Sport Live Blogs

CHELSEA are reportedly set to go back in for Jules Kounde this January, after missing out on the Sevilla man in summer.Antonio Rudiger is closing in on a move away from the club after holding exploratory talks with Man City, according to reports.
But should Sevilla hold firm in their valuation of Kounde, the Blues may have the option of turning to Matthijs de Ligt.
Juventus are said to be keen to get the £280,000-a-week Dutch centre-back off their books.
Meanwhile Newcastle are still looking for a new permanent manager with Paulo Fonseca the favourite but Lucien Favre another man linked to the job.
And finally Rangers fans are in mourning after legendary boss Walter Smith passed away at the age of 73.
Stay up to date with all the latest from around the clubs with our live blog…
BEL TOLLS

Arsenal and Tottenham have received a boost in their pursuit of Andrea Belotti after Torino boss Ivan Juric announced he will not sign a new deal.

The 27-year-old is in the final year of his contract in Turin and is free to talk to foreign clubs in January.

Juric confirmed: said: “Belotti won’t sign the contract extension.

“He won’t leave in January, he’ll see himself here till the end of the season.

“It’s useless to speculate, nothing will happen.

“I hope he will have a great season, then we will look each other in the eyes and he will choose his future.

“There will be no approaches, I hope he will have a good year and then we’ll see.”DEAL ME IN

Mo Salah is reportedly demanding a £450,000-a-week contract as Liverpool look to tie him down to a new deal.

The Reds are believed to have entered negotiations with the Real Madrid target, 29, in August to make him the highest-paid player in their history.

According to journalist Ekrem Konur, Salah is looking to pocket £450k-per-week in order to remain a Liverpool player.

He states that the Egypt international is very happy in Merseyside, but wants a pay rise to reflect his importance in the team.

But Liverpool aren’t willing to offer him that much and are negotiating a lower wage salary.THREE’S COMPANY

Man Utd are reportedly targeting THREE transfers for next summer… regardless of who their manager will be at the time.

Fichajes claims Old Trafford chiefs have identified Juventus forward Federico Chiesa, Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella and Atletico Madrid defender Kieran Trippier as three players who can take United back to the top.

Current boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is expected to remain in charge for this weekend’s crunch clash against Tottenham.

SunSport understands four managers have already been contacted by United’s board, including Antonio Conte and Brendan Rodgers.

But Fichajes claims no matter who is in the hot seat next year, United already have their summer wishlist drawn up.

HAZARD IN TOON

Newcastle United are thought to be keen on a swoop for Eden Hazard, according to reports.

Spanish outlet El Chiringuito claim the club are eyeing the Belgium ace as a potential star of new look they hope to build.

The club, who face Chelsea next, are yet to win a game in the top-flight this term.CASH’S POLE POSITION

Aston Villa’s Matty Cash could be in line to make an appearance for Poland in next month’s World Cup qualifiers.

The Athletic reports the right-back could be poised to feature in Paulo Sousa’s squad after the Polish FA confirmed his citizenship this afternoon.

And the Polish FA say it was Cash who first approached them about representing the country of his mother’s birth “two or three years ago”.

FAVRE IS FAV

Newcastle are rumoured to be eyeing ex-Borussia Dortmund boss Lucien Favre as a possible Toons boss contender.

The Switzerland-born gaffer is reported to be highly regarded by the club’s Saudi owners.

German sports news outlet Bild says the 63-year-old is favourite to replace Steve Bruce after he was sacked last week.

Favre is currently without a club after being fired by Dortmund in December 2020.RON’S RAGE

Ronald Koeman says he was tempted to confront fans who attacked his car after Barcelona’s 2-1 loss to Real Madrid on Sunday.

A group of irate supporters were seen surrounding the Nou Camp chief’s vehicle and shouting abuse at him.

Koeman said: “I wasn’t scared. There was a moment I thought about getting out, but it was better not to.

“There were a lot of people filming and [making] Tik-Tok [videos] and they want you to get involved.

“I don’t think there is a solution. For me, it’s more of a social problem, an education problem for people who don’t have morals or values.”NUNO PRAISE

Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo has been named on this year’s Football Black List alongside Brentford ace Ivan Toney and Arsenal star Nikita Parris.

Established in 1988, the list aims to celebrate black role models in football both on and off the pitch.

The list drawn up by experts from across the sport was announced at the National Football Museum in Manchester.

Other names on the list include Fulham and Republic of Ireland defender Cyrus Christie and QPR assistant Paul Hall. PALACE LET OFF

Crystal Palace could be set to escape FA sanctions for a banner unfurled by Eagles fans criticising the Toons’ new Saudi Arabian owners.

The banner, which also takes a swipe at the Premier League, includes a drawing of a man dressed in traditional Arabic clothing with an illustration of Prem chief executive Richard Masters.

The Metropolitan Police commenced an investigation into the matter.

However, police officials have confirmed that no charges will be filed.

A Croydon Met Police said: “On Saturday, a member of the public contacted us to raise concerns about a banner displayed at the Crystal Palace vs Newcastle match at Selhurst Park.

“On Saturday, a member of the public contacted us to raise concerns about a banner displayed at the Crystal Palace vs Newcastle match at Selhurst Park.”RELAXED ON VACS

Bayern Munich reportedly backs Covid-19 vaccinations for its players.

But according to Reuters the club reportedly says injections for its players are not mandatory.

This comes amid controversy surrounding Joshua Kimmich after the Germany star revealed he is not vaccinated.

The midfielder was heavily criticised for stating he had not had a Covid injection due to fears over long-term side effects.

