Tottenham fans have a lot to say about Djed Spence after the Bournemouth clash, they’re all in agreement

By: Muhammad Saeed on March 09, 2025 / comment : 0 HITC, news

Tottenham have failed to inspire for large portions of this season, though they did fight back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Bournemouth on Sunday afternoon.

Spurs were second best for large spells during the match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and found themselves 2-0 down courtesy of goals from Marcus Tavernier and Evanilson.

Ange Postecoglou’s side looked destined to suffer a 15th Premier League defeat but were able to secure a point through Pape Sarr and a Son Heung-Min penalty.

Yet, it was defender Djed Spence who has drawn the bulk of praise from fans online.

Tottenham fans heap praise Djed Spence during Bournemouth draw

Spurs fans were quick to praise Spence on X (formerly Twitter) for his performances in a Spurs shirt this season. He appears to have particularly caught the eye during the draw with Bournemouth on Sunday.

One fan wrote: “Djed Spence is becoming the new Harry Kane. Yeah we stink but at least he’s still unreal.”

Another said: “Djed Spence is head and shoulders above some of our players out there. Players that get so much more protection and praise for delivering absolutely nothing.”

Some went a step further, suggesting Spence has a big future ahead of him at the club. They wrote: “Djed Spence, future Tottenham legend. #COYS.”

Spurs fans are also claiming Spence deserves an England call-up. One wrote: “Djed Spence is working hard for Spurs. Hopefully Tottenham’s inept display won’t keep Thomas Tuchel from picking him for the upcoming England World Cup qualifying squad.”

Spence arrived at Spurs from Middlesbrough during the summer of 2022 but initially struggled to make an impact in north London.

He has been forced to endure several loan spells since but has now made 15 league appearances this season due to Spurs ongoing injury issues, particularly at the back.

Djed Spence impresses in possession during Bournemouth clash

Spence has been used in both left and right full-back positions for Spurs this season due to the amount of injuries they’ve suffered in that area of the pitch.

The 24-year-old started on the left for Spurs against the Cherries and finished the game having completed 44 of his 47 attempted passes.

That left him with a 94% pass accuracy in a match where he also made two interceptions and five clearances.

He also found himself up against tricky Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo, who has averaged 2.1 successful dribbles in the league this term.

Yet, Semenyo was unable to complete one throughout the match in north London and was substituted with one minute left of normal time.

For all of the talk around Spurs’ poor form at the moment, Spence has certainly stepped up to the plate and provided a trusty option for Postecoglou across the backline.

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Jamie Redknapp says Ruben Amorim is doing one commendable thing at Manchester United despite the shocking form

By: Muhammad Saeed on March 09, 2025 / comment : 0 HITC, news

It’s fair to say things haven’t exactly gone to plan so far for Ruben Amorim at Manchester United since he entered the Old Trafford dugout back in November.

The 13-time winners currently languish 15th in the Premier League table ahead of their meeting with Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.

United have lost five of their last 10 league matches, including three of their last five at home.

The poor run has already seen questions raised over Amorim’s suitability for the job, but Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp has praised the 40-year-old for one thing despite their dismal form.

• READ MORE: Top 10 best goals in Premier League history include Wayne Rooney, Thierry Henry and Alejandro Garnacho

Jamie Redknapp praises Ruben Amorim for his honesty

Redknapp is in the Sky Sports studio ahead of United’s match with Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday.

The hosts are on course to return their worst ever finish in Premier League history and will succumb to their 13th defeat in the competition should they lose to the Gunners.

Alongside fellow pundits Roy Keane, Gary Neville and Paul Merson, Redknapp was discussing Amorim’s early tenure since becoming United boss.

While he acknowledged results haven’t been good enough, Redknapp says Amorim’s transparency has made for a refreshing change compared to the response of former United managers.

“What I do like about him is his honesty. He’s under no illusions,” Redknapp said.

“I think there are other managers that have almost been delusional to a certain extent when they come out after the games when they were popped off the pitch and couldn’t get near anybody, their performance was bad, and they say ‘do you know what? We’ve done alright today, no you haven’t. You were poor.

“I think he knows this squad isn’t good enough, it’s going to take a lot of time, I think his honesty is there.”

• READ MORE: Top 10 Premier League managers of all-time ranked, including Sir Alex Ferguson and Pep Guardiola

Jamie Redknapp says Manchester United can still salvage their season in the Europa League

United are out of both domestic cups and are far below the standard needed to compete at the top of the Premier League.

