The Sun Newspaper

JIGSAW puzzles have never been my thing  — the more pieces there are the more confused  it can get.
There is a lot to be said for simplicity in football, it’s what makes it the beautiful game  because it  looks so easy when done well.

Kai Havertz is yet to find his best form at Chelsea Credit: PA:Press Association

It is the same in management and you won’t get more of a contrast than when Chelsea play West Ham tomorrow.
For Frank Lampard at Chelsea, it is almost as if he has too many pieces in his puzzle at the moment. You wonder if he yet knows his best team. If anyone does. Where do they all fit in?
I say this with regard to his two Germans in particular. I’m still waiting to see the best of Timo Werner and Kai Havertz.
They cost a lot and even though they’re only young lads, they came  here in the summer with big reputations.  Yet to be fulfilled, if you ask me.

Successful management is all about the players. Take the sacking of Slaven Bilic at West Brom, for example. He got that team into the Premier League with average players.
He didn’t spend fortunes on new signings so the team is where it should be — but he has got the boot.
It’s as if the worst thing he could have done for himself is get West Brom up.        
Frank at Chelsea has a  puzzle to solve with his squad. He needs to work out where is the best position for Werner and how to get Havertz firing.

Should Werner come in from the wing and play through the middle with Mason Mount  putting little balls through for him? It’s an option.
Havertz doesn’t seem to have got to grips with the physicality of English football yet.
Having coronavirus is  obviously a big setback and one we wish him well from. But even before that, he looked like a player not quite sure of himself.
And at this moment in time English football is a stroll.
If he finds it  tough now, wait until crowds come back into  stadiums and pump up the passion and the tackles to go with it.
I really hope they do fit in but it’s up to Frank to sort it. And the challenge faced by modern-day managers is that it’s not always them doing the buying.
Years ago, managers would be buying British players and so would be out every night talent scouting. It’s not  possible to fly to Germany or even further afield to watch players week-in, week-out.
And so a lot of time you go on recommendations from others and work with it.
Didi Hamann, the old  Liverpool midfielder, was on TV in the summer talking up Werner and Havertz as if they were the best things in Germany.

Timo Werner may find the going easier playing as the central strikerCredit: Rex Features
Fingers crossed for Frank, they go on to become the best over here, too.
But with Christian Pulisic, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Hakim Ziyech, Tammy Abraham and Olivier Giroud all competing for places, it’s not always a great problem to have.
Over in East London, David Moyes has it much simpler. His team virtually picks itself for every game.
He’s done a superb job so far and really got the best out of what he has. I love the right-back Vladimir Coufal — a £5million  quid  bargain.
Jarod Bowen, at £22m, was an inspired buy. Declan Rice gets better with every week, midfielder Tomas Soucek  is effective, strong and powerful. And with Michail Antonio up front they have pace.
But David has around 16 players  he rotates. It’s old school and working for West Ham. They have a settled team.
They won’t finish top six but if they get top half, David has done a brilliant job. If you ask me, the club’s owners should be drawing up a new deal for him now.
His jigsaw has far fewer pieces and life is  simpler in terms of picking  teams.
A settled side where the players know each other so well can be a big weapon.
And West Ham are now tough to beat —­ that’s the key for them.

Harry Redknapp knows all about the pressure of managing at Christmas timeCredit: PA:Press Association
SO HO-HO HORRIBLE
CHRISTMAS is a tricky time for managers.
The whole festive season revolves around three points on Boxing Day — well it did for me, anyway.
When I look back on how many miserable Christmasses I had because of results, it’s actually quite scary.
I got so low, so low.
There’ll be bosses out there now feeling that way — sleepless nights, the lot.
Mikel Arteta got a point in midweek but he knows  Arsenal must be doing much better.
Down at the bottom of every league, there’ll be coaches struggling for any joy over Christmas.
With new West Brom boss Sam Allardyce’s track record, the four managers of  teams around them at the foot of the Premier League will be having unsettled nights worrying about developments.
NO END OF SPORT
THERE is so much  football coming up on the box. Luckily we have two TVs at home.
It’s wall to wall this Christmas and I bet your last mince pie I’ll watch as much as I can.
Sandra will be in the other room watching Coronation Street and EastEnders  so I’ll be out from under her feet.
Reckon I’ll watch 95 per cent of it — and the other five per cent of my time will be spent watching  racing.
Stay safe, have a happy Christmas and look after yourselves after a tough year. And be nice to  each other.
⚽ Read our Chelsea live blog for the very latest news from the Bridge

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OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER hailed Marcus Rashford’s exploits on and off the pitch, insisting he will become a Manchester United legend.
Rashford, 23, will receive a special award at Sunday’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year show for his tireless charity work on behalf of underprivileged children.

