Manchester United might have gotten their revenge over Aston Villa with their 4-2 win on Thursday night, but not without one player once again winding up a fair few fans online.
Bruno Fernandes has been one of the most important players for United since he arrived at the club back in January 2020, enjoying an utterly ridiculous debut season for stats and having played a key creative role ever since.
However, while he scored on the night and helped the Reds come back from a goal down on two occasions with his deflected finish, assist and all-round his chance creation, arguably his biggest moment in the game came when he decided to collapse into defender Ezri Konsa.
Even for Bruno, this is pretty ridiculous. Social media certainly seemed to agree, anyway.
One of his finest performances to date. Academy Award’s in the post.
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Even among many United fans, Bruno’s diving and fairly regular on-pitch antics have become a source of frustration, so you can only imagine how it’s received by fans of other teams.
Reacting to a lengthy post on the r/soccer subreddit, fans branded his latest dive as “classic Bruno” and “absolutely laughable, some even went so far as to label him a “little rat” and “the whiniest c*** in the league”. Tell us how you really feel.
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Despite his impressive performance in the second-half turnaround, the truth is that this kind of sh*thousery is just part and parcel of Fernandes’ game and, much to the annoyance of other teams and fans, often yields results.
Either way, thanks to goals from Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, Scott McTominay and an equaliser from Anthony Martial on his comeback, United were back to winning ways after having been turned over by Villa 3-1 just days before.
There was also another appearance by Alejandro Garnacho, who managed to grab two assists and the man of the match award in just over half an hour on the pitch.
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The youngster is one of the hottest prospects at the club and fans have been crying out to see more of him. It’s clear to see why. Bruno himself has already explained that Garnacho’s “attitude” back in pre-season was one of the main reasons he’s been made to wait.
The Red Devils are now through to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup and still have eight wins in their last 11 games, not to mention are sitting fifth in the Premier League with a game in hand on the two teams above them.
Former Manchester City player Joey Barton found guilty of assaulting his wife
Danny Jones
Ex-footballer Joey Barton has officially been found guilty of assaulting his wife following his two-day trial in the capital this week.
Barton, who played for Manchester City, Newcastle United, Queens Park Rangers and a number of other clubs, was convicted at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 25 March, following an incident back in June 2021.
The former midfielder left his wife, 37-year-old Georgia Barton (McNeil), with a bleeding nose and a bruise on her forehead following a drunken row at their home in London.
Barton is said to have grabbed and pushed her to the floor before kicking her in the head. Married in 2019, the two have four children and are thought to still be together.
The 42-year-old was still employed in professional football as the manager of Bristol Rovers at the time, but he was ultimately sacked in October 2023.
His wife called 999 at the time, telling police that he had hit her, but later retracted her statement.
Born in Huyton, Merseyside, the chief magistrate Paul Goldspring recognised that the one-time England has a history of violence.
He was given a 12-week suspended prison sentence, meaning he won’t serve time unless he commits another offence and has been ordered to pay £2,138.
Since dropping out of mainstream football, in particular, Barton has come under heavy criticism for allegations of racism, sexism and controversial right-wing politics; he even started an ‘anti-woke’ podcast called Common Sense with Joey Barton.
Back in June of last year, he was ordered to pay £35,000 in damages to settle a libel claim with presenter Jeremy Vine after a series of inflammatory comments made online.
The Radio 2 presenter sued Mr Barton earlier this year, after the former footballer wrote a series of posts suggesting Mr Vine had a sexual interest in children.
He also accused of threatening fellow former pro, Eni Aluko, after a torrent of abuse regarding her punditry online – the ex-England international even went so far as to say she no longer felt safe staying in the country.
The Hundred is calling for up-and-coming presenters to co-host this year’s tournament
Danny Jones
The Hundred 2025 is fast approaching and cricket’s fastest-growing tournament is once again asking for aspiring presenters to join their roster of co-hosts and help cover the action.
The fast-paced 100-ball format is entering its fifth year and next to T20, you find a more accessible and thrilling form of cricket, so it’s no wonder the competition is gaining a greater audience each year.
With that in mind, the need for a top-notch broadcast team is more crucial than ever but just like those who backed The Hundred in its infancy, they’re looking to invest in future creatives and on-screen talent.
Are you someone looking to get into presenting or know someone who is? Keep reading.
For the fifth year in a row, we want you to be part of #TheHundredRising! 🎤
So how does it work? Well, it’s pretty straightforward: The Hundred is looking for eight up-and-coming presenters to join their team of main venue hosts up and down the country.
Tasked with guiding and talking fans through an action-packed five weeks across all host cities, successful applicants will be responsible for building excitement and atmosphere inside the seven cricket grounds on each match day.
From player and pundit interviews to crowd engagement and interactive other activations with partnered brands, not to mention members of this year’s live music lineup, you’ll be a key part of putting out the top-quality sports and entertainment product they promise every year.
The best part of all is that no prior hosting experience is necessary – this is all about platforming you and The Hundred as a whole.
Successful applicants will be mentored by the main hosts at their respective venues and will attend a two-day workshop with special guests to get them ready to hit the stage this summer.
The ‘Rising Hosts’ scheme has been set up in tandem with their dedicated event production agency, Progress Productions, which will be in charge throