Premier League

FORGOTTEN Premier League flop Terence Kongolo has set a new red card record after his disastrous transfer to Austria.The 30-year-old defender is currently on loan at Rapid Vienna from Fulham.Fulham and Huddersfield flop Terence Kongolo has set a record at his new clubCredit: RexThe defender has picked up three red cards in just seven league outingsCredit: GettyBut injuries and suspensions have already limited him to just seven league appearances.Kongolo managed to pick up two red cards in his first six outings for the Austrians.He was first sent off in September’s 3-3 draw with Rapid Wien.And Kongolo was then sent for an early bath in December’s 2-1 win at WSG Tirol.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLHowever, he ended up doing the unthinkable by picking up a third red card in what was just his seventh match.Kongolo received his marching orders in last month’s 1-1 draw with Austria Lustenau.And in doing so, he broke a 19-year-old Austrian league record for the most amount of red cards in the fewest amount of games.What’s even more bizarre is that in nearly 200 games prior to his Vienna move, Kongolo had been sent off just once.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERAnd fans couldn’t help reacting to the amazing stat.One said: “Madrid finally found their next Ramos.”Football icons’ strange hobbiesAnother declared: “You know what, that is kind of impressive.”One noted: “The game is back.”Another added: “My centre-back in Football Manager does this in his sleep.”Kongolo was previously once one of the top young defenders in Europe after winning the Dutch title with Feyenoord in 2017.He was also capped four times by Holland during that time.And Kongolo had a brief spell at Monaco before joining Huddersfield Town for their Premier League campaign in 2018.However, he failed to impress in 60 matches and ended up at Fulham, initially on loan, in 2019.READ MORE SUN STORIESKongolo managed just four games for the Cottagers and spent last season at Le Havre before joining Vienna in the summer.But after his red card horror show, the Austrians are likely to send him back to London.Terence Kongolo’s career statsThose numbers in full:

Feyenoord, 2011-2017: 138 games, 3 goals

Monaco, 2017-2018: 6 games, 0 goals

Huddersfield, 2018-2020: 60 games, 1 goal

Fulham, 2019-2024: 4 games, 0 goals

Le Havre, 2022-23: 15 games, 0 goals

Rapid Vienna, 2023-2024: 10 games, 0 goals

Holland, 2014-2018: 4 games, 0 goals

Trophies: Eredivisie, Dutch Cup (Feyenoord) More

RIO FERDINAND has slammed Erik ten Hag’s kamikaze football and questioned his claim about Manchester United’s style of play.The former Red Devils star criticised United following their 2-2 draw with Liverpool.Rio Ferdinand slammed Erik ten Hag’s ‘kamikaze’ footballCredit: AlamyThe pundit dismissed Ten Hag’s ‘style of football’ claimCredit: AFPFerdinand was alarmed at United’s lack of control in that clash, with Ten Hag’s side conceding 28 shots.They allowed Chelsea the same number of shots last week and 31 against Brentford in the match prior to that, yet almost won both games.Ferdinand, 45, labelled United’s football as “kamikaze” and suggested he has yet to see a style of play implemented, despite Ten Hag’s claim.He said on his Vibe with Five YouTube channel: “The manager came out before and was saying ‘if anyone can’t see the style of play then I don’t know what you’re looking at’ and basically ‘we have got a style of play’.READ MORE ON MAN UTD”For the life of me I give him the benefit of the doubt every time and am looking at him thinking every time ‘what is it’?”I said after the game [vs Liverpool] if kamikaze, open sesame, no control of the game football is what we’re looking for, he has it nailed on and is doing a great job at it because that’s what we’re playing.”You can put that down to injuries, we have a load of injuries but a lot of teams have injuries and they still play a style of football they are trying to achieve. “I don’t think Ten Hag’s style is this kamikaze chaos football.”Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERWilly 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
Click here to read Ken Lawrence’s comment piece in full.
To read more from Ken Lawrence, click here.

