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ARSENAL were ahead at Burnley after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s early goal but Chris Wood has equalised for Burnley just before half time.
Erik Pieters was later shown a red card in the second half for a potential hand ball inside the penalty area but it was overturned by VAR.

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Stay up to date with all the action from Turf Moor in our live blog below…

AND THAT’S A WRAP
What a way to kick-off this weekends Premier League fixtures!
So, Arsenal were in cruise control from the first whistle and it didn’t take them long to capitalise on a lot of good possession when they took the lead through Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang.
He just loves scoring against Burnley.
And then Saka should of put the visitors two up moments later when his outside of the boot shot whistled wide.
It looked as if Arsenal were set to have a easy day out in Lancashire but the Clarets grew into the game just by stopping the Gunners from putting passes together.
And Burnley’s pressure paid off when Granit Xhaka hit the ball onto the hip of Chris Wood when trying to play it across goal and it deflected into the back of the net.
A truly bizarre goal, go check it out in the blog.
The second half replicated the first and in all honesty, it didn’t get eventful until the last twenty minutes.
Pepe tried to cross the ball and it clearly struck the arm of Erik Pieters but VAR didn’t give Arsenal the penalty.
And then moments later, Pepe hit the ball on the volley which was goal bound but it was blocked by Pieters again.
This time a penalty was given and the defender was originally awarded a red card but Andre Marriner was informed to change both of his decisions as the replay showed the ball hit the shoulder of Pieters.
After all that, Arsenal went on to bombard Burnley’s goal with shots and one came crashing off the post from Ceballos.
But the Clarets were able to hang on.
Thank you for tuning in everyone, enjoy the rest of your weekend.

PLAYER RATINGS
Interested to see what we here at SunSport rated the players based on their performances today?
CLICK HERE FOR THE PLAYER RATINGS
Little heads up. Let’s just say that Granit Xhaka’s mistake didn’t score him very high in the charts.

NEXT UP
Arsenal’s next set of fixtures are nothing short of tough.
Next in the Premier League they have the North London derby against Spurs which is then followed up by a trip to West Ham.
But before all of that, the Gunners have their season defining Europa League tie where they’ll be travelling to Greece to take on Olympiacos.

UPDATED LEAGUE TABLE
So with it ending a point a piece, both sides stay in exactly the same position they were in before the game.
But Burnley will be the happier of the two.

ARTETA’S ANALYSIS
The Arsenal boss discussing the disallowed penalty and mentioning that he wants answers as to why it wasn’t given.
Arteta said: “It’s a tough place to come and a difficult pitch.
“But all in all I have to say, if you’re going to score the big chances that we had, if you give a goal to the opponent and if you don’t get the decision when it’s a clear penalty, in the Premier League to be pretty fair, it will be diffcult.
“It’s something that we are going to work on and keep doing. It can happen when you play short or long, this is just football.
“Someone has to explain to me what a penalty is.”

FEEL THE BURN
If it wasn’t for the post, Burnley wouldn’t have got that fifth consecutive draw.
Arteta will definitely be wondering how none of those attempts went in and so am I.

DEADLOCK
This is now Burnley’s fifth consecutive home league draw which they have now done three times in their entire history.

5 – Burnley have drawn five consecutive home league games for the third time in their history, after a run of six games ending in April 1936 and a run of five ending in October 1997. Eventful. #BURARS pic.twitter.com/a3GEEnVFpx
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 6, 2021

PIETER PARKER
And here is the incredible goal-line clearance from Erik Pieters which he discussed in his post-match press conference.

This is wild 😮Incredible defending from Burnley’s Erik Pieters on the goal line…He’s shown a red card for handball, but the decision is overturned! pic.twitter.com/mtfDP1XfeY
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) March 6, 2021

ERIK PIETERS’ THOUGHTS
The Burnley defender came on as a substitute and had probably the most eventful game of his career.
He spoke about how well they all defended and what he thought about the VAR decision.
Pieters said: “We defended well, all of us to make sure we didn’t lose this game and with a bit more clinical finishing we could take the three points.
“But I think it was a great effort from the team, how we defended and how we worked all together.
“I didn’t know where it was. I felt the ball on my shoulder but then you hear different stories – shoulders handball, shoulders not handball.
“But it was clearly on my shoulder so I am happy with the clearance.”

FULL TIME STATS
The Gunners may have dominated statistically but Sean Dyche can be pleased with his sides performance.
Similar to the midweek game, a bit more quality in front of goal and the Clarets could have left here with all three points.

ALL SQUARE AT TURF MOOR
Something tells me that the Arsenal camp aren’t too pleased with the result.

PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
THAT’S THE END OF THE GAME!
THE CLARETS HAVE SURVIVED!
FT: BURNLEY 1-1 ARSENAL

BURNLEY 1-1 ARSENAL
90+3. OH MY WORD OFF THE POST!
It was like pinball in the Burnley box before the ball rolled out to Dani Ceballos who seemed it hit it in slow motion.
But the Spaniard’s strike came crashing off the post.

BURNLEY 1-1 ARSENAL
90+2. CAPTAINS BLOCK BY BEN MEE!
Lovely ball in to the box which was caught on the volley by Aubameyang but Mee put his body on the line to keep it out.

FOUR MINUTES ADDED TIME!
I DON’T WANT THIS GAME TO END!

BURNLEY 1-1 ARSENAL
86. Wow what a turn of events that was.
Saka crossed the ball in for Pepe who hit it on the volley and Erik Pieters who has been involved in everything since he came on, threw his body at the ball and blocked it.
Andre Marriner thought at first glance that the defender used his arm but VAR showed that Pieters used his shoulder.

THE RED CARD AND THE PENALTY HAVE BOTH BEEN RESCINDED!

PENALTYYYYYYYYYYY!
AND A RED CARD!!!!!!!
ERIK PIETERS!!!!

HANDBALL OR NOT?
SunSport family what is your opinion on this one?

BURNLEY 1-1 ARSENAL
78. WHAT A SHOT AND WHAT A SAVE!
Erik Pieters, the man who will definitely be in the headlines if this game stays level for the handball, hit a looping volley which was destined for the back of the net.
But Leno just about tipped it over the bar.

BURNLEY 1-1 ARSENAL
76. The pictures showed that it clearly hit Pieters’ arm but VAR have said that he was too close to get his arm out the way.
So the verdict is no penalty.

BURNLEY 1-1 ARSENAL
73. WAS THAT A PENALTY?!
It looked as if the ball had hit the arm of Erik Pieters when the substitute Pepe was trying to cross it in.

BURNLEY 1-1 ARSENAL
70. Twenty minutes to go and neither side has really got going this half.
But we all know that it just takes one moment to win the game.

BURNLEY 1-1 ARSENAL
67. Screams for a penalty from Burnley as Vydra goes down after his shot is challenged by Saka.
But Andre Marriner was having none of it and told the forward to get up.

PERFECTLY POISED
Battles happening all over the field.

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CHELSEA have suffered a big blow in their pursuit of Norwegian wonderkid Erling Haaland, with the Dortmund start reportedly ready to choose one of Man Utd, Man City or Liverpool.
Meanwhile Arsenal are rumoured to be keen on replacing Alexandre Lacazette with former AC Milan striker Andre Silva.

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Follow our LIVE blog below to get the latest from around the clubs…

LOST WITHOUT BRU
SunSport’s Danny Higginbotham says: Manchester United do miss Paul Pogba — it is as simple as that.
Since coming off injured in their 3-3 draw with Everton, United have only scored more than one goal in a Prem game against Newcastle.
And it is no coincidence. They are missing his range of passing and his ability to drive at players.
The question was, ‘Can Pogba and Bruno Fernandes play together?’.
But now it is clear that, without Pogba, a certain amount of Fernandes’ freedom is taken away.
When they are both on the field they make space for each other, depending on who the opposition decide to mark.

KURT COLE-BAIN
Wales manager Chris Coleman has picked up the guitar and begun jamming during his time away from football.
The ex-Fulham man was filmed rocking out to Nirvana classic ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ on Thursday as he enjoys life away from coaching.

RON THE MONEY
Real Madrid paid Ronaldo £860,000-a-year WITHOUT a contract, Football Leaks documents allege.
The legendary Brazilian scored 104 goals in 177 appearances as a star of the Galacticos between 2002 and 2007.
Ronaldo, 44, has since worked as a club ambassador, alongside the likes of Roberto Carlos and Raul.
But according to Football Leaks, in documents shared by German newspaper Der Spiegel, it is claimed that Ronaldo was not given a formal contract by the Bernabeu club.
The leak alleges that Ronaldo therefore has not had to declare this income to tax authorities.

