Sport Live Blogs

Subterms

    More stories

    • 238 Shares109 Views

      in Motorsport

      F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix LIVE RESULTS: Verstappen on POLE after Sprint Race overtake of Leclerc – Imola updates

      by

      MAX VERSTAPPEN secured pole position for today’s Sprint in a dramatic qualifying race in Emilia Romagna.The Italian managed to successfully navigate his way around a wet Imola which entailed SIX red flags during the course of the day.
      Australian Grand Prix winner Charles Leclerc also put himself in a good spot for the sprint by finishing in second.
      However, Lewis Hamilton’s struggles continue as the 7x World Champion and his Mercedes colleague George Russell were embarrassingly eliminated in Q2.
      F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix schedule:
      Saturday

      Sprint – 3.30pm

      Sunday

      Race – 2pm

      Sprint race points
      And remember the top 8 finishers from the Sprint race receive points.
      First place 8
      Second 7
      Third 6
      Fourth 5
      Fifth 4
      Sixth 3
      Seventh 2
      Eighth 1
      Sprint race full result
      And the final 10 after the Sprint race, with Lewis Hamilton down in 14th place.
      11) Russell
      12) Tsunoda
      13) Vettel
      14) Hamilton
      15) Stroll
      16) Ocon
      17) Gasly
      18) Albon
      19) Latifi
      20) Zhou
      Sprint race top 10
      1) Verstappen
      2) Leclerc
      3) Perez
      4) Sainz
      5) Norris
      6) Ricciardo
      7) Bottas
      8) Magnussen
      9) Alonso
      10) Schumacher
      The sprint podium

      More woe for Merc
      Russell was 11th and Hamilton down in 14th. Not the result they were hoping for.
      It could make for more misery in Sunday’s GP. They simply do not have the pace in that car.
      VERSTAPPEN WINS
      The Dutchman wins the sprint race and secures eight championship points.
      Leclerc is second. Perez is third. Sainz is fourth.
      Norris (5th), Ricciardo (6th), Bottas (7th), Magnussen (8th) complete the points haul.

      Lap 20 Verstappen gets Leclerc
      He has taken the lead and is now pulling away. He got the move done cleanly at Turn One.

      Verstappen is getting closer
      Three laps to go and this battle is heating up.
      Sainz is now up to fourth. So it is Ferrari, Red Bull, Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, McLaren….
      Hold on! Max is back!
      He has now cut that gap to 0.7 seconds. He is looking to put some pressure on the Ferrari man in the final five laps.

      Lap 14 Leclerc is looking comfortable
      The Ferrari man is leading this sprint race and looking to extend his lead in the championship.

      Magnussen is dropping like a stone
      The Haas man is on the slower medium tyre and is struggling. He is now sixth.

      Frantic few minutes
      Perez gets Norris to make it in to third place behind Leclerc and Verstappen.
      Ricciardo has also got past Magnussen and now sits behind Norris in fifth.

      Lap 8
      Perez passes Magnussen with the benefit of DRS. It is a simple overtake and the Red Bull man is up to fourth place.
      Sainz gets Alonso
      The Spaniards do battle with the Ferrari man coming out on top. He goes into seventh place.

      Green flag – we are racing again…
      The sprint race is back on as the Safety Car comes in.
      Alonso nearly goes off but holds on to seventh place.
      So Leclerc leads…
      Verstappen is second, Norris is third. Magnussen is fourth and Perez is up to fifth.
      Hamilton, has dropped to 15th after making a poor start. Russell has also dropped a place to 12th.
      Oh no! It’s Zhou! He is out. Safety Car deployed
      The Alfa Romeo man has crashed out on lap one after making contact with Pierre Gasly in his AlphaTauri.
      Stewards have noted the incident at turn nine.

      Go Go Go…The Sprint Race is go in Imola
      Leclerc gets a great start. He is already past Verstappen. Norris keeps hold of third.
      But boy, this track is tight!
      Formation Lap
      The drivers are making their back to the grid for the start.
      But there is a slow getaway for Fernando Alonso. He’s now on his way. He cannot afford another slow start.
      All set here in Imola
      There is a slim chance of rain and as I type this, the sun pops behind a dark cloud.
      Grandstands are filling up. But it is not yet a sell out.

      Nearly time go in Imola
      Under 30 minutes until the sprint race.
      Verstappen on pole, Leclerc in second and Norris starts third.
      Russell is in 11th and Hamilton all the way down in 13th on the grid.

      ‘No more suprises’
      Red Bull star Sergio Perez is hoping there are “no more surprises” after some “extremely painful” retirements.
      Perez said: “Well first of all, what gives us hope is that all the issues, all the reliability problems we had, we understood them, we were able to fix them.
      “So from now on, hopefully there are no more surprises.
      “Something unexpected can happen still, but we feel like we’ve come on top of them and that will be critical for us on our side as a team, to make sure we are able to collect the points we are able to get weekend by weekend, because so far it’s been extremely painful”
      Credit: GETTY IMAGES
      Sainz extension explained
      Ferrari Team Principal Mattia Binotto has revealed why he was so keen to lock down Carlos Sainz to a two-year contract extension.
      Binotto said: “First, we are very happy with him, the way that he has integrated into the team, the way that he’s performing and I think simply that he’s matching the expectations.
      “I think we are very, very happy and it was the right moment to look ahead, to look forward and I think that by renewing and extending, it’s like giving the right stability to the team as well.
      “We know that our drivers are confirmed until the end of 2024 and we can build on it. And I think as Ferrari, really our main objective is to try to really create the foundations for the future, and together with that line up, I think it’s the best we can do”
      Still fighting Vett
      Aston Martin star Sebastian Vettel has said that the team spirit has not been shaken, despite their rocky start to the 2022 season.
      Vettel said: “Well the car, obviously is not quick, not quick enough – we know that – in comparison to the opposition.
      “There’s still a lot of work to do. But when it comes to the team, and the effort that’s going in, I would say that the spirit is unbroken.
      “It doesn’t feel great when you come out of the session and you’re not where you think you could have been or want to be, but we know that a lot of stuff is coming and we will see in the next weeks and months whether it’s going in the right direction.
      “But as I said, the atmosphere is good – we take it on the chin and try to move forward”
      ‘He’s the right guy’
      Former Mercedes superstar Nico Rosberg has backed his old boss Toto Wolff to revive the team’s fortunes, after a difficult start to the 2022 season.
      Rosberg told Sky Sports: “Toto is obviously one of the best team leaders that we’ve ever seen in the sport.
      “He’s very, very strong in keeping people together and motivated. Of course he’ll have outbursts of angriness, as we’ve maybe seen, but I still believe that he’s the right guy to keep such a team going in such a difficult situation.
      “[But] I can guarantee you that nobody in Mercedes enjoys being two seconds off the pace and being out in Q2 with not a single chance to be somewhere at the front – definitely, no one likes that. That’s quite a horrible situation to be in for them, who are so used to success.
      “So it’s a tough one, it’s a tough one to keep the morale high, to keep the motivation for everybody, and also to not start blaming each other – ‘that’s your fault, that’s your fault’ – it can happen very quickly that you spiral downwards”
      Load more entries… More

    • 263 Shares139 Views

      in Soccer

      Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd LIVE RESULT: Cristiano Ronaldo nets just days after loss of baby as Xhaka scores stunner for Gunners

      by

      ARSENAL have beaten Man Utd in a frantic clash at the Emirates Stadium.Nuno Tavares gave Arsenal a dream start against Man Utd as he took advantage of some shambolic defending.
      Eddie Nketiah then thought he’d doubled Arsenal’s lead, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
      But the Gunners did get a second from the same incident, as the footage of the offside also showed Alex Telles had committed a foul, leaving Bukayo Saka to score the resulting penalty.
      However, Cristiano Ronaldo halved the deficit and emotionally pointed to the sky as he netted just days after losing his baby son.
      Bruno Fernandes then had the chance to equalise from the penalty spot after Tavares clumsily handballed.
      But he instead stroked his spot kick onto the outside of the post.
      And that miss proved costly as Granit Xhaka fired in a long range thunderbolt to make the game safe for Mikel Arteta’s side.
      JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)
      Worth it’s weight in gold
      It is debatable today as to what finally secured this game for Mikel Arteta’s side.
      Whether it was Bruno Fernandes’ missed penalty or Granit Xhaka’s thunderbolt of a strike, the feeling at the Emirates Stadium is all the same.

      VAR causing more controversy
      The premise of bringing in video technology was to completely address subjective refereeing decisions and to provide consistency to the league.
      We all expected there to be no grey areas anymore with the game being played to the letter of the law.
      Sadly, we are still being left with decisions to analyse and are reviewing errors made by the officials.
      The powers that be need to look at the way VAR is applied to the game and the part it plays.
      Nobody expected a finished product from day one but there are too many instances where the issue at hand is not being addressed correctly.
      North London affair ahead
      It is starting to look more likely that the race for fourth place in the Premier League table will be between two North London rivals.
      Arsenal sit in fourth currently, three points clear of Tottenham with Antonio Conte’s side having a game in hand.
      They meet each other on May 12th at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with a crunch encounter that could determine the fate of fourth place.
      United we stand
      Ralf Rangnick’s comments after United’s defeat at Anfield were not well received by all fans at Old Trafford.
      Truth hurts and this team has failed all of their seven managers since the departure of Alex Ferguson.
      The problems at the club are a lot deeper than a managerial appointment, Erik ten Hag has a huge rebuilding project ahead of him.

      FT: Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
      The referee brings the game to a close much to the roars of celebration from the home fans.
      Big result for Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal team.
      That Bruno Fernandes missed penalty really cost Ralf Rangnick and his side today as they were dominating at the time.

      Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
      90+2. Yellow card for Ronaldo.
      He has a nasty little stamp at the sub Tomiyasu.
      The card comes straight out from the referee.
      Ronaldo is lucky there was no contract as that would have been a straight red.
      Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
      90. We are going to have four additional minutes of added time.
      Tomiyasu comes on for Cedric.
      The pundits are struggling to find a man of the match in the Arsenal line-up currently.
      Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
      88. Since Holding came on, Arsenal are now playing with three centre backs.
      It is working for them as United’s only real outlet is to look for Ronaldo.
      With the additional centre half, it is making life all the more difficult for Ronaldo to find the ball.
      Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
      86. Arsenal are retaining possession and looking to play the game out.
      Passing the ball around to ole’s from the crowd.
      Infuriating the Man Utd players more and more.
      Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
      84. Juan Mata comes on for Bruno Fernandes.
      The Man Utd players seem to be just chasing shadows now.
      Even with only 6 minutes of normal time remaining, a goal by Man Utd now changes the game completely.

      Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
      82. Lindelof is booked for a challenge on Nketiah.
      Frustrations setting in with the United players.
      Seems a bit late to become frustrated with lacklustre performances, 34 games into the season.
      Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
      80. Arsenal are looking to manage this game now.
      Taking the chance to run the clock down whenever the situation presents itself.
      United look to try put Ronaldo in but the ball is overhit and runs through to Ramsdale.
      Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
      78. The Granit Xhaka goal has completely changed this game.
      United were dominating this second half before the goal.
      Heads are down with the visitors and there seems to be no way back into the game for them.
      Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
      76. Bruno Fernandes is booked for a foul on Tavares.
      Late challenge from the stroppy Portuguese midfielder.
      Elanga and Matic come off for Lingard and Rashford.
      Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
      74. Nketiah draws the foul from Matic.
      It gives Arsenal some breathing space.
      That Xhaka goal may have just ended United’s hopes of Champions League football next season.

      Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
      72. Saka is on the floor injured.
      He has signalled to the bench that he needs to come off.
      It seems the Arsenal youngster has a thigh strain.
      Rob Holding to replace him.
      Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd
      70. Well we certainly know what was going through Xhaka’s mind that time.
      The Arsenal midfielder strikes a hammer of a left foot from distance.
      De Gea with no chance of saving that one.
      Goal – Granit Xhaka (Arsenal)
      Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd
      68. This is all Man Utd currently.
      Arsenal keep giving the ball away far too easily.
      United need to take some of these chances.
      Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd
      66. Xhaka gets his obligatory yellow card for the day.
      You really have to wonder what goes through that guy’s head at times.
      He launches the ball into the stands after the referee’s whistle, right in front of the official.

      Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd
      64. Martinelli comes on for Smith-Rowe.
      The Arsenal youngster has been missing somewhat today.
      Elanga goes to ground in the box claiming a penalty.
      As the foul initially started outside of the box, VAR cannot get involved.
      Ridiculous rules.
      Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd
      62. Man Utd break with numbers.
      Ronaldo feeds Dalot on the outside who shoots.
      Ramsdale gets a fingertip to deflect it onto the post.
      Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd
      60. The ball is floated into the box, Ronaldo turns on it and strikes the back of the net.
      Immediately the linesman puts his flag up.
      VAR confirms the decision.
      Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd – Elanga chance!
      58. It is all Man Utd in the second half so far.
      Elanga tries an effort from outside the box but Ramsdale tips it wide of the post.
      Arsenal camped in their own half currently.

      Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd
      56. Bruno Fernandes misses!
      His stuttering run towards the ball, placing the ball in the corner, it rebounds back off the post.
      What a chance wasted for United.
      Load more entries… More

    • 200 Shares169 Views

      in Soccer

      Lewis Hamilton CONFIRMS Chelsea takeover bid, Real Madrid ‘expect to complete Rudiger transfer’ – latest updates

      by

      LEWIS HAMILTON has confirmed that he is part of Sir Martin Broughton’s consortium who are bidding to buy Chelsea.But the Stevenage-born F1 icon also admitted that he is an ARSENAL fan, thanks to the influence of his sister.
      Hamilton commented: “When I was young, I used to play football as a kid around the corner and I really wanted to fit in. I was the only kid of colour there.
      “All the kids supported someone different and I remember switching between these teams and when I’d get home my sister would basically beat me, saying you have to support Arsenal!
      “At five, six years old I supported Arsenal but my uncle Terry is a big Blues fan, so I’ve been to so many games with him to watch Chelsea and Arsenal play.”
      Meanwhile Real Madrid are said to be confident of signing out of contract Antonio Rudiger after the Blues centre-back reportedly dropped his wage demands.
      Keep up to date with all of the latest updates from the takeover in our live blog…
      Declan Rice rejects contract offer
      Declan Rice has reportedly rejected a third contract offer from West Ham.
      And the England midfielder is open to a transfer away from the London Stadium, according to The Guardian.
      The news will be welcomed by Prem giants Chelsea and Man United who are both keen on Rice.
      Tuchel’s lost for words
      Thomas Tuchel can’t get his head round Chelsea’s poor home form recently.
      Tuchel said: “It’s unusual and I don’t know what it is.
      “If it was just the one thing, we would switch dressing rooms or take another hotel.
      “But that would maybe be more superstition than anything else.
      “I have no solution but it’s also not the level that we want to produce in home games. It’s a bit fragile at the moment.”
      Lukaku was given warning
      Romelu Lukaku was warned not to leave Inter Milan for Chelsea because he was seen as a king at the San Siro.
      The warning was issued by former Inter Milan star Radja Nainggolan.
      Nainggolan told BeIN Sport: “I told him he was wrong to leave Inter, he was the king there.
      “He was perhaps the best striker in the world. But he couldn’t say no to the club of his heart.”
      Tuchel on Hamilton’s Chelsea bid
      Thomas Tuchel has revealed that he is a big fan of both Lewis Hamilton and Serena Williams after the pair joined Sir Martin Broughton’s Chelsea bid.
      Tuchel said: “I just heard it, I just got a briefing and heard that they are part of it (Broughton’s bid).
      “I can tell you not more but I am a big admirer of both of them.”
      Juventus line up three Blues
      Juventus are reportedly hunting summer deals for THREE Chelsea stars.
      Gazzetta claims Antonio Rudiger, Jorginho and Marcos Alonso are all wanted by Max Allegri.
      Rudiger looks set to leave on a free transfer in July, while ageing Alonso and Jorginho are out of contract in 2023.

      Rudiger and Kovacic still missing
      Antonio Rudiger and Mateo Kovacic are both out of Chelsea’s tough clash with West Ham.
      Rudiger is suffering with a groin problem, while Kovacic has ligament damage.
      Thomas Tuchel confirmed: “For Sunday’s match, not back. Both of them not back. Also, no other injuries.”
      Gallas questions record Lukaku signing
      William Gallas admits he’s at a loss to explain why Chelsea paid a record £97.5million fee to re-sign Romelu Lukaku.
      He told Genting Casino: “I don’t understand how a player like him has lost his confidence. He doesn’t score goals. 
      “When he plays, he doesn’t play well. I’m not talking about the transfer and the money, I’m talking about the player and his performance. 
      “He should do better and he doesn’t perform. For me he doesn’t need time to adapt to Premier League football. I don’t understand why Chelsea bought him.”
      Tuchel shouldn’t be blaming pitch
      William Gallas has laughed off Thomas Tuchel’s claims that Chelsea’s PITCH was to blame for the 4-2 defeat to Arsenal.
      Gallas told Genting Casino: “If the pitch wasn’t good, it wasn’t good for both teams. Come on, don’t make that excuse. You just have to say, ‘okay, we lost 4-2, we didn’t play well’. 
      “Arsenal were better than Chelsea, so don’t try to find any excuses because that excuse, as I said, about the pitch, it was for both teams. 
      “Maybe Tuchel needs to try to be a little bit more realistic and maybe the system with three at the back wasn’t good against Arsenal.”

      Gilmour set for Rangers return
      Billy Gilmour could be heading back to Rangers this summer.
      90min claim the Scots are keen on re-signing the young midfielder as a replacement for Steven Davis.
      Gilmour came up through the Gers’ ranks before his move to Chelsea.
      But he is unlikely to feature for the Blues next term after a poor spell at Norwich.
      Nainggolan’s Chelsea warning to Lukaku
      Romelu Lukaku’s national teammate Radja Nainggolan has told the striker: You’ve made a huge mistake going back to Chelsea.
      Nainggolan said: “I told Romelu that he has made a bad decision in leaving Inter. There he was the king, and perhaps the best striker in the world.
      “But he was unable to say no to the club he loved. This is the third time that he has gone to Chelsea – and the third time that it hasn’t worked for him.
      “He says that the team was built around him, but that the system hasn’t worked. So the coach [Tuchel] has opted for other, smaller players who run around a lot.
      “And the results have come as a consequence. Had he stayed at Inter, with a team built around him, he would have remained among the world’s best strikers for another four or five years.”
      Rudiger set for Real switch
      Real Madrid are confident they will land Chelsea star Antonio Rudiger after he lowered his wage demands.
      Marca claims Real are set to win the race for the German defender following negotiations over his finances.
      Rudiger is now prepared to accept a wage in line with Real’s budget.
      It’s reckoned Rudiger’s arrival would see David Alaba move to left-back, making Real’s defence even more watertight.
      Hamilton excited about Chelsea takeover
      Lewis Hamilton has spoken about his involvement with tennis legend Serena Williams in Sir Martin Broughton’s £2.5billion Chelsea takeover.
      The self-confessed Arsenal fan said: “Ultimately, I’m a sporting fan – it’s the biggest sport in the world and Chelsea are one of the biggest clubs in the world and most successful.
      “When I heard about this I thought, ‘Wow’. This is one of the greatest opportunities to be a part of, so great.
      “She (Williams) is a phenomenal athlete and woman. We spoke about it and she asked me my thoughts and I told her I’d be a part of it, and she was excited to join.
      “We were contacted and Sir Martin took time to speak to me on the phone and explain his and his team’s goals if they were to win the bid, which was incredibly exciting and it very much aligned with my values.”

      Juventus targeting Emerson Palmieri transfer
      Chelsea misfit Emerson Palmieri is a reported top target for Juventus this summer.
      Di Marzio claims the Italian left-back has no future at Stamford Bridge.
      He is currently on loan at Lyon, who have the option to buy him for £12.5million.
      But Emerson would jump at the chance to sign for Juve should a suitable offer be made.
      Tuchel comment by Mark Irwin
      It’s taken him 15 months to get here but Thomas Tuchel is finally reaching the end of his tether at Chelsea.
      Wednesday’s 4-2 home defeat by Arsenal was too much for even the genial German to take.
      And his tetchy post-match interview illustrated just how much trying to maintain order in this West London madhouse is taking its toll.
      READ THE REST HERE
      Willian set for Corinthians exit
      Former Chelsea and Arsenal star Willian and his family are reportedly “scared to leave their house” following threats made on social media.
      The 33-year-old winger is back playing in his Brazilian homeland with Corinthians.
      But cops were called in to investigate after several players were threatened following their shock loss to Always Ready
      Willian’s young twin daughters are afraid to go to school, while his wife is refusing to leave home unless it is absolutely necessary.
      And the veteran could now leave South America for fears over safety.
      Premier League top manager salaries
      Thomas Tuchel is just the seventh top-paid manager in the Premier League.
      The Blues boss picks up £8million a year at Stamford Bridge.
      That’s £11m less than Man City’s Pep Guardiola.
      Incoming Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag will also be on more money after signing a £9m-a-year deal.

