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      Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk LIVE: AJ and Usyk prepare for weigh-in for fight TOMORROW – latest updates

      by

      IT’S been a long wait – but Anthony Joshua is finally back in the ring TOMORROW NIGHT.Pumped-up AJ returns to a full house at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, taking on feared Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk in a potential classic in the capital.
      Usyk and his team have touched down in the UK and the countdown is well and truly on to Saturday’s showdown.

      Weigh in: Friday, September 24 @ 2.30pm
      Fight date: Saturday, September 25
      UK start time: Estimated to be around 10.15pm

      Follow ALL the latest build-up and updates with our live blog below…

      BETTING SPECIAL – GET JOSHUA TO WIN IN ROUNDS 1-6 AT 60/1 OR ANYTIME AT 25/1

      AJ WANTS UNDISPUTED
      Eddie Hearn says that Anthony Joshua wants to be the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world if he comes through a tricky fight with Oleksandr Usyk.
      And he will target the winner of Tyson Fury vs Deontay Wilder, with the pair due to face off in just over two weeks for the final instalment of their dramatic fight trilogy.
      Hearn told Good Morning Britain: “He [Anthony Joshua] just wants the undisputed championship, so whoever comes through that fight [Fury vs Wilder].
      “As a Brit, we hope that Tyson Fury does the business.
      “I don’t think he is as well prepared as he was for the second fight, but I still think he has got more than enough ability to beat Deontay Wilder.
      “Fingers crossed for an AJ win tomorrow night, fingers crossed for a Tyson Fury win, and then we can see that undisputed fight in early 2022.”
      LEKS GOOD
      Oleksandr Usyk looks to have piled on the muscle as he prepares for his world title fight against Anthony Joshua.
      Some critics claim the Ukrainian will be ‘too small’ to become a world champion up at heavyweight.
      But judging from his training photos, Usyk should hold no fear on his big night under the Tottenham Stadium lights.
      Despite his undefeated boxing record, coming up against AJ will be too big a ‘leap’ to overcome’ according to up-and-coming Brit heavyweight Fabio Wardley.
      He told Betfred TV’s boxing show: “[Oleksandr Usyk] has not pulled off the best performances since he’s been in the heavyweight division.
      “So to then jump in with someone like Joshua, it’s quite a big leap.”

      FURY TOP FIVE
      Tyson Fury has revealed his ranking of the top five heavyweights in the world, with himself inevitably taking top spot.
      Deontay Wilder takes a surprising second place, followed by AJ in third and Usyk in fourth.
      But those places could be swapped in Fury’s mind and many others if Usyk stuns the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday.

      ‘I CAN OUTBOX HIM’
      Anthony Joshua has multiple cards up his sleeve to keep Oleksandr Usyk guessing on Staurday.
      The world champion is aiming to put his strength advantage to good use but also hopes his boxing skill helps him to land a knock-out.
      He told Sky Sports: “You always aim to prepare for a 12-round fight but hope to cut it short.
      “You aim to knock people out. But I can outbox him, of course I can and I can out strength him.
      “Obviously, we have our go to, our strength.
      “I will use my strength. But you have to have as well as aggression, boxing skill, head movement. There is not just one factor that determines a fight.
      “You also learn where their strengths are, where their weaknesses are. He has good stamina. So, we work around, not just losing weight but rounds of sparring and rounds on the heavy bag to generate good stamina.”
      ‘I WOULD FIGHT KING KONG’
      Anthony Joshua insisted he is ready and willing to take on all challengers ahead of his world heavyweight title showdown against Oleksandr Usyk, saying: “If you told me I was fighting King Kong, I would give it a go.”
      He said: “I’m glad I’d already made it to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before fight week before because the place blew me away.
      “I wasn’t on the amateur scene long enough to know much about Oleksandr, but when I turned professional I did a lot of research and I love the Ukrainian style and the Ukrainian people.
      “He was fighting 10 or 12 years as an amateur before he went to the Olympics and worlds, so he is probably happy to be in this position. The cream always rises to the top.
      “I love throwback fighters. I do watch a lot of boxing and I don’t fight good people just to get respect. I’m going to work. It’s the best days of my life.”

      CAUTIOUS APPROACH
      Ricky Hatton also expects a close match between AJ and Usyk, predicting both boxers will be wary of each other.
      In his column for the Metro he wrote: “Oleksandr Usyk is definitely up there as one of the greats and could very well be Anthony Joshua’s toughest test to date. Usyk is a fantastic, skilful boxer but he is moving up in weight.
      “In his recent fights, Joshua has boxed a bit more cautiously, a bit more sensible. Defeats can make or break you and I think the defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr and how he responded in the rematch made AJ.
      “He’s thinking about things a bit more now and he is reminding us of just how good a boxer he is and why he won that Olympic medal. And he will need that against Usyk.
      “I think Joshua will box a smart fight, he has to. I think he knows that Usyk can punch and he will know himself he can be vulnerable. I don’t think he is going to go in there and jump all over him.
      “Having said that, Usyk can be a bit of a slower starter, he likes to let his opponent punch themselves out a bit, make them hit fresh air and then put his foot down like he did against Tony Bellew.
      “I think Usyk will box cautiously because of the size of AJ. AJ will do likewise because he knows what Ruiz did to him. I can see a chess match.”
      ‘UNBELIEVABLE’
      Oleksandr Usyk is set to return to the UK 13 years after defeating his first British opponent, Danny Price.
      The pair battled it out for qualification to the 2009 Beijing Olympics and Usyk came out victorious – as he has every time he has come up against a Brit.
      Usyk has since outpointed Joe Joyce, knocked out Tony Bellew, battled past Derek Chisora and will now face Anthony Joshua.
      Price recalls his fight with the Ukrainian: “He was a counter-puncher back in the day, and so was I. I was better suited to being on the back foot.
      “I was one point down going into the last round. I had to chase the fight in the last round and he beat me. That was his game.
      “I always think – if I was one point up going into the final round, he would have to have chased me. I could have been on the back foot. It would have been in my hands. It was gutting.
      “Technically he is just unbelievable. In the first three rounds, there wasn’t much in it. He didn’t give much away and neither did I.
      “Then any time I threw, I missed and he threw back. His reflexes were so good. In the last round when I chased it, he boxed my head off. He caught me coming in. He was so good at that style of fighting.
      “He is the best technical boxer that I’ve been in the ring with.”
      ‘EXPECT A CHESS MATCH’
      Tyson Fury expects a tough, awkward fight for Anthony Joshua on Saturday, and has advised his compatriot to go big with the punches.
      He believes AJ has to look to knock out Oleksandr Usyk early on or risk burning up his energy and allowing the Ukrainian into the fight.
      Fury told Boxing Scene: “I’m not convinced that he is gonna win, either.
      “I expect AJ to come out trying to box a bit more because of this new way he boxes now and uses his jab.
      “And he knows he doesn’t have the stamina to take a fight to somebody under sustained pressure, and keep that up, because he gasses after about three rounds. And then he needs to take three or four rounds off.
      “So, he wouldn’t be able to do that against Usyk because Usyk will be on him all the time, making him fight. So, I expect it to be awkward, maybe a bit of a chess match for a few rounds. And I expect AJ to run out of ideas, really.
      “If he doesn’t land on him early and get him out of there with big punches, then I see it being a tough night for AJ and maybe even a stoppage loss.”
      ‘AN HONOUR’
      Retailer JD have unveiled a mural of Anthony Joshua on Tottenham high road in preparation for his fight for Oleksandr Usyk, which takes place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
      The eye-catching painting was produced by Manchester-based street artist Akse P19, who has commemorated other significant British icons, in and out of sport.
      AJ, and ambassador for JD, is proud at being recognised alongside the other figures Akse P19 has commemorated.
      He said: “I’ve seen what Akse has done with Captain Tom, George Floyd and Marcus Rashford, as well as Leeds United’s Kalvin Phillips and Ian Curtis.
      “So, to be amongst these great people is an honour and I’m happy that he chose me to be a part of this great history that he’s creating.
      “I’m not saying that I’m an icon, but the fact that he’s painting people that are doing big things makes me feel humbled and honoured.
      “The fight in this painting is also taken from when I became two-time heavyweight champion of the world, so I feel like it has a pivotal history.”

      THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS
      Anthony Joshua is predicting a knockout win to round off a “spectacular show” for 60,000 fans when he defends his three world titles against Oleksandyr Usyk.
      But Usyk claims tomorrow night’s fight at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.will go down in history for dramatically different reasons.
      British hero AJ said: “I know what I’m going to do. “I just know – a knockout.
      “It’s Kronk style. I’ve been watching a lot of certain things – I like Emanuel Steward’s mindset. Obviously you have to do your ABCs but if you follow them you get to KO.
      “That’s what I’m here to do – put on a spectacular show. People want to see knockouts. 
      I don’t fight good guys for respect, if you got me King Kong I would give it a go.”
      But former cruiserweight king Usyk shrugged off worries he is too light to trouble Joshua and said: “I think me and Anthony are going to make another step in history.
      “Something that people later will talk about, people will remember.”
      And Ukrainian Usyk’s last victim Tony Bellew also warned AJ: “He hits enough to get your respect.
      “It’s not going to be that easy and he also sets traps that don’t allow you to do that. 
      “You’ve got to make him engage mentally – he is so far ahead of everyone mentally in the game. He doesn’t tire.”
      WHY JOSHUA’S THE KING
      Anthony Joshua looks like the perfect physical specimen to be a heavyweight world champion but he has the brain to match the muscles.
      The 31-year-old’s chief physio ROB MADDEN has worked with the Watford icon throughout his constant evolution. And he has broken down for SunSport the five essential traits that make the WBA, IBF and WBO boxing king the perfect fighting machine.

      POSITIVITY
      THERE is an energy that AJ gives off when he walks into a room that just lifts everybody.
      When you are training hard, exhausted, maybe  injured, or even  nervous, that energy can be so advantageous, it can change everything.
      PURE POWER
      AJ’s genetics are phenomenal and that makes for incredible raw strength and power.
      I am relatively young but I know that I will never meet anyone like him in the rest of my career. He is a one-off.
      DISCIPLINE
      ANT’S discipline to training and, almost even more importantly, life is  incredible.
      He always turns up, to training, to fights, to media events, he never lets us down.
      STAMINA
      HIS cardiovascular capacity and engine is underrated.
      AJ does a lot of work on that in the gym with his boxing and on the bike.
      There has been some criticism of AJ’s engine but we know how powerful his lungs are. He’s phenomenal and has worked so hard on it.
      FAME’S NOT MY GAME
      It might not be the fight the nation demanded but, for the first time in three years, Anthony Joshua will  pack out a major British stadium again tomorrow night, writes DAVE KIDD.
      Joshua claims he is not in the fight game for the fame, but to lift the profile of his sweet science to unprecedented levels.