ICYMI
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer swears he isn’t trying to freeze out David De Gea in favour of Dean Henderson.
Solskjaer said: “As soon as David travels back, we just have to follow the government rules. But I expect him to be available very soon, not too far.
“Making up stories is not fair on our fans, not fair on David, we want our players back as soon as poss. But there’s a human being in there and David was there for this fantastic day for him and his girlfriend.
“This is the biggest occasion in any parents’ lives and it’s a fantastic day for David, of course.
“When you become a dad that’s the best possible feeling you could have and the ones lucky enough to have that feeling know.”

ON A QU-EST
Leeds have joined Tottenham and AC Milan in the race to sign Lucas Vazquez on a free transfer, according to reports.
The Real Madrid winger, 29, is out of contract at the end of the season.
And Sport Witness claim Marcelo Bielsa’s side are weighing up an offer for the nine-cap Spain international.

GOTH TO BE DONE
Marek Hamsik will join IFK Gothenburg on Monday, following former boss Rafael Benitez out the door at Dalian Pro.
The Napoli legend joined Dalian in 2019, following 12 glittering years in Serie A.
But following new salary cap rules in the Chinese Super League, Hamsik, 33, has become one of a number of high-profile stars to leave China this year.
Hamsik’s current deal, thought to be worth around £150,000-a-week, still has another nine months to run.
But according to Fabrizio Romano, he is on the verge of joining IFK Gothenburg on a free transfer.

TONI TRAUMA
Toni Kroos has slammed fans who called him a ‘Nazi’ for criticising Mesut Ozil’s racism claims.
He told reporters, via Marca: “After the 2018 World Cup I said that I did not like the retirement of Mesut Ozil and the manner in which he did it.
“And then I was directly a Nazi for a lot of people: blond, blue eyes…everything fit for a lot of people.
“I managed to overcome it, anyone can hide behind a fake profile and then insult other people with almost no problem.”

GUNNING FOR TARIQ
Chelsea could be set to receive a cash boost if Brighton defender Tariq Lamptey signs for Arsenal.
Lamptey, 20, joined the Seagulls from Stamford Bridge in January 2020 for the bargain price of just £3million.
And if he does leave Brighton in the summer, Chelsea will receive a percentage of Brighton’s fee due to a clause in his contract.
When Lamptey joined the south coast outfit, Graham Potter’s side agreed an undisclosed sell-on clause with the Blues.
And according to Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal are the front-runners to sign the England youngster.

NOT KEANE
Roy Keane’s continued involvement in football after his career-ending challenge on Alf-Inge Haaland is ‘appalling’, according to former FA chief David Bernstein.
He told The Athletic ahead of this weekend’s Manchester derby: “I’ve never forgotten it. From a personal point of view, that was the worst individual thing I’ve been directly involved in, and the worst I’ve ever seen on the pitch.
“As a human being, it was an awful thing to see. Roy Keane stood over him and basically said, ‘Take that, you b.’
“It was done in cold blood. I have never forgiven Keane for that. I think, frankly, it’s dreadful he’s accepted in football the way he is. After doing something like that, I think it’s absolutely appalling.”

LOOK INTER THEM
David Beckham’s Inter Miami are being investigated by the MLS for ‘violating the salary budget’ by signing Blaise Matuidi.
The Frenchman joined the new Florida-based franchise on a free transfer from Juventus last August.
But the MLS confirmed they are looking into the deal to determine whether Becks’ club broke the league’s regulations.
An MLS statement released on Friday said: “Major League Soccer has begun a formal review of Inter Miami CF’s signing of midfielder Blaise Matuidi, specifically investigating whether the signing of the player complied with Major League Soccer’s salary budget and roster guidelines.
“MLS will not make further comment until the completion of its investigation.”

QUILT-IN’ TIME
The sight of Chelsea substitutes being handed blankets to warm up during the win over Liverpool left fans calling for the footage to be hidden from Roy Keane.

DORTMUND DUO
Former Manchester United player Lee Sharpe believes the club should sign Erling Haaland and Jadon Sancho if they want to challenge for the Premier League title.
He told Ladbrokes: “There are always areas on the pitch you can strengthen as a side and I think there are two lads currently playing for Dortmund that Man United should seriously be looking at.
“Jadon Sancho on the right – I think United are still lacking real quality out in that position.
“Mason Greenwood has filled in and Daniel James has come in and had a good month or so but I think they need to improve on that position if they want to be challenging for titles and Champions Leagues.
“And the other name is obviously Erling Haaland.
“On his day Anthony Martial can be a world-beater but he doesn’t have enough of those days.
“Edinson Cavani, we’re seen, struggles to stay fit and perform week-in, week-out, whereas Haaland has proven himself over the last few years as one of the best in the world in that position.
“If they were to go out and get those two names in then they wouldn’t be far off being a real team.”

RED ALERT
Arsenal lost almost £48million in the last financial year – in a downturn blamed on the coronavirus pandemic.
Figures announced on Friday revealed the second year in a row that the club has suffered a loss following 18 consecutive years in profit.
Yet the true extent of the economic meltdown is still to be told, with today’s accounts running only to the end of May 2020.
The Gunners’ pre-tax losses amounted to £47.8m, rising from £27.1m in the previous year.

BELLS AND WHISTLES
England will benefit from Jude Bellingham swapping Birmingham for Borussia Dortmund, Jens Lehmann reckons.
He told talkSPORT: “I don’t feel that because when you come from Birmingham, a team out of the Premier League, then you expect something of him.
“I like him as a player; his posture, his physicality, but also his technique. And he can score goals at a very young age.
“So it is good for the Bundesliga that, all of a sudden, young English players go the other way round.
“Before it was always German players going to England, now it is the other way around.”
Lehmann added: “It’s good for his personal experience, his development, just in case he goes back or plays for the English national team.
“But, right now, I guess he wants to experience the fantastic atmosphere of the Signal Iduna Park because due to coronavirus, there were not many occasions when people were allowed to come to the stadiums.”

WILD IDEAS
Danny Mills has shot down suggestions Chris Wilder could manage Manchester City – by pointing towards David Moyes’ Manchester United struggles.
Speaking to Dream Team Coach TV, ex-Citizens right-back Mills said: “Just throwing the best players together doesn’t make you the best team. Just spending money doesn’t work.
“You’ve got to manage the squad. You’ve got to manage egos, which is a huge part of it. You’ve got to have the respect of the dressing room and you do that by being previously successful.
“When David Moyes stepped into Manchester United and tried to do things differently and the players were going ‘well that’s not what we’ve done before’.
“Somebody said the other day that Chris Wilder could come in and manage this City team. No he couldn’t.”

MOR TALENT
Manchester United have launched a bid for Barcelona prodigy Ilaix Moriba, according to reports.
The midfielder, 18, has won rave reviews since breaking into the Catalans’ first team earlier this season.
Spain Under-18 international Moriba has been labelled the new Paul Pogba, with similar strength and creativity to the Red Devils superstar.
And Barcelona sports daily Mundo Deportivo claimed Old Trafford officials have tabled an offer for the Guinea-born teenager.
RB Leipzig are also said to have made an offer for Moriba, whose Nou Camp contract is due to expire next year.

TECH A BOW
Fifa has confirmed it wants ‘robo linesmen’ to call offsides at next year’s World Cup finals.
And world chiefs are keen to roll out Arsene Wenger’s new ‘daylight’ offside idea in a bid to guarantee more goals.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino revealed he is ploughing full steam ahead with ‘semi automatic offsides’.
That sees the use of artificial intelligence ‘skeletal technology’ to give assistant referees instant signals of an attacker transgressing.
Infantino said: “We tested it at two games in the Club World Cup in January and the tests were very positive.
“VAR can take too long on occasions, although it brings justice, but with this technology we will get instant decisions.”

ED OF THE LINE
Leicester are close to beating Arsenal to Celtic star Odsonne Edouard ahead of the summer transfer window, reports suggest.
According to MailOnline, The Foxes see Edouard as a long-term replacement for legendary centre-forward Jamie Vardy.
The star striker appears keen on reuniting with Brendan Rodgers, his former manager at Celtic Park, and a £15million deal is said to be close to being completed.

FAN-TASTIC
The Premier League could push back the 36th and 37th gameweeks of the 2020-21 season so every team can welcome back fans to at least one game.
Boris Johnson opened the way to crowds of up to 10,000 attending matches for the final round of fixtures last week.
But the Premier League is said to have held ‘casual’ talks about moving the 36th and 37th gameweeks, according to The Athletic.

BARC FOR MORE?
Neymar has hinted that he will be fit for Paris Saint-Germain’s clash with Barcelona following a month out with a groin injury.

LAKI SHOT
Arsenal’s Europa League opponents Olympiacos qualified for the Greek Cup semi-finals thanks to a hilarious late goal.
And the Gunners might want to have a look as it show they will have to be constantly focused when they clash with the same team that threw them out of Europe last year.

