List of All Articles with Tag 'epsocmag'

It is a big game, but then they all are now for Newcastle. By Christmas, they will have played Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund twice each, and Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham, Aston Villa and Brighton once apiece. The definition of a major match can shift according to reason, to the quality of the opposition – despite the size of their fanbase and stadium, Newcastle may not have been underlined on the fixture list by the elite during their wilderness years – but the sight of the massive Signal Iduna Park is another reminder they are back in the big time now. Whether they remain there in spring is still to be determined. Dortmund may have always been the biggest game of perhaps the biggest week thus far for Newcastle – a triple header of Manchester United, Arsenal and last season’s Bundesliga runners-up – but Eddie Howe’s side arrive in Germany having proved masters of brinkmanship. Short of players, but high on spirit, they are looking to complete a famous hat-trick. In four days, they could have exited the Carabao Cup and been distanced from the Premier League’s top four; instead, they overcame United and Arsenal. Now for the side who inflicted their only defeat in their last 12 matches. Three points would put Newcastle on course for the knockout stages. “Every game is a must-win,” said Howe. “The term is probably overused in football.” And if he was right to note that too much of the language can be hyperbolic – certainly some was at St James’ Park on Saturday – a setback could be very damaging. With a trip to Paris next, defeat in Dortmund could mean Newcastle are out of the Champions League after five games. Howe will have to navigate the rest of the group stage without the symbolic hero of their demolition of Paris Saint-Germain. Dan Burn’s aerial ability brought a goal then, but he landed awkwardly on his back after going up for a header on Saturday. “A long-term problem, a couple of months is a speculative number,” said Howe. “He has been gigantic for us.” It was not just a reference to Burn’s height and, with Matt Targett out for around three months, Newcastle are now short of left-backs. They were already missing the spine of a side, in the flagship signings Sven Botman, Sandro Tonali and Alexander Isak. With Burn, Targett and Harvey Barnes absent as well, Newcastle are shorn of players who have cost more than £200m of their £400m outlay in Howe’s reign. Big numbers have given way to small ones. Newcastle have too few players. There was no room in the Champions League squad for Emil Krafth and Matt Ritchie, two fit players. Selection could be a process of elimination. “You just see who is fit and who is available,” Howe said. “The games have come at a cost.” Nor is there much respite for the overworked. “The problem we have is a lot of the injuries are on a longer-term scale, which means there’s no relief coming around the corner,” he said. The last men standing will have to carry on running for quite some time. It is something depleted groups managed to do against United and Arsenal. But, deprived of some of the players who brought stardust, Newcastle feel still more reliant on hard work. Certainly, it is harder to outclass teams. And, while a 4-1 scoreline against PSG was spectacular, otherwise Newcastle are yet to score. The statistics are explained in part by the toughness of a pool without a minnow who can be thrashed but of the 32 teams in the Champions League, so far Newcastle have the third-lowest expected goals and the fourth fewest shots. They rank fourth from bottom for completed passes and have had the third-fewest touches. Only three goalkeepers have made more saves than Nick Pope; of those who have played two or more games, only one has a higher save percentage than his 86.7; as he is Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel, it could add to a struggle to score. They drew a blank at home two weeks ago and the realist in Howe was apparent when he reviewed Dortmund’s victory at St James’ Park. “It was a tight game but they deserved to win,” he said. The sense is the rematch could be tight; so, too, the pool. At the start of the competition, Opta’s predictive statistics gave Newcastle a 54 per cent chance of qualifying from Group F. Halfway through it, their supercomputer now thinks there is a 54 per cent likelihood they will go through. That said, Opta gave Newcastle a 78 per cent chance of a top-two finish before the defeat to Dortmund two weeks ago. It could shape up as the pivotal result of their European campaign. And yet, as Howe is very aware, there are worse problems than being deprived of key players for a marquee match against one of Germany’s great clubs. Wednesday marks the second anniversary of his appointment. Dortmund were not on his agenda then. “The vision was short-term. It was, can we stay in the Premier League?” he recalled. Now the question is whether Newcastle can stay in the Champions League. Read More Sporting director Dan Ashworth believes Newcastle are on ‘an upward trajectory’ How Anthony Gordon became central to Newcastle’s Champions League hopes Arsenal lose unbeaten start as Newcastle keep their heads in the battle of St James’ Park

