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Sports

Manchester United results, UK media reaction to defeat to Brentford, Cristiano Ronaldo, Erik Ten Hag, Liverpool

Manchester United results, UK media reaction to defeat to Brentford, Cristiano Ronaldo, Erik Ten Hag, Liverpool

Manchester United slumped to a 30-year low as their shocking start to their Premier League campaign continued, proving again when it rains it really does pour.

And monsoon season might be rolling in at Old Trafford ahead of a crunch clash with fierce rivals Liverpool next week.

After losing their opening match of the season at home against Brighton, United were heavily favored to bounce back against Brentford on Sunday morning (AEST).

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PL wrap: Mixed results for ‘Top 6’ teams | 03:06

But disaster struck, with a goalkeeping howler from David de Gea allowing the Bees to strike first in what would become a 4-0 first-half riot at the Gtech Community Stadium.

It’s safe to say few saw that coming.

Manager Erik ten Hag, much like the rest of the world, was left stunned as the halftime whistle marked both a moment of reprieve and realization for the Red Devils.

The damage had already been done by that point, though, as a scoreless second period saw United languish at the bottom of the Premier League table for the first time in 30 years.

This is also the first time since 1936 United have lost seven straight away league games, while Brentford recorded the biggest win in the top division since 1938.

Premier League greats Gary Neville and Jamie Redknapp reached their boiling points after the abysmal display, as the extent of the defeat added more chaos to the existing drama the club.

“At this moment in time, it’s really desperate. There’s no leadership, there’s no voice, you can’t blame the individual player or the manager, you’ve got to look above and look to the very top,” Neville said on SkySports.

“This week, they’re going to get peppered those players, the coach, the sporting department, the new CO – they’re all going to get peppered. But there’s a family over there in America who are just literally letting their employees take all the hits for them – and that is unforgivable.”

Frustration, shock and disappointment was felt across the country with many of the UK’s leading football scribes weighing in on the reality facing the English giants – if they’re still worthy of that moniker.

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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was at the wheel for the Red Devils until he very much wasn’t, as a poor run of form saw the former United star fired.

Louis van Gaal and David Moyes, another two managers who promised so much before they were sacked, still hadn’t sunk as low as Erik ten Hag after just two matches in charge.

Ten Hag is the first United manager to lose his first two league games since John Chapman in 1921.

Former Chelsea striker Chris Sutton told the BBC United have “hit rock bottom”, while Sky Sports pundit Karen Carney believes that the club “can’t get any lower”.

Premier League legend Alan Shearer believes that issues have been festering for years at the famous club.

Shearer added that the Red Devils are currently “miles away” from the level that they should be playing at — and even suggested recent speculation about a shock move for 33-year-old striker Marko Arnautović may have been an inside job.

“I’m convinced that someone from Man United’s leaked the story linking them with (Marko) Arnautovic, just to see what the reaction was,” Shearer said on Match of the Day.

“I think that sort of sums up where United are.

“A man’s game” Souness comments torched | 00:32

“They’re in a mess and it’s going to take time, an unbelievable amount of money to get things right inside the football club and in terms of the right recruitment and it’s going to take a lot of patience from the Manchester United fans because of where they are now to where they want to be – miles away.”

The Telegraph’s Jim White didn’t mince his words as he provided his analysis of United’s “humiliation”, saying that it was the worst performance he’s ever seen by the club.

“Having watched Manchester United for over 50 years, this performance against Brentford is without question the worst I have ever seen them deliver,” White wrote.

“The grim times of Dave Sexton, the misery of the David Moyes era, the negativity of Louis van Gaal, all looked like halcyon days compared to this performance.

“No joy, no coherence, no spirit: this was a team in name only, delivering the kind of performance that Frenkie de Jong would have had on the phone to his agent with instructions to quickly follow up any interest from Chelsea.

“Mistakes happen. But it was the response to that setback that spoke so damagingly of what is going on at Old Trafford. Instead of launching the kind of fight back that once characterized the club, United folded.

“Everywhere they looked hapless, hopeless and haunted.”

Goalkeeper David de Gea, who was once considered to be one of the best players in the world in his position, had an outing to forget in what is becoming a key issue for the club.

Two mistakes from goalkeeper David de Gea saw Manchester United trail 2-0 to Brentford early in their clash on Sunday (AEST). (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
Two mistakes from goalkeeper David de Gea saw Manchester United trail 2-0 to Brentford early in their clash on Sunday (AEST). (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

The Guardian’s Jonathan Wilson said that while de Gea was still an “excellent shot-stopper”, that his inability to play with the ball at his feet was an issue.

“Can you play out from the back with De Gea? De Gea remains, despite Saturday’s howler, an excellent shot-stopper, which is why last season he was named United’s player of the year for the fourth time,” Wilson wrote.

“But there is a reason he has not played for Spain since October 2020 and why he has apparently fallen behind Brentford’s David Raya in the pecking order.

“He is simply not comfortable on the ball. Last season he completed just 71.3% of his passes. By comparison, Ederson completed 88.1% and Alisson 87.1%.

“While it’s true that’s partly because De Gea was encouraged to play more longer balls, it’s also true that one of the reasons United played more longer balls is De Gea.

Man U HOWLERS gift Brentford goals! | 01:17

“This is a major problem for United: De Gea is one of the few United players who has performed consistently in recent years and yet those struggles with the ball at his feet make it very hard for them to switch to a modern style.

“That, perhaps, is the most disconcerting thing for United. This is supposed to be ten Hag’s honeymoon period, but already he looks in danger of being overwhelmed by just how shambolic the club is … And they’ve got Liverpool next.”