PEP TALK
Pep Guardiola has told players due to fly to Covid ‘red zones’ in the international break they will not be allowed to travel.
He said: “We will wait until after this game against United and I am pretty sure that next week we’ll talk about that.
“But I think it makes no sense if the players go to the national team and then have to isolate for ten days when they come back.
“We’ve worked incredibly hard for seven, eight or nine months and after the international break comes the real part of the season.
“And important players – maybe six, seven, eight, nine players – cannot play for ten days?
“It makes no sense – they are not going to fly. That’s for sure.
“If they can fly, play with the national team and come straight back to training, they’ll fly.
“We invest a lot of time and money for the important part of the season.
“Maybe Uefa or Fifa might make something special for them. I’m sure they’ll understand this argument.”

AUBA TIME
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is set to return to Arsenal’s starting line-up for Saturday’s trip to Burnley.
Here’s how they could line-up…

GET ENG LINE
Gareth Southgate somehow needs to pick a 23-man squad for this summer’s rearranged Euro 2020 tournament.
And then he will be tasked with narrowing that down a starting XI to face Croatia on June 13.
Between now and then, there will be plenty of factors to consider – not least form and injuries.
But here are five players we think should, as things stand, definitely be lining up at Wembley that afternoon HERE…

SILVA PINING
Arsenal have joined Manchester United in the hunt for Eintracht Frankfurt striker Andre Silva as a replacement for Alexandre Lacazette, according to reports.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Co recently registered an interest in the Portuguese striker.
United appeared to have a clear run at Silva, but Arsenal have now revealed they are interested, according to Calciomercato.
The report in Italy claims Gunners chief Mikel Arteta views Silva as a direct replacement for Lacazette.

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CHELSEA have suffered a big blow in their pursuit of Norwegian wonderkid Erling Haaland, with the Dortmund start reportedly set to choose one of Man Utd, Man City or Liverpool.
We’ve also got all the latest from the Premier League, as well as an update on Cristiano Ronaldo’s future.

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Follow our LIVE blog below to get the latest from around the clubs…

GET ENG LINE
Gareth Southgate somehow needs to pick a 23-man squad for this summer’s rearranged Euro 2020 tournament.
And then he will be tasked with narrowing that down a starting XI to face Croatia on June 13.
Between now and then, there will be plenty of factors to consider – not least form and injuries.
But here are five players we think should, as things stand, definitely be lining up at Wembley that afternoon HERE…

SILVA PINING
Arsenal have joined Manchester United in the hunt for Eintracht Frankfurt striker Andre Silva as a replacement for Alexandre Lacazette, according to reports.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Co recently registered an interest in the Portuguese striker.
United appeared to have a clear run at Silva, but Arsenal have now revealed they are interested, according to Calciomercato.
The report in Italy claims Gunners chief Mikel Arteta views Silva as a direct replacement for Lacazette.

C-ASH CRISIS
Newcastle owner Mike Ashley has suffered a new double setback in his legal battle with the Premier League.
Toon chief Ashley launched arbitration proceedings in November over the collapsed planned £340m Saudi takeover.
Ashley then launched a bid to get the panel chairman, sport law specialist Michael Beloff QC replaced and for the entire proceedings to be conducted in public.
Newcastle argued that Beloff could not be impartial as he had previously advised Premier League chiefs on takeover rules that led to involvement in broadcast “piracy” leading to automatically failing its owners and directors test.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman is the head of the Kingdom’s Public Investment Fund that was the leader of the Toon consortium.
It has also been named by the World Trade Organisation as responsible for the beOUTQ service that pirated the beIN Sport feed of Prem and other sporting rights in the Middle East and North Africa region.
But Newcastle’s arguments were rejected by the High Court, serving Ashley a significant blow.

BRU BEAUTY
Jack Grealish also denied that he had the best first touch in the Premier League in favour of praising Bruno Fernandes and Kevin De Bruyne.
He said: “No, that’s not true.
“I do some alright touches but come on, you need to put a bit of respect on Bruno and KDB.
“De Bruyne, he’s my favourite player. I think he’s probably the most perfect player in the Prem.

BRU DON’T NEED ME
Jack Grealish says there was no point in Manchester United signing him last summer – because Bruno Fernandes had already taken his gig.
The Aston Villa skipper made the comment during a light-hearted video interview with YouTuber and avid United fan Harry Pinero.
He put Grealish on the spot by asking him why he didn’t sign for United in the summer.
But the midfielder weaved around the question and replied: “You’ve got Bruno anyway.”

STREAKS OF SUCCESS
How does Manchester City’s red-hot run compare with football’s best winning streaks?

TOP 15 LONGEST WINNING RUNS

Bayern Munich – 23 wins (2020)
Real Madrid – 22 wins (2014)
MAN CITY – 21 wins* (2020-21)
Barcelona – 18 wins (2005-06)
PSG – 16 wins (2015-16)
Bordeaux – 16 wins (2009)
Real Madrid – 15 wins (2011)
Bayern Munich – 14 wins (2017-18)
Lyon – 14 wins (2006)
Juventus – 13 wins (2015-16)
Bayern Munich – 13 wins (2013-14)
Atletico Madrid – 13 wins (2012)
Bayern Munich – 13 wins (2009-10)
Inter Milan – 13 wins (2007-08)
Arsenal – 13 wins (2002)

LOC DOWN
Juventus have identified Chelsea star Jorginho as an alternative to main summer transfer target Manuel Locatelli, according to reports.
Sassuolo ace Locatelli poses as Juve’s top target ahead of the summer transfer window following a raft of impressive performances in Serie A this season.
According to Calciomercatio, however, the defending Italian champions are lining Jorginho up as a potential Plan B in case they fail to land their main man.
Juventus have been keeping tabs on the star midfielder since last season when former Blues boss Maurizio Sarri was in charge.
The Italy international broke onto the scene at Napoli in 2017 when Sarri was in charge and continued to shine bright at Stamford Bridge when the Italian coach took him along to West London.
Juventus have continued to track Jorginho even after Sarri was replaced by club legend Andrea Pirlo in the dugout last summer.

ED BOY
Edouard Mendy has set a Premier League record after becoming the ONLY goalkeeper to have kept a clean sheet in over half of his matches.
Frank Lampard fought with club brass to sign a new goalkeeper in the summer after losing faith in Kepa Arrizabalaga.

And the sacked boss’ decision has been proven to be a good one, with Thomas Tuchel now reaping the rewards.
Still early in his Premier League career, Mendy – for now, at least – is the best goalkeeper in division history in terms of clean sheets.
Of the 210 goalkeepers to have played at least ten top-flight matches, NONE boast a better clean sheets ratio than the Senegalese ace.
Mendy has kept 12 clean sheets in just 22 matches – most-recently in the 1-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield on Thursday night.

WARMS THE SOL
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer swears he isn’t trying to freeze out David De Gea in favour of Dean Henderson.
The Manchester United No1 and partner Edurne Garcai are now celebrating the arrival of their daughter Yanay.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer rubbished any conspiracy theories over David De Gea’s absenceCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
De Gea headed back to Spain to be at the birth although reports suggested he would have been happy to stick around for at least Sunday’s Manchester derby and he will face ten days in hotel quarantine upon his return to the UK.
Solskjaer said: “As soon as David travels back, we just have to follow the government rules. But I expect him to be available very soon, not too far.
“Making up stories is not fair on our fans, not fair on David, we want our players back as soon as poss. But there’s a human being in there and David was there for this fantastic day for him and his girlfriend.
“This is the biggest occasion in any parents’ lives and it’s a fantastic day for David, of course.
“When you become a dad that’s the best possible feeling you could have and the ones lucky enough to have that feeling know.”

CARTOON NETWORK
Mason Mount has revealed his goal celebration was jokingly aimed at mocking team-mate Kurt Zouma.
The England midfielder fired Chelsea into a Champions League spot after scoring a brilliant winner to pile more misery on Liverpool.

Mount, 22, picked up the ball on the left, cut inside Fabinho and drilled it into the bottom corner.
Sprinting off in celebration, Mount was joined by Ben Chilwell before they pulled off a piece of choreography.
Explaining what it meant, Mount told Chelsea’s official site: “Me and Chilly always sit together behind Zouma on the plane when we travel away for the Champions League and stuff.
“He’s always watching cartoons like anime so we usually watch from behind and laugh at him.
“We said if one of us scored, we’d do it so that was the reason behind it and obviously it’s one for Kurt as well.”

MUS STAY
Former England youth ace Jamal Musiala, 18, has penned professional terms at Bayern Munich by signing a five-year deal.

HANDBALL CHANGE
IFAB have changed the handball law just a day after Fulham’s controversial goal was chalked off against Spurs.
Now: “Accidental handball that leads to a team-mate scoring a goal or having a goal-scoring opportunity will no longer be considered an offence.”