      That he undoubtedly did in 2017 and 2018, when we grew accustomed to AJ’s big nights out, as he slayed Wladimir Klitschko, Carlos Takam, Joseph Parker and Alexander Povetkin in front of 80,000 crowds at Wembley and Cardiff.
      Since then, Joshua lost his crown to Andy Ruiz Jr in New York, won it back in a soulless desert setting in Saudi Arabia, then endured the pandemic like the rest of us before he knocked out Kubrat Pulev in front of a tiny audience at  Wembley Arena last year.
      At Tottenham’s magnificent new stadium tomorrow night, Joshua will put his three belts on the line in front of a 68,000 crowd against Ukraine’s former undisputed world cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.
      And Joshua, 31, said: “When I  started boxing in around 2008, there was a global financial crisis and no real investment in sport, no governments were investing on boxing.
      “But I committed and I worked hard and brought attention back to boxing.
      “I don’t promote boxing to be famous, I do it so we can all benefit from it. I work hard to make sure boxing is a high profile, respected sport.”
      WHITE: AJ MUST HIT HIM FOR SYKS
      Dillian Whyte reckons Anthony Joshua needs to make short work of Oleksandr Usyk to cement himself as a heavyweight gr-eight.
      The Body Snatcher, 33, has watched enough of ex-undisputed cruiserweight champ Usyk to know that Joshua needs to blow away the old 14st 4lbs king with heavyweight authority.
      Ahead of his own October 30 showdown with Otto Wallin, Whyte told SunSport: “Joshua is a 17st puncher, going in against a guy who can make 14st. He needs to knock him out impressively inside eight rounds — or anything else and it’s a bad night.
      “Usyk is a good technical boxer but he carries no power at heavyweight and Joshua should blow him out.”
      Whyte, who beat AJ in the amateurs but was stopped by him in seven brilliant pro rounds in 2015, is facing a tricky southpaw of his own in Wallin.
      The 6ft 6in Swede slashed 47 stitches into Tyson Fury’s eye in 2019 before losing on points.
      And with a lack of unorthodox heavyweights around for sparring — and Usyk claiming all of AJ’s practice rounds will be wasted, as his style is unrepeatable — Whyte is keen to see how his fellow Brit handles only the second — and maybe first serious — southpaw of his pro career
      The Brixton ace explained: “The only southpaw AJ has boxed as a pro is Charles Martin, the worst heavyweight champion in history.
      “And he only turned up for a payday and lay down without throwing a punch.”
      THE JOKER IS ON U
      Oleksandr Usyk dressed as Batman villain The Joker to give Anthony Joshua one final fright before the fight but the champ isn’t even scared of King Kong, writes WALLY DOWNES JR.
      The 34-year-old Ukraine southpaw had already shaved his head and grown a handlebar moustache after being inspired by 17th century Cossack warriors.
      And he updated the look with a shockingly colourful suit and tie ensemble straight out of the Gotham gangster’s wardrobe.
      Credit: Getty
      The 18-0 ace combined his gap-toothed grin with a bright orange suit, a yellow waistcoat, a green shirt and a polka dot tie.
      But 31-year-old AJ, in his trademark black tracksuit, did not bat an eyelid at the comic-inspired clobber.
      And he warned Usyk he was facing a a student of the game who is laser focused on staying top of the class.
      ‘FREAK’ USYK DANGEROUS FOR AJ
      Tony Bellew has warned Anthony Joshua that Oleksandr Usyk is a ‘freak.’
      Usyk knocked Bellew out in Manchester in 2018, something the former fighter has not forgotten.
      Bellew said: “He hits enough to get your respect, it’s not like you’re just going to walk through him.
      “It’s not going to be that easy and he also sets traps that don’t allow you to do that. But you can hit his body and tire him as well.
      “You’ve got to make him engage mentally; he is so far ahead of everyone mentally in the game, he doesn’t tire.
      “I was amazed! I thought what I was doing to him in the fight was making him miss and then countering him, and I expected him to tire.
      “And the freak didn’t tire, he just kept getting stronger and stronger. Mate, he is unbelievable, I can’t emphasise enough how good he is.”
      LEANER CAN BE MEANER
      Anthony Joshua has shrugged of worries over his new leaner shape.
      He said: “Let’s look back – Razor Ruddock, Lennox Lewis, Mike Weaver, Ray Mercer. They all weighed about 100kg. 
      Credit: Getty
      “I’m no different to these guys and you lot all rave about how great they were.
      “But I’m no different – I’m actually closer to these guys. I’ve just tried to replicate how Emanuel Steward tried to train his champions.
      “I love watching great trainers and figuring out the best way to improve as a fighter and once I do that my body just takes form.”
      AJ EYES SLAM KRONK
      Anthony Joshua wants a Kronk-style KO win over Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday.
      The 31-year-old WBA, IBF and WBO champ has been studying the legendary Detroit gym and mastermind Manny Steward.
      The iconic sweatbox specialised in producing power-punching monsters like Thomas Hearns and Lennox Lewis.
      And AJ has swatted up on their trademark style in his bid to defend his titles in sensational fashion for 60,000 fans at Spurs.
      “I know what I’m going to do,” he teased. “I just know – a knockout.
      “It’s Kronk style. I’ve been watching a lot of certain things – I like Emanuel Steward’s mindset. Obviously you have to do your ABCs but if you follow them you get to KO.
      “That’s what I’m here to do – put on a spectacular show. People want to see knockouts. 
      “That’s what we’ve got to deliver for the fans.”
      AJ FEELING SO PUP-BEAT
      Anthony Joshua reckons he has been like a young pup in the gym ahead of this dogfight.
      He said: “Like a dog or a baby I have been praised when I have done well and that makes me want to do more.
      “I practice and spar a lot so you are coming out to see me hit a live bodybag.
      “100 per cent the last place I would want to be is facing myself.
      Credit: Getty
      “I am not an easy touch for anyone.
      “I am here for a reason, I would not have got here so quickly without it.”
      The colourful challenger kept his quotes far less exciting than his outfit, grinning: “I feel fine and look forward to the fight.
      “Every fighter makes history and me and Anthony will make another stat in history on Saturday night.
      “It will be something people remember forever. It will make history.”
      TOTTENHAM READY
      Tottenham’s stadium has been transformed ahead of Anthony Joshua’s clash with Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday night.
      The Brit goes head to head with the unbeaten Ukrainian in North London and the arena has undergone a major revamp ahead of the bout.
      AJ, 31, saw talks for his big fight with Tyson Fury collapse and now takes on No 1 contender Usyk instead.
      Tottenham Stadium transformed for Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk with pitch covered up and ring starting to take shape
      It is the first time boxing has been held at the £1BILLION arena.
      And Joshua’s Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn took excited fans on a tour.
      He went live on Instagram and gave his followers a glimpse into the stadium.
      The pitch was totally covered by artificial flooring where the ring will sit surrounded by fans.
      Cranes and machinery were moving around where the grass usually is getting metal frameworks in place.

      ‘BEST DAYS OF MY LIFE’
      Anthony Joshua says these are the “best days of my life” – but the fun stops on Saturday night against Oleksandr Usyk.
      Britain’s heavyweight champ said: “I have had fun in camp, it has been demanding but it has been fun.
      “I don’t fight good guys for respect, if you got me King Kong I would give it a go.
      “It’s just my job, we are going to work and it’s a blessing cos these are the best days of my life.”
      The 6ft 6in powerhouse reckons he has been like a young pup in the gym ahead of this dogfight.
      He said: “Like a dog or a baby I have been praised when I have done well and that makes me want to do more.
      “I practice and spar a lot so you are coming out to see me hit a live bodybag.
      “100 per cent the last place I would want to be is facing myself. I am not an easy touch for anyone. I am here for a reason, I would not have got here so quickly without it.”
      THE JOKER IS ON U
      Oleksandr Usyk dressed as Batman villain The Joker to give Anthony Joshua one final fright before the fight but the champ isn’t even scared of King Kong, writes WALLY DOWNES JR.
      The 34-year-old Ukraine southpaw had already shaved his head and grown a handlebar moustache after being inspired by 17th century Cossack warriors.
      And he updated the look with a shockingly colourful suit and tie ensemble straight out of the Gotham gangster’s wardrobe.
      Credit: Getty
      The 18-0 ace combined his gap-toothed grin with a bright orange suit, a yellow waistcoat, a green shirt and a polka dot tie.
      But 31-year-old AJ, in his trademark black tracksuit, did not bat an eyelid at the comic-inspired clobber.
      And he warned Usyk he was facing a a student of the game who is laser focused on staying top of the class.
      BELLEW: BEWARE USYK ‘TRAPS’
      Tony Bellew has warned Anthony Joshua that Oleksandr Usyk is a ‘freak.’
      Usyk knocked Bellew out in Manchester in 2018, something the former fighter has not forgotten.
      Bellew said: “He hits enough to get your respect, it’s not like you’re just going to walk through him.
      “It’s not going to be that easy and he also sets traps that don’t allow you to do that. But you can hit his body and tire him as well.
      “You’ve got to make him engage mentally; he is so far ahead of everyone mentally in the game, he doesn’t tire.
      “I was amazed! I thought what I was doing to him in the fight was making him miss and then countering him, and I expected him to tire.
      “And the freak didn’t tire, he just kept getting stronger and stronger. Mate, he is unbelievable, I can’t emphasise enough how good he is.”
      ‘I AM NOT AN EASY TOUCH FOR ANYONE’
      Here’s another recap of what AJ said a minute ago.
      He revealed: “Like a dog or a baby I have been praised when I have done well and that makes me want to do more.
      “I practice and spar a lot so you are coming out to see me hit a live bodybag.
      “100 per cent the last place I would want to be is facing myself.
      “I am not an easy touch for anyone.
      “I am here for a reason, I would not have got here so quickly without it.”
      NOTHING BUT RESPECT
      There was an air of respect between the two fighters.
      And they were both quick to praise each other on their ability on what they have achieved.
      Getty Images
      STAREDOWN
      Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk face off before sharing a handshake.

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    • 238 Shares99 Views

      in Boxing

      Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk LIVE: AJ and Usyk prepare for weigh-in for TOMORROW NIGHT’S fight – latest updates

      by

      IT’S been a long wait – but Anthony Joshua is finally back in the ring TOMORROW NIGHT.Pumped-up AJ returns to a full house at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, taking on feared Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk in a potential classic in the capital.
      Usyk and his team have touched down in the UK and the countdown is well and truly on to Saturday’s showdown.

      Weigh in: Friday, September 24 @ 2.30pm
      Fight date: Saturday, September 25
      UK start time: Estimated to be around 10.15pm

      Follow ALL the latest build-up and updates with our live blog below…

      BETTING SPECIAL – GET JOSHUA TO WIN IN ROUNDS 1-6 AT 60/1 OR ANYTIME AT 25/1

      WHY JOSHUA’S THE KING
      Anthony Joshua looks like the perfect physical specimen to be a heavyweight world champion but he has the brain to match the muscles.
      The 31-year-old’s chief physio ROB MADDEN has worked with the Watford icon throughout his constant evolution. And he has broken down for SunSport the five essential traits that make the WBA, IBF and WBO boxing king the perfect fighting machine.

      POSITIVITY
      THERE is an energy that AJ gives off when he walks into a room that just lifts everybody.
      When you are training hard, exhausted, maybe  injured, or even  nervous, that energy can be so advantageous, it can change everything.
      PURE POWER
      AJ’s genetics are phenomenal and that makes for incredible raw strength and power.
      I am relatively young but I know that I will never meet anyone like him in the rest of my career. He is a one-off.
      DISCIPLINE
      ANT’S discipline to training and, almost even more importantly, life is  incredible.
      He always turns up, to training, to fights, to media events, he never lets us down.
      STAMINA
      HIS cardiovascular capacity and engine is underrated.
      AJ does a lot of work on that in the gym with his boxing and on the bike.
      There has been some criticism of AJ’s engine but we know how powerful his lungs are. He’s phenomenal and has worked so hard on it.
      FAME’S NOT MY GAME
      It might not be the fight the nation demanded but, for the first time in three years, Anthony Joshua will  pack out a major British stadium again tomorrow night, writes DAVE KIDD.
      Joshua claims he is not in the fight game for the fame, but to lift the profile of his sweet science to unprecedented levels.

