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Hornicek is twice the goalkeeper Trafford is.
And besides, he’s far more ambitious. James only wants a big cheque, while Lukas wants to become the greatest.
That mentality alone makes the difference. 🧤
#NUFC
To a list which includes Hugo Ekitike, Joao Pedro, Jarrod Bowen, Bas Dost and, to a lesser degree, Hamza Choudhury, you can add the name of James Trafford.
The St James’ Park hierarchy do not necessarily rue missing out on Trafford because, in Lukas Hornicek, they believe they have unearthed another of Europe’s top young goalkeeper prospects.
This is why the transfer never happened and how they secured Hornicek instead.
📝 @ChrisDHWaugh
🔗 nyti.ms/4yBnAXF
Toon 9ja retweeted
The message from United fans should “Conte in! Any other manager coming and a riot should ensue in Manchester. @bethTmufc @MasterKGsa
Toon 9ja retweeted
Don’t you ever dare compare Mikel Arteta to Unai Emery. Mikel Arteta is in a league of his own. There’s simply no comparison
Toon 9ja retweeted
🚨 Xabi Alonso on his heated altercation with the referee at fulltime after Chelsea’s 1–0 defeat to Sunderland:
🎙️ Interviewer: “Xabi, you were visibly furious with the referee at full-time. What exactly happened?
Xabi Alonso: “Because I cannot understand what we’ve just witnessed. Cole Palmer was brought down inside the box. It was a clear challenge, there was contact, and we got absolutely nothing. No penalty, no serious intervention, nothing. Then later, Sunderland get almost the same kind of challenge and suddenly the referee points to the spot. How do you explain that?”
Interviewer: “Are you suggesting there was a lack of consistency in the officiating?
Xabi Alonso: “I’m saying consistency is the bare minimum we expect from officials. You cannot have one set of rules for Chelsea and another for Sunderland. If Palmer’s incident isn’t a penalty, fine, but then explain why the other one is. That’s what makes people angry. It’s not just the decision; it’s the complete contradiction.”
Interviewer: “What did you say to the referee after the final whistle?
Xabi Alonso: “I asked him to explain the difference between the two challenges. I wanted an honest answer. Instead, you get the usual conversation, the usual explanations. But explanations don’t give us our points back. We’ve worked all week to win this match, and decisions like that can change everything.”
Interviewer: “Do you feel Chelsea were treated unfairly tonight?
Xabi Alonso: “Absolutely. We can criticise ourselves for not scoring, and we will. But don’t expect me to pretend the officiating was acceptable. You cannot ignore one penalty appeal and award another for almost the same incident. That’s not consistency, and that’s not good enough for this level of football.”
Interviewer: “Do you fear these decisions could cost Chelsea more than just today’s result?
Xabi Alonso: “Every point matters. Sunderland will celebrate their victory, and that’s their right. But imagine being a Chelsea player who sees one challenge ignored and the next one rewarded. What message does that send? We don’t ask referees to favour us. We ask them to apply the same rules to both teams. Nothing more.”
