Comedian and Arsenal fan Jack Whitehall wants Leicester to finish in the top four after accusing European Super League clubs of chatting ‘shit’.

The Foxes appear poised for a Champions League return for the first time since 2017 following Monday night’s 2-1 win over Crystal Palace.

Goals from Timothy Castagne and Kelechi Iheanacho secured victory for King Power to move Leicester seven points ahead of fifth.

And with European qualifying almost in the bag, Gunners super-fan Whitehall is lending his support to Brendan Rodgers’ side for the run-in.

Referring to the “cabal” of clubs that wanted to join the European Super League, the comedian tweeted: “Big up Leicester City.

“I really hope they qualify for the Champions League. Especially if it’s at the expense of one of the Super League cabals.

“It’s such a well run club. Chat behind everyone’s back to line your own pockets – get screwed. “

Of the six Premier League clubs that have attempted to join the Super League, only three are currently in a position to qualify for the Champions League next season.

Manchester City have already secured their place in the competition, while Manchester United could secure their place in the European rankings against Liverpool on Sunday.

The Reds themselves face an uphill battle to finish in the top four after successive draws against Leeds United and Newcastle.

They are four points behind their compatriot breakaway, Chelsea, who sit last in the top four.

Tottenham, meanwhile, are seventh with Arsenal counting on the Europa League for a Champions League return for the first time since 2017.

The Gunners will face former boss Unai Emery and Villarreal in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final later this week.

READ MORE: Premier League’s worst divers: Man Utd’s Dan James tops table while Arsenal prolific

READ MORE: The list of 23 Hall of Fame finalists as fans decide on the next six after Shearer and Henry

Neil Warnock and Ian Holloway are unlikely to make it to the Premier League Hall of Fame, but they can console themselves with a place in Daily Star Sport’s own version.

The Premier League announced on Monday that Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry were the first inductees into their Hall of Fame.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the duo succeeded with Shearer the all-time leading scorer in the Prem, while Henry has scored 175 times for Arsenal.

The likes of Sergio Aguero and Wayne Rooney will surely be future inductees, even if they are not among our ten.

Although a man who only recently left the Premier League does …

Mario balotelli

Why always you Mario? Because you inevitably did it for yourself, although the Premier League will always remember the former Manchester City and Liverpool star.

The Italian regularly made headlines during his time in England while also bringing flair to the pitch.

Balotelli has already scored with his shoulder as he was brought into a preseason game after attempting to roll the ball back into the net.

Paolo Di Canio

Former Sheffield Wednesday, West Ham and Charlton ace Di Canio has been given an 11-game ban after pushing referee Paul Alcock.

Although he also scored one of the Premier League’s greatest goals with a superb scissor volley through the goal.

Di Canio took his flamboyance in management, banning ketchup, cell phones, mayonnaise and singing before games at Sunderland. In our Hall of Fame, you go.

Jose mourinho

We may never see Jose in the Premier League again after his sacking at Tottenham, but England have certainly had their best and worst sides.

Showing up in 2004 at Chelsea as a Special One, it was clear that Mourinho was a confident man.

He achieved success at the Blues and Manchester United, while his interviews quickly became legendary.

Eric Cantona

Not only did Eric Cantona kick a Crystal Palace fan, but he then said: “When the seagulls follow the trawler, it’s because they think the sardines will be thrown into the sea. . Thank you.”

It’s about as bizarre as it gets, but the Frenchman was another who shone on the pitch.

Cantona remains one of the most popular Manchester United players of all time, even after a few odd advertisements in recent years.

Tino Asprilla

Asprilla was an instant favorite with Newcastle fans, although her off-pitch antics quickly became more interesting.

David Ginola, another who could have made our Hall of Fame, once recalled Asprilla loaned a £ 50,000 racehorse to a friend who got drunk and lost it.

While the Colombian has helped deliver 3.5 million condoms in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

Neil warnock

Now in charge of Middlesbrough in the league, we may never see Warnock fight in the Premier League again.