      That he undoubtedly did in 2017 and 2018, when we grew accustomed to AJ’s big nights out, as he slayed Wladimir Klitschko, Carlos Takam, Joseph Parker and Alexander Povetkin in front of 80,000 crowds at Wembley and Cardiff.
      Since then, Joshua lost his crown to Andy Ruiz Jr in New York, won it back in a soulless desert setting in Saudi Arabia, then endured the pandemic like the rest of us before he knocked out Kubrat Pulev in front of a tiny audience at  Wembley Arena last year.
      At Tottenham’s magnificent new stadium tomorrow night, Joshua will put his three belts on the line in front of a 68,000 crowd against Ukraine’s former undisputed world cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.
      And Joshua, 31, said: “When I  started boxing in around 2008, there was a global financial crisis and no real investment in sport, no governments were investing on boxing.
      “But I committed and I worked hard and brought attention back to boxing.
      “I don’t promote boxing to be famous, I do it so we can all benefit from it. I work hard to make sure boxing is a high profile, respected sport.”
      WHITE: AJ MUST HIT HIM FOR SYKS
      Dillian Whyte reckons Anthony Joshua needs to make short work of Oleksandr Usyk to cement himself as a heavyweight gr-eight.
      The Body Snatcher, 33, has watched enough of ex-undisputed cruiserweight champ Usyk to know that Joshua needs to blow away the old 14st 4lbs king with heavyweight authority.
      Ahead of his own October 30 showdown with Otto Wallin, Whyte told SunSport: “Joshua is a 17st puncher, going in against a guy who can make 14st. He needs to knock him out impressively inside eight rounds — or anything else and it’s a bad night.
      “Usyk is a good technical boxer but he carries no power at heavyweight and Joshua should blow him out.”
      Whyte, who beat AJ in the amateurs but was stopped by him in seven brilliant pro rounds in 2015, is facing a tricky southpaw of his own in Wallin.
      The 6ft 6in Swede slashed 47 stitches into Tyson Fury’s eye in 2019 before losing on points.
      And with a lack of unorthodox heavyweights around for sparring — and Usyk claiming all of AJ’s practice rounds will be wasted, as his style is unrepeatable — Whyte is keen to see how his fellow Brit handles only the second — and maybe first serious — southpaw of his pro career
      The Brixton ace explained: “The only southpaw AJ has boxed as a pro is Charles Martin, the worst heavyweight champion in history.
      “And he only turned up for a payday and lay down without throwing a punch.”
      THE JOKER IS ON U
      Oleksandr Usyk dressed as Batman villain The Joker to give Anthony Joshua one final fright before the fight but the champ isn’t even scared of King Kong, writes WALLY DOWNES JR.
      The 34-year-old Ukraine southpaw had already shaved his head and grown a handlebar moustache after being inspired by 17th century Cossack warriors.
      And he updated the look with a shockingly colourful suit and tie ensemble straight out of the Gotham gangster’s wardrobe.
      Credit: Getty
      The 18-0 ace combined his gap-toothed grin with a bright orange suit, a yellow waistcoat, a green shirt and a polka dot tie.
      But 31-year-old AJ, in his trademark black tracksuit, did not bat an eyelid at the comic-inspired clobber.
      And he warned Usyk he was facing a a student of the game who is laser focused on staying top of the class.
      ‘FREAK’ USYK DANGEROUS FOR AJ
      Tony Bellew has warned Anthony Joshua that Oleksandr Usyk is a ‘freak.’
      Usyk knocked Bellew out in Manchester in 2018, something the former fighter has not forgotten.
      Bellew said: “He hits enough to get your respect, it’s not like you’re just going to walk through him.
      “It’s not going to be that easy and he also sets traps that don’t allow you to do that. But you can hit his body and tire him as well.
      “You’ve got to make him engage mentally; he is so far ahead of everyone mentally in the game, he doesn’t tire.
      “I was amazed! I thought what I was doing to him in the fight was making him miss and then countering him, and I expected him to tire.
      “And the freak didn’t tire, he just kept getting stronger and stronger. Mate, he is unbelievable, I can’t emphasise enough how good he is.”
      LEANER CAN BE MEANER
      Anthony Joshua has shrugged of worries over his new leaner shape.
      He said: “Let’s look back – Razor Ruddock, Lennox Lewis, Mike Weaver, Ray Mercer. They all weighed about 100kg. 
      Credit: Getty
      “I’m no different to these guys and you lot all rave about how great they were.
      “But I’m no different – I’m actually closer to these guys. I’ve just tried to replicate how Emanuel Steward tried to train his champions.
      “I love watching great trainers and figuring out the best way to improve as a fighter and once I do that my body just takes form.”
      AJ EYES SLAM KRONK
      Anthony Joshua wants a Kronk-style KO win over Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday.
      The 31-year-old WBA, IBF and WBO champ has been studying the legendary Detroit gym and mastermind Manny Steward.
      The iconic sweatbox specialised in producing power-punching monsters like Thomas Hearns and Lennox Lewis.
      And AJ has swatted up on their trademark style in his bid to defend his titles in sensational fashion for 60,000 fans at Spurs.
      “I know what I’m going to do,” he teased. “I just know – a knockout.
      “It’s Kronk style. I’ve been watching a lot of certain things – I like Emanuel Steward’s mindset. Obviously you have to do your ABCs but if you follow them you get to KO.
      “That’s what I’m here to do – put on a spectacular show. People want to see knockouts. 
      “That’s what we’ve got to deliver for the fans.”
      AJ FEELING SO PUP-BEAT
      Anthony Joshua reckons he has been like a young pup in the gym ahead of this dogfight.
      He said: “Like a dog or a baby I have been praised when I have done well and that makes me want to do more.
      “I practice and spar a lot so you are coming out to see me hit a live bodybag.
      “100 per cent the last place I would want to be is facing myself.
      Credit: Getty
      “I am not an easy touch for anyone.
      “I am here for a reason, I would not have got here so quickly without it.”
      The colourful challenger kept his quotes far less exciting than his outfit, grinning: “I feel fine and look forward to the fight.
      “Every fighter makes history and me and Anthony will make another stat in history on Saturday night.
      “It will be something people remember forever. It will make history.”
      TOTTENHAM READY
      Tottenham’s stadium has been transformed ahead of Anthony Joshua’s clash with Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday night.
      The Brit goes head to head with the unbeaten Ukrainian in North London and the arena has undergone a major revamp ahead of the bout.
      AJ, 31, saw talks for his big fight with Tyson Fury collapse and now takes on No 1 contender Usyk instead.
      Tottenham Stadium transformed for Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk with pitch covered up and ring starting to take shape
      It is the first time boxing has been held at the £1BILLION arena.
      And Joshua’s Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn took excited fans on a tour.
      He went live on Instagram and gave his followers a glimpse into the stadium.
      The pitch was totally covered by artificial flooring where the ring will sit surrounded by fans.
      Cranes and machinery were moving around where the grass usually is getting metal frameworks in place.

      ‘BEST DAYS OF MY LIFE’
      Anthony Joshua says these are the “best days of my life” – but the fun stops on Saturday night against Oleksandr Usyk.
      Britain’s heavyweight champ said: “I have had fun in camp, it has been demanding but it has been fun.
      “I don’t fight good guys for respect, if you got me King Kong I would give it a go.
      “It’s just my job, we are going to work and it’s a blessing cos these are the best days of my life.”
      The 6ft 6in powerhouse reckons he has been like a young pup in the gym ahead of this dogfight.
      He said: “Like a dog or a baby I have been praised when I have done well and that makes me want to do more.
      “I practice and spar a lot so you are coming out to see me hit a live bodybag.
      “100 per cent the last place I would want to be is facing myself. I am not an easy touch for anyone. I am here for a reason, I would not have got here so quickly without it.”
      THE JOKER IS ON U
      Oleksandr Usyk dressed as Batman villain The Joker to give Anthony Joshua one final fright before the fight but the champ isn’t even scared of King Kong, writes WALLY DOWNES JR.
      The 34-year-old Ukraine southpaw had already shaved his head and grown a handlebar moustache after being inspired by 17th century Cossack warriors.
      And he updated the look with a shockingly colourful suit and tie ensemble straight out of the Gotham gangster’s wardrobe.
      Credit: Getty
      The 18-0 ace combined his gap-toothed grin with a bright orange suit, a yellow waistcoat, a green shirt and a polka dot tie.
      But 31-year-old AJ, in his trademark black tracksuit, did not bat an eyelid at the comic-inspired clobber.
      And he warned Usyk he was facing a a student of the game who is laser focused on staying top of the class.
      BELLEW: BEWARE USYK ‘TRAPS’
      Tony Bellew has warned Anthony Joshua that Oleksandr Usyk is a ‘freak.’
      Usyk knocked Bellew out in Manchester in 2018, something the former fighter has not forgotten.
      Bellew said: “He hits enough to get your respect, it’s not like you’re just going to walk through him.
      “It’s not going to be that easy and he also sets traps that don’t allow you to do that. But you can hit his body and tire him as well.
      “You’ve got to make him engage mentally; he is so far ahead of everyone mentally in the game, he doesn’t tire.
      “I was amazed! I thought what I was doing to him in the fight was making him miss and then countering him, and I expected him to tire.
      “And the freak didn’t tire, he just kept getting stronger and stronger. Mate, he is unbelievable, I can’t emphasise enough how good he is.”
      ‘I AM NOT AN EASY TOUCH FOR ANYONE’
      Here’s another recap of what AJ said a minute ago.
      He revealed: “Like a dog or a baby I have been praised when I have done well and that makes me want to do more.
      “I practice and spar a lot so you are coming out to see me hit a live bodybag.
      “100 per cent the last place I would want to be is facing myself.
      “I am not an easy touch for anyone.
      “I am here for a reason, I would not have got here so quickly without it.”
      NOTHING BUT RESPECT
      There was an air of respect between the two fighters.
      And they were both quick to praise each other on their ability on what they have achieved.
      Getty Images
      STAREDOWN
      Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk face off before sharing a handshake.

      WILL IT GO TWELVE ROUNDS?
      Usyk says: “Nobody knows that.
      “Only god knows what the outcome will be.”
      Talk about not giving much away.
      POWER DIFFERENCE
      Usyk also comments on whether his inferior size will be a factor.
      He says: “We’ll see on Saturday what happens.
      “Because the power is not in the fact if somebody is big or small, it’s in your spirit.
      “David was three times lighter than Goliath and that shows that it doesn’t matter.”
      USYK INTERVIEW
      Oleksandr is now speaking to Sky Sports about his ‘Joker’ outfit.
      He says: “Before the fight it’s all about [putting on a] show.
      “People want to see [a] show, and that’s when you do these things.
      “But when you go to the ring and you fight, it’s just two guys having a fight.”
      RECAP
      Here’s a recap of what AJ said at the start of the press conference.
      Speaking about the beginning of his career, AJ said: “When I started boxing it was fun, because I was absolutely s*** when I started.
      “I’m still getting better, but I like the challenges because I’ll train, come back three months later [and] I’ll beat the guys up that where giving me problems.
      “I would fight, if I lost, I’d come back again.
      “So this fight gives me the opportunity to practice.”
      HEAD TO HEAD
      AJ shows off some shadow boxing as the photographers take their place for the face off.
      Usyk looks so unbothered, in fact it looks like he’s playing with a pen.
      Both men crack the slightest of smiles as they face off, before both faces return to almost steel like expressions.
      Suddenly it’s got very tense!
      Then there’s a nod from AJ as the pair break and they exchange a hand shake.
      CLOSING STATEMENT
      Eddie Hearn finishes by saying: “It doesn’t get any bigger than this.
      “Do not miss it.”
      Now the pair will go head to head!
      MORE FROM AJ
      Joshua says: “I’m not an easy fight for anyone.
      “I like fighting.
      “God has blessed me, he showed me the path to get in boxing.”
      “I don’t want to say too much, I’m here, I’m blessed, I’m happy and I appreciate everyone coming down.”
      PLAYING IT COOL
      Joshua vows: “If you told me I was fighting King Kong I’d give it a go.”
      “It’s my job, it’s his job.”
      AJ’S PRAISE
      Joshua heaps praise on Usyk and his past opponents, saying: “The cream always rises to the top.
      “And we’re here now, and good luck to them!”
      JUST ANOTHER DAY
      AJ says: “For a fighter like myself, this is just another day in camp.
      “And on Monday or maybe Tuesday I’ll be back in the gym.”
      Load more entries… More

    • 188 Shares199 Views

      in Soccer

      Messi injury LATEST, Derby enter administration, James Rodriguez transfer EXIT plus Chelsea and Arsenal latest

      by

      LIONEL MESSI looks set to miss a number of PSG games after suffering a foot injury. The Argentina star, who has had a tough start to life in Paris, will miss the trip to Metz but could also be unavailable for their Champions League clash with Manchester City.
      Derby County have entered administration and have been deducted 12 points by the English Football League.
      But transfer news still rolls on with Arsenal set to make a bid for Noa Lang.
      Chelsea’s Marcos Alonso will no longer take the knee before games, with the Spaniard preferring to point to the No Room for Racism badge on his sleeve.
      JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)
      Stay up to date with all the latest from around the clubs with our live blog…
      BARCA COULD BE PRICED OUT OF POGBA DEAL
      Manchester United have received a major boost in their bid to keep Paul Pogba at Old Trafford.
      Pogba’s contract with United runs out in June and his future appears to be uncertain as some of Europe’s biggest hitters are circling in hoping for a free transfer.

      According to Sport, Barcelona are among the star midfielder’s suitors and they have been keeping tabs on him for a long time.
      However, the France international would be forced to take a significant pay cut if he agreed to join Barca.
      The Blaugrana have endured a major economic fallout during the coronavirus pandemic and struggled to meet LaLiga’s new salary cap rules.
      The Catalan giants believe the 28-year-old is the perfect fit for their club’s profile after a tough summer that saw them losing the legendary Lionel Messi on a free transfer to Paris Saint-Germain.
      However, Barcelona are bound for some tough financial negotiations with the Frenchman and his agent Mino Raiola.
      That means Pogba’s other suitors, such as PSG and Juventus, could have an advantage over Ronald Koeman’s side.
      KYLIAN MUST BE MORE HUMBLE
      Kyllian Mbappe must become ‘more humble’ if he wants to be ‘loved’.
      That’s according to Metz boss Frederic Antonetti, who claims the Paris Saint-Germain star must change his behaviour following controversial scenes in Ligue 1 last night.

      Ten-man Metz were holding PSG to a draw at home when Achraf Hakimi netted a last-gasp winner.
      Furious Metz fans stormed the pitch in anger following PSG’s wild celebrations, while goalkeeper Alexandre Oukidja confronted Mbappe in a heated stand-off.
      Metz’s anger towards the France striker, 22, stemmed from an incident in the 80th minute. Stopper Oukidja kicked the ball out following an injury stoppage.
      And Mbappe cheekily tried lobbing him to put PSG ahead. Metz players and fans were far from pleased with his behaviour.
      And tempers exploded moments before PSG’s eventual winner when captain Dylan Bronn was sent off. Metz boss Antonetti was also shown a red card as Hakimi’s second strike of the game sealed all three points for the visitors.
      He said: “Mbappe had better behave differently if he wants to be loved.
      “I adore this player, he is very, very strong. But he would benefit from showing more humble behaviour.
      “In the game he had been non-existent. It happens when he cannot find space.”
      JOR HAVING A LAUGH
      Three Chelsea stars reacted passionately to a referee decision going against them on Wednesday evening… and fans loved it.
      Jorginho, Cesar Azpilicueta and Mateo Kovacic were furious as the referee gave a foul to Aston Villa in the Blues’ League Cup win.
      In an image shared on social media by SunSport columnist Simon Phillips, the three players are seen reacting to a decision by ref Graham Scott.

      Jorginho, Azpilicueta and Kovacic were all rested for the game as Chelsea went on to beat Villa in a penalty shootout at Stamford Bridge.
      And fans were loving the trio’s enthusiasm, with one tweeting: “They look like the lads in the Shed End.”
      While another wrote: “What part of ‘take the day off’ do these guys not understand? They just can’t relax for one match. Love that.”
      And one tweeted: “They’re fans just like us!”

      JUVE MET YOUR MATCH
      Spezia winger Emmanuel Gyasi trolled Juventus by copying Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal celebration, but Massimiliano Allegri’s side got the last laugh.
      Gyasi beat Juve goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny with a deflected effort to cancel out Moise Kean’s opener.
      Spezia taunts Juventus with Cristiano Ronaldo celebration but Allegri has last laugh with
      And the winger decided to bring out the famous Ronaldo ‘Siu’ celebration, taunting Juve who lost the mega star on deadline day to Manchester United.
      Spezia thought their luck was in from that point forward as they took the lead early on in the second half.
      Janis Antiste, 19, cut inside off the left flank and beat Szczesny at his near post to hand the Serie A minnows a shock lead.
      The celebrations were short-lived though, as Italy’s Euro 2020 hero Federico Chiesa drew Juve level.
      And just minutes after Chiesa’s strike, Matthijs de Ligt restored Juve’s lead to win the game.
      The taunt that was bound to sting, but Juve got the last laugh and picked up their first win of the league campaign.
      NOT KNEELY ENOIUGH
      Romelu Lukaku claims the time may have come for players to take stronger action than taking the knee in the fight against discrimination.
      Chelsea star Lukaku fears the pre-match gesture may not be doing enough to end racism – just days after team-mate Marcos Alonso revealed he would no longer kneel because it was losing impact.

      Lukaku told CNN: “I think we can take stronger positions, basically.
      “Yeah, we are taking the knee, but in the end, everybody’s clapping but… sometimes after the game, you see another insult.
      “I have to fight, because I’m not fighting only for myself. I’m fighting for my son, for my future kids, for my brother, for all of the other players and their kids, you know, for everybody.
      “At the end of the day, football should be an enjoyable game… You cannot kill the game by discrimination. That should never happen.
      “Football is joy, it’s happiness and it shouldn’t be a place where you feel unsafe because of the opinion from some uneducated people.”

      KLOPP ‘RELUCTANT’ TO MOVE FOR UTD TARGET JUDE
      Liverpool have been linked with an £80million move for Jude Bellingham – as have Manchester United.
      But according to German outlet Bild, Jurgen Klopp may opt against a move for Bellingham out of loyalty for his old club Borussia Dortmund.
      The news comes as a boost to Manchester United, with a central midfielder reportedly top of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s wishlist.
      Transfermarkt value the 18-year-old at around £50million, but any potential future fee for the England star is expected to be a considerable amount more than that.

      RED LIGHT
      Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has equalled the run of form that saw David Moyes SACKED as Manchester United boss.
      United have now won just five of their last ten matches in all competitions – enough for the board to wield the axe and get rid of Moyes back in 2014.
      The current streak includes Premier League victories over West Ham, Newcastle, Wolves and Leeds this season – as well as Wolves in the final game of last term.
      But they drew with Fulham back in May, then lost the Europa League final on penalties to Villarreal.
      This term they had a stalemate with Southampton and suffered shock cup losses to Young Boys and now West Ham to jeopardise their hopes of silverware in the New Year.
      And ironically, the latest flop result came with Moyes in the away dugout last night as he piled the pressure on the Norwegian.

      JUR THE ONE
      Liverpool have entered the race to sign Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland, according to reports.
      According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Liverpool are one of many top clubs keen on purchasing Haaland in the near future.
      The forward’s £64million release clause reportedly became active on September 1.
      And Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has admitted it will be very difficult for the club to keep hold of their prized asset.
      He told Welt am Sonntag: “Of course it will be difficult. I am not saying, however, that it is completely out of the question.
      “We’ll do everything we can to keep our top players loyal to us in the future.”
      RED RAMPART
      Manchester United have installed a heavy-duty security gate at Carrington.
      The move comes after protesting Reds fans stormed the training complex after the club signed up to the European Super League.
      In April, around 20 furious supporters targeted the Aon training complex – just hours before the first team squad were due in.
      The men bypassed security and made their way to the first team training pitch where they unveiled two banners which read ‘Glazers out’ aimed at club owners the Glazer family.
      BAL GAME
      Manchester City are likely to enter a bidding war for Real Sociedad star Mikel Oyarzabal, reports suggest.
      According to TEAMtalk, City are not giving up on Oyarzabal who has been a long-term target of manager Pep Guardiola.
      However, Fichajes report that Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund are also keeping tabs on the highly-rated winger.
      The Spain international’s suitors, though, will have to meet Sociedad’s €75million (£63m) asking price.
      That means City will first have to sell at least one player before moving for the talented forward.
      Guardiola already has the likes of Raheem Sterling, Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez, Gabriel Jesus and Ferran Torres playing in the wing and one of them may have to make way.
      The Manchester giants tried to sign the 24-year-old last year but were pushed back by the LaLiga giants.
      Getty Images
      SENS-ING A MOVE
      Premier League giants Liverpool are interested in signing Real Madrid star Marco Asensio, according to reports.
      The winger, 25, is struggling for minutes under Real boss Carlo Ancelotti and it’s believed he may be available for transfer in the near future.
      According to Spanish outlet Fichajes.Net, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp wants to rebuild his team and believes Asensio could be the perfect signing.
      Reports in August claimed Arsenal were leading the race for Asensio’s signature but Liverpool can offer the player Champions League football.
      Getty Images
      BLUES ALL RIGHT
      Chelsea are favourites to wear the Premier League crown this season even if they are not yet at full speed.
      That is the view of former Blues winger Shaun Wright-Phillips, who has already tipped them to pip his other previous employers Manchester City to the title.
      “Right this second I think Chelsea would pip City to the title,” he told Metro.co.uk.
      “The fact that they don’t have to play well and still come away with 3-0 wins is unbelievable and Tuchel has even said they haven’t played well yet.
      “He still wants more from his team and wants them to play his way still, but they’re coming away with these wins still.”
      DYBALA DEAL
      Juventus are close to agreeing a deal with Paulo Dybala for a contract extension.
      According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, it’s only a matter of time before the 27-year-old Argentinian puts pen to paper on a new deal.
      He tweeted: “Juventus are close to complete the agreement with Paulo Dybala over new contract.
      ‘We’re negotiating in the right way – we feel close, optimistic’, Juventus vice president Nedved confirmed. #Juventus #Dybala
      “Juventus are also negotiating to extend Juan Cuadrado’s contract.”
      Getty Images
      BREAKING NEWS
      Nemanja Matic will NOT face any FA action despite kneeing Vladimir Coufal in the privates, DUNCAN WRIGHT reports.
      Manchester United star Matic aimed a shot at the midriff of Coufal after challenge during West Ham’s Carabao Cup win on Wednesday night.
      It appeared referee Jon Moss had failed to spot the incident, leaving fears the Serbian would be hit with a retrospective violent conduct charge from the FA.
      But SunSport understands Moss’s report landed at Wembley this morning/yesterday where he made it clear he had seen what happened.
      And because the match officials saw and dealt with the clash in real time, FA regulations mean no further action can be taken so Matic will escape a three match ban.
      RED RECORD
      Manchester United’s wage bill will reportedly rise by a record £65MILLION this season due to Cristiano Ronaldo, Raphael Varane and Jadon Sancho’s arrivals.
      The Red Devils will pay out a staggering £387m – around the same as skint Barcelona shelled out in 2020.
      Cristiano Ronaldo is pulling in a cool £480,000-a-week at Old Trafford making him the club’s highest earner.
      David De Gea is second on the list on a weekly wage of £375k.
      United paid Borussia Dortmund £73m for Sancho and are forking out an additional £350k-a-week in wages to the England winger.
      While Raphael Varane’s £42m from Real Madrid completes the summer’s big spends at Old Trafford, with the Frenchman taking home £340k-a-week which is £17.7m annually

      KAR-YING ON
      Liverpool outcast Loris Karius is being targeted by Basel ahead of the January transfer window.
      The Swiss outfit tried to sign Karius in the summer but a move didn’t materialise as they couldn’t agree on wages.
      According to Bild, however, the FCB are considering a second bid in the winter before the goalkeeper’s contract runs out in June.
      Patrick Rahmen’s side want to sign the German in order to give starting keeper Heinz Lindner some top-class competition.
      The 28-year-old joined the Reds from Mainz in 2016 following a £4.7million deal.
      But Karius fell out of favour at Anfield following two error-stricken seasons under Jurgen Klopp.
      Getty Images
      DERBY’S DOOM
      Andrew Hoskings of Derby administrators Quantuma has confirmed the club is ‘tens of millions of pounds’ in debt.
      He said: “We do consider a club of this magnitude has a viable future. “No-one is under-estimating the task ahead and some difficult decisions will be made.
      “The club has debts in the tens of millions of pounds.
      “There will be cost savings through the administration, sadly a number of redundancies. 
      “And while we don’t consider it an easy task, it is not insurmountable.
      “Already there is a considerable degree of interest in this club. 
      “A lot of it was expressed prior to the administration order. We consider the position to make a successful conclusion is very practicable.”
      ‘GIVE ME A CHANCE’
      Brave Jack Wilshere has revealed the agony of telling his 10-year-old son why his injury record is stopping him finding a new club.
      Wilshere told the Under The Surface podcast: “I’ve got a 10 year-old who is football mad, he loves football and he watches Sky Sports News.
      “He sort of understands football and that’s probably one of the toughest parts about explaining to him what’s going on because he’d always ask me if I’ve got a club yet or does anyone want you and I’m like ‘no’.
      “I think that’s all you can say – you have to be honest with him.”
      Wilshere has been without a club since Bournemouth released him in the summer following a change of management.
      And the England international believes potential employers are judging him on his fitness record rather than giving him a fair opportunity.
      KNEE-MANJA
      Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic kneed Vladimir Coufal in the groin but managed to get away with thanks to VAR not being used in the Carabao Cup.
      The Serb lashed out at the Hammers right-back as United lost 1-0 but escaped punishment as ref Jon Moss didn’t see it and VAR wasn’t being used at Old Trafford.
      Coufal went down and appealed to the nearby fourth official – though he did not make a meal of it.
      Matic ran off as if nothing as happened and got away with it because there was no VAR for the Carabao Cup tie.
      He would surely have been sent off in the Premier League and he doubled down on his good fortune with a nasty tackle on matchwinner Lanzini later in the match.
      Matic raked his studs down the Argentine’s ankle after a late challenge and the ref missed it again, with Lanzini was subbed off injured as a result soon after.

