Chris Sutton has hit out at Gareth Southgate over the England manager’s passionate defence of Harry Maguire and says his speech will have ‘poured petrol on the fire’.

The Manchester United centre-back’s inclusion in the Three Lions squad for this month’s internationals was criticised due to his lack of game time for the Red Devils, having made just one substitute appearance in the Premier League this season.

He was also given a particularly rough time when introduced at half-time of Tuesday’s 3-1 friendly win over Scotland, with the Hampden Park fans mocking and jeering him – particularly after he netted an own goal.

Afterwards, Southgate criticised the English media and pundits for creating the situation and branded the criticism and scrutiny Maguire has faced as a ‘joke’ in a passionate post-match press conference.

Sutton, who may have been one of the targets of Southgate’s ire after branding Maguire a ‘training ground player’, has now hit out at the England boss and believes he has made the situation even worse.

‘Southgate poured petrol on the fire with what he said after Tuesday’s game, suggesting “idiots” are to blame for the “joke” that is Harry Maguire’s situation,’ Sutton told the Daily Mail.

‘Southgate will have to share some of that blame now, though, because he has attracted more attention to the defender.

‘Arsenal fans celebrated when he was brought on against them. Scotland supporters cheered his every pass.

‘It went wrong for Maguire in both of those matches and he can expect more of the same treatment the next time he plays because, thanks to Southgate, rival fans know they’re getting under skins.

‘They won’t suddenly stop their mock cheers, they will double down.

‘It would have been more beneficial for England’s manager to say it is part and parcel of being an elite footballer and that Maguire is tough enough to deal with it.

‘I’m sure he is, and I sympathise with Maguire because it is a big ask for a player who is hardly playing for his club to perform for his country. But the criticism will not stop. Certainly not now.’

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Harry Maguire insists he is more than capable of handling the abuse that has come his way recently while he also explained why a move away from Manchester United did not materialise over the summer.

The centre-back’s inclusion in the latest England squad was criticised after making just one substitute appearance in the Premier League so far this season and he was mocked mercilessly by Scotland fans in Tuesday’s friendly win in Glasgow, in which he scored an own goal.

Afterwards, manager Gareth Southgate blamed the English media, pundits and even supporters for the treatment and scrutiny Maguire currently faces and labelled the criticism a ‘joke’.

Maguire has now addressed the mockery he has been subjected to in recent months and insists it is not affecting him mentally, while he is happy to keep taking the heat if it means his team-mates are spared of the same kind of treatment.

‘Well, it pretty much takes the pressure away from my team-mates and puts it all on myself! It makes them play better, for sure,’ Maguire told reporters after the 3-1 win over Scotland.

‘I would not say I am a person who struggles with pressure mentally. I have been through a lot in the last couple of years and I have been Manchester United captain for nearly four years.

‘You take a huge lot of responsibility and everything that comes with it – and that is a lot of bad as well as good.

‘But it was a huge honour (to play for England against Scotland). It was a hostile environment – when you hear the national anthem and the way they disrespect that – and they piled pressure on myself. I would not say I am used to it, but I can deal with it.’

Maguire came close to leaving United after West Ham had a £30million bid accepted but talks broke down over personal terms, though the 30-year-old is happy to fight for his place at Old Trafford.

Asked about the failed West Ham move, he continued: ‘How can I put this? We just didn’t come to an agreement and they were happy for me to stay and I was happy to fight for my place. I want to do that and every time I train or play I will give everything.

‘I considered everything (in the summer) and I know, at the moment, when I have not started a game in the first four of the season, the story comes to me.

‘I finished off last season with two very strong performances for England and I have played in all five matches to help put us where we are in qualifying, so I need to keep performing when I get chosen.

‘Listen, at club football, I want to play games, I want to play football. The first four weeks were hard because it was one game a week and the manager (Erik Ten Hag) didn’t select me, but we have lots of games coming up now and I am sure I will play lots of games.’

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Manchester United chiefs John Murtough and Richard Arnold have been forced to step in to try and de-escalate the dispute between Erik ten Hag and Jadon Sancho, according to reports.

There are huge question marks over the 23-year-old’s future at Old Trafford under Ten Hag after he publicly refuted his manager’s claims regarding his performances in training.

Sancho was not included in United’s matchday squad to face Arsenal before the international break, with Ten Hag citing the winger’s less-than-impressive showings in training as the reason.

But the former Borussia Dortmund attacker was clearly livid with his manager’s comments and posted a message on social media platform X – formerly known as Twitter – disputing Ten Hag’s version of events and saying he was being made a ‘scapegoat’.

Sancho has now deleted his post and the pair held clear-the-air talks when he reported to Carrington on Monday, but it appears the situation is still not resolved.

According to the Daily Mail, the dispute is proving rather complicated and both football director Murtough and CEO Arnold are taking an active role in trying to resolve the issue.

Murtough is playing a particularly prominent role in trying to de-escalate tensions while Arnold is being regularly updated on the progress of talks, but so far there is still something of an impasse between player and manager.

Although Sancho removed his social media post – which was viewed as the first step towards a resolution – the matter is still rumbling on and it remains to be seen whether the winger will be involved against Brighton on Saturday.

Despite Antony being on a leave of absence and a host of players having been away on international duty, there is no guarantee that Sancho will be back in the matchday squad.

There is thought to be a degree of sympathy for Sancho with United not receiving approval from the player to go public with his mental health battle and there was concern behind the scenes when Ten Hag publicly remarked about his ‘mental’ fitness.

Murtough and Arnold are hopeful that the dispute will be settled but the fact they have been drawn into the issue underlines the depth of the rift between Sancho and Ten Hag.

The United manager will speak to the media on Friday at his pre-match press conference ahead of facing Brighton with Sancho set to be the primary topic of conversation.

In the wake of Ten Hag saying his performances in training were not at the level required, Sancho had tweeted: ‘Please don’t believe everything you read! I will not allow people saying things that is completely untrue, I have conducted myself in training very well this week.

‘I believe there are other reasons for this matter that I won’t go into, I’ve been a scapegoat for a long time which isn’t fair! All I want to do is play football with a smile on my face and contribute to my team.

‘I respect all decisions that are made by the coaching staff, I play with fantastic players and grateful to do so which I know every week is a challenge. I will continue to fight for this badge no matter what!’

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Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is set to hold showdown talks with Andre Onana over his decision to return to international duty with Cameroon.