The Athletic’s Adam Crafton said “each week manages to conjure a new sense of stupefying shock” when it came to United, with their fans ruthlessly mocked at half-time.

“At halftime, Brentford, who had not beaten Manchester United since 1938, led their opponents. And this was more than a lead. This was 4-0 and deservedly so,” Crafton wrote.

“There was, in the press box, almost a numbing madness to it all. Brentford’s supporters, too, stared at one another, open-mouthed.

“They taunted their United opponents, telling them they’d be ‘going down with the Fulham’. Fulham, on two points after two games compared to United’s zero, may be offended by the comparison.”

The Red Devils appear to be at a crossroads after failing to sign Arnautovic, as well as other players during the English summer.

Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong has been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford for what feels like forever, although Chelsea have since emerged as another potential destination.

According to the BBC, United have spent £672 million ($1.14 billion AUD) since winning their last major trophy in 2017, which was the Europa League.

So far during the transfer window, United have signed Tyrell Malacia, Christian Eriksen and Lisandro Martinez.

Club great Rio Ferdinand said that he feels “sorry” for ten Hag after an uneventful transfer window has so far failed to add key players to a struggling squad.

“I don’t feel sorry for the players, I feel sorry for ten Hag,” Ferdinand told the Vibe with Five podcast.

“He’s coming under false pretenses. He’s coming expected new signings.

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“He’s probably sitting there thinking, ‘I’ve been sold a dummy here. I didn’t know I was coming into this’.

“This is an indefensible situation right now because it’s so bad, it’s terrible.

“I mean, we’re only two games in, but we’re two games in on the back of what happened last season as well by the way.

“I wouldn’t blame ten Hag right now. You can pick at his team selection or whatever but this is a bigger problem, a wider problem.”

Midfielder Bruno Fernandes, meanwhile, has been accused of getting “away with murder” on the football field by a former Premier League striker.

Gabby Agbonlahor blasted the Portuguese star on the well-known British radio station talkSPORT.

“For me, Fernandes, since he’s been in the Premier League, yes he’s had great stats, goal scoring and assists but he looks like the worst teammate,” Agbonlagor said.

“Every time a player gives it away, every time he gives it away, he throws his arms up at his teammates, he throws his arms up at the bench.

“I’ve played with players like him, you’d be smoking at him. He’ll press now and then. If that was Paul Pogba they would be slaughtering Pogba in the media.

“Fernandes gets away with murder. Did you see Fernandes do anything? It’s easy to say (Harry) Maguire, (Cristiano) Ronaldo, (Marcus) Rashford, (Jadon) Sancho.”

The Red Devils failed to qualify for this year’s Champions League after finishing sixth in the 2021/22 Premier League season – 35 points behind champions Manchester City.

While they appear set to sign Adrien Rabiot from Juventus, French journalist Julien Laurens also slammed United’s transfer strategy.

“They are not helping themselves,” Laurens told BBC Radio 5 Live’s EuroLeagues podcast.

“The non-existence of a transfer strategy, not just now but since Fergie (Sir Alex Ferguson) left, is not just baffling, it’s outrageous.”

The club have reached a new low as a non-league side threw a jab, literally laughing in the wake of United’s horror loss.

Oldham Athletic’s chairman Frank Rothwell was interviewed after his side’s 3-2 win over Dorking Wanderers, where he made the most of his chance to have a dig.

“Do you know what’s happening to United?” Rothwell said, before he reportedly began to laugh.

Manchester United face rivals Liverpool at Old Trafford on Tuesday week and when it comes to their future

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Australia

Oakey hit and run victim 47yo Trudy Wright Dodd remembered in tributes

A woman smiling

Oakey woman Trudy Wright Dodd has been remembered as a “beautiful soul” with a “smile that would light any room” after she died in an alleged hit and run.

Ms Dodd’s body was found on the side of 4AK Road in the town, north-west of Toowoomba, on Saturday morning.

Investigators believed she was struck by a car sometime between midnight and 8am.

A tip off from a member of the public led police to the vehicle suspected to be involved in the incident.

The driver was assisting police with their inquiries and police were yet to lay any changes.

Ms Dodd’s work colleagues remembered the 47-year-old for her generosity.

She worked at Distributors TCW, a confection wholesaler in Toowoomba, and was recently recognized for more than five years’ service with the company.

“Trudy Wright Dodd, my good work colleague, supervisor and friend, you were and always will be in my thoughts,” Rodney Bugeja wrote on social media.

“Thank you for all your generosity and understanding towards me whilst I worked at TCW, you were an absolute pleasure to work under.”

A police officer on a road in Oakey
A police officer at the site of the suspected hit and run which resulted in the death of Ms Dodd near Oakey.(ABC News: Lucas Hill)

Another colleague said Ms Dodd was “nothing but a beautiful soul” and she had a “smile that would light any room.”

Ms Dodd was also a longtime supporter of the local Oakey Bears rugby league club.

“Our football community has been rocked by this tragedy,” the club said in a statement.

“The Oakey Bears Senior RLFC are shocked and deeply saddened by news we have lost one of our great longtime supporters Trudy Dodd.”

The Forensic Crash Unit is continuing to investigate Ms Dodd’s death.

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Sports

Erik ten Hag cancels Manchester United day off, running exercise, distance covered, highlights, latest, updates

Erik ten Hag cancels Manchester United day off, running exercise, distance covered, highlights, latest, updates

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag reportedly canceled a planned day off for his players and forced them into a humiliating running exercise as the fallout from the shock Brentford defeat continues.