Players from the Afghanistan men’s team are boycotting their World Cup qualifying match against Qatar over their treatment by the football federation. A substantial number, 18 players, have reportedly refused to play in the match, due to take place in Qatar on 16 November. Three footballers who play overseas sent a letter last month to the Asian Football Confederation and Fifa detailing complaints and allegations of serious corruption by the Afghanistan Football Federation, the Guardian has reported. “The last straw came at the last camp when a big group of us decided that we’d had enough – 18 players got together and said: ‘If we’re going to move forward, we have to put a stop to this,’” Noor Husin, who plays in the National League for Southend United, told the Guardian. “We really want change. We want to help domestic players because the money they are getting from Fifa is not being used in the right way. “We have the worst flights possible and we have to stay in substandard hotels. “We’ve come together as a group because we want football in Afghanistan to move forward and we believe that it’s not going to move forward with the people that are in charge at the moment.” Faysal Shayesteh, who is a former captain and also signed the letter, said: “Every year our federation gets financial support from Fifa and from the AFC. “We want to show a positive Afghanistan to the world so we are asking Fifa to stop supporting our federation financially because the money is going into the pockets of a gang who is ruling football in the country.” The federation’s secretary Behram Siddiqui has denied the allegations. While players have argued that the AFF executive committee kept half of the bonus that should have gone to the squad for reaching the next stage of the World Cup qualifying among themselves, and that they have been holding on to money from plane tickets of players travelling to games. A Fifa spokesperson said: “Fifa was informed of these allegations very recently and is currently looking into the matter.” Read More Afghan players watch Morocco's team practice for Women's World Cup, hoping to get their chance Women's World Cup brings attention to abuse in soccer Russia consider leaving Uefa after invite to Asian competition

A farce that sums up a lot of modern football, or one of the games of the season? It maybe sums up how confusing and contradictory this game was that it could genuinely be both. Chelsea’s eventual 4-1 victory at Tottenham Hotspur could have huge effects for both of their seasons too. Mauricio Pochettino’s side have got the win it feels like they have been waiting for, and that at the stadium that still means more to him than any other in football. Ange Postecoglou’s scarcely believable high line with nine men and no main centre-halves did make it borderline for some time. Such a creditable approach earned the applause of the home crowd when it finally went wrong for Nicolas Jackson’s decisive second goal, but there was that unsettling feeling of momentum being undone. Spurs have not just lost their first league game under Postecoglou but also Destiny Udogie and Cristian Romero to suspensions and possibly James Maddison and Micky van de Ven to injury. That all has the feeling of bringing down a flight that had been improbably soaring for some time. Postecoglou could of course tell his players it was a freak game. That’s one way of putting it. It was almost several different events in one, as we saw a spell akin to the infamous Battle of the Bridge as well as Saturday’s Copa Libertadores final, a grand staging for every debate about VAR over and over and then what amounted to a bizarre but brave training session, where Postecoglou seemingly set up the irrepressible Guglielmo Vicario against the entirety of Chelsea’s young attack. To top it off, and turn everything on its head, the previously misfiring Jackson got a hat-trick late on. It wasn’t quite an exhibition of finishing but there was enough to show the potential that is there. Whatever about this evening exhibiting various types of football events in one, mind, there were alternating periods that looked like it could have come from completely different matches. It was incredible to contemplate this by even the half-hour mark, but the first 18 minutes looked like it would be a comprehensive and confident Spurs win to continue their early-season surge. They were shredding Chelsea, especially on the wings. Both sides were being targeted, something inevitable given all the space, and the first real attack brought a goal. Dejan Kulusevski shot and the ball cannoned off Levi Colwell and past Robert Sanchez. Reece James was even more exposed on the other side, allowing Brennan Johnson to just saunter through and square for Son Heung-Min to slide the ball in. It was all so easy that Spurs were getting ahead of themselves, as the Korean’s wayward foot saw the goal ruled out for offside. That was what made what happened next all the more inexplicable, as Udogie went in with a dismally reckless challenge on Raheem Sterling. He didn’t get sent off – yet – but it was like the entire tone changed. It was also a bit of Chekov’s foul, as Udogie would go for similar later on. That itself was influenced by what the match briefly became, which was somewhere between an old storyline from this fixture like the Battle of the Bridge and the Libertadores final. Cristian Romero was at the centre of it, with two challenges of his own that each could have received red cards. He was eventually sent off as part of the same sequence that saw a second Chelsea goal chalked off, to bring a penalty. It was almost difficult to keep up, the sense of dislocation added to by how the match was played at a frenetic pace and yet also frequently stopped for long VAR checks. Cole Palmer’s ensuing penalty consequently may not have been as pure as he’d have liked but it did make its way in. For Pochettino’s part, Udogie’s challenge wasn’t the only big change. He altered Chelsea’s formation to ensure they had taken tactical control of the game even before Romero’s red card. It probably shouldn’t have got to that for Spurs, though. It was going to get worse. Both Maddison and Van de Ven had to go off injured before Udogie eventually got his red card. What happened next was perhaps the most unexpected development of all, though. Postecoglou refused to back down. He doubled down. Despite nine-man Spurs losing two of their leading players to injury, with both of their main centre-halves off the pitch, Postecoglou seemed to go even higher with his line. Spurs basically offered up the entirety of their half to Chelsea’s attack. It was bold, to say the least. It immediately led to Chelsea setting up a series of one-on-ones, the game almost becoming a training exercise between their forwards and Guglielmo Vicario, with some vague use of the offside trap in between. And yet this might well have been where there was a clear logic. Given how inexperienced this Chelsea squad is, many of them seemed to keep making the bad choices when such good chances were offered. There was rarely a third-man run. Mykhailo Mudryk and Nicolas Jackson kept going outside when they should have gone inside, or vice versa. Vicario, for his part, was brilliant. Every unlikely stop amplified the atmosphere. It was as if every wasted one-on-one – and they were becoming countless – was further eroding their confidence. This could have been a hugely embarrassing game for Chelsea, rather than the humiliation for Spurs it was almost set up for. Except, the risk was just too great. A team with someone as experienced as Sterling was eventually going to get one right. It was duly his pass that set up Jackson. At 2-1, Spurs had no choice but to go for it even more. Jackson claimed even more, twice scoring in stoppage time. That may be a turning point for him as well as Spurs, but only after a night that really did the rounds. You can try to make sense of it – but maybe it’s just best to be experienced. Read More Ange Postecoglou reacts to VAR calls as Spurs earn two red cards in defeat to Chelsea Ange Postecoglou’s high line epitomised Tottenham’s optimism - and their downfall Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg: Spurs went down with flag held high but loss hurts a lot

