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      Prem clubs braced for fan ban to last ALL SEASON with chiefs prepared to make remaining games available on TV

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      PREM chiefs have steeled themselves for a fan-free season — despite the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine.
      The 20 “shareholder” clubs today confirmed that all matches up to the end of next month will be screened live on TV.

      The Premier League is braced for a fan-free seasonCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      But privately, League and club chiefs recognised it is unlikely fans will be allowed back through the turnstiles until next term.
      And unless there is a surprise change of heart from Government and health chiefs, that will mean the entire second half of the campaign being available for fans to watch “live” from home.
      In a statement released after the two-hour virtual meeting, a Prem spokesman said: “All Premier League fixtures from Saturday January 30 to the last weekend of February will be available to UK fans to watch.
      “Matches will continue to be shown via the existing services of broadcast partners Sky Sports, BT Sport, Amazon Prime Video and BBC.”

      Details of the broadcast picks for February were released yesterday and the Prem added that: “Confirmation of the remaining fixtures, up to match round 26, will follow in due course.”
      Tottenham and Manchester United are the hardest hit by the continued shut-out, losing around £6million in income for each home game behind closed doors.
      But while crowds of up to 2,000 were allowed for a few weeks in December, the subsequent clampdown in the face of the mutant strains of the virus saw the gates shut once again.
      Football has worked with the Government’s Sports Technology and Innovation Group — headed by Carphone Warehouse founder David Ross — on potential solutions that would let the fans back in.

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      Manchester United are losing £6m income every home game without fansCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Covid passports are a genuine possibility, although it is expected that limited numbers will be allowed in the initial stages, with social distancing requirements still in place.
      The statement added: “The Premier League and its clubs are committed to an accessible solution for fans.
      “These plans have been made with the cooperation of our broadcast partners, working with us to deliver these additional matches while stadiums are missing the supporters who are such an integral part of the game.”

      Premier League to show all fixtures live in UK until end of February More

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      Chelsea sacking Frank Lampard would not be ruthless at this point – Abramovich knows his gamble has backfired

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      ROMAN ABRAMOVICH took an almighty punt when he appointed Frank Lampard as Chelsea’s manager 18 months ago.
      Like a pin-sticking occasional gambler on Grand National day, Abramovich ignored the form, plumped for a ‘name’, crossed his fingers and hoped for the best.

      Frank Lampard is clinging onto his job at ChelseaCredit: AFP

      Club legend or not, Lampard was poorly qualified for the job after just one moderately-successful season as boss with Derby in the Championship.
      Lampard knew it as well as anybody, insisting during his unveiling that his status as the club’s all-time record 211-goal scorer would help him for ‘about five minutes’.
      Now, Abramovich’s betting slip on that long-shot gamble will surely be torn up and tossed away before long.
      The one qualification Lamps possessed, a genuine feeling for the club where he spent the majority of his playing career, was an asset in the unique circumstances of last season.

      Facing a transfer ban and the loss of Eden Hazard, Lampard promoted players from the club’s fruitful but long-neglected youth system and helped reconnect Chelsea with its roots.
      Achieving a top-four finish was no mean feat, although defeat by Arsenal in the FA Cup final was a taste of things to come.
      Despite the feelgood nature of his maiden campaign, the Blues defence was horribly leaky, while team selections had an air of the bingo-caller about them.
      Once £228.7million was spent on six quality players in the summer, Lampard needed to up his game considerably — and has failed to do so.