Solskjaer has backed Rashford to become a Manchester United legendCredit: EPA

Prior to that he will continue his day job by leading United’s attack in the Prem clash with bitter rivals Leeds.
And Solskjaer is amazed at the young striker’s marvellous multi-tasking.
The Red Devils manager said: “Sometimes you think ‘will this affect his football’ because he is such a young lad. But he has taken on this responsibility in a fantastic way and balanced it really well with his football.
“Marcus is talented enough, grounded enough and driven enough to be a club legend.

“In and around the dressing room as well, he is a Manchester United boy through and through.
“I am delighted with his contribution. He is a role model. He can affect and influence so many people.”
Rashford has helped raise over £20MILLION for kids to receive free school meals during the coronavirus lockdown.
His campaign also resulted in the Government providing 1.3m children with meal vouchers during the summer holidays.

Rashford, 23, has been sensational on and off the pitch in 2020Credit: Kevin Quigley-The Daily Mail

And having forced Prime Minister Boris Johnson to make one U-turn, Rashford then achieved another.
Just last month £400m was provided by the PM to support poor children and their families and Rashford was given an MBE in the Queen’s honours list.
In between his fantastic campaigning, he has scored 12 goals in 20 appearances.
Solskjaer added: “As a human being, we have seen the true Marcus Rashford ever since he was a kid.

And you see Marcus really cares about people who have had a difficult time or aren’t as privileged as many are, or as he is now
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

“You always get influenced and your character is shaped through your family and where you grew up.
“And you see Marcus really cares about people who have had a difficult time or aren’t as privileged as many are, or as he is now.
“He knows what they are going through and what he has done is exceptional.
“He has a great team around him — and wants his charity work to be organised by others as well so that he can balance the two most important things in his life.”
The drive to help the needy was born out of his own experiences growing up, often going without food and seeing his mother make sacrifices to help him and her family.
Rashford has also launched a book club to help children enjoy the escapism of reading.

Solskjaer tries to ‘protect’ RashfordCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Solskjaer added: “The opposition players and supporters, of course, they respect him for what he’s done.
“Some clubs, the response Marcus has had from them has been unbelievable.”
Solskjaer is trying to do his bit to help.
In last week’s 3-2 win over Sheffield United he kicked off with opposite number Chris Wilder, complained that Rashford was being roughed up by the Blades.
Solskjaer said: “Of course I try to look after him, try to protect him. You never know in a footballer’s career if you are lucky or unlucky with injuries.
“He had a back injury last year and it is mine and the staff’s job to make sure we protect him. Because with his talent, he’s always going to be a target for the opposition.”
⚽ Read our Man United live blog for the latest news from Old Trafford

Man Utd star Marcus Rashford takes on child food poverty in new BBC documentary Feeding Britain’s Children More

 PAUL POGBA is being warned he must toe the line — or face the boot.
The French star was given the stark reminder by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as the war of words with his agent Mino Raiola rumbles on.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has laid down the law to Paul PogbaCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd

The comments come after his agent Mino Raiola said it was all over at Man Utd for the FrenchmanCredit: Getty – Pool

The Old Trafford boss, who yesterday completed two years in charge, vowed: “I would just not stand for anyone thinking that he is bigger than Manchester United.
“No one is. Absolutely no one — and Paul knows this. It is not only for Paul. It is for all of us.”
His straight–talking stance is as much of an attack on controversial Raiola as a move to show the World Cup winner who is in charge.
Raiola infuriated Solskjaer the day before United crashed out of the Champions League to RB Leipzig earlier this month by claiming it was time Pogba left the club.

He followed that up by declaring: “I’ve said that Paul can leave in the summer because it’s hard to do deals in January.”
French midfielder Pogba’s £300,000-a-week contract expires in just 18 months.
But Solskjaer, whose side host Leeds today, has continued to talk him up, despite his posturing for a move back to Juventus or to Real Madrid.
And the United chief added: “Paul was here as a kid in the Under-18s. We signed him early on and he comes with the Manchester United DNA in him.