Declan Rice was booed by some sections of the West Ham supporters as the England international made his first return to the London Stadium since his £105m move to Arsenal this summer. Rice, who led West Ham to their first European trophy in 48 years when the Hammers lifted the Europa Conference League last season, became the most expensive English player of all time when he joined Mikel Arteta’s side. The 24-year-old was brought on as a second-half substitute at the London Stadium and with his new side 2-0 down, following an own goal from Ben White and a stunning second from Mohammed Kudus. While Rice was warmly applauded as he warmed up on the touchline, the response was rather more mixed as he replaced Jorginho on the 55th minute mark. There were loud boos within sections of the crowd as Rice took to the field. West Ham manager David Moyes had said he hoped Rice would be “welcomed back with open arms” when speaking ahead of Wednesday night’s Carabao Cup fourth-round tie. “You’ve got to remember this is the man who lifted this club’s first European trophy in more than 50 years,” said Moyes. “He should be welcomed back with open arms. We’re all looking forward to seeing him again. “He was a brilliant member of the team. He led the team brilliantly well. He conducted himself impeccably as a West Ham captain and as a player. “The most important thing was that he gave 100 per cent in every game, even though we sort of knew he probably wasn’t going to stay at West Ham. So all credit to him. He conducted himself brilliantly well and for that alone he deserves to be cheered. “I’m really looking forward to seeing Dec again. I’ve not seen him since he left. I don’t know if I want him to play, but I hope he’s there.” Arteta also said he thought Rice would receive a warm reception: "I would say so and I hope so,” Arteta said. “Especially because every time you hear him talk about West Ham and what they did for him and everybody at the club, he cannot speak any more highly. Hopefully, it will be the same way towards him. “It would be his first time back there at his old club and a beautiful moment for him. I think it’s beautiful, I had the experience to do it a few times and then you really see what they think of you and what you left at that club. "It’s really good way to measure your experience and the reality of your reality with the people who shared those moments with you." Read More David Moyes: Declan Rice should be welcomed back at London Stadium with open arms Why Declan Rice returns to West Ham as Arsenal’s ‘Van Dijk’ signing Mikel Arteta pinpoints moment Arsenal made ‘phenomenal’ response at Chelsea Arsenal stun Chelsea to claim point amid chaos from goalkeeper howlers Declan Rice reveals how Rugby World Cup has helped England’s ‘mentality’ West Ham vs Arsenal LIVE: Latest Carabao Cup fourth round updates