      BROKEN VOW
      Thomas Tuchel went back on the deadline day promise he reportedly made to Saul Niguez by playing him out of position on Wednesday.
      The Chelsea boss is understood to have vowed to play Saul in his preferred central midfield role in a bid to lure him to Stamford Bridge.
      But just two games into his Chelsea career, Saul found himself deployed on the left as the Blues beat Aston Villa on penalties in the Carabao Cup.
      Saul endured a tricky debut against Villa in the Premier League earlier this month.
      He was hauled off after just 45 minutes following his summer loan move from Atletico Madrid.
      Getty Images
      ‘VERY STRANGE’
      And Redknapp has also questioned the decision to play Harry Kane out wide in the 3-0 home defeat to Chelsea.
      Redknapp said: “I thought it was a strange one. Son plays there and Harry plays through the middle. Very, very strange.
      “For the first 20 minutes, they were bang in the game.
      “Second half, Chelsea completely overran them. Chelsea look strong.”
      TOP SCORER
      Former Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has predicted Spurs talisman Harry Kane to be top goalscorer this season, as long as the 28-year-old isn’t played out of position.
      Redknapp told talkSPORT: “He wants to play all the time.
      “From Tottenham’s point of view, they want to win a trophy. They’re not going to win a Premier League and can look at that competition, and the FA Cup and think this is something they can win.
      “Harry wants to play all the time now. He’s one of those lads and could well end up being leading goalscorer, as long as they don’t play him on the left wing again.
      “He will be right there in the mix.”
      LACA-GO
      Atletico Madrid are keeping tabs on Arsenal star Alexandre Lacazette who is set to run down his contract, reports suggest.
      Lacazette’s deal with the Gunners expires next year in June and negotiations with the club’s hierarchy are not moving towards the right direction.
      According to Le 10 Sport, Atletico are ready to pounce on the opportunity to sign the striker next summer on a free transfer ahead of his likely departure from the Emirates.
      Atleti have been closely monitoring the France international ever since he played for Lyon.
      The Spanish champions are still interested in the 30-year-old and appear as a likely destination after he leaves the north Londoners.
      The Madrid giants are still in touch with the Frenchman’s representatives and are even preparing the ground for his potential arrival.
      Getty Images
      PATI-NO
      Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has explained why wonderkid Charlie Patino wasn’t involved in the team’s 3-0 win against AFC Wimbledon.
      The talented forward, 17, was expected to play against the League One side but Arteta opted for a more experienced 18-man squad.
      When asked by the press about Patino’s omission, Arteta admitted: “He was very close [to being selected].
      “But at the end we decided that some players needed minutes. It will happen naturally with time.”
      Patino made his senior debut for Arsenal’s U23s against Swindon Town in the EFL Trophy earlier this month but is yet to play for the first team.
      Getty Images
      OU ARE YA?
      Manchester United have emerged as a possible destination for Barcelona outcast Ousmane Dembele.
      According to ElNacional, the Red Devils have ‘appeared by surprise’ to make a move for the French winger.
      The report even states negotiations have even begun with the 24-year-olds representatives.
      And with the French international out of contract at Camp Nou at the end of the season, Old Trafford chiefs are eyeing a free transfer that would represent a shrewd bit of business.
      Barca though are eager for Demebele to sign a contract extension until 2024 according to Mundo Deportivo, in order to avoid letting the winger leave the cash strapped club on a free.
      Getty Images
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    • 225 Shares99 Views

      in Boxing

      Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk LIVE: Press conference LATEST, AJ shows off hulking physique at workout – updates

      by

      IT’S been a long wait – but Anthony Joshua is finally back in the ring on Saturday.Pumped-up AJ returns to a full house at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, taking on feared Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk in a potential classic in the capital.
      Usyk and his team have touched down in the UK and the countdown is well and truly on to Saturday’s showdown.

      Press conference: Thursday, September 23 @ 1pm
      Weigh in: Friday, September 24 @ 2.30pm
      Fight date: Saturday, September 25
      UK start time: Estimated to be around 10.30pm

      Follow ALL the latest build-up and updates with our live blog below…

      BETTING SPECIAL – GET JOSHUA TO WIN IN ROUNDS 1-6 AT 60/1 OR ANYTIME AT 25/1

      ONE HOUR WARNING
      Press conferences for Saturday’s undercard are set to get underway at 1pm.
      And then at 2pm there will be a press conference for the main event featuring Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk.
      The press conference is being held at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the same venue for Saturday’s fight.
      HEARN CONCLUSION
      And Hearn finished by telling talkSPORT: “Now, you hope that the size of those fighting him in the heavyweight division could be a difference.
      “I don’t think you can just rely on size here, I think you need to rely on your feet, on your speed, and of course your power.
      “That’s going to be key for AJ; putting dents in Usyk. I don’t want to see six or seven rounds down and the scorecards are tight or he is a couple behind and he is chasing the fight.
      “You don’t want to be chasing the fight against the likes of Oleksandr Usyk. He’s got to show him the power, but he has got to catch him first. It’s going to be a really tough one.”
      MORE FROM HEARN
      Hearn went on to tell talkSPORT: “Technically, I wouldn’t say he [Usyk] is superior, because I think AJ wants to show that he is the superior boxer in this fight.
      “But when you look at his achievements and what he did in the cruiserweight division to become undisputed, and look at the way that he did it, he went to Huck’s backyard to beat him in Germany.
      “He went to Gassiev’s backyard in Russia to beat him and his went to Breidis’ backyard in Latvia to beat him.
      “He also went to Manchester to bat Tony Bellew. Now he is coming to London to fight Anthony Joshua.
      “So you’ve got to respect this guy; he’s comfortable on his bike and that’s the key really. In the cruiserweight division, he was unbeatable.”
      HEARN NERVES
      Promoter Eddie Hearn has revealed he is nervous as AJ puts his WBA, WBO and IBF belts on the line against Oleksandr Usyk.
      He told talkSPORT: “There’s excitement, but there are also a huge amount of nerves just because of how good Usyk is.
      “The scary thing about Usyk is not necessarily the size or how violent he is, it’s his mind.
      “You know that he is going to be ready for Saturday night and it is just going to come down to who is good enough on the night, and that is the beauty of sport.
      “This is a brilliant, brilliant heavyweight fight; the atmosphere is going to be unbelievable, it is going to be an incredible spectacle, I’m nervous, I’m excited, two great competitors and it is just going to come down to who is the better man on the night.”
      ANYONE’S GAME
      IBF featherweight champion Kid Galahad is predicting a ’50/50 fight’ between Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk.
      He said: “It’s a 50/50 fight. Usyk has done everything Joshua has done. He’s won a gold medal, he’s unified the division, he’s done everything. What’s he not done?
      “Usyk’s got some of the best footwork in the business. He’s not a huge puncher but Mohammed Ali wasn’t a huge puncher and still knocked people out.
      “The pressure he brings, it’s mental. AJ is switched on, He knows it’s not going to be an easy fight, but everyone else thinks it is.
      “It’s one of those fights where we just don’t really know how it’s going to go.
      “I think it could be a close call and AJ on points but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s an upset, that’s how close this fight is going to be.”
      HEAR ME OUT
      Eddie Hearn has declared Oleksandr Usyk will ‘never be a fully-fledged heavyweight’ despite him packing on the pounds to face Anthony Joshua.
      He told talkSPORT: “I think that Usyk will never be a fully-fledged heavyweight – a real heavyweight in terms of size.
      “But what he will always have is a huge amount of skill.
      “It takes time for people to bed into heavyweight, so put it this way, it would’ve been a lot easier fight for AJ a year-and-a-half ago.
      “Now Usyk has fought a real heavyweight contender in Chisora, that will actually help him to start to understand what needs to be done.
      “But AJ’s a different kind of beast. A good big guy will always beat a good small guy, so we’ll see.”
      FINAL FACE-OFF
      Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk will face off for the final time today ahead of the pair’s heavyweight bout on Saturday.
      They will both be speaking at a live press conference looking ahead to the epic clash.
      That will be coming live from 1pm.
      IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
      Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk held a media work out on Tuesday ahead of Saturday’s bout.
      And the Ukrainian challenger played up the cameras by showing off his juggling skills.

      WEIGHT AND SEE
      Hafthor Bjornsson has backed Anthony Joshua to be ‘too big’ for Oleksandr Usyk – despite the challenger’s best efforts to beef up.
      The former world’s strongest man told SunSport: “Absolutely, I will be watching 100 per cent. I think Joshua will be a bit too big for Usyk.
      “Usyk is a great boxer, but there is a height difference and a weight difference. I think that Usyk is gaining some weight now.
      “So I don’t know how that will affect his performance, he won’t be used to being that heavy. We don’t know how he’ll react to that.
      “Whether it will make him a bit more stiff or what but my money is on Joshua. He’s more comfortable in that weight category.”
      MORE FROM HEARN
      What makes Saturday’s fight so dangerous for AJ is the fact that Usyk is an unknown quantity.
      He’s a cruiserweight world champion, but is yet to really be tested at heavyweight.
      And Hearn said: “Usyk has boxed Witherspoon and then Chisora. People are saying, ‘Has he got it, has he not?’ Maybe now he does! I hope he doesn’t but he might do.
      “It’s a great battle of minds as well. One thing that’s so scary about Usyk – is his mind and his ability to work out an opponent, and to out-think them.
      “AJ wants to show his skill in this fight, as well as his brutality. I just hope we see a little bit more of the brutality.”
      EDDIE’S ANALYSIS
      AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn has labelled Oleksandr Usyk as ‘maybe the No 1 heavyweight in the world’ ahead of Saturday’s bout, but claims Joshua was never and is never scared of the challenge.
      Hearn told Sky Sports: “He has to beat Oleksandr Usyk to keep the undisputed dream alive and he wasn’t prepared to swerve the challenge of Oleksandr Usyk, he’s not that kind of guy.
      “[Usyk is] definitely, a top-five heavyweight in the world. Maybe the No 1 heavyweight in the world – this is the scary thing.
      “You go back to great cruiserweights in the world that have gone up to heavyweight.
      “You talk about Evander Holyfield. It took him a couple of fights for people to recognise him as a true threat to the division.
      SATURDAY’S STAGE
      The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will be the venue for Saturday’s clash between Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk.
      And speaking on the occasion when the fight was announced in July, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy said: “This is a huge occasion for Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – Anthony Joshua is an icon in the world of sport and to have him fight here in London N17, against a top opponent in Oleksandr Usyk, will be amazing for the area of Tottenham. 
      “This event will once again showcase the stadium’s ability to take the hosting of world-class sporting occasions to the next level – we cannot wait for September 25.”