LAZ CALL
Manchester United are looking for a team to buy Andreas Pereira in the summer as Lazio appear uninterested in triggering his release clause, according to reports.
United sent Pereira out on loan to the Serie A giants in October but he is struggling to fit into manager Simone Inzaghi’s plans and has only played a mere 548 minutes this season.
The 25-year-old has registered a mere 21 appearances across all competitions.
According to Corriere dello Sport, Lazio owner Claudio Lotito is not interested in stumping up the cash for the attacking midfielder and thus United will look for a different buyer elsewhere.
The Red Devils are hoping to offload the out-of-favour Brazilian for £21million ahead of the summer transfer window.
Pereira made a total of 40 appearances under United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer last term.

‘DEVIOUS THOUGHTS’
Michael has revealed his ‘wild theory’ that Sadio Mane refused to go down in the box against Chelsea as Mohamed Salah would have taken the resulting penalty.
Within the opening ten minutes at Anfield and the game evenly-poised at 0-0, Mane beat Andreas Christensen to a ball in the box.
And despite being clipped by the Dane, the Reds winger failed to go down for what surely would have been a spot-kick.
And speaking to Optus Sport, Owen claimed: “I couldn’t believe he didn’t go down there.
“It was a great touch and he possibly thought he might get a chance at the end of it.
“But he did something similar a week ago (against Sheffield United). I just wonder, and it might be a little bit of devious thoughts creeping into my head, Salah is the penalty taker in this team…
“And if (Mane) thinks he’s getting a chance to score he thinks ‘well I’m going to score, if I don’t stay on my feet, Salah’s going to get another penalty’.”

NO DEFENCE
Jurgen Klopp was left frustrated on the touchline with Mo Salah’s defensive contribution moments before hooking him off, according to reports.
The German boss raised eyebrows when he subbed the Premier League’s top scorer and talisman with his side 1-0 behind to Chelsea just after the hour mark.

Mo Salah was subbed by Jurgen KloppCredit: Reuters
Salah, 28, appeared suprised when his number went up and failed to hide his frustration as he headed off the field.
It was his earliest substitution in a game since September 2017.
According to sports reporter Matt Critchley, who was inside Anfield, Klopp was ‘screaming at him to track back’ before opting to bring on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

HEND GAME – EXCLUSIVE
Dean Henderson expects to be Manchester United No1 next season – with David De Gea facing an uncertain future at the club.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is set to be without his first-choice goalkeeper for the rest of the month after he went back to Spain for personal reasons – believed to be the birth of his first child.
The ex-Atletico Madrid ace will be missing for at least five games, and Henderson will now get an extended run in the side.
The 23-year-old feels ready to take over in goal full-time, with United now considering selling De Gea in the summer.
Henderson was frustrated with sitting on the bench for the first eight-months of the campaign, and there were rumours he was open to leaving.
The former Sheffield United ace has been eyed by Borussia Dortmund and Tottenham, who are looking for a long-term replacement for Hugo Lloris.
But United have NO intentions of selling one of their prized academy products, with Solskjaer a huge fan of his talents.

PAIN BARRIER
Marcus Rashford could potentially need surgery on his shoulder after spearheading England’s Euros bid, according to reports.
The Manchester United striker, 23, has been hampered by the problem since November after tearing a muscle.
And the Telegraph reports he might need to have it fixed once the campaign is over if it continues to bug him.
Rashford has played 42 times for United this season and will be a key part of England manager Gareth Southgate’s plans in the summer.
The report also says that some United players are ‘amazed’ the striker has been able to play through the pain barrier for his side.

BRUCE FORCE
A furious Steve Bruce is on the hunt for the Newcastle dressing room leak – but insists his players still believe in him. 
A Magpies mole revealed an extraordinary bust-up between the Toon boss and Matt Ritchie on Tuesday. 

Steve Bruce and Matt Ritchie had a training ground spat this weekCredit: Reuters
The winger called Bruce a ‘coward’ for throwing him under the bus on TV after the 1-1 draw against Wolves for failing to deliver tactical instructions off the bench. 
On hearing this, the Newcastle manager stormed out of his office to confront and ‘shoulder barge’ Ritchie. 
But Bruce insists a training ground row is nothing new – before vowing to catch the leak. 
He said: “There is no denying that I’ve had a row with Matt Ritchie. But let me tell you, these things happen at training grounds every week. 
“Matty apologised the next day in front of the staff and players. It’s over and done with and we move on. The most disappointing thing is the leak and we’re all looking into it to try and find the culprit. But I’ve got 100 per cent faith in my squad and I’m sure they have in me.”

‘HE’S A GIFT’
Thomas Tuchel piled praise on ‘gift’ N’Golo Kante after his incredible performance against Liverpool – with the stats backing up the Chelsea boss.
Mason Mount stole the show with a superb, match-winning goal just minutes before half-time.

And after the game, ecstatic Tuchel told RMC Sport: “[Kante] is a gift. It’s incredible.
“I’ve never seen anything like this. At training, in games, he never stops.
“We look at the data on his intensity and he is incredible.”

PLAYING IT KOUL
Premier League target Kalidou Koulibaly could be available for a bargain £39million this summer, according to reports.
Manchester United, Liverpool and Man City have been linked with the no-nonsense centre-back along with Bayern Munich.
The coronavirus pandemic has crippled the finances of European clubs and Napoli are no different.
According to Il Mattino, Gennaro Gattuso’s side need to trim their wage bill and Koulibaly is one of the names up for sale for the right price.
Napoli’s finances will be further plunged into the red if they fail to qualify for the Champions League.
They currently sit five points adrift of fourth spot leaving Gattuso facing a fight to keep his job.
Koulibaly has a contract with the Italian side until 2023 while he holds off signing an extension.

LION SHARE
Lionel Messi will reportedly make a decision on his Barcelona future next week.
The Catalan giants’ skipper is out of contract at the end of the season and has been heavily linked with Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.

Lionel Messi will soon decide on his futureCredit: Splash News
Cash-strapped Barca are holding presidential elections.
And The Telegraph reports Messi will hold talks with Sunday’s election winner before deciding where his future lies.

FENERB-OUCH-E
Ex-Arsenal ace Mesut Ozil suffered minor ligament damage in his ankle at new side Fenerbahce.
The former Germany international was crocked in Fenerbahce’s 1-1 draw with Antalyaspor on Thursday night and had to be stretchered off the pitch.

Mesut Ozil suffered a blow in his new coloursCredit: Getty Images – Getty
And the 32-year-old has confirmed he’ll be on the sidelines for the foreseeable future.
Ozil tweeted in Turkish: “I am very sorry that I will not be able to help our team in the upcoming games due to partial tears in the inner and outer lateral ligaments of my feet.
“I will do my best to get back on the field as soon as possible.
“Thank you very much for your support and all good wishes”

RED MIST
Jamie Redknapp hit out at Trent Alexander-Arnold for his role in Chelsea’s winner.
Liverpool lost their fifth consecutive home game for the first time in their history as Mason Mount brilliantly bagged the crucial goal.

Trent Alexander-Arnold copped some flak for Mount’s winnerCredit: Getty Images – Getty
The former Reds midfielder said on Sky Sports: “I think when you’ve got the two there against one, you have to do your best to show him down the line.
“Even if he comes back inside, Trent Alexander-Arnold has got to get there quicker! He’s got to move his feet quicker, he’s got to block the ball.
“At first I’m thinking show him down the line on his left but once he comes inside, you’ve got to block it. Trent doesn’t do enough for me.
“I think you’ve got to get there quicker and block it.
“I don’t want to take anything away from what’s a brilliant goal and they’ve executed that.”

TUCH THEIR CHANCE
Here’s what Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel thought of his side’s impressive 1-0 victory over Liverpool at Anfield last night.

PLAY ZLAT FUNKY MUSIC
Zlatan Ibrahimovic further proved he lives life in the fast lane after hitching a ride on a fan’s motorbike before awkwardly singing at a music festival.
The AC Milan striker was on his way to Sanremo Festival when an accident meant he was stuck in traffic for around three hours.

With the threat of missing his duet with Bologna manager Sinisa Mihajlovic, the 39-year-old decided to jump out of the vehicle and ask a kind samaritan to drive him there.
AC Milan boss Stefano Pioli may not have been too impressed after it was revealed the motorbike driver was driving on the motorway for the first time.
Speaking about the incident, Ibrahimovic said: “There was an accident on the motorway. After three hours in the car I told my driver to open the door to let me out.
“I stopped a motorcyclist and asked him, ‘can you take me to Sanremo?’
“Luckily he was a Milan fan. When we got here he told me, ‘That was my first time on the motorway’. I’ve got the video!”

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CHELSEA have suffered a big blow in their pursuit of Norwegian wonderkid Erling Haaland, with the Dortmund start reportedly set to choose Man Utd, Man City or Liverpool.
We’ve also got all the latest from the Premier League, as well as an update on Cristiano Ronaldo’s future.