But the legendary manager is earning a spot in our Hall of Fame with his post-game interviews and dugout canoe antics that often sink in the storm.

Then comes the locker room with footage of Warnock yelling at his players that often goes viral.

Jay Jay Okocha

So good that they named him twice, the streets will never forget what Okocha brought to the Premier League.

The Nigerian spent four years at Bolton before a year in the league with Hull, although he became a fan favorite at Wanderers.

Despite having been with Bolton during their relegation, Okocha said: “We have laid a good foundation for Bolton but unfortunately for the fans they have to face a struggling team again.”

Luis Suarez

There are constant suggestions that Suarez could return to Liverpool with the Uruguayan fondly remembered at Anfield.

The opposition don’t often think so well of the current Atletico Madrid star after biting Chelsea ace Branislav Ivanovic and being given an eight-match suspension for racial abuse of Patrice Evra.

He scored 31 goals in his last season at Anfield, although he was often called a devastator. This is exactly what we want in our Hall of Fame.

Ian holloway

Another manager who is remembered for his interviews, former Blackpool boss Ian Holloway will pass into Premier League folklore.

He actually only managed 46 top-flight matches, also guiding Crystal Palace to the Promised Land.

Holloway is unemployed after leaving Grimsby in December but he can console himself with a place in our Hall of Fame.

Nicklas bendtner

The latest inductee is the former Arsenal maverick and renowned “Lord Bendtner”.

He has only scored 24 Premier League goals over seven seasons with the Gunners, although the neutrals fondly remember his antics.

Far from Arsenal, Bendtner was fined heavily for lowering his shorts at Euro 2012 to reveal the Paddy Power brand. What a character!

READ MORE: Rio Ferdinand blows up ‘s ***’ VAR against Fabian Balbuena’s ridiculous red card against Chelsea

READ MORE: In Tottenham camp after hearing news of Jose Mourinho’s sacking

“The Premier League condemns any proposal which attacks the principles of open competition and sporting merit which are at the heart of the pyramid of national and European football,” he said in a strong statement.

Fortunately, the curtain was raised on football’s “Packer Circus” in less than 48 hours. We thank the Chelsea fans who demonstrated at the Bridge and pissed off the club owner. We thank British Prime Minister Boris Johnson for threatening the European Super League proposal with a ‘legislative bomb’. Credit to British Royalty for their support in the struggle of the commoners. Credit to Gary Neville, whose denunciation of the Separatist League on the mainstream media was Churchill-esque. Together, all have ensured that football escapes victory.

The proposed Super League went against the two fundamental principles of sport, fair play and fair competition. It was a by-product of greed.

The wealthy owners of six self-proclaimed English super clubs and some of their continental counterparts have shown utter disregard for the fans and, more importantly, for what football stands for.

The world’s most popular sport is a celebration of the collective. For owners of Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, however, the bank balance was all that mattered.

Last Sunday, just hours before the clubs announced the creation of the separatist league, Burnley, 17th in the Premier League table, scared United. It was only in the dying moments that United got three points thanks to a third goal. Before that, Arsenal needed an equalizer in the 96th minute to take a point against relegation-threatened Fulham. The value of the Premier League’s £ 9.2 billion broadcast rights is due to this competition. It’s the toughest league in the world, which is why fans pay hefty subscription fees to watch the games on TV and the internet. The “miserable-six” did not want this competition to be richer than the others.

Spurs haven’t won the league since 1961. Arsenal haven’t won it since 2004. Currently, they are ranked sixth and ninth respectively in the league table. They don’t have a single European Cup to show. “Silly money” and “suicide bomber spending” have yet to drive City to the top of European football. They had the temerity to bypass Ajax, the club of Johan Cruyff and Rinus Michels, with four European Cups in their trophy cabinet. The also-rans and the nouveau riche saw themselves as a European elite. Ridiculous.

Leicester City sit third in the Premier League table and West Ham United may well be in the top four this season ahead of Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham. Leicester City winning the league in 2015-16 after being a 5,000-1 underdog was one of the most emotionally rewarding stories football has to offer. Fair competition has enabled them to overcome obstacles. But the “greedy-six” became uncomfortable. They have closed ranks to ensure that such upheavals do not happen again. The proposed closed store league arose out of their feudal mindset.

The Premier League has condemned the idea of ​​the Super League. “The Premier League condemns any proposal which attacks the principles of open competition and sporting merit which are at the heart of the pyramid of national and European football,” he said in a strong statement.

Too late. The Premier League allowed capitalists, oligarchs and petrodollars to take control of an English community sport; men who were only interested in money and cared a lot about football. Everything came back to haunt the configuration of English football. Greedy owners demanded their pound of flesh.

United legend Gary Neville erupted on Sky Sports in his Super League conviction. “Are they parting with a competition from which they cannot be relegated?” It is an absolute disgrace. We have to fight against the power in this country of clubs at the top of this league – and that includes my club. This is pure greed, they are impostors, ”he said. He has shown the honesty to speak publicly of being an “accomplice” in not raising his voice during the Glazers takeover of United in 2005. The Glazers takeover drained more than a billion dollars. pounds sterling out of the club.

In fact, the less we say about United and Liverpool, the better. A level playing field has allowed United to rise like a phoenix from the wreckage of Munich. Fair competition allowed them to bounce back after being relegated from the former Premier League in 1974. Be careful, the Lancashire railwaymen founded the club under the name Newton Heath.

As for Liverpool, a club that claim to represent the working class of Merseyside, their transition from a second division team to six European Cups came about because a fair system allowed them to march forward.

These owners have rejected the football pyramid. They didn’t want promotion or relegation. They despised one of the four best songs. There was a sense of entitlement, as if they had a God-given right to sit at the high table to be club football’s biggest income generator.

Don’t read too much in their mea culpas. They had no other choice after a heavy defeat. It would be important not to let our guard down. As Neville said, the “scavengers” need to “start” the game. The impending departure of United Executive Vice President Ed Woodward is a good start. He’s always been the Glazers’ man of choice.

In fact, the sextet’s plans – the ‘dirty dozen’ in Europe to be precise – were not well thought out and prisoners of their pride, they underestimated the power of the fans and undermined their footballers and managers. So, with supporters and authorities, a massive vote of thanks to Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and his City counterpart Pep Guardiola for speaking out against a project designed by their employers. A big applause for United captain Harry Maguire and teammate Luke Shaw for taking on Woodward and then expressing their protest on social media. Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has played an exceptional role in uniting footballers in the club’s colors. Harry Kane, the England captain, were you on vacation?

The Super League is now dead and hopefully buried, and every sane mind is celebrating its downfall. And maybe the BCCI will take note as well. It may seem a bit far-fetched at the moment, but the Indian council, which has one of the richest leagues in the world, should never cede control of its property to “outsiders.”

Jurgen Klopp has insisted that Premier League clubs which played a role in the breakaway Super League should not be punished for supporting the project.

Liverpool have been revealed as one of the 12 founding members of the European Super League alongside the remaining traditional Premier League ‘Big Six’, as well as heavyweights from La Liga and Serie A.

However, their association with the league lasted only 48 hours, with the Reds and their rivals retreating amid a huge backlash from players and fans alike. But Klopp believes his team and the others shouldn’t face penalties for their role in shaping the new league.

“It’s above me,” Klopp told reporters, when asked about a possible point deduction for his team and other Super League founders. “What can I say about this?

“I don’t see a reason to punish the clubs because nothing happened. We’re in the same situation as before. Why did Bury and Wigan get points deducted? It’s slightly different, I would say. If someone wants to punish us, I can’t change that. “

? “I really hope the bond between us and the fans will grow even stronger.”

Jurgen Klopp has been asked if he and the team have received a direct apology from the Liverpool owners. pic.twitter.com/gtuXOLmTKj

– Daily Football (@footballdaily) April 23, 2021

UEFA President Alexander Ceferin insisted that clubs that were part of the European Super League be treated accordingly. He told 24ur: “I would say the English clubs have made a very good decision and we will take it into account.”

