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      Raphael Varane injury update with Man Utd ace set not to play again before World Cup after going off in tears at Chelsea

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      RAPHAEL VARANE is set to miss the remainder of Man Utd’s games up to the World Cup after the extent of his injury was revealed. The Frenchman suffered an injury against Chelsea after over-stretching on a tackle during the 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge.
      Raphael Varane left the pitch in tears after getting injured against ChelseaCredit: Getty
      It has cast considerable doubt on his World Cup placeCredit: Getty
      He immediately crumpled to the ground and was left in tears as he walked off the pitch, knowing his injury could leave his hopes of playing in the World Cup in tatters.
      And the nature of the injury he suffered has now been revealed.
      According to Julie Laurens – who is a frequent guest for Champions League nights on BT Sports Goals show – Varane suffered a lesion on his femoral biceps which is less serious than first feared.
      However, he added: “He should be out between three to four weeks and sees the MRI results as positive.
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      “He won’t play for United before the World Cup and then (Didier) Deschamps will have to make a call on him.”
      While United will doubtless be glad the 29-year-old has not suffered a season-ending affliction, there are still six important games to play before the season is halted for the tournament.
      And these games could make or break the club’s season, with their hopes of progressing to the knockout stages of the Europa League at crunch time.
      The race for the top four is well and truly on too with United currently sitting in fifth – just one point behind fourth-place Chelsea.
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      In the three league games Varane has not started this season United have conceded seven goals.
      His importance to the team cannot be understated, with he and Lisandro Martinez forming a formidable partnership which has kept five clean sheets in eight games when starting together.
      For France it is also a big blow, with Varane one of the core members of the squad which won the last World Cup in 2018.
      But Deschamps is blessed with a plethora of options, and could opt to bring in Arsenal stalwart William Saliba following his impressive start to the season. More

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      Robbie Williams faces fury over plan to perform in Qatar for World Cup – after gig at Russia 2018 opening ceremony

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      ROBBIE Williams has faced fury over plans to perform at the World Cup in anti-gay Qatar. The singer, 48, will have scored a “huge own goal” if he sings in the repressive host country, one disappointed fan said. 
      Robbie Williams performing at the 2018 World Cup opening ceremony in RussiaCredit: Getty
      CEO of the Qatar World Cup 2022 Nasser Al Khater and Director General of Qatar’s World Cup Organising Committee Yasir Al JamalCredit: Getty
      Another said it would be “incomprehensible” for the showman, long perceived to be a supporter of the LGBT community, to play there, the Mirror reported. 
      It comes after it was announced Williams would be among the big acts playing at the Qatar Live concerts in December. 
      Homosexuality is illegal in Qatar and gay people face fines or up to seven years in jail. World Cup chiefs had to give assurances that gay fans won’t be persecuted when they arrive next month.
      The country has also been condemned for its treatment of women and migrant workers. 
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      TV’s Paul O’Grady, 67, said: “I’m surprised at Robbie. There’ll be a backlash by the LGBTQ community if he does perform.
      “No amount of money would get me there.”
      Williams, currently on his XXV tour, also performed at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. He is set to play at the Doha Gold Club on December 8.
      Phil Dann wrote on a fan page: “How do fans make an official protest?
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      “I’m sorry but the Qatar World Cup is wrong on many levels and I am disappointed that Robbie feels it is ­acceptable to so blatantly support it. It is a huge own goal for him.”
      Nic Schwarten added: “His opinion seems to be clear, otherwise he wouldn’t appear there. It’s really incomprehensible that he appears there.”
      Robbie Williams’ reps have been approached for comment.
      Today we revealed England’s World Cup build-up is in a heap of rubble — with the team hotel a construction site just a month before kick-off.
      The Sun witnessed migrant builders in overalls toiling in 35C heat to finish a swimming pool for Three Lions stars.
      A pool bar and changing room were still being hewn from bare breeze blocks.
      Outside the hotel entrance camels watched welders and workmen start turning a dusty site into a car park.
      But bosses at the Souq Al Wakra Hotel, where the Football. Association has booked all 101 rooms, insist work will be completed before Gareth Southgate’s team arrives next month.
      Meanwhile, a cockroach-ridden £650-a-night hovel is among filthy rip-off flats on offer to England fans at the Qatar World Cup.
      We posed as Three Lions followers to view the tiny concrete box described by its owner, Hilal, as “adorable” on rental site Airbnb.
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      The flat, with its cracked walls, soiled mattress and at least five ’roaches in the kitchen, was next to a noisy building site in Doha.
      Another Airbnb host, Riham, was offering digs in the capital with stained walls and a lounge kitchenette for £534 a night.
      The Lusail Stadium in Qatar, which is hosting this year’s World CupCredit: AFP More