The £47million summer signing hung up his national team gloves at the end of last year after falling out with manager Rigobert Song, even leaving the World Cup in Qatar early to fly home.

But he ended his exile this month after the Cameroon football federation and even the government helped broker peace talks, with Onana keeping a clean sheet in a 3-0 win over Burundi on Tuesday to secure qualification for January’s Africa Cup of Nations.

While that is good news for Cameroon, it has presented something of a headache for United with the goalkeeper potentially missing as many as nine matches in all competitions.

To add further drama into the mix, The Mirror are reporting that the 27-year-old never brought up the prospect of ending his international retirement during transfer talks and even told Ten Hag he had no intention of returning.

Ten Hag will now hold showdown talks with his goalkeeper to ascertain whether he plans to represent Cameroon at the African Cup of Nations, or whether his outing was simply a one off.

The Dutch coach is hoping it is the latter and ideally does not want his number one keeper playing in the month-long tournament, particularly when there are significant question marks over the backup options.

United brought in Altay Bayindir on deadline day as a late replacement for Dean Henderson, who joined Crystal Palace, but the Turkish keeper is yet to make his debut.

Tom Heaton, who is now 37, is another potential option but ideally Ten Hag is hoping that Onana decides against playing at the Africa Cup of Nations, with the former Inter keeper believed to still be undecided about his long-term international future.

Ten Hag was asked about Onana’s decision to return to Cameroon duty before the international break, saying: ‘I know everything about it, of course we spoke about it.

‘We are in good contact with Andre. We are on the same page. We know how we constructed the squad and can deal with it, if we need to.’

The African Cup of Nations takes place between January 13 and February 11 meaning Onana would miss Premier League games against Tottenham, Wolves, West Ham and Aston Villa if Cameroon reach the final of the tournament.

There are also two rounds of FA Cup ties and potentially a two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final scheduled over that period as well, while a last-16 Champions League match could be played just 48 hours after the AFCON final, meaning there are a total of nine matches where United could be without Onana.

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West Ham came ‘very close’ to signing Harry Maguire from Manchester United over the summer, Irons coach Kevin Nolan has revealed.

Maguire seemed destined to leave United having fallen out of favour with Erik ten Hag and getting stripped of the captaincy.

Though the centre-back’s form has badly dipped for his club, he is still a trusted England international and there was a good amount of interest in him during the last transfer window.

West Ham were the clear frontrunners for his signature and after weeks of negotiations they agreed a £30million fee with the Red Devils, in a move that seemed to suit all parties involved.

However, the transfer collapsed with reports suggesting that personal terms could not be agreed and that Maguire wasn’t interested in the move and didn’t even speak to manager David Moyes.

Maguire has ended up staying at Old Trafford – much to the annoyance of fans – though an injury crisis in defence means he will still be of use to Ten Hag.

The Irons are unlikely to revive their interest in the player in January, having since signed former Arsenal defender Konstantinos Mavropanos from Stuttgart instead.

Now, Nolan has detailed as much as he can about why the move failed to materialise, telling talkSPORT: ‘I think it was very close, I was a bit upset that we didn’t make it [happen].

‘I think it was just in the end, the money didn’t get sorted from what I can gather which is obviously upsetting from our behalf because we wanted to [sign him].

‘Probably upsetting from Harry’s behalf and probably United’s behalf as well.

‘I think the gaffer [Moyes] was in contact with Harry, his agent and everything else but yeah, obviously we then had to move onto our next target.’

That last bit of information would suggest that Maguire did in fact speak to the West Ham manager about the move, though it’s not clear whether the ‘money’ refers to the player’s wages or the transfer fee.

After a difficult start to the season, United will be hoping for better when they host Brighton on Saturday, while West Ham will be aiming to keep their unbeaten start going when they host Manchester City on the same day.

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Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel won’t rule out making a sensational return to the Formula One grid.

However, the legendary German driver admits it’s not something he’s thinking about right now.

Vettel retired from F1 at the end of last year following a hugely successful 15-year career, which included four titles, 53 wins, 57 pole positions and 122 podiums across 300 grand prix.

Such is his popularity and ability however, that the 36-year-old has been touted for a comeback on multiple occasions, most notably just before the 2023 season started.

When Lance Stroll injured his wrist on the eve of pre-season testing, Aston Martin explored the possibility of bringing Vettel back for the opening round in Bahrain, though Stroll was eventually passed fit to race anyway.

Nevertheless, the rumour mill keeps spinning and though he is enjoying retirement, the former Red Bull and Ferrari star has suggested he could return to the cockpit one day.

In an interview with Sky Sports, Vettel was asked if he was keeping himself race-ready and replied: ‘Yeah, but because I want to, not because I’m like, come back or if somebody falls out I’m going to [step in], not because of that.

‘But so I guess my neck is not up to speed. No, it can’t be, but everything else is pretty, pretty good, I would say.’

It is not rare for past champions to return to F1 after a hiatus, with Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen, Nigel Mansell, Niki Lauda and Alain Prost prominent examples.

Put to him that he could follow suit, Vettel said: ‘I can’t say no, because that you don’t know.

‘I think it’s something that if you asked all of them, probably some of them would have said “no”. And some of them I don’t know, but in the end all of them came back, so I can’t exclude it.

‘It probably will depend much on when, and obviously it’s not endless, because 36 is not like, “yeah in 10 years’ time”. Maybe I think about it when time has passed but it will depend on the challenge, whatever, but it’s not in my head right now.

‘And I’m enjoying the sort of outlook of the challenge of what to do next. It will be the way I see it, the biggest challenge for any racing driver and the biggest challenge for any sportsman, sportswoman, what do you do after?

‘Because naturally you will be like 30-35, 40-45 – depending on your sport and discipline. And then what?

‘There’s a lot of life left and life can be great even though you’re not racing, you know, the absolute limit in the fastest car in the world, but you can still do lots of great things that give you great pleasure.’

The 2023 F1 season continues this weekend with the Singapore Grand Prix, a race Vettel has won a record five times, with his triumph in 2019 the last win of his career.

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Nicolas Pepe was part of a clique with fellow former Arsenal players Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang which ultimately led to his departure from the north London club, according to reports.

Arsenal spent a then club-record fee of £72million in 2019 to sign Pepe on a five-year deal from French club Lille after he scored 22 goals in 38 league games the season prior.

But he failed to live up to expectations during his four-year spell at Arsenal, struggling for form and fitness before eventually being usurped by Bukayo Saka in the starting line-up.