Ferdinand continued his criticism by claiming Ten Hag’s style is bringing the worst out of some United stars, including Casemiro.He added: “That type of football leads to seeing players at their worst at times, for instance Casemiro for all he has won and the great player he has been, he will look a worse player when the tactics are the way they are.It’s baffling,’ says Gary Neville as he blasts Ten Hag’s coaching and reveals what Man Utd are ‘worst in the league at'”Open transition football with big spaces around him, in that midfield at times another midfielder is 20 yards away.”That never happened at Real Madrid so you don’t see his worst traits which is his mobility, same with Kobbie Mainoo, so you do things with a structure so you don’t see that.”We are doing things where you are going to see exactly their worst trait so it makes them look worse at times. You look at Hojlund, how many balls did we get in the box for him, balls for him to run onto, don’t seem to be playing to his strengths.”Then you have a 19-year-old centre-back [Kwambala], zero protection in front of him.”The amount of times Liverpool threaded the ball from the back straight to an attacking midfield player, that’s why I say he has had a magnificent performance as he has had to deal with things a structured team wouldn’t have to deal with as much.”There’s a lot of thing going on in the team where we aren’t seeing the best of our players and that’s because of the way the team is set up.” More

ERIC DIER has revealed the “unfair” title race decision which gave Tottenham “a sucker punch every week” against Leicester.The Foxes soared to Premier League victory in the 2015-16 season as stars like Jamie Vardy and N’Golo Kante gave their all for Claudio Ranieri.Eric Dier has opened up on the ‘unfair sucker punch’ that stopped Spurs winning a titleCredit: ReutersDier and Tottenham were pipped to the Premier League by Leicester in the 2015-16 seasonCredit: Getty Images – GettyNobody was expecting Leicester to even stay up that term after they narrowly avoided relegation the year before.But their miracle achievement was almost undone by a relentless Tottenham side guided by Mauricio Pochettino.The Londoners almost went top of the league in March 2016 before drawing with Arsenal.And their efforts were finally undone with a famous 2-2 draw at Chelsea in a furious game dubbed the ‘Battle of the Bridge’.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLHowever, Dier believes Tottenham’s title hopes were constantly made harder by the fact that they almost always played second to Leicester each weekend.The 30-year-old defender told Gary Neville on the Overlap that he and his Spurs teammates would watch in dismay as the Foxes bagged victory after victory in earlier kick-offs.It meant Tottenham would have to win their game just to stay in touch.And Dier believes there are parallels to be drawn with the current Bundesliga title race.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERBayer Leverkusen are just one win away from becoming champions after a glorious unbeaten campaign.But Dier feels his Bayern Munich side have never had the chance to put the pressure on due to the fixture scheduling.Ange Postecoglou does NO tactical work in training reveals former Tottenham star Eric DierLamenting the “unfair sucker punch”, Dier said: “Obviously you never want to rule out winning the league, but the defeat against Borussia Dortmund was a bit of a sucker punch.“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.”*Eric Dier was speaking on The Overlap, brought to you by Sky BetEric Dier’s career statsThose numbers in full:

Sporting Lisbon, 2012-2014: 31 games, 1 goal
Tottenham, 2014-2024: 365 games, 13 goals
Bayern Munich, 2024: 11 games, 0 goals
England, 2015-2022: 49 games, 3 goals More