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      I posed as Three Lions fan to view filthy rip-off flats in Qatar – I was disgusted with what I found

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      A COCKROACH-ridden £650-a-night hovel is among filthy rip-off flats on offer to England fans at the Qatar World Cup.We posed as Three Lions followers to view the tiny concrete box described by its owner, Hilal, as “adorable” on rental site Airbnb.
      We posed as Three Lions followers to view a tiny concrete box described by its owner, Hilal, as ‘adorable’ on rental site AirbnbCredit: Dan Charity
      A cockroach-ridden £650-a-night hovel is among filthy rip-off flats on offer to England fans at the Qatar World CupCredit: Dan Charity
      The flat, with its cracked walls, soiled mattress and at least five ’roaches in the kitchen, was next to a noisy building site in Doha.
      Another Airbnb host, Riham, was offering digs in the capital with stained walls and lounge-kitchenette for £534 a night.
      Mohammad showed us snaps of his “lovely” three-room property near Khalifa Stadium — a World Cup ground — at £1,789-a-night.
      They were among dozens of grubby homes advertised by landlords hoping to cash in as fans fear a looming Cup accommodation crisis.
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      A million are expected to descend on the Yorkshire-sized oil-rich state.
      Qatar 2022 chiefs insist there will be plenty of Fan Village Cabins to be had and urge fans to avoid the private rental market.
      Omar Al-Jaber, Supreme Committee accommodation boss, said: “We’ll cope. There’s no crisis.”
      They were among dozens of grubby homes advertised by landlords hoping to cash in as fans fear a looming Cup accommodation crisisCredit: Dan Charity
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      Man Utd verdict: Luke Shaw gives England a rare bit of good news as return to form secures spot on plane to Qatar

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      GARETH SOUTHGATE might be keeping his World Cup plans a secret but Luke Shaw can be pretty sure that he will be on the plane to Qatar.England boss Southgate is refusing to reveal the identity of the 55 players he has chosen as the basis for his travelling party before whittling it down to 26 names next month.
      Shaw impressed for Man Utd at Stamford Bridge on Saturday eveningCredit: Getty
      The England left-back was defensively solid and assisted the equaliserCredit: Getty
      But Manchester United defender Shaw will know deep down inside that he can start packing his suitcase after recapturing his form at just the right time.
      And that wasn’t something he could have said with any certainty not so very long ago after finding himself out in the Old Trafford cold.
      Dropped after United’s disastrous start to the season following back to back defeats by Brighton and Brentford, Shaw suddenly found himself playing second fiddle to summer signing Tyrell Malacia.
      But although results gradually improved for new boss Erik ten Hag, his team still weren’t exactly rock solid at the back.

      And with Malacia getting the mother of all run-arounds during the humiliating 6-3 defeat at Manchester City, Ten Hag had little option but to recall Shaw to his starting line-up.
      And Shaw, to his credit, has barely put a foot wrong since as United have developed a new-found resilience in recent weeks.
      Up against Three Lions rival Ben Chilwell, Shaw put in another impressive shift to keep his team in touch with their top four adversaries.
      And just when it looked as the brainless penalty conceded by sub Scott McTominay was going to derail the United revival, it was Shaw who came up with the priceless stoppage-time assist for Casemiro’s dramatic last-gasp equaliser.
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      For while Chilwell started the match as a wing-back and had greater licence to get forward than orthoxox left-back Shaw, it was the United man who provided the greater attacking threat early on.
      There were only nine minutes on the clock when he surged into space to try his luck from distance with a low shot which flew just the wrong side of the far post.
      Minutes later he helped to tee up Antony for the game’s first shot on target.
      And twice his clever forward passes deserved better than to pick out Jadon Sancho and then Marcus Rashford – both of whom were too slow to get back from offside positions.
      It is clear that Shaw, now in his ninth season at United, has taken Ten Hag’s words to heart and accepted that his days of coasting along are over.
      Unlike Cristiano Ronaldo, he did not kick up a fuss when he was relegated to the bench and acknowledged that he needed to up his game.
      Now he is reaping the benefits of his hard work as he proves he can be a match for anyone when he is properly at it.
      Up against England team-mates Mason Mount and Raheem Sterling, Shaw was always alert to the danger.
      When Sterling got a rare sniff of goal 10 minutes after the break, it was Shaw who stepped in with a crucial clearing header.
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      Every time he got the ball, he always looked to find a team-mate rather than just launching it as far from his goal as many defenders are prone to do.
      And at a time when England defenders are dropping like flies, Shaw’s timely return to form is a rare bit of good news for Southgate. More