On Monday Bayern chief Oliver Kahn said: “It is important to say that we can only advise everyone to get vaccinated.

“We have highlighted that through a number of actions.

“At the end of the day, one has to respect that others can have a different opinion.”MCCOIST ‘DEVASTATED’

Ally McCoist described Walter Smith as a second father after revealing the former Rangers’ boss’s passing had left him devastated.

The retired forward played for Rangers during Smith’s first stint as their manager and enjoyed success as Smith’s assistant manager between 2007 and 2011 before becoming club boss himself.

McCoist, 59, told talkSPORT: “He means everything to a lot of folk, myself included.

“He was my boss, my coach, my second father and then turned into one of my best friends. I can’t tell you how devastated I am.

“I could sit here and tell you about Walter Smith until the cows come home, about how good a manager, how good a coach and a football man he was.

“But what I will say he was the best husband, father, friend, everything you would expect from a man.”CELTIC’S SMITH TRIBUTE

Celtic put their fierce rivalry with Rangers aside to pay a warm-hearted tribute to Ibrox icon Walter Smith.

Earlier today Rangers announced their 73-year-old former club boss had passed away.

In a post shared on their official Twitter account Celtic said: “Walter was a tremendous servant to Scottish football and everyone at Celtics FC sends their heartfelt condolences.”

VIEWERS REACH THE SKY

Sky Sports claims it notched up its highest-ever viewing figures on Sunday.

And it is thought their numbers peaked at 4.5million with audiences tuning in to watch Liverpool trounce Manchester United at Old Trafford.

The dramatic encounter was part of the channel’s Super Sunday double with West Ham’s home match against Tottenham also broadcast.

BLUES JULES

Chelsea are rumoured to be set to make a fresh bid to sign Sevilla centre-back Jules Kounde.

Football.london claims the move is coming amid uncertainty over the future of Antonio Rudiger.

The outlet claims Blues director Marina Granovskaia is preparing for the worst case scenario with Rudiger’s contract set to expire in June 2022. CAMPBELL’S SMITH TRIBUTE

Kevin Campbell is among the stars who have paid tribute to Glasgow Rangers legend Walter Smith following his death.

The Scot managed Everton from 1998 to 2002 and had the former Arsenal striker in his squad during that period.

In a post shared via his Twitter account, Campbell wrote: “R.I.P. Walter Smith you were such a great man and I can’t thank you enough for bringing me to Everton a true football great.”

RIP WALTER

Glasgow Rangers have announced the passing of their former chairman and manager Walter Smith.

The Lanark-born Ibrox legend has passed away at the age of 73.

Smith led the side to 10 top-flight titles as manager, five Scottish Cups and six League Cups and the Uefa Cup final in 2008.

Rangers chairman, Douglas Park said “On behalf of the Rangers board of directors, staff and players, I convey my deep condolences to the Smith family.

“Walter leaves behind a wife, children and grandchildren, all of whom are in our thoughts and prayers at this difficult time.

“It is almost impossible to encapsulate what Walter meant to every one of us at Rangers. He embodied everything that a Ranger should be.

“His character and leadership was second to none, and will live long in the memory of everyone he worked with during his two terms as first team manager.”MO’ DOUGH

Mo Salah’s rumoured wage wishes could see him earn more than Lionel Messi according to reports.

The Daily Star says the on fire Liverpool forward could rake in more money if his contract demands are met.

And Football Insider claims the Egypt international is expecting to seal a deal valued at around £500,000-a-week to extend his stay at Anfield past 2023.

It is thought this would see the 2021 Ballon d’Or nominee become the highest-paid player in Premier League history earning more than Man United’s Cristiano Ronaldo. MATTHEW’S DE MAN

Chelsea could be in with a shot of landing Juventus ace Matthijs De Ligt.

The Serie A defender has reportedly been offered to the Blues, according to Goal.

It is thought the Turin giants, who signed the player in 2019, are keen to get his salary off their books.

The Dutchman is thought to earn around £280,000-a-week. BALE IN TOON

Steve McManaman reckons Gareth Bale would be a good transfer target for newly-minted Newcastle.

And the former Liverpool ace reckons the Toons will need to very careful in the transfer market and avoid spending big bucks on older players.

In his Horseracing.net column, McManaman said: “Newcastle just have to be very careful. Everybody in the world knows that.

“Every agent will be trying to push their players into Newcastle. Gareth Bale would be very interesting, of course, he would, as he’s got a year left on his contract and he’s a super player.

“You’ve got to be careful that you don’t pay older players lots of money and then they don’t turn up.”GET GERRARD

Ryan Taylor is eager to see Newcastle appoint an English manager to replace Steve Bruce.

And the former Toons full-back thinks Rangers gaffer and Anfield icon Steven Gerrard would fit the bill.

Taylor, 37, told Sky Sports: “I would love to see someone like Steven Gerrard in charge of Newcastle.

“It’s so passionate up there and with coming from this city (Liverpool) we know what passion is all about.

“So for me, someone like Steven Gerrard because he plays football the right way, he knows who good players and I think he has done an unbelievable job at Rangers.”GOOD MORNING FOOTY FANS

Chelsea’s contract talks with Andreas Christensen have reportedly stalled.

Goal claims the two parties have had ZERO contact for the last TWO months.

It leaves Christensen facing an uncertain future, with the Dane’s current deal up next summer.

Fellow defenders Antonio Rudiger, Thiago Silva and Cesar Azpilicueta can also sign pre-contract agreements with foreign clubs from January.

But Trevoh Chalobah is set to be handed a new deal after his impressive breakthrough this season.

Meanwhile, Man City boss Pep Guardiola reportedly wants to sign Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos.

According to El Nacional Guardiola is keen on a reunion with 31-year-old midfielder Kroos – who he managed for one season in 2013/14 at Bayern Munich.

And with Fernandinho out of contract at the end of the season, City could look to bring in an experienced midfielder.

The German is out of contract at the Bernabeu in 2024, meaning Los Blancos could be forced into a sale next summer to avoid losing him on a free 12 months later.

Finally, Super-rich Newcastle are reportedly in talks with Ousmane Dembele’s agent regarding a move for the 24-year-old.

According to outlet Sport, the Frenchman’s agent has contacted the Magpies and Juventus.

Demebele is out of contract with Barcelona in the summer, and has been linked with a move away from Camp Nou.

Chiefs at the club are eager to tie him down to a new deal, but the player is turning a ‘deaf ear’ to their offers.

He is free to begin negotiations with clubs outside of Spain from January 1 for a pre-contract agreement that would see him leave the Catalan giants upon the expiry of his contract.EXCLUSIVE BY MARTIN BLACKBURN

Shaun Wright-Phillips urged Raheem Sterling to commit his future to Manchester City — and get back to doing what he does best.

He told SunSport: “This season he has not played anywhere near as much as previous years.

“I am sure his time will come again. He just needs a goal to go in — however it comes — to get him firing again.

“You just need to look at what he’s done in six years and more for the club to see what he’s capable of.

“He’s made a massive contribution and I still feel like he’s got a huge part to play for City in the future.

“Maybe the contract thing is hanging over him. I would like to see him extend his contract and end the questions over his future. 

“I know he’s said he’d like to play abroad at some point but I don’t think there’s anywhere better to play football than the Premier League.

“And City are a club which is going to be looking to win silverware for many years to come.”MAN ON A MISSON

Donny van de Beek has changed his agent to increase his chances of leaving Manchester United, according to reports.

According to Dutch outlet Voetball International, van de Beek has appointed Ali Dursun as his new agent, replacing Guido Albers.

Dursun looks after Van de Beek’s team-mate Victor Lindelof, as well as Barcelona stars Frenkie De Jong and Martin Braithwaite.

And Van de Beek will hope his new agent can succeed in finding him a new club before the January transfer window opens.

EXCLUSIVE BY NEIL CUSTIS

Zinedine Zidane and Antonio Conte are being sounded out as successors to under-fire Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Worried Old Trafford chiefs want to know whether former Real Madrid boss Zidane and ex-Chelsea coach Conte – both out of work – would be interested in the job.

A leading agent has been instructed to contact some of the biggest names in the game, with Ajax boss Erik Ten Hag and Leicester’s Brendan Rodgers – a former Liverpool boss – also on the shortlist.

The agent has been told to discover each of the candidates’ plans for the club and their own contract demands.

While United chiefs are desperate not to sack Solskjaer, they can no longer ignore the shocking downturn in form and results.

A sudden upturn in results could yet save Solskjaer but faith in him at the top level has now waned following Sunday’s humiliation.EXCLUSIVE BY ALAN NIXON

American businessman Chris Kirchner has made a £50million bid for Wayne Rooney’s Derby County.

Super rich Kirchner wants the club and will try to take it out of administration after making a flying visit to the Midlands in his private jet to check them out.

Kirchner is also keen to deal with the EFL and appeal for the overall points penalties they face are at a sensible level.

But despite the major good news for Rooney, it can also be revealed that Derby County have been hit with a multi-million compensation claim from Wycombe for ‘relegating’ them.

The difference between TV money in the Championship and League One is around £6 million and insiders reveal the claim is in that range.Load more entries… More

CHELSEA defender Antonio Rudiger is reportedly in transfer talks with Man City’s representatives.The German started in the Blues’ 7-0 win over Norwich on Saturday, but has generally been frozen out by Thomas Tuchel.
Meanwhile Lionel Messi had his hands full with a pitch invader as PSG drew 0-0 at Marseille, but he beat the home fan with as much ease as any defender in an uncomfortable incident.
And Newcastle are still looking for a new permanent manager with Paulo Fonseca the favourite.
Stay up to date with all the latest from around the clubs with our live blog…
DEAL ME IN

Chelsea are reportedly set to hand a new contract to Trevoh Chalobah.

The 22-year-old has been a breakout star for the Blues this season, playing nine times already while scoring two goals.

Thomas Tuchel is eager to ensure Chalobah is rewarded for making his way into the senior squad.

And the defender is set for a huge wage boost on a long-term deal, with his current contract expiring next summer.SHOWDOWN TALKS

Man Utd managing director Richard Arnold has cancelled all appointments to holds talks with co-owner Joel Glazer about Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s future, reports suggest.

That is according to The Guardian, who report that Arnold has cleared his schedule on Monday for a meeting with Glazer regarding the under-fire manager’s situation following Sunday’s 5-0 thrashing to Liverpool.

United’s hierarchy are seriously considering the Norwegian head coach’s future after taking one point from their past four Premier League games.

But a potential decision would take place later on Monday as Glazer lives in Florida and is thus five hours behind the UK.BREAKING

Man Utd are considering SACKING Ole Gunnar Solskjaer before this weekend’s game against Tottenham, according to reports.

The under-fire Norwegian boss, 48, watched in horror as his side were ripped apart by Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday.

And now, Manchester Evening News claim the club are considering axing Solskjaer.

The ex-Cardiff chief could be given the boot BEFORE Saturday’s game against Tottenham.

Antonio Conte and Zinedine Zidane are already being linked with the United job.ROM THE MEND

Romelu Lukaku has signalled he’s on the mend as he faces up to a month on the sidelines.

