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ANOTHER VAR CONTROVERSY AT VILLA PARK AS MANCHESTER UNITED MAKE SPOT KICK RECORD

VAR took centre stage once more on Thursday night when a controversial first-half penalty was awarded to Manchester United during their encounter at Aston Villa.

Bruno Fernandes was involved in the major talking point at Villa Park, with the Portuguese winning a soft spot-kick which he then converted after treading on Ezri Konsa’s foot on the edge of the area before hitting the deck.

In winning the penalty United made it 13 spot-kicks for the 2019/20 Premier League season, equaling the record held by Leicester in 2015-16 and Crystal Palace in 2004-05.

It was a decision which left many bewildered, especially as it looked as though Fernandes had committed a foul on Konsa, as opposed to the other way round.

Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel expressed his disbelief at the decision on Twitter writing: “I am sorry, but that was not a penalty. VAR continues to be a joke..

“What is the point of VAR when it doesn’t correct a clear and obvious refereeing mistake like that?”

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Arsenal draw at Home

Jamie Vardy’s late equaliser gave Leicester City a vital point to keep their Champions League hopes on track and end Arsenal’s recent winning streak.

The Gunners looked on course for a fifth successive victory to maintain their own outside chance of a place in Europe’s elite competition next season after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang swept in his 20th league goal of the season in the first half.

Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel kept Arsenal at bay with a string of fine saves before the interval, twice denying Alexandre Lacazette as well as Bukayo Saka – and it proved to be a vital contribution.

Arsenal were reduced to 10 men with 15 minutes left when Eddie Nketiah was sent off four minutes after coming on as substitute for a high challenge on James Justin, and Leicester cashed in when Vardy slid home Demarai Gray’s cross in the 84th minute, the goal finally awarded after a lengthy VAR check for offside.

It was Vardy’s 22nd league strike of the season and restored his two-goal advantage over Aubameyang at the top of the Premier League scoring charts.

Leicester drop to fourth, four points ahead of Manchester United having played a game more, but this was an important point that left Arsenal frustrated in seventh.

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Chelsea go Third

Chelsea further strengthened their position in the Premier League’s top four with victory over Crystal Palace in an entertaining encounter at Selhurst Park, that included a stunning long-range strike from Wilfried Zaha and a rare goal from Christian Benteke.

There was an element of fortune about the game’s opening goal, with Palace defender Gary Cahill pulling up with a match-ending injury to allow Willian to charge into the box unimpeded and set up Olivier Giroud to finish.

But the rest of the match was a testament to the kind of competitive, high-octane, see-saw football that draws so many viewers to the English top flight, even when the grounds are empty of fans.

Twice Chelsea looked to have put the game beyond the home side, first through Christian Pulisic’s rising shot to make it 2-0 in the first half and then via Tammy Abraham’s neat finish with 19 minutes to go to put the Blues 3-1 up.

But this reckoned without the input of Zaha and Benteke.

Zaha’s goal was a superb strike, fiercely fired into the net via the crossbar from an unlikely distance. Benteke’s was more routine, tapped in from point-blank range following a neat move, but almost as surprising, it being his first goal at Selhurst Park since April 2018.

And Palace came within a whisker of snatching a point when Scott Dann’s back-post header struck the inside of the post before Chelsea hacked the ball clear.

Chelsea’s win means they move above Leicester into third place in the table, five points ahead of fifth-placed Manchester United.

With 42 to their name, Palace have too many points to worry about being dragged into a relegation fight, but manager Roy Hodgson and his side will be eager to end a losing streak that has now stretched to four games.

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Ferrari make changes to their car

Ferrari are bringing forward some planned upgrades to their car after a disappointing showing at the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix.

Lead driver Charles Leclerc was runner-up on Sunday, but the car was a second off the pace in qualifying seventh.

At this weekend’s Styrian Grand Prix, Ferrari will introduce some of the parts originally scheduled for the subsequent race in Hungary.

“We have to respond immediately,” chief executive officer Louis Camilleri said.

“We know there’s lots of work to do. This is certainly not the grid position that a team like Ferrari should have.

“It’s clear that we have to improve on all fronts. The only solution is to react.”

The car’s main problem was a lack of speed on the straights, where it was losing 0.7 seconds a lap to Mercedes.

Camilleri added: “It’s not that these new parts are expected to completely bridge the gap compared to the front of the grid.

“But the progress in terms of lap time could allow the team to move up the order and put the drivers in a better condition to be able to display their talent.

“Moreover, it’s about checking that the chosen direction of development is the right one, precisely because it will be possible to do a true back-to-back on every upgrade.”

Ferrari said before the race weekend that they had discovered a problem with their car since it ran in pre-season testing, prompting a “significant change of direction in terms of development”.