      Lukaku lined up by AC
      Chelsea flop Romelu Lukaku is wanted by Serie A giants AC Milan in a shock transfer, according to reports.
      Goal claim Milan could offer Lukaku an easy escape out of Chelsea this summer.
      However, the fee Chelsea could command, as well as Lukaku’s mega £325,000-a-week wages, could prove to be a problem.
      Any possible deal would need Chelsea to cut their losses on the forward and lower the asking price.
      And Milan may ask Chelsea to pay a portion of Lukaku’s wages.
      King Cesar Azpilicueta’s trophy cabinet
      Cesar Azpilicueta was involved in a heated confrontation with a fan after the defeat to Arsenal.
      Was it right to criticise the Chelsea captain, considering he’s won EVERY trophy for the Blues?

      Good morning Chelsea fans
      Lewis Hamilton and Serena Williams have added their names to the hat for a shocking Chelsea takeover.
      Sky Sports report that the bid for the Blues spearheaded by Sir Martin Broughton, includes investments from two sporting superstars.
      They have an estimated £10m each in the offer.
      Sir Lewis and Williams have been in talks with Broughton’s group for several weeks.
      Arsenal supporters have produced a mixed reaction following the news F1 legend Sir Lewis Hamilton is investing in Chelsea.
      Following the shock news, supporters of the Gunners quickly took to Twitter to react to the news.
      And there were some hilarious comments as they digested the information.
      One fan wrote: “Agent Hamilton, destroying Chelsea from within.”
      Elsewhere, Gunners fans continued to aim digs at Chelsea by labelling ‘Emile Smith-Rowe as the king of Stamford Bridge.
      Smith-Rowe was one of the Gunners’ scorers in their 4-2 win over the Blues, and Gooners took to Twitter to hail the England ace as the king of the West Londoners stadium.
      One fan wrote to Smith-Rowe: “Stamford Bridge is your playground.
      While another concurred: “Stamford Bridge is Smith Rowe’s playground.”
      Meanwhile, Spurs boss Antonio Conte insists Chelsea’s spot in third place is secure despite their loss to Arsenal and claims the Blues’ superiority will keep them out of the battle for the top four.
      He said: “I don’t think Chelsea is in this race. They are in this moment on a different level.
      “They are there because they missed some games but they don’t stay in this race.”
      And finally, Gary Lineker has praised Didier Drogba after he was inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame.
      Drogba shared his pride after receiving the honour.
      And Lineker was on hand to congratulate the ex-Blues striker on Twitter.
      Lineker wrote: “Another great. Thoroughly deserved. Well played.”
      Ten Hag and Tuchel comparison
      Erik Ten Hag needs to follow Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel’s blueprint when he takes over at Man United.
      That’s according to United’s ex-assistant Rene Meulensteen.
      He said: “Any top-four team in the Premier League that goes to a bottom-four team in the Premier League still has to fight very hard for points. He has to hit the ground running.”
      Meulensteen added: “You can compare that with Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea. He has never worked over here in the Premier League, but he came over here and did his homework.
      “You could see that straight away and his impact was immediate with Chelsea. Erik needs to do that.”
      Cech praises Drogba
      Petr Cech has praised Didier Drogba after the ex-Chelsea striker was inducted into the Premier League Hall Of Fame.
      “He started slower than some people expected.
      “I think it was the difference between the leagues, because the Premier League was far more physical, and the referees had a different approach to it.
      “You had to find a way to beat your opponents. Some teams at that time were really physical, with bigger, taller players than him.
      “He also injured his groin at the beginning and that held him back a little bit, but the moment he got going, nobody could stop him.
      “The machine started, and it didn’t stop until he retired. We all know how he became a legend in this club, this league, and in world football.”
      Lineker praises Drogba
      Gary Lineker has praised Didier Drogba after he was inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame.
      Drogba shared his pride after receiving the honour.
      And Lineker was on hand to congratulate the ex-Blues striker on Twitter.
      Lineker wrote: “Another great. Thoroughly deserved. Well played.”
      Ian Wright slammed Azpilicueta
      Cesar Azpilicueta has been slammed by Ian Wright for conceding a penalty for Chelsea against Arsenal.
      Wright said: “Look at Azpilicueta there, experienced player, one player in the box and he’s given away a penalty like that.
      “It deserved to be a penalty. He’s saying he’s holding him but he should be defending that.
      “He should be the defensive side but he’s not even looking at the ball. What does he expect the referee to do?”
      Verstappen slams Hamilton’s Chelsea interest
      Max Verstappen has ripped into Lewis Hamilton over his shock role in Chelsea’s takeover bid.
      Speaking to PA, the Dutchman remarked: “I am a PSV fan and I would never buy Ajax.
      “And if I was going to buy a football club I would want to be the full owner and to take the decisions myself, not own just a tiny percentage.
      “I thought he was an Arsenal fan?
      “And if you are an Arsenal fan going for Chelsea, that it is quite interesting.
      “But everyone does what they want with their money so let’s see what comes out of it.”
      Arsenal’s Morata issue
      Arsenal have hit a stumbling block in their pursuit of Alvaro Morata.
      The Atletico Madrid striker had a rough spell with Chelsea.
      And according to Mundo Deportivo, his nightmare at Stamford Bridge is making him reluctant towards a Premier League return – albeit with Arsenal.
      But the Gunners are still in with a shout of signing the striker as Atleti would prefer selling him to the North Londoners.
      Load more entries… More

    • 238 Shares99 Views

      in Boxing

      Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte weigh-in LIVE: Gypsy King weighs in stone LIGHTER than last fight – latest updates

      by

      TYSON FURY and Dillian Whyte have met for the face-to-face for the final time before tomorrow’s huge clash.And the respectable theme continued – with the pair DANCING on stage at the end of the weigh in.
      Fury towered over Whyte when they faced up and the Gypsy King also weighs more, coming in at 18st 12lbs.
      That means Fury has failed to deliver on his promise to fight at his heaviest weight ever, but is still bigger than Whyte’s 18st 1lbs.
      BETTING SPECIAL – GET FURY AT 30/1 OR WHYTE AT 100/1
      Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…
      Fury vs Whyte confirmed weights

      Tyson Fury – 264lbs
      Dillian Whyte 253lbs

      Both men are all smiles during the face-off and begin dancing together once that’s over with.
      Make of that bizarreness what you will.
      Tyson Fury – 264lbs
      The WBC heavyweight champion comes in at 264lbs and is the overwhelming fan favourite here.
      Dillian Whyte – 253.4lbs
      The Body Snatcher is looking in some serious shape and comes in at 253.4lbs for his clash with Tyson Fury.
      The champ is next.
      Tyson Fury is here
      Short break again before the final weights are read out.
      Fury has now arrived by the side of the stage.
      Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte
      The weigh in is NEXT!
      Whyte is here by the side of the stage.
      Ekow Essuman vs Darren Tetley

      Tetley – 145lbs
      Essuman – 146lbs

      We’re back underway!
      I didn’t have that cheeseburger, by the way.
      Big fight feel
      Jimmy Lennon Jr is here!
      The legendary announcer has made the trip over for tomorrow night’s class between Fury and Whyte.
      Now we’ve got a big fight.
      Short break in play
      MC Thomas Treiber tells us we’re going to have a short break before the weights for the co-main and main events are read out.
      Do I have time to scoff a cheeseburger from Nanny Bill’s?
      Isaac Lowe vs Nick Ball

      Lowe – 125lbs
      Ball – 125lbs

      Tommy Fury vs Daniel Bocianski

      Bocianski – 175lbs
      Fury – 177lbs

      David Adeleye vs Chris Healey

      Adeleye – 232lbs
      Healey – 282lbs

      Royston Barney-Smith vs Constantin Radoi

      Radoi – 132lbs
      Barney-Smith – 132lbs

      Karol Itauma vs Michal Ciach

      Ciach – 175lbs
      Itauma – 175lbs

      Kurt Walker vs Stefan Nicolae

      Nicolae – 127.4lbs
      Walker – 129lbs

      Fury vs Whyte weigh-in
      So Fury and Whyte are finally set to do battle tomorrow night and they’ll weigh in around 45 minutes from now.
      It’s been a long time coming this fight, as it was first floated as an idea by both in the summer of 2019.
      Box Park is absolutely packed to the rafters for their final face-off.
      We’ll have you covered throughout.
      Frampton on Fury’s recovery powers
      “Knowing that Fury has that in him, that he can really dig deep and fight in the trenches, might be in Dillian’s mind,” Frampton said.
      “If Dillian was going into this fight without ever seeing the last two Wilder fights, he would be going into this expecting a back-foot Fury getting up on his toes.
      “Now he cannot know what to expect, he has to be thinking ‘how do you beat him?’
      “Fury has literally taken the absolute biggest and best shots from one of boxing’s biggest ever punchers and kept getting up.
      “He looked knocked out, at one point his eyes were closed down on the canvas, there were memes about him getting compared to The Undertaker.
      “He also gets up and wins the round.”
      15 minutes away
      Not long now until today’s weigh-in gets underway at Box Park.
      Gypsy King vs Body Snatcher
      Tomorrow live on BT Sport Box Office.

      Dean Whyte vs John Fury?
      “John [Fury] wanted to fight me, I wasn’t sure what was going on!” Whyte’s brother said after Wednesday’s presser.
      “He went mad, I was like ‘mate, what are you doing? You’re an old man, his dad, I’m going to give you the respect because you’re his father, I’m not going to entertain this’.
      “I said ‘Tyson, talk to this guy’ and Tyson said ‘dad chill out’.
      “I’m a young man respectfully, younger than him, I’m with 40 or 50 guys, it’s not that kind of party, we’re not playing silly b here’.
      “I don’t know what was going on. I said to him ‘I’ve always given you respect, you’re this man’s dad, I’ve given you respect, I’ve never been rude to you’.”
      Fury’s presser thoughts
      It was certainly a tame press conference on Wednesday, but Fury had to prevent his dad getting into it with Whyte’s brother Dean.
      “I just prevented a big ruckus on stage, people want a big ruckus at a press conference, they want to see all this screaming and shouting and punching,” Fury said afterwards.
      “But listen, let the two boxers do a fight and enjoy it, it’s not for entourages to get involved or anything like that and to be professional and say ‘let’s step back, let me and him do what we’ve got to do and that’s it’.
      “We’re here to a do a fight, the man is doing his job, getting paid to do it and so am I. People are here for a real fight, we don’t need to scream and shout at our press conference.
      “It was respectful stuff, the man’s done his job, he’s obviously trained, so have I, we’re going to see a good fight Saturday night, end of. Nothing more to say.”
      Credit: Reuters
      Can Whyte beat Fury?
      Carl Frampton thinks not, despite a potential underestimation of the Brixton man.
      “I think Dillian is underestimated by some people but I can see why,” he said.
      “People are now so excited about Fury because of the Wilder fights but he had a few stinkers before that.
      “And a lot of people will remember Whyte getting knocked out by Povtkin.
      “People assume it will be an easy night for Fury but it is very hard for me to see a way for Whyte to win the fight.”
      Tyson Fury’s journey so far
      Its been a long road for the Gypsy King, and he’s arguably had two separate careers.
      And what a chapter he’s writing at the moment. WBC, The Ring & Lineal heavyweight champ.