Manchester United will hope to quickly sweep aside the disappointment of losing the Manchester derby by knocking Newcastle out of the Carabao Cup when the teams meet, in a repeat of the 2022 final, at Old Trafford tonight. Erik ten Hag’s men were soundly beaten 3-0 by Manchester City on Sunday putting an end to their fortuitous run of victories. United have been unconvincing of late, despite three wins from their last four games, and desperately need their forward line to kick into gear and deliver some goals. The League Cup is usually an opportunity to rest and rotate players but Ten Hag, who will want to regain the trophy his team won last season, may decide to name a strong team in the hopes his players will discover some form. Newcastle, in contrast, are playing rather well. A 1-0 loss to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League is their only defeat in 10 games and they eliminated Man City from this competition in the previous round. However, Eddie Howe‘s options for tonight’s clash are limited due to injuries and he will no doubt want to add the red side of Manchester to his list of defeat opponents this season. Follow all the action from Old Trafford below plus get the latest odds and tips right here: Read More What time is the Carabao Cup draw? Date, time and how to watch Carabao Cup extra time rules: What happens if fourth-round matches end in a draw? The eight-month gap that sums up Manchester United’s alarming decline

West Ham host Arsenal in the Carabao Cup fourth round tonight as the two Premier League sides attempt to reach the quarter-final stage of the competition and Declan Rice returns to the London Stadium. Despite their Premier League opposition, Hammers boss David Moyes is expected to make sweeping changes to his team as he tries to halt a serious downturn in form. West Ham have gone four matches without a win and their most recent result, a 1-0 loss to Everton in the league, did not sit well with the fans. Their displeasure will evaporate overnight though should the Irons defeat Arsenal at the London Stadium. That won’t be an easy task though. Rotation is likely for Mikel Arteta’s side too as they must prepare for a tough league clash with Newcastle this weekend. That said, the Gunners are unbeaten in four games and put five goals past Sheffield United last time out, with Eddie Nketiah netting his first league hat-trick for the club, meaning they are in top form. With Manchester City already out of the league cup, this will be a competition Arteta will have his sights set on winning. Follow along for all the action from the London Stadium plus get the latest odds and tips right here: Read More What time is the Carabao Cup draw? Date, time and how to watch Carabao Cup extra time rules: What happens if fourth-round matches end in a draw? Why Declan Rice returns to West Ham as Arsenal’s ‘Van Dijk’ signing

Manchester United players are reportedly wearing replica items of kit during matches this season after players complained the official version was “too tight”. United goalkeeper Andre Onana is said to have found the Adidas performance model to be uncomfortable, according to the Telegraph, after it was designed to be a closer fit than the replica shirts available from the club shop. The £47m summer signing has therefore been wearing a looser version in recent matches, while United’s outfielders have also been wearing non-branded socks since August because players have found they are too tight. United’s players last wore the official black socks with club emblem in the 2-0 defeat to Tottenham and the first-team squad have since been wearing an unofficial Adidas version with no club branding. Some players have also taken to cutting holes in the back of the socks this season because they have too tight around their calves. The Daily Mail reported that Adidas are planning to make minor adjustments to the kit’s design. It comes after Aston Villa and Newcastle experienced problems with the kit provided by their shirt manufacturer Castore earlier this season. Villa’s players reportedly experienced discomfort while wearing the club’s home kit earlier this season after a design issue left the shirts heavy with moisture. Read More Erik ten Hag says ‘only a matter of time’ until Manchester United form improves What time is the Carabao Cup draw? Date, time and how to watch Sir Bobby Charlton funeral announced for November 13