BET OF THE DAY: GET GARETH BALE TO SCORE OR ASSIST AGAINST FULHAM TONIGHT AT 40/1
Follow our LIVE blog below to get the latest from around the clubs…

SCOTT TO GO
Scott Parker slammed VAR for ‘killing’ the excitement of football after Fulham were denied a precious point against Spurs.
Video checks ruled out Josh Maja’s 63rd minute goal for handball by team-mate Mario Lemina during the build up.
Fulham boss Parker said: “I understand why the goal was disallowed, but I don’t agree with it. We are trying to make the game so pure and sterile, and trying to control every moment.
“What we want is goals and excitement and VAR is killing every bit of that and the raw emotion of the game that we absolutely love. We are going to get to a point where there will be no emotion in the game.
“Tonight was about common sense and we did enough to win the game because we were superb in the second half. When I look at some of the decisions this season we have been on the wrong end of them. Newcastle and the penalty against Liverpool springs to mind.
“Maybe there should be more common sense applied. Let the referees referee. They have years of experience. We are losing the raw emotion of the game we love. They are trying to control every aspect of the game to a tee.”

Credit: PA:Press Association

CAR CHASE
Cardiff could take advantage of staging Euro 2020 games if Dublin forfeits its hosting rights.
The FA of Ireland are becoming increasingly resigned to not being able to give Uefa its required guarantees of allowing fans into the Aviva Stadium by next month’s deadline.
And the Welsh capital, rather than another English city, is likely to be given the chance to take up the four matches planned — three group games and a last-16 clash which could involve England — for the Aviva Stadium.
Uefa have reiterated their plan to retain the current 12-country format but there are growing doubts over not just Dublin as hosts but also Glasgow – due to hold three games in England’s group – and Bilbao.
The Welsh capital was one of the two bidding cities to miss out when the host venues were chosen by Uefa in 2014, along with Stockholm and both countries are set to be asked to come to Uefa’s rescue should any of the hosts officially withdraw.
Staging games in Wales would be welcomed by the UK Government and also avoid the scenario of two matches being played in the same country on the same day, as would happen if the Dublin games were switched to England.

BIG MICK ENERGY
Mick McCarthy goes into his 1,000th game as a manager riding high at Cardiff.
McCarthy, 62, has had a stunning impact in the Welsh capital since replacing Neil Harris in January — and Big Mick has been rewarded with a new two-year contract to stay on until 2023.
Ahead of Friday’s trip to face Huddersfield, McCarthy said: “I have enjoyed every minute of the time we’ve had at this great club so far and we’re delighted to be staying.
“I’d like to thank Vincent Tan for offering us the opportunity to do that. I was 32 when I became a manager. I’m a bit more comfortable in the role now. I’m cool with my age, my experience, my big nose and my wrinkly forehead.
“My hair is dropping out but I don’t give a flying f***. It’s just all about getting results — and at the moment it’s great. But there is also no point getting carried away and having your head in the clouds.
“I don’t bull s*** anyone or waffle. I tell the players the way it is and what it is I want. Everybody gives you a pat on the back — then suddenly there is a knife in their hand.”

Credit: Getty Images – Getty

‘NOBODY’S GIVEN US ANYTHING’
Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has revealed his sporting idol is heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson.
The 33-year-old has come from humble beginnings to lead the line for the Spanish giants for more than a decade.
And Benzema sees similarities in his and Tyson’s road to success.
Speaking to AS, he said: “I come from a neighbourhood where things were difficult. When I saw older boys well dressed and with beautiful cars, what I wanted was to be like them.
“I have no idols, but I do have role models. In football, I would say that Ronaldo, the Brazilian, was a role model for me. I also admire Mike Tyson, because both he and I came from the bottom and grew.
“Nobody has given us anything.”

ED FOR THE HILLS
Manchester United are STILL making money – despite the Covid crisis.
The pandemic has shut Old Trafford for 12 months, costing United around £6million in revenue every matchday.
But qualifying for this season’s Champions League helped plug the money gap, even though United exited at the group stage to go into the Europa League.
United banked £108.7m in broadcast cash for the first three months of the season, up £34m from the same period in 2019.
That more than made up for gate revenue falling off a cliff, with United taking just £1.5, compared to £33.1m 12 months earlier. The club’s total revenue stood at £172.8m, up £4.4m, bringing a profit of £63.9m – although the club’s net debt stands at £445.5m.
Unveiling the club’s latest financial results, executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward conceded the club was still in the middle of an unprecedented situation, although he believes there is ‘light at the end of the tunnel’.

…
The Scottish midfielder, 31, is said to be fuming because he felt his boss hung him out to dry over his part in the 1-1 draw with Wolves.
The Mail report claimed Ritchie, who joined the club for £12million in 2016, told Bruce he was ‘done’ with him.
Bruce is said to have hit back, saying: “What are you going to do? Tell Lee Charnley?”
That is claimed to be a reference to allegations that Magpies players have voiced their frustrations at Bruce’s methods to the club’s managing director.
However, BBC Sport says Ritchie has apologised for what he said and that the matter is now considered closed.

BRUCEY BONUS
Newcastle would reportedly be forced to shell out more than £4million if they were to sack Steve Bruce.
The Times claim Toon owner Mike Ashley is standing by the 60-year-old despite poor form and reports of player bust-ups.
The report adds that Bruce would be entitled to a compensation package of more than £4m if Newcastle perform a U-turn and sack him.
The English manager was already under pressure on Tyneside after a run of three games with a win in the Premier League.
His injury-ravaged squad are just one place and three points outside the relegation zone.
And reports this week revealed that Bruce allegedly barged into Matt Ritchie during a training ground row…

HOUSSE IS LOOSE
Arsenal reportedly face a transfer battle with Juventus for Lyon star Houssem Aouar.
Italian website Calciomercato claims the two European giants are desperate to sign playmaker Aouar, 22, this summer. But whoever wins the race will have to cough up a huge sum.
It’s added that Lyon have slapped a mammoth £47.5million price tag on their star asset. But that still may not be enough to put off either Arsenal or Juventus at the end of the season.
Mikel Arteta was desperate to sign Aouar last summer after winning the FA Cup. However, he only had money for one new midfielder.
And Arteta instead decided that defence-minded Thomas Partey was a more vital acquisition.
But Arsenal have kept tabs on Aouar this season, with the ace scoring six goals in 24 games.

Credit: AFP or licensors

SEALED WITH A CRIS
Khabib Nurmagomedov has had his say on football’s GOAT debate.
The reigning UFC Lightweight champion is a passionate fan, and recently attended Barcelona’s clash with PSG in the Champions League.
Real Madrid is the club closest to his heart, however, and it is a former Bernabeu hero that he ranks as the game’s No1.
The Dagestani fighter told Russian YouTuber Krasava: “Well, I would place Cristiano first.
“Cristiano is the best. Zlatan can also be called a great player in his own way. And in terms of results – Messi is the best.
“So: Cristiano, Messi, Zlatan.”

FULL-TIME!
Liverpool 0 – 1 Chelsea.
Mason Mount’s stunning first-half solo goal was enough to give the Blues a deserved win at Anfield.
Chelsea leapfrog West Ham and Everton and move up to fourth while Liverpool stay seventh.

AINS PAINS
Ainsley Maitland-Niles was ‘too versatile for his own good’ at Arsenal, claims Ashley Cole.
The England international’s preferred position is as a central midfielder but rarely got a chance there with the Gunners.
Maitland-Niles, 23, would fill in across the pitch – especially at full-back – and became a useful squad member without securing his own position.
It was a similar problem to the one Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain had before leaving for Liverpool.
And Maitland-Niles also decided to move away – on loan to Sam Allardyce’s West Brom – to get game time in the middle of the park.
Asked if it is showing ambition to make the switch, former Gunners left-back Cole told Sky Sports: “Yes. I think the problem he had was being too versatile for his own good…

🗣 “He was too versatile for his own good.”Ashley Cole speaks about Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ decision to leave Arsenal on loan to play central midfield pic.twitter.com/WOVOPRu6zc
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) March 4, 2021

…
“Well, Jurgen, you weren’t running those arguments earlier in the season when you wanted this and that, five substitutions etc – you can’t please all the people all the time Jurgen, expect when you want to be pleased!
“But in this instance he’s absolutely right, it needs to be taken away from the clubs.
“It needs the Premier League to say en masse ‘this is the decision’, it’s not Jurgen Klopp or John Henry or whatever is the chief executive of Liverpool saying to a player, ‘you can’t go’ and creating a situation where that player feels aggrieved.
“It has to be a rule from the people at the top, otherwise guaranteed you’ll have players letting a manager down by saying ‘I want to play for my country, it means a lot to play for my country’.
“No, no, no, your obligation is to us, we are your paymasters.
“So he is absolutely right, this is a situation now where the international federations are being unrealistic and potentially unreasonable.”