The Ivorian spent last season back in Ligue 1 at Nice – scoring six league goals in 19 appearances – but returned to Arsenal this summer when the French club turned down the chance to make the loan move permanent.

Having attracted little transfer interest in the summer window, Pepe subsequently had the final year of his contract terminated by the club, allowing him to join Turkish side Trabzonspor on a free transfer.

The 28-year-old ended his Arsenal career with 27 goals in 112 games and recent reports can perhaps begin to shed light on why the winger’s spell at the club didn’t go to plan.

Pepe is said to have formed a three-man clique alongside Lacazette and Aubameyang during his time at the Emirates, with the trio spending a lot of time together.

According to ESPN, manager Mikel Arteta was not happy with the emergence of the small, breakaway group and increasingly felt it was stiffling the club’s progress.

Pepe is also said to have gained a reputation as being one of the last out onto the training pitches and rarely spoke to club staff who did not work with the first team.

The report also claims that Pepe would ‘hang back’ with Lacazette and Aubameyang in the changing room while the other players went out for sessions on time.

The writing has been on the wall for Pepe for some time and all three players have now left the club as Arteta installed new leaders in the dressing room and created a more cohesive environment.

Aubameyang was stripped of the captaincy in December 2021 after a series of disciplinary breaches, with the striker later moving to Barcelona at the end of the January window that season.

Lacazette became first-choice captain until the end of that season but, at the end of the campaign, the striker also departed the club and returned to Lyon.

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Gary Lineker feels that struggling Arsenal star Kai Havertz is a superior player than Tottenham’s Richarlison and Manchester United’s Anthony Martial.

Havertz joined the Gunners from Chelsea this summer in an eyebrow-raising £65m move – a deal many Arsenal fans, pundits and ex-players questioned given that the 24-year-old was largely underwhelming in his three years with the Blues.

The Germany international has failed to hit the ground running at his new club with boss Mikel Arteta forced to defend Havertz on several occasions already.

Arteta has even suggested that Havertz’ team-mates are partly responsible for his early teething problems.

Despite Havertz’s struggles in north London, Lineker feels he is still better than Spurs’ Brazil international Richarlison, who has flopped since his £60m move from Everton last summer.

Lineker also ranked Havertz above United’s Martial, following reports that United may look to release the Frenchman next summer.

‘I don’t think at the minute you can judge any Chelsea player on last season’s performances,’ Lineker said about Havertz on the No Ratings Podcast.

‘The club was in turmoil, it was a mess, it was a shambles, they all underperformed. I think there’s something in Havertz, and what gives it to me is he scored a winning goal in a Champions League final, he did that.

‘The others at the moment have underachieved a bit. Martial has the talent but I don’t know if he’s a bit soft mentally or unlucky with injuries.

‘I would personally put Havertz first, then either or, maybe Martial, because he has a record, and Richarlison still has it to do, although I think he’s capable.’

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Graham Potter is holding out for a Champions League club after rejecting an approach from Rangers, according to reports.

Rangers are considering replacements for Michael Beale after the club’s shaky start to the new season in which they have already lost two of their opening four Scottish Premiership games and have failed to reach the Champions League group stage.

Potter, meanwhile, has been out of work since he was sacked by Chelsea in April and has turned down a move to Lyon earlier this month.

According to The Sun, Rangers made an approach to Potter’s representatives but the former Chelsea and Brighton manager has rejected a switch to Ibrox.

The report claims that Potter is holding out for a club who play Champions League football, or a team that has ‘clear potential’ to qualify consistently for the competition.

Speaking after his side’s 1-0 defeat to Celtic earlier this month, Beale insisted that he sympathised with unhappy Rangers supporters.

‘I understand it when the results have been the last two. I understand the frustration with the fans,’ Beale said.

‘It is with the shirt. It is not just at Rangers, it is anywhere. It is a derby, a game where there is a lot of emotion involved and the fans expect their team to get a result and we didn’t.

‘That is par for the course. In terms of pressure, you are always under pressure in this job. You are only ever a couple of results not going your way to feel that.

‘The most pressure is the one we put on ourselves and we have fallen short of that today because I expected and wanted us to get a result.

‘Over the course of the 90 minutes, I think the result is harsh on us but in terms of these games, they are only about the result.’

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Manchester United have submitted their 25-man Premier League squad – with a few somewhat surprising inclusions.

All Premier Leagues had to name their squads on Wednesday, though only players over the age of 21 have to be included.

That means the likes of Alejandro Garnacho and new signing Rasmus Hojlund are not on the list but are still eligible to play.

The six other summer additions – Mason Mount, Andre Onana, Altay Bayindir, Jonny Evans, Sofyan Amrabat and Sergio Reguilon are as expected included.

However, a trio of stars currently on the fringes of Erik ten Hag’s side have made the cut, namely Jadon Sancho, Antony and Donny van de Beek.

Antony has been given a leave of absence from Old Trafford as he contests allegations of domestic abuse against him, but his selection perhaps suggests that United feel the matter will be resolved soon.

Van de Beek meanwhile is a player that most will have forgotten is still with the Red Devils, as the midfielder was largely expected to leave over the summer after three terrible years at the club.

The Dutchman was linked with a whole host of clubs across Europe, including Real Sociedad, but ultimately United were unable to shift him despite being willing to listen to ‘any offers’ for the flop.

But most eye-catching of all is the inclusion of Jadon Sancho, whose future in Manchester is very uncertain following his public war of words with Ten Hag.

The winger held crunch talks with his manager earlier this week and though some reports suggest he is now desperate to leave the club, in an interesting development the 23-year-old has now deleted his social media post in which he called Ten Hag a liar.

He had been named in United’s Champions League squad last week and his inclusion in the Premier League one could be further interpreted as a sign that he has begun to mend his relationship with his boss.

Alternatively, it could mean nothing at all and it should also be noted that Sancho does help United toward reaching their eight homegrown players quota.

We are likely to learn more about Sancho’s fate ahead of United’s first game back from the international break, with the Red Devils hosting Brighton on Saturday.

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Mykhailo Mudryk is running out of time to make his mark at Chelsea after his disappointing start to life at the club, according to Glen Johnson.

Chelsea spent nearly £90m to sign the Ukrainian international from Shakhtar Donetsk in last season’s January transfer window, beating Arsenal to his signature after the north London club had also shown interest in the pacey winger.