Yet, Redknapp insists the club can still enjoy a positive season if they go on to lift the Europa League in May.

Not only would that see Amorim claim his first trophy as United boss, but the club would also secure a lucrative spot in next season’s Champions League.

“On the positive, they can still win the Europa League and get Champions League football. There’s not that many good teams in that competition, that is a possibility,” he said on Sky Sports.

“Could you see them doing it right now? It’s hard to guess with the way that they’re playing. But I think he certainly needs more time, that’s for sure.”

United have won the Europa League on one occasion in their history, under Jose Mourinho back in 2017.

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Rio Ferdinand says Nottingham Forest have a man who ‘knits it all together’ – and it’s not Morgan Gibbs-White

By: Muhammad Saeed on March 09, 2025 / comment : 0 HITC, news

Nottingham Forest’s 2024-25 campaign has been nothing short of astonishing.

Tipped to be in the relegation ‘dogfight’ again, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have exceeded all expectations by putting themselves in the race for Champions League football.

Rightly so, a number of their players have received strong media attention after impressive performance. Morgan Gibbs-White is widely regarded as The Reds most influential player, whilst talismanic striker Chris Wood is having a career-best Premier League season with 18 goals.

Yesterday’s 1-0 victory over champions Manchester City was another clear showing of Forest’s quality and togetherness, Callum Hudson-Odoi striking in the 83rd minute to claim all three points for the home side.

A lot of the post-match plaudits were aimed in the direction of Gibbs-White. He notched his sixth Premier League assist of the season with a raking cross-field ball into the path of Hudson-Odoi.

But former Manchester United and legendary Premier League centre-back, Rio Ferdinand, who was on punditry duties for TNT Sport, sent his praise toward another key figure.

Rio Ferdinand full of praise for Evangelos Marinakis

In trademark post-victory fashion, Nottingham Forest’s owner Evangelos Marinakis stood at the end of the tunnel hugging and shaking the hands of every single Forest player.

Ferdinand believes it was a strong showing of the unity at the club, and sang the praises of Marinakis in TNT’s post-match discussion.

‘Components like this knit it all together’, said Ferdinand, ‘there’s a real family environment here’.

The six-time Premier League champion also joked that Forest’s players ‘will be getting more than pats on the back if they qualify [for the Champions League]’.

Morgan Gibbs-White also has love for Marinakis

It is clearly a two-way love between the Forest players and Marinakis, as star man Gibbs-White took to Instagram to share a picture of himself being embraced by the Greek.

This image will be a welcome sight for Forest fans, with Gibbs-White reportedly attracting interest from the country’s biggest clubs. In January, Liverpool were thought to be taking a keen interest in the former Wolves man.

Despite being under contract until 2027, another impressive season for Gibbs-White will only increase the number of clubs chasing his signature. But, seeing his evidently close relationship with the owner is likely to ease fears of a departure.

And it’s not just Gibbs-White who is a fan of Marinakis. After a last-gasp win over Aston Villa back in December, Ola Aina was seen mobbing the owner in the tunnel, calling him ‘the big boss’.

Marinakis has played a huge role in making the City Ground both a fortress and a clearly harmonious place to work.

Forest fans will be hoping to see similar scenes of jubilation in the tunnel come the end of the season. With the way the squad is currently performing, there is no reason why they can’t finish in the top four.

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Chelsea intensify pursuit of versatile winger who could be the ideal Jadon Sancho replacement - opinion

By: Muhammad Saeed on March 06, 2025 / comment : 0 HITC, news

Chelsea are already plotting moves for the summer transfer window, with reports suggesting a keen interest in signing an emerging talent from Spain.

The Blues have made a habit of scouting and signing young talents from across Europe and South America under Todd Boehly.

Boehly’s tenure at the club has been far from normal. The American has spent over £1bn since taking over the club in 2022.

Interestingly, a major chunk of those signings have been young upcoming talent, suggesting that there is a deliberate strategy to invest in a squad for the future.

According to Football Transfers, the club has spent around £800m on players aged 23 or under.

Some of the notable players they have signed includes Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, Wesley Fofana, Noni Madueke, and Nicolas Jackson.

The latest to be linked with a move to Stamford Bridge is Real Betis winger Jesus Rodriguez.

Chelsea stepping up pursuit of Jesus Rodriguez

According to Daily Mail, the Blues are ‘taking a keen interest’ in signing Rodriguez, who has been attracting a lot of attention from across Europe after breaking into Manuel Pellegrini’s team in October.