“He knows what we are about. United is about being in a team and Paul has always been an ambitious boy who loves playing football.
“He trains well, he never refuses to train or play, he has a good attitude.
“Of course, Paul wants to do as well as he can when he is in the team, however many minutes he is getting on the pitch.”
After last Saturday’s goalless Manchester derby, Pogba took to social media to hit out at the stick he was getting for Raiola’s comments.
He wrote: “I’ve always fought and will always fight for  Manchester United, my team-mates and the fans.
“All has been clear between the club and myself and that will never change.
‘I WANT PLAYERS WHO CAN HANDLE LIFE’
“When you don’t know what’s going on inside, don’t talk.”
But having backed their club-record £89million star consistently since he replaced Jose Mourinho two Christmases ago, Solskjaer is determined that Pogba will stay on.
And the Red Devils chief now hopes to get that message through to the French World Cup winner’s super agent Raiola.
As he prepared for today’s visit of Leeds, Solskjaer added: “I leave negotiations with agents to the club.
“In fact, I rarely speak to agents. I speak to the players — and that is the biggest thing for me.
“I need to see them eye to eye and I think it is important, the relationship between player and manager.
“I want players who can handle life as well. You can’t just go through agents.”
⚽ Read our Man United live blog for the latest news from Old Trafford

Man Utd star Marcus Rashford takes on child food poverty in new BBC documentary Feeding Britain’s Children More

GRAHAM POTTER will ask Manchester United for Dan James on loan to fire up Brighton’s survival fight.
Boss Potter worked with the Welsh flying winger at Swansea — and thinks he would be a great asset if United let him out for badly-needed game time.

Brighton are chasing Dan James – who has struggled for minutes this seasonCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

And James has told pals he would be happy to play for Potter again as he thrived under his style in their last spell together.
The Seagulls asked about James, 23, in the last transfer window but he opted to stay at Old Trafford.
However, his chances of starts are slim and he has the Euro 2021 finals on his horizon.
Wales want to see James playing more often and staying sharp for their campaign as he was a key part of their qualification.

Brighton, just above the drop zone, have found it hard to score lately and Potter needs extra attacking thrust.
Leeds are also long-term admirers of James, trying twice to land him before.
James has made only a handful of club appearances since the summer and often plays on the right when his preference and more effective position is the left.

James worked under Graham Potter at Swansea CityCredit: Reuters

The former Swan was a key man at Old Trafford last season, appearing 46 times in all competitions.

But he played just three times in the Premier League this time around, and hasn’t at all since October 24.
James was on the bench as the Red Devils beat Sheffield United 3-2 on Thursday night.
⚽ Read our Man United live blog for the latest news from Old Trafford

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INTIMATE photos of Man City ace Gabriel Jesus and former Chelsea striker Diego Costa were found in a Bible handed in at a charity shop.
Both players appeared topless with the same mystery woman in snaps unearthed last week.

An intimate photo of former Chelsea striker Diego Costa was found in a Bible handed in at a charity shop

Another snap showed Man City ace Gabriel Jesus shirtless with the same woman

The Bible was in one of two bags handed in by a woman to a charity shop in Marylebone, Central London.
A source said: “The pictures were instantly recognisable as Jesus and Costa – and both were with the same woman.
“They were both laughing and seemed incredibly relaxed in her company while larking around on pillows without their shirts on.
“The pictures appear to have been taken at different times.

“The charity shop normally gets jigsaws and second-hand clothes, so this was certainly a change from that.”
Two bags were handed in during May, but the snaps were not spotted until staff started sorting them last week.

One snap showed a heavily tattooed Jesus pulling a face for the camera

The Bible was in one of two bags handed in by a woman to a charity shop in Marylebone, Central LondonCredit: © David Dyson – The Sun
The source said: “A woman of Spanish or Latin appearance dropped off the bags.
“She said a friend left the UK and wanted to get rid of a few bits and pieces.

“The woman who brought the bags in has never been back so no one knew what to do with the pics.”
It is not known when the photographs were taken.
Heavily tattooed Brazilian forward Jesus, 23, joined Man City in 2017 and split from model Fernanda Queiroz earlier this year.
The devout Christian was missing from City’s squad against Southampton yesterday.
A source previously said: “Jesus decided to end the relationship to focus on his career.”

Costa played for Chelsea for three years from 2014 and is now at Atletico MadridCredit: Reuters

Brazilian forward Jesus joined Man City in 2017Credit: Getty Images – Getty

Brazilian-born Costa, 32, played for Chelsea for three years from 2014 and is now at Atletico Madrid.
He is married with two daughters and there is no suggestion he cheated on his wife.
In 2014, The Sun on Sunday revealed he was dumped by Brazilian model girlfriend Michele Zuanne after she caught him trying to bed her sister.