Although no decision has yet been made on a punishment, Ceferin admitted he would take it into consideration, and added: “We will talk about football, but in meetings I will decide who sits next to me. . So I can put someone. A little further. “

He concluded: “If these clubs want to play in our competition again, they will have to get closer to us and we will have to assess what has happened, but I don’t want to go into details as we are still talking to our legal department. . team. “

WITH listeners ready for a smile and classic tunes, drivetime is the big show every radio DJ wants to land. This is the time when a country linked to return comes together after a hard day’s work and you cannot trust just anyone such important work.

You want someone who knows the terrain, the potholes, the shortcuts, and the songs that have punctuated our lives from cradle to commute, and that have been hits for good reason: solid gold tunes, with a capital “CH”.

2

That someone is Simon Mayo, the broadcaster who made the slot machine his own on the BBC and who is the new drivetime host at Greatest Hits Radio, which is part of the UK’s largest commercial radio network. He’s in good company too, with the station also home to some serious pedigree in the form of Mark Goodier, Pat Sharp, Paul Gambaccini and Janice Long.

After 40 years in the industry, Simon feels a real connection with his audience, which would follow him almost everywhere. And it knows what motivates driving time listeners, what they need to re-enter the after-work world where they can choose what to do with their time.

“Getting back to driving is very exciting for me,” says Simon. “I enjoyed doing it so much and now on Greatest Hits Radio we intend to make it even better.

“With the Drivetime slot you know what people are doing. They finished part of their day. They’ve left their workplace, closed their laptops, picked up the kids from school, and they’re cooking in the kitchen. It is a very intimate moment to enter people’s lives.

“And the lockdown really made that ‘we’re all together’ feeling worse. I broadcast from home throughout the pandemic. Reaching out to people in their homes, lending structures and welcoming the routine into their days, providing companionship. A music streaming app cannot do this. “

2

The 62-year-old has put together a crack group for the series, some of whom you may be familiar with. Former Radio 2 sidekick Matt Williams is back in the sport.

“He will be talking about Liverpool and how the central heating should only be on for one hour a year,” Simon laughs. “But the rest is great.”

He adds, “This is the driving show I always wanted to do. And what it was meant to be. There are things that people have enjoyed before – Matt works out, Nigel Barden does food – but it’s freer.

“We brought Confessions back and I’m happy to say there was a big response, and All Request Friday, where listeners can choose the tunes, so the show becomes a huge common jukebox. It’s a great way to start the weekend – a real burst of energy and a shared experience.

“Drivetime Drama is a new addition. Matt, myself and our producer Suzi imagine and act out scenarios that give clues to song titles, which our listeners are invited to guess. It turns out to be very popular. “

Above all, Simon is happy to reconnect with the driving time crowd. “The 4 pm to 7 pm time slot is like the flip side of breakfast,” he says. “You know what a lot of people are doing and there’s that feeling of camaraderie – people want to be cheered up and they want to hang out with honest people on the radio.

---

Playing the best songs from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, Greatest Hits Radio is available in more parts of the UK than ever before. You can listen on FM, DAB digital radio, your smart speaker, mobile device or online at greathitsradio.co.uk. The Greatest Hits Radio app can be downloaded for iPhone or Android.

Former UFC heavyweight Rob Broughton will spend the next eight and a half years in prison after being convicted in the UK for his role in a drug ring involving millions of dollars in cash and cocaine.

According to the Liverpool Echo, Broughton was arrested in connection with a criminal ring led by brothers Alan and John Tobin, who allegedly supplied huge amounts of drugs to various gangs across England. While their main activity was cocaine, the drug network also sold heroin, cannabis and ketamine.

Broughton was convicted after serving as a “muscle” and “executor” for the Tobin brothers as he carried large sums of money and collected debts from people who owed them money. Broughton transferred around £ 30million in cash – over $ 41million in US dollars – while also providing services to Anthony and Leon Cullen, who ran a “heavily armed drug gang” in England.

