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Brentford have called for criminal prosecutions following another instance of racist abuse directed at Ivan Toney on social media.

Toney has been subjected to online racist abuse several times over the past few years, with a man from Blyth handed a four-month suspended sentence and a three-year football banning order after one incident in October 2022.

That ruling was the first to be issued under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, legislation that allows banning orders to be issued for online hate crimes, including racism.

“In general, the response from social media platforms to these ongoing issues has been underwhelming,” a Brentford statement said after Toney’s latest abuse on Instagram.

“Their solutions, such as filters to simply hide the abuse may safeguard the players, miss the mark entirely and do not discourage the offenders. Without real consequences for those responsible, the cycle is doomed to repeat.

“We do have faith that things can change. We appreciate the dialogue that we have with the likes of Meta (which owns Instagram) but we call for more decisive and urgent action to combat online hate.

“We call for prompt investigations, and importantly, we call for criminal prosecutions.”

Former Manchester United and England attacking midfielder Jesse Lingard has signed for South Korean side FC Seoul.

The Athletic reported last week a deal was close, with Lingard expected to sign a long-term contract.

“Based on respect for Korean football, I am excited to represent the K-League as soon as possible by playing good football and dedication to my new team, FC Seoul,” Lingard said. “I am looking forward to meeting coach Kim Gidong and to make an impact in the team.”

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Jesse Lingard signs for South Korean side FC Seoul

Brentford midfielder Josh Dasilva will undergo surgery after suffering a “significant” knee injury in training.

The 25-year-old picked up the problem over the weekend before Brentford’s 3-1 defeat to Manchester City on Monday.

Dasilva wasn’t named in head coach Thomas Frank’s matchday squad for the clash against City and the Premier League club say he has injured ligaments in his right knee.

In a statement, Brentford head of medical, Neil Greig, said: “Unfortunately, Josh suffered an injury in training over the weekend, while preparing for the Manchester City game.

“Subsequent imaging has shown a significant injury to ligaments in his right knee, which will require surgery to repair.

“Having consulted with the leading knee surgeon in the UK, Josh will now undertake a short period of preparation before surgery goes ahead and, at this point, no firm timescales have been discussed for his recovery.

“Josh will, of course, receive all of the support that he needs over the coming weeks.

“He’s previously shown an outstanding attitude to adversity and injury recovery, and we have absolute confidence in his capability to fully recovery from this setback.”

More details below

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Brentford’s Josh Dasilva to undergo surgery on ‘significant’ knee injury

Blackburn Rovers have been plunged deeper into crisis with growing uncertainty over the future of head coach Jon Dahl Tomasson.

The former Denmark international forward has threatened to resign in the past 48 hours, citing frustration with Blackburn’s owners Venky’s over the club’s transfer activity.

Blackburn officials insisted on Wednesday evening that Tomasson “remains under contract and is still our manager”, but there is serious doubt over whether he will be in charge for Saturday’s home game against Stoke City.

Tomasson was deeply unhappy after Venky’s ordered the club’s management to pull out of a transfer deal to sign United States forward Duncan McGuire from Orlando City on transfer deadline day last Thursday.

That deal was then resurrected as a loan and was later confirmed by Blackburn, but The Athletic revealed on Saturday evening that the club had failed to register McGuire before the 11pm deadline due to an "administrative error".

Blackburn announced on Tuesday that their request for special dispensation had been rejected by the English Football League. An appeal will be heard on Thursday.

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Blackburn Rovers head coach Jon Dahl Tomasson’s future in doubt

Ivory Coast will play Nigeria in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final following their 1-0 victory over DR Congo.

Sebastien Haller scored the only goal of the game to book a place for his side in the last game of the tournament.

Haller broke the deadlock in the 65th minute by firing the ball into the ground before looping over the head of DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi and into the net. Max-Alain Gradel provided the assist.

The 29-year-old had a golden opportunity to double Ivory Coast’s advantage just five minutes later, but his attempted lob went wide of the right-hand post.

It is the first time since 2015 that Ivory Coast has reached the final of AFCON. They won the tournament in that year.

More details below

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Ivory Coast to face Nigeria in AFCON final following victory against DR Congo

The English Football Association (FA) is set to vote against a set of amendments to UEFA’s rulebook at the organisation’s congress in Paris on Thursday because it includes a change that will let UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin stand for a fourth term.

Ceferin has run European football’s governing body since 2016, when his predecessor Michel Platini was banned from the game for his part in the corruption scandals that engulfed football politics in 2015.

Elected on a reform ticket, Ceferin introduced a three-term limit for all senior roles at UEFA in 2017 and made it clear, in several interviews, that his first term should count towards that total. This was despite it only being three years, not the usual four, because of Platini’s abrupt exit.

More details below

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FA set to vote against UEFA rulebook amendments allowing Aleksander Ceferin fourth term

Mauricio Pochettino says Chelsea's performance in their victory at Aston Villa was "maybe the best of the season" as they secured their spot in the FA Cup fifth-round.

Goals from Conor Gallagher, Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernandez sealed an important 3-1 win for Pochettino's side, who were under pressure following a Premier League defeat at home to Wolves on Sunday.

Asked on ITV if it was Chelsea's best performance of the season, Pochettino said: "I think so. It was one of the best, maybe the best performance of the season. I am so happy with the performance and the way the players enjoyed playing football. That pleased me the most.

"We are a young team and being consistent is the most difficult thing in a young team. With a young team to find the balance is the most difficult thing."

In injury time, winger Moussa Diaby scored a consolation goal for Villa, but it's Chelsea who advance to face Leeds United in the next round.

DR Congo head coach Sebastien Desabre said that his players covered their mouths during the national anthem in support of the victims in the east of the country.

