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BRENTFORD MANAGER, THOMAS FRANK BACKS IVAN TONEY TO MAKE ENGLAND SQUAD

Brentford manager Thomas Frank is “convinced” that Gareth Southgate has his eye on Ivan Toney as a potential future member of the England squad.

The 25-year-old was born in Northampton but is eligible to play for Jamaica and St Vincent through his parents’ heritage.

Southgate recalled Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins for the World Cup qualifiers against Hungary and Andorra, but Toney has two goals and two assists from the opening six Premier League matches.

“If Ivan continues to perform as he’s done so far I think he will definitely be in there,” Frank said.

“I think Gareth is already looking at him, and I would expect that.

“Gareth has done a fantastic job as England manager, the results he’s got speak for themselves, he’s a very detailed man and I am convinced that he’s looking at Ivan and then it’s that balance between who you’ve already got in the squad, different types and all that.

“But Ivan’s performance, if he continues like that, he will be a player that will be in the run for a position in the squad.”

Brentford travel to West Ham on Sunday as they look to improve on their impressive start to the season which included a draw against league leaders Liverpool.

West Ham are also going well, with three wins from six in the league, and they are leading their Europa League group.

Frank was full of praise for David Moyes, saying: “What he’s done at West Ham is fantastic. He’s taken them to the second best position, the way they play, they have solid players in all positions, they got into the top six ahead of Tottenham and Arsenal, which is remarkable.

“They just continued this year and now they have six points in the Europa League, so I think it was a remarkable job and I think he deserves so much praise.”

West Ham’s Michail Antonio is the Premier League’s joint-top scorer with five goals, plus three assists, and Frank has likened the forward to Chelsea’s Romelu Lukaku.

“We faced them (West Ham) in a friendly and Antonio is such a handful, and I said ‘you’re going to score 20-plus this season’, and if he keeps avoiding injuries, 100 per cent. He is a handful, very difficult,” the Brentford boss said.

“He is a little bit like Lukaku in terms of the power and speed but also a very good finisher, so I think he is a very interesting player.”

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MARCELO BIELSA INSISTS LEEDS CONFIDENCE DESPITE WINLESS START TO SEASON

Marcelo Bielsa insists confidence remains high as Leeds bid for their first Premier League win of the season on Saturday against Watford.

The Whites will kick off at Elland Road in the relegation zone — and without injured striker Patrick Bamford — after taking three points from their opening six matches.

Defeats to Manchester United, Liverpool and latterly West Ham have prompted anxious debate among some Leeds fans on social media, but Bielsa assured them self-belief in his camp has been unaffected.

“The players haven’t lost confidence, so there’s no need to give something that’s conserved, that’s already there,” he said.

“What we do in every case is to perceive the errors and to try and correct them.

“I sleep normally, and I’ve always had the hope that we’re able to win our games.”

Bielsa felt last week’s 2-1 home defeat to West Ham was harsh on his players after Michail Antonio’s last-minute winner.

Leeds produced some of their best football of the season in the first half and the head coach believes several performances so far have gone unrewarded.

He acknowledged victory against Watford before next week’s international break could be psychologically significant.

“It’s always important to win, especially when you’ve gone six games without winning and if you occupy one of the last three positions in the table, even more so,” Bielsa said.

“The other reference is the performances, that go in the opposite direction to these negative aspects, and it’s (about) the support (to the players) to come back from this situation.”

Bamford has not recovered from the ankle injury which forced him to miss out against the Hammers and Rodrigo is expected to start again as the central striker.

There have been growing calls for Joe Gelhardt to be handed his first Premier League appearance after the former Wigan prodigy’s six goals in as many games for the Under-23s this season.

But Bielsa suggested Gelhardt still had some climbing to do in the pecking order.

“When Gelhardt is better than Bamford, Rodrigo and Tyler (Roberts), that will be a triumph for the work what we’ve done,” Bielsa added.