Ten Hag, who oversaw a successful pre-season but has endured a nightmare start in the Premier League, was helpless as he watched his side capitulate at the Brentford Community Stadium.

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It was United’s second straight defeat after the opening day loss to Brentford and consigned the Red Devils to the bottom of the Premier League ladder for the first time in 30 years.

And according to The Telegraph’s Jason Burt, ten Hag was furious with what his team served up against the Bees and ordered his team to come to the club’s training ground for a punishing extra session.

Man U HOWLERS gift Brentford goals! | 01:17

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“With United not playing again until next Monday, at home to Liverpool, ten Hag had intended to allow his squad not to report to their training HQ, Carrington, for a recovery day,” Burt wrote.

“Instead, having told the players that their performance was ‘shocking’ and agreeing with the post-match analysis that they had played ‘like kids’ ten Hag demanded a response with an intense training session which, surprisingly after a game, included an element of running.”

Over the course of 90 minutes, United ran 95.6km as a team while Brentford chalked up 109.4km.

The shocking margin was another element of ten Hag’s brutal punishment, as Burt claims the Dutchman forced his players to cover 13.8km throughout the training session conducted in 30-degree heat, “exactly the distance they collectively ran less than the Brentford players during the game .”

With a clash against bitter rivals Liverpool on the horizon, things could get much, much worse before they get better for ten Hag and Manchester United.

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Entertainment

US writer Sally Hoedel claims Elvis died young because of incestuous relatives

US writer Sally Hoedel claims Elvis died young because of incestuous relatives

A writer has claimed Elvis Presley’s tragic death at the age of 42 was not caused by self-destruction and drug abuse but was instead a tragic inevitability spurred by bad genes in the singer’s family tree.

Myths and misconceptions have continued to swirl around Elvis’ death in the 45 years since the legendary performer was found unresponsive in the bathroom of his Graceland mansion on August 16, 1977, reported The US Sun.

His official cause of death was ruled a heart attack, a tragic fate that has long been attributed to The King’s excessive indulgence in prescription drugs and unhealthy foods.

Those attributions can be traced back to news coverage from the time, with reports painting the star as a bloated, forlorn drug addict — a rock’n’roll cliche who popped one too many pills and died long before his time.

But for author and lifelong fan Sally Hoedel, the cause of Elvis’ premature demise is not so clear-cut.

Hoedel claimed that Elvis was always destined to die young. She attributed this to her belief that he may have had a series of defective genes possibly passed down to him by his maternal grandparents, Bob Smith and Doll Mansell, who were his first cousins.

Hoedel argued that those alleged faulty genes were aggravating factors behind his various health issues, which he in turn treated with a cocktail of prescription drugs.

“That first cousin marriage obviously causes a lot of issues,” Hoedel theorized to The US Sun in a phone interview from her home in Michigan.

“Elvis’ mum Gladys died very young at 46 and she had three brothers who all died at similar ages from heart and lung-related issues. So it stops being a coincidence by the time it gets to Elvis,” she claimed, “because there’s so much going on in that family tree.”

For her book, Elvis: Destined to Die YoungHoedel researched the medical history of the Presley family and unearthed never-before-reported information.

His interest in the topic was piqued after noticing a series of similarities in the deaths of Elvis and his much-beloved mother Gladys, who died almost exactly 19 years before him on August 14, 1958.

Gladys, like her superstar son, died of heart failure. She was 46, just four years older than Elvis when he passed away.

Additionally, both Elvis and Gladys suffered a “similar four-year period of degenerative health” in the lead-up to their deaths, according to Hoedel, “which is interesting because they weren’t taking the same kinds of medication.”

Research conducted by Hoedel found that Gladys had been seeing a cardiologist since at least 1956, and was also hospitalized for two weeks that same year with a mystery illness.

Shortly before her death, Gladys was also diagnosed with hepatitis, the origins of which baffled her doctors at the time. The condition, which targets the lungs and liver, was thought to have been related to Gladys’ alcoholism.

Born and raised in extreme poverty in the deep south, Gladys’ struggles to cope with her son’s meteoric ascension to fame and fortune are well documented, with the self-described “most miserable woman in the world” reportedly once telling a friend over the phone , “I wish we were poor again, I really do.”

Growing increasingly isolated and depressed as Elvis became a global sensation, Gladys began drinking excessively and taking diet pills – a downward spiral that many believe led to her hepatitis diagnosis and ultimately contributed to her death.

Gladys fell seriously ill just a few months after Elvis enlisted in the US Army. The timing of her downturn in her health spurred theories that Gladys drank herself to death, wracked with worry and suffering from a broken heart while her son was serving overseas in Germany.

Hoedel believes that narrative is baseless “romanticism.”

“Gladys has always been painted as this woman whose son became famous, bought her a big house and she just struggled to deal with it all and essentially died of a broken heart,” the author and historian contended.

“But that’s not how it works. I think Elvis and Vernon [Elvis’ dad] both knew who knew how sick she was before he left for the army.

“They were all so sad because I believe for sure that they knew they didn’t have a lot of time left with her.”

Hoedel argued – like Elvis – the causes of Gladys’ death and ill-health lie further up the family tree.

“The Presleys were incredibly secretive about their health,” Hoedel said, “but I managed to interview people like Nancy Clarke, the daughter of Gladys’ cardiologist, who used to go on house calls with her dad to the Presley home.

“And she told me before her dad passed away, he said there was more to Gladys’ death than what he understood because he’s long been quoted as saying it looked like hepatitis, but it wasn’t, and he couldn’t work out what was wrong with her.”