Jesus split from model Fernanda Queiroz earlier this yearCredit: Instagram @dejesusoficial

Cheeky Diego Costa trick young mascot in hilarious pre-Atletico Madrid friendly video
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DANNY MILLS refused to take his kids to Manchester United v Leeds games because the atmosphere could be so “vile”.
The former England international’s children grew up in Yorkshire as Leeds fans.

Danny Mills in action against Paul Scholes during a match in 2002Credit: Getty Images – Getty

But after his experiences playing for the Elland Road club against their enemies from across the Pennines, he drew the line at exposing them to the toxic rivalry.
Mills, who still lives in the area, said: “The atmosphere was unbelievable.
“The rivalry between the two sets of fans, between the two clubs, and I have to say it, the hatred . . . it was vile in some circumstances.
“The songs that were sung — the songs that still get sung, sadly — are really horrific at times.

“It’s spiteful. It goes beyond banter. There’s a real nasty undercurrent — from both sets of fans.
“To the point where, even after I left Leeds and went to the cup games against Man United as a fan, I wouldn’t take my kids, who were ten, 11, 12.
“I thought, ‘I’m not going to put my kids in that situation’.
“I’d taken them to all sorts of places but Leeds v Man United never sat particularly well with me.”

The rivalry was already fierce by the time Mills joined Leeds from Charlton in 1999.
But after two Leeds fans were stabbed to death in Istanbul before the team’s Uefa Cup semi-final clash with Galatasaray in 2000, another horrible ingredient was added to the poisonous relationship.
Some Leeds fans did, and still do, mock Manchester United about the 1958 Munich tragedy.
Former right-back Mills, who made over 100 appearances for the Whites in a five-year spell with the Yorkshire club, said: “Let’s be honest, Leeds fans have sung all sorts of songs — the Dambusters theme tune, people with their arms out pretending to be aeroplanes . . . You can’t pretend it doesn’t happen. I’ve been there, I’ve seen it.
“Equally, I’ve seen Man United fans with Galatasaray shirts on and Galatasaray flags. I went to a League Cup game at Elland Road when Leeds were no longer in the Premier League in 2011.
“There was all sorts of trouble outside the ground. Police got hurt, a police horse got hurt.
“It’s a real needle match and I don’t think it’s ever going to change.”
Mills recalls how Leeds fans even used to abuse Brian Kidd, who was appointed first-team coach in 2001, because he had been a Manchester United player.

Danny Mills made the move to Leeds from Charlton in 1999Credit: Getty Images – Getty
On the pitch, the rivalry has for a long time been pretty one-sided in favour of the red side of the divide.
But that has only made the rare Leeds wins all the more precious.
Jermaine Beckford scored a famous winner in an FA Cup tie at Old Trafford in 2010.
And Mills was part of the last Leeds team to achieve a league victory in the fixture, on the famous day back in September 2002 when England defender Rio Ferdinand returned to Elland Road for the first time since his £30million move to Manchester United.
Mills, 43, said: “None of us begrudged Rio going at that stage.
“We knew he was an outstanding player and Leeds pretty much doubled his fee in a very short space of time.
“There hadn’t been that many players that had gone from Leeds to Man U.
“There was the Eric Cantona situation where he wins the title with Leeds then goes across and wins it with Manchester United for the first time.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer up against Jonathan Woodgate in 2002Credit: AFP – Getty
“Rio went and got all sorts of abuse.”
Leeds beat a United side that included their current manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer 1-0, thanks to a headed goal by Harry Kewell.
Mills said: “The atmosphere when you have done your lap of honour after the game and the fans are euphoric . . .
“Terry Venables had just taken over. We had only lost Rio at that stage, it was before we imploded.
“We beat them and were doing well at that stage. But from then onwards, we started on a dreadful slide down the Premier League.”
Leeds did not win again for three months and were relegated the following season amid a financial crisis that sent the club sliding down the divisions.
Tomorrow’s game at Old Trafford will be the first league clash for 16 years and, even without a crowd, it is likely to be an intense affair.
Mills, now a pundit on talkSPORT, said: “I have a lot of friends who are Leeds season-ticket holders.

David Beckham challenging for the ball during a showdown with Leeds UnitedCredit: EPA
“I know Leeds fans that won’t have a red car, won’t have anything red in their house.
“If you said to a lot of Leeds fans, ‘You can finish tenth and we get beat twice by Man United or you finish 17th and you beat Man United,’ they’d take the second option all day long. That’s how intense it is.
“They will all be watching on the telly.
“This is the game that they have been looking forward to.
“This is the game that they want to do well in.
“This is the one game of the season that they want to win more than any other.”
⚽ Read our Man United live blog for the latest news from Old Trafford

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