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      Emotional Man Utd star Raphael Varane breaks down in tears after being forced off injured and fearing World Cup is over

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      DEVESTATED Raphael Varane limped off the Stamford Bridge pitch in tears with his World Cup dream potentially in tatters.The Manchester United centre-back tried to intercept Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as the Chelsea man sprinted down the left wing.
      Raphael Varane was in tears as he limped off against ChelseaCredit: AFP
      Varane went down after trying to tackle Pierre-Emerick AubameyangCredit: AFP
      But as the French ace stuck out his leg to make the tackle, his knee jarred into the turf and reportedly damaged his hamstring.
      Varane then face-planted as he collapsed in clear agony during the 1-1 draw in West London.
      And the former Real Madrid man was visibly distraught as he was treated by United medics – knowing the injury could rule him out of the World Cup.
      Varane played a key role in Russia four years ago as France went all the way to lift the trophy, beating Croatia in the final.
      READ MORE ON MAN UTD
      He played every minute of the seven matches – captaining the side for the 0-0 draw against Denmark.
      And he scored a crucial goal, just his third for his country, for the winner against Uruguay in the quarter-finals.
      But the way he reacted after getting back to his feet suggested the damage could be bad.
      Varane buried his head in his shirt as team-mates consoled him.
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      He appeared to reject the offer of a stretcher as he let his emotions out.
      Manager Erik ten Hag – who has also been without Harry Maguire due to injury – had a brief word with the gutted defender as he trudged off.
      But no words could surely have helped before he headed straight down the tunnel.
      France begin their World Cup defence in Qatar against Australia a month today before facing Denmark and Tunisia in Group D.
      Asked about his star defender’s injury, Ten Hag said: “I think he’s calmed down.
      “He has to wait to see what it [injury] is.
      “He can’t tell, the medical staff can’t tell, we have to wait for the assessments and that takes time, minimum 24 hours.”
      Jorginho thought he had won the game for Chelsea with his 87th-minute penalty but Casemiro’s header in the fourth minute of injury time just crossed the line to rescue a point.
      Varane could not hold back the tears as the emotions kicked inCredit: AFP
      Erik ten Hag consoled his defender as he headed off the pitchCredit: Reuters More

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      England facing World Cup headache with base close to nightly rave spot with DJ sets from Calvin Harris and Fatboy Slim

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      ENGLAND’S World Cup base is situated close to a “nightly rave” festival, it has been revealed.The Three Lions begin their campaign in Qatar against Iran on November 21, before games against USA and Wales over the following eight days.
      England’s World Cup base is situated just two miles away from the electronic festivalCredit: Ray Collins
      It is thought that the noise should not disturb England’s campCredit: Getty
      They are staying south of Doha at the Souq Al Wakra in Al Wakrah.
      According to The Telegraph, that is just TWO MILES away from the electronic music festival Aravia by MDLBEAST.
      And this year it is set to feature the likes of Calvin Harris, Fatboy Slim, Tinie Tempah and Jorja Smith.
      It begins on the same day as England’s World Cup opener against Iran – with 5,500 fans set to be in attendance.
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      However, the report does state that Gareth Southgate’s men are thought to be far away enough that they will not be disturbed by noise.
      Their residence also has high walls to offer privacy to those inside.
      It comes after David Beckham recently claimed England’s base was in a “quiet area”.
      Speaking to Gary Neville on The Overlap, he said: “It feels it is in the middle of nowhere and it’s on the beach. What more do you want?