Hoedel believed that Gladys was actually suffering from Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, an inherited and rarely diagnosed disorder that can cause lung and liver disease.

“We know Elvis had it because he was found to be a carrier for Alpha-1 after his death, so it had to come from somewhere” she added.

“And it all leads back to Gladys’ parents,” she claimed.

In her book, Hoedel examined the health issues of Elvis’ grandmother, Doll Smith, who is believed to have suffered from Tuberculosis for more than 30 years.

“Again, something that doesn’t make sense, but continued to be passed down the family tree and then throughout recorded Elvis history as well,” Hoedel argued. “This book explains how Tuberculosis was most certainly a misdiagnosis in the early 1900s.

“From there, with the first-cousin marriage, Gladys [may have] inherited two damaged genes and a more serious version of the disease.”

All of Gladys’ brothers died of heart and liver-related issues in their forties and early fifties too.

Faulty and defective genes were also passed down to Elvis, Hoedel suggested.

The legendary crooner was suffering from diseases in nine of the 11 bodily systems, including his heart, his lungs, and his bowels. It was Hoedel’s contention that five of those disease processes were present from birth. Hoedel believed Elvis was a man who struggled every day to survive.

His prescription drug problem, she theorized, may have been the result of Elvis and his infamous physician, George “Nick” Nichopolous, attempting to treat his various congenital illnesses, rather than just mindless overconsumption.

“Elvis had various health issues but he hid them so well that the over-medication is what we remember now,” Hoedel claimed.

“He often took too much, and there are issues there, but you have to ask why he was taking those pills in the first place.

“One of the reasons Elvis turned to the medication was pain, he was also a lifelong insomniac, but the reason he was self-medicating was that he was trying to find a way to be Elvis Presley.”

The more he toured, the more medication he would need to function through his various ailments, Hoedel suggested.

But Elvis – a devoted son, husband, father, and friend – couldn’t simply stop performing. He had more than 100 people on his payroll from him, relying on him to keep bringing the money in to keep them all afloat.

Memphis Mafia member Lamar Fike told Hoedel he begged Elvis to quit touring after the singer complained of fatigue and pain.

“I have to make payroll,” The King replied.

Speaking of the eleven electric performer’s ailing health during his final years, Elvis’ bodyguard Ed Parker described him as a “battery that had been drained too many times.”

“His body could no longer hold a charge,” Parker said.

Still, on Elvis soldiered, until his life came to an abrupt end on August 16, 1977.

Ultimately, as her book title suggests, Hoedel argued that Elvis was always destined to die young, and nothing could’ve saved The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll from the unfavorable genetic hand she believed he was dealt with.

For the author, examining Elvis’ supposedly faulty genetic make-up was an effort to re-humanize the mythical figure of Presley, who she feels in the years since his death has been reduced to a rock star cliche who simply died alone on the bathroom floor.

“There are so many myths and misconceptions about how Elvis lived, not just in how he died, and it isn’t fair on Elvis,” Hoedel said.

“I think Elvis is the greatest victim of sensationalism and romanticism, and both have kind of plagued and haunted his legacy and prevented him from being remembered as the incredibly important historical figure he is.

“Elvis shifted our universe culturally like no one has before and he deserves to be treated like a Henry Ford or Thomas Edison of pop culture.

“But the sex drugs and rock’n’roll narrative has held him back – he’s a bigger place in American history.”

This article was originally published on The Sun and was reproduced here with permission

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Sports

Antonio Conte and Thomas Tuchel sat off, fight, video, reaction, Tottenham vs Chelsea, score, Harry Kane goal

Antonio Conte and Thomas Tuchel sat off, fight, video, reaction, Tottenham vs Chelsea, score, Harry Kane goal

Harry Kane snatched a 96th minute equalizer to salvage a 2-2 draw for Tottenham from a feisty London derby against Chelsea.

Both managers Antonio Conte and Thomas Tuchel were sent-off after the full-time whistle for their second physical altercation of the match.

Chelsea looked set to get a new era at Stamford Bridge off to the best possible start as they twice led through Kalidou Koulibaly and Reece James.

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Ben Davies (R) celebrates with Ivan Perisic (C) after Harry Kane scores their late equaliser. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)
Ben Davies (R) celebrates with Ivan Perisic (C) after Harry Kane scores their late equaliser. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)Source: AFP

Tottenham were well off the level required if they are to live up to hopes of challenging Manchester City and Liverpool for the title, but showed the newfound character instilled by Conte to fight back for a point.

The Italian and Tuchel were both booked in the aftermath of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s first equaliser.

Tempers then flared again during a handshake after Kane hesitated in with virtually the last action of the game.

“It is the Premier League and why we love it. It is emotional coaches on the sidelines,” said Tuchel.

“I think it (the red card) was not necessary. But a lot of things were not necessary today so it is another poor decision from the referee.

“It’s emotional. You like it. We don’t need comments now. It was heated up and heated up.

“I thought when you shake hands you look into each other’s eyes. Antonio (Conte) had other ideas.”

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Antonio Conte (R) and Thomas Tuchel (L) shake hands then clash. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)Source: AFP
The game finished 2-2. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)Source: AFP

Tottenham have still only won once at Stamford Bridge in 32 years in the league, but Conte will be delighted to escape with a share of the spoils against his former club.

“There is a difference between Chelsea and Tottenham but we are here to reduce this gap,” said the Italian. “Last season we lost three times, this time we drew so it’s a little step forward.”

New Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly was welcomed by a huge banner from the Chelsea support and saw an early return on the near £170 million ($206 million) investment in the transfer market since he sanctioned a £2.5 billion takeover to buy the club from Roman Abramovich .