Cumbria Police have arrested a 70-year-old man after Barrow alleged one of their staff members was racially abused during their home game against Morecambe. Police said they were investigating “an incident of a racially aggravated hate crime” during Barrow’s 1-0 League Two win against Morecambe on Tuesday night at The So Legal Stadium and that the man remains in custody. Cumbria Constabulary said in a statement: “Police are investigating an incident of a racially aggravated hate crime that occurred during the Barrow AFC v Morecambe FC football match in Barrow (31 October). “A 70-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated Section 4a Public Order Act and remains in police custody. “Any hate-related incidents will not be tolerated and will be dealt with robustly.” Meanwhile, Barrow have appealed for witnesses and said they were “conducting a thorough investigation”. A Barrow statement read: “We are aware of an allegation of racist abuse being directed at a Barrow AFC staff member during Tuesday evening’s Sky Bet League Two fixture at The So Legal Stadium. “The club would like to make it absolutely clear that we abhor discrimination in all its forms and will take the strongest action possible, including pursuing life bans, for anyone found guilty of racism. “We will be conducting a thorough investigation and would appeal to any fans who may have witnessed any discriminatory abuse to please come forward.” Morecambe said in statement they were “aware of an incident that has taken place” during the match. They added: “Until full details and understanding of the incident have been made clear, the club will not be making any further comment at this time. Morecambe FC stands against all forms of discrimination.” Read More Barrow demand life bans after alleged racist abuse during Morecambe win England star Alex Greenwood well enough to return home after head injury Cristiano Ronaldo rages against fans, referee and Jordan Henderson in chaotic match

The Carabao Cup fourth round continues tonight with the remaining teams competing for a place in the quarter-finals. The draw will take place following the conclusion of Manchester United’s match against Newcastle tonight which is a repeat of last year’s final. Eddie Howe’s men knocked out Manchester City in the third round and will want to triumph over another Manchester team as they target the latter stages. League One’s Port Vale were the first team to reach the last eight of the League Cup, for the first time in their history, after defeating Mansfield Town on Tuesday evening, while an 83rd-minute penalty earned Middlesbrough a 3-2 victory away at Exeter. There are plenty of Premier League sides in action tonight as Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea all attempt to reach the quarter-finals. The draw for the last eight is expected to take place at the conclusion of Man Utd vs Newcastle so here’s everything you need to know: When is the quarter-final draw? The Carabao Cup quarter-final draw takes place on the November 1 after the match between Newcastle and Manchester United at Old Trafford. The match is due to kick off at 8pm, and the draw will follow after full time, starting between 10-10:10pm. How to watch on TV and online Sky Sports will broadcast both the match before and the draw. The draw will also be live streamed for free on the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel. When will the quarter-final fixtures be played? The quarter-final stage of the Carabao Cup will be played in the week commencing Monday 18 December. When is the Carabao Cup final? The Carabao Cup final is scheduled for 25 February 2024 at Wembley Stadium. Which teams are in the draw? 1. Port Vale 2. Middlesbrough 3. West Ham or Arsenal 4. Everton or Burnley 5. Chelsea or Blackburn 6. Ipswich or Fulham 7. Bournemouth or Liverpool 8. Manchester United or Newcastle United Read More Is West Ham vs Arsenal on TV? Channel, time and how to watch Carabao Cup The eight-month gap that sums up Manchester United’s alarming decline Why Declan Rice returns to West Ham as Arsenal’s ‘Van Dijk’ signing Is Manchester United vs Newcastle on TV? Channel, time and how to watch Carabao Cup Eddie Howe backs Saudi Arabia to throw ‘really good’ 2034 World Cup Manchester United ‘have got to move on’ from humbling derby experience

Manchester United will look to bounce back from their defeat in the derby when they host Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night at Old Trafford. Erik ten Hag’s side were resoundingly beaten 3-0 at the hands of Manchester City on Sunday, but will want to put that behind them against Newcastle. The teams met in the final of last year’s competition, where the Magpies were outclassed in their first final since 1999, with Manchester United winning the match 2-0 to lift the League Cup trophy. Newcastle have improved since then, while United have slid further down the table. So far this season, Eddie Howe’s side have got the better of Paris Saint-Germain in a tough Champions League group and have two more points than Manchester United in the Premier League as well. Here’s everything you need to know about the match and you can find tips and a betting preview for the game here. When is it? The Carabao Cup round-of-16 clash takes place on Wednesday 1 November at Old Trafford with a kick-off time of 8.15pm GMT. How can I watch it? The match will be shown on Sky Sports Football on TV and can also be streamed on the Sky Go app with coverage starting at 7 pm. If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch major sporting events then you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN roundup is here to help: get great deals on the best VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are and also with the terms of their service provider. Team news Jadon Sancho remains on the sidelines after a disagreement with the manager that played out in public. Jonny Evans could be called up into the side again, with Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw and Raphael Varane having all suffered recently with injury issues. Tyrell Malacia, Amad Diallo, Kobbie Mainoo and Aaron Wan-Bissaka are the other absentees. For Newcastle, Alexander Isak is expected to be out until after the November international break with Sven Botman still being assessed. Predicted line-ups Man Utd XI: Onana; Dalot, Lindelof, Maguire, Reguilon; Eriksen, McTominay; Pellestri, Fernandes; Garnacho; Martial Newcastle XI: Pope; Livramento, Lascelles, Dummett, Targett; Longstaff, Miley, Joelinton; Almiron, Wilson, Hall Odds Manchester United 11/10 Draw 12/5 Newcastle 12/5 Prediction It will not be one for the ages, with Newcastle battling with limited squad depth and a Champions League campaign and United with well-publicised struggles. Manchester United 1-2 Newcastle Read More Erik ten Hag says ‘only a matter of time’ until Manchester United form improves What time is the Carabao Cup draw? Date, time and how to watch Sir Bobby Charlton funeral announced for November 13 The eight-month gap that sums up Manchester United’s alarming decline Erik ten Hag tells Manchester United players not to feel sorry for themselves Reporter challenges Ten Hag on not starting Varane: ‘Did you actually say why?’