Mudryk, however, has failed to live up to expectations and justify his price tag so far at Stamford Bridge and is yet to score in 18 Premier League appearances for the club.

The 22-year-old hasn’t started a league game so far this season under new Blues manager Mauricio Pochettino, with former Chelsea right-back Johnson suggesting the Ukrainian needs to turn around his fortunes sooner rather than later.

‘I do believe that the clock’s ticking for him because everybody talks about him every single week,’ Johnson told GGRECON.

‘I feel sorry for him because it’s not easy when you go to a big club, especially with the expectations that Mykhailo’s had on his shoulders.

‘Ultimately, I do believe that he has the attributes to turn it around but he’s got to do it quickly.’

Mudryk started for Ukraine in their 1-1 draw against England but was benched on Tuesday as his nation lost 2-1 to Italy to drop to third in Group C of the Euro 2024 qualifiers.

He also finds himself on the bench for his club, with Ben Chilwell currently occupying the most advanced role for Chelsea on the left-hand side.

Having signed an eight-and-a-half-year contract, Mudryk has time to rediscover his form and Johnson believes needs to become ‘more aggressive’ if he is to earn a spot in Chelsea’s starting XI.

‘I don’t mean that I want him to be physically aggressive, I want him to keep pushing defenders back every time when you consider how quick and direct he is,’ Johnson added.

‘He’s capable of blitzing any defender and sometimes I believe that he plays against his attributes. If you’re that quick, you should always be looking to take someone on one-on-one or do something productive so that the fans can get behind you.

‘When that happens, he may be able to find some confidence and he can hopefully grab a few more goals and assists.’

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Ben Stokes has broken the record for an individual score by an England batsman in a One Day International, bludgeoning 182 against New Zealand at The Oval.

The 32-year-old was in blistering form in London, battering 15 fours and nine sixes on his way to the record-breaking score that set England up for a mammoth 181-run victory to claim a 2-1 lead in the series.

Jason Roy had previously held the record for highest individual score, making 180 against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in January 2018.

Roy broke Alex Hales’ record of 171, set at Trent Bridge against Pakistan in 2016, while the previous record of 167 had stood for 23 years, with Robin Smith making 167* against Australia way back in 1993.

Stokes had retired from ODIs but returned last month to play in the upcoming World Cup in India, starting on 5 October.

England national selector Luke Wright’s words at the time now seem prophetic, as he said: ‘The return of Ben Stokes only adds to that quality with his match-winning ability and leadership.

‘I am certain that every fan will enjoy seeing him back in an England ODI shirt again.’

England finished the first innings of the match on 368 all out, the second highest total ever in an ODI at The Oval, only behind the 398/5 New Zealand made at the ground in 2015.

Stokes and Malan put on an enormous partnership of 199 for the third wicket, with Malan falling on 96 to Trent Boult, who ended with impressive figures of 9.1-51-5.

New Zealand needed to make a strong start in response but were reduced to 37-4 and, despite a useful knock from Glenn Phillips, were all out for 187, with England securing a thumping 181-run victory.

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Manchester United ‘admire’ Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, amid doubts about the futures of Antony and Jadon Sancho at Old Trafford.

Antony has been given a leave of absence following allegations of domestic abuse in his native Brazil.

While the Brazilian denies the accusations and he has not been suspended, it throws his future at the club into doubt.

Sancho cast major doubt on his own future when he essentially called Erik ten Hag a liar following his exclusion from United’s squad to face Arsenal before the international break.

The Dutchman claimed his decision was based on Sancho’s performances in training, but Sancho said he was being used as a ‘scapegoat’ by Ten Hag.

Though Sancho has since deleted the tweet, United were happy to sell him to a Saudi Arabian club before the transfer deadline.

Nevertheless, unless there’s a dramatic turnaround in the pair’s relationship, Sancho’s long-term future looks bleak at the club.

United are therefore assessing their options in the market and the Daily Mail say Napoli ace Kvaratskhelia has admirers at Old Trafford.

The Georgian was sensational last term as the Italians ended their 30-year wait for a Serie A title.

The Italians showed their resolve in keeping Victor Osimhen this summer, despite interest from United and a host of top European clubs.

They are similarly keen to keep Kvaratskheila, and value him at significantly more than £100m.

It would therefore take a club record bid for United to sign the Georgian, but Napoli will listen to interest from the Premier League.

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Mark Selby says facing Judd Trump is a similar challenge to taking on Ronnie O’Sullivan as the pair prepare for a rare meeting in the Shanghai Masters quarter-finals.

Both men triumphed in dramatic deciding-frames on Tuesday, with Selby edging Hossein Vafaei 6-5 and Trump beating Jack Lisowski by the same scoreline.

Outside of short-format events, the two former world champions first met way back in 2008, but it has not been a regular occurance at all in recent years.

They have played just once in the last four years, with Trump getting the better of the Jester from Leicester in the semi-finals of the 2022 Champion of Champions.

Selby is excited about the challenge, although he is well aware that an in-form Trump is a huge test.

‘It gets easier dont it?’ Selby joked after beating Vafaei. ‘I can’t rememebr the last time I played Judd, I think it’s been quite a while.

‘I think the last time I played him would have been hte Champion of Chamions at Bolton, semi-final. He played well and beat me there.

‘Looking forward to it. It’s always great to play Judd, you always know you’ve got to turn up. Very similar to playing Ronnie.

‘I’ll have a day off and come back fresh Thursday.’

Trump has been aware of his lack of opportunities against Selby for some time, noting back in 2021: ‘Everyone likes rivalries but we haven’t met at all over the last couple of years, we’ve barely played.’

With just one match between them since, he is also looking forward to the challenge, although points out that Selby is looking as good now as he has done for a while.

‘I haven’t played Mark Selby…whenever we’re due to meet one of us loses. We don’t evet meet,’ said Trump.

‘He’s a different player than the last two or three years, the last season he looks completely different, I think he’s due.’

While a meeting between the two top players has proved rare of late, a clash in a final is far more elusive with their only showpiece together coming all the way back at the China Open in 2011, which Trump won 10-8.

The quarter-final in Shanghai is on Thursday 14 September at 7am UK time.

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Gary Neville advised Harry Maguire to seek the help of a psychologist, after the centre-back endured another nightmare display for England against Scotland.

Maguire has fallen out of favour at Manchester United, playing just 24 minutes in the team’s first four games so far this Premier League season.

Despite this, the 30-year-old was still called up to the latest England squad, with boss Gareth Southgate forced to defend his decision to stick with the out-of-form centre-back.

Maguire came off the bench at half-time in England’s 3-1 win against Scotland on Tuesday, but his cameo appearance was a main talking point after the game after the defender scored an unfortunate own goal.

Neville, who worked with England between 2012 and 2016, admitted he saw a psychologist during his career and has suggested that seeking professional help may allow Maguire to return to his best on the pitch.

‘I’ve been there,’ Neville told the BBC. ‘Every player has. When I lost my confidence, I saw a psychologist to help me through those moments.

‘But there’s nothing you can do other than show up, try your best and not give in.

‘At some point, his form will return. I would suggest he does what I did. I did go and see my doctor at Manchester United. I did go and see a psychologist. You do need external help at times.’

Maguire started England’s first game of the international break as Southgate’s side drew 1-1 in their Euro 2024 qualifier against Ukraine.

Southgate once again defended Maguire after Tuesday’s game at Hampden Park – criticising the ‘idiotic’ treatment that the United centre-half has been subjected to.

‘He was exceptional for us at the weekend,’ he told beIN Sports after the match. ‘The reaction tonight is a consequence of idiots really from our side who have created that environment.

‘So what I think was brilliant tonight was our fans who were here recognised that they’re going to protect their own. We should be doing that.

‘We’re creating a problem for our own player. Some of the articles that were written, some of the comments that were made, were an absolute joke.

‘He’s been a tower of strength for us through one of the most successful periods of English football and the response tonight – I understand Scottish fans, they’re having some fun – but it’s created by our own side, it’s ridiculous.’

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Red Bull chief Helmut Marko says he does not want to discuss his controversial comments on Sergio Perez, saying he ‘will only talk about sporting matters’ from now on.

Last week, Marko yet again found himself in hot water after making xenophobic comments toward his own driver following the Italian Grand Prix.

The 80-year-old said: ‘Let’s remember that he [Perez] is South American and so his head is not as focused as Max Verstappen or as Sebastian Vettel was.’

As well as incorrectly stereotyping an entire continent, his words drew criticism for the simple fact that Perez is from Mexico which is of course in North America.

Initially, Marko, the head of Red Bull’s driver development programme, refused to apologise, instead doubling down on his remarks by saying: ‘I meant that a Mexican has a different mentality than a German or a Dutchman.’

But eventually, he did say sorry: ‘I would like to apologise for my offensive remark and want to make it absolutely clear that I do not believe that we can generalise about the people from any country, any race, any ethnicity.

‘I was trying to make a point that Checo (Perez) has fluctuated in his performance this year, but it was wrong to attribute this to his cultural heritage.’

Marko is infamous for making derogatory comments towards drivers both in the Red Bull family and elsewhere on the grid, and there is a growing feeling among fans that action must be taken against him.

Perez and Red Bull are yet to comment on the matter publicly, though it will surely a big topic of discussion in the build-up to this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix.

However, Marko claims he has no plans to comment further on the controversy, telling German publication F1-Insider: ‘If there are questions about that, I won’t answer them. I will only talk about sporting matters.’

At Marina Bay, the all conquering Red Bull have the opportunity to clinch the constructors championship with seven races still to go, though for that to happen they would need to finish 1-2 and the Mercedes’ of Sir Lewis Hamilton and George Russell would have to fail to score.

Having won all 14 races so far in 2023, many expect Red Bull to take victory, with Verstappen aiming to extend his consecutive win record to 11 grand prix.

Marko has aired on the side of caution however, saying: ‘A lot can always happen there. Verstappen has never won in Singapore.

‘Last year there was a misunderstanding with him in qualifying. That meant the race was already over. Fortunately, Sergio then took the victory.

‘Recently, turns 16 to 19 have been dropped. That makes the circuit faster and more unpredictable for us in the run-up.

‘But I’m most worried about Ferrari. They were already very strong in Monza. One thing is certain: Once we’ve come through Singapore on a positive note, I’ll be able to sleep a little easier.’

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France head coach Didier Deschamps says he is ‘surprised’ by Paul Pogba’s failed drugs tests and is adamant that the midfielder would not knowingly take a banned substance.

Pogba is potentially facing a lengthy ban after testosterone was found in his system during a drugs test with Juventus last month.

The former Manchester United midfielder has the opportunity to submit an appeal but could be suspended for up to four years if found guilty.

Deschamps has worked extensively with Pogba during their time together in France’s national team and has revealed that he has already reached out to the 30-year-old.

‘Obviously I am very surprised but I have nothing to judge the matter on,’ Deschamps told TF1.

‘He has a lot of things on his plate, it is a very difficult time. I will have time to speak to him in the next few days, I have already sent him a message.’

Asked if he believed Pogba would have knowingly taken a banned substance, Deschamps replied: ‘I can’t imagine it, knowing him he wouldn’t do it.

‘He has a strong head on his shoulders. I remember the discussions we had about the Covid vaccine.

‘But the substance is in his body and we don’t know how it got there.’

Bayern Munich and France winger Kingsley Coman also issued his support to Pogba.

‘We all support Paul, he’s a very close friend, he’s part of the family,’ Coman said.

‘We don’t really know more, we’ll have to look. But we know Paul, we knows that if something happened, it was surely unconsciously, without intention. We are with him wholeheartedly.’

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Juventus are looking at possible replacements for Paul Pogba after he failed a drugs test and Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is on their radar.

Pogba is provisionally suspended after a test, carried out after Juve’s 3-0 win over Udinese on 20 August, found he had elevated levels of testosterone in his system.

Juventus said in a statement on Monday: ‘Juventus Football Club announces that today, 11 September, 2023, the footballer Paul Labile Pogba received a precautionary suspension order from the National Anti-Doping Tribunal following the results of tests carried out on 20 August, 2023.

‘The club reserves the right to consider the next procedural steps.’

Rafaela Pimenta, Pogba’s agent, confirmed that his team are waiting on a second sample, adding: ‘What is certain is that Paul Pogba never wanted to break a rule.’

However, if found guilty the Frenchman faces a ban of up to four years, likely ending the 30-year-old’s career at the top level.

Juventus are already looking at solutions and La Repubblica report that Partey is one of the candidates they would look at if Pogba does receive a ban.

The Turin giants were interested in Partey over the summer and reportedly made contact with Arsenal over the possibility of a move but the Ghanaian has stayed in north London and remains a key figure under Mikel Arteta.