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      Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has previously showed no hesitation in sacking managersCredit: AP:Associated Press

      Kai Havertz is just one of the big name signings who has flopped massivelyCredit: Guardian News & Media / Free to use by all titles in perpetuity under NMC agreement
      Lampard always claimed he neither wanted nor expected any ‘favours’ from Abramovich and he will not be disappointed. Russian oligarchs don’t do sentimentality.
      Abramovich has not been especially ruthless with his managers for almost a decade. His reputation as a trigger-happy maniac is out-dated.
      But we are now at the stage where sacking Lampard would not seem ruthless at all.
      Five defeats in eight Premier League matches, leaving Champions League qualification looking a remote possibility, only tells part of the story.
      Lampard’s Chelsea lack identity. Two of his most expensive summer signings, £70m Kai Havertz and £48m Timo Werner, look lost.
      There is no discernible playing philosophy. And the Blues are a quiet team, lacking the strength of personality to scrap in adversity.
      In the past four weeks, Chelsea have been thoroughly outplayed by Leicester, Manchester City and Arsenal.
      Earlier in the season they were well beaten at home by Liverpool, while their other two meetings with Big Six rivals were deathly dull goalless draws against Manchester United and Tottenham.

      It has simply not been good enough. Chelsea did not even play well in the two games they won during their past eight Premier League matches — against West Ham and a ten-man Fulham.
      There is no evidence that Lampard is the man to lead Chelsea to major trophies. Not on this season’s performances and certainly not on his slim managerial CV.
      Now, we have said much the same about Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, an inexperienced manager with club legend status, whose appointment at United was a forerunner of Lampard’s own.
      Solskjaer’s fortunes have veered wildly over two years.

      And, having escaped several similar situations to that which Lampard now finds himself in, the Norwegian has led United into their first genuine title challenge since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013.
      If Chelsea cannot land the man they want — with Thomas Tuchel, Julian Nagelsmann and Ralf Rangnick in the frame — then Lampard may yet be afforded more time.
      Then, Lampard could hope for a revival like Solskjaer’s — a consistent run of form which few saw coming.
      But there’s nothing to suggest it will happen for Lampard at Chelsea. In truth, there never really was.
      ⚽ Read our Chelsea live blog for the very latest news from the Bridge

      Frank Lampard reacts to questions about his future after Chelsea lose 2-0 at Leicester More

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      Newcastle United’s Andy Carroll netting extra cash by flogging second-hand footwear on Depop despite earning £75k-a-week

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      PREMIER League star Andy Carroll is netting extra cash by flogging his second-hand footwear on a shopping app.
      The £75,000-a-week Newcastle United striker, 32, and his ex-Towie star partner Billi Mucklow, 33, have both signed up to Depop.

      Andy Carroll netting extra cash by flogging second-hand footwear on Depop

      In one snap, Billi is sat on Andy’s knee in a £220 off-the-shoulder mini dress that she flogged for £80

      Buyers have been snapping up the couple’s unwanted items. One paid £400 for a pair of Andy’s size 11 limited edition Nike Off-White shoes — £2,000 in shops.
      Andy is also getting rid of a pair of “good condition” Valentino trainers for £275. They retail at £540.
      The couple’s page is also stacked with yoga teacher Billi’s items from designers such as Valentino, Chanel and Balenciaga — plus clothes their three children have outgrown.
      In one snap, Billi is sat on Andy’s knee in a £220 off-the-shoulder mini dress that she flogged for £80.

      Andy is also getting rid of a pair of ‘good condition’ Valentino trainers for £275 which retail at £540

      The Sunday Times Rich List estimated Carroll’s personal wealth at £19million in 2019Credit: Getty Images – Getty

      Another photo shows a £600 Bottega Veneta purse going for £200. The pair have so far sold 141 items.
      A source said: “Andy and Billi might live a millionaire lifestyle but they are both from humble beginnings and get a thrill from flogging their old stuff for a bit of extra cash.”
      In 2019, The Sunday Times Rich List estimated Carroll’s personal wealth at £19million.

      Hilarious moment Andy Carroll checks out his own name tattooed on upper thigh of fan
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      PSG target Dele Alli is one of the most gifted recent English footballers and the chief victim of Jose Mourinho circus

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      AS soon as Jose Mourinho walked into the building, there was always going to be collateral damage from Tottenham’s fly-on-the-wall Amazon documentary.
      And Dele Alli, one of the most gifted English footballers of the 21st century, is the chief victim.

