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Jose Mourinho says he has not given up hope of being handed a Premier League winner's medal if Manchester City are stripped of their titles.

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• Mourinho finished second with Man Utd
• Hoping for medal if City lose titles
• Portuguese icon preparing to face former club

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Fenerbahce boss Mourinho is currently preparing to take on former club Manchester United in the Europa League. Ahead of Thursday's match, Mourinho has looked back on his time with the Red Devils and admitted he hasn't yet given up hope of being handed a Premier League winner's medal. Mourinho guided United to a second-placed finish in the 2017-18 campaign, finishing behind local rivals Manchester City, and the Portuguese boss thinks there's still a chance that his team can be crowned champions if City are found guilty of breaching FFP rules and are stripped of their titles.

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  WHAT MOURINHO SAID

  He told reporters: "As you know, we won the Europa League, we finished second in the Premier League. I think we still have a chance to win that league if they punish Manchester City. And then they have to pay me the bonus and give me the money! I wish the best to Manchester United since the day I Ieft, I want the best for them."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Mourinho was sacked by Manchester United in 2018 after two-and-a-half years in charge of the club. During that time he won the League Cup and the Europa League but couldn't deliver a Premier League title. Mourinho did manage to secure runners-up spot for United, an achievement he has subsequently claimed "was one of his best achievements in football" because "people don’t know what is going on behind the scenes." Meanwhile, Manchester City could face punishment if found guilty over their alleged 115 breaches of Premier League rules. It's been claimed sanctions could range from points deductions, relegation or even the possibility of being stripped of their league titles.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MOURINHO?

  Mourinho has not enjoyed the best of starts to life with Fenerbahce. His team are currently down in fourth place in the league table and he has been accused of "generating unhappiness and hopelessness" in the dressing room. The self-titled 'Special One' will hope to get one over his former side on Thursday, while United are in need of a win after opening their Europa League campaign with two draws.

Nicolas Jackson will not receive retroactive punishment for slapping a Nottingham Forest player during Chelsea's 1-1 draw on Sunday.

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Jackson appeared to slap MoratoStriker has escaped FA punishmentChelsea & Forest still chargedFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Several players from Chelsea and Nottingham Forest got involved in a heated brawl during their draw in the Premier League on Sunday at Stamford Bridge. The altercation began when Forest’s defender, Neco Williams, forcefully pushed Chelsea's Marc Cucurella into his own head coach, Enzo Maresca, sparking chaos on the touchline.

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As the situation escalated, Jackson lost his cool and was spotted slapping Forest defender Morato. However, after a thorough examination of the incident by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), it was concluded that there was insufficient evidence of violent conduct to charge the player, and the FA has also refrained from taking action against the striker.

WHAT THE FA SAID

While Jackson may have escaped individual sanctions, both Chelsea and Forest have been charged by the FA for their failure to control their players during the scuffle.

The FA issued a formal statement on Tuesday which read: "Chelsea and Nottingham Forest have been charged after the mass confrontation at their Premier League fixture on Sunday, 6 October. It is alleged that both clubs failed to ensure their players did not act in an improper and/or provocative manner around the 88th minute."

The FA has given both clubs until Thursday, October 10, to respond to the charges.

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DID YOU KNOW?

In addition to the brawl, Chelsea's Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana have been handed suspensions for accumulating five yellow cards this season – the first players to reach the milestone in 2024/25.

Meanwhile, Chelsea’s lack of discipline on the field has also landed them in financial trouble. They picked up six yellow cards during the game, which is typically enough to trigger a £25,000 fine under FA rules. However, this was not Chelsea's first incident of the season, as they had previously accumulated similar charges in their 1-0 victory over Bournemouth last month. As a result, Chelsea will now be subject to a doubled penalty of £50,000 for the collective misdemeanours of their players.

أعلن الاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة القدم “كاف” منذ قليل عن هوية الفائز بجائزة أفضل لاعب في إفريقيا لعام 2024.

وأثار الإعلان عن قائمة اللاعبين المرشحين لجائزة أفضل لاعب في إفريقيا، جدلًا واسعًا، لا سيما بعد غياب النجم المصري محمد صلاح، قائد منتخب مصر ونادي ليفربول الإنجليزي، عن القائمة.