      Fury vs Whyte FULL CARD
      Prepare for a night of fireworks under Wembley’s famous arch.

      Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte
      Ekow Essuman vs Darren Tetley
      Isaac Lowe vs Nick Ball
      David Adeleye vs Chris Healey
      Tommy Fury vs Daniel Bocianski
      Karol Itauma vs Michal Ciach
      Royston Barney-Smith vs Michael Walton
      Kurt Walker vs Stefan Nicolae

      How to watch Fury vs Whyte
      BT Sport Box Office will broadcast the fight in the UK, with ESPN+ showing the event in the US.
      BT wrote in a tweet to confirm the news: “The time for talking is over! After years of back and forth, the heavyweight showdown is on!”
      The event will cost £24.95 on BT Sport, which was the price of Fury’s last two clashes with Deontay Wilder on the channel.
      Exclusive radio coverage is available on talkSPORT with coverage starting at 7.30pm.
      Load more entries… More

    • 250 Shares129 Views

      in Motorsport

      F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix LIVE QUALIFYING: Updates from Imola as Leclerc, Hamilton & Verstappen battle it out for Q2

      by

      F1 is back as Charles Leclerc is looking to extend his World Championship lead after two wins from the opening three races.Current champ Max Verstappen won the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix but was forced to retire in Bahrain and Australia, leaving him sixth in the current standings.
      And prospective Chelsea co-owner Lewis Hamilton is fifth in the championship after finishing third, tenth and fourth in the opening three Grand Prixs.
      F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix schedule
      Friday

      Practice One – 12.30pm
      Qualifying – 4pm

      Saturday

      Practice Two – 11.30am
      Sprint – 3.30pm

      Sunday

      Race – 2pm

      Wow…Hamilton scrapes into Q2 but the smallest margins.
      He is only 15th quickest and was 0.004 seconds off Tsunoda, who occupied the last place in the drop zone.
      That is painful for Hamilton.
      Eliminated from Q1: Albon, Ocon, Latifi, Gasly and Tsunoda are all out.
      Hamilton is now back in the thick of it!
      The track has dried up considerably and he is back in the drop zone…
      He could be out!
      Hamilton looks to have done enough to make it into Q2
      He was down in the drop zone but has just put in a lap to go seventh on the timesheets. He is still so far off the pace of the leaders.
      Green light – Q1 has restarted after Albon’s issue
      A little over 11 minutes to go and Leclerc and Sainz are in the bottom five – but that will change!
      Red Flag – Albon has a brake problem
      His Williams has a rear-brake failure and flames are licking out behind the rear right tyre.
      He has made it back to the pitlane but his tyre has exploded in the process.

      Qualifying for the Sprint Race is Go
      The pitlane goes green for Q1. The usual rush to get into the top 15 to form the grid for tomorrow’s Sprint Race.
      Don’t rain on my parade
      It was a very wet track for the drivers at Practice One.
      They’ll be hoping for a drier run at qualifying, which is kicking off now.

      Catch up on F1 practice
      Missed today’s practice session?
      Catch up with best action below ahead of qualifying at 4pm.

      Leclerc shows off driving skills
      Charles Leclerc needed to utilise every inch of his experience behind the wheel.
      This is like something out of an action movie!

      Bottas stuck in the barrier
      This is the moment Bottas lost control, hitting the barrier at the end of Practice One.
      And to make matters, he couldn’t even reverse after getting stuck!

      Hamilton excited about Chelsea takeover
      Lewis Hamilton has spoken about his involvement with tennis legend Serena Williams in Sir Martin Broughton’s £2.5billion Chelsea takeover.
      The self-confessed Arsenal fan said: “Ultimately, I’m a sporting fan – it’s the biggest sport in the world and Chelsea are one of the biggest clubs in the world and most successful.
      “When I heard about this I thought, ‘Wow’. This is one of the greatest opportunities to be a part of, so great.
      “She (Williams) is a phenomenal athlete and woman. We spoke about it and she asked me my thoughts and I told her I’d be a part of it, and she was excited to join.
      “We were contacted and Sir Martin took time to speak to me on the phone and explain his and his team’s goals if they were to win the bid, which was incredibly exciting and it very much aligned with my values.”

      Final results for Practice One
      Let’s take a look at those times in full from Practice One.
      Remember, qualifying is coming up later!

      Bottas bins it!
      Right at the end, the Finn thuds his Alfa Romeo into the barriers. He is now stuck and cannot reverse.
      FP1 is done – Ferrari lead the way
      Leclerc tops the session, Sainz is second, Verstappen is third.
      Russell is 10th and Hamilton all the way down in 17th.
      Red Flag – Lando Norris is in the gravel
      The McLaren man goes off and the race director stops the session.
      But he is moving again and back on his way to the pits. No damage done.
      Ferrari 1-2
      Leclerc leads Sainz around Imola in an messy session with plenty of spins all round.
      Verstappen currently in P3.
      It has stopped raining but track is proving tricky for Mercedes
      George Russell is struggling in 18th place. Hamilton is only in 15th.
      Verstappen tops the time sheets
      The Red Bull man is quickest in these early laps. Sainz is second and Tsunoda has just gone in to third place.
      The track is being cleared of the water and it is that gamble between just how much the drivers can push before they lose grip.

      Both Williams drivers have been off
      And Carlos Sainz has also run across the grass in what has been a messy session so far.

      Leclerc also spins
      Conditions proving tricky. Worth remembering we have not yet had a wet session with these new cars, so drivers will be pushing the cars to find their limits.

      Latifi goes off
      The Canadian spins off in the wet. He has been unable to stay out of trouble in the opening few races.
      Some early running for Bottas
      The Alfa Romeo man is out on track with the Haas duo.

      Green Light – FP1 is Go.
      First session before qualifying – remember this weekend it is the Sprint Race, so straight into quali after this 1 hour session.
      It is very wet out there on track. We had three red flags in the F3 session earlier today.
      The rain has eased but with dry weather expected for the rest of the weekend it could mean there is little running in this session.

      Leclerc feeling fine about top
      Charles Leclerc feels confident he can triumph in Italy, having already won two of the first three races.
      He explained: “Obviously we only had the third race, so it’s difficult to think about the Championship but to be honest, we’ve got a very strong car, a reliable car too.
      “We’ve always been there, so I hope it continues like this and if it does, the we probably have chances for the Championship which obviously makes me smile.
      “It’s great to be back in this position.”
      Hamilton revving to go again
      Lewis Hamilton is keen to make amends for a poor start to the new season, saying: “I will be on Zoom calls with our bosses, and really trying to rally them up.
      “We have got some improvements that we need to make and we need everyone’s support in doing so.
      “It is about making sure we leave no stone unturned, that the hunger is there and we are maximising every moment.
      “I will be chasing the people in the wind tunnel, the aerodynamic guys, and just looking at every single area.”

      Load more entries… More

    • 238 Shares109 Views

      in Soccer

      Erik ten Hag LIVE: Ajax boss ANNOUNCED as Man Utd manager, Dutchman signs three-year deal, Ronaldo RETURNS – latest

      by

      ERIK TEN HAG has been ANNOUNCED as Manchester United manager.The Dutchman has signed a three-year deal at Old Trafford with the option of a further year and will take over after he has finished the season with Ajax.
      The 52-year-old said: “It is a great honour to be appointed manager of Manchester United and I am hugely excited by the challenge ahead.
      “I know the history of this great club and the passion of the fans, and I am absolutely determined to develop a team capable of delivering the success they deserve.”
      Ajax are currently top of Eredivisie by four points with five games to go and Ten Hag can pack his bags for Manchester after the season is done.
      And Cristiano Ronaldo was spotted leaving Carrington in the back of a Mercedes this afternoon.
      Stay up to date with all the latest from Old Trafford in our live blog…
      Ten Hag’s record-breaking wages
      Newly announced Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag will reportedly bank a ‘record-breaking’ salary for taking over as boss.
      The 52-year-old has penned a three-year deal, with the option for a further 12 months.
      While Ten Hag’s Old Trafford earnings remain unknown, he is set to become the highest paid Dutchman in Premier League history.
      Dutch outlet De Telegraaf claim he will earn more than countryman Louis van Gaal did during his fateful two-year spell at Old Trafford.
      Van Gaal, who revealed earlier this month he was battling cancer, is said to have earned a £3.3million base salary at United – not including bonuses.
      Therefore Ten Hag’s wages will exceed that number, with his official salary yet to be confirmed.
      Neville outlays United vision
      Gary Neville wants Ten Hag to concentrate on building new foundations at Man United before challenging for a trophy.
      Neville said: “First, it should be getting back into the top four, re-establishing Manchester United in the Champions League, attract the players into the club that play the way he wants to play and then start to get a system of belief.
      “It took Jurgen Klopp five years to win a Premier League title [at Liverpool], as great a job as he has done.
      “At the end of last year, to be fair, I thought United were getting closer [to winning the title]. Yet it’s all collapsed and fallen to pieces and I don’t know why that has happened.
      “Erik ten Hag gets to pick up the pieces. Initial phase: Build the foundations of what he wants to achieve.”
      More from Irwin
      Man United will be challenging for the Prem in two to three years with Ten Hag at the helm.
      That’s the opinion of club legend Denis Irwin who has been impressed with the style of play the Dutchman’s instilled with Ajax.
      He said: “Yeah, it might take time with an overhaul due in terms of the first-team squad, and we need a bit of patience as well.
      “The best-case scenario is we’ll be challenging hopefully in two or three years’ time for the league, but I’m excited by the style of football and the fact he seems an honest and hard-working manager.”
      Irwin on Ten Hag
      Man United legend Denis Irwin is ecstatic over the club’s appointment of Ten Hag.
      Irwin told Sky Sports: “I’m more than happy. He’s an exciting appointment.
      “The style of football he’s played at Ajax over the last four and a half years is great to watch.
      “He’s had success in Holland and on the European stage, and I think all the fans are right behind it.”
      Conte on top-four race
      Spurs boss Antonio Conte is bracing for a fight with Arsenal and Man United over the coveted fourth spot.
      Conte said: “We have to fight with Arsenal, they showed yesterday they are in good form, Man Utd, West Ham and Wolverhampton.
      “Now we have to fight until the end. The last second of the last game we will see which will be our place in the table.”
      Neville on Ten Hag
      Gary Neville has revealed he isn’t excited by Man United’s appointment of Erik ten Hag because of the club’s current poor form.
      Although he expects his feelings to change when the pre-season period kicks in.
      Neville said: “I wouldn’t say excitement because of the mood we’re in at the moment as Manchester United.
      “But come the end of the season, there will be a lot of outgoings and a group of new signings which always bring excitement, then hopefully a manager who can get the side playing with pride again.
      “It’s difficult at this stage to get excited, but in pre-season there will be that feeling. There will be excitement but I don’t quite feel it at this moment in time because of how bad United currently are.
      “Erik ten Hag is the man of the moment and the overwhelming choice of the fans.”
      Conte’s warning to Ten Hag
      Tottenham boss Antonio Conte has claimed Erik ten Hag has a tough task on his hands at Man United.
      Conte said: “Don’t forget that last season United were in second place and improve the squad with Varane, Sancho and Ronaldo.
      “It’s strange but they’ve improved the squad and have done worse than last season. It shows it’s not easy, particularly in England.
      “In England it’s a big job for every manager, the level is so high. When you’re at Manchester United the pressure is massive.
      “You have to fight to win trophies. It’s not easy because other teams have the same idea.”
      Maguire bomb scare
      Man United and England star Harry Maguire has been left shocked after receiving a bomb threat.
      Cheshire police with sniffer dogs have been sent to the mansion where Maguire lives with fiancee Fern Hawkins and their two daughters.
      Searches are ongoing.
      The chilling warning came via email that a bomb would be planted at the home of the United skipper.