The report claims that Chelsea are now intensifying their pursuit of the Real Betis wonderkid as they look to bolster their attacking options for the future.

They could face competition from other elite clubs including Liverpool, who have also been reportedly monitoring the exciting Spaniard’s progress.

Rodriguez, who has been making waves in La Liga, is seen as one of the brightest young prospects in Spanish football.

His technical ability, composure on the ball, and versatility in the final third have made him a standout talent at Betis.

He has racked up two goal contributions for the first team in 10 league appearances, impressing in attack alongside Manchester United loanee Antony.

He was also a part of the Spain U19’ss side which won the European Under-19 Championship last year.

Chelsea’s need to bolster their left-wing with Jadon Sancho underperforming

With Mykhailo Mudryk suspended indefinitely for doping and Jadon Sancho failing to make his mark at Stamford Bridge, there is a pressing need for Chelsea to bolster the left side of their attack.

It has been reported that the club will be prioritising the signing of a left-winger and a new striker in the upcoming transfer window.

While Rodriguez remains an option, the club are linked with several other options, including Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho who was strongly linked with a move in January as well.

Another name linked with a move is Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Bynoe-Gittens who has attracted a lot of attention from Premier League clubs.

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New footage shows Virgil van Dijk and PSG chief involved in heated half-time exchange during Champions League clash

By: Muhammad Saeed on March 06, 2025 / comment : 0 HITC, news

Liverpool pulled off a classic smash-and-grab on Wednesday night, scoring a goal in the 87th minute to after being dominated the entire game.

Arne Slot’s side were hammered by the home team, who fired 27 shots at Liverpool, 10 of them being on target.

However, Alisson Becker, who had the best performance of his life, stopped everything coming at him with some incredible saves.

The only shot he let in was the one from Kvicha Kvaratskhelia in the 20th minute, however, the goal did not stand due to the player being in an offside position.

While the offside decision was correct, there has been a debate regarding the referee’s decision to not award PSG a penalty and a subsequent red card for Ibrahima Konate’s tackle on Barcola.

The incident was checked by the VAR who agreed with the on-field referee’s decision but many, including Rio Ferdinand, felt that Konate should have been sent off.

What happened between Virgil van Dijk and Luis Campos

PSG chief Luis Campos also felt aggrieved by the referee’s decision and had a meltdown in the tunnel before coming into a heated exchange of words with Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk.

In footage recorded by Canal+, Campos was heard expressing his frustration in the tunnel at halftime at Parc des Princes, repeatedly insisting, “It’s a red card or penalty,” with growing anger.

The Dutch defender was not having any of it as he fired back, saying: “Come on bro, it’s not Ligue 1 bro. It’s not Ligue 1.”

This enraged Campos even more as he raised his voice shouting, “It’s a red card or penalty in every part of football.”

Van Dijk solid at the back for Liverpool once again

While Harvey Elliott got the match-winner, Alisson Becker deservingly gets all the credit for the Reds keeping a clean sheet against a side who have been scoring goals for fun this season, there were other notable performances in defence as well.

Trent Alexander-Arnold put in an outstanding show on the right while Van Dijk cleared everything coming his way in yet another commanding performance.

He made two clearances, blocked three shots, made two interceptions and was not dribbled past the entire game despite coming up against the likes of Dembele, Kvaratskhelia, and Barcola.

Much of the same will be needed in the second leg at Anfield, and the players understand it will not be an easy game.

The Liverpool captain has already warned his teammates that they will need to be prepared to ‘suffer’.

Speaking after the game, van Dijk said regarding the return leg: “It should be a great game and we have to be ready to suffer as they are a very good team who were unbeaten for a very long time.

“What I really liked was the togetherness, everyone put a shift in and we know everyone can be better.”

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What Arne Slot made Harvey Elliott do right after PSG clash shows why Liverpool are thriving

By: Muhammad Saeed on March 06, 2025 / comment : 0 HITC, news

Liverpool pulled off one of the biggest robberies in Europe last night, beating PSG 1-0 in a dramatic first-leg clash at the Parc des Princes.

A late goal from Harvey Elliott secured the crucial away victory, but it was the Liverpool goalkeeper’s heroics between the sticks that ensured the Reds took a slender advantage back to Anfield.