The Chelsea striker posted a picture that showed him getting treatment on the right ankle he injured against Malmo last week.

Looking laid back as he relaxed on a sofa, Lukaku captioned the image on his Instagram account with a clock and battery emojis.

The 28-year-old clearly vowed to come back stronger as he plans to recharge while his ankle heals.

LOOKING AT LANG

Club Brugge winger Noa Lang is a reported target for the Gunners.

According to Voetbal24, Arsenal are willing to offer £25million for the Dutchman when the January transfer window opens.

The 22-year-old was linked with a move to Leeds in the summer, but The Athletic report the Whites are pulled out of a deal due to a low work rate off the ball.

His Dutch teammate Memphis Depay though has labelled Lang as a ‘monster’ of a player to Eleven Sports.

There is no denying Lang’s talent, but the question is where would he fit in Arsenal’s stacked forward line?

HARRY PAIN

Despite having played eight games, Harry Kane has scored just ONCE in the Prem this term – compared to seven at the same stage last season.

He’s taken far fewer shots – with just 18 all season, compared to 38 last season – and a horror conversion rate of just 5.6 per cent, down from 18.4 per cent a year ago.

Kane has just ONE assist, compared to eight at the same point 12 months ago and has created just seven chances, down from 18.

And while the superstar striker is passing the ball slightly more accurately, he’s making fewer of them.

His overall touches are down by roughly nine per game and he’s losing possession more when he does have the ball.

Usually so strong in the air, Kane’s aerial success rate is down from 47.1 per cent to just 34.1 per cent.

‘LOST FAITH’

Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has reportedly ‘lost the faith’ of a number of players in his Manchester United squad.

According to ESPN, Solskjaer only has the support of his core British players and a small number of overseas stars.

The Norwegian is said to be angering his dressing room for favouring out of form players, not resolving gaping defensive issues, and not giving the likes of Donny van de Beek and Jesse Lingard a chance.

However the report does go on to state the atmosphere at the club is not ‘as toxic as it was under Mourinho’.

WILL I NEVER

The Gunners are rumoured to be preparing a move for Portuguese international William Carvalho.

According to Fichajes, Mikel Arteta is in the market for a midfielder who can provide cover for the injury prone Thomas Partey.

The report states Arsenal are even willing to make a move for the 29-year-old Real Betis midfielder in the January transfer window.

Transfermarkt value the 69-cap Portugal man at £13.5million, so a potential deal would not break the Gunners’ bank.

KROOS CONTROL

Pep Guardiola reportedly wants to sign Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos.

According to El Nacional Guardiola is keen on a reunion with 31-year-old midfielder Kroos – who he managed for one season in 2013/14 at Bayern Munich.

And with Fernandinho out of contract at the end of the season, City could look to bring in an experienced midfielder.

The German is out of contract at the Bernabeu in 2024, meaning Los Blancos could be forced into a sale next summer to avoid losing him on a free 12 months later.

MESSI START

Lionel Messi has officially had his worst start to a season since 2005-06 after he failed to score again in PSG’s 0-0 draw with Marseille last night.

Messi, 34, has played 303 minutes of Ligue 1 football for PSG so far, but has still not found the back of the net for the Parisians.

He has made only three starts and one substitute appearances in the league so far after an injury ruled him out of wins against Metz and Montpellier.

His involvement for the national team also kept him out of the 2-1 victory over Angers, with PSG winning every game that Messi has missed out on this season.

OU ARE YA?

Super-rich Newcastle are reportedly in talks with Ousmane Dembele’s agent regarding a move for the 24-year-old.

According to outlet Sport, the Frenchman’s agent has contacted the Magpies and Juventus.

Demebele is out of contract with Barcelona in the summer, and has been linked with a move away from Camp Nou.

Chiefs at the club are eager to tie him down to a new deal, but the player is turning a ‘deaf ear’ to their offers.

He is free to begin negotiations with clubs outside of Spain from January 1 for a pre-contract agreement that would see him leave the Catalan giants upon the expiry of his contract.

DOUBLE CENTURY

Yesterday’s thrashing of Manchester United was Jurgen Klopp’s 200th win as Liverpool manager in all competitions.

The German is the quickest boss in Liverpool’s history to achieve that feat.

He’s done it in just 331 games – faster than some of the greatest names in Liverpool history.

Kenny Dalglish is second fastest to the record, doing so in 333 games, with Bob Paisley third (350 games) and Billy Shankly fourth (382 games). SOLSKJAER FUTURE

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has revealed Manchester United will come to a decision regarding the future of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the coming days.

Pressure is mounting on the Norwegian after yesterday’s annihilation at the hands of Liverpool, and following four games without a win in the Premier League.

Romano revealed, via Twitter: “No meeting in the night for Man Utd board. They’ll decide final position in the next hours/days – Solskjaer has always been protected so far

“#MUFC Rumours about Antonio Conte ‘not considering’ Man Utd job were NOT true. But no official talks yet.”

‘SURPRISED’

Michail Antonio scored his sixth goal in eight Premier League outings yesterday.

He got in front of Harry Kane at a corner to divert home an Aaron Creswell delivery.

Although 31-year-old Antonio has revealed he was only in that position to block Kane, admitting he was surprised to find the back of the net.

He said: “To be fair, I wasn’t really there to score today, I was kind of there to block Harry.

“But the ball has come my way, being the poacher that I am, I stuck my foot out.

“I am not going to lie, I am surprised it went in. I kind of just got my foot there, just to get in front of him and it’s gone into the bottom corner.”

AARON’S ANALYSIS

West Ham’s victory over Tottenham yesterday took the Hammers up to fourth in the Premier League.