      Ten Hag the defender
      Erik ten Hag had a 13 year playing career, playing for four different clubs between 1989 and 2002, all in the Netherlands.
      The centre-back had THREE spells with Twente, appearing a total of 248 times.

      Who is Erik ten Hag?
      Ten Hag started his managerial career in 2012, taking over at Dutch minnows Go Ahead Eagles.
      The former centre-back spent two years at Bayern Munich II, before enjoying another two seasons back in Holland, with Utrecht.
      Ten Hag took over at Ajax in 2017 and has helped them win TWO Eredivisie titles – in 2018-19 and 2020-21 – with a third looking almost certain this season.
      The boss famously led Ajax to the 2018-19 Champions League semi-final only to be stunned after a late Tottenham comeback – denying them a date with Liverpool in the final.
      Ten Hag has also won two KNVB Cup crowns and the Johan Cruyff Shield during his time in Amsterdam.

      Ten Hag ‘hugely excited’ by United
      Upon the announcement of the Dutchman as the new United boss, Ten Hag spoke to the Manchester United official site.
      He said: “It is a great honour to be appointed manager of Manchester United and I am hugely excited by the challenge ahead.
      “I know the history of this great club and the passion of the fans, and I am absolutely determined to develop a team capable of delivering the success they deserve.
      “It will be difficult to leave Ajax after these incredible years, and I can assure our fans of my complete commitment and focus on bringing this season to a successful conclusion before I move to Manchester United.”
      It is a great honour to be appointed manager of Manchester United and I am hugely excited.Erik Ten HagManchester United
      Steve McClaren to join Ten Hag’s assistant staff
      Steve McClaren is reportedly set to become Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United assistant – despite the club initially REJECTING their new manager’s request, writes ANTHONY CHAPMAN.
      And the current Ajax boss will start his Old Trafford role this summer after penning a three-year deal.
      However, there is still no announcement over Ten Hag’s backroom staff.
      It’s believed he wants to bring Ajax No2 Mitchell van der Gaag and former England boss McClaren to Old Trafford.

      But the Telegraph claims United had been resisting Ten Hag’s calls to give McClaren a job.
      Ten Hag had been asked to first evaluate United’s current options before requesting any drastic changes to staff.
      However, it’s now said that Red Devils chiefs have given in to Ten Hag’s demands.
      And McClaren is now on the verge of a stunning return to the Premier League.
      The 60-year-old served as Sir Alex Ferguson’s assistant from 1999 to 2001.
      And Ten Hag, who in turn was McClaren’s No2 at FC Twente, believes he brings unrivalled experience of the English game.
      Meanwhile, United remain in negotiations with Ajax for Van der Gaag.
      United Welcome Erik
      Manchester United have released a photograph of Ten Hag, sporting a Red Devils shirt draped over his shoulder.
      The caption read: “New beginnings.”

      Ten Hag to bring Ajax assistant with him
      Mitchell van der Gaag is set to join Manchester United as Erik ten Hag’s assistant manager, say reports.
      The Manchester Evening News report that Ten Hag is set to bring Van der Gaag with him.
      However, United are yet to finalise terms on a deal.
      The 50-year-old joined Ajax in 2019 as head coach of the club’s B team, before being promoted to Ten Hag’s assistant last year. 
      Cristiano thanks fans for tribute
      Ronaldo was very appreciative of the reception given by United and Liverpool fans for wife Georgina Rodriguez and family on Tuesday night at Anfield.
      There was a moment of reflection in the 7th minute of the game as fans gave their support to Ronaldo and his family after they announced a tragic loss of one of the twin babies during birth last week.
      He said: “One world… One sport… One global family… Thanks, Anfield.
      “Me and my family will never forget this moment of respect and compassion”

      United transfer targets
      United are looking at spending another £350million to put together a new team — and that is with a couple of free transfers, writes NEIL CUSTIS.
      Spurs’ Harry Kane is an obvious strike target, as well as Declan Rice at West Ham to bolster the midfield, along with Wolves’ Ruben Neves.
      RB Leipzig’s Christopher Nkunku is certainly one Rangnick will have put on the board’s radar.

      He has 17 goals and 13 assists playing across the front line this season.
      At the back, United could pick up a couple of great frees in Antonio Rudiger from Chelsea, whose contract is running down, and Ten Hag’s own Noussair ­Mazraoui at Ajax.
      Presnel Kimpembe from Paris Saint-Germain at centre-back is also a possibility at £36million.
      This rebuild is a huge responsibility, or more years in the wilderness will follow.
      You can only wish Ten Hag good luck.
      Ronaldo under Ten Hag and Red Devils character
      Ronaldo is another big question Ten Hag needs to answer.
      While his arrival seemed to unsettle the set-up and plans Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had for the season, his goals return cannot be questioned.
      Some like Pogba, Edinson Cavani and Lingard are just off, so there is nothing to decide. Others must be shown the exit.
      Ten Hag will know his fellow Dutchman Donny van de Beek well but he simply cannot play in the Premier League — as Everton are now also finding out during his loan spell there.
      Anthony Martial will be lucky to find another club after his downturn at United has been followed by a horror spell on loan at Sevilla.
      For Sir Alex Ferguson, talent was only half of it when he was looking for a player.
      He wanted a deep-dive into their character before he made a decision.
      Would he ever have signed Sanchez, Romelu Lukaku, Angel Di Maria or Pogba, who he had already got rid of once?
      Too many players bought over the last nine years since Fergie retired have not had the character to succeed at Old Trafford.
      So few leaders, so many willing to hide and hang the manager out to dry.
      Ten Hag’s defensive woes at Old Trafford
      Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw have had stinkers this season, writes NEIL CUSTIS.
      Shaw was probably the best full-back in Europe last season and Maguire’s arrival in summer 2019 coincided immediately with an improvement in defensive displays.
      Can Ten Hag revive and reboot them?
      Roy Keane claimed you cannot win a title with Scott McTominay and Fred in midfield but you would certainly want them in your squad.
      Elsewhere, Raphael Varane is becoming a bit of an Alexis Sanchez.
      Big name, big money but not big performances and while Maguire plays through injury, Varane is too often sidelined.
      Ten Hag’s to do list
      Ask any irate United fan right now and there would be nobody left at Carrington next season bar De Gea, Cristiano Ronaldo and a few young lads knocking on the door, writes NEIL CUSTIS.
      But Ten Hag has to balance how much better he can make what he is inheriting with those who are lost or “broken” — Neville’s word again — and simply irreparable.
      Everyone will have their opinions and it is a lot easier just to say ‘Get out’ than give someone another chance.
      Take local lad Marcus Rashford, who has just made his 300th appearance for United.
      He has had a dreadful season, his woeful first touch when put through at Anfield in the first half summed it up.
      Rashford’s confidence is shot on match day.
      Yet Rangnick’s assessment of the player due to what he produces in training is still very high.
      Can a new coach like Ten Hag transfer that in to games?
      Where to start for Ten Hag
      What were Manchester United left with for their clash at bitter rivals Liverpool?
      Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic, two players who started at Anfield, are definitely leaving this summer, writes NEIL CUSTIS.
      As is Jesse Lingard, who came on to replace the injured Pogba after ten minutes.
      Phil Jones was starting just his second game of the season and had to be withdrawn for his own good at half-time.
      Elsewhere you could not name a single player who would get into Liverpool’s team, or Manchester City’s, or maybe even Chelsea or Spurs bar goalkeeper David de Gea.
      The team is “nothing”, as Gary Neville put it.
      So where does incoming boss Erik ten Hag start?