HARRY KANE was overshadowed while at Arsenal’s academy by Benik Afobe and Chuks Aneke.The England captain had a rocky road to stardom that included being released by the Gunners at the age of nine.Harry Kane was outshone by Benik Afobe and Chuba Akpom while in the Arsenal academyCredit: GettyBenik Afobe played for Millwall, Wolves and BournemouthCredit: GettyChuks Aneke made one Arsenal appearance before a career in the lower leaguesCredit: GettyKane played alongside Afobe and Aneke at ArsenalThat decision was made as Arsenal felt they had brighter prospects in their academy ranks – prolific strikers so good Kane barely got a look in.Afobe and Aneke were two such players, outshining Kane thanks to their athleticism and eye for goal.Academy coach Dan Buck coached the trio at Hale End and he revealed Kane was often overlooked for matches in favour of Afobe and Aneke.He told The Athletic: “On Saturday mornings, I’d do a session with the under-nines who weren’t selected for the matches on Sundays, and Harry ended up being with that squad a lot more than he would’ve liked.READ MORE ON ARSENAL“Benik and Chuks would rock up on a Sunday and score about seven each, and poor Harry would get five minutes.”Aneke, 30, rose through the Arsenal academy ranks and ended up making one first-team appearance for the club.He is now at League One Charlton after an injury-hit career which has seen him play for Birmingham, MK Dons, Crewe and Belgian side Zulte Waregem.While Afobe, 31, has also forged a successful career, though failed to feature for Arsenal and left the club aged 22.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERHe now plays his trade for UAE outfit Al Dhafra, having also spent time at Wolves, Bournemouth, Millwall and Stoke.Meanwhile Kane has broken several records in his career including becoming England and Tottenham’s highest-ever goalscorer.I slide tackled Arsene Wenger and Thierry Henry on my Arsenal trial – I couldn’t believe manager’s reaction More

ERIC DIER has lifted the lid on his final days under Ange Postecoglou, claiming his former Tottenham boss does NO tactical work in training.Dier, 30, was the main victim of Postecoglou’s arrival in north London last summer, having been a first-term regular for the previous nine years.Bayern Munich star Eric Dier has lifted the lid on his final days at TottenhamCredit: GettyDier claims Ange Postcoglou does no tactical work during training sessions at SpursCredit: AlamyHe made just four appearances under Tottenham’s new Australian coach before securing a shock loan move to Bayern Munich in January.Dier’s since featured 11 times under ex-Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel, with his deal becoming permanent last month.And the 49-time England international looks set to start in tonight’s Champions League quarter-final clash against Spurs’ rivals Arsenal.Dier has worked under some of football’s top names during his career, including Mauricio Pochettino, Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLBut he claims Postecoglou is the least tactically-focused boss he’s had, admitting he preferred Conte’s sessions.Dier told Gary Neville on the Overlap: “No, interestingly he doesn’t really do any tactical work.“What he does is, every single training drill from Monday to Friday is drawn up to represent the way he wants to play.“Conte, I could do it blind, but that was a lot of tactical work, ten versus zero, walkthroughs.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKER“You were so well drilled, it would be engrained in you.”Reflecting on his time under Conte, Dier noted: “Antonio was probably the manager I played my best football under and aside from a manager, I really liked him as a man, he was a very honest and kind man. Eric Dier’s emotional goodbye to Tottenham fans after agreeing Bayern Munich switch'”I remember his meetings were just incredible, the intensity he would bring to his meetings and the intensity he would bring to training every day, himself, I thought was just incredible. “Ange, I really enjoyed those six months, apart from not playing at all. I really enjoyed the style of play, the style of training, I think he has fantastic coaches, and his team talks were great.”Dier also admitted he should have left Tottenham last summer following the arrival of replacement Mickey van de Ven.Dier, who was replaced by Radu Dragusin in January, added: “It was time for me to leave Tottenham at the time I did. It was probably six months too late if we’re being honest.“I had a fantastic time at Spurs and I left amicably which is something I hope to do in my life generally.“I had a very good relationship with the club the whole time I was there, but it was the natural conclusion for me.”Eric Dier was speaking on The Overlap, brought to you by Sky BetEric Dier’s career statsThose numbers in full:

Sporting Lisbon, 2012-2014: 31 games, 1 goal

Tottenham, 2014-2024: 365 games, 13 goals

Bayern Munich, 2024: 11 games, 0 goals

England, 2015-2022: 49 games, 3 goals More