Credit: AP:Associated Press

PLANE AND SIMPLE
Jurgen Klopp could face a backlash from Liverpool’s players over his hard-line stance on internationals.
Simon Jordan told talkSPORT he fears Klopp risks the wrath of his very own Anfield stars after the German insisted he will not let players depart for international duty if they have to quarantine upon their return to the UK.
And Jordan, who actually supports Klopp’s point of view, believes Premier League chiefs must enforce the decision to take the pressure off the manager and other bosses with similar concerns.
But he reckons the German could upset players desperate to represent their country in the next break, saying: “I think Klopp is right.
“The challenge people like Jurgen Klopp will have, is he and the club will be put into a position by the very people he’s asking to honour their obligations to play for their clubs where they will turn around and say to him, ‘but I want to play for my country’.
“So he’ll be put in an invidious position by the players themselves. He’ll be saying, ‘we must remember who pays these players, you can’t please all the people all the time’…

LAMP STILL LIMPING
Tariq Lamptey has suffered a setback in his long-awaited return from a hamstring injury.
The Brighton whizkid, 20, has been out since mid-December with the problem.
There had been hopes he would be back by now but boss Graham Potter revealed Lamptey is now seeing a specialist to try to solve the issue.
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s home game with Leicester, the Albion chief said: “Tariq won’t be fit.
“He’s had a little setback this week, so it’s disappointing for him.
“We’re trying to get to the bottom of it. The problem is with his hamstring. He is seeing a specialist.”

Credit: PA:Press Association

GLOVING IT
Chelsea are reportedly preparing a ‘monstrous’ contract offer for Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Italian website Libero claims the Blues are ready to pay the AC Milan goalkeeper £9million a YEAR to bring him to the Premier League.
Donnarumma’s San Siro contract expires this summer and he is yet to indicate his interest in an extension. The 22-year-old is widely considered to be one of the world’s best in his position.
And it is reckoned Paris Saint-Germain are also eager to snap him up. Donnarumma was aged just 16 when he made his senior Milan debut in 2015. And he has since gone on to play 236 times for the Serie A outfit, while also picking up 22 caps for Italy’s national side.
Donnarumma’s arrival on a free transfer would be a huge coup for Chelsea, who have struggled in the goalkeeping department recently.
Kepa Arrizabalaga, the world’s most expensive in that position at £71.6million, isn’t even first choice in London. And summer arrival Edouard Mendy has had a few shaky moments between the sticks during his first Premier League season.

Credit: Getty Images – Getty

EDDIE SET NO
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has admitted that he is concerned he could stunt Eddie Nketiah’s development due to a lack of football.
England Under-21s’ record goalscorer has not featured for the Gunners since a late cameo in the 0-0 draw with Manchester United back in January.
Nketiah has started just twice in the Premier League all season, scoring just once.
Asked if a lack of minutes could stunt his development, Arteta replied: “Yes there is because he needs to play and we’ve been wanting to use him a little bit more on some occasions and we didn’t.
“To be fair, when he’s played, he’s played well, but at his age and for what he’s done the last two or three seasons, he needs more minutes.
“It’s something we have to talk about openly and make the right decision.”

Credit: Getty – Pool

MUS SEE
Bayern Munich superstar Joshua Kimmich has gushed over ‘special’ talent Jamal Musiala.
Having left Chelsea‘s esteemed academy in 2019, teenager Musiala has already gone on to become a key man at Bayern.
After briefly debuting toward the end of last season, the attacking midfielder has made 26 appearances this time around.
And immediately after first training with Musiala, mainstay Kimmich, 26, knew that his team had secured ‘something special’.
He told Bayern TV: “Already in his first training sessions with us, you could see that he can really do something special. He’s full of tricks, unpredictable and also very dynamic when it comes to controlling the ball, especially with his first touch. He always tries to take the ball forward.
“When I think about where I was at his age, I was still in my youth at VfB Stuttgart. He’s very advanced for his age. As a person, he’s very calm and reserved. I think he can and will look to come out of his shell even more as his self-confidence also grows.”

Credit: Reuters

‘YOU NEED TO ARGUE’
Former Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov has revealed he used to tell team-mate Rio Ferdinand how to defend.
He told Betfair: “In the match against Crystal Palace things got a little heated with Marcus Rashford and Harry Maguire, but I like that.
“It’s good in a game to have that fire and passion to fight. Aggression shows you are passionate, and you care about the game. You don’t want to be silent, because that tells me you don’t care.
“These things happened to me when I was playing. I’d tell defenders how to do their job and defenders would tell me how to do my job when I wasn’t scoring goals.
“Rio [Ferdinand] used to always run his mouth and tell everyone what to do, I used to give it back to him by telling him how to defend and to pass it to me, to my feet, instead of clearing the ball high.
“It’s always good to put a bit of fire in your team-mates, it’s a two way street and when you play on that to help you win it’s a good thing.”

KEAN BLOW
Paris Saint-Germain forward Moise Kean is a doubt for their Champions League tie against Barcelona after testing positive for coronavirus.
The French champions announced the news on Wednesday, seven days out from the second leg of their last 16 clash in Europe.
Speaking on Twitter, the club said: “Moise Kean tested positive for Covid-19 this morning.
“He stayed in Paris and will not be available for the match in Bordeaux. He will enter a period of isolation and is subject to the appropriate health protocols.”
Kean will now have to remain in self-isolation until he returns a negative coronavirus test.
As a result, he is in danger of missing the second leg of the Barcelona tie, which PSG currently lead 4-1.

⚠️ Moise Kean tested positive for COVID-19 this morning.He stayed in Paris and will not be available for the match in Bordeaux.He will enter a period of isolation and is subject to the appropriate health protocols. #FCGBPSG
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) March 3, 2021

RONNIE CALLS A KHAB
Khabib Nurmagomedov has opened up about his friendship with ex-Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo.
The reigning UFC lightweight champion has previously been pictured hanging out with the Juventus star. And he has revealed that they talk ‘almost every day’, with Cristiano Jr’s prospects one of the topics that they’ve covered.
Khabib, 32, told Russian YouTuber KraSava: “We talk many times, almost every day, but when we met we had a conversation about where we got our motivation from.
“He told me that he wants his son to be his successor. When Cristiano was a kid, he could only dream of having a simple pair of boots. But his son has everything.
“He fears that his son will not feel the same hunger, the same will. People are guided by that will. Feel the desire to achieve things. When you have everything, it’s hard to find the right motivation.
“When he told me that, I’m not going to say I was surprised, but I enjoyed listening to him. I realised that he’s a person who is not content with one, two or three titles.”

Credit: Instagram / @cristiano

HALF TIME!
Liverpool 0 – 1 Chelsea.
Mason Mount’s stunning solo goal after Timo Werner had one ruled out for offside sees Chelsea take a deserved lead in at the break.

MONU-MOUNTAL
Mason Mount made light work of Fabinho before smashing the ball into the bottom right corner at Anfield.

GOOOOOALLLL – MOUNT!
42. Liverpool 0 – 1 Chelsea
Mason Mount with a delightful solo goal.
Received the ball wide on the left after a long diagonal pass.
Jinked into the side of the box, sold Fabinho a dummy, worked it onto his right foot on the edge of the area and smashed it in the bottom right corner.
Niiicccceeee.

FEELING BLUE
Chelsea fans have been put off by a ‘horrendous’ leaked concept kit that claims to be based on the upcoming 2021-22 home shirt.
A design put out by FootyHeadlines was the latest leak obtained by the website.
It featured a yellow club badge and Nike logo on a blue kit covered in a faded zig-zag design.
The real shirt is yet to be revealed by Chelsea but insider info purports to have made this concept ’90 per cent accurate’.
The choice of ‘Opti Yellow’ for the crests would be a departure from the Blues’ traditional badge, which was redesigned in 2005 to mark the club’s 100th anniversary.
Only the 2012-13 design altered the blue-and-white appearance of the badge on the home kit, adding a golden shine to mark London’s hosting of the Olympic games.

Credit: FOOTYHEADLINES

HOW RUUD
Rio Ferdinand has revealed he nearly came to blows with former Manchester United team-mate Ruud van Nistelrooy over his treatment of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Speaking on his YouTube channel FIVE, Ferdinand said: “It was mad at United, things could just switch just like that [clicks fingers] in training. I think all training grounds are the same, there’s a lot of testosterone flying about.
“It never really got to that. It’s funny, because I’ve got the biggest mouth on the training ground. I used to always be shouting and screaming and I used to love jokes.
“Obviously I got serious in training, with the games and that, especially on a Friday before the game on a Saturday, everyone’s playing, it would be hard games, fast games.
“One time something happened with Ruud. He smashed Ronaldo a couple of times, and went down his Achilles. And then the ball went into Ruud and I smashed Ruud. I said, ‘What you doing? Why you kicking him?’
“And then Ruud got up and he was [not happy] and all the players just got in the way, so nothing happened. But that’s the way it used to be in training. I was thinking, ‘Ronnie’s a young kid man, leave him alone, what you doing?’ but Ruud was an animal, an animal player.”