      Football director Murtough’s admiration for Ten Hag
      John Murtough, Football Director at Manchester United, spoke to the club’s official site upon the signing of Ten Hag.
      He said: “During the past four years at Ajax, Erik has proved himself to be one of the most exciting and successful coaches in Europe, renowned for his team’s attractive, attacking football and commitment to youth.
      “In our conversations with Erik leading up to this appointment, we were deeply impressed with his long-term vision for returning Manchester United to the level we want to be competing at, and his drive and determination to achieve that. 
      “We wish Erik the best of luck as he focuses on achieving a successful end to the season at Ajax and look forward to welcoming him to Manchester United this summer.”  
      Erik has proved himself to be one of the most exciting and successful coaches in Europe, renowned for his team’s attractive, attacking football and commitment to youth.John Murtough, Football DirectorManchester United
      Van der Sar speaks on the departure of boss Ten Hag
      Ajax Chief Executive Edwin van der Sar has spoken on Erik ten Hag’s departure from the Amsterdam club.
      He said: “Four and a half years is a good amount of time, but we would have liked to have kept Erik at Ajax for longer.
      “He is going to make the step to one of the biggest clubs in the world, in a fantastic league.
      “We owe Erik a lot of thanks for what he has achieved with Ajax so far, but we are not done yet.
      “At the end of the season, I will look back more extensively on his departure.
      “For now, what matters is the final games of the season in which we all want to bring home the league title.”
      “Ten Hag is going to make the step to one of the biggest clubs in the world, in a fantastic league.Edwin van der SarAjax
      Ajax tried to keep Ten Hag
      Ajax had fought tooth and nail to keep Ten Hag at the Eredivisie leaders.
      Technical director Gerry Hamstra said: “I can be very clear about this, we did [try to keep him].
      “We did everything to. We are trying everything to keep him.”
      When asked if the club offered Ten Hag a bumper new deal, Hamstra added: “Yes. We tried everything.
      “When? Recently.”
      Who is Erik ten Hag?
      Ten Hag started his managerial career in 2012, taking over at Dutch minnows Go Ahead Eagles.
      The former centre-back spent two years at Bayern Munich II, before enjoying another two seasons back in Holland, with Utrecht.
      Ten Hag took over at Ajax in 2017 and has helped them win TWO Eredivisie titles – in 2018-19 and 2020-21 – with a third looking almost certain this season.
      The boss famously led Ajax to the 2018-19 Champions League semi-final only to be stunned after a late Tottenham comeback – denying them a date with Liverpool in the final.
      Ten Hag has also won two KNVB Cup crowns and the Johan Cruyff Shield during his time in Amsterdam.

      United decision on Ten Hag
      Ten Hag was keen to get several assurances from the hierarchy before he took the job in order to give himself the best possible chance of turning the club around write DAVE FRASER and MARTIN BLACKBURN.
      There was some interest from RB Leipzig – but once he knew he would get the support he needed there was no doubt in his mind he wanted the United job.
      Red Devils chiefs are desperate to finally find a successful replacement to Sir Alex Ferguson, with the announcement coming just two days after being humiliated 4-0 by rivals Liverpool.
      United haven’t won the Premier League title since Fergie’s final season in 2012-13.
      The club have burned through David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, before turning to Rangnick to steady the ship until the end of this season.
      But Manchester United are currently on their longest trophy drought since they were last relegated nearly 50 years ago.
      And after an extensive hunt, the Old Trafford board have named Ten Hag their new boss.
      Load more entries… More

    • 250 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Lewis Hamilton and Serena Williams pledge £20m in bid, Azpilicueta in fan spat, Chelsea LOSE to Arsenal – takeover news

      by

      LEWIS HAMILTON and Serena Williams have pledged £20million to contribute to Sir Martin Broughton’s consortium who are bidding to buy Chelsea.Broughton is a former Liverpool chairman and was also a British Airways chief.
      The Blues lost their big Premier League clash with Arsenal 4-2 last night as the tame end to their’ season continues.
      And Thomas Tuchel was not happy with the pitch, blaming it on Andreas Christensen’s error which led to Eddie Nketiah’s first goal.
      “To say that the pitch is difficult to play here is maybe sounds like an excuse but it is a very, very difficult pitch that we have here,” Tuchel said.
      “It is not to our favour. The ball bounces very, very awkwardly in front of Andreas [Christensen] when he wants to play this ball.”
      Club captain Cesar Azpilicueta also got into a heated argument with a fan after the game, just minutes after the Spaniard gave away a penalty which Bukayo Saka scored to seal three points for the Gunners.
      Keep up to date with all of the latest updates from the takeover in our live blog…
      Arsenal’s Morata issue
      Arsenal have hit a stumbling block in their pursuit of Alvaro Morata.
      The Atletico Madrid striker had a rough spell with Chelsea.
      And according to Mundo Deportivo, his nightmare at Stamford Bridge is making him reluctant towards a Premier League return – albeit with Arsenal.
      But the Gunners are still in with a shout of signing the striker as Atleti would prefer selling him to the North Londoners.
      Conte on top-four race
      Antonio Conte reckons Chelsea won’t get dragged into the battle for the last top-four spot despite losing to Arsenal because they’re too good.
      Conte said: “I don’t think Chelsea is in this race. They are in this moment on a different level.
      “They are there because they missed some games but they don’t stay in this race.£
      Smith-Rowe’s playground
      Stamford Bridge has been renamed ‘Emile Smith-Rowe’s playground’ after the Gunners star’s contribution for Arsenal against Chelsea.
      Smith-Rowe got himself on the score-sheet in Arsenal’s 4-0 win over the Blues on their home turf.
      And the Gooners gave the midfielder ownership over the West London ground on Twitter.
      One fan wrote to Smith-Rowe: “Stamford Bridge is your playground.
      While another concurred: “‘Stamford Bridge is Smith Rowe’s playground’.”
      The Blues 10th biggest spenders in Europe
      JOSHUA MBU reveals that Chelsea have been Europe’s tenth biggest spenders since the 2012/13 season.
      The Blues have spent a £344m, which is LESS than fellow Prem rivals Man Utd, Man City, Arsenal, Everton and Villa.
      They won every competition possible under Roman Abramovich’s reign.

      Chelsea stars held dressing room inquest, says Christensen
      Christensen, reportedly joining Barcelona on a free transfer this summer, also insists he can perform much better as an individual.
      The centre-back said: “Since Thomas arrived at the club, we’ve always been strong defensively.
      “That’s been our base to work from and then knowing that our quality up front guarantees goals. 
      “Being solid at the back has always been a priority and recently, it’s been kind of the opposite.
      Credit: Reuters
      “We spoke about it in the dressing room, because we’ve now conceded 11 goals in our last three home games and that’s nowhere near good enough.
      “I take 100 per cent responsibility on my shoulders for the first goal, it was my mistake, but luckily for me we got back into the game quite quickly through Timo’s goal. 
      “We kept making mistakes though and it’s hard to keep bouncing back.
      “I think we have to take a look at ourselves in the mirror because that performance wasn’t good enough and we know we can play a lot better than that. We can only blame ourselves for this result.
      “We know we are better than this and for me personally, I know I can perform so much better than I what I showed. We need to pick our heads up and go again now.”
      Blues calamity defending
      Andreas Christensen admits Chelsea stars held a dressing room inquest after their 4-2 defeat to Arsenal last night, writes ANTHONY CHAPMAN.
      The Blues were second-best at Stamford Bridge once again as they shipped more goals this month.
      Chelsea also conceded four at home to Brentford at the start of April.
      And they then allowed Real Madrid to score 3 in their Champions League defeat.
      It means the Blues have conceded an incredible ELEVEN goals in their last three home matches – resulting in three defeats.
      Captain Cesar Azpilicueta was involved in an angry confrontation with a fan at the final whistle.
      But it was Christensen’s howler that opened the floodgates for Arsenal, with the Dane then subbed off at half-time.
      Thomas Tuchel refused to blame the defender afterwards, instead criticising Chelsea’s PITCH.
      However, Christensen believes the Blues need to regroup and evaluate their situation after heated dressing room talks last night.
      Arsenal fan ‘Agent Hamilton’ in potential Chelsea takeover
      Arsenal supporters have produced a mixed reaction following the news F1 legend Sir Lewis Hamilton is investing in Chelsea, writes GARY STONEHOUSE.
      The Brit and US tennis star Serena Williams have joined a bid to buy the Blues – even though the Formula One star is Gooner.
      The two sporting greats are each investing around £10million into the bid spearheaded by Sir Martin Broughton.
      Broughton’s group are one of three parties left in the running to buy Chelsea from sanctioned Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich.

      Seven-time Formula One champion Hamilton – who is an ARSENAL fan – has pledged £10m towards the bid.
      Following the shock news, supporters of the Gunners quickly took to Twitter to react to the news.
      And there were some hilarious comments as they digested the information.
      One fan wrote: “Agent Hamilton, destroying Chelsea from within.”
      Another wrote: “Arsenal fan Lewis Hamilton wants to buy Chelsea. Cheat mode activated.”
      While another said: “Arsenal fan Sir Lewis Hamilton buying Chelsea in order to make sure they never compete for major honours again.”
      Sir Lewis Hamilton and Serena Williams join Sir Martin Broughton’s bid to buy Chelsea
      Lewis Hamilton and Serena Williams have added their names to the hat for a shocking Chelsea takeover.
      Sky Sports report that the bid for the Blues spearheaded by Sir Martin Broughton, includes investments from two sporting superstars.

      They have an estimated £10m each in the offer.
      Sir Lewis and Williams have been in talks with Broughton’s group for several weeks.
      Hamilton is an Arsenal fan, which adds an element of surprise to this breaking news.
      The five-time champion will be competing in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Italy this weekend.
      Hasselbaink blames centre-backs and slams Lukaku’s ‘desire’
      Hasselbaink slated the Lukaku, who made his first start since February, as well as Malang Sarr and Andreas Christensen.
      He said: “Sarr and Christensen can’t make those sorts of mistakes in these kind of matches.”
      The duo were given starts as Thiago Silva and Antonio Rudiger missed out.
      Both were part of a Chelsea defence that was mistake ridden and punished by a ruthless Arsenal.

      After the game match Hasselbaink, 50, continued his dismantling of Chelsea’s £97.5 million striker who has just five league goals to his name this season.
      He said: “Lukaku, you’ve not had the best games show that you are the man and really want it.
      “Go and show that desire I didn’t see it. That desire, I didn’t see it.”
      “They were well under par but Lukaku, Christensen, Sarr and Alonso were just not good enough for a Chelsea team who should be challenging for the Champions League or Premier League.”
      This isn’t the first time Lukaku has been on the receiving end of criticism since he returned to Stamford Bridge.
      Earlier this campaign he was slammed by Graeme Souness after the striker said in an interview that he was unhappy at Chelsea and Thomas Tuchel’s style of play.
      Hasselbaink rages about Lukaku: ‘Try and show that you’re bothered’ 
      Chelsea legend Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has criticised the performance of three players including Romelu Lukaku after their 4-2 defeat to Arsenal, writes ALEX SMITH.
      Credit: Action Images – Reuters
      He said on Sky Sports: “For Chelsea today it was a really bad performance.
      “Lukaku, he doesn’t do enough. If you want to be the man you’ve got to run around.
      “You need to try and show that you’re bothered. You need to want to suffer.
      ‘He doesn’t run around, he doesn’t go into gaps, he doesn’t demand the ball off his players. 
      “At least show some passion. There was no passion from Lukaku.”
      Tuchel blames Chelsea PITCH for Christensen’s howler
      Thomas Tuchel blamed the Stamford Bridge PITCH for Chelsea’s horror 4-2 loss to Arsenal, writes KEALAN HUGHES.
      It is Chelsea’s third consecutive home defeat having been beaten by Brentford and Real Madrid previously.
      But rather than criticise his team or Andreas Christensen’s costly mistake, Tuchel blamed the pitch.

