Premier League

DAVID DE GEA met up with Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes and trolled their former team-mate.The unemployed goalkeeper has been clubless since his contract at Old Trafford expired last summer after 12 years at the club. David de Gea met up with Bruno FernandesCredit: X formerly Twitter / @D_DeGeaDe Gea captioned the post ‘Dumb and Dumber’Credit: X formerly Twitter / @D_DeGeaBruno Fernandes revealed which old team-mate is the ‘dumbest’Credit: X formerly Twitter / @D_DeGeaWhile back in Manchester, De Gea hung out with his old pal Fernandes.The duo posed for snaps as they sat with their arms crossed before the Spaniard put his hand around the Red Devils captain.De Gea uploaded the photos to social media and captioned the post: “Dumb and Dumber.”Fernandes then hilariously commented: “Is missing the biggest dumbest Juan Mata.”READ MORE ON MAN UTDHaving been called out, the ex-Chelsea and Man Utd midfielder joined in with the fun by replying with a GIF from the Dumb and Dumber movie.De Gea has been linked with a return to football, with reports suggesting Barcelona, Nottingham Forest and Saudi Arabian clubs have all approached him with offers.However, none of these moves have materialised and the 33-year-old remains a free agent.De Gea has been enjoying his time away from the game – going on holidays with his wife and singer Edurne, 38, and daughter Yanay, 3.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERAnd he has occasionally hung out with his old Man Utd team-mates.Back in October, De Gea went to dinner with Fernandes, Victor Lindelof, Raphael Varane and Tom Heaton.Unemployed David de Gea smiles on family bike ride with wife Edurne after ex-Man Utd star makes huge transfer decisionAs for Mata, 35, he is also a free agent after leaving Japanese side Vissel Kobe at the beginning of the year.Juan Mata joined in the banter with De Gea and FernandesCredit: Getty More

MANCHESTER UNITED star Scott McTominay is set to be sidelined for three weeks with injury.The 27-year-old is the Red Devils’ joint-top scorer in the Premier League with seven goals.Scott McTominay is United’s joint-top Prem goalscorerCredit: RexMcTominay hyper-extended his knee against ChelseaCredit: AlamyRasmus Hojlund, Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford are all level with him at the top of the goalscoring charts.McTominay reportedly hyper-extended his knee in the dramatic 4-3 defeat to Chelsea last week.The Mail claim he will miss the next two to three matches.It is a huge blow for Man Utd as they face an uphill battle to qualify for next season’s Champions League.READ MORE ON MAN UTDErik ten Hag’s men sit sixth in the Prem table, 11 points behind both Tottenham and Aston Villa, who occupy fourth and fifth place.McTominay’s injury means he also looks set to miss the FA Cup semi-final against Coventry on April 21.He has featured 36 times this season and has missed a total of just seven games in all competitions.Man Utd are in the midst of an injury crisis with defensive options like Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Raphael Varane and Jonny Evans all out.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSTen Hag recently admitted he does not expect any of them back “at short notice”.And it could mean another start for 19-year-old centre-back Willy Kambwala.Man Utd fans joke Sir Jim Ratcliffe has given Scott McTominay ‘new role’ with ‘cringiest advert ever seen’Meanwhile, there are fresh concerns about Marcus Rashford after he picked up a knock in the thrilling 2-2 draw with Liverpool at the weekend.There is uncertainty over whether will be fit to play against Bournemouth on Saturday.Willy Kambwala wants to become rock at the back for Man Utd… but Erik ten Hag probably won’t be around to see itBy Ken Lawrence
ERIK TEN HAG insists he is still the right man to take Manchester United forward.
The Dutchman believes he can recapture their former glories, despite escaping for the second time in a row what could have been humiliation by Liverpool at the weekend.
And teen Willy Kambwala revealed his “passion” is to become a rock at the heart of United’s defence after making just his second start of the season against their bitter rivals.
United trailed 1-0 at half-time on Sunday but fought back to take a 2-1 lead before Mo Salah’s 84th-minute equaliser from the penalty spot.
Ten Hag was pleased with the second-half performance, declaring it “another signal and message for the future,” before adding, “the team and squad have high potential.”
Yet the Old Trafford chief sounds more and more like he has his finger stuck in a leaky dyke and does not think it is going to hold.
Comeback or not, United still threw away a lead for the third time in eight days following their 4-3 defeat to Chelsea and 1-1 draw with Brentford — both deep into injury time.
And his body language suggests he expects to be crossing it to go back to Holland with his P45 this summer
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LIVERPOOL are at risk of a decline after Jurgen Klopp leaves, according to John Arne Riise.The Reds legend fears his former club could face a similar fate to Manchester United in the 11 years since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement.John Arne Riise fears Liverpool could face a similar decline to Manchester UnitedCredit: PA:Press AssociationUnited have not won a league title since Sir Alex Ferguson’s exit in 2013Credit: AP:Associated PressFerguson retired in 2013 following more then 26 years as United manager.However, the club have failed to add to the 13 Premier League titles he won in the 11 years since and are on their fifth permanent manager in that period.Liverpool now face the task of replacing their own iconic manager as Jurgen Klopp steps down at the end of the season.Since his appointment in 2015, the Reds have won eight major trophies, including both the Champions League and Premier League.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLRiise fears his old side are at risk of a decline, telling BoyleSports: “There is always a risk of a Fergie-style decline once Klopp leaves.”That’s always a danger. When a manager leaves, will all the players stay? Who is coming in? Having that connection means a lot to players, and will they stay when he leaves? Will they have the same belief when a new manager comes in?”It doesn’t always have to be the manager’s fault, if the players just don’t have the same feeling towards them. That’s why the next manager is a huge step for the club.”So it’s not only who gets appointed, it’s who is going to stay? Who will tell their agent they want to leave now Klopp has left?”Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSKlopp could still add to his trophy haul before departing, with Liverpool eyeing both a league title and the Europa League this term.Meanwhile, his replacement has reportedly been identified after the club reached a “verbal agreement” with Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim.Liverpool ‘to meet top manager target’s agent TOMORROW as Reds look to finalise personal terms to replace Jurgen Klopp’As for Riise, the ex-left-back made 348 appearances during seven years at Anfield.The Norwegian was also part of the side which beat AC Milan in the 2005 Champions League final.Klopp is stepping down as Liverpool manager at the end of the seasonCredit: Getty More