Despite the drastic changes in the boardroom, on the field it was like the old times under Abramovich as Chelsea outthought, outplayed and outmuscled Spurs for the first 45 minutes.

Two of their new signings combined for the opening goal as it was from Marc Cucurella’s corner that Koulibaly found space to volley home.

Man U HOWLERS gift Brentford goals! | 01:17

Conte again resisted the temptation to start any of his six new signings, but it was not until the introduction of Richarlison just before the hour mark and a switch of formation that Tottenham began to threaten.

Kane had a glorious chance to level when he uncharacteristically dragged wide with only Edouard Mendy to beat.

Spurs did level 22 minutes from time in controversial fashion to light the spark between the two managers.

Kai Havertz looked to be clearly fouled by Rodrigo Bentancur before Tottenham broke forward and the ball eventually fell to Hojbjerg to fire low and hard past Mendy.

Tuchel reacted furiously to the decision and Conte’s overzealous celebration. The German fought fire with fire as he sprinted down the touchline to celebrate when James thrashed home Raheem Sterling’s pass to restore Chelsea’s lead 13 minutes from time.

However, Kane had the final say as he flicked in Ivan Perisic’s corner deep into added time.

De Bruyne scores spectacular solo goal! | 00:37

FOREST CELEBRATE HOMECOMING IN STYLE

Earlier, Nottingham Forest celebrated their first home game in the Premier League for 23 years by beating West Ham 1-0.

The two-time European champions have made 14 new signings in a bid to maintain their top-flight status and two of those making their home debuts were the heroes as Taiwo Awoniyi scored the only goal and Dean Henderson saved Declan Rice’s penalty.

Forest had fortune on their side as the Hammers also had a first-half goal controversially ruled out and hit the underside of the crossbar twice after the break through Pablo Fornals and Said Benrahma.

But that mattered little to a capacity 30,000 crowd at the City Ground, who roared the home side over the line.

West Ham have now lost both their opening two games of the season, but in stark contrast to a 2-0 defeat to Manchester City last weekend, they should have taken at least a point back to London.

Taiwo Awoniyi of Notts Forest celebrates scoring the first goal (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

Benrahma’s cool finish from Rice’s pass was ruled out after a VAR review for a foul by Michail Antonio as he blocked off Moussa Niakhate.

On top of nearly £100 million in transfer fees, Forest have splashed out a reported £200,000-a-week to secure Jesse Lingard on a one-year deal.

Lingard had been long linked with a return to West Ham after a successful loan spell in the 2020/21 season.

And he played a part in the winner as his shot was blocked by Ben Johnson but rebounded in off Awoniyi’s knee.

Bar a Brennan Johnson goal that was ruled out by VAR for offside, it was the visitors who had all the best chances after the break.

Fornals smashed an effort of the bar seconds into the second period before Benrahma did likewise from a nearly inch-perfect free-kick.

Rice had the best chance of all from the spot after Scott McKenna handled Tomas Soucek’s effort.

However, Henderson made himself an instant hero by diving low to his right to save the penalty.

More desperate defending was needed by Neco Williams to clear Kurt Zouma’s header off the line late on, but Forest held out for a famous win

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Entertainment

Princess Diana’s bodyguard Lee Sansum claims she would still be alive if he had been on duty

Princess Diana's bodyguard Lee Sansum claims she would still be alive if he had been on duty

He is the bodyguard who Princess Diana nicknamed “Rambo” and with whom she had several heart-to-hearts revealing her biggest fears and future plans.

And 25 years on from her death, Lee Sansum says he is adamant she would be alive today if he had been with her on the night she died alongside Dodi Fayed in a Paris car crash on August 31, 1997.

In an exclusive interview with The SunSansum has told how security guards drew straws to accompany bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones in the car, and he lost.

He also reveals the fun bets he had with a young Prince and how he treasures a letter from Diana thanking him for making her final sunshine holiday in St Tropez “magical” — and her fears she may be assassinated.

“It could have been me in that car,” said Sansum, now 60.

“We drew straws to see who would be accompanying Trevor that weekend. I pulled a match and it was a long one.

“When I learned they were not wearing seatbelts in the crash I understood why they didn’t survive. That shouldn’t have happened.

“It was standard practice for the family to wear seatbelts. It was an order sent down from the boss, Dodi’s dad Mohamed Fayed. Dodi, in particular, hated wearing seatbelts and I always insisted on it.”

Through his work with Mohamed Al-Fayed — the owner of Hôtel Ritz Paris and formerly Harrods department store and Fulham FC — Sansum also protected Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Sylvester Stallone and footballer Pele.

Burnley-born Sansum, who has covered his incredible career in personal protection in a new book, The Bodyguard: Real Stories of Close Protection from Tom Cruise to Princess Dianawas assigned to look after Dodi and Diana, then 36, when they stayed at his boss’s 30-bedroom villa in St Tropez, in the South of France, during July 1997.

Every day Diana would wake up at 7am and chat to the bodyguard.

“She had been happy on that holiday,” he said.

“But I had seen her in tears too, when she learned of the murder of her friend, the fashion designer Gianni Versace. She confided in me her own fears that she might one day be assassinated.

“She asked if I thought his murder outside his home was a professional killing.

“I thought it was. Then she said something that always stayed with me — ‘Do you think they’ll do that to me?’ She was shaking and it was clear from her tone that she really thought that they might, whoever ‘they’ might be.

“I spent some time reassuring her that no one was going to try to kill her and she was safe with us, but she definitely thought there was a risk that one day she might be assassinated.”