      PARKER PREVIEWS
      Heavyweight boxer and past AJ opponent Joseph Parker is predicting a stoppage on Saturday night.
      He said: “I feel like Usyk is going to be a big threat. Just with his background, but he was the unified champion of the world and he hasn’t experienced a loss. 
      “Leading into this fight, he’s going to have the best preparation and do everything right. Both guys are going to do everything right. I just feel with Joshua’s size, reach and power, he might get the better of Usyk. 
      “A lot of people are calling it a 50/50 fight, and people won’t be surprised if Usyk wins the fight. I think there’s a stoppage, I just don’t know who. I’m leaning towards Joshua.”
      SHAWN SPEAKS
      Former IBF and WBC welterweight champion Shawn Porter believes Oleksandr Usyk has a ‘100% chance’ of being able to beat Anthony Joshua.
      Porter beat Usyk when the pair fought as amateurs, so the American knows just how good he is.
      And he said: “I’m not messing with Usyk. I’m happy to see him doing everything that he’s done to this point. There’s a 100% chance for him to win this fight.
      “I don’t know who is going to win this fight. I haven’t picked either-or.
      “I’m just going to sit back and let it happen more so than having an expectation and the expectation not being met or me more or less wanting one of the fighters.
      “I think it’s going to be a great one. If anything, if he [Usyk] wins that, people will say, ‘Once upon a time, Shawn Porter beat him.’ That’s about it, but those were old times.”
      WARREN’S WORDS
      Tyson Fury’s promoter, Frank Warren, has backed Oleksandr Usyk to beat Anthony Joshua – but only if the fight goes 12 rounds.
      “[Usyk] proved it at cruiserweight. He was fantastic, and he’s made his mark in that weight division.
      “He was a superb cruiserweight. He’s done everything you could ask for.
      “Anthony Joshua must be the favourite for the fight. He’s the bigger guy, much bigger, and he’s a big puncher.
      “Having said that, if [Joshua] doesn’t get rid of him, and if he’s still there after five or six rounds, then if it gets to the end of the fight…
      “If that goes 12 rounds, I would fancy Usyk to get the decision because to get there, he’s going to have to outbox him.”
      ‘HUGE STAR’
      Oleksandr Usyk hailed Anthony Joshua for being ‘a modern-day Mike Tyson’ ahead of their world heavyweight champion battle on Saturday.
      He told told Matchroom Boxing’s YouTube Channel: “He’s (Joshua) a really big huge star. Everybody knows him – all the world around knows him just like in the old days Tyson was, right now he is.
      “Even my kids were asking me today ‘did you already see Joshua? Have you seen him?’
      “I never thought ever in my life, the kid from a small town in Ukraine would ever fight in an arena with 65,000 people and broadcasting all around the world on the biggest TV networks.”
      LAST TEN
      Here’s a look at who the ‘Big Three’ of heavyweight boxing have faced in their last ten bouts.
      Should AJ and Tyson Fury come through clashes against Oleksandr Usyk and Deontay Wilder respectively, the pair are expected to face off in a hugely anticipated battle of the Brits.

      AJ UNDERCARD
      Here’s a reminder of who features on the undercard at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday before the main event gets underway.

      Lawrence Okolie vs Dilan Prasovic – For WBO cruiserweight title
      Callum Smith vs Lenin Castillo
      Campbell Hatton vs Izan Dura
      Florian Marku vs Maxim Prodan
      Christopher Ousley vs Khasan Baysangurov
      Daniel Lapin vs Pawel Martyniuk

      BEST TEST
      Anthony Joshua has called for people to ‘give credit’ where it’s due to Oleksandr Usyk.
      The Ukrainian is undefeated in 18 professional fights and to many, including AJ himself, is regarded as the toughest test the Brit has faced.
      Joshua said: “He’s good. Let’s give credit where credit is due.
      “In boxing, we do have big egos and we try to suppress people but let’s lift him up and say he is good.
      “He won the [2012 heavyweight gold medal at the] Olympics.
      “He won the world championship as an amateur. He’s done the undisputed thing. His accolades would say he’s one of the best I am fighting in my career.”
      GOOD MORNING BOXING FANS
      Tyson Fury will be cheering on Anthony Joshua when the three-title heavyweight champ takes on Oleksandr Usyk.
      A victory for Joshua is likely to pave the way for a £200million super clash between the Gypsy King and the Londoner.
      And SunSport’s Wally Downes Jr reports that Fury will be watching Joshua defend his three titles from his mansion in Las Vegas.
      Fury said: “Do I want him to win? Definitely. Because it doesn’t make much sense in me beating Usyk up.
      “I’d much prefer to beat Joshua up, it’s a bigger fight and people want to see it more.”
      Oleksandr Usyk says he never imagined he would ever get the chance to be part of a major heavyweight fight night.
      The Ukrainian, who will take on Joshua at Tottenham Stadium, told Matchroom Boxing’s YouTube channel: “I never thought ever in my life, the kid from a small town in Ukraine would ever fight in an arena with 65,000 people and broadcasting all around the world on the biggest TV networks.
      “He’s (Joshua) a really big huge star. Everybody knows him – all the world around knows him just like in the old days (Mike) Tyson was, right now he is.
      Meanwhile, Eddie Hearn reckons Joshua could put the ‘fear of Christ’ up Usyk when the pair meet.
      And Dillian Whyte has tipped the Briton to win the bout inside the first seven rounds.
      Whyte told 5 Live Boxing: “I think it’s a great fight, but in my personal opinion, I think Joshua will stop him in the first five, six, or seven rounds.”
      FURY’S A FAN
      Tyson Fury will be cheering on Anthony Joshua when steps into the ring with Oleksandr Usyk.
      A victory for Joshua is likely to pave the way for a £200million super clash between the Gypsy King and the Londoner.
      And SunSport’s Wally Downes Jr reports that Fury will be watching Joshua defend his three titles from his mansion in Las Vegas.
      Fury said: “Do I want him to win? Definitely. Because it doesn’t make much sense in me beating Usyk up.
      “I’d much prefer to beat Joshua up, it’s a bigger fight and people want to see it more.”
      FURY FIGHT
      Eddie Hearn says Anthony Joshua is eager to fight Tyson Fury and achieve his dream of becoming the undisputed heavyweight champ.
      Plans for a clash between the two were put on ice after an arbitrator ordered Fury to fight Deontay Wilder.
      Hearn told BBC Sports The Final Say: “I believe that Tyson Fury would fight Anthony Joshua. We know it’s the biggest financial fight in boxing.
      “I know for a fact AJ would fight Tyson Fury. I would be shocked if both won their upcoming fights and we didn’t see that fight.”

      DREAM FIGHT
      Oleksandr Usyk says he never imagined he would have the chance to be part of a major heavyweight fight night.
      The Ukrainian is set to step into the ring with Anthony Joshua at Tottenham Stadium in a bid to defeat the heavyweight champ.
      Usyk told Matchroom Boxing’s YouTube Channel: “Every night I go to bed, I pray and then I go to sleep.
      “I never thought ever in my life, the kid from a small town in Ukraine would ever fight in an arena with 65,000 people and broadcasting all around the world on the biggest TV networks.
      “He’s (Joshua) a really big huge star. Everybody knows him – all the world around knows him just like in the old days (Mike) Tyson was, right now he is.
      “Even my kids were asking me today ‘did you already see Joshua? Have you seen him?’
      FURY FEELING
      Tyson Fury says he has a ‘sneaky feeling’ Oleksandr Usyk could stun Anthony Joshua by defeating him.
      The Gypsy King was sharing his thoughts with Frank Warren’s Queensbury Promotions ahead of his own heavyweight clash with Deontay Wilder.
      Fury said: “What I’ve seen from Usyk in the last two fights hasn’t been a lot.
      “Then I had a little brainstorm and maybe he’s not showing us everything he can do, just playing around with the likes of Chisora and the other guy he fought (Chazz Witherspoon).
      “Maybe he didn’t try and win those fights properly. Maybe he was looking bad on purpose.”
      FRIGHT NIGHT
      Eddie Hearn reckons Anthony Joshua can put the ‘fear of Christ’ up Oleksandr Usyk when the rivals go toe-to-toe at Tottenham Stadium this weekend.
      And Hearn reckons Joshua should look to emulate Derek Chisora during the clash.
      Chisora piled pressure on the Ukrainian for 12 rounds at Wembley last year.
      Hearn told talkSPORT: “Chisora puts the fear of Christ up anyone and he put the fear of Christ up Usyk in the first three rounds.
      “He looked like he didn’t know what to do, but Joshua is not going to do that. Joshua is not just going to maraud forward and fight like Chisora did.
      “But he has to do bits of what Chisora did in my opinion, which is use that size and ultimately put the pressure on and be the bigger man in there.”
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      Man Utd 0 West Ham 1 LIVE REACTION: Hammers knock United out of Carabao Cup thanks to Lanzini goal – latest updates

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      MAN UTD were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by West Ham thanks to Manuel Lanzini’s early half-time goal at Old Trafford.
      RESULT: Man Utd 0-1 West Ham
      Man Utd XI: Henderson, Alex Telles, Lindelof, Bailly, Dalot, Mata, Matic, Van De Beek, Lingard, Martial, Sancho
      West Ham XI: Areola, Fredericks, Johnson, Diop, Dawson, Masuaku, Kral, Noble, Lanzini, Yarmolenko, Bowen

      Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…

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      EYES ON THE PRIZE
      That’s all from us tonight, folks.
      Thank you for keeping up with our live coverage of Man Utd vs West Ham in the third round of the Carabao Cup.
      The Hammers came out 1-0 winners on the night and will face Man City at the Olympic Stadium in round four, with some other tasty fixtures in the draw including Arsenal vs Leeds and Chelsea vs Southampton.
      Disappointment for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but he’ll be quickly turning his attention to the Premier League as his side take on Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Saturday.
      West Ham face Leeds at Elland Road on Saturday, but fans will already be looking forward to welcoming Rapid Wien to east London for their first home Europa League game of the season next Thursday.
      Here’s the rest of the draw for round four after tonight’s fixtures. Goodnight from us.

      CAPTAIN FANTASTIC
      Hammers skipper Mark Noble could barely contain his delight at the final whistle to have put things right after his penalty miss on Sunday and was candid in his interview with Sky Sports post-match.
      “Obviously the last couple of days have been a bit tough, but what do you do? You know, you put your boots back on and you come out and play.
      “I thought the players tonight were fantastic. You’re going to get knocked while you’re a football player, I’m old enough now to realise that. I’ve missed penalties in the past.
      “At the end of the day, you’ve got to be brave enough to step up and take responsibility and I missed.
      “But tonight, I’ve come out here at Old Trafford, one of the greatest places in the world to play and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it.”

      SLOW BURNERS
      Solskjaer spoke to Sky Sports after the game and claims that the team’s slow start and West Ham’s early goal was the main reason for their disappointing result.
      “Poor start, slow start again and that needs addressing. We started slowly and they got the goal.
      “After that I thought we played well for long periods. We gave it a good go. Stats don’t mean anything, but when you’ve got 27 shots, you know that the boys have given it a good go.
      “We didn’t create big chances, but we built pressure but sometimes that pressure doesn’t come to anything.”

      SHOOT BUT DON’T SCORE
      Man Utd had 27 shots on goal but only 6 on target, creating only one clear cut chance despite having 61% of the possession.
      A frustrating night for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who had entrusted his squad players to get the job done and was ultimately let down.
      The home side looked far brighter and more dangerous with Mason Greenwood and Bruno Fernandes on the pitch, with Anthony Martial largely absent.
      Solskjaer will be counting down the days until Marcus Rashford and Edinson Cavani are fit enough to return to his matchday squad.

      UNITED VS CITY
      It’s United vs City… West Ham United, that is.
      West Ham will take on Man City at the Olympic Stadium in what is set to be a difficult tie for the Hammers, but they’ve shown tonight they’re not afraid of anyone.
      Man Utd knocked out of the Carabao Cup in the third round for the first time since 2018 when they were beaten on penalties by Derby.
      West Ham got their revenge against the Old Trafford club tonight and progress to the next round.
      Delight for the David Moyes, but real disappointment for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who will consider this a missed opportunity to potential win his first trophy at the club.
      Credit: Getty
      FOURTH ROUND DRAW
      CHELSEA VS SOUTHAMPTON
      ARSENAL VS LEEDS
      STOKE VS BRENTFORD
      WEST HAM VS MAN CITY
      LEICESTER CITY VS BRIGHTON
      BURNLEY VS TOTTENHAM
      QPR VS SUNDERLAND
      PRESTON VS LIVERPOOL
      DRAMA CLUB
      Some very good games tonight and interesting results with West Ham upsetting Man Utd at Old Trafford and Spurs beating Nuno’s old team Wolves on penalties.
      Chelsea also go through on penalties after a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa.