طالع أيضاً.. مباشر | حفل جوائز الكاف 2024

وتنافس 5 لاعبين في القائمة النهائية، على جائزة أفضل لاعب في القارة السمراء عن العام الحالي، وهم الإيفواري سيمون أدينجرا لاعب برايتون الإنجليزي، والغيني سيرهو جيراسي لاعب بوروسيا دورتموند الإلماني، والمغربي أشرف حكيمي لاعب باريس سان جيرمان، والنيجيري أديمولا لوكمان لاعب أتالانتا، والجنوب إفريقي رونوين ويليامز حارس ماميلودي صن داونز. أفضل لاعب في إفريقيا لـ عام 2024

وأعلن الاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة القدم عن فوز النيجيري أديمولا لوكمان لاعب أتالانتا بتلك الجائزة للمرة الأولى في مسيرته.

وقدم لوكمان أداء متميزًا مع فريق أتالانتا خاصة بعد التتويج بـ لقب الدوري الأوروبي في الموسم الماضي. لحظة تتويج أديمولا لوكمان بجائزة أفضل لاعب في افريقيا 2024

When the stars align, they spell 𝐀𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐥𝐚 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐦𝐚𝐧. 🌟

Ladies and gentlemen, your Men’s Player of the Year! 🏆#CAFAwards2024 pic.twitter.com/xtHxJozThj

— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) December 16, 2024

As Jurgen Klopp's last Liverpool game approaches, so does Joel Matip's after the Reds confirmed that the defender will be leaving upon the expiry of his contract at the end of the season.

Liverpool transfer news

It's fitting in many ways that Matip is leaving on a free deal, given that he is likely to go down as one of the best free agents to have ever signed for Liverpool, particularly in the Premier League era. The defender won every major trophy there is to win in English football with his infamous mazy runs from the backline becoming synonymous with Klopp's Liverpool.

Now, Liverpool must find a replacement for those mazy runs and defensive prowess, which has already seen the likes of Goncalo Inacio and Ousmane Diomande steal the headlines. The two Sporting CP defenders have both enjoyed excellent campaigns under once Liverpool-linked Ruben Amorim, but it may not be either of them who Liverpool sign to replace Matip.

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According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are eyeing a move to sign Antonio Silva in a move that could see the Reds trigger his €100m (£86m) release clause to hijack Manchester United's potential deal. In one move, the Reds could get one over on their rivals and replace Matip with a statement-making arrival from Benfica.

The central defender, who is still just 20 years old, even has the potential to eventually help Liverpool replace Virgil van Dijk in the long-term, whilst alongside the likes of Ibrahima Konate and Jarell Quansah. They may not even have to rely on triggering Silva's hefty release clause too, with Benfica reportedly willing to negotiate a cheaper price in desperate need of easing financial concerns this summer.

"Hero" Silva could kill two birds with one stone

At the top of Liverpool's defensive priority list should be to replace Matip, but with replacing Van Dijk not too far down that list, ticking both off at the same time would certainly be ideal. And at such a young age, Silva has the time and potential to do just that. Described as a "hero" by Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig, he certainly has his fans too.

Beating Manchester United to Silva's signature would certainly be an ideal way for Michael Edwards to kick off his first summer back at Anfield, especially if he can negotiate a cheaper price in the type of move he's become famous for over the years.

Progressive Carries

0.93

0.93

0.92

Progressive Passes

4.60

5.69

3.91

Tackles Won

1.48

0.67

0.69

Interceptions

0.79

1.05

1.03

Ball Recoveries

6.22

4.81

6.67

With that said, Silva will be one to watch when the summer transfer window swings open and Liverpool look to bolster their defence under Arne Slot.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS really admire a "genius" manager as a possible replacement for Erik ten Hag at Manchester United, according to TalkSPORT's Anil Kandola.

Man Utd manager latest

The Red Devils finished a hugely disappointing season in positive fashion on Sunday afternoon, following a 2-0 win away to Brighton in the Premier League. That hasn't done too much to change the managerial situation at the club, however, with Ten Hag still under pressure to keep his job.

The Dutchman still has the FA Cup final against Manchester City to come on Saturday afternoon, and the result at Wembley could have a big say on his future. A host of individuals have already been touted as possible replacements, should Ratcliffe decide to sack him, with Thomas Tuchel emerging as a strong early candidate.