      The German boss claimed the ball bobbled awkwardly when Christensen attempted to pass the ball back to Edouard Mendy – only for Eddie Nketiah to pinch the ball and score to put Arsenal 1-0 up.
      Tuchel suggested a similar problem with the pitch caused Mendy’s mistake against Real, with Karim Benzema taking advantage on that occasion.
      In his post-match press conference the Chelsea manager said: “It is a very difficult pitch we have here. It’s not to our favour.
      “The ball bounces very awkwardly in front of Andreas when he wants to play this ball.
      “We had the same mistake against Real Madrid in the Champions League that cost us the next round and it cost us again here.”
      Chelsea ratings – subs
      THIAGO SILVA – 6/10
      Looked a lot more assured than Christensen but still couldn’t provide Chelsea with the focus and shape to keep a clean sheet in the second half.
      KAI HAVERTZ – 6/10
      Offered more than Lukaku as he dropped into midfield to link the play, but still didn’t have much more joy in the final third.
      HAKIM ZIYECH – 6/10
      Had very little impact when he came on as Chelsea chased an equaliser.
      Chelsea ratings – attack
      MASON MOUNT – 7/10
      Provided a delicious cross for Azpilicueta’s equaliser and constantly panicked the Arsenal shape with his movement in between the lines.
      His passing range really is something to behold but he did fade as the match wore on.
      ROMELU LUKAKU – 5/10
      Was definitely the quietest member of the Chelsea attack.
      Linked up well with Werner and Mount on a couple of occasions but still seems to be lacking the sharpness and confidence that he signed with.
      Was hooked for Kai Havertz in the second half after another difficult evening.
      TIMO WERNER – 8/10
      The so often frustrated German finally enjoyed some luck in front of goal as his deflected shot crawled in beyond the despairing dive of Ramsdale.
      Looked a constant threat all evening with his pace and directness on the left-hand side. Also gave Arsenal nightmares with his energy through the middle. A huge fan favourite among the Blues faithful and you can see why.
      The goals and assists are now beginning to add to his already impressive all-round displays.
      Chelsea ratings – midfield and wing-backs
      CESAR AZPILICUETA – 5/10
      Was given a lot of trouble when Nuno Tavares, Smith Rowe and Nketiah smothered him on the left.
      Got his goal at the other end and is clearly a valuable leader to a somewhat inexperienced back three, but failed to really provide the quality you expect to see from such a consummate professional.
      Then gave a stupid penalty away in the dying seconds before an ugly confrontation with a fan at full-time.
      RUBEN LOFTUS-CHEEK – 7/10
      Won the ball back smartly moments before Werner’s equaliser.
      Seems to have a good understanding with Kante about when to stay and when to go. Impressed as much as a central midfielder of his ilk could do in a frantic game with very little structure or rhythm.
      N’GOLO KANTE – 5/10
      Looked at his sharpest and most energetic best in the early stages as he recovered possession several times when the Gunners attempted to break.
      But then seemed to lose his way in the match somewhat. Odegaard found the space around him and was able to dictate Arsenal’s attacks as Kante played catch-up.
      Was criminally caught ball watching when Nketiah burst in to score.
      MARCOS ALONSO – 5/10
      Much better going forward than going back the other way.
      Saka had him beat all ends up on numerous occasions and Sarr was forced to cover the space Alonso was leaving for the England international to run into.
      Not his finest evening, but still offered his usual attacking threat.
      Chelsea ratings – back three
      REECE JAMES – 6/10
      Despite being a wing-back by trade, James looked the most comfortable of Chelsea’s three centre-backs.
      Proving to be the most versatile player in Tuchel’s squad, although is still probably most effective on the flank.
      ANDREAS CHRISTENSEN – 3/10
      Produced an absolute howler to gift Arsenal the lead inside a quarter of an hour, failing to get enough on his pass back to Mendy as Eddie Nketiah raced through to score.
      Was hooked for Thiago Silva at half-time after a torrid 45 minutes. May well be the last we seen of him in a Chelsea shirt as his contract expires in the summer and he is reportedly joining Barcelona.
      MALANG SARR – 4/10
      Was a guilty of rashly running out to meet Martin Odegaard and allowing space in behind.
      Had a shocking moment for Arsenal’s third goal as he was caught napping with Kante before Nketiah nipped in to score his second.
      Chelsea ratings from last night’s loss
      Timo Werner continued his fine run of form with another sensational display for Chelsea despite their 4-2 defeat to Arsenal, writes DYLAN TERRY.
      But he was one of the only players in Blue to come out of the game with any credit as Thomas Tuchel’s hapless side endured an error-prone evening.
      Andreas Christensen had an absolute shocker and was hauled off after 45 minutes in what could turn out to be his final game in a Chelsea shirt.
      Here is how SunSport’s Terry saw the Chelsea team perform.
      EDOUARD MENDY – 6/10
      Made a smart stop with his feet to deny Gabriel in the first few minutes of the game.
      The Emile Smith Rowe goal looked at first glance as though it was a soft one to concede, but the replays showed it was difficult for Mendy to get across.
      Good morning Chelsea fans
      Chelsea came crashing down from their FA Cup semi-final win over Crystal Palace last weekend with a 4-2 defeat to Arsenal in Wednesday night’s Prem clash.
      The Gunners went 1-0 up through Eddie Nketiah before Timo Werner equalised for Chelsea. Emile Smith Rowe put them in front again but Cesar Azpilicueta pulled the Blues level for a second time.
      But Nketiah secured his brace in the second half and Bukayo Saka added a late penalty to produce a vital win for Mikel Arteta’s side in West London.
      The Blues’ home advantage was hampered after Stamford Bridge had 10,000 fewer Blues fans than normal as sanctions against Russian owner Roman Abramovich prevented Chelsea from selling home tickets.
      Arsenal fans decided to poke fun on the home end’s empty seats claiming they are going back to the hapless times before outgoing owner Roman Abramovich took over.
      They chanted: “There’s nobody here, just like the old days, there’s nobody here.”
      But Chelsea supporters had some fun of their own as they reminded their London rivals they have never won a Champions League.
      They chanted: “Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that.”
      And Arsenal responded with: “‘Where’s your money gone?”
      However, Chelsea imploded after the game when Blues captain Cesar Azpilicueta angrily confronted a club fan in the stands.
      Azpilicueta appeared to take exception to something the fan shouted after the referee blew for full-time.
      He put his arms out in confusion as the fan gestured towards him from the stand, seeming to imply Chelsea needed to show more fight.
      Azpilicueta was clearly taken aback by that so pointed at the fan and began gesturing towards him.
      The defender then walked over to the stand to settle the dispute, appearing to criticise the fan for clapping sarcastically.
      The supporter began to argue his case before holding his hands up to the Spaniard to apologise, before giving him a thumbs up.
      Other Chelsea fans in the area seemed to be offering support to Azpilicueta – telling him to ignore the fan who likely voiced criticism of the result.
      Meanwhile, A man has been arrested after Chelsea star Reece James’ safe was stolen during a burglary at his home.
      Police have confirmed that a 31-year-old man from Hampshire has been detained and remains under investigation.
      Last year the England star revealed shocking CCTV of the moment “cowardly” thugs broke into his home and stole his football medals.
      James, 21, said a group of robbers broke into his house in September and snatched a safe containing his Champions League, Super Cup, and Euro 2020 medals.
      Elsewhere, The three consortiums bidding to buy Chelsea have reportedly been asked to submit further details about their business plan and how they intend to fund the club.
      Raine, the bank overseeing the sale, are seeking greater detail from the bids fronted by Todd Boehly, Sir Martin Broughton and Stephen Pagliuca.
      The trio submitted their binding improved offers last week but have now been asked to provide forecasts and answer questions put to them by Raine, report The Telegraph.
      It is not clear whether this step to intake further information will delay the bidding process – deadlines have been flexible and occasionally put back to accommodate the interested parties.
      It is believed a decision on the preferred buyer could still be made this week but Chelsea are keen to complete due diligence on the three consortiums.
      And finally, Former England defender Glen Johnson has advised Conor Gallagher to make the right decision in terms of what club he plays for next season.
      When speaking to Bettingods.com, he said: “Gallagher’s been doing well, impressing pretty much everyone. You just hope that he doesn’t go back to Chelsea and not get game time and that will slow his progress down.
      “That’s going to be a tough one. For me he just needs to play. This is when they get some nice form and learn their trade a bit more.”
      Twitter blast Lukaku
      Twitter blasted Romelu Lukaku’s “hall of shame performance” as the Chelsea striker endured another terrible night in blue.
      The £97million man got the nod for the 4-2 London derby defeat against Arsenal.
      But he was totally anonymous throughout his 60 minutes on the pitch.
      And fans on social media were quick to criticise the under-firing flop, who is still stuck on just five Premier League goals this term.
      One said: “Lukaku worst signing of the season? Gotta be.”
      Another wrote: “Lukaku is so poor.”
      Azpilicueta confronts Chelsea fans
      Still smarting from his ridiculous decision to foul Bukayo Saka late on.
      Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta appeared to approach some of his side’s own fans at the final whistle.
      An unleashed a furious tirade in their direction.