      Dele Alli is a victim of Jose Mourinho’s media circusCredit: AFP

      The most high-profile clips from the inadvisable show were Mourinho informing chairman Daniel Levy that Dele was ‘not a good trainer’ as well as the Spurs boss telling the player he was ‘f***ing lazy’ during a practice session and again in a team meeting.
      The same Dele who thrived under Mauricio Pochettino, renowned as the most physically demanding training-ground taskmaster English football had ever known.
      The same Dele who had emerged from a tough background and excelled in the lower leagues with MK Dons to emerge as a key performer for Spurs and England while still a teenager.
      The same Dele who hit 18 Premier League goals in a season from midfield — an achievement bettered only once in the competition’s history.

      Take away Frank Lampard’s penalties and that 2016-17 scoring record stands alone.
      Yet Dele being ‘lazy’ seems to have become accepted wisdom.
      Those who know him well won’t tell you that Dele is an ultra-professional workaholic, last off the training pitch, obsessed by the game.
      Yet not everyone can be the last off the training pitch.

      Neither, though, will they tell you Dele is some loose-cannon liability on a self-destruct mission.
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      He is a likeable rascal, at times easily distracted, at times in need of a guiding hand, but a wonderful talent, a valued team-mate, a bright and effervescent character.
      He is not a Mourinho sort of player and he is not a Mourinho sort of bloke.
      Personality clashes, and professional differences, happen frequently in football. Neither Dele nor Mourinho is blameless but the two men will never see eye-to-eye.
      Dele will be 25 in April and, if he is left to rot at Tottenham, his peak years are in danger of passing him by.
      A loan move to Pochettino’s Paris Saint-Germain appears his most likely January escape route. Dele wants it. Mourinho would sanction it. But Levy has been digging in his heels.
      Dele is wasting away, having played just 74 minutes of Premier League football this season.
      When he started against non-league Marine nine days ago, he was excellent.
      That FA Cup third-round clash against eighth-tier part-timers was clearly no test of his ability but it was a test of attitude which Dele passed by creating two goals.

      Mauricio Pochettino would love to reunite with the star at PSGCredit: EPA
      As a result, Mourinho suggested Dele might have earned some  league action — yet he sat on the bench as Spurs failed to beat Fulham at home, then was left out of the 20-man squad for Sunday’s 3-1 win at Sheffield United.
      The boss claims the door is ‘never shut’ and pointed Dele towards Tanguy Ndombele — last season’s Mourinho scapegoat, who has been excellent of late and who scored a wonderfully saucy goal at Bramall Lane.
      But the Frenchman simply struggled badly during his maiden Premier League season, as many do. 
      Having found his confidence, the 24-year-old is thriving. Dele is not facing the same issues as Ndombele.
      A move to PSG, a fresh challenge in a new league with a manager who trusts him, would seem perfect.
      Even if Levy sanctions a loan move, and it proved successful, it might still be too late for him to force his way into Gareth Southgate’s Euro plans.
      Although, despite a major influx of new talent into Southgate’s squad since 2018, the England boss has a keen sense of loyalty to those who reached the World Cup semi-finals.
      If the Euros started tomorrow — with the re-emergence of John Stones and  Trent Alexander-Arnold’s dip in form — Southgate would probably start with eight of his first-choice Russian XI.

      Dele Alli looks set to miss out on Gareth Southgate’s England Euros squadCredit: Reuters
      Jordan Pickford, a back three of Stones, Harry Maguire and Kyle Walker, with Kieran Trippier at right wing-back, Jordan Henderson in central midfield, Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane in attack.
      Only Ashley Young, aged 35, and Jesse Lingard, who has not played a single Premier League minute this term, are definitely out.
      And then there is Dele — still a potential wildcard — even with the emergence of Phil Foden, Mason Mount and James Maddison as attacking midfield options.
      In the more likely event that Dele misses the Euros, there will be a  winter World Cup less than 18 months later, before the midfielder’s natural peak years would start to wane.
      And at club level, like every other long-serving Spurs player, there have been no domestic honours, either.
      So it would be heartening, though uncharacteristic, if Levy could find it within him to set Dele free.