Fifa have claimed a significant victory in their attempt to regulate the world’s top football agents, as the European Commission has backed the governing body’s move to bring in strict new rules including a cap on fees. Although it will be a hearing at the European Court of Justice that ultimately settles the issue, the Commission’s written submission to judges carry significant weight. It is seen by sources involved as a “huge development” and being hailed as a win for Fifa in what had been developing into a highly fractious conflict. Agents argue that the global body is attempting to unfairly affect their earning potential through a labour negotiation issue that actually has nothing to do with football, and goes against European Union antitrust laws. One strident position has been that setting a price cap would essentially represent a price-fixing cartel by the clubs, which top agents had been putting a lot of focus on. The European Commission have instead argued that a cap is entirely justified in order to protect players and contractual stability, as well as limiting conflicts of interest while protecting players who lack experience or information about the transfer system. An additional note was that agents’ fees are actually excessive and out of kilter with any normal fees for a service. The Commission’s observations also pointed to the “degree of discretion” which EU law generally affords sporting associations in order to fairly govern. Of the cap, it was stated “the defendant has plausibly pointed out that very high agency commissions, which are completely decoupled from the cost of the consideration, create a strong incentive to exert massive influence on players in particular in order to force an early transfer.” A further issue the new rules are set to tackle is on representing various parties on the same deal. The Commission has also backed restriction of this, arguing it “appears suitable” to mitigate against potential conflict of interest. A date for the hearing at the court in Luxembourg has not yet been set. Read More Fifa must secure Saudi promise over World Cup human rights, Amnesty warns Saudi Arabian World Cup in 2034 sparks ‘significant concern’ from major leagues Saudi Arabia set to host World Cup 2034 as Australia opts against bid

The Sheffield Wednesday owner Dejphon Chansiri has asked the struggling club’s fans to chip in with £2m to pay a tax bill and the wages of players and staff. The Thai businessman who said last month that he would stop putting more money into the Championship club while he was being “treated unfairly” by supporters, said he had cash-flow issues from his other companies. Wednesday, who were placed under a player registration embargo last week, owe money to HM Revenue and Customs and are at risk of being put under a transfer embargo. Chansiri urged fans to raise funds, telling the Sheffield Star: “If 20,000 people gave £100 then it’s £2m, and it’d be clear — so we can finish it. “That would cover everything, HMRC and the wages. That would need to be done before November 10 if they don’t want to pass the 30 days, but that means that there can be no next time — if we were to hit 30 days then we’ll get a ban for three windows. If you don’t want to save your club, then don’t call yourselves the owners and me the custodian.” If clubs go for 30 days between July 1 and June 30 either without paying players’ wages or a debt to HMRC, they incur a three-window transfer embargo. The Sheffield Wednesday Supporters’ Trust said on X: “We are astounded by the request for fans to pay a £2m HMRC bill. A fit and proper owner would not ask fans to do this.” Wednesday, who recorded their first league win of the season by beating Rotherham on Sunday, are bottom of the Championship. They were promoted from League One last season but Chansiri then sacked manager Darren Moore before in turn sacking his replacement Xisco Munoz after a winless start to the campaign. Read More Newcastle boss Eddie Howe praises ‘ultimate professional’ Jacob Murphy Belgium vs England LIVE: Women’s Nations League latest updates Sir Bobby Charlton funeral announced for November 13