TNT Sports

LAURA WOODS and Chris Wilder exchanged an awkward handshake live on TNT Sports that left the presenter in pain.Sheffield United boss Wilder, 56, joined the broadcast ahead of The Blades’ clash with West Ham on Sunday afternoon.
“The Premier League is the place to be & we’re fighting for our lives” 👊After a firm handshake, Sheffield Utd manager Chris Wilder tells @laura_woodsy, @rioferdy5 & Joe Cole that he & his players are up for the challenge as they bid for top-flight survival… pic.twitter.com/sONoLN5t5x— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 21, 2024

Chris Wilder gave Laura Woods a firm handshake as he was introduced on the broadcastCredit: X @footballontnt
Woods winced in pain from the Sheffield United manager’s handshakeCredit: X @footballontnt
He explained the handshake was a way of ‘setting the standards’Credit: X @footballontnt
After greeting ex-Chelsea winger Joe Cole and former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, he shook hands with host Woods, 36.
But in the aftermath of the shake, the TNT Sports presenter was seen feeling the effects of Wilder’s aggressive action as she winced in pain.
And she said: “Cor, it’s always a really hard handshake with you.”
To which Wilder responded: “It’s a Northern handshake. We have to set the standards straight away, it’s how we’re going to be.”
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The Sheffield United head coach has won two of his seven games since returning to Bramall Lane for a second stint with the club.
But they remain bottom of the Premier League table with just 10 points from 21 matches.
They went into their clash with West Ham seven points adrift of safety.
Yet Wilder insists his side will continue to battle for survival.
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He added: “We’re fighting for our lives.
“What I will say regarding their character [the players], when you walk into a changing room and a new manager comes in, you’re looking at the players – ‘Who’s with you? Who’s not with you?’
“I like to think all the players are on the same page. There’s nothing I’ve had to do in terms of shift players.
“They’re all on the same page. They all want to be part of it. They’ve worked hard to get into the Premier League and we’ll work damn hard to try and stay in it.”
During his first spell at Sheffield United, Wilder led the club from League One to the top flight.
He then secured ninth place in their first campaign back in the Premier League, before he left by mutual consent in March 2021. More

LAURA WOODS has joked she is being haunted by a picture of Ange Postecoglou.The TNT Sports host has revealed a snap of her and the Tottenham manager “keeps popping up” in her home.
Laura Woods has joked she is being haunted by a picture of Ange PostecoglouCredit: Rex
The TNT Sports host took a snap with the Tottenham boss at WimbledonCredit: instagram / @laurawoodsy
Woods had her picture taken with Postecoglou at Wimbledon last summer, with the polaroid snap now at her home.
However, she has now admitted she cannot escape it after being asked if she would swap the Spurs boss with Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta.
Postecoglou has become a fan-favourite since his appointment in the summer and Gunners supporter Woods is even an admirer.
Speaking to talkSPORT at the Six Nations: Full Contact premiere, she explained: “No, because I love Mikel Arteta so that was an easy one for me but I do have a big soft spot for big Ange, I really like him.
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“I met him at Wimbledon and I’ve got this polaroid of him, I don’t know why. A polaroid of me and big Ange. It keeps popping up in my house.
“I’ll open up a drawer and it’s there and I’m like ‘wow’. Then I’ll go into my cupboard a couple of weeks later and it’s in my cupboard and I’m like ‘why does it keep popping up?’
“I don’t know what that means but I love what he’s done as an individual coach. I really am disappointed that it means Spurs are better and it’s quite a threat for us.
“I think he’s brilliant. I think he’s done a brilliant job. I think it’s a massive shame that he lost [James] Maddison, I think that was a huge hit.
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“He’s struggling quite a lot with injuries but no, I wouldn’t swap him.”
Woods stunned on the red carpet in a bold all-black outfit as she attended the Netflix event in London on Monday.
The new Six Nations documentary series is available on the streaming platform from January 24. More

FOOTBALL fans joked TNT Sports’ coverage of Newcastle’s clash with Manchester City was “like Mass” after they presented a pre-match segment from the TUNNEL.Host Laura Woods, Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand and ex-Man City defender Joleon Lescott gave viewers some amazing access minutes before the start of the game as they moved from the touchline to the tunnel.
Presenter Laura Woods and pundits Rio Ferdinand and Joleon Lescott went into the tunnelCredit: TNT Sports
They spoke quietly as the players lined up to head out onto the pitch behind themCredit: TNT Sports
But they then proceeded to whisper quietly to one another when the coverage returned from an ad break as both teams lined up directly behind them.
And the decision to go into the tunnel evoked a funny reaction from those on social media.
One said: “On the pitch, in the tunnel, you’ll be in the toilet next.”
While a second replied: “TNT reporting from the tunnel is such a strange use of access. Sounds like they’re chatting at Mass 😂.”
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Meanwhile, Man City headed into the clash with Newcastle knowing a win would take them within two points of Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table.
They were also buoyed by the return of Kevin de Bruyne to the substitutes bench for the first time in the league since August.
The Belgian superstar, 32, assisted just minutes after coming on in a 5-0 win over Huddersfield in the FA Cup last weekend.
And he will be looking to help the Treble winners secure a fourth successive Premier League title.
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But striker Erling Haaland remains sidelined after suffering a setback in his recovery from a foot injury.
Pep Guardiola is hopeful the Norwegian could return before the end of January after more than a month out.
Haaland has scored 14 league goals in 15 matches so far this season – and he is still the joint-top scorer in the division alongside Liverpool’s Mo Salah. More

EAGLE-EYED viewers spotted a TNT Sports blunder after Ross Barkley scored for Luton.The midfielder netted as Chelsea survived a late Hatters comeback to win 3-2.
Luton were 3-0 up when Ross Barkley scoredCredit: TNT Sports
TNT briefly gave the goal to Chelsea instead of LutonCredit: TNT Sports
They corrected their mistake within secondsCredit: TNT Sports
With Luton trailing by three goals, Barkley pulled one back against his former club with a header from a corner.
TNT Sports accidentally flashed up that the score was 4-0 to the Blues.
Within seconds the blunder was put right and the correct 3-1 scoreline was on screens.
But the mistake did not go unnoticed, one fan said: “TNT Sports momentarily giving the goal to Chelsea.”
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Another added: “TNT really thought Barkley scored for Chelsea.”
The broadcasters did not have the best day at Kenilworth Road as their camera operator got a telling off from Thiago Silva at full-time.
He berated his team-mates despite the win and then angrily signalled for them to film elsewhere.
There was also a tense debate between pundits Rio Ferdinand and Jermaine Jenas.
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The duo were asked for their top four predictions and the Manchester United legend was confident his former club can sneak into next season’s Champions League.
Jenas then accused Ferdinand of being “bias”. More