The 30-year-old started the first three Premier League games of the season, missing out on the win over Manchester United last time out due to a groin problem.

The Gunners would certainly not be keen to let him go in January unless they could find a suitable replacement.

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Gareth Bale has aimed a cheeky dig at Arsenal after fellow Welshman and former Gunners star Aaron Ramsey made a jibe at Tottenham last week.

Ramsey expressed his disappointment that Wales star Brennan Johnson had left Nottingham Forest to join Arsenal’s north London rivals Spurs this summer.

‘I wish it weren’t to Tottenham,’ Ramsey said about Johnson’s move to Spurs while on international duty.

‘The potential he has is quite scary and hopefully he can take those next steps and go to the next level.

‘He’s going to be important for Wales as well. He’s going to be huge for us over the years to come and we’re all excited that he has another platform to go on and improve himself again.’

Former Tottenham winger Bale, asked if he felt Johnson had picked the right club this summer, said on Wednesday: ‘For sure. Better than Arsenal.

‘He’s doing well. I think the more that he plays in the top flight now, the better that he’ll get.

‘Like you said, the skies are the limit. As long as he’s playing football, improving and doing well, it’s good for Tottenham and good for Wales.’

Bale also shared his views on new Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou, with the north Londoners having made an impressive start under the Australian.

‘It’s great to see, I think they’ve got their style back, that’s something the club was obviously looking for as well, seeing how he performed at Celtic,’ Bale added.

‘A great start, hopefully there’s still more to come from the team.

‘They’ll obviously just keep getting better and better with the new manager and a new kind of style.

‘Hopefully they can put themselves up there and give themselves a chance.’

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Arsenal’s plan to sign Ousmane Diomande next summer could be hijacked with ‘three or four clubs’ reportedly now looking at the Sporting Lisbon star.

The Gunners have told Sporting they will return with an offer to sign the defender next year after the Gunners had a €35m (£30m) bid rejected this summer.

Young centre-half Diomande joined Sporting from Danish side Midtjylland in January in a deal worth €7.5m, having impressed in Portugal during a loan spell at Mafra in the first-half of the season.

Mikel Arteta has been an admirer since he made that switch with Arsenal approaching his club during the summer transfer window.

It is believed that the Gunners offered Sporting the chance to make a swift and sizeable profit on the Ivory Coast international with a €35m offer which was quickly rejected.

While Arsenal ended their interest for the time being, it is thought they fully intend to return with another offer next summer.

However, new reports indicate that Arsenal are now not alone in their desire to sign Diomande – despite tracking the player for a long time – with up to four clubs monitoring the 19-year-old, who has an €80m release clause in his contract.

Arsenal have already reinforced their defensive options this summer with the signing of Jurrien Timber, who arrived from Ajax in a £40m deal.

But the Netherlands international suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury on his debut against Nottingham Forest and could possibly be ruled out for the rest of the season.

The north Londoners are unbeaten in their opening four games of the new Premier League campaign and return to action on Sunday with a trip to Everton.

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Continuous aptly describes Aidan O’Brien’s strike rate in Flat racing’s five Classics in England.

The Irish trainer set a new record when Tuesday won the Oaks at Epsom last year and he raised the bar further with Auguste Rodin powering past the post to take the Derby in June.

Tot up the victories in those big races with the successes in the 1000 and 2000 Guineas and the St Leger, and O’Brien has saddled a Classic winner 42 times in his remarkable career.

He can extend that astonishing run with victory in Saturday’s St Leger and Continuous is the horse from his Ballydoyle stables in Tipperary who will triumph.

The three-year-old colt has really come to the fore during the summer, most recently winning the Great Voltigeur at York when producing a powerful finish from the back of the field to leave a strong supporting cast trailing in his wake.

That’s encouraging for his supporters as John and Thady Gosden’s Gregory, a big rival in the betting market, trailed in third on that occasion.

Continuous has to cope with an extra two-and-a-half furlongs at Doncaster and any rain softening the going would put his stamina in further question.

There’s also the fact that Gregory won the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot over the same mile and six furlongs as the Leger and Frankie Dettori is on board hoping to sign off with a victory in his last Classic before retiring at the end of the season.

Desert Hero is also interesting, having won the King George V at Royal Ascot and the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood over a mile and six but Continuous, who was 20/1 before victory on the Knavesmire, is the selection at 4/1 with William Hill and Sky Bet.

With the Rugby World Cup in full swing, and France seeking to build on their opening victory against New Zealand, it could pay to back Les Bleus in Thursday’s May Hill Stakes.

An impressive third behind Fallen Angel and Soprano on the July course at Newmarket, booking Ryan Moore to saddle Richard Hughes’ bay filly makes the 14/1 available with bet365 worth an each-way flutter.

Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy can land Friday’s Doncaster Cup with Coltrane at 6/4 with BoyleSports and BetUK.

• Philadelphia Eagles are 21/20 with Ladbrokes and Coral to beat Minnesota by over 7.5 points in their Thursday night NFL showdown. The Vikings will have to rely on their passing game to stay in contention, so classy wide receiver Justin Jefferson is set for a busy evening and should be backed at 5/6 with Bet Victor to complete over 7.5 receptions. He’s also 6/5 with the same firm to score a touchdown at any time.

• Max Homa is 15/2 with Coral and Ladbrokes to win the Fortinet Championship at Silverado in Napa, California, as the new FedEx Cup Fall competition commences.

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Frank Lampard is on Lyon’s shortlist as they search for a new manager to replace Laurent Blanc, according to reports.

The French giants are not in a good place, sitting bottom of Ligue 1 after picking up just one point from their opening four matches.

This led to Blanc leaving his post by mutual consent earlier this week, although a search for his replacement was underway even before then.

Reports emerged last week that Graham Potter was approached about a move to Lyon, but the Englishman turned it down.

Now another former Chelsea manager is being linked with the Lyon role – as Frank Lampard is being considered by the hierarchy at the club, according to 90min.com.

Lampard had a pretty disastrous season last time round, beginning it in charge of Everton before being sacked in January.

He then returned to Chelsea as interim manager between Potter’s spell in charge and Mauricio Pochettino taking over in the summer.

That stint in charge at Stamford Bridge did not go well at all, with just one win in 11 matches, losing eight of those games.

Also in contention for the job is former AC Milan, Napoli and Valencia manager Gennaro Gattuso, who has been out of work since January.

However, any candidate may be put off by the boardroom spat between current president John Textor and former president Jean-Michel Aulas, which is not aiding the concerning financial situation they are currently in.