And after an impressive start to the season domestically and in Europe fans are getting excited about potentially qualifying for the Champions League come the end of the season.

When asked on the club’s targets, left-back Aaron Cresswell said: “I don’t think we’re looking at targets at this stage of the season and saying we’ll finish top four because we got sixth last year.

“We know how tough the Premier League is, the money that is involved with the big boys and some of the players they can bring in.

“It is really tough to break into that and it’s an old cliche but we’ll take it one day at a time.”

LINING UP LACA

Mega-rich Newcastle are lining up a move for Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette.

According to the Sunday People, the Magpies are eyeing a move for the Frenchman in their planned overhaul of the club.

Mikel Arteta ruled out a January exit for the 30-year-old, meaning the club are facing the prospect of losing him for free next summer.

And despite having cash to burn, Newcastle are seeking a shrewd deal by signing the striker on a free at the end of the season.

Both clubs in Milan, as well as Atletico Madrid, have also been credited with an interest in the ex-Lyon man.DONNY DILEMMA

Donny van de Beek was reportedly denied a loan move to Everton in the summer.

But after a lack of first team chances this season, rumours regarding his future continue to swirl.

According to Calciomercato, Juventus, Inter and AC Milan are all interested in a move for the 24-year-old Dutchman.

But the 24-year-old reportedly favours a move to Real Madrid over a switch to Italy.ROM RETURN

Romelu Lukaku has taken to Instagram after missing the 7-0 thumping against Norwich with an ankle injury.

He hobbled off during the 4-0 win against Malmo in the Champions League.

And SunSport exclusively revealed that the 28-year-old could be out of action for up to a month.

The Belgian didn’t give fans an indication as to when he would be back in his post, simply captioning the picture of him having treatment on his ankle with a clock emoji and a green light.

JOR DROPPING

Jordi Alba is reportedly unsure on his future at Barcelona, according to outlet El Nacional.

The 32-year-old Camp Nou captain is contracted to the club until the summer of 2024.

But he is said to be weighing up a move away from the cash strapped club.

He is reportedly still in regular contact with former teammate Lionel Messi, and considering a move to French giants PSG.

Barca though see the senior player as one of their key men, and are unlikely to want to sell the left-back.

BOTTOM HALF

And here’s how the bottom half of the table shapes up.

Norwich, Newcastle and Burnley remain winless after nine games, while Watford climb to 14th after their stunning 5-2 win against Everton.

Premier League newbies Brentford drop into the bottom half of the table for the first time this campaign following their home defeat to Leicester.

AS IT STANDS

Here’s a look at the Premier League table after nine rounds of matches.

It’s looking like a three-horse title race this season, with Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City setting the pace early on.

Manchester United drop to seventh after yesterday’s drubbing, meaning there could also be an exciting battle for fourth spot on the cards.

EGYPTIAN KING

It was quite the day for Mo Salah yesterday.

His hat-trick at Old Trafford takes him to 107 Premier League goals, overtaking former Blues team-mate Didier Drogba (105) to the record of top-scoring African player in Prem history.

He also leads Jamie Vardy in the race for the Premier League Golden Boot – what would be his third crown since his 2017 transfer – with ten goals to the Leicester man’s seven.

And Salah is now the first Liverpool player to score in ten straight games in all competitions.

Finally Salah is the first Reds ace to find the back of the net in three straight games at Man Utd.

‘DREAM’

Chelsea academy graduates Mason Mount, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Reece James all netted in the Blues’ 7-0 thumping against Norwich on Saturday.

Speaking on the success of his homegrown talents, Tuchel said: “It is [a dream]

“It is as easy as that, it is full of quality coaches and quality leaders and the guys who come from the academy onto our pitch are all of the same, made from the same spirit, same attitude, humble guys, who know what it is to play for Chelsea, know what it takes to be serious, to be humble.

“And there is no problem in being a nice guy and still playing a hard match of football and a serious match of football.”ANDREA’S OFF

Torino and Italy striker Andrea Belotti will leave the club as a free agent next summer.

Torino manager Ivan Juric confirmed, via Fabrizio Romano: “Belotti won’t sign the contract extension”.

“Andrea is not gonna leave in January. He’ll decide his future in June.”

Arsenal have previously been linked with a move for the 27-year-old Euro 2020 winner.

And with Alexandre Lacazette also out of contract next summer, it could be a case of one in one out for the Gunners.

WENGER’S WORDS

Former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger sent a message to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s after the Red Devils were mauled 5-0 at Old Trafford yesterday

As a man who often came under pressure in his last year’s at Arsenal, the Frenchman is well versed when it comes to taking criticism.

He told beIN SPORTS: “You can say a few words, the first thing is to protect the club and the team in the press.

“Not to come out with statements that create an even deeper crisis. You know you are in a crisis and you know you have a lot of work to do to get the mentality right in the team again because it’s a massive blow.

“Overall, you just try not to make it even worse than it is. It’s always your responsibility. Liverpool had a great day today. It can happen sometimes but in a big game the damage is massive.

“At the moment Manchester United are in-between pressing and dropping off and that is a little bit the worse situation for a team.”Load more entries… More

CHELSEA thrashed Norwich on Saturday as Thomas Tuchel’s men continued their fine recent form.We’ve the very latest on Antonio Rudidger’s future, with reports suggesting he could be leaving Stamford Bridge in the summer.
And Real Madrid took the spoils in El Clasico, beating Barcelona 2-1 to heap more misery on Ronald Koeman.
Stay up to date with all the latest from around the clubs with our live blog…
POLICE PROTECT NEYMAR AS PSG GAME HALTED

Neymar required police protection to take a corner against Marseille after their fans threw missiles at him.