Credit: Getty – Contributor

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CHELSEA have been dealt a huge transfer blow as Erling Haaland has reportedly decided he does NOT want to move to Stamford Bridge as he instead prefers a move to Man Utd, Man City or Liverpool.
We’ve also got all the latest from the Premier League, as well as news from Barcelona’s transfer saga with Lionel Messi.

BET OF THE DAY: GET GARETH BALE TO SCORE OR ASSIST AGAINST FULHAM TONIGHT AT 40/1
Follow our LIVE blog below to get the latest from around the clubs…

LIGT’S OUT
Juventus could be forced to sell Matthijs De Ligt in order to keep Cristiano Ronaldo happy in Turin.
Reports in Italy claim the former Real Madrid star is keen to extend his stay at the Serie A champions.
However, due to the financial repercussions of coronavirus, combined with Ronaldo’s sky-high wages, Juve could be forced to sell a big-name star.
Tuttomercatoweb state Ronaldo, 36, wants an additional year on his current contract – set to expire at the end of the 2021-22 season.
Ronaldo, 36, earns a staggering £540,000 per week – totalling £28million a year.

EL TAXICO
Real Madrid and Barcelona face major new tax bills after losing a landmark legal case.
The European Court of Justice has overturned a previous ruling and ordered the two Spanish giants, plus Athletic Bilbao and Osasuna, to pay back what was deemed “illegal state aid”.

Real Madrid and Barcelona are in trouble with the Spanish tax manCredit: Getty Images – Getty
And that will see all four clubs having to pay back £4.3m in taxes – just a fraction of the money they avoided over a 20-year period.
The clubs were initially ordered to pay the refunds by the European Commission in 2016.
That came after the EC ruled that the Spanish Government provisions allowing them to pay five per cent less tax on their profits for two decades had been an unfair advantage over other clubs.
In 2019, an appeal to the ECJ’s General Court was upheld, with the tax regime declared to be “lawful”.
But now the full ruling has gone back to the original EC decision, determining the lower court was wrong in backing the tax situation and that the measures were effectively an “aid scheme”.

DUBL TROUBLE
Dublin appears set to forfeit its Euro 2020 hosting rights.
But Cardiff, rather than another English city, is likely to be given the chance to take up the four matches planned for the Aviva Stadium.
The FA of Ireland is becoming increasingly resigned to the fact that it will not be able to give Uefa its required guarantees of allowing fans into the Aviva Stadium by next month’s deadline.
Irish Government scientists are reluctant to open turnstiles to fans given the current state of Covid in the country.
And unless there is a change of stance in the next four weeks, it seems likely that the Irish will have to hand back the three group games and last-16 clash – which would involve England if Gareth Southgate’s team win their opening phase.

GUNNS BLAZING
Arsenal are unhappy that Spurs have been given a leg-up by Uefa ahead of next week’s crunch North London derby.
The two clubs were drawn to play away in the Europa League next Thursday ahead of their crucial match-up at the Emirates on the Sunday.
But competition rules state that two games cannot be staged in the same city on the same day.
Spurs will now play at home in the first leg of their tie against Dinamo Zagreb.
Arsenal, meanwhile, must make a 4,000-mile round trip to Athens for their game against Olympiakos.
Asked if it gave Spurs an edge, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta said: “It does, but the decision has been made.
“We can raise our voices and we should do that because we want to have two teams playing in equal conditions. So I will probably take the decision and use it to help in our motivation.”

WIJN TASTING
Liverpool have reportedly identified three possible replacements for Georginio Wijnaldum should the midfielder depart in the summer.
The 30-year-old is set to become a free agent at the end of the season with contract talks to extend his stay at Anfield believed to have reached a stalemate.
Despite heavy interest from Barcelona, the Holland international is understood to have reached an agreement to join Inter Milan.
And according to Goal, the Reds have already compiled a shortlist of players that can replace the ex-Newcastle ace.
They state that Borussia Monchengladbach star Florian Neuhaus is a serious option, as well as former Arsenal target Houssem Aouar who has impressed at Lyon this term.
Brighton’s Yves Bissouma is another player Liverpool are claimed to be interested in, though they could face competition from Manchester United.

‘WHY WE KNEEL’
Patrick Van Aanholt became the latest player to be racially abused on social media.
The full-back helped Crystal Palace to earn a 0-0 draw with Manchester United on Wednesday.
The Dutch international, 30, shared the vile messages he had received afterwards.
He posted a shot of the abuse via his Instagram story which he captioned “Why we kneel”.
That refers to the custom of kneeling carried out by Premier League players prior to kick-off at matches this season to highlight the issue of racism.

THAT’LL BE DE GEA
Gary Neville has cast doubt over David De Gea’s Manchester United future after revealing a ‘big decision is coming soon’.
SunSport exclusively revealed last month that United plan to let either the Spaniard or Dean Henderson leave in the summer.
Dean Henderson helped earn United a point at PalaceDe Gea, 30, missed last night’s drab 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace for ‘personal reasons’, with Henderson stepping in.
It was the £120,000-a-week keeper’s first clean sheet in what was only his fourth Premier League appearance since being recalled from Sheffield United.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer thanked Henderson after the game for getting him ‘one point, not zero’.
When pressed on De Gea’s absence, the United boss would only say: “That’s a private matter. [His return] will take the time it takes.”
Neville also chose his words carefully when asked on Twitter before the game if ‘time is over for De Gea in a United shirt?’. The former Red Devils skipper simply replied: “A big decision is coming soon.”

FORWARD THINKING
Gabriel Jesus admits he has been left baffled by Pep Guardiola’s decisions to leave him on the bench.
And the Brazilian striker also revealed Pep has ‘changed’ his managerial style at Manchester City this season.

Gabriel Jesus has been left baffled by Pep Guardiola’s rotationCredit: Reuters
City are cruising to a third Premier League title in four years after claiming a 21st successive victory in all competitions against Wolves to leave them 14 points clear.
It has been made even more incredible considering first-choice striker Sergio Aguero has been absent for most of the season through injury – while back-up Jesus has made just 13 league starts with six goals and three assists.
During City’s record-breaking winning run, Pep has often opted to use a false nine with the likes of Kevin de Bruyne and Bernardo Silva.
And Jesus admitted: “There were times when Kun and I stayed on the bench and Bernardo played. I don’t lie. Obviously, we don’t understand much.
“We win the games. So, I’m happy with the victory. Obviously I want to be helping, I want to be on the pitch. But the team winning is what matters

TONI AWARD
Antonio Rudiger has turned out to be just what the doctor ordered… by treating staff at Chelsea’s local hospital to a feast.
The big-hearted Blues defender marked his 28th birthday on Wednesday thanking medics at Chelsea & Westminster Hospital for their work in fighting Covid-19.

Hospital staff enjoy a feast put on by Antonio RudigerCredit: cwpluscharity
German international Rudiger laid on a spread of cakes, pastries and drinks at the West London facility, a stone’s throw from Stamford Bridge.
He said in a video message to staff: “I just wanted to say a big thank you. We all can’t thank you enough for what you are doing in these difficult circumstances.
“That’s why on my birthday I wanted to share a few cakes and drinks with you people, as a little appreciation for the work you are doing and will still do.
“I hope it won’t be so much any more, and things will get better. I wish you and your families all the best.
“Stay safe and keep doing what you are doing, because you are doing great work.”

SINC OR SWIM
Former West Ham and Man City winger Trevor Sinclair believes top clubs will be queuing up to land Tammy Abraham.
The Chelsea striker’s future has been thrown in doubt after he was axed from the matchday squad for the 0-0 draw with Manchester United.

Tammy Abraham’s future is up in the airCredit: PA:Press Association
With two years left on his contract, clubs across Europe are now closely monitoring his situation.
West Ham are already preparing to steal a march while Abraham’s former club Aston Villa are also ready to make their move, according to The Birmingham Mail.
Sinclair told talkSPORT: “His link-up play is excellent and he’s obviously a huge guy. He gets his goals.
“If you look at some of the top sides in the Premier League, so many of them take him.
“For me, Manchester City take him, Manchester United would need him, Arsenal would take him, Leicester City and West Ham would take him.”

WILL EU HELP US?
Fifa is trying to persuade South American chiefs to switch some of this month’s World Cup qualifiers to EUROPE – so that Premier League clubs can release their players.
Liverpool chief Jurgen Klopp has confirmed he will block stars from travelling to their international fixtures.
Big names such as Alisson, Fabinho, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Naby Keita are all due to be banned.
Klopp will not allow his players to go away as they face ten days on strict hotel quarantine on their return from countries on the UK Government ‘red list’.
Portugal, all of South America and much of Africa is on the list.
Manchester City are expected to take the same stance with Ederson, Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero.
Manchester United will also be able to keep Edinson Cavani and Alex Telles at Old Trafford rather than jet back home, with Portugal ace Bruno Fernandes set to be blocked.