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      “What you look for is tranquillity more than anything.
      “As much as you want a little bit of atmosphere around the hotel, at a tournament, all you care about is the games and it is the perfect set-up.”
      On Friday, SunSport revealed witnessing migrant builders in overalls toiling in 35C heat to finish a swimming pool for the England squad.
      A pool bar and changing room were also being hewn from bare breeze blocks.
      Read More on The Sun
      Outside the hotel entrance, camels watched welders and workmen start turning a dusty site into a car park.
      But bosses at the Souq Al Wakra Hotel, where the Football Association has booked all 101 rooms, insist work will be completed before Southgate’s team arrives next month. More

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      Reece James aims to be shock World Cup inclusion with injured Chelsea ace not giving up on playing for England in Qatar

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      CHELSEA star Reece James is not giving up on going to the World Cup as he hopes to make a shock recovery in time to join England in Qatar.James, 22, suffered a knee injury last week in the Champions League against AC Milan at the San Siro and was told he will be sidelined for two months.
      Chelsea star Reece James issued an update on his recovery after surgery
      Reece James is determined to recover in time to join England in the World CupCredit: Getty
      That should mean he will miss next month’s World Cup, which starts on November 20 with Three Lions manager Gareth Southgate expected to announce his squad just before the final deadline of November 13.
      Despite that, the 22-year-old posted a short update on his recovery from surgery and vowed to do “everything he can” to recover in time to join England.
      The Chelsea full-back did add however that he is “devastated” by the fact he looks more than likely to miss out on his first opportunity to play in the esteemed tournament.
      James said in a YouTube clip: “Last week against AC Milan, I went in for a tackle and got injured. I didn’t think it was too bad.
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      “After the game, I stayed an extra day in Milan and just thought maybe it was a little niggle.
      “A day or two later I saw a surgeon, and he told me that I was going to be out for around two months.
      “Yeah, it’s obviously devastating. The World Cup is only one month away.
      “As a kid growing up, I always wanted to go and this is my first opportunity.
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      “I’ll do everything I can to be there, but I’m obviously devastated. You know, the injury came at the wrong time.
      “But every day we need to be grateful and thankful. But yeah I’ll keep you updated with what’s happening on a day-to-day basis. And yeah I’ll touch base soon guys.”
      Southgate is facing quite a crisis at right-back with Manchester City star Kyle Walker also dealing with a groin injury while Liverpool ace Trent Alexander-Arnold has struggled on the pitch this season. More

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      Calls to kick Iran out of World Cup grow after sending military experts to help Russian troops in Ukraine

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      CALLS to kick Iran out of the World Cup are growing after it deployed military experts to Ukraine to help Russian troops.The strict Islamic state sent personnel to Crimea to assist with the deadly bombardment of Ukraine’s towns and cities with kamikaze drones.
      Calls to kick Iran out of the World Cup are growing after it deployed military experts to Ukraine to help Russian troopsCredit: AFP
      Iran sent personnel to Crimea to assist with the deadly bombardment of Ukraine’s towns and cities with kamikaze drones, aboveCredit: AP
      Protests are also raging after 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, arrested for not wearing a headscarf correctly, died in custodyCredit: Newsflash
      The country is already under fire for killing more than 200 protesters including 23 children. They rose up over the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, arrested for not wearing a headscarf correctly.
      Campaigners also urged Fifa to act because of its ban on women attending football matches, imposed in 1979 by clerics who said that letting them watch men play in shorts “promotes promiscuity”.
      Iran are due to face England on November 21 but a petition urging Fifa to kick them out has more than 22,000 signatures.
      One campaigner said: “Iranians believe the team is not representing them but a regime which is hurting its own people and violating their rights.
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      “Fifa claims to ‘Strive to promote the protection of human rights’ — so start striving Fifa and protect us and our rights.
      “Many countries have been banned from the World Cup before for the violation of human rights.
      “It’s time the Iranian regime pays the price.”
      This week it emerged Iranian IT experts were deployed to Crimea to help Russia operate the Shahed-136 drones which have blitzed power plants and residential areas.
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      The Iranian-made weapons destroyed almost a third of the country’s power stations and killed at least four people.
      White House national security spokesman John Kirby said: “We assess that Iranian military personnel were on the ground in Crimea and assisted Russia in these operations.
      “Tehran is now directly engaged on the ground, and through the provision of weapons that are impacting civilians and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. The US will pursue all means to expose, deter and confront Iran’s provision of these munitions against the Ukrainian people.”
      The Iranian regime is facing its biggest threat since the 1979 revolution after weeks of violence since student Mahsa died.
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      Fifa kicked Russia out of their World Cup semi-final play-off in February after Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine.
      Fifa has been contacted for comment. More