The drug ring operated between 2016 and 2020, with police eventually arresting a massive shipment of cocaine valued at around £ 20million. Although Broughton had no direct interaction with the drugs, he “enforced unpaid debts” and moved money for the drug network.

Broughton confessed to his role in the drug smuggling operation, but despite his attorney’s best efforts to classify his crimes as money laundering, the judge in the case disagreed.

In the end, Broughton was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison with Judge Garrett Byrne adding: “I have no doubt that you have a strong sense of letting your family down and I hope when you are released you will have their best interests at the forefront of your life. listen. “

Broughton fought in the UFC three times between 2010 and 2011 while going 1-2 overall. He last competed in 2015 after spending much of his career training at the legendary Wolfslair Gym, which is the same academy where notable fighters such as Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Cheick Kongo were previously at. the House.

Adds latest figures, analysts comments

JOHANNESBURG, April 22 – The South African rand weakened on Thursday, in uncertain global trade, as investors waited for the next moves in lending rates in the United States and Europe and weighed the impact on economic recovery of the delay in vaccine deployment.

At 3:30 p.m. GMT the rand ZAR = D3 was 0.42% lower at 14.3100 to the dollar, retreating from an overnight close at 14.2500 in what has so far been a week of limited moves in a narrow range, reflecting the wider uncertainty in world markets.

The rand has far outperformed its emerging market peers, gaining around 3% year-to-date against the greenback, largely due to the high real return, or carry, on the currency which is based on low inflation and a high risk premium. .

Rising commodity prices have also dampened the demand for money against rising yields on U.S. Treasuries and some evidence that lending rates ethe uro zone is going up.

“Given the rand‘s propensity to spin quickly, the question is how long can the current momentum persist? Our fair value estimate for USD / ZAR is 14.00, based on the rally in commodity prices, ”said RMB analyst Nema Ramkhelawan-Bhana.

“Due to persistent fiscal risks, we expect USD / ZAR to trade above fair value, around a midpoint of 14.80,” Ramkhelawan-Bhana added in a note.

Bonds were also weaker, with the benchmark issue yielding 2030 ZAR2030 = up 3 basis points to 9.125%.

Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) shares opened lower, recouping some of the day’s losses before retreating to close in the red.

The benchmark FTSE / JSE all-share .JALSH closed down 0.26% at 66,972 points. Top 40 Top Companies Index .JTOPI completed 0.35% lower at 61,183 points.

The sector’s performance was mixed with weaker banks, financials and mining, while real estate and industrials advanced.

“There is no clear trend,” said Greg Davies, analyst at Cratos Capital. “It’s hard to see what can push us much higher from here, but there have been purchases from the banks,” he said, adding that the banks are currently offering the most value.

(Reporting by Mfuneko Toyana and Promit Mukherjee; Editing by Alex Richardson)

((mfuneko.toyana@thomsonreuters.com; +27117753153; Reuters messaging: mfuneko.toyana.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Liverpool’s property market has seen a few ‘strong’ months – but it is now plagued by coating issues that emerged following the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, a high profile report has revealed.

City Residential’s latest quarterly update showed that despite concerns about the future sustainability of city centers, Liverpool’s residential market has improved “considerably” over the past four months, with prices becoming higher. affordable and those in the “exploded” suburbs.

But the industry’s difficulties in familiarizing itself with the siding laws introduced in the wake of the Grenfell disaster, which killed 72 people in 2017, means the city is now hard hit.

According to the real estate agent’s Alan Bevan, the issues center on the EWS1 security testing system, which examines the exterior walls of residential buildings, and often differentiates between a bank deciding whether or not to grant a mortgage.

In recent years, this has prompted reports of mortgage owners “trapped” in buildings they could neither sell nor remortgage.

The government subsequently provided billions of pounds to pay for the removal of siding from taller buildings.

But Mr Bevan said the situation in Liverpool city center was “not good” and that over the past 12 months the city had reached “the lowest point of the problem”.

In the quarterly report released on Wednesday, he explained: “While there are relatively few buildings 18m or taller that have combustible cladding as part of their exterior, many other buildings have been overtaken by all.” scandal ”EWS1.