Despite Liverpool’s win, the match was anything but comfortable for the Reds. Luis Enrique’s PSG dominated proceedings, recording a staggering 27 shots, 10 of which were on target.

However, they were met by an impenetrable force in Alisson Becker, who delivered what many are calling one of the best goalkeeping performances in Champions League history.

The Brazilian shot-stopper made nine crucial saves, including a sensational double stop to deny Ousmane Dembele in the first half and an acrobatic effort to tip Desire Doue’s curling effort away in the dying minutes.

And ultimately so, his heroics resulted in a dramatic smash-and-grab for Arne Slot’s side, courtesy of Elliott’s composed finish past Gianluigi Donnarumma.

The 21-year-old came off the bench to replace Mo Salah in the 86th minute and made an instant impact, scoring the goal just a minute later.

And while one would have expected Elliott to be inside the Liverpool dressing room celebrating the big win, Slot had other plans.

Arne Slot had Harvey Elliott out warm down instead of celebrating

Instead of soaking in the moment in the dressing room, Elliott was sent straight back onto the pitch for a warm-down session with the substitutes.

BBC Sport’s live match blog reported the moment: “Goal hero Harvey Elliott should be in the dressing room celebrating with the rest of his team-mates.

“Instead, Arne Slot has sent him back out on the pitch to warm down with the other Liverpool substitutes. Liverpool’s travelling fans, who have been held back, are celebrating in the stands.”

This shows the high standard the Dutch manager has set at the club since taking over the reigns from Jurgen Klopp in the summer and why the Reds are doing so well this season.

Elliott continues to take his chances despite limited playing time

Elliott has struggled with playing time under Slot. The youngster was unfortunate to break his foot early on in the season, missing 14 games for the Reds.

Since returning, most of his appearances have come from the bench as a substitute.

Despite his limited opportunities, he has proven to be a valuable player for Slot in cup competitions. He scored against Southampton to help the Reds to a 2-1 win in the League Cup quarter-finals.

He has also scored three in a row in the Champions League, scoring against Lille and PSV in the League stages prior to the winner against PSG.

The young Lion faces strong competition for a spot in the starting XI with the likes of Mo Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai ahead of him, but he remains an integral part of Slot’s side who have been one of the best teams in Europe this campaign.

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Former NBA star thinks there is just one current player who could break Lebron James' 50,000 scoring record

By: Muhammad Saeed on March 05, 2025 / comment : 0 HITC, news

LeBron James’ longevity is often taken for granted, but the LA Lakers star keeps proving why he is one of the best players with his brilliant performances.

Despite being aged 40, James is showcasing some of the highest quality of basketball with the Lakers.

His exploits even helped him win the Conference Player of the Month award, a laurel he won for the 41st time in his career.

During the Lakers’ game against the New Orleans Pelicans, James became the first player to reach the 50,000-point mark in the regular season and playoffs.

The NBA community congratulated him for the achievement, with Luka Doncic also stating James could reach the 70,000-point mark realistically.

It is only fair after the record is broken to discuss if anyone could break it again, which is what Chandler Parsons, Lou Williams and Michelle Beadle did on the show ‘Run it Back.’

Chandler Parsons said Kevin Durant could break LeBron James’ historic record

While the trio acknowledged the record could be untouched, Parsons dropped Kevin Durant’s name as a current player who could achieve the mark.

Although the former second-overall pick currently has just over 35,000 points, Parsons believes his elite shooting and basketball ability make him one of the only players who could get close to the historic record.

“I mean KD is the obvious choice, right.

“He’s gonna play for obviously four or five more years and he’s the closest at 35,225 points.

“I don’t think James gets there, I don’t think Curry gets there.

“I think the obvious choice here is Kevin Durant because I think he is going to continue to play, he is healthy for the most part.

“He can shoot the basketball till he is 45 years old and be seven foot, pick and pop for so I think Kevin Durant,” said Parsons.

Kevin Durant will find it difficult to break James’ 50,000-point mark

In 17 seasons in the NBA, Durant has averaged 27.3 PPG – which helps him rank sixth in the NBA all-time list ahead of players like James and Kobe Bryant.

The two-time NBA champion is eighth on the all-time scoring list with 30,240 points.

While he could make a push to add more points, the Phoenix Suns’ record could crush their playoff hopes, which means he would be unable to add more points in the postseason to add to his total.

Breaking the record is tough, but even if he doesn’t manage to do it, Durant will be remembered as an elite scorer due to his brilliance and ability to shoot at seven feet.

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