“What I’m looking for, what I want, is for (Gelhardt) to verify that he is good, not to verify that he doesn’t have the level to play.”

Raphinha is available despite aggravating a slight hip problem against West Ham and Spain defender Diego Llorente is back in contention after recovering from a muscle strain.

Bielsa confirmed right-back Luke Ayling will be out until after the international break as his knee injury requires minor surgery and both Adam Forshaw (muscle strain) and Robin Koch (pelvis) were still out.

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CRISTIANO RONALDO NOMINATED FOR PREMIER LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE MONTH

Cristiano Ronaldo has been named on the Premier League’s September Player of the Month shortlist.

The 36-year-old’s inclusion comes in his first month back in England’s top flight, where he has made an instant impact with three league goals – including two on his debut against Newcastle.

Ronaldo, who returned to Old Trafford from Juventus in August, also scored in United’s 2-1 victory at West Ham on September 19.

He is one of six players up for the award, alongside compatriot and Manchester City defender Joao Cancelo, Chelsea’s Antonio Rudiger, Allan Saint-Maximin of Newcastle, Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah and Watford’s Ismaila Sarr.

Fans are being encouraged to get involved and select their winner via the EA Sports website, with a deadline of 12pm on Monday, October 4

However, Ronaldo’s goal-scoring exploits have not been solely confined to the Premier League, with the Portuguese netting two goals in two Champions League matches so far this season – including a late winner against Villarreal on Wednesday.

His latest match-winning contribution left Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer singing his praises after the game.

“He’s done that so many times,” Solskjaer said of Ronaldo. “When you saw him against the Republic of Ireland a few weeks ago [for Portugal], he missed a penalty early, didn’t touch the ball more or less and then scored two great headers in the last two minutes.

“That’s just what he’s done throughout his career. He’s so strong mentally. He stays in the game, I’ve seen him all day today, the way he’s built himself up for this game, how focused he’s been and when he gets that one chance, it’s a goal. But a true mark of a very good finisher is that he keeps calm when the chance arrives.

“He’s so good in front of goal and he has an impact on everyone – the crowd, the players, everyone.”

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WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SHARPER – TUCHEL CONDEMNS CHELSEA SHOWING IN JUVENTUS LOSS

Thomas Tuchel admitted Chelsea were “not free enough” as they slumped to a 1-0 Champions League defeat at Juventus.

Federico Chiesa’s sucker-punch strike just 11 seconds into the second half floored the Champions League holders in Turin.

Chelsea slipped to a second straight 1-0 loss, following Saturday’s Premier League defeat by Manchester City.

And manager Tuchel held up his hands afterwards in an honest appraisal of Chelsea’s shortcomings.

“We were so good yesterday in training, and not good enough, not free enough today,” Tuchel told BT Sport.

“I felt us slow, tired, mentally slow for decision-making. It’s a strange one to analyse, but OK.

“I think we started not sharp enough, we had possession and possession, but the first 12, 15 minutes we could have harmed them much more.

“We should have been much, much sharper.

“We should have asked more questions.

“We had two big ball losses where we almost gave goals away. You cannot have this.

“We struggled to create our own rhythm, because they were so deep and so passive.

“We struggled to find our own intensity, to find the spaces.”

Chelsea’s loss leaves their Group H situation in the balance, but the Blues can still easily reach the knockout stages should they sharpen up performances and results.

Federico Bernardeschi missed a gilt-edged chance to double the hosts’ lead and kill the contest, before Romelu Lukaku blazed a fine opening wide for Chelsea.

Kai Havertz headed over from a corner at the death as the Blues pushed hard late on, but Juventus were good value for their win.

Caught napping for the goal with collective minds clearly still ruminating on half-time team talks, Chelsea were punished by Juve’s superior sharpness.

Lamenting the manner of the goal, Tuchel said: “It should be impossible to concede an easy goal like this at this level in the first seconds of the second half.

“You know what’s coming, you have defensive organisation like we have, so normally at all times it should be possible to defend it.