      Jose Mourinho says he’s very happy with Dele Alli’s performance against Marine More

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      Chelsea’s lack of superstar ‘machines’ like Drogba, Fabregas and Hazard behind struggles, claims Frank Lampard

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      FRANK LAMPARD says Chelsea’s struggles are down to lacking the superstars of yesteryear.
      The manager name- checked Eden Hazard, Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas among ‘machine’ players that win you titles.

      Frank Lampard has bemoaned a lack of goal or assist ‘machines’ in his sideCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Chelsea sit eight points off the top despite spending nearly £230million on players that are still bedding in, according to Lampard.
      He said: “With our team it’s potential, so for us there may be tough moments going forwards.
      “We haven’t got Hazard contributing 50 per cent of goals or assists. We haven’t got Costa scoring 30 goals. We are developing those players and I believe in them strongly.
      “When people were touting us as title challengers, we do have a squad when you look at it in terms of its composition, but it’s very young particularly in the forward areas.

      “We don’t have the history of players in those areas that this club had before — goal machines or assist machines that win you games.”
      Ex-Chelsea coach Brendan Rodgers awaits Lampard at Leicester tonight.
      They share a mutual affection for the Blues.
      But Rodgers would not want to manage the club as it could ‘destroy’ you with the pressure.

      Lampard name-checked club legend Didier DrogbaCredit: EPA

      Eden Hazard was sensational before sealing his move to Real MadridCredit: AFP – Getty
      Lampard said: “I presume Brendan said that when Chelsea had Didier Drogba, Petr Cech, John Terry, Claude Makelele.
      “It would have been a team that was always challenging and the benchmark was different.
      “At that time I suppose there was a turnaround of managers so I get that.
      “Whether he would give exactly the same answer if you asked him after the game, I am not sure. Maybe not.
      “At the moment we are not quite there at the front end of the pitch.
      “For us there could be tough times. So it’s important for me and the players to keep working and stay patient and calm.”
      Lampard will reshuffle his pack this evening after a tough London derby at Fulham on Saturday.
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      Midfielder Mason Mount, 22, is expected to start but defender Kurt Zouma could replace Antonio Rudiger and Reece James come in for Cesar Azpilicueta.
      Defender Thiago Silva will be spoken to by Lampard over a breach of coronavirus regulations.
      He was snapped throwing his shirt after Saturday’s game to a Brazilian builder working on Craven Cottage’s redevelopment.
      Lampard said: “The players are very aware of the new restrictions.
      “It was very much an innocent thing and I’ll have a word with Thiago.
      “But let’s get this right, this is not somebody having a New Year’s Eve party with 25 people. This is someone who got asked for a shirt, who wasn’t quite clear of the rules.”
      ⚽ Read our Chelsea live blog for the very latest news from the Bridge

      Timo Werner has the full support of Frank Lampard despite recent struggles More

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      Dele Alli confident of sealing PSG loan transfer this month after Tottenham exile under Jose Mourinho

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      TOTTENHAM outcast Dele Alli is confident of sealing a loan move to Paris Saint-Germain.
      Ex-Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino wants to link up with his ex-player before the February 2 transfer deadline.

      Dele Alli has been frozen out at Spurs this seasonCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Dele was left out of the squad for Sunday’s 3-1 win at Sheffield United.
      The star, 24, who has 37 England caps, believes Spurs will now accept his desire for a loan spell — having fallen out of favour under Jose Mourinho.
      He has made just one league start this season with his last top-flight showing coming in a three-minute cameo against Liverpool on December 16.
      Alli was an instrumental figure under the Argentine and helped spearhead the club’s run to the Champions League final in 2019.

      Poch is also interested in Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris but will not make a swoop until the summer.

      Alli was a key figure under Pochettino at Tottenham and the pair could be reunited in ParisCredit: –

      Dele’s departure could even lead to a shock return to the club for Christian Eriksen.
      The Danish midfielder is desperate for a loan move back to North London, as his switch to Inter Milan has been a disaster.
      He cost £16.9million a year ago but the Italians now want £27m — while the 28-year-old’s wages are £120,000 a week.