“While the original requirement for the EWS1 form was for high rise cladding buildings, it has slowly but steadily been extended to almost all buildings.

“We have seen examples of buildings without siding and with very limited fire risk that fail EWS1 tests due to the deterioration of lenders’ opinion on accepting any risk.

“The ironic situation we find ourselves in now is that many lenders refuse to lend on properties that have failed in an EWS1 in which they currently have many mortgage creditors to whom they have already lent.”

Although it has reached a low point in the city, Mr Bevan said that doesn’t mean the problem will go away now.

He said: “Lenders always take a ‘zero risk’ approach to the whole issue of AMPs / loans, which translates into the possibility of safe buildings getting caught up in the larger problem.

“Many surveyors have expressed frustration that some buildings that they believe should be fully mortgageable fail for the wrong reasons.

“The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors understands the problem and wants to find a solution, but they need to work harder with lenders to make a sound plan come true that gives existing tenants / owners the option to sell / remortgage.

Mr Bevan, however, said there was “light at the end of the tunnel”, adding: “The market has improved dramatically over the past three to four months, despite concerns about the centers’ future sustainability. -cities as a whole.

“As we pointed out earlier, the downtown area will thrive after the lockdown and it looks like shoppers are all for it.

“With soaring prices in the suburbs, the city center has become even more affordable and offers a real alternative to shoppers who want to enjoy the leisure, hospitality, culture and retail that Liverpool offers and will continue to do so in the future. “

A top report on the Liverpool property scene said its market is “currently strong” – but is affected by coating issues that have emerged in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire.

Alan Bevan, of City Residential, said the Liverpool market had improved “significantly” over the past four months – despite concerns about the future sustainability of city centers – with prices becoming more affordable than those in the suburbs “booming”.

However, the city was hit by the industry’s difficulties in familiarizing itself with the coating laws implemented in the wake of the Grenfell disaster, which killed 72 people in 2017.

According to Bevan, it centers around the EWS1 security testing system, which examines the exterior walls of residential buildings, and often differentiates between a bank deciding whether or not to provide a mortgage.

In recent years, this has prompted reports of mortgage owners “trapped” in buildings they could neither sell nor remortgage.

The government subsequently provided billions of pounds to pay for the removal of siding from taller buildings.

But Mr Bevan said the situation in Liverpool city center was “not good” and that over the past 12 months the city had reached “the lowest point of the problem”.

In the quarterly report released on Wednesday, he explained: “While there are relatively few buildings 18m or taller that have combustible cladding as part of their exterior, many other buildings have been overtaken by all.” scandal ”EWS1.

“While the original requirement for the EWS1 form was for high rise cladding buildings, it has slowly but steadily been extended to almost all buildings.

“We have seen examples of buildings without siding and with very limited fire risk that fail EWS1 tests due to the deterioration of lenders’ opinion on accepting any risk.

“The ironic situation we find ourselves in now is that many lenders refuse to lend on properties that have failed in an EWS1 in which they currently have many mortgage creditors to whom they have already lent.”

Although it has reached a low point in the city, Mr Bevan said that does not mean she will disappear now.

He said: “Lenders always take a ‘zero risk’ approach to the whole issue of AMPs / loans, which translates into the possibility of safe buildings getting caught up in the larger problem.

“Many surveyors have expressed frustration that some buildings that they believe should be fully mortgageable fail for the wrong reasons.

“The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors understands the problem and wants to find a solution, but they need to work harder with lenders to make a sound plan come true that gives existing tenants / owners the option to sell / remortgage.

Mr Bevan, however, said there was “light at the end of the tunnel”, adding: “The market has improved dramatically over the past three to four months, despite concerns about the centers’ future sustainability. -cities as a whole.

“As we pointed out earlier, the downtown area will thrive after the lockdown and it looks like shoppers are all for it.

“With soaring prices in the suburbs, the city center has become even more affordable and offers a real alternative to shoppers who want to enjoy the leisure, hospitality, culture and retail that Liverpool offers and will continue to do so in the future. “