“And we got punished for it, of course.”

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UCL: CHIESA’S SECOND HALF STRIKE HELP JUVENTUS EDGE CHELSEA

Federico Chiesa’s rocket finish stunned Chelsea in Turin as Juventus condemned the Blues to a second straight 1-0 defeat.

Italy forward Chiesa sneaked in on goal and lashed past Edouard Mendy as Chelsea were caught cold just 11 seconds into the second half.

The visitors were still processing their half-time adjustments when Juventus struck, and Thomas Tuchel’s side never recovered.

Chelsea had opened their Champions League defence with a patchy 1-0 win over Zenit St Petersburg at Stamford Bridge on September 14, and this loss left their Group H status in the balance.

The Blues flailed at fluency in Saturday’s 1-0 Premier League home defeat to Manchester City, and four days later Tuchel’s men struggled for rhythm again.

Romelu Lukaku and Kai Havertz failed to hit the target with fine late chances, as Chelsea slipped to consecutive defeats for just the second time in Tuchel’s tenure.

Chelsea looked laboured and one-paced in a difficult first half where the hosts were able to shut out the Blues almost at will.

Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic conceded possession too cheaply too often, with the visiting deep-lying midfielders struggling with their spacing.

The pair stayed too close to each other too many times when on the ball, stunting the Blues’ attacking impetus.

Kovacic was forced to toe the ball away from Federico Bernardeschi just when the Juve forward was about to pull the trigger, in the first instance of the Blues losing the ball cheaply.

Croatia midfielder Kovacic was then reprieved for ceding possession when Adrien Rabiot botched a break with a poor pass.

And then Chiesa drilled just wide in the third instance of Chelsea losing the ball unnecessarily.

Havertz and Hakim Ziyech could neither push tight enough to Lukaku nor power beyond the Belgium striker.

Chelsea limped to half-time without conceding – but also without creating any clear-cut chances.

Ben Chilwell joined the fray after the break, but Tuchel’s half-time instructions were still ringing in Chelsea ears when Chiesa rifled the ball into the net.

Caught napping and punished squarely, Chelsea slipped deservedly behind and into big pressure.

The Blues settled down after conceding and started pinning Juve into their own half.

Territorial dominance alone could not unpick the Juventus rearguard however, and ahead of the hour Tuchel emptied the bench.

Jorginho, Ziyech and captain Cesar Azpilicueta were all hooked, in favour of Trevoh Chalobah, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi.

Bernardeschi should have put the game out of sight only to bungle wide in a rare Juve breakout consisting of Rabiot’s raking pass and Juan Cuadrado’s fine first-time cross.

Ross Barkley was thrown into the mix as well, underscoring Tuchel’s desperation to force a change.

The one-time England midfielder made his first European appearance for Chelsea since August 2020, and offered a quick impact too.

The 27-year-old threaded a fine ball through for Lukaku, only for the £98million signing to blaze wide.

At the death Havertz headed over from a Chilwell corner, but while Chelsea will lament late chances missed the Blues will certainly admit falling short in Italy.

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CRISTIANO RONALDO STRIKES AT THE DEATH TO SNATCH MAN UTD VICTORY OVER VILLAREAL

Cristiano Ronaldo capped his record-breaking Champions League appearance by firing Manchester United to a stunning late comeback win against Europa League final foes Villarreal.

Just four months on from the penalty shoot-out loss to Unai Emery’s side in Gdansk, the sides met again with the Red Devils needing to make up for their shock defeat at Young Boys in the Group F opener.

A disjointed United were staring down the barrel of a third straight home defeat in all competitions when Paco Alcacer deservedly put Villarreal ahead.

But Alex Telles’ sublime volley gave Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side hope and Ronaldo secured a 2-1 win in stoppage time, sending Old Trafford wild on the night he broke Iker Casillas’ all-time Champions League appearances record.

It was a box-office end to his 178th appearance in the competition and a relief to all those connected with United, after David De Gea had to produce some superb saves to keep Villarreal at bay in a one-sided first half.