During DR Congo's national anthem, each player covered their mouth with one hand while using the other to simulate a gun pointed at their heads, aiming to raise awareness of the ongoing violence affecting millions of Congolese people in the east.

DR Congo lost 1-0 to Ivory Coast in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semi-final.

Desabre said: "This was a message to victims in the eastern region of the Congo. We need to highlight it and our players are disappointed about this, for all the Congolese we would have wished to give them a smile tonight but we did our best. A national team is a driver for the nation’s pride.

"Tonight it was our duty to share this moment with them."

Mauricio Pochettino says Chelsea's performance in their victory at Aston Villa was "maybe the best of the season" as they secured their spot in the FA Cup fifth-round.

Goals from Conor Gallagher, Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernandez sealed an important 3-1 win for Pochettino's side, who were under pressure following a Premier League defeat at home to Wolves on Sunday.

Asked on ITV if it was Chelsea's best performance of the season, Pochettino said: "I think so. It was one of the best, maybe the best performance of the season. I am so happy with the performance and the way the players enjoyed playing football. That pleased me the most.

"We are a young team and being consistent is the most difficult thing in a young team. With a young team to find the balance is the most difficult thing."

In injury time, winger Moussa Diaby scored a consolation goal for Villa, but it's Chelsea who advance to face Leeds United in the next round.

Nottingham Forest will play Manchester United in the fifth-round of the FA Cup after defeating Bristol City 5-3 on penalties.

Divock Origi gave Forest the lead in the early stages of the first half before Jason Knight equalised for the Championship side six minutes later.

The match was eventually decided via a penalty shootout, with Taiwo Awoniyi converting the winning spot-kick.

Forest will play United at home in the next round.

Chelsea have progressed to the fifth-round of the FA Cup following a 3-1 victory at Aston Villa.

Goals from Conor Gallagher, Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernandez sealed an important victory for Mauricio Pochettino's side.

Winger Moussa Diaby scored a consolation goal for Villa in injury time, but it is Chelsea who will face Leeds United in the next round.

The English Football Association (FA) is set to vote against a set of amendments to UEFA’s rulebook at the organisation’s congress in Paris on Thursday because it includes a change that will let UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin stand for a fourth term.

Ceferin has run European football’s governing body since 2016, when his predecessor Michel Platini was banned from the game for his part in the corruption scandals that engulfed football politics in 2015.

Elected on a reform ticket, Ceferin introduced a three-term limit for all senior roles at UEFA in 2017 and made it clear, in several interviews, that his first term should count towards that total. This was despite it only being three years, not the usual four, because of Platini’s abrupt exit.

More details below

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FA set to vote against UEFA rulebook amendments allowing Aleksander Ceferin fourth term

London City Lionesses have parted ways with head coach Carolina Morace.

The decision to relieve Morace of her duties was announced by the Women's Championship club on Wednesday.

Assistant coach Nicola Williams has also departed.

London City thanked Morace and Williams in a statement, adding that "we wish them all the best".

Darren Smith, who assumed the role of first team goalkeeper coach at London City in August, will now serve as the interim head coach.

Michele Kang, owner of Washington Spirit, acquired London City in December 2023. She also took control of OL Feminine last May.

London City are 10th in the table and winless in their last six Women's Championship matches.

There is no predicting what life will throw at you.

A decade ago, the former Arsenal midfielder Gedion Zelalem was being compared to Cesc Fabregas.

Now 27, he is playing for Den Bosch in the Dutch second division after serious knee injuries and the loss of close family members took its toll on the former Germany and U.S. youth international’s career.

Speaking to The Athletic on January 24, 10 years to the day since his debut against Coventry City in the FA Cup, he says: “Is it really today? Damn, that’s crazy. I remember signing my professional contract a couple of days before and asking Arsene Wenger if I’d play because I really wanted to make my debut when I was 16.

"Cesc Fabregas and Jack Wilshere did, so I wanted to follow the same path."

Read The Athletic's exclusive interview with the former Arsenal midfielder in full below

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Gedion Zelalem – Arsenal’s former starlet on his way back after tragedy and torment

Chelsea defender Thiago Silva has been dropped from his side's starting XI for their FA Cup fourth-round replay against Aston Villa.

The 39-year-old started in his side's Premier League defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday but has been named of the bench for the tie at Villa Park. Benoit Badiashile has replaced him in defence.

Silva's wife, Belle, appeared to criticise head coach Mauricio Pochettino after the 4-2 defeat, saying "it's time for a change". She has since, however, apologised for the post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Asked why he didn't select Silva, Pochettino said to ITV Sport: "I am professional.. I always pick my players on performance on balance."

Nicolas Jackson, meanwhile, has been also named in Pochettino's starting XI.

It is the 22-year-old's first start for Chelsea since December, having been on international duty with Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Chelsea starting XI: Petrovic; Gusto, Disasi, Badiashile, Chilwell; Caicedo, Fernandez; Madueke, Gallagher, Palmer, Jackson.

Did you know Manchester United have agreements in place to sign superstars Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior? Or that Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the man investing millions into the club, sensationally plans to bring Mason Greenwood back into the fold?

No? Well, that is because these stories are, in fact, complete nonsense. But that has not stopped them gaining significant traction on social media in recent weeks.

Stories about Manchester United go viral everyday and many of them are completely made up. As one of the world’s most-followed clubs, stories about them spread around the world in a way that is simply not the case with other teams.

Huge social media accounts post or repost falsehoods, plagiarise journalists, and use pictures taken by professional photographers without credit or context, let alone payment — and social media makes it possible for people to make money by publishing this type of content.

Full story below

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Fake Man United news: Tracking down the people making thousands out of fictitious stories