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MORE : Chelsea star Ben Chilwell reveals the two Manchester United legends he looked up to growing up

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Chelsea star Ben Chilwell has revealed he admired watching two Manchester United legends growing up.

Chilwell was recently asked to pick his top five Premier League full-backs of all-time, with the United pair selected alongside two current Liverpool stars and an Arsenal and Chelsea icon.

Though many great full-backs have played for the Blues over the past thirty years, their current left-back admitted that he enjoyed watching the Red Devils when he was young, with one of their defenders making a great impression on him.

‘Patrice Evra. I used to like watching United games growing up and as a full-back, and as a left-back in particular, I used to watch his game pretty closely,’ the 26-year-old told the Premier League’s official website.

‘I liked the way that he played. Up and down, very adventurous. He seemed like a natural winger.’

Chilwell has become renowned for his attacking flair too, with nine goals and 13 assists in 89 games for Chelsea, great numbers for a defender.

The England international was recently made his club’s new vice captain by Mauricio Pochettino, with his leadership skills perhaps inspired by a former United skipper.

‘Gary Neville. He got endless Premier Leagues, won a lot of trophies with Man United. Seemed like a leader on the pitch, a leader off the pitch. Seemed like a real professional.’

As a Chelsea player, Chilwell also couldn’t leave out Ashley Cole, regarded by many as the best left-back in the league’s history due to all his success at both Stamford Bridge and boyhood club Arsenal.

‘He was someone who I spoke to when I first joined the club and I always respected him as a player. And then to meet him away from football as well and see what a good guy he was.

‘But on the pitch he was kind of one of the first full-backs to score goals, get assists, but could also defend.’

As for those currently playing, Chilwell couldn’t look past Liverpool’s star defenders, adding: ‘There’s a lot of good ones [full-backs] playing at the moment to be fair.

‘Andy Robertson. Over the past few years, as a left-back, he’s someone who I’ve respected. I’ve seen what he’s done at Liverpool and he’s won a lot of silverware there.

‘Trent Alexander-Arnold. His right foot, his crossing ability, his range of passing, free-kicks, set pieces. Technically one of the best full-backs I’ve seen.

Chilwell joined Chelsea from Leicester in 2020 and has since won the Champions League and UEFA Super Cup, as well as finish runner-up at Euro 2020 with England.

He has started this season in good form, though results haven’t matched performances, and is set to skipper his side this Sunday when they travel to Bournemouth.

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England goalkeeper Mary Earps has insisted that she will continue to push for more visibility and ensure Nike produce replicas of her goalkeeper shirt in future.  

Earps earned the Golden Glove award for a series of outstanding displays at the recent Women’s World Cup where the Lionesses fell to a 1-0 defeat against Spain in the final despite her heroic penalty save. 

Throughout the tournament, however, fans of the Manchester United player were unable to buy her shirt after the sportswear manufacturer failed to make them available for purchase due to a ‘commercial decision.’ 

A petition against the sportswear giant’s decision reached over 150,000 signatures with Nike eventually announcing after the tournament that ‘limited qualities’ would be made available for sale but, for Earps, it is evidence that more still needs to be done. 

‘I feel really strongly that there’s a large group of people who are not being served by our main sponsor,’ the 30-year-old told ITV News. 

‘It’s a really damaging message to send to young kids. And that again, just ties into my passion for football, my passion for goalkeeping. I feel really strongly about you know, making goalkeeping cool and make it accessible to people. 

‘I never expected to make any sort of change. I just guess I wanted to feel like a little bit heard and I wanted also the fans to know that I have really been trying hard and fighting for them. I do think that’s a responsibility when you do have, you know, some success it’s important to use your voice for good and not evil.’ 

Earps also revealed that the women’s team will resume their dispute with the Football Association regarding performance-related bonuses after the squad agreed to pause discussions on the eve of the World Cup in Australia.  

The Lionesses are said to be unhappy about the removal of FA bonuses after it was announced that players would receive individual payments directly from FIFA following the tournament.  

It is reported that the FA deem FIFA’s new payments to be a suitable alternative but that is not a view shared by the players who said they were ‘disappointed that a resolution has still not been achieved’ in a joint statement prior to the World Cup. 

‘Nobody wants to fight with anyone,’ Earps added. ‘Everyone’s here to all sing off the same hymn sheet and or push the game in in the right direction. And I’m sure if we all want that we’ll all have a positive conclusion.  

‘We’re due to meet up really soon. And I think that’ll be now everyone’s had a little bit of time to rest and digest and process we can pick up those conversations and move forward as a collective.’ 

Sarina Wiegman’s side are set to face Scotland in their first match of the newly formed UEFA Women’s Nations League on September 22.  

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Barcelona director Deco admits the club would be keen to sign Manchester City ace Joao Cancelo – provided he performs during his loan spell.

The Portugal full-back completed a one-year loan switch to the Nou Camp in August.

Cancelo spent the second half of last season on loan at Bayern Munich after a falling out with Pep Guardiola.

He returned for Manchester City’s pre-season tour but failed to resolve his differences with Guardiola.

City agreed to let Cancelo move to the Nou Camp but the club, who are in financial disarray, did not include any obligation to buy the Portuguese.

However, Deco says that’s something the club could be interested in next summer.

‘There’s no buy option in both João Félix and Cancelo deals — one year loan,’ said Deco.

‘If they perform at good level, we will try to keep them at the club.

‘We will be on it, this is not something being discussed today.’

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Uruguay boss Marcelo Bielsa has provided an injury update on Liverpool star Darwin Nunez and says the striker is struggling with ‘muscular difficulties’.

Nunez started Uruguay’s World Cup qualifying match against Ecuador on Tuesday but many were surprised when Bielsa decided to substitute the player at half-time.

The 24-year-old had starred in Uruguay’s previous game, providing two assists in a 3-1 victory over Chile.

‘Darwin arrived with some muscular difficulties and this limited his actions,’ former Leeds United manager Bielsa said.

‘I thought it necessary to replace him because he worked too much trying to press and attack in the last game.’

Nunez has been in fine form for Liverpool this season, producing a heroic performance at Newcastle last month in which he came off the bench and scored two goals in the last 10 minutes to secure the win when his side only had 10 men.

He followed that up with an assist in Liverpool’s last match, as Jurgen Klopp’s side recorded a 3-0 victory over Aston Villa.