Fans threw empty plastic bottles and cups and other bits of rubbish – anything they could get their hands on to disrupt the Brazilian.

Luckily police were on hand with riot shields to protect Neymar, allowing him to take a corner and continue with the match.

Stewards also held up netting to prevent objects landing on the pitch.

Authorities were well aware there could be crowd trouble at Le Classique and had prepared in such a way.

Paris Saint-Germain fans were banned from attending due fears of crowd trouble.

But Marseille fans are no angels either, with a brawl breaking out in the stands during their game against Angers last month.

Later a Marseille supporter ran on the pitch in the direction of Lionel Messi but stewards prevented him from reaching the PSG star.

The game ended 0-0 with the visitors hanging on towards the end after Achraf Hakimi was sent off in the 57th minute.

Valentin Rongier came close to opening the scoring for Marseille in the 65th minute but his downward header went just wide.RON: UTD FANS DESERVE ‘MUCH BETTER’

Cristiano Ronaldo has told Manchester United supporters they ‘deserve better, much better’ than the humiliating performance against Liverpool.

The Portuguese legend, 36, and his Red Devils team-mates were thrashed 5-0 by their bitter rivals at Old Trafford on Sunday.

The result left boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer under even more pressure, although the Norwegian is refusing to quit.

Some United fans had already seen enough by half time, with hordes spotted leaving Old Trafford with their side already trailing by four.

Mo Salah went on to add a fifth and claim his hat-trick after the break as United were left stunned.

Captain Harry Maguire issued a grovelling apology to supporters after the embarrassment.

And now Ronaldo has joined him by reaching out to the wounded United faithful with a post on Instagram.

He wrote: “Sometimes the result is not the one we fight for.

“Sometimes the score is not the one we want. And this is on us, only on us, because there’s no one else to blame.

“Our fans were, once again, amazing in their constant support.

“They deserve better than this, much better, and it’s up to us to deliver. The time is now!”MOURINHO SENT OFF

Boss Jose Mourinho was sent off in Roma’s 0-0 draw with Napoli.

The Special One suffered his heaviest EVER defeat on Thursday as Roma were thumped 6-1 by Norwegian minnows Bodo-Glimt in the Europa Conference League.

And just three days later, Mourinho was ordered to the stands against Napoli after picking up two yellow cards at the Stadio Olimpico.

The former Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham boss was booked in each half for dissent.

And Mourinho even flashed a thumbs-up at the ref as he was sent to the stands, one week after he was embroiled in a tunnel row following Roma’s 1-0 loss at Juventus.

However, the capital crowd seemed to love the entertainment and even gave Mourinho a standing ovation for his protests, with Napoli boss Luciano Spalletti also sent off later on.

The result means Roma are without a win in their last three games across all competitions.

TOON ‘IN FOR OVERMARS’

Arsenal legend Marc Overmars could become Newcastle’s director of football.

The ex-Holland winger – Ajax’s transfer guru since 2012 – has also been linked with a return to the Emirates.

But football.london claim the Magpies are ready to step up their interest in Overmars after reportedly already holding talks with the 48-year-old.

That could prompt Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke to soon make Overmars a serious offer.

The former Barcelona star helped Ajax rake n £263million from the sales of Donny van de Beek, Frenkie de Jong, Hakim Ziyech, Matthijs De Ligt, and Davinson Sanchez.‘POGBA DISPLAY LACKED RESPECT’

Paul Scholes claims ‘disrespectful’ Paul Pogba should NEVER play for Manchester United again after his red card against Liverpool.

Sub Pogba was partly to blame for Mo Salah’s hat-trick goal on 50 minutes making it 5-0, before a straight red card for a dangerous tackle on Naby Keita.

Liverpool midfielder Keita needed to be stretchered off the field and Liverpool went on to dominate possession.

And ex-United and England midfielder told Premier League Productions: “To say a disappointing day would be a complete understatement.

“I don’t think it was a lack of effort, I think tactically they were set up in a way where this could happen and unfortunately it did happen.

“Paul Pogba coming on to the pitch at half time to try to help the team and maybe get a little respectability about it, tries to stand on the ball, tries to show how strong he is in the middle of the pitch… gives the goal away.

“Then later on gets sent off with a ridiculous tackle, now you’re 5-0 down with 10 men. You’d have to think, if Ole’s still a manager there, will we see Pogba again in a United shirt?

“He’s caused mayhem over the last couple of years. Everyone knows what a talent he is, everybody trusts him, every manager trusts him, tried to give him his head and let him be the player he’s been.

“But with all the commotion, not signing his contract, almost holding the club to ransom, and then he comes on and does something like that.

“It’s not Ole’s fault, don’t get me wrong, but that’s part of it which almost summed the United performance up today.

“Look, he probably will play [again] won’t he? But I don’t think they will be missing anything if he doesn’t.

“He’s had numerous chances, he keeps saying he lacks consistency, but that is just [a lack of] discipline and disrespect for your manager and your teammates, what he’s done today.”RIO HAS TO WATCH FROM A&E

Rio Ferdinand was forced to watch Manchester United’s shocking 5-0 loss at home to Liverpool in A&E today.

The United legend was taken to hospital this afternoon with an undisclosed medical issue.

The 42-year-old posted a picture of himself on social media with the caption: “These 60 minutes have sent me to A&E…”https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.485.1_en.html#goog_1750714166Play Video

It comes after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men were smashed at home by their bitter rivals, with Mo Salah scoring a hat-trick.