      ALL EYES ON ROUND FOUR
      We’re waiting for the draw for the next round now and here are the teams that will be involved…

      SAME AGAIN
      West Ham have made it to the fourth round for the fourth year running, but that’s as far as they’ve got since 2016.
      Stick around to find out who they’ll face in the final 16…

      PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPP!!!!!
      THAT’S IT! WEST HAM HAVE DONE IT!
      THEY’VE GOT REVENGE FOR THEIR DEFEAT ON SUNDAY AND PUT MAN UTD OUT IN THE THIRD ROUND OF THE CARABAO CUP
      FULL-TIME: MAN UTD 0-1 WEST HAM
      MAN UTD 0-1 WEST HAM
      90+2 – Henderson comes up for a corner and it’s everyone in the West Ham half.
      The goalkeeper thinks he’s a midfielder for a moment and tries to spray the ball forward to Van de Beek but it goes way over his head.
      That could be it…
      MAN UTD 0-1 WEST HAM
      90 – Four minutes added on here. West Ham looking to strangle the game now but Man Utd won’t give them a moment’s piece.
      The Old Trafford crowd get behind their side for one last big push at the end.
      MAN UTD 0-1 WEST HAM
      88 – CLOSE AGAIN! Bowen once again finds himself closing in on goal and has a shot at Henderson’s near post but the goalkeeper does really well to keep it out again.
      West Ham should be out of sight from those chances in the last couple of minutes.
      MAN UTD 0-1 WEST HAM
      87 – CLOSE! Jarrow Bowen and Mark Noble are two on one and Bowen squares it wide for Noble who somehow manages to hit it straight at Henderson.
      West Ham should have put the game to bed by now.
      MAN UTD 0-1 WEST HAM
      85 – CLOSE! Yarmolenko HAS to score. He’s six yards out with a practically open goal and cannons the ball off the post.
      He can’t believe it, the crowd can’t believe it. That would’ve been curtains for Man Utd.
      MAN UTD 0-1 WEST HAM
      84 – Another Man Utd counter attack from deep as Elanga breaks away but he’s fouled cleverly by Kral before he can really break free.
      The Slovakian has had a solid night in midfield, deputising very well for Declan Rice.
      MAN UTD 0-1 WEST HAM
      81 – Greenwood gets the ball on the edge of the box and cuts in on his left foot but by standards it’s poor and goes well wide of the goal.
      Man Utd running out of time here and the crowd are getting more and more nervous.
      MAN UTD 0-1 WEST HAM
      79 – West Ham are causing Man Utd all sorts of problems on the counter-attack and breakaway after a Man Utd chance but a superb tackle from Bruno Fernandes quickly snuffs it out.
      He then puts Greenwood in on the right flank who bamboozles Johnson to get into the box and gets a shot off but it’s well saved by Areola.
      MAN UTD 0-1 WEST HAM
      76 – Elanga and Sancho combine on the left wing and it’s the directness of Sancho that wins the hosts a corner.
      It’s taken short by Fernandes and comes to nothing, to the frustration of the home fans.
      MAN UTD 0-1 WEST HAM
      74 – Man Utd instantly look to have more attacking threat with Bruno Fernandes on the pitch, but with only fifteen minutes to go there’s not long left to turn this around.
      Just one goal for the home side and this goes to penalties.
      MAN UTD SUBSTITUTIONS
      72 – It’s a very attacking change from the hosts and not a minute too soon. One player that Man Utd fans are very excited about for the future and one player they worship in the here and now.
      OFF: Alex Telles, Jesse Lingard.
      ON: Anthony Elanga, Bruno Fernandes.
      MAN UTD 0-1 WEST HAM
      71 – Lingard does well to break away at speed on the left and floats one into the box.
      It goes above everyone but lands to Diogo Dalot, who tries to hit it back across goal but it goes out for a corner.
      Dalot takes the corner, but Bailly heads it well over.
      MAN UTD 0-1 WEST HAM
      69 – BLOCK! Man Utd break away with Sancho and Lingard not for the first time tonight and Lingard finds himself in a shooting position outside the box.
      He looks to have struck it very sweetly but it’s well blocked and West Ham breathe a sigh of relief.
      WEST HAM SUBSTITUTIONS
      68 – Two attacking changes from David Moyes, who isn’t happy to just sit back and let the home side attack them.
      OFF: Arthur Masuaku, Manuel Lanzini.
      ON: Nikola Vlasic, Pablo Fornals.
      MAN UTD 0-1 WEST HAM
      66 – Telles and Lingard combine well on the left but Kral does well to break up the move again.
      West Ham fans are angry that Manuel Lanzini is down injured but the home team refuse to put the ball out.
      There was a coming together with Matic who looks to have stood on the Argentine’s ankle accidentally.
      Pablo Fornals is getting ready to come on.
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      EFL Carabao Cup 4th round draw LIVE REACTION: Chelsea vs Southampton, Arsenal host Leeds, Liverpool get Preston

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      THE Carabao Cup is back with Man City looking to win the trophy for the fifth straight year.In last year’s competition, Pep Guardiola’s side ran out 1-0 winners over Tottenham in the final.

      Start time: 10pm BST
      TV/Live stream: Sky Sports Football

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      Follow ALL the draw with our live blog below…
      GOODNIGHT
      That concludes the draw for both the fourth round of the Carabao Cup and tonight’s coverage, and so we’ll be back in a month’s time to cover the eight contests now on the card.
      Preston’s game against Liverpool and Arsenal’s match with Leeds look the standout picks from a very competitive League Cup draw, although this will all seem futile come February when Manchester City lift the trophy again.
      Or perhaps they’ll be a twist in this season’s tale with a QPR or Brighton tasting glory. You won’t miss a penalty shootout or cup shock with our coverage so make sure you join us in October to follow the next stage on the road to Wembley.
      HAMMER BLOW
      Having gone to Old Trafford and won for the first time in 14 years, West Ham’s reward for knocking out Manchester United is a home tie with serial League Cup winners Manchester City.
      Carlton Cole was less than impressed with the draw. Speaking on Sky Sports, the former West Ham striker couldn’t hide his frustration:
      “It knocked me right off my perch! I was on a real high and then all of a sudden, I saw that. I don’t agree with Harry Redknapp [who conducted the draw], he said it’s going to be an entertaining game. It’s going to be a hard game!”
      FOURTH ROUND DRAW
      Here’s the full draw for the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.

      Chelsea v Southampton
      Arsenal v Leeds
      Stoke v Brentford
      West Ham v Man City
      Leicester v Brighton
      Burnley v Spurs
      QPR v Sunderland
      Preston v Liverpool

      The ties are due to take place on either Tuesday October 26th or Wednesday October 27th.
      PRESTON V LIVERPOOL
      Last out, it’s an all north-west affair as Preston North End welcome Liverpool, otherwise known as the Ben Davies derby.
      QPR V SUNDERLAND
      There will be one team from the Football League in the quarter-finals as the Championship takes on League One.
      BURNLEY V SPURS
      Meh. It’s a repeat of the 2009 League Cup semi-final.
      LEICESTER V BRIGHTON
      Can Leicester add the League Cup after their FA Cup heroics this year? They’ll have to get past high-flying Brighton first.
      WEST HAM V MANCHESTER CITY
      It will have to be a Manchester double for West Ham if they are to win their first trophy since 1980.
      STOKE V BRENTFORD
      Stoke on a Tuesday night? That’s the task for Brentford after smashing Oldham for seven last night.
      ARSENAL V LEEDS
      After defeating AFC Wimbledon this evening, Arsenal have been rewarded with a home tie against Leeds.
      CHELSEA V SOUTHAMPTON
      It’s an all Premier League tie to start.
      DRAW TIME
      It’s not time for the fourth round draw of the Carabao Cup so coverage has switched to the exotic setting of Potton Bowls Club in Bedfordshire.
      Sky Sports’ Michelle Owen, one of the best reporters in the game, is anchoring the action, and she’s been joined by Harry Redknapp and Micah Richards.
      Here we go…
      PREMIER CLASS
      The 16 teams that will take part in the fourth round are now know, and it’s heavily weighted with those from the top flight.
      In total, 12 Premier League teams will be involved including newcomers Brentford and the winners of the last four League Cups, Manchester City.
      Preston North End, Queens Park Rangers and Stoke City from the Championship are also in the hat while Sunderland are League One’s sole representative after AFC Wimbledon’s exit this evening.
      BALL NUMBERS
      Here are the ball numbers for the draw this evening:
      1 – Brentford
      2 – Burnley
      3 – Leeds United
      4 – Liverpool
      5 – Man City
      6 – Preston
      7 – QPR
      8 – Southampton
      9 – Stoke
      10 – Sunderland
      11 – Arsenal
      12 – Brighton
      13 – Chelsea
      14 – West Ham
      15 – Leicester
      16 – Spurs

      HAPPY HAMMERS
      West Ham head into the Carabao Cup’s fourth round after dispatching Man United at Old Trafford.
      A 1-0 win courtesy of a Manuel Lanzini goal was enough to see the Irons go through.

      DIG AT DIGNE
      Charlie Austin took a sly dig at Lucas Digne after QPR stunned Everton in the league cup.
      The Toffees were knocked out in the third round tie after Mark Warburton’s side won 8-7 on penalties after the game finished 2-2 in normal time.
      Austin netted both goals for QPR. The striker had a minor spat with the French defender after his opponent asked how many England caps the striker had.
      Austin told talkSPORT: “It was just a bit of fun. He gave me a little bit,”
      “In the first half he was on about me fouling him and he just turned around and said ‘how many caps you got?’ I had a little giggle to myself and I didn’t mind it.
      “Then in the second half the ball came over the top and took about six or seven seconds to come down, he went to control it and shinned it out of play. I just laughed in his face.”
      GOOD EVENING!
      Hello and welcome everybody to SunSport’s live coverage of this evening’s Carabao Cup 4th round draw!
      It’s sure to be an exciting one, with plenty of big teams still in the competition, gunning to make next year’s final.
      Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham have all been in action tonight, with their games still to finish.
      Leicester at away at Millwall while Brighton host Swansea in one of the other ties tonight.
      Hold onto your hats as the draw is set to start in the next 45 minutes, when you can finally find out the fate of your side.
      Sit tight! We’ve got you covered.
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      Arsenal 3 AFC Wimbledon 0 LIVE REACTION: Gunners produce ruthless performance to reach Carabao Cup 4th-round – updates

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      ARSENAL made it to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup with a 3-0 win over AFC Wimbledon thanks to goals from Alexandre Lacazette, Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah.
      RESULT: Arsenal 3-0 AFC Wimbledon
      Arsenal XI: Leno, Cedric, Holding, Mari, Tavares, Sambi, Partey, Maitland-Niles, Martinelli, Nketiah, Lacazette
      AFC Wimbledon XI: Tzanev, Guinness-Walker, Nighingale, Heneghan, Lawrence, Hartigan, Woodyard, McCormick, Rudoni, Assal, Palmer

      Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…

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      GOODNIGHT
      That’s all from us as Arsenal stretch their winning run to three games without conceding a goal in all competitions.
      Gunners fans will be aware that it was only a League One side in their way this evening – albeit a very competitive one in AFC Wimbledon – but will also know how a winning mentality can breed quickly among their players.
      They’ll certainly be hoping that’s the case come Sunday when another club from the capital arrive at the Emirates, this time with much more on the line.
      Yes, it’s the season’s first North London derby, and we’ll be here with extensive coverage of the battle that is Arsenal against Tottenham. Be sure to join us.
      LEEDS AWAIT
      The draw for the fourth round has just been made, and Arsenal have been handed another home tie but this time against fellow Premier League opposition in Leeds United.
      Marcelo Bielsa’s team were penalty shootout winners at Fulham last night, and will return to London on either October 26 or 27 to take on the Gunners.
      GUNNERS RATED
      Etienne Fermie was at the Emirates Stadium this evening, casting his eye over the Arsenal hopefuls.
      Here’s how he rated the home side on a night when the Premier League side had to be patient.
      FULL TIME STATS
      The scoreline may feel harsh on Wimbledon, who competed admirably throughout, but Arsenal dominated tonight’s contest in every area.