Diana also told Sansum she wanted to live with Dodi in the States.

“I actually signed up to join Diana and Dodi in America,” he added.

“She was definitely going, and that was that. She told me she was going there.

“She didn’t want to, but that was the only place she felt people weren’t having a go at her. It was probably her way of keeping sane, to get some respite.”

Sansum took an instant shine to young princes William and Harry, who he says were down to earth and friendly, like their mother. William was 15 when Diana died and Harry 12.

Sansum believes Diana’s plan to move to the US influenced Harry’s move there with Meghan.

“This trauma happened when the building blocks for life were being formulated,” he said.

“His mother saw America as a place of sanctuary. He will be drawing on his experiences of her from then. ”

Sansum, a martial arts expert, tried to teach William and Harry how to kickbox, but they were too apprehensive.

“I rigged up a punch bag in the garage,” he said.

“One day I told the princes, ‘Come on, I’ll teach you a bit of kickboxing.’

“When I showed William and Harry how to do it though, they seemed a little bit in awe from watching me kick that bag so hard and weren’t too keen to try it themselves in front of me.”

But Harry did challenge him to jump off the top deck of Al-Fayed’s yacht for money.

When Sansum said he would do it for £200, Diana joined in the encouragement and told Sansum they had his money.

“It was a bloody big yacht and a fair drop from its highest point into the water,” he said.

“A bet’s a bet, after all, and this one was by royal command, from an actual princess.

“So I jumped off the boat, hit the water with a big splash and they were all delighted, especially Harry.”

Sansum — who has also served in the Military Police, worked undercover for the Forces in Northern Ireland at the height of the Troubles and in Somalia and Libya — does not believe Diana was murdered.

But he reveals the presence of intelligence services following her just weeks before the crash might have been a factor.

On a counter-surveillance drive near the Al-Fayed home in Surrey just before they all went to St Tropez, one of Sansum’s colleagues saw someone from the Special Reconnaissance Unit, working on a building site. He knew him as they had both been in the SAS.

“We were generally followed by MI5 but this was the first time we had seen a Special Forces guy,” he said.

“We thought, ‘They’ve upped their game.’

“A witness driving a car traveling in front of the Mercedes in Paris on the night of the crash told the inquest that he saw a high-powered motorbike overtake the car just seconds before the crash.

“Another witness traveling in the opposite direction saw a second motorbike swerve to avoid smoke and wreckage then carry on out of the tunnel without stopping. The riders of those bikes were never found — and that is no coincidence.

“I believe that security officers following Diana, possibly British or a combined British – French team, may have either inadvertently caused the crash or were in proximity to the car when it happened.

“If it was known that MI6 operatives were right by the Mercedes at the critical moment, a lot of people would have blamed them for it, and that would have been a huge scandal.”

Sansum will never know the truth. But he will always treasure the letter he received from the princess 25 years ago.

“I received a lovely letter from Diana that was signed by her and both of the young princes,” he said.

“She told me she wanted to thank me for taking such good care of them all in St Tropez. I was blown away by that. She assured me that she and her boys de ella had a ‘magical’ time there and that this would not have been possible without my help.

“I couldn’t believe that a woman as famous and in-demand as Diana had taken the time to write to me in that way.

“It showed the empathy she was rightly famous for.

“Diana was almost always able to put herself in someone else’s shoes, it is one of the reasons why she was so highly regarded.

“She signed off with her warmest possible thanks. I still have that letter and will always treasure it.”

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission

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Categories
Sports

St Jude Championship scores, Cameron Smith, LIV Golf, Aussies in action, latest, updates

St Jude Championship scores, Cameron Smith, LIV Golf, Aussies in action, latest, updates

JJ Spaun birdied two of the last three holes to shoot a two-under par 68 for a one-stroke lead after Saturday’s third round of the US PGA Tour’s St. Jude Championship.

Spaun tapped in to birdie the par-5 16th and holed a 17-foot birdie putt at the 17th then stood alone at the top after Austrian Sepp Straka missed a nine-foot par putt at the 18th at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee.

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The 31-year-old American stood on 13-under 197 through 54 holes with Straka on 198 after shooting 68.

British Open champion Cameron Smith of Australia fired 67 to share third on 199 with Americans Will Zalatoris and Trey Mullinax. Americans Tyler Duncan and Troy Merritt were another stroke adrift.

However, Smith had to cop some stick from fans as he walked the course.

The tournament opens the FedEx Cup playoffs, three season-ending events with a winner’s prize of $18 million.

Only 125 players qualified on season points and only the top 70 advance to next week’s BMW Championship, where the 30 qualifiers for the Tour Championship in Atlanta are decided.

‘Ready to cop some heat’ Smith talks LIV | 00:49

MORE COVERAGE

Aussie Smith on the charge in Tour playoffs despite dark LIV Golf cloud as world No. 1 misses cut

World No. 1 commits ultimate golfing sin on Smith … sparking storm about whether he meant it

‘Ready to cop some heat’: Cam Smith’s big admission over $140m PGA bombshell

Spaun won his first PGA title after 147 tour starts in April at the Texas Open while Straka, who missed six consecutive cuts coming into this week, won his first PGA title in February at the Honda Classic.

Spaun began with nine pars before a bogey at 10, but sank an 11-foot birdie putt at the par-3 11th and overtook Straka with his closing surge.

After a birdie-bogey start, Straka sank a 15-foot birdie putt at the fifth hole and another from just inside 12 feet at the sixth to seize the outright lead, but he fell back with a bogey at seven.

