Premier League
MOURINHO MAKES FIRST SPURS SIGNING
Jose Mourinho has made his first signing at Tottenham as Benfica midfielder Gedson Fernandes has joined on an 18-month loan deal.
Spurs moved to sign the 21-year-old ahead of West Ham after he fell out of favour at Benfica. West Ham had been hopeful of landing Fernandes until late last week but super-agent Jorge Mendes then offered him to Spurs.
Sportsmail reported on Tuesday that Tottenham had agreed a long-term loan deal that includes an option to buy the Portugal international for £56million.
On making the move to north London, Fernandes said: ‘I’m very happy to be here today – I make my dream a reality.
‘For me, it’s one big dream to come to this big club. I will try to give my best for the club every day, in every training session and in every game and I will try to help the team wherever I can, working hard every day for this shirt.
‘The Premier League is a different competition – every player in the world wants to play in the Premier League.
For me, it’s one more motivation because I always dreamed of playing in this league and now let’s make my dream come true. I think we’re going to do fantastic things because this is a fantastic club.’
Mourinho had been looking to bolster his Spurs side this month due to mounting injury problems in the first-team squad.
Tottenham lost midfielder Moussa Sissoko to a serious knee injury earlier this month while Tanguy Ndombele’s fitness is inconsistent.
Midfielders Eric Dier and Harry Winks have also suffered occasional setbacks.
As well as injuries in the midfield areas, Christian Eriksen’s future at the club remains uncertain.
Mourinho is also without star striker Harry Kane until April after having surgery to repair a ruptured tendon in his left hamstring.
Fernandes, who will wear the No 30 shirt for the remainder of the season, had fallen out of favour with Benfica head coach Bruno Lage this season.
When asked who he looked up to in football, the Portugal international said: ‘Cristiano [Ronaldo]. Because he’s a Portuguese player and he breaks all the records.
‘He tries to win day by day so I will have to try and do the same thing.
‘I know the squad because I’ve watched some games, I have some references like Moussa Sissoko, I know a little bit about Eric Dier because he played in Portugal and I know the coach (Jose Mourinho) because he’s a big coach and young players want to play with him because he’s one of the best.
‘I know about the staff (Assistant Head Coach Joao Sacramento and Goalkeeper Coach Nuno Santos) a little bit as well because one of my friends last year played at (their former club) Lille, so he spoke with me a little bit about the staff.
Fernandes’ debut could come as early as this weekend – he is likely to be in the squad when Tottenham travel to play Watford in the Premier League on Saturday.
After coming through Benfica’s youth system, Fernandes made his debut at the age of 18 in 2017.
He played 53 appearances in total for Benfica and was part of the squad which won the Primeira Liga – Portugal’s premier division- last season.
Fernandes has also been capped twice for Portugal, making his debut in September 2018.
He will be reunited with his family in London as they already live in the capital.
‘It’s a hard story. My family, they came to London because in Portugal, work is very hard and it’s very difficult to find work,’ he said.
‘They did not have a brilliant life but they have a good life here and this is one more motivation for me to be here today. Yes, they will help me to settle here.’
England and Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has been handed a 15-month suspended prison sentence by a Greek court over a 2020 incident in Mykonos, Sky Sports reported on Wednesday.
In 2020, Maguire was found guilty of repeated bodily harm, attempted bribery and violence against public employees after his arrest in a brawl in which two police officers were assaulted.
Maguire, who was detained for two days following the incident and denied any wrongdoing, was handed a suspended prison sentence of 21 months and 10 days but was granted a full retrial after appealing against Greek court convictions on multiple charges.
In accordance with the Greek judicial process, the filing nullified Maguire’s conviction before a full retrial in a more senior court. His retrial was postponed many times.
Maguire faced allegations of non-serious assault, resisting arrest and attempted bribery. The 32-year-old was convicted on all three counts but will face no prison time. His legal team will appeal against the guilty verdict, Sky Sports reported.
Maguire’s brother Joe and friend Christopher Sharman were also found guilty of offences related to the incident and received suspended prison sentences in 2020. They also denied any wrongdoing.
-Reuters
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Arsenal maintained control of the Premier League title race as they chiselled out a nervy 2-1 win over London rivals Chelsea to open up a five-point lead at the top of the table on Sunday.
Jurrien Timber’s 66th-minute header from a Declan Rice corner ensured Arsenal took three precious points, but it was a nervy afternoon in north London.
Mikel Arteta’s side moved to 64 points from 29 games, with Manchester City, who have played a game fewer, on 59.
Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber celebrates scoring their second goal with Gabriel Magalhaes REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Defender William Saliba had given Arsenal the lead in the 21st minute from a trademark corner routine.
But it had looked as though an own goal by Piero Hincapie just before halftime would prove costly for the hosts until Timber came to their rescue.
Chelsea, whose six-match unbeaten league sequence under new manager Liam Rosenior was halted, ended the match with 10 men after Pedro Neto was sent off for a second yellow card.
-Reuters
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Premier League
Manchester United climb to third in Premier League table with come-from-behind win over Palace
Manchester United produced a stirring second-half comeback to defeat Crystal Palace 2–1 at Old Trafford on Sunday, with captain Bruno Fernandes inspiring the turnaround that lifted the hosts into third place in the Premier League standings.
Trailing inside four minutes after a dominant start by Palace, United responded through a Fernandes penalty before his pinpoint free-kick was headed home by Benjamin Sesko to seal victory against the 10-man visitors.
The win extended interim manager Michael Carrick’s unbeaten run to seven matches since taking charge in mid-January. United now have 51 points from 28 games and are unbeaten since the January 5 dismissal of Ruben Amorim, climbing into third for the first time since May 2023. Palace remain 14th on 35 points.
“It feels like a big result, we were behind and had to show some character,” Fernandes told Sky Sports. “There are a lot of games to go still, and it is important that we don’t feel that we are in the position that we need to be. We need to make as many points as we can.”
Palace, under Oliver Glasner, were electric in the opening half hour, capitalising on sluggish United play. Defender Maxence Lacroix powered home a header from a corner after muscling past Leny Yoro, scoring the earliest goal United have conceded this season.
The visitors nearly doubled their advantage when Daniel Munoz latched onto an Ismaila Sarr through ball, but goalkeeper Senne Lammens produced a crucial save.
United gradually found their rhythm before the break. Sesko forced Dean Henderson into action with a header from a Fernandes cross, and the Palace keeper also tipped a Fernandes free kick over the bar.
The turning point arrived in the 57th minute when Fernandes converted from the penalty spot after Matheus Cunha was dragged down by Lacroix. Following a lengthy VAR review, Lacroix was shown a red card, reducing Palace to 10 men.
Eight minutes later, Fernandes’ delivery again proved decisive as Sesko rose highest to nod home the winning goal.
United pushed for a third, with Casemiro’s volley drawing a diving save from Henderson and substitute Amad Diallo testing the keeper from distance in stoppage time. Joshua Zirkzee saw efforts blocked, while Kobbie Mainoo’s fierce strike drifted narrowly wide.
Carrick praised his team’s resilience. “The biggest thing for us to take from the game is really the first time that we have been in that situation going in at halftime,” he said. “Being in that position and how we react and showing that personality and belief… to then come back as we did in the second half is the biggest thing for me today.”
Palace pressed late but could not find an equaliser. Glasner admitted his side had let the game slip. “It feels like there was more possible today. A great first 30 minutes, but the red card changed it completely. The second goal just happened too quickly.”
For United, the victory reinforces growing belief under Carrick that a top-four finish—and a return to Europe’s elite competition—is firmly within reach.
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