      FT: ARSENAL 3-0 WIMBLEDON
      AFC Wimbledon’s Carabao Cup adventure comes to an end across London as Arsenal eventually make their Premier League class show. A first half penalty by Alexandre Lacazette was added to by late strikes from Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah as the League One team ran out of steam. The Gunners take their place in the hat for the Last 16 at the end of a professional night’s work.
      PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!IT’S ALL OVER AT THE EMIRATES!
      ARSENAL 3-0 WIMBLEDON
      90+2. Into additional time, and Saka really wants to seal victory.
      The England international gets himself into the area and smashes a left footer straight at Tzanev, which the Wimbledon keeper does well to tip over.
      ARSENAL 3-0 WIMBLEDON
      89. The last thing you want to see if you’re a tiring League One defender, who has put an epic shift in for 80 minutes, is the electric pace and skill of Bukayo Saka being introduced. Yet here he is…
      …and there he goes. The substitute darts past his marker like he’s not there and then goes close with a shot that’s just off target.
      ARSENAL 3-0 WIMBLEDON
      86. The game is finishing in a scrappy fashion with a flurry of fouls.
      Both sides will settle for a 3-0 scoreline now, surely.
      ARSENAL 3-0 WIMBLEDON
      83. Eddie Nketiah’s night is over and it will be ending on a high after that sparkling finish.
      The striker takes his leave and is replaced by 20-year-old Folarin Balogun, who many expected to start over the player he is replacing.
      ARSENAL 3-0 WIMBLEDON
      80. Eddie Nketiah has his goal, and it’s the best of the night.
      Once again, Arsenal work the ball intricately down the right with Nuno Tavares heavily involved.
      It’s then moved on to Cedric Soares on the overlap, and his fizzed cross is flicked in at the near post by Nketiah’s instinctive and brilliant back-heel.
      The scoreline is harsh on Wimbledon, but that was a goal of Premier League class.

      GOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLL!!EDDIE NKETIAH MAKES IT THREE!!
      ARSENAL 2-0 WIMBLEDON
      77. Emile Smith Rowe finally ends Wimbledon’s resistance.
      With their attacking reinforcements on show, Arsenal stretch the visitors’ defence by moving the ball from left to right and back again.
      Smith Rowe slips in Bukayo Saka and although his cross towards Eddie Nketiah is cut out, Alexandre Lacazette is on hand to poke back into the path off Smith Rowe.
      The substitute takes a touch to make room for himself, and then fires an emphatic shot beyond Nik Tzanev.
      That should be Arsenal in the Last 16.

      GOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLL!!EMILE SMITH ROWE ADDS ARSENAL’S SECOND!!
      ARSENAL 1-0 WIMBLEDON
      76. Arsenal are turning to their big guns to get the job done. Here comes Bukayo Saka, only for the final quarter of an hour in place of Gabriel Martinelli.
      ARSENAL 1-0 WIMBLEDON
      73. Nketiah’s hopes of finding the net this evening take another blow as his left-footed strike is smothered by Tzanev.
      ARSENAL 1-0 WIMBLEDON
      72. Having made the save, the Wimbledon goalkeeper tries to launch a quick attack with a punt forward.
      But guess what? Assal is offside.
      ARSENAL 1-0 WIMBLEDON
      71. Having watched Partey go close, it now seems as though Cedric fancies his chances of becoming an unlikely scorer.
      The right-back ghosts into the box to collect Smith Rowe’s pass, but then shoots straight at Tzanev.
      ARSENAL 1-0 WIMBLEDON
      68. A final throw of the dice for Mark Robinson as one 21-year-old replaces another.
      The Wimbledon head coach introduces South African Ethan Chislett for Jack Rudoni.
      ARSENAL 1-0 WIMBLEDON
      67. Midway through the second half and the difference remains just a single goal.
      The Dons have looked good when they’ve attempted to get forward, but know Arsenal could pick them off to finish the tie if they commit too much too soon.
      Something has to give shortly.
      ARSENAL 1-0 WIMBLEDON
      64. Off the post! Nuno Tavares has caught the eye this evening, and goes close to bagging Arsenal’s second.
      The roaming Portuguese youngster bursts forward to meet Martinelli’s deep cross, only for his header to be kept out by a combination of Tzanev and the woodwork.
      ARSENAL 1-0 WIMBLEDON
      63. Almost! Those Wimbledon substitutes almost combine to present Mebude with an immediate chance to make himself a hero, but Pressley’s pass is cut out by Holding.
      ARSENAL 1-0 WIMBLEDON
      60. Another substitution for Wimbledon, and it’s another striker thrown into the mix.
      Dapo Mebude, formerly of Glasgow Rangers and loan from Watford, is on for Luke McCormick, and will partner fellow sub Aaron Pressley up front.
      ARSENAL 1-0 WIMBLEDON
      59. Thomas Partey almost caps his evening with a stunner. The midfielder exchanges passes with Nuno Tavares and then unleashes a rocket from close to 30 yards. Nik Tzanev does well to touch over the crossbar.
      It’s Partey’s last involvement of the night too, and he departs for Emile Smith Rowe in anticipating of the North London derby. More of the same on Sunday, please.
      ARSENAL 1-0 WIMBLEDON
      57. Woodyard picks out McCormick’s run, but the midfielder had gone too early and has been flagged offside.
      The Arsenal offside trap has been in action as if the return of Wimbledon really took them back to 1989.
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      Chelsea 1 (4) Aston Villa 1 (3) LIVE REACTION: Blues through to Carabao Cup 4th round after shootout win – updates

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      CHELSEA are through to the Carabao Cup 4th round after a penalty shootout win over Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge.
      RESULT: Chelsea 1 (4) Aston Villa 1 (3)
      Chelsea XI: Kepa, James, Chalobah, Sarr, Hudson-Odoi, Kante, Saul, Chilwell, Ziyech, Werner, Loftus-Chhek
      Aston Villa XI: Steer, Cash, Tuanzebe, Hause, Young, Sanson, Nakamba, Traore, Buendia, El Ghazi, Archer

      Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…
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      FT: Chelsea 1-1 Aston Villa (4-3 on pens)
      The Villa players and staff are gutted.
      They know they had the chances to put this tie to bed long before the shootout.
      Most of the players head over to the travelling fans to show their appreciation.
      James & Co do a lap of honour for the Chelsea supporters.
      The Blues are through to round four of the Carabao Cup.
      FT: Chelsea 1-1 Aston Villa (4-3 on pens)
      Reece James takes in the adulation of the home crowd as he opens his arms out wide.
      Blue is the Colour blasts out across the PA system.
      A number of Chelsea players including Hudson-Odoi turn straight to the Villa players to shake hands. Classy,
      REECE JAMES PUTS CHELSEA THROUGH!
      A short run-up from the defender…
      But he puts the ball expertly into the top corner.
      Steer goes the right way but it is simply too good from James.
      Perfect penalty.
      Chelsea are through!
      GOAL! Buendia scores
      Buendia calm as you like under the circumstances.
      He slots it in – and Chelsea will have another chance to finish this off.
      CHILWELL HITS THE BAR!
      Ben Chilwell steps up…
      And he hits the bar!
      Would you believe it?!
      He leans back too much and it comes back off the woodwork.
      He is consoled by his team-mates but Villa are still in this.
      GOAL! Konsa keeps it alive
      Konsa has to score with Villa’s fourth…
      And he does!
      Top effort into the top corner.
      Ben Chilwell to win it…
      GOAL! Barkley nets
      Ross Barkley had it all under control, there.
      Easily done.
      3-1 Chelsea…
      NAKAMBA MISSES!
      Nakamba looked nervous right from when he left the halfway line…
      And so it proved!
      Kepa goes the right way and the tame effort is saved.
      Not so Marvelous.
      Still 2-1 Chelsea lead,
      GOAL! No mistake from Mount
      Mason Mount…
      Boom!
      He sends Steer the wrong way and fires powerfully into the back of the net.
      2-1 Chelsea lead after two each.
      YOUNG MISSES!
      Young is the next man up – and gets both barrels from the home fans.
      And Stamford Bridge erupts as he crashes it against the CROSSBAR!
      It rebounds all the way back to the centre circle.
      Advantage Chelsea.. still 1-1.
      GOAL! Lukaku scores
      It’s Lukaku vs Steer…
      A shimmy, a stutter and a stroke into the corner.
      1-1.
      GOAL!
      El Ghazi fires into the top corner.
      Perfect start for Villa.
      1-0 Villa.
      Chelsea 1-1 Aston Villa
      Mount and Young are in the middle as Scott does the coin toss to determine which end they spot-kicks will be taken from and who will go first.
      The Villa man is fuming as Scott points away from the Shed End housing the Villa fans and instead to the Matthew Harding Stand.
      But Villa will take first in the shootout with El Ghazi vs Kepa…
      Chelsea 1-1 Aston Villa
      Thomas Tuchel and Dean Smith gather their sides in the huddles in front of the dugouts.
      He is going through the names, the goalkeepers get a few words of advice from their coaches and team-mates.

      PEEEEP!!
      The answer is no!
      Villa clear and as soon as the ball is hoofed away, Graham Scott blows the full-time whistle.
      It’s going to penalties…
      90+6′ Chelsea 1-1 Aston Villa
      Is there one last chance?
      Hudson-Odoi feeds Mount down the wing, the midfielder’s centre is blocked away for a corner as we enter the sixth minute of time added on…
      90+3′ Chelsea 1-1 Aston Villa
      Chelsea are pushing for a winner.
      Lukaku wins a corner before Loftus-Cheek heads the resulting delivery into Tuanzebe – and it bounces off the defender and just wide.
      I think it’s safe to say he didn’t know much about that one!
      90′ Chelsea 1-1 Aston Villa
      Five minutes added on.
      Jed Steer wants to have most of those with the ball in his hand as he winds the clock down.
      Tuchel then throws his hat down in disgust as James is penalised for catching Buendia in he face with a flailing arm.
      The defender gets a stern talking to alongside Mount from Scott, trots off, then is booked.
      89′ Chelsea 1-1 Aston Villa
      Philogene-Bidace is back on his feet and looks okay to carry on.
      A minute of normal time remaining…
      Is there a late twist?
      87′ Chelsea 1-1 Aston Villa
      Ross Barkley, that is top work.
      The midfielder chases back as Philogene-Bidace leads the Villa counter and puts in a perfect slide tackle to take the ball away.
      The Villa teenager is hurt, though, and stays down as the visitors knock it out and Dean Smith uses the break to get across some instructions for the final few minutes.
      85′ Chelsea 1-1 Aston Villa
      There is that yellow card for Ashley Young.
      And no prizes for guessing who he fouled.
      Yep, the left-back saw Hudson-Odoi trying to find a gap down the right wing.
      And he duly clipped his heels to make sure the winger did not get away.
      83′ Chelsea 1-1 Aston Villa
      Brilliant tackle, brilliant refereeing!
      Lukaku looks to break through using all his pace, power and expertise.
      But Hause gets back superbly to put in a last-ditch sliding tackle.
      It’s risky, for sure, but he makes clean contact with the ball to nick it away as the appeals for a penalty fall on deaf ears.
      81′ Chelsea 1-1 Aston Villa
      Just under ten minutes to go here at Stamford Bridge.
      There is brief stoppage as Steer and Werner both need treatment.
      Can either side find a winner?
      80′ Chelsea 1-1 Aston Villa
      Mount is still trying to get things going for the Blues.
      He tries his luck from the edge of the area and stings Steer’s palms but he beats it away.
      Then Hause does well to hold up Lukaku but the Belgian tees it back for Mount – his strike deflects wide off Tuanzebe and the corner comes to nothing.
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