Naby Keita and Diogo Jota also netted, while Paul Pogba was sent-off for a lunge in the second-half.

It is not known whether his wife Kate, who they share a child with, was with him in hospital.

And it is not clear whether he was joking around, or serious, with supporters mixed on his message.

Fans raced to Twitter to wish the former Red Devil and England defender well after he delivered the news.

One fan said: “Get well soon Rio. Hope the performance didn’t do it to you!”GUNNERS DUO SET TO LEAVE

Dinos Mavropanos and Matteo Guendouzi will be allowed to leave Arsenal in the summer – but will only cost £12million between them.

Greek central defender Mavropanos, 23, is already a firm fans’ favourite at Stuttgart, while midfielder Guendouzi is with Marseille.

And Foottball.london expects the duo to accept they will permanently depart the Emirates in the summer.OLE: MY DARKEST DAY

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted Manchester United had hit ‘rock bottom’ following their 5-0 home thrashing by Liverpool – but says he will not quit.

The under-pressure United boss took full responsibility for the humiliating defeat in an interview with Sky Sports.

Hundreds of fans flooded out of Old Trafford at half-time after the Reds raced into a 4-0 half-time lead and Solskjaer did not try to paper over the cracks.

He said: “That fourth goal is when you go into half-time with having to score one every 15 minutes. I know these boys are capable of it. But the fourth – that was probably game over.

“You can look at last season when we lost to Spurs 6-1, but this is worse, miles worse. This is miles worse for me as a Manchester lad. I’ve just got to say we have to get over this as quickly as we can.

“I have come too far, we have come too far as a group. We are too close to give up now.

“It is going to be a difficult one. The players will be low but there’s loads of characters there.

“We know we are rock bottom, we can’t feel any worse than this. Let’s see where we take it.”KLOPP ‘COULDN’T BE HAPPIER’

Jurgen Klopp ‘couldn’t be happier’ after Liverpool’s ‘insane’ 5-0 Old Trafford win.

Red-hot Salah tore Manchester United to shreds with the first Premier League hat-trick there from a visiting player

And the Red Devils suffered their biggest ever home defeat against Liverpool on a miserable afternoon.

Klopp said: “I couldn’t be happier, it is exceptional. Absolutely outstanding.

“Did I expect that? No. It was a really good day.

“What we did in the last third was insane. Pressing high, winning balls and we scored wonderful goals.

“The result is insane, I asked if there was one like this in history and if there isn’t then it will take a while.

“It is special but we don’t celebrate like crazy, we have respect for the opponents.

“We were lucky in some moments, United are not in their best moment.

“We started incredibly well and stopped playing football. We controlled the game after the fifth, it was not about scoring more, just trying to get out without more injuries.”MAGUIRE SAYS SORRY TO UTD FANS

Embarrassed skipper Harry Maguire has apologised to Manchester United fans for the 5-0 home loss to Liverpool

The England centre-back told United’s player to ‘look in the mirror’ and examine their performances – just as he will.

Mo Salah’s hat-trick left Liverpool 5-0 up after 50 minutes before United sub Paul Pogba saw red on the hour.

Maguire told Sky Sports: “We apologise to the fans, it was nowhere near good enough for this club.

“They stuck with us right to the end and we appreciate that but as a club we have to do better.

“I am so disappointed, we gave them so many chances.

They were so clinical, we had a lot of chances ourselves but I am a defender and to concede four in the first half especially at Old Trafford is nowhere near good enough.

“As a player I know myself. I’ll be looking at myself and my individual performance. “We have to stick together, there is no point blaming each other but look at ourselves.

“Look in the mirror when we go home tonight and think where we can do better.

“To lose to Liverpool in any game of football hurts. They’re rivals, the way we lost the game, to be 4-0 down at half-time in front of our fans, like I say it is not good enough.”BARCELONA 1 REAL MADRID 2

David Alaba wrote his name in El Clasico folklore at the Nou Camp to steal the limelight from Sergio Aguero.

The Austrian defender joined the Brazilian Ronaldo, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Raphael Varane and Jese Rodriguez in scoring for Real Madrid in his debut against Barcelona this century.

Lucas Vazquez then added a second deep into injury time to secure all three points and a fourth-straight win over Barca – before Aguero tucked in in the 97th minute for his first goal since his his summer transfer.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR FULL REPORT

‘NOW WE KNOW ARTETA BETTER THAN OLE’

Manchester United’s 5-0 home defeat against Liverpool has sparked unflattering comparisons onlinebetween Old Trafford chief Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.

Some fans claimed “Arteta has now won” – helped by the Gunners’ run of 14 points from six Prem improvement before United slumped to one of their all-time great humiliations today.

But one supporter asked: “How did Arsenal & United go from Fergie and Wenger to Arteta & Solskjær in less than a decade?

“Both clubs in decline, and it’s painful.”

But another comment summed up a common view: “Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal plays better football than Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United.”

‘ARGUABLY MOST DISGRACEFUL UTD DISPLAY EVER’

Liverpool’s 5-0 victory at Old Trafford came on the tenth anniversary of Man City’s 6-1 win at United.

And SunSport’s Neil Custis believes today’s disintegration was WORSE.

He says: “There was something terminal about this. For this manager, for this team, for these fans.”

Here’s our man’s FULL VERDICT on a shameful display from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s ‘team’ of individuals.

MAN UTD 0 LIVERPOOL 5

Mo Salah’s sensational hat-trick lit up Liverpool’s romp at Old Trafford.

Naby Keita and Diogo Jota struck early on before Salah pounced on 38, 45 and 50 minutes against a United side devoid of ideas and dire in defence.