But their lack of pace in Austria was even worse than they were expecting – the car was not only a second off the Mercedes, but it was also nearly a second slower than Ferrari had been at the same track last year, when Leclerc was on pole position.

Camilleri, speaking in a statement issued by the team, said he had “every confidence” in team principal Mattia Binotto and the rest of the team to “address our shortcomings”.

Leclerc was running sixth for most of the race but moved up to second in the closing laps as a result of retirements in front of him and two audacious overtaking moves on McLaren’s Carlos Sainz and Racing Point’s Sergio Perez.

He later described it as one of the best drives of his career.

Team-mate Sebastian Vettel finished 10th, after a spin while trying an ambitious overtaking manoeuvre on Sainz. It was the latest in a series of mistakes during races that stretch back two years.

The four-time champion was struggling throughout the race with the handling of his car and said he was surprised he had not spun more times.

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LAMPARD NOT WORRIED OVER TAMMY ABRAHAM’S CONTRACT SITUATION

Chelsea boss Frank Lampard believes Tammy Abraham’s prolonged contract negotiations are not affecting his performances.

The 22-year-old reportedly came close to agreeing new terms earlier in the season following a fine start under Lampard.

Abraham has hit 13 Premier League goals but has failed to find the back of the net since a 3-0 win over Burnley on January 11.

His only start since the campaign resumed was in the defeat at West Ham last week – otherwise he has played second fiddle to the more experienced Olivier Giroud.

Lampard has put a lot of faith in his talented batch of youngsters and they have been largely successful, with Chelsea sitting fourth in the table.

The likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi, Reece James, Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori have all signed new contracts over the past year.

Abraham has yet to follow suit and he has just under two years remaining on his deal at Stamford Bridge.

“I think Tammy’s contract, we are not at a critical level with it,” Lampard said on the eve of the Premier League trip to Crystal Palace.

“I will leave it with him and the club to discuss that side of it. I don’t think it is something that is clearly in his mind now, at least it shouldn’t be.

“What needs to be in his mind now is these games we have coming up and how much he can give us on the pitch, whether coming on as a sub or starting the game.”

Lampard has also told Abraham to keep working hard in training to force his way back into the Blues side.

“He has had a really good season, he hasn’t scored as much in the second half of the season,” added Lampard.

“But as a young player it is always clear when you have these periods there is only one way out of it and that is work and repetition in training.

“I think that is where Tammy is at. I think the contract will hopefully look after itself between him and the club and he just needs to focus on giving us that Tammy that we had earlier in the season.

”He was giving defenders so much of a problem in games and scoring regularly and it all came from how he was training and working in the week.

“That is just what he has to sustain all the time.”

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NFL star gets record breaking contract

NFL star Patrick Mahomes has signed a 10-year contract extension with the Kansas City Chiefs worth a record $503m (£403m).

The extension will keep the 24-year-old quarterback at the Chiefs until 2031 and is the richest contract in the history of North American team sports.

Mahomes was named Super Bowl MVP for his performance in guiding the Chiefs to their first championship in 50 years in February, producing a stunning fourth-quarter display in a 31-20 win over the San Francisco 49ers.

“Chiefs kingdom, you’ve been with me since the beginning – from rookie year,” Mahomes wrote on Twitter.

“You helped us overcome adversity to become Super Bowl champs and we’re staying together for a long time. We’re chasing a dynasty.”

Mahomes was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 2018, in his first full season in the league.

“He’s an extraordinary leader and a credit to the Kansas City community, and I’m delighted that he will be a member of the Chiefs for many years to come,” said Chiefs chairman and chief executive Clark Hunt.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid added: “I’ve had the privilege of coaching a lot of incredible athletes and special people in my career, and Patrick is without question on that list of players.”

Mahomes, the 10th overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft, averages 302.4 passing yards per game, including play-offs, which is the most in NFL history.

He completed 319 of 484 passes for 4,031 yards and 26 touchdowns in the last regular season after throwing a league-high 50 touchdowns in 2018. He has also thrown 13 touchdowns in five career post-season games.

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ARSENAL BANISH GUENDOUZI FROM FIRST TEAM TRAINING AFTER ARTETA BUST UP

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has not included Matteo Guendouzi in first-team training since their disagreement in the aftermath of the Brighton defeat over two weeks ago.

The spaniard has dropped Guendouzi for the Gunners’ last four games after the midfielder clashed with Brighton’s Neal Maupay during Arsenal’s loss on June 20.

The Gunners boss last month alluded to “internal issues” which have seen the French midfielder miss those matches; all of which have been won by the north Londoners.

And The Athletic has claimed that Guendouzi has been training alone with a fitness coach after the boss seemingly ran out of patience with his player.

It is claimed that Arteta and technical director Edu were left unimpressed after holding a crisis meeting with the player following the Brighton incident.