The German will leave Bayern Munich this summer, immediately making him more attainable, and he is seen as United's potential answer to Jurgen Klopp at Old Trafford. England boss Gareth Southgate has also been backed to come in as Ten Hag's successor, with former Liverpool defender Jason McAteer recently claiming that a current player has told him that he is heading to the club after Euro 2024.

They are just a few of the names who have been mentioned, assuming Ten Hag doesn't manage to keep his job, and now a significant update has emerged regarding another rumoured target.

Ratcliffe likes "genius" manager for Man Utd

Taking to X, Red Devils fan and TalkSPORT pundit Kandola claimed that Ratcliffe and INEOS are fans of Roberto De Zerbi, seeing him as an ideal fit after his departure from Brighton:

"In light of the news Roberto De Zerbi will be leaving Brighton, do NOT be surprised if he’s linked with the Man United job over the next couple of days. I’m told he has big admirers within the INEOS structure and fits the mould of what the new ownership are looking for."

There are certainly plenty of positives when it comes to United potentially appointing De Zerbi this summer, with the Italian doing an impressive job at Brighton, playing eye-catching football and guiding the Seagulls to a sixth-place finish in the Premier League last season.

His stock has arguably fallen a little in recent months, mainly due to his side's season petering out, but he is a huge talent if you go by his own players' comments, with Adam Lallana saying recently: "It's important that they (fans) keep sticking with the lads and stick with the manager, because we've got a genius here – there's no other way to put that."

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There is no guarantee that Ten Hag will be sacked, of course, although a heavy cup final defeat to City could be the straw that broke the camel's back.

Richie Richardson and Joel Wilson could be flown in to dilute home-official focus for bio-secure series

George Dobell21-May-20200:56

Stuart Broad enjoys first day back at Trent Bridge

The prospect of Chris Broad officiating in a match involving his son, Stuart, could provoke a rethink at the ICC ahead of the resumption of international cricket in England.The ICC cricket committee recently recommended a suspension in the use of neutral officials to cope with challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic. That means there is a real prospect of the Test series between England and West Indies being officiated by the four English umpires on the ICC’s 12 strong elite panel: Nigel Long, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough and Michael Gough.But Chris Broad is the only English representative on the ICC’s elite panel of seven match referees. And while no one is questioning his impartiality as an official, it is understood there have been some raised eyebrows in the Caribbean at the prospect of the Test series against England taking place, not only with English match officials, but under the auspices of a match referee who is not only a former England player but the father of one of the current side’s key players.One option that is likely to be considered is inviting Richie Richardson, the former West Indies captain, to fulfil the role instead. Richardson is also a member of the ICC’s elite panel and could be included on the charter flight paid for by the ECB which will accommodate the West Indies playing squad. Joel Wilson, the Trinidadian, could also be invited along with a view to filling one of the umpiring spots.ALSO READ: No saliva on ball, home umpires recommended by ICC cricket committeeIt is currently uncertain if Wilson or Richardson would be prepared to leave the relative safety of the Caribbean, where there have been few Covid-19 cases, to embark on a trip that would involve an extended period in isolation.Another option – and probably the more likely at present – would be to refer any alleged Code of Conduct cases back to ICC Cricket Operations in Dubai. Any subsequent hearings would then be organised through them and run remotely.The ICC are understood to be continuing to work through the appropriate checks and balances required in order to allow cricket to resume during the pandemic with as few compromises as possible.Stuart Broad currently has one active demerit point on his ICC record, after been overheard using “inappropriate” language towards South Africa’s captain, Faf du Plessis, during the Johannesburg Test in January.

Harry Kane is growing tired of his wait for major silverware, with the Bayern Munich striker admitting his “main goal is to win titles” in 2024-25.

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England star waiting on major silverwareHeartache suffered with club & countryDetermined to break his duck this seasonGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The prolific frontman plundered 44 goals during his debut campaign at the Allianz Arena, but still ended that season empty-handed. His luck showed no sign of turning at international level either, with more final heartache endured as England captain at Euro 2024.

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Kane has rejoined the ranks at Bayern and is raring to go once more. There is a determination on his part to ensure that a long-running debate regarding his lack of tangible success is brought to a close over the course of what could be nine productive months in Germany.