      Chelsea crash to Arsenal
      Chelsea have lost to 4-2 to Arsenal in Wednesday night’s Prem clash.
      It was 2-2 between the two sides after an epic first-half period.
      But Nkietah restored Arsenal’s lead before Bukayo Saka put the game to bed with a assured penalty following some calamitous defending by Cesar Azpilicueta in the final stages of the game.
      Xhaka’s moment of brilliance
      Arsenal’s second goal against Chelsea started with a moment of brilliance by Granit Xhaka in his own box.
      Xhaka picked up the ball in Gunners goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale’s area and decided to move the ball forward himself.
      First, the midfielder dribbled past Romelu Lukaku before leaving the crowd in awe with a stunning nutmeg past Macos Alonso.
      The Switzerland international then switched with Martin Odegaard, who found Bukayo Saka down his right.
      Saka drove the ball forward and passed to Odegaard back on the edge of the box.
      Chelsea fall behind again
      Chelsea have fallen behind Arsenal once again in this thrilling London derby.
      Arsenal ace Eddie Nkietah has given the Gunners the lead once more after opening the scoring in the game.
      A misplaced pass by Cesar Azpilicueta sets Nuno Tavares racing down the left, and his centre is controlled by Nketiah, who spins smartly away from the flummoxed Thiago Silva in one movement.
      It sparks a spell of pinball as the ball cannons off Andreas Christensen, Malang Sarr and N’Golo Kante, before dropping kindly for the Arsenal striker to prod home.
      London rivals level at half-time
      Chelsea and Arsenal are drawing 2-2 after an epic first half.
      Eddie Nkietah gave Arsenal the lead after Christensen’s mistake.
      But Timo Werner quickly equalised for the Blues after he cut in from the left and saw his effort deflect past Aaron Ramsdale.
      However, Arsenal then restored their lead after a well-worked counter-attack was finished off by Smith Rowe.
      But, the game was again levelled when Chelsea skipper Cesar Azpilicueta converted from a cross to make it 2-2 just after the half hour mark.
      Christensen howler gave Arsenal lead
      Arsenal were given the lead at Chelsea following a howler by Andreas Christensen.
      The defender, set to join Barcelona on a free this summer, made a mess of what should have been a routine clearance.
      But his weak back pass fell well short of keeper Edouard Mendy and put striker Eddie Nketiah through on goal.
      The forward did the rest as he finished past Mendy to give Arsenal an early advantage.
      It was shades of Jorginho’s gaffe last year which gave Emile Smith Rowe a tap in.
      Empty Stamford Bridge
      Empty seats were on show all around Stamford Bridge during the London derby between Chelsea and Arsenal as the Blues felt the pinch of the sanctions on them.
      Stamford Bridge had 10,000 fewer Blues fans than normal as sanctions against Russian owner Roman Abramovich prevented Chelsea from selling home tickets.

      Load more entries… More

    • 250 Shares179 Views

      in Soccer

      Chelsea 2 Arsenal 4 LIVE REACTION: Gunners produce big performance to drag themselves BACK into top four race – updates

      by

      ARSENAL asserted themselves BACK into the race for the top four in the Premier League with a resounding 4-2 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The Gunners went 1-0 up through Eddie Nketiah before Timo Werner equalised for Chelsea. Emile Smith Rowe put them in front again but Cesar Azpilicueta pulled the Blues level for a second time.
      But Nketiah secured his brace in the second half and Bukayo Saka added a late penalty to produce a vital win for Mikel Arteta’s side in West London.

      RESULT: Chelsea 2-4 Arsenal
      Chelsea XI: Mendy, James, Christensen, Sarr, Azpilicueta, Loftus-Cheek, Kante, Alonso, Mount, Werner, Lukaku
      Arsenal XI: Ramsdale, White, Gabriel, Holding, Tavares, Xhaka, Elneny, Saka, Odegaard, Smith Rowe, Nketiah

      Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…
      That’s all from Stamford Bridge
      And so ends another frenetic, eventful, and surprising evening of Premier League football.
      Arsenal are the big winners after a torrid two weeks in which they lost two key players to injury and three successive matches.
      Yet tonight’s 4-2 success at Chelsea has launched the Gunners back into the battle for top four, and sets up what will surely be a thrilling end to the season.
      There are bound to be more twists and turns, and you won’t miss any of them with us here at SunSport.
      Goodnight.
      Extra! Read all about it!
      Before we sign off from Stamford Bridge for the night, why not recap on all that we’ve witnessed with Dave Kidd’s match report of Arsenal’s stunning 4-2 win at Chelsea.
      Not since the Invincibles were in their pomp have Arsenal had the opportunity to have a good old laugh at Chelsea. But here, on the back of three straight defeats and with a centre-forward who hadn’t scored a Premier League goal in a year, was a night for the Gooners to savour.
      Life’s a pitch for Thomas
      An extremely disappointed Thomas Tuchel has slammed his club’s own pitch after Chelsea slipped to another crushing home defeat.
      The Blues boss was not in the mood for Sky Sports’ post-match questioning, and then directed his ire at the Stamford Bridge turf when talking to the rest of the press.
      Tuchel blames the condition of the pitch for goals that his side has recently conceded in defeats to Arsenal and Real Madrid.
      The pitch is difficult to play on here. It sounds like an excuse, but it is a very difficult pitch that we have here. It is not to our favour. The ball bounced very, very awkwardly in front of Andreas [Christensen] when he wants to play it. We had the same mistake against Real Madrid, and it cost us the Champions League. This one cost us the next game.Thomas Tuchel
      North London pair level again
      Following Arsenal’s surprise victory at Stamford Bridge, the Gunners are once again level with rivals Tottenham in the battle for fourth spot.
      However, Spurs still hold the advantage with their superior goal difference, and will host Mikel Arteta’s team on May 12.
      Elsewhere, Man City returned to the top of the Premier League after beating Brighton while a late Richarlison equaliser could prove vital in Everton’s fight against the drop.

      Chelsea 2-4 Arsenal
      Everton 1-1 Leicester
      Newcastle 1-0 Crystal Palace
      Man City 3-0 Brighton

      No defence for beaten Blues
      “Just like the old days, there’s nobody here,” the Arsenal fans mercilessly mocked their Chelsea counterparts throughout tonight’s encounter.
      And just like the old days, Chelsea’s defence has left a lot to be desired as they shipped four goals in successive home league games for the first time since the 1989-90 season.
      It’s now three defeats in a row at Stamford Bridge in all competitions for the Blues, who have shipped a total of 11 goals to Brentford, Real Madrid and Arsenal.
      Match stats from Stamford Bridge
      Chelsea didn’t manage a single shot on target in the second half.
      They probably should have tried one seeing as the game’s other six all went in.

      Angry Azpilicueta confronts Chelsea fans
      Still smarting from his ridiculous decision to foul Bukayo Saka late on, Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta appeared to approach some of his side’s own fans at the final whistle, unleashing a furious tirade in their direction.

      Full time – Chelsea 2-4 Arsenal
      What a result for Mikel Arteta’s young Gunners!

      Chelsea 2-4 Arsenal – Arsenal substitution
      90+5. A final change for the Gunners, and the last of their scorers, Bukayo Saka, takes a deserved bow.
      Here comes Alexandre Lacazette, who will be lucky to get a touch.
      Chelsea 2-4 Arsenal
      90+4. The Arsenal fans inside Stamford Bridge are loving life right now. There’s a party going on in that corner of the ground.
      The Chelsea fans inside Stamford Bridge? Well, I’m not sure there are many left
      Chelsea 2-4 Arsenal
      90+2. After the fortnight from hell, Arsenal are in dreamland!
      Having won the penalty, Bukayo Saka is adamant that he’s going to be the man to take it – and he doesn’t disappoint.
      It’s his first spotkick since the Euro 2020 final, and the youngster shows no sign of nerves as he sends Edouard Mendy the wrong way to score.
      He heads straight for the jubilant away fans, and launches himself into the crowd that love him. The feeling is clearly mutual too.
      The Gunners are very much in the mix for the top four!

      Goal! Bukayo Saka makes no mistake!
      Chelsea 2-3 Arsenal
      90. A moment of madness from Cesar Azpilicueta!
      A hopeful cross is sent into a sparsely populated penalty area, but the Chelsea captain isn’t even looking at the ball.
      Instead, he has his arms all over Bukayo Saka, eventually – and inexplicably – wrestling the forward to the ground.
      It’s right in front of referee Jon Moss too, who has no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
      The decision sparks a melee among the two sets of players with Azpilicueta furious with Saka, but it can only be a deflection from his own boneheaded behaviour.
      The Spaniard gets a yellow card for his part, as does Arsenal’s Gabriel for his involvement in the aftermath.
      Arsenal will now have the chance to seal victory.

      Azpilicueta bundles over Saka! Penalty!
      Chelsea 2-3 Arsenal
      89. Martinelli has looked really lively since coming on without actually doing anything of note.
      Chelsea 2-3 Arsenal
      88. Arms folder, leant back in the dugout, Thomas Tuchel does not look best pleased.
      Chelsea 2-3 Arsenal
      86. Nuno Tavares lets fly from 40 yards, and finds the Arsenal fans in the top tier of the Shed.
      That kind of thing is only acceptable in the final few minutes of a derby when you’re holding on to a narrow lead.
      Chelsea 2-3 Arsenal – Mount yellow card
      84. Ooof! Mason Mount is a lucky boy.
      The midfielder was given the benefit of the doubt in the first half for a high challenge on Nuno Tavares, and this one on Cedric is even uglier.
      The England man goes over the ball and brings his studs down on the Arsenal substitute’s ankle, leaving him writhing in pain on the turf.
      Jon Moss produces a yellow card.
      Chelsea 2-3 Arsenal
      83. The Arsenal fans in that corner of Stamford Bridge keep the ball until a new one is sent for, and then – of course – throw it back into the field of play.
      File it under things we love to see, but commentators tell us that we don’t.
      Chelsea 2-3 Arsenal
      82. And it should have been nothing!
      Cedric bursts into the box with Martinelli unmarked in the middle, but overlooks the Brazilian to pull back for Nuno Tavares arriving on the edge of the area.
      The Portuguese defender takes a decent first touch to steady himself, and then slices horribly wide of the near post.
      What a chance for Arsenal to seal victory.
      Chelsea 2-3 Arsenal – Chelsea substitution
      81. Now the Blues get to make their change.
      On comes Ziyech, and off goes left wing-back Marcos Alonso.
      It’s all or nothing for Thomas Tuchel now.
      Chelsea 2-3 Arsenal
      80. Half a chance for the Gunners to seal victory on the break, but Martinelli’s cross into the middle is just behind the sprinting Saka.
      Chelsea 2-3 Arsenal
      79. On the touchline, Hakim Ziyech has been waiting patiently for his chance to enter the fray for what seems like an age – but the ball won’t go out of play!
      Chelsea 2-3 Arsenal
      78. Werner sweeps a quick pass into the area, but Chelsea’s most advanced player – N’Golo Kante – is unable to take it under his control.
      Why pay £97m for a striker when you can go with Kante up top?
      Chelsea 2-3 Arsenal
      77. Need an idea of how the shape of the game is now looking? Well, Chelsea have had 80% of the possession over the last five minutes.
      Load more entries… More