Guendouzi had also drawn Arteta’s ire during the mid-season trip to Dubai in February – but returned to the line-up after being given a second chance by his boss.

But it seems Arteta has been left frustrated by Guendouzi’s response to his latest punishment.

The publication also claims that the boss, while aware that the midfielder possesses undoubted talent, is frustrated that the midfielder is yet to apologise.

Arsenal, it has been suggested, have also explored the possibility of using him in a swap deal in the summer transfer window.

Club chiefs are expected to meet with Guendouzi’s representatives in the coming days to discuss the situation.

Last month Arteta declared: “Whatever internal issues we have we will deal with them privately and I am never going to make any of that public.

“All the players that are here, I am counting on them. If they want on the boat, they are more than welcome and that’s always my mindset.”

Arteta has refused to answer questions as to why Guendouzi, after escaping a Football Association ban for grabbing Brighton striker Maupay around the throat, has not even made the bench since.

But, pushed to explain what his “on the boat” comment meant, Arteta explained the situation ahead of the win over Wolves.

He said: “Players that respect the values we want to implement, that they are 100 per cent committed to our culture, and players that are accountable every day for what we demand from them.

“Players that are ready to help each other, fight for each other and enjoy playing together.

“That is what I mean by being on the boat. If you behave like this every day, you are very very welcome here and we want to get the best out of you and help you to enjoy your profession with us.”

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Son and Lloris clash as Tottenham win

Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho says the half-time clash between goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and forward Son Heung-min was “beautiful” and “something needed for the team to grow up”.

Captain Lloris ran over and shoved Son in the back before the players went down the tunnel, with the pair having to be separated by their team-mates.

But they embraced at full-time after a 1-0 Premier League win over Everton.

Lloris said there was “no problem” after Monday’s match.

An uneventful encounter at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium almost boiled over when France World Cup winner Lloris reacted angrily towards Son, unhappy that the South Korea international had not tracked back to help prevent a chance for Toffees forward Richarlison.

“It just belongs to the changing room – outside you can say whatever you want. What happened between me and Sonny is part of football sometimes,” added Lloris.

“At the end of the game you could see we were more than happy.”

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ANTONIO CONTE FUMES AT INTER DEFEAT

Antonio Conte hopes Inter players feel at least “one per cent” of his disappointment following their 2-1 Serie A defeat to Bologna at the San Siro on Sunday evening.

Inter had forged ahead in the first half courtesy of Romelu Lukaku before Bologna’s Roberto Soriano received a red card for dissent after 57 minutes.

Lautaro Martinez could have all but wrapped up the win from the penalty spot five minutes later but Lukasz Skorupski kept out his tame effort.

That gave the impetus to the visitors, who roared back to steal a stunning winning thanks to goals in the final 16 minutes from Musa Juwara and Musa Barrow, either side of a red card for Inter’s Alessandro Bastoni.

Conte, who spent close to an hour in the changing room with his side before talking to the media, could not hide his frustration and says his players should be angry at their display.

“The disappointment is enormous, at least as far as I’m concerned,” Conte told reporters. “I hope this disappointment that I feel is also felt by the players for at least one per cent.

“I am angry at myself because I’m the manager. I have my responsibilities; I am the one who directs the situation and it is right that I am very angry first of all with myself. Then I think that the players must also be with themselves.”

The setback leaves Conte’s side four points behind second-placed Lazio and just one ahead of Atalanta in the battle for UEFA Champions League qualification.

Conte is under no illusions that he is expected to win trophies at Inter and says he fully expects to be scrutinized when things do not go well.

“Situations are evaluated only by facing them,” he added.

“For me this is the first year of working with Inter and I have taken a situation with many situations to improve. At the same time, I also say that it is right to challenge everyone, me first.

“I was brought here for a winning project and to bring Inter back to winning things. Clearly, the victory does not come overnight, but many situations leave a lot of bitterness. You think you are at a level and instead you are at a much lower level.

“From here to the end we will all have to prove that we deserve Inter. Otherwise it is right to make other decisions too.”

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Inter title bid over

The 10 men of Bologna staged a stunning comeback to deny Inter Milan the chance to move within a point of second-placed Lazio in Serie A.

Musa Barrow struck the winner from inside the box late on, just six minutes after Musa Juwara equalised.

Romelu Lukaku had opened the scoring when he tapped in the rebound after Lautaro Martinez’s header hit the post.

Martinez missed the chance to double his side’s lead from the spot, after Bologna’s Roberto Soriano was sent off.

Both sides finished with 10 men as Alessandro Bastoni was shown a second yellow card with the score poised at 1-1.

Antonio Conte’s Inter remain third in the table, four points behind Lazio, while Bologna move up to ninth.