The Sun Newspaper

ALEKSANDAR MITROVIC acted as star witness for Tomas Soucek to help the West Ham midfielder overturn a three-game ban.
Fulham striker Mitro provided a written submission to the appeal panel, which confirmed their clash on Saturday was accidental.

Tomas Soucek was sent off for accidentally elbowing Aleksandar Mitrovic on SaturdayCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

Soucek has had his red card overturned, with the midfielder now available to face Manchester United in the FA CupCredit: AP:Associated Press

Soucek received a straight red card for violent conduct from referee Mike Dean after consultation with VAR Lee Mason.
Czech ace Soucek put his elbow into Mitrovic’s face but insists it was unintentional — and he has been backed up by boss David Moyes.
The controversial decision was widely condemned — and Mitrovic criticised for his initial reaction to the incident, having gone to ground clutching his face.
But the Serbian forward made a remarkable gesture to support Soucek’s case and it has proved successful.

The sending-off has been rescinded and West Ham will have one of their best players available for Tuesday’s FA Cup fifth-round tie at Manchester United.
Mitrovic was said to be ‘hurt’ by the elbow — but was determined to stand up for a fellow pro.
It has still put the spotlight on refereeing decisions and VAR yet again as the technology fails to win over managers, players and fans.
Moyes said: “At the moment, we are appalled by the levels that are creeping into the game —  it’s not all about the officials.

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Fulham striker Mitrovic acted as a star witness in Soucek having his ban rescindedCredit: EPA
“The players have to take responsibility. But at the moment the only way we are going to stop it is by the officials saying, ‘Sorry, we’re not going to give that and we’re not going to allow you to con us.’
“We are getting the softest things and they are making the referees and the officials make decisions.
“Once players start to see that they are not going to be rewarded they will start to say to themselves, ‘I’d better stay on my feet here, I’d better stop screaming.’
“Only then, when we get all those parts together, will we start seeing progress.
“When you’re 6ft 3in and 14st, it doesn’t take much to get you down these days.”
Moyes believes refs’ chiefs at the PGMOL are stubborn about letting ex-pros sit in on VAR decisions from their base at Stockley Park.
He said: “I don’t think they are very open at all. There have been a few suggestions saying, ‘Could we get a football person in at Stockley Park to look at decisions?’

“I am on the LMA committee and there is regular dialogue. It is the rules that we are not enjoying, it is not the referees.
“Mike Dean has been a very good referee in his career and Lee Mason has been a very good referee.”
West Ham have still yet to be awarded a penalty this season.
Moyes said: “That’s because I tell my players to stay on their feet.”

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BRUNO FERNANDES tore into his Manchester United team-mates for blunders that are costing them a title tilt.
United twice surrendered the lead to let in an injury-time leveller in Saturday’s 3-3 home draw with Everton.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored in the final minute to salvage a point for Everton at Old TraffordCredit: Mark Robinson – The Sun

They are now five points behind Manchester City, who have a game in hand.
Fernandes said: “We are making many mistakes in the last few games. We can’t keep conceding more goals like that. We have to be more focused, we need to have the same desire to score and to defend our goal.
“Every time we make goals and score goals, we have to be the same way to not concede — and I think we need to learn from this.
“It already happened a lot of times, so it is more than a bit disappointing.

“We can talk about everything that is going on — but it is also about learning and making it better.”
Fernandes had scored a cracker to put United 2-0 up at Old Trafford.
But Everton hit back with two goals in four minutes after the break.
Scott McTominay’s header looked to have won it at 3-2.

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Fernandes had doubled United’s lead with a sensational strike before half-time against EvertonCredit: AP:Associated Press
But yet more calamitous defending — with keeper David de Gea once again in the spotlight — allowed Dominic Calvert-Lewin to nick a point.
Fernandes said: “It is really bad and you can’t concede  like that  because — from a full 50 yards — they are a long way from our goal.
“You cannot concede  from that. We have to be more focused, we have to be ready — and we have to be stronger.
“We have to defend our goal with everything.”

Misfiring United have now dropped seven points in four games.
They suffered a shock home defeat to Sheffield United and then came a  goalless draw at Arsenal.
It has taken the shine off Tuesday’s 9-0 romp of Southampton.
Boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side  face West Ham at home tomorrow in the FA Cup fifth round.
 Midfielder Paul Pogba is a doubt after limping out of Saturday’s game with a thigh injury.

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WEST HAM are set to win their appeal over Tomas Soucek’s red card at Fulham.
Referee Mike Dean has been told by his bosses at PGMOL he was wrong to send the Czech midfielder off in the 0-0 draw at Fulham.

Tomas Soucek was stunned after being sent packing by Dean for the accidental altercation with Aleksandar MitrovicCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

And that means Soucek will be available to face Manchester United in the FA Cup fifth round on Tuesday.
He was dismissed for an elbow on Aleksandar Mitrovic as the pair jostled.
But it was clearly accidental and Hammers boss David Moyes claimed Dean and VAR official Lee Mason should be “embarrassed” over their decision.
Soucek, 25, was facing a three-match ban, also ruling him out of Premier League games at home to Sheffield United and Tottenham.

West Ham’s appeal means an independent panel will now decide on the decision.
The red card was widely slammed but there is still no guarantee it will be overturned if the panel feel Dean was technically right to make his decision.

