with a lot of conversations, a lot of communication with him and his family. It’s the people around him that are going to be so important to him as well.
      “It’s a big effort from us and he’s handled himself superbly. He’s obviously emotional but handled himself with respect and dignity.” More

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      Mo Salah is the most selfish player I’ve ever witnessed says Graeme Souness after Liverpool star’s clash with Klopp

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      MO SALAH is the most selfish player ever, according to Graeme Souness.The Liverpool forward remains a topic of conversation after falling out with manager Jurgen Klopp last weekend.Mo Salah has been labelled the ‘most selfish player ever’ by Graeme SounessCredit: GettyThe pundit also praised Salah for his positive traitsSalah, 31, initially refused to shake Klopp’s hand as he prepared to come on as a substitute, leading the pair to exchange fiery words on the touchline.Souness claims Salah is often unhappy about being substituted or starting on the bench – a trait he believes is good to have.But he also accused the Egyptian of being selfish, recalling his several fallouts with former Reds star Sadio Mane.Souness said on the Up Front podcast: “Forget the weekend, prior to that whenever he’s been taken off he’s never been happy.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL”That’s what you want from your players, he’s a goal machine. And when [Sadio] Mane was there he would fall out with him every game they played together.”I think he’s the most selfish player I’ve ever witnessed, Salah.”Salah’s future is uncertain amid interest from Saudi Arabia, with bids likely to be launched this summer.Liverpool are even preparing potential replacements for Salah, who has scored 24 goals this season.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSThe club have reportedly got their sights set on Eintracht Frankfurt’s Omar Marmoush.Marmoush has been in fine form this season, scoring 15 goals and providing six assists in all 33 appearances in all competitions.His contract at the Deutsche Bank Park is set to expire in the summer of 2027 and his agent recently hinted that he could soon move on to pastures new.Salah stropsMO SALAH’s row with Jurgen Klopp was not the first time tensions have run high between the striker and his Liverpool colleagues. Here are five times things got heated with the Egyptian during his Anfield career.
      West Ham 2 Liverpool 2 – April 28, 2024
      Salah gets into a heated argument with Klopp and throws his arms up in the air after refusing to shake the manager’s hand.
      Liverpool 3 Sheffield United 1 – April 4, 2024
      Salah shakes his head as he is subbed off during Liverpool’s 3-1 win over the basement club.
      Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1 – August 13, 2023
      Salah storms off the pitch after being replaced on 77 minutes on the first day of the season.
      Brighton 1 Liverpool 1 – November 28, 2020
      Salah throws his arms up in the air and barely looks at Klopp after being subbed off. Brighton go on to equalise with a last minute penalty.
      Burnley 0 Liverpool 3 – August 31, 2019
      Salah gets in a public spat with Sadio Mane after failing to pass to the winger. Team-mate Roberto Firmino says the row had been brewing for some time.

      Mohamed Salah ‘agrees Saudi contract’ More

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      Man Utd slammed for ‘paying for swanky Wags day out – hours after axing FA Cup final perks for employees’

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      MANCHESTER UNITED have been slammed for covering the costs of a swanky Wags day out.The expensive outing came just a day after the club informed staff that certain FA Cup final benefits were being cut.Scott McTominay’s girlfriend Cam Reading was in attendanceCredit: BackGridThe lunch bill was paid for by Manchester UnitedCredit: BackGridAaron Wan-Bissaka’s girlfriend April Francis took home a Harvey Nichols bagCredit: BackGridA heavily pregnant Roosee Xavier, who is married to Antony, made the outingCredit: BackGridDiogo Dalot’s partner Claudia Pinto Lopes was spotted tooCredit: BackGridUnited staff have traditionally been given a free ticket along with free travel and food for the day out at Wembley – including a pre-match lunch, after-match party and accommodation in London.Ineos moved to oust the tradition last week, with staff now restricted to just one ticket and having to pay £20 for a coach trip to the capital as the club focuses its spending on making United a force on the pitch again.To make matters worse, neighbours Manchester City will provide all their staff with a free ticket and free travel for the final, along with a plus one.But what has really rubbed salt in the wounds is the fact United paid for a swanky wags day out last Friday.READ MORE ON MAN UTDThe wives and girlfriends of Scott McTominay, Luke Shaw, Antony, Diogo Dalot and Aaron Wan Bissaka, headed out to restaurant San Carlo, where items on the wine list can hit around £450.The likes of Cam Reading, McTominay’s girlfriend, and Anoushka Santos – Shaw’s partner – were spotted leaving with Harvey Nichols branded bags.Claudia Pinto Lopes, Roosee Xavier and April Francis all attended the event too.A United staff member reacted by telling the Daily Mail: “It’s a bit of a kick in the teeth.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS”The trip to Wembley has been a tradition that staff have enjoyed for years and years. It’s like a thank you for the work that we do and it means that when the team does well we all get rewarded.”Clearly they are cutting costs but to see that less than a day later the Wags are out on the town with the club paying the bill is a bit rich.”Gary Neville reveals Man Utd stars would be ‘killed’ if they broke four unwritten rules in matchesHowever the club have dismissed the criticism as ensuring the happiness of players’ partners and families is a priority. A number of social events are held throughout the year for players and their partners and families, some of which are paid for by United, who take pride in their player care.McTominay and Cam began dating last yearCredit: InstagramShaw and Anouska have two children togetherCredit: Instagram / @anouskasantosDiogo Dalot and Claudia Pinto LopesCredit: https://www.instagram.com/diogodalot/ More