Straka took the lead alone with a 16-foot birdie putt at the 13th and grabbed a two-stroke lead by sinking a six-foot birdie putt at 15, setting the stage for Spaun’s run.

Zalatoris, still chasing his first PGA Tour victory, was a runner-up this year at the PGA Championship and US Open and last year in his Masters debut.

“I played on the biggest stages in three majors and I felt comfortable in those positions,” he said.

“I haven’t gotten a win out of it yet. Eventually we will and hopefully tomorrow is it.”

LIV golfers still welcome in Australia | 01:46

World number 14 Zalatoris, who turns 26 on Tuesday, has a PGA-high eight top-10 finishes without a victory this season.

“Today was awesome,” Zalatoris said of his 65.

“Tee to green was great and I rolled in a couple nice putts, so I just need to keep that going.”

Zalatoris split with caddy Ryan Goble last week and new caddy Joel Stock has read his putts the past 36 holes.

“It has been great,” Zalatoris said.

“He has been awesome. Obviously it has paid off. He’s doing a good job.”

Mullinax, who shot 66, won his first PGA title at last month’s Barbasol Championship.

He began the week 70th in points, the last spot to advance, but is in position to leap into the top 30.

“Been playing really well,” he said. “Just going out and sticking to the game plan.”

Duncan birdied four of the first six holes to shoot 67.

It has been 77 starts without a top-10 finish for Duncan since his lone PGA victory at the 2019 RSM Classic.

Rickie Fowler found water twice on the way to a quintuple-bogey nine on the 18th hole. He shot 72 to stand on 208, likely dooming his bid to advance in the playoffs.

LEADERBOARD (AFTER 3 ROUNDS)

1st: JJ Spaun -13

2nd: Sepp Staka -12

S3: Will Zalatoris -11

S3: Trey Mullinax – 11

S3: Cameron Smith -11

S6: Tyler Duncan -10

S6: Troy Merritt -10

AUSSIES IN ACTION

S3: Cameron Smith -11

S25: Adam Scott -7

T36: Cam Davis -5

69th: Marc Leishman +3

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Categories
Sports

Premier League results, scores, table, Manchester United loss to Brentford, Arsenal, Manchester City

Premier League results, scores, table, Manchester United loss to Brentford, Arsenal, Manchester City

Manchester United suffered an embarrassing 4-0 thrashing by Brentford to sink to the bottom of the Premier League.

As soaring temperatures across England meant water breaks were introduced at all this weekend’s Premier League games, United melted away in the first-half in West London to continue Erik ten Hag’s nightmare start as manager.

The Red Devils were 4-0 down after just 35 minutes as Josh Dasilva, Mathias Jensen, Ben Mee and Bryan Mbuemo put Ten Hag’s men to the sword.

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“I feel really sorry for the fans, we let them down,” said Ten Hag.

“I think Brentford were more hungry and we conceded goals to individual mistakes. You can have a plan but that puts the plan in the bin.”

Cristiano Ronaldo was selected in the Dutch coach’s starting line-up after starting last weekend’s 2-1 defeat to Brighton on the bench, but rather than riding to the rescue, his presence only compounded United’s problems.

Manchester United's manager Erik ten Hag. Picture: Ian Kington
Manchester United’s manager Erik ten Hag. Picture: Ian KingtonSource: AFP

United have now lost seven consecutive league games away from home for the first time since 1936. They finished the day on the bottom of the Premier League table for the first time since August 1992.

CITY ‘CAN GO UP A LEVEL’

Manchester City went top as the champions rolled over Bournemouth 4-0, while Arsenal also have a maximum six points from two games after Gabriel Jesus starred in their 4-2 win over Leicester.

Erling Haaland failed to score on his home debut for City but the Norwegian showed there is more to his game than goals as he used his strength before sliding in Ilkay Gundogan to open the scoring at the Etihad.

Kevin De Bruyne then took center stage with a scintillating finish with the outside of his right foot to find the far corner before the Belgian turned provider for Phil Foden to make it 3-0 before half-time.

“I think we can go up a level,” warned De Bruyne. “Leading 3-0 fairly quickly makes it easy.”

City eased off after the break but added to their lead 11 minutes from time when Jefferson Lerma turned Joao Cancelo’s cross into his own net.

Haaland’s arrival at City was one of the factors behind Jesus’ departure and the Brazilian is already looking like a bargain for the Gunners as he marked his home debut with two goals and two assists to maintain Arsenal’s perfect start. Jesus’ became the first Arsenal player to score two goals on home Premier League debut.

Gabriel Jesus of Arsenal. Picture: Julian FinneySource: Getty Images

Jesus was often deployed in wider areas by City boss Pep Guardiola, but was brought to Arsenal to be a number nine as he aims to secure a place at the World Cup later this year with regular games as a centre-forward.

“I’m really enjoying playing number nine for Arsenal,” said Jesus. “I wasn’t not happy at City, but I just wanted to play.”

The 25-year-old showed his eye for goal with a sumptuous chip over Danny Ward to break Leicester’s resistance and doubled his tally by heading home a corner at the back post.

Twice Leicester were given a lifeline by Arsenal mistakes through William Saliba’s own goal and James Maddison’s strike that squirmed under Aaron Ramsdale.

However, on both occasions, Mikel Arteta’s men hit back quickly to restore a two-goal lead through Granit Xhaka and Gabriel Martinelli.

GERRARD BEATS LAMPARD

Steven Gerrard won his first managerial clash with former England teammate Frank Lampard as Aston Villa beat Everton 2-1.