Moyes added: “If Tomas was missing for any game it would be a blow.

“Whether we chose to play him against United or not is a different decision.”
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It is the second fiasco involving Dean in a week, with Southampton also successful in their appeal against Jan Bednarek’s red card at United.
But he was still yesterday appointed to referee Wednesday’s FA Cup tie between Leicester and Brighton.

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A MONTH ago it was a title race I thought would go down to the wire.
Now I’d say we’ll be lucky if it’s still any sort of contest by the time we get to Easter.

Is there any stopping Manchester City? Harry Redknapp doesn’t think soCredit: Getty Images – Getty

SunSport columnist thinks the Premier League title race is as good as doneCredit: Louis Wood – The Sun

In fact, forget that. In my eyes the Premier League is over already, certainly in terms of who will be champions.
The strangest few weeks in the strangest of seasons means whatever happens at Liverpool on Sunday, Manchester City will win it at a canter.
So much for my view that six or seven teams could still be in with a shout come late April.
As far as I’m concerned, the only battle now is for second place. And the way City are going, a poor second at that.

Since I said we were in for a 1970s-style season, when you could throw your hat over half a dozen teams, City haven’t dropped a point.
In fact they’ve only conceded one goal — two if you include the FA Cup at Cheltenham — while everyone else has stumbled at some stage.
That’s a real pity, because we’d all have loved to be on the edge of our seats going into the last fortnight.
But this race is over, believe me. The biggest shock is that Manchester bookie Fred Done hasn’t already paid out on them winning it — I bet he would if it was United!

Only a month ago four points separated the top seven. There was one point between the top three and City were fifth.
Going into this weekend they are seven ahead of Jurgen Klopp’s team, with a game in hand, and looking as unbeatable as a couple of years ago.
Funnily enough, it wouldn’t surprise me if Sunday’s game ended all square because Liverpool do raise their game against the bigger teams.
It’s the supposed smaller ones which have caused them problems. Who’d have put a penny on Brighton or Burnley winning at Anfield, never mind both? West Brom got a point there, too.
There was no fluke about Wednesday’s result. Brighton were good value, Klopp’s lot only had one shot on target and looked lethargic to me.
We know they’ve had injuries, but don’t forget City are doing it all without Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero hasn’t started a game since October.
Of course we’ve seen plenty of daft results this season, but it’s hard to see where and when City will slip up again.
John Stones looks a top-class centre-back again and the bloke alongside him, Ruben Dias, has been a sensation.

John Stones and Ruben Dias have been huge for CityCredit: EPA

The leaders head to Anfield on top formCredit: Getty Images – Getty
City are the one team you can rely on for results because it’s still as mad as ever with the rest of them.
Look at those five Premier League games on Wednesday night — every one of them was an away win.
I’ve said before, I do think playing in an empty stadium has a big effect and shows how important the fans are to a “proper” game.
None of us want to go back to a year ago, when we could only get a football fix from re-runs and replays, but this still doesn’t feel like the real thing.
There’s no tempo, no pace and no real excitement. At times some of the matches have been pretty hard going.
I remember saying years and years ago the big difference for a lot of players, the thing that really makes them perform at their best, is being in front of a big crowd.
Put them in the lower leagues, when there’s only a handful of people watching, and some of them really don’t look anything special.
I’ve loaned players from the Premier League to Division Two who’ve made me look a real mug, because they’ve been useless. It’s the crowd that gets them going.
The one team that doesn’t seem to have been affected is City and there’s no reason it should suddenly change now.
So, yes, I’m sure Liverpool will be up for it and may well get a point.But I still can’t see them being within double figures of Pep Guardiola’s team come the end of it all.

WILDER’S A FIGHTER
They are still rock bottom and need the biggest miracle ever to survive — but what a fantastic spirit Sheffield United are showing.
It would have been easy for them to let their heads drop given how far adrift they were.
But three wins from five — including at Old Trafford — shows they won’t go without a scrap.
Not that I’d expect anything else with Chris Wilder in charge.
And if they do drop, I just hope the owner sticks to his word and keeps hold of him.
Wilder IS Sheffield United and there isn’t a better bloke out there to bring them back to the Prem.

Chris Wilder will fight to the end to keep Sheffield United upCredit: AP:Associated Press
They’re just unfortunate the others who were in danger, like Brighton, Burnley and Crystal Palace, have all picked up points recently, too.
I think the bottom three now are the ones who will go. But, just like the Blades, I hope Fulham and West Brom keep their bosses.
Scott Parker did a great job to bring Fulham up in the first place and I’m sure he would do so again if that is required.
And if West Brom go down, there’s no better man than Sam Allardyce to get them straight back up.
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FOXES TO GO VARD
It’s FA Cup time this week — and I fancy Leicester City to give it a right go.
On their day they can beat anyone.
They’ll fancy their chances at home to Brighton and, even if Jamie Vardy isn’t back against Wolves, he will certainly be fit for their sixth-round clash.

GOOD WILL FOR BRUCE
I was delighted for Steve Bruce when Newcastle won at Everton last week because the stick he’s had is way over the top.
And I tell you one thing…
If Callum Wilson keeps playing like he did at Goodison, he could have a real shout for England at the Euros.

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