ARSENAL have a psychological advantage in the Premier League title race.That is according to former Tottenham defender Eric Dier – who believes his Spurs side suffered from playing after rivals Leicester back in 2016.Arsenal have been given an edge for the Premier League title run-inCredit: GettyHow the title race fixtures compareHere is how the fixture times for the confirmed games look:

Man City (Luton H) – 3pm SaturdayLiverpool (Palace H) – 2pm SundayArsenal (Villa H) – 4pm Sunday
Arsenal (Wolves A) – 7.30pm SaturdayLiverpool (Fulham A) – 4.30pm SundayNO MAN CITY FIXTURE
Arsenal (Chelsea H) – 8pm TuesdayLiverpool (Everton A) – 8pm WednesdayMan City (Brighton A) 8pm Thursday
Liverpool (West Ham A) – 12.30 SaturdayArsenal (Spurs A) – 2pm SundayMan City (Forest A) – 4.30 Sunday
Arsenal (Bournemouth H) – 12.30pm SaturdayMan City (Wolves H) – 5.30pm SaturdayLiverpool (Spurs H) – 4.30pm Sunday

Liverpool and Manchester City play first on just one occasion eachCredit: GettyMauricio Pochettino’s side ended up finishing 11 points adrift of champions Leicester eight years ago – and were even overhauled by Arsenal on the final day.But until their penultimate away game of the campaign against Chelsea – which would become known as the “The Battle of the Bridge” – their hopes of a first Premier League title were still alive.Yet Dier, 30, has now opened up about having to watch Leicester win before Tottenham played, admitting it had a mental impact on the North London side.Speaking about Bayern Munich losing ground to Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga, he told The Overlap: “Obviously you never want to rule out winning the league, but the defeat against Borussia Dortmund was a bit of a sucker punch.READ MORE ON ARSENAL”I’ve been in that situation before with Tottenham when Leicester were going for the title.”I felt it was really unfair at the time because they seemed to play before us every single week, and it was never like we can win first and put the pressure on them.”Every weekend was a bit of a sucker punch because they would win their game, so we were never able to gain any momentum.”With these comments in mind, SunSport has taken a look at the confirmed times of Arsenal, Man City and Liverpool’s games – with Mikel Arteta’s men playing first in three of the next five fixtures.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSMan City only play first this weekend when they host Luton at 3pm on SaturdayCredit: AlamyHow the title run-ins compareIt’s going to go right down to the wire with just one point separating the top three – but how do Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City’s run-ins compare?