The Reds return to action on Saturday when they travel to face Wolves – and it remains to be seen whether or not Nunez will be fully fit for that clash.

Liverpool signed Nunez in a £85m deal last summer and he has registered 17 goals and five assists across his opening 46 games for the Merseyside club.

Klopp heavily praised Nunez after his recent performance against Newcastle and revealed that the striker was ‘not happy’ about starting the match on the bench, which left him ‘fired up’ when he came on.

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Fan Zhengyi continued his impressive form at the Shanghai Masters with a superb 6-3 win over Mark Allen to advance to the quarter-finals.

The 22-year-old is an unpredictable performer, memorably winning the 2022 European Masters title out of nowehere, but also well accustomed to a first round loss.

He is looking in very good nick in Shanghai this week as he followed up a 6-2 win over Gary Wilson in his opening game with a brilliant victory over the Pistol on Wednesday.

World number three Allen looked great as he opened the match with a break of 135 and was leading the game 3-2 at one stage, but that was before Fan really hit his stride.

The Chinese talent made breaks of 88, 91 and 84 in the last four frames, during which time Allen scored just nine points as he was almost entirely frozen out.

The pair had met twice before with Allen winning comfortably on both occasions, so it was a notable upset and a morale-boosting win for Fan who sets up a quarter-final clash with either Neil Robertson or Ding Junhui.

It is a blow to Allen in a tournament he described as his ‘favourite event in China’ after an early exit from the European Masters last month as well.

Also booking a quarter-final spot on Wednesday morning was world champion Luca Brecel who battled to a 6-4 win over Mark Williams.

The contest had a bit of everything, with both men making centuries, while they also dug into tactical battles when required.

Brecel downed Williams on his way to the Crucible title in April, which was his first ever win over the Welshman, and he has followed it up with another big victory in China.

The Belgian Bullet takes on either Shaun Murphy or Robert Milkins in the last eight as he looks to follow up his shock Crucible triumph in style.

Wednesday afternoon (UK time) sees those quarter-final line-ups completed as Robertson takes on Ding and Murphy meets Milkins.

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Manchester United will be without Andre Onana for several games later this season after Cameroon qualified for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

United signed Onana from Inter Milan this summer in a deal worth £47.2m as he replaced David de Gea as the club’s No.1 goalkeeper.

The 27-year-old helped Cameroon secure a 3-0 win over Burundi on Tuesday night, which sealed their qualification for AFCON.

Onana has started all four of United’s Premier League games so far this term, keeping one clean sheet and conceding seven goals.

But United will now be forced to rely on their new back-up Altay Bayindir or third-choice goalkeeper Tom Heaton later this season due to AFCON.

The African tournament was delayed due to adverse summer weather concerns in the Ivory Coast and is set to take place from January 13 to February 11, 2024.

United are set to face Tottenham, Wolves, West Ham and Aston Villa in the Premier League during that period – meaning Onana could miss all those games.

FA Cup ties are also due to be played from January 6-7 and January 27-28, meaning Onana may not be present for those matches either.

It could get even worse for the Red Devils if they qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League and Cameroon do well at the African tournament, as United’s first-leg tie could be played just 48 hours after the AFCON showpiece.

Onana would also be almost certain to miss both legs of the Carabao Cup semi-finals too should United make it that far, meaning in a worst-case scenario Erik ten Hag’s side would have to play a total of nine matches without the goalkeeper.

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Richarlison has revealed that he will speak to a psychologist when he returns to Tottenham and says his tears on Brazil’s bench last week were due to personal issues away from football.

The 26-year-old was spotted crying on Brazil’s bench after he was substituted in the 5-1 win against Bolivia on Friday evening.

The assumption was that Richarlison, who has not scored in his last five appearances for Brazil, was unhappy after missing from close range against Bolivia.

But the Tottenham forward, who kept his starting role for Brazil’s 1-0 victory over Peru on Tuesday evening and had a goal ruled out for offside by VAR, has revealed that off-field issues have been a factor behind his struggles on the pitch.

‘That sad moment [on Brazil’s bench] wasn’t even because I played poorly, in my opinion I didn’t play a bad game in Belem, it was more of an outburst about the things that were happening off the field, which got out of control not on my part, but on the part of people who were close to me,’ Richarlison said.

‘I’m going to go back to England, I’ll seek psychological help, from a psychologist, to work on my mind. That’s it, come back stronger.

‘I believe I will be in the next squad, I will work for that. It’s about getting a good streak at Tottenham, this week I’m going to sit down and talk to them, I need a good streak, get the rhythm of the game and get here well.

‘On the field I’m a happy team player, I try to help as much as possible. Sometimes, things don’t go the way we want.

‘I think this part is a bit of the off-field side that ended up getting in my way. Even though you want to do things right, it ends up going wrong. I will continue to focus on the club, the storm has passed.

‘I went through a turbulent time in the last five months off the field. Now things are right at home.

‘People who only had an eye on my money walked away from me. Now things will start to flow, I’m sure I’ll get a good run at Tottenham and make things happen again.’

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Kendry Paez made history on Tuesday as he played for Ecuador in a World Cup qualification win over Uruguay, becoming the youngest player ever to represent La Tri at just 16.

The midfielder is still at Ecuadorian side Independiente del Valle, but has agreed a deal to move to Chelsea when he turns 18 in 2025 – something Blues fans will be getting increasingly excited about.

The teenager started the match against Uruguay, alongside future Chelsea teammate Moises Caicedo, and impressed in a 2-1 win for the home side in Quito.

In doing so he became the youngest player ever to turn out for the Ecuador senior side, and the second youngest South American to ever play international football behind the one and only Diego Maradona.

Paez has been making history on a regular basis in his young career, beomng the youngest debutant and scorer in the Ecuadorian top flight when he netted for Independiente del Valle at just 15, he then became the youngest scorer in the history of the Under-20 World Cup in May.

Caicedo was full of praise for the teenager when giving his take on him earlier this year, seeing a very bright future ahead for him.

Caicedo told La Cancha Con Majo: ‘He’s a crack! The truth is there are times where I watch Independiente games, it’s good to see those talents in Ecuador because we know we have very good youth.

‘I’m very happy for him, for everything that he’s doing.

‘All I can tell him is keep on the right track, doing things really well, and he’s going to go really far because the talent he has is incredible.’

Chelsea snapped up the youngster for £17m, which could prove to be a bargain when he joins them when he turns 18 in a couple of years time.

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