Goals from Danny Ings and Emi Buendia eased the pressure on the former Liverpool captain after a run of two wins in their previous 12 games dating back to last season.

However, Villa had to survive a nervy finish as Lucas Digne’s own goal gave Everton hope before Emi Martinez twice denied Anthony Gordon.

Aston Villa Manager Steven Gerrard and Everton Manager Frank Lampard shake hands after full time. Picture: Marc AtkinsSource: Getty Images

Leeds missed the chance to join City and Arsenal on six points, blowing a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 at Southampton.

Brighton and Newcastle failed to build on their impressive starts last weekend as both missed chances aplenty in a 0-0 draw at the Amex.

It was also scoreless between Wolves and Fulham at Molineux after Aleksandar Mitrovic saw a late penalty saved by Jose Sa in the home team’s goal.

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Categories
Entertainment

French-Canadian mother took to Reddit for advice on son’s name

French-Canadian mother took to Reddit for advice on son's name

Choosing a name for your child is a very difficult decision for many parents to make.

While some expectant parents may already have a huge list of names that they like, for others, trying to decide on a name can seem very daunting.

And one mother has taken to Reddit to reveal that she not only struggled to choose a name for her child, but now really regrets the name that she chose.

The anonymous parent took to the online discussion website and admitted she ‘regrets’ her son’s name and is fed up with people constantly raising their eyebrows at the name or asking her to repeat it, The Sun reported.

The Reddit user explained: “First, I have to say that we are French Canadian.

“The name we chose will sound totally normal to you, but here it is quite unusual because it’s an English name …

“So, at the hospital, we chose to name our son Logan. My son is now six months old, and I am still not used to his name. It was difficult from the start to choose a name.

“A lot of names we loved didn’t work well with my husband’s name. We also had very different tastes for boys’ names. So we waited until the last minute to choose.

“Logan was not the first choice for either of us, but it was the only name we both agreed on. We made the decision to give him an “original” name. I thought I could live well with that and defend my choice.

“I believe giving him an English name will give him an edge on the job market (would you hire a Logan or a François, Jean-Michel or Mathieu?). I wanted him to stand out instead of being the 10th Felix in his grade…”

However, the mother revealed that it’s been six months since she welcomed her son, and she still isn’t liking his name.

She continued: “But still, after six months, I am not comfortable with the name Logan.

“I don’t live well with people raising an eyebrow or asking me to repeat. I don’t want to change my son’s name, but does anybody have a similar story?

“How long did it take for you to get used to it?”

Reddit users were very supportive of the woman, and rushed to the comments to share their thoughts on the name, as well as their own experiences with their children’s names.

One person said: “I can see where you’re coming from. I’m from Germany originally and a name like Logan would certainly be a bit odd there, so I imagine it’d be about the same in French Canada.

“You’ll get used to it. He’ll get used to it. And everyone around him will get used to it.”

Another added: “I regretted my second daughter’s name for the longest time.

“I think it was around eight months when I finally started calling her by her real name instead of pet names and nicknames.

“By the time she was walking and showing her little personality, I had gotten used to her name.

“Now I can’t imagine her with any other name!”

A third commented: “I like the name Logan!” Someone else stated: “Logan’s a good name, don’t sweat it.”

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission

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Categories
Entertainment

French-Canadian mother took to Reddit for advice on son’s name

French-Canadian mother took to Reddit for advice on son's name

Choosing a name for your child is a very difficult decision for many parents to make.

While some expectant parents may already have a huge list of names that they like, for others, trying to decide on a name can seem very daunting.

And one mother has taken to Reddit to reveal that she not only struggled to choose a name for her child, but now really regrets the name that she chose.

The anonymous parent took to the online discussion website and admitted she ‘regrets’ her son’s name and is fed up with people constantly raising their eyebrows at the name or asking her to repeat it, The Sun reported.

The Reddit user explained: “First, I have to say that we are French Canadian.

“The name we chose will sound totally normal to you, but here it is quite unusual because it’s an English name …

“So, at the hospital, we chose to name our son Logan. My son is now six months old, and I am still not used to his name. It was difficult from the start to choose a name.

“A lot of names we loved didn’t work well with my husband’s name. We also had very different tastes for boys’ names. So we waited until the last minute to choose.

“Logan was not the first choice for either of us, but it was the only name we both agreed on. We made the decision to give him an “original” name. I thought I could live well with that and defend my choice.

“I believe giving him an English name will give him an edge on the job market (would you hire a Logan or a François, Jean-Michel or Mathieu?). I wanted him to stand out instead of being the 10th Felix in his grade…”

However, the mother revealed that it’s been six months since she welcomed her son, and she still isn’t liking his name.

She continued: “But still, after six months, I am not comfortable with the name Logan.

“I don’t live well with people raising an eyebrow or asking me to repeat. I don’t want to change my son’s name, but does anybody have a similar story?

“How long did it take for you to get used to it?”

Reddit users were very supportive of the woman, and rushed to the comments to share their thoughts on the name, as well as their own experiences with their children’s names.

One person said: “I can see where you’re coming from. I’m from Germany originally and a name like Logan would certainly be a bit odd there, so I imagine it’d be about the same in French Canada.

“You’ll get used to it. He’ll get used to it. And everyone around him will get used to it.”

Another added: “I regretted my second daughter’s name for the longest time.

“I think it was around eight months when I finally started calling her by her real name instead of pet names and nicknames.

“By the time she was walking and showing her little personality, I had gotten used to her name.

“Now I can’t imagine her with any other name!”

A third commented: “I like the name Logan!” Someone else stated: “Logan’s a good name, don’t sweat it.”

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission

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