ARSENAL: Aston Villa (H), Wolves (A) Chelsea (H), Spurs (A), Bournemouth (H), Man Utd (A) and Everton (H)
LIVERPOOL: Crystal Palace (H), Fulham (A), Everton (A), West Ham (A), Tottenham (H), Aston Villa (A), Wolves (H)
MAN CITY: Luton (H), Brighton (A), Nottingham Forest (A), Wolves (H), Fulham (A), West Ham (H) and Tottenham (A TBC)

The times and dates for the round of fixtures on the weekend of May 11 have not yet been confirmed, while all three sides will play at the same time on the final day, May 19.But Arsenal are the first to kick-off when they take on Wolves, Chelsea and Bournemouth.Top ten greatest Premier League players of all time as Kevin de Bruyne and Cristiano Ronaldo both miss out on top spotAnd Man City will be one game behind Arsenal and Liverpool from April 21 as they miss a round of fixtures to play Chelsea in the FA Cup.However, times aside, Arsenal still have the most difficult run-in with trips to Tottenham and Manchester United the stand-out fixtures.Liverpool and Man City also face Spurs, with Pep Guardiola’s side not yet having a confirmed date for their clash away at Ange Postecoglou’s men.There are only two times when Arsenal are not playing first – one of which is this weekend when they host Aston Villa after Man City and Liverpool’s games.Then on April 27 they face Tottenham the day after Jurgen Klopp’s men go to West Ham.How Arteta made Arsenal horrible again, with Tony Pulis tactic and gentle star turned into Diego Costa-style hate figureBy Dave Kidd
BOTTLERS, chokers, shandy-drinking southern softies.
These were the charges levelled at Arsenal when they blew the title last season.
And even if the actual reason they failed was because William Saliba got injured and Rob Holding had to start, Mikel Arteta clearly took those accusations to heart.
If his team are not crowned champions next month, the Gunners boss has categorically ensured that they won’t go down being accused of nicey-niceyness.
Because, as well as being thrillingly entertaining and free-scoring when they want to be, this season’s Arsenal are also thoroughly horrible.They are not here to make friends. They are not interested in being anybody’s second-favourite team.
And so, six days after stink-bombing the Etihad with a display of Mourinho-esque anti-football for a 0-0 draw, Arsenal turned up at the home of former bogey-team Brighton and s***housed their way to a thoroughly impressive 3-0 win.
How wonderful for the travelling Gooners to witness Ben White — against his former club — going down as if he’d taken a bullet to his neck when Brighton’s Pervis Estupinan brushed against him.
White is renowned as a gentle and decent bloke, intelligent enough to challenge the zeitgeist and claim there might be things in life other than football.
And yet suddenly he’s become some Diego Costa-style anti-hero hate figure, his wife goading the masses by posting social-media pictures of them playing a childish card game on a sun lounger after he’d refused an international call-up.
Because Arsenal are horrible again. Even Ben White is a villain.And that might just be Arteta’s greatest triumph.
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ERIK TEN HAG has been dealt a major blow with his biggest ally at Old Trafford, football director John Murtough, stepping down.Murtough, who has been at Manchester United for 11 years, is the latest victim of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s sweeping changes behind the scenes.Erik ten Hag’s future at Manchester United remains in doubtCredit: APFormer chief executive Richard Arnold announced he was stepping down in November of last year after overseeing the incredible money making commercial side of the club.It was Murtough and Arnold who went to Amsterdam to interview Ten Hag when they were looking for a successor to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.The pair were so impressed by the then Ajax manager’s knowledge of United and attention to detail that they were convinced he was the right man.They have supported him ever since with Murtough constantly talking up the manager’s strengths and a need for patience during the Dutchman’s difficult second season in charge.READ MORE MAN UTD NEWSNow Ten Hag will feel even more isolated without any public statement of support from new part owner Ratcliffe who has control of 27.7 per cent of the club.The owning Glazer family has given the Ineos chief power over the football side of the Red Devils and he has already made major changes.Omar Berrada was poached from Manchester City to become the new CEO.Jason Wilcox has quit Southampton to become technical director, while Dan Ashworth is leaving Newcastle effectively to take on Murtough’s role.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSAll have been placed are gardening leave by their former clubs.The new arrivals will also put into doubt whether former player Darren Fletcher will stay at the club as he is their current technical director.Man Utd’s top targets for the transfer windowIt was initially thought that Murtough, 53, would be move into a different role at the club but has decided to stand down altogether.Murtough joined United in 2013 having previously worked at Fulham and Everton.Inside Ratcliffe’s Man Utd plansEverything you need to know as Sir Jim Ratcliffe takes charge at Manchester United…
He was well liked at Old Trafford and worked tirelessly behind the scenes on the process of transferring Academy graduates into the first team.He was also behind a number of major signings at the club as he tried to create a better recruitment model. More