The Spaniards continued to threaten after the break and finally capitalised on the hosts’ issues defending down the right early in the second period, with Alcacer turning home the impressive Arnaut Danjuma’s cross.

United levelled in stunning fashion soon after with Telles’ rocket from a smart Bruno Fernandes free-kick, but both sides looked to have blown glorious chances to win.

Yet, just as the match looked set to end level, Ronaldo struck in the fifth and final minute of stoppage time, meeting a smart Jesse Lingard touch with an unerring finish from an acute angle.

It was an incredible end to a night that started terribly as Villarreal made life a misery for a backline without Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

United right-back Diogo Dalot had a particularly tough time against fleet-footed Danjuma, who followed an early warning shot with a curling effort that De Gea did well to stop.

Fernandes and Ronaldo had attempts during that period but Villarreal were asking bigger questions.

De Gea tipped over a close-range Alcacer header after Danjuma bamboozled Dalot, who the former Bournemouth player roared past before prodding into the side-netting.

Even watching United fan Usain Bolt would have been impressed by his turn of speed.

The hosts’ poor performance even saw Raphael Varane wobble as the normally unflappable defender misread a long past forward and Alcacer strike narrowly struck wide from the edge of the box.

Alberto Moreno, constantly reminded of his Liverpool connection, came closest for United when directing just wide of his own goal.

Yeremi Pino forced De Gea into another save before the break, with Villarreal deservedly going ahead eight minutes after the restart.

Unsurprisingly the visitors got joy down United’s right-hand side, with Danjuma crossing for Alcacer to turn home from close range.

The goal belatedly sparked Solskjaer’s side into life, with Fernandes flashing a 20-yard effort across the face of goal before he provided the assist for a stunning 60th minute leveller.

The United captain clipped a free-kick from the right up to the edge of the box, where Telles met the ball with a sensational volley that Geronimo Rulli could do nothing to stop

Jadon Sancho slipped at the wrong moment when trying to get a shot away soon after, with Mason Greenwood forcing Villarreal’s goalkeeper into a low stop from a difficult angle.

Solskjaer turned to Edinson Cavani and the introduction nearly brought an immediate reward, only for him to somehow head wide a Greenwood cross.

Villarreal were then wondering how they failed to grab a winner of their own.

De Gea could only push a Moi Gomez strike into the path of Boulaye Dia, with the United goalkeeper instinctively stopping the follow up before Telles blocked the substitute’s next attempt.

Scott McTominay saw a volley saved in stoppage time and Rulli denied Lingard as the clock wound down.

But United do not know when they are beaten and Ronaldo rocked the ground to its foundations when striking home from an acute angle following a deft Lingard touch.

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UCL: BENFICA CRUISE PAST BARCELONA TO PILE PRESSURE ON RONALD KOEMAN, BAYERN THRASH KYIV

Barcelona have made their worst start to a Champions League campaign ever after a chastening 3-0 defeat at Benfica.

The Portuguese side dealt a further blow to Ronald Koeman, with Barcelona slumping to their second successive defeat in the competition as they also finished the match with 10 men.

Darwin Nunez netted in the third minute and capped off his side’s scoring with a penalty in the 79th, with Rafa Silva striking in between. Eric Garcia was sent off late on.

The defeat means Barcelona are under pressure to avoid missing out on the knockout stage for the first time since the 2003-04 season when they did not feature in the competition at all.

Also in Barcelona’s group, Robert Lewandowski scored twice as Bayern Munich stormed to a 5-0 win over Dynamo Kyiv.

Lewandowski’s goals, including from the penalty spot, came inside the first half an hour, with Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sane and substitute Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting also adding their names to the scoresheet.

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MANNY PACQUIAO ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT FROM BOXING

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 8: Professional Boxer and Senator of the Philippines, Manny Pacquiao, attends the game between the LA Clippers and Charlotte Hornets on January 8, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

Twelve-time world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao has announced his retirement from the sport.