EARN-BRU – EXCLUSIVE
Bruno Fernandes is in line for a double-your-money pay rise at Manchester United at the end of the season.
The Portuguese midfielder has been the best player in the last two campaigns for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s stuttering side but is way behind in the earnings charts.
SunSport understands he is expected to be handed a boost to his £100,000-a-week flat-rate wage.
He does earn more in incentives and bonuses, but is still way behind David De Gea, Paul Pogba and Co.
Fernandes is one of the lowest paid first-team players at Old Trafford, and is keen on a pay rise.
It is expected his money will go up to around £200,000-a-week flat, with extras on top of that for appearances, goals and trophies.
The ex-Sampdoria ace is only the seventh highest paid player, and earns only £20,000-a-week more than axed Juan Mata.

NO HOME COMFORT
Liverpool will return to Budapest for the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie against Leipzig.
Jurgen Klopp’s side travelled to the Hungarian capital for a 2-0 first leg win because German Covid restrictions prevented the game being played in Leipzig.
But the same regulations mean Leipzig could not return from the UK without entering into strict quarantine.
As a result, Uefa agreed that the match would have to be switched.
That means Liverpool will lose home advantage at Anfield.
Now it has been confirmed the second leg will also be played in the Puskas arena.
That makes it the first Champions League tie to see both matches played in the same stadium since AC Milan played Inter at the San Siro twice in the 2005 quarter-finals.

PROMISED LAND
Chelsea will reportedly continue their pursuit of Erling Haaland despite the player having no interest in a move to West London.
The Blues have not been put off by reports that the young strike sensation is opposed to a Stamford Bridge transfer.
The Evening Standard report that Chelsea still believe the Norway international, 20, can spearhead their faltering attack.
It comes after Sport Bild claimed Haaland had narrowed down his potential new clubs to a shortlist of six.
It’s said he would be open to joining Manchester United, Man City and Liverpool in the Premier League.
Juventus and Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona would also be options – but Chelsea failed to make the cut.
Borussia Dortmund’s head of first-team football Sebastian Kehl said yesterday: “We assume that he will stay beyond the summer and become an even better player with us.”

NO NOU BEGINNINGS
Lionel Messi’s emotional celebration led Barca fans to believe he will stick with the Catalan giants.
With Ronald Koeman’s men trailing 2-1 on aggregate, defender Gerard Pique headed in Antoine Griezmann’s cross deep into added time.

Lionel Messi’s emotional Barcelona celebration during win over Sevilla as fans say he will not quit beloved club
Martin Braithwaite then sent the hosts into the final with a strike in extra-time against their nine-men opponents.
And Messi’s celebration for Pique’s equaliser could have put any doubts of his unhappiness at the Nou Camp to bed.
The Argentine was seen jumping for joy, pumping his fists on the edge of the box before sprinting over to his team-mates in celebration.

REAL DEAL
Here’s how Real Madrid could line up next season with a big summer spending spree after a year out of the market.

POWER SERG
Barcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta has reportedly targeted Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero as ‘a potential statement arrival’.
Laporta, who is challenged by Victor Font and Antoni Freixa, will discover whether he is elected on Sunday amid a turbulent week at the Nou Camp.
Former incumbent Josep Maria Bartomeu was sensationally arrested while his replacement will be left to address huge debts that are believed to be around £1.1billion.
Knowing the financial difficulties the LaLiga giants face, Laporta knows he must be prudent in the transfer market.
City’s all-time top scorer Aguero, 32, is out of contract in the summer and available for free.
And with talks over an extension yet to take place, the Argentine has stated he will wait until the end of the season to decide his future.
However, the Daily Mail claims he has been earmarked as a potential new signing by Laporta – and he hopes to pair him up with Lionel Messi in attack.

STAT’LL DO
Thomas Tuchel could make Monaco star Aurelien Tchouameni his first major signing as Chelsea boss, according to reports.
He is thought to be a keen admirer of the 21-year-old defensive midfielder should he want to bolster his options in the middle of the park, reports ESPN.
Tchouameni has been hugely impressive in Ligue 1 this season, making 26 league starts.
He has only been with Monaco for just over a year following his transfer from Bordeaux.
The youngster would certainly add extra steel to Chelsea’s midfield judging by his impressive stats this campaign.
His average of 4.02 tackles per game is in the top two per cent of players in the ‘big five leagues.’
He is also in the top seven per cent of players for the amount of interceptions and aerial battles won.

‘ASK THEM’
Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho has blamed Real Madrid for Gareth Bale’s slow start to the season.
The Real winger has endured a difficult campaign following his loan move back to Spurs, who he left in September 2013 to join the Spanish champions.

Jose Mourinho blamed Gareth Bale’s parent club Real Madrid for his slow start at SpursCredit: Tom Jenkins/ The Guardian
But the Wales international has recently begun to show glimpses of his old self, scoring a brace and bagging an assist in Tottenham’s 4-0 rout of Burnley last weekend.
When asked why it’s taken so long for Bale to get up to speed, Mourinho said: “Why for the past two years he had what he had in Madrid. Ask them.
“Maybe if they answer you, you can understand better why he took a while.
“Maybe to being patient was the main reason for him to reach the level he showed in the last couple of weeks.”

HAMMER TIME
West Gan are reportedly eyeing up a £13million move for Besiktas striker Cyle Larin in the summer to replace Sebastien Haller.
The Hammers failed to bring in a centre-forward in the winter transfer window after allowing Haller to join Ajax for £20m.
David Moyes has had to rely on Michail Antonio up top, with winger Jarrod Bowen also having to start as a makeshift striker.
But according to Sabah, the London outfit are poised to return with a second offer for Larin at the end of the season.
The Turkish news outlet stated that West Ham have retained an interest in the player despite having a £9m bid rejected by Besiktas in January.
It has been claimed that the Super Lig side would be prepared to let the 25-year-old depart should they receive a fee in the region of £13m.

FER THE GREATER GOOD
Manchester United could BLOCK Bruno Fernandes from playing for Portugal this month with the Premier League set to hold crisis talks.
Portugal have three World Cup qualifiers – against Azerbaijan, Serbia and Luxembourg – later in March.

Bruno Fernandes could be blocked from playing for PortugalCredit: Rex Features
But Fernandes, 26, could miss all of them, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believed to be considering banning him from taking part.
Portugal is one of the countries on the ‘red list’ – which would force Fernandes to quarantine in a Government-approved hotel for ten days on his return to the UK.
Fifa recently relaxed rules regarding clubs releasing players for international duty due to coronavirus.
But Premier League clubs are still worried about placing their stars in the middle of a club versus country row – with 16 of the 20 clubs having players from ‘red list’ countries on their books.

‘GENEROUS LIKE GAZZA’
Ian Wright has fiercely defended Martin Odegaard after criticism from former Arsenal team-mates Martin Keown and Tony Adams.
And the legendary former goalscorer even sensationally compared the Norwegian loanee to Paul Gascoigne.
He said on the Wrighty’s House podcast: “People like Odegaard, he brings people into the game, he gives you touches.
“I remember when I played with Gazza, Gazza was amazing for that. He gives you the ball, you get touches of the ball.
“I remember playing for England the first time. He said: ‘Wrighty, whenever I’m gonna get it, be behind me, let me know where you are, I’ll turn it round the corner for you, you give it back to me, I’ll pass it out, get yourself some touches early doors and get your confidence up.’
“That’s what he’s like, a generous player.”

LAP DOG
Lionel Messi will leave Barcelona this summer unless Joan Laporta wins the Catalan giants’ presidential election.
That is the claim made by the man himself who suggests the Spanish side cannot compete financially with other offers for the Argentine legend.
Laporta said: “We will not be able to compete in money with other offers that [Messi] has.
“What he wants is to win again. I have a great relationship with Leo and he will value the proposal I make. 
“I am the only one who can ensure his continuity. If I don’t win, I’m sure Leo won’t continue at Barca. 
“He was not very happy with Freixa’s time, when they let him see that he was expendable.
“My relationship with the Messi family has always been excellent.”

BLUES LOSE
Chelsea have ‘no chance’ of signing Erling Haaland but Manchester United are reportedly one of six possible destinations for the Norwegian.
The 20-year-old Borussia Dortmund star has bagged 43 goals in 45 games since joining the Bundesliga side from RB Salzburg in January 2020.

And respected German outlet Sport Bild say that Chelsea have ‘no chance’ to sign the £150m striker, and neither do Bayern Munich.
The report in Germany also says that Haaland has narrowed his choices down to six clubs.
Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City would be the only Premier League sides Haaland might join.
And the 20-year-old is also interested in joining Juventus or either Spanish giants Real Madrid or Barcelona.
The report adds that Haaland wants to join a ‘top club’ and not take another intermediate step.

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