GettyWHAT KANE SAID

The 31-year-old forward has told of his targets heading into the new season: “I want to keep scoring goals and help the team. But the main goal is to win titles. We have to get Bayern back to winning titles. That’s my goal, and that’s the club’s goal. It won’t be easy, but we have a great coach, we have a lot of fresh energy, and high intensity in training. You will see that in the games too.

“I’m very excited to see how it goes. I’m very excited to see how things will go with the new coach and the way we play. We’ll have a lot of the ball and get a lot of chances. For me, that’s the perfect way to play. I hope I’ll get a lot of chances and put a few of them away.”

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WHAT NEXT?

Bayern now have Manchester City legend Vincent Kompany at the helm, with the Belgian being charged with the task of getting the Bundesliga giants back on track. They have domestic honours in their sights, while also hoping to go deep into another quest for Champions League glory.

Whilst much of Leeds United's focus is of course on winning promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, those at Elland Road have also been turning their attention towards keeping hold of Daniel Farke's best players when the summer rolls around.

Leeds transfer news

The Whites are close to completing an incredible promotion comeback in the Championship to bounce straight back to the top flight after last season's relegation. Farke's side could even pick up the Championship title in what would be a monumental failure from Leicester City's perspective, given that the Foxes looked destined to stroll towards glory at one stage.

Yet, despite silverware and promotion potentially awaiting at the end of the season, Leeds could still face a battle to keep hold of their best players this summer. Already, Crysencio Summerville has attracted plenty of reported interest from the likes of Chelsea, whilst Leeds are reportedly set to offer Archie Gray another new contract in a drastic attempt to fend off interest in their young star this summer.

However, we wouldn't be talking about potential Elland Road exits without talking about Wilfried Gnonto. Phil Hay initially reported in January that the winger was close to signing a new contract at the club in a positive update. Now in March, however, the Yorkshire club still face a nervous wait.

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According to Graeme Bailey, Gnonto is yet to fully sign a new deal at Leeds, despite his representatives agreeing on terms with the club.

Gnonto would be crucial to Premier League survival

Whilst he has endured his struggles throughout the current campaign, especially in the first half, Gnonto has proven his worth in the last month or so and that should only lead to a new contract. The Italian has shown the kind of form needed to keep a side in the Premier League, which may prove to be crucial if the Whites earn promotion this season.

With eight goals and two assists in all competitions this season – six of which have come in his last nine games – Gnonto has finally rediscovered his best form at Elland Road to steal the headlines for the right reasons in their push for Championship glory. A new contract would be a fitting end to a fine period of form.

Walter Bou has marked himself out as a potential Puskas Award contender with an unbelievable strike for Lanus against Tigre.

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Bou scored 90th-minute overhead kick His strike gave Lanus 3-2 winScored in Argentine Primera Division 2nd phaseWHAT HAPPENED?

In the second phase of the Argentine Primera Division, 30-year-old striker Bou scored an absolute screamer to win the game 3-2 for Lanus. Receiving the ball in the air on the edge of the box, he cushioned it with his chest before thumping an overhead kick across goal and into the back of the net from 20 yards out. Unbelievable.

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Since joining Lanus from Velez Sarsfield in January, Bou has scored an impressive 14 goals in 25 appearances. However, this is the best of the bunch, without a doubt. When the Puskas Award shortlist is revealed later this year, don't be surprised to see this man's name in contention.

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(C)Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR LANUS?

That dramatic late win over Tigre takes Lanus up to ninth place after an impressive start to the campaign. Next up, they play Deportivo Riestra on Friday.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Botafogo terá mudanças para a decisão da Taça Rio. Ricardinho deve ser a novidade da equipe comandada por Marcelo Chamusca no duelo diante do Vasco neste sábado, às 15h05, em São Januário.

O camisa 8 treinou como titular nas atividades durante a semana e tudo indica que iniciará o duelo no lugar de Matheus Frizzo, como publicou inicialmente o “Ge” e o LANCE!confirmou.

O provável Botafogo para enfrentar o Vasco é Douglas Borges; Warley, Kanu, Sousa, Paulo Victor; Romildo, Ricardinho, Pedro Castro; Ronald, Rafael Navarro, Marco Antônio.

Sem Jonathan, fora da partida por conta de um desconforto na coxa esquerda, Warley continua na lateral-direita. Após perder o jogo de ida, o Botafogo precisa vencer por, no mínimo, um gol de diferença para levar o duelo para os pênaltis.

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