      Son laughs and Bale calls for yellow card as Alli makes comical tumble in Spurs’ clash with Marine More

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      Southampton star Danny Ings could be available in summer transfer over wage demands, confirms Ralph Hasenhuttl

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      RALPH HASENHUTTL gave the biggest hint yet that Southampton may be forced to sell Danny Ings this summer.
      The striker, 28, is out of contract in 18 months time and is dithering over a new deal.

      Danny Ings could be put up for sale in the summer if he cannot agree a new contractCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Hasenhuttl said previously the contract offered to him is “fantastic” as he looks to keep hold of the current core of his impressive side.
      But the Saints boss has now suggested that cheaper alternatives will have to be considered if the two parties cannot agree new terms.
      He said: “We must be strong to keep our limits at what we have financially.
      “If it’s not what we expect to pay in the future then we have to look for somebody who is cheaper — but it always should be win-win for both.

      “If they want to make the next step in the summer to a bigger club and there is an offer fitting to the player then we can always negotiate.
      “We know we are not a club at the top of the ranking but in the end, we have a good core who are committed. Every player is invited to do it in our limits.
      “I hope we find an agreement and finally he stays with us. If not, then life will go on.”
      Ings is in self-isolation and Saints will be forced to put out a much-changed team from Saturday’s 2-0 league loss to Leicester with injuries piling up.

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      Midfielder Will Smallbone, 20, will miss the rest of the season after damaging his ACL.
      Hasenhuttl will turn to young stars like 18-year-old midfielder Kgagelo Chauke to get past League One strugglers Shrewsbury on Wednesday night and secure a fourth-round clash with Arsenal.
      He added: “Half of the team will be new.
      “They are not all physically on the level to be a Premier League player, but with the ball, and tactically, they have developed well so far.”

      Southampton boss Hasenhuttl reveals Danny Ings tested positive for Covid and may have been infectious in Liverpool game More

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      Mesut Ozil to say goodbye to Arsenal team-mates today after giving up portion of wages to secure Fenerbahce transfer

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      MESUT OZIL will say goodbye to his Arsenal team-mates today before completing a free transfer to Fenerbahce.
      The midfielder has reached an agreement with Emirates bosses to terminate his contract — due to expire this summer — after waiving a chunk of his remaining £7million salary.

      Mesut Ozil will make one final appearance to Arsenal’s training groundCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      German World Cup winner Ozil is desperate to play football again after being frozen out by Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta since March.
      And talks between Ozil, 32, his agent Erkut Sogut and Gunners technical director Edu agreed the player can end his exile and join his boyhood Turkish club as a free agent.
      Ozil is set to complete the move to Fenerbahce this week once the final details of his contract termination are signed.
      Sunsport understands he agreed to give up a portion of his remaining salary so he could leave the club on good terms.

      He is due at the London Colney training ground this morning, where he will say farewell to team-mates before tomorrow’s clash with Newcastle.
      In a Twitter Q and A session last week, Ozil — who is of Turkish heritage — revealed: “I grew up as a Fenerbahce fan as a kid in Germany.
      “Fenerbahce is like Real Madrid in Spain. The biggest club in the country.”
      Ozil is the most decorated Arsenal player of the Emirates era, winning four FA Cups during his seven and a half years following a £42.5million move from Real Madrid.

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      Mesut Ozil has agreed to join Fenerbahce on a free transferCredit: AFP – Getty

      How Arsenal lined-up for Mesut Ozil’s debut vs Sunderland in 2013

      He became the highest-paid player in Arsenal’s history when he signed his current £350,000-a-week deal in December 2018.
      But he has not played after being axed from Arteta’s Premier and Europa League squads.
      Ozil has played 254 matches for the Gunners, scoring 44 goals along with 77 assists.
      Fenerbahce sporting director Emre had said: “Mesut is closer than ever. He is a superstar, a player who has contributed to a goal in every other game at every club he has played for.”
      ⚽ Read our Arsenal live blog for the latest news from The Emirates

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