The 42-year-old called time on a decorated career and has turned his attention to a presidential run in his native Philippines.

Known as PacMan, he won his first major title at 19 when he took the WBC flyweight strap and in a professional career which spanned 26 years, he became the first octuple champion having won in eight different weight divisions.

In a social media post announcing the news, he said: “To the greatest fans and the greatest sport in the world, thank you! Thank you for all the wonderful memories.

“This is the hardest decision I’ve ever made, but I’m at peace with it. Chase your dreams, work hard, and watch what happens. Good bye boxing.”

The southpaw had his first professional bout aged 16 and finishes with a 62-8-2 record, with 39 wins coming by knockout.

His most recent bout was a hastily-convened fight against Cuban Yordenis Ugas in Nevada in August, which he lost by unanimous decision.

Pacquiao announced a run for the Philippine House of Representatives in 2007 but was knocked back at the polls, eventually winning at the ballot box in 2010.

He became a senator in 2015 and announced a bid to become president earlier this month.

In the video posted online, he said: “Boxing has always been my passion, I was given the opportunity of representing the Philippines, bringing fame and honour to my country every time I entered the ring.

“I am grateful for all my accomplishments and opportunity to inspire the fans.

“Who would have thought that Manny Pacquiao would end up with 12 major world titles in eight different weight divisions? Even me I’m amazed at what I have done.

“Today, I am announcing my retirement. I never thought that this day would come. As I hang up my boxing gloves, I would like to thank the whole world, especially the Filipino people, for supporting Manny Pacquiao.

“Goodbye boxing. Thank you for changing my life when my family was desperate, you gave us hope. You gave me the chance to fight our way out of poverty.

“Because of you, I was able to inspire people all over the world. Because of you, I have been given the courage to change more lives.”

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UCL: SUAREZ SCORES PENALTY AS ATLETICO RALLY TO LATE WIN AT AC MILAN

Luis Suarez’s last-gasp penalty gave Atletico Madrid a 2-1 comeback win on Tuesday at AC Milan, who failed to hold on to their early lead after playing for an hour with 10-men.

Seven-time European champions Milan thought they were on for their first Champions League win since 2013 when Rafael Leao opened the scoring with 19 minutes gone in the Group B clash at the San Siro, but Antoine Griezmann struck with a superb volley with six minutes left to level the scores before Suarez’s stoppage-time spot-kick broke Milan hearts.

Diego Simeone’s side sit second in the group on four points, two behind Liverpool, after the win which looked unlikely util Franck Kessie was sent off in the 30th minute for a second bookable offence.

Milan were on top until then, snappy in the tackle and on top of Atleti every time the away side had the ball, but sit bottom with zero points following their second successive defeat.

Brahim Diaz was at the heart of Milan’s attacking play and should have had a fine assist to his name in the 19th minute when he sent Ante Rebic through on goal, only for the Croatia forward to put his finish too close to the onrushing Jan Oblak.

Diaz was involved again when the hosts took the lead a minute later through Leao, who following neat footwork in the box from his Spanish teammate arrowed a perfect low shot into the opposite corner of Oblak’s goal.

Milan looked comfortable against an underwhelming Atleti but Kessie handed their opponents a lifeline when having already been booked, arrived late into a challenge on Koke and was sent off.

Despite the man disadvantage Milan held their own and Leao came close to doubling their lead in the most spectacular of fashions, crashing a 38th-minute bicycle kick off the bar from the edge of the area before being flagged for the tightest of offsides.

However Atleti slowly began to force Milan back into their own area and Luis Suarez had two great chances to level the scores either side of the break, first volleying wide on the stroke of half-time and then heading Joao Felix’s pinpoint cross the wrong side off the upright in the 54th minute.

Milan held on resolutely and looked to be on their way to victory until Griezmann met Renan Lodi’s knock back with a beautifully-timed volley which left Mike Maignan with no chance.

