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European Leagues

Luton’s Lockyer to visit Bournemouth after near-death ordeal

Tom Lockyer will return to the scene of his cardiac arrest when Luton face Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Wednesday.

Luton defender Lockyer was hospitalised for five days after his heart stopped for two minutes and 40 seconds in a Premier League game against Bournemouth on December 16.

The 29-year-old Wales international was subsequently fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator and has since admitted it is “out of his hands” if he will ever play again.

But, 88 days on from the incident, Lockyer is due to meet with the medical team who saved his life before being presented to the crowd at half-time of Wednesday’s re-arranged fixture.

“It will be emotional going back and reliving that experience but we know we have to do it,” Luton manager Rob Edwards said on Tuesday.

“Locks will meet the people who helped saved his life and see their supporters, who were unbelievable on the day.

“It will be nice to be able to close that part of the story up and concentrate on moving forward.

“It was a really difficult experience that we all went through. The main thing now is that Locks is okay and the silver lining is that some good will have come from it with more awareness on CPR and the importance of knowing what to do in those emergency situations.”

There are plans for a minute’s applause in tribute to the medics who saved Lockyer and Edwards said: “They are the true heroes. It is only football and there are more important things.

“What those guys did in the most pressurised moment was incredible and they deserve all the attention and affection that they are going to get.”

Lockyer, whose girlfriend gave birth to their first child at the end of last month, also suffered a collapse during the Championship play-off final victory against Coventry in May.

His visit to Bournemouth will be cathartic on a personal level but his absence on the pitch is sure to be felt as third bottom Luton battle to avoid relegation.

On a potential return to action for Lockyer in the future, Edwards said: “It is day-by-day at the moment.

“He will enter into a period of rehabilitation but that can take a long time, months, so it is one step at a time at the moment.

“He will be coming down tomorrow which is great. He has got bigger things on his mind with a new baby and he is in a position where that is his main focus right now.”

 

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Premier League

Man Utd Player Asked Ruben Amorim To Sell Him In January During Bournemouth Defeat

Man Utd Player Asked Ruben Amorim To Sell Him In January During Bournemouth Defeat

Ruben Amorim will have learnt plenty about his Manchester United squad during Sunday’s woeful Premier League defeat against Bournemouth. Tyrell Malacia – a surprise starter at left-wing-back – was among a handful of players essentially asking to be sold in the January transfer window.

United were beaten for a third time in four league games at Old Trafford – losing 3-0 at home to the Cherries in a second straight season.

Dean Huijsen headed the visitors ahead in the first half before a Justin Kluivert penalty doubled the advantage on the hour mark.

Antoine Semenyo added a third minutes later to inflict the latest in a string of dark days during United’s troublesome season.

Malacia’s first-half struggles summarised the Red Devils’ afternoon and sparked serious debate over his future in M16.

Is the Dutch defender still finding his feet after spending 18 months on the sidelines with multiple knee injuries?

Or is he simply one of many poor signings sanctioned by Amorim’s predecessor, Erik ten Hag?

Either way, Malacia looked like a player who won’t be starting games for United next season once Amorim dips into the transfer market.

Express

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Premier League

Ex-Man Utd star Ashley Young suffers horror ‘ripped neck’ injury in Everton draw with Chelsea

Ex-Man Utd star Ashley Young suffers horror 'ripped neck' injury in Everton draw with Chelsea

Ashley Young suffered a nasty neck injury during Everton’s Premier League clash against Chelsea on Sunday.

The ex-Manchester United star started as a right-back in Everton’s goalless draw against Chelsea on Sunday and was substituted in the 73rd minute as Seamus Coleman replaced him on the pitch. After the game, manager Sean Dyche confirmed that Young ‘ripped his neck’ during the game and was subbed off as a precaution.

Speaking to reporters, the Toffees boss said: “Youngy is suspended anyway but he ripped his neck then he did a brilliant header at the far stick. We had to take him off for both reasons – to make sure he was OK physically and was on a yellow card.”

The 39-year-old was already suspended for the upcoming Boxing Day clash against Manchester City after he picked up his fifth yellow card of the season against the Blues. The Merseyside club will conduct medical tests to find out the degree of the player’s injury and the exact time he will take to recover.

The former England international will hope that his injury is not too serious so that he can return to action at least before January 9 and take the field against Peterborough United in the FA Cup where his 18-year-old son Tyler plays.

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European Leagues

Kvaratskhelia Or Yunus Akgün? Victor Osimhen Speaks On His Preferred Teammate

Kvaratskhelia Or Yunus Akgün? Victor Osimhen Speaks On His Preferred Teammate

Super Eagles and Galatasaray striker, Victor James Osimhen, refused to pick a side when he was quizzed about who’s better amongst the players he has been in the same team with, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 25-year-old joined Turkish Super Lig side, Galatasaray, on loan from Napoli after he fell out with the club’s hierarchy in a bid to force an exit from the Estadio Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.

Since joining Okan Buru’s side, Osimhen has been in brilliant form, scoring 12 goals and providing five assists in 15 games across all competitions for Galatasaray, and has already been linked with a move Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United due to his efficiency in front of goal.

The Napoli loanee scored a brace at the Enerturk Energy Stadium yesterday evening as Galatasaray downed Kayserispor to go eight points clear at the top of the league summit heading into Christmas.

After the game, Osimhen credited his teammates for a job well done away from home, and urged them to keep building their performances so they can be crowned champions at the end of the season.

Quizzed about who’s the better player between Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Yunus Atgun, Osimhen said;

Osimhen has had a decent relationship with Atgun on the pitch, as they’ve directly combined for three goals since the ex-Lille man moved to RAMS Park. Back in Napoli, Kvara and Osimhen had great chemistry on the pitch as they won the Serie A title together. They directly combined for 15 goals during the Nigerian’s time in Italy.

Osimhen’s response to the question shows his professionalism on and off the pitch and utmost respect to both the players he’s shared the dressing room with.

soccernet

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