Red Devils’ sub Paul Pogba’s straight red on the hour enabled Liverpool to waltz around for the final half-hour.

And United, who slip to seventh spot, were as dreadful as second-placed Liverpool were dazzling.

Follow the reaction with our live blog HERE.

RESULT: MAN UTD 0 LIVERPOOL 5

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is 8/11 to be sacked before United’s next game after a rout as bad as the scoreline suggests.

Follow the reaction with our live blog HERE.RANIERI WON’T MAKE MEAL OUT OF SUPERB START

Claudio Ranieri declined to take his Watford players out for dinner – despite winning 5-2 at Everton in his first match in charge.

The lovable Italian famously treated his Leicester team to pizzas after they kept their first clean sheet of the title-winning season in 2015-16.

But despite blasting five in at Goodison Park on Saturday, the Hornets stars had to settle for their regular chefs.

Claudio Ranieri celebrates Watford’s tasty victory with hat-trick hero Joshua King

Asked if the resounding win was enough to warrant the treat, Ranieri made it clear what would get his cheque book out.

He said: “No dinner.

“Dinner comes with a clean sheet. Dinner at the Watford canteen, everybody.”

Joshua King scored a hat-trick against his former side as Everton were pegged back after leading twice.

The visitors ran riot in the closing stage with four goals in the final 13 minutes.WINKS DROPPED AFTER VEILED ATTACK

Harry Winks missed Tottenham’s 1-0 away loss to West Ham after appearing to take a dig at Nuno Espirito Santo’s selection comments before the match.

The midfielder – who featured in the team’s clash with Vitesse Arnhem – was omitted from the squad that notched up a fourth defeat in nine Prem games. 

And the defensive midfielder, who has ten senior England international caps, made 30 Spurs appearances last term notching up two goals and two assists.

However, the player who has made six appearances across all competitions so far this term is reported to be a target for Newcastle United following a Saudi Arabia-backed £305million takeover of the Toons.

It is thought the midfielder is eager to play first-team football on a regular basis.

Winks told Sky Sports: “We want to win for Tottenham, to win games and pull in the same direction. But when you’re not playing regularly, it’s difficult to get that confidence as a team.

“But it’s important everybody knows we are fighting to play for Tottenham.

“The motivation is to get into the team and perform regularly but – like I keep saying – if we don’t perform when we get chances, it’s down to us.”SUB POGBA SENT OFF

MAN UTD 0 LIVERPOOL 5: Half-time sub Paul Pogba has a yellow card for a nasty foul on Keita upgraded to a straight red by ref Anthony Taylor thanks to VAR.

Follow the match action and reaction with our live blog HERE.SALAH TREBLE! MAN UTD 0 LIVERPOOL 5

Jordan Henderson set up Mo Salah to clip home Liverpool’s fifth goal on 50 minutes.

Follow the match action and reaction with our live blog HERE.XAVI IN BARCA BOSS HINT

Barcelona legend Xavi believes he can coach ‘any team in the world’ after two-and-a-half years as a manager.

The 41-year-old has had a trophy-laden introduction to coaching with Qatari side Al Sadd.

He made the claims before the Qatari cup final penalty shootout triumph against Al Rayyan on Rayyan on Friday.

As reported by Marca, he said: “Yes, I feel ready to coach any team in the world.

“When they offered me it, I’d only been a coach for three months, but now it’s different. I have more experience and I’m learning a lot here.

“I want to tell everyone that I’m very happy in Qatar and my idea is to keep achieving success with this team.”

He’s already won the Qatari title, as well as two Qatari Cups and two Qatari lead cups.

The Spaniard has also won the Qatari Super Cup and Qatari Stars Cup.2ND HALF UNDER WAY: MAN UTD 0 LIVERPOOL 4

Follow the match action and reaction with our live blog HERE.NEV: UTD CAN’T HANDLE PREM ELITE

Manchester United legend Gary Neville claims Liverpool’s 4-0 half-time lead at Old Trafford proves their defence can’t handle the Prem elite.

The pundit told Sky Sports: “This is the first super team they are playing against and they are getting pulled apart.

“I said it before, half decent teams are scoring goals against them, proper teams will batter them.”GOAL! MAN UTD 0 LIVERPOOL 4

Mo Salah sidefooted home Liverpool’s fourth goal five minutes into first-half stoppage time from Jota’s pass.

That’s the first time EVER in the Premier League United have trailed 4-0 at the interval.

Follow the match action and reaction with our live blog HERE.

RON ‘COULD’VE BOUGHT BRENTFORD OR CHARLTON’

Brazil legend Ronaldo claims he was offered the chance to buy either Brentford or Charlton.

But the iconic ex-footballer instead opted for Spanish side Real Valladolid.

Ronaldo, 45, was one of the game’s greatest strikers, scoring 352 goals in 518 games.

He played for the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and both Milan clubs, and won TWO World Cups with Brazil.

In 2018, Ronaldo went on the hunt to take over a football club, having previously invested in now-dissolved American side Fort Lauderdale Strikers.

And he was presented with opportunities to take over Brentford or Charlton.

However, both sides required huge sums of investment.

And Ronaldo instead opted to remain in Spain with Valladolid, where he is now president with 82 per cent of club shares.GOAL! MAN UTD 0 LIVERPOOL 3

Mo Salah made a small piece of history as Liverpool made a huge mockery of United’s defence.

The striker snapped up a rebound from his own shot to leave the Red-faced Devils 3-0 down on 38 minutes.

Salah has now scored in ten games in a row and become the first Liverpool player to net in three successive matches at Old Trafford.

Follow the match action and reaction with our live blog HERE.Load more entries… More