The home fans carpeted the San Siro air with whistles, but with the clock ticking down Pierre Kalulu was judged to have handled in the area after a VAR check, and Suarez did the rest to earn Atletico a precious win.

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SHERIFF HAND REAL MADRID SHOCKING DEFEAT AT THE BERNABEU WITH LATE WINNER

Moldovan side Sheriff Tiraspol pulled off a remarkable 2-1 win away to Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday, snatching a shock victory thanks to a sensational 89th-minute strike from Sebastien Thill.

Competition debutants Sheriff went ahead against the 13-time European champions in the 25th minute with a header from Uzbek midfielder Jasurbek Yakhshiboev, who narrowly missed a chance to double the visitors’ lead later in the first half.

Sheriff closed with +2700 odds at Caesars Sportsbook, making it the largest underdog to win in the last three Champions League seasons. The previous biggest upset was Shakhtar Donetsk beating Madrid in the group stage last year at +1300 odds.

“We believed we could win. I spoke to my teammates as captain, motivating them, saying ‘why not dream?’ This is football,” Sheriff Tiraspol captain Frank Castaneda said. “Real Madrid are historic but on the pitch it’s 11 vs. 11. We went for the win and got it.”

Goalkeeper Georgios Athanasiadis, 28 — who plays for Sheriff on loan from AEK Athens — was named UEFA’s Man of the Match for a display that saw him make ten saves.

“I’m really happy,” he said. “It’s very difficult to play against these teams, the best in the world. I’m emotional, if I carry on talking much longer, I’ll end up crying.”

Real dominated the play in both halves but needed a penalty to draw level. Karim Benzema buried his spot-kick in the top corner in the 65th minute after Vinicius Jr was felled and awarded a penalty following a VAR review, having been denied a spot kick after a previous review moments earlier.

Real substitute Luka Jovic spurned a great chance to win it for the hosts, but Sheriff quickly got down the other end and, following a throw-in, the ball fell to Luxembourg midfielder Thill, who unleashed a lethal shot into the far top corner.

“It’s the type of game where when you have total control it’s the little details that decide it,” said Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti. “That cost us the game. It can be a good lesson for the future, a game like this, the details cost you. A throw in, a cross, a corner, a pointless foul… They cost you. We lost and the team didn’t deserve it, honestly, for what we did.”

Sheriff, from the unrecognised breakaway state of Transnistria, top Champions League Group D with six points from two games while Real are second with three.

Sheriff came through four rounds of qualifying to become the first Moldovan team to play in the group phase of Europe’s elite club competition and had surprised a highly experienced Champions League side in Shakhtar Donetsk to win their opening game 2-0.

They faced an unbeaten Real side and were outplayed for most of the game but pulled off the biggest result in their 24-year history, making the most of their few chances and relying on a few top-drawer saves from Athanasiadis.

Real made a strong start and Vinicius and Benzema each went close to giving them the lead, Athanasiadis making the first of many saves to tip a stinging shot from Benzema over the bar.

But Ancelotti’s side were outdone on the counter when Cristiano tore down the left wing and crossed to the unmarked Yakhshiboev, who headed into the net.

Real continued to threaten with Benzema and Vinicius each fizzing shots just off target before halftime, although Yakhshiboev could have scored again down the other end following a glaring error from the hosts’ keeper Thibaut Courtois.

The Spaniards looked set to go on to win the game after Benzema levelled from the spot, but Sheriff had the ball in the net again through substitute Bruno, although the goal was ruled out for offside.

Modric was then thwarted by Athanasiadis, who saved a thumping shot from the Croatian with his face, before Brazilian forward Rodrygo fired narrowly over the bar.

A Real winner looked inevitable but instead it came down the other end when Thill tried his luck from the edge of the box, scoring the most important goal in his club’s brief history.

“Sheriff defended well, very tight at the back,” Ancelotti said. “They forced us to go outside. But we combined well, we got in behind, a lot of crosses, what we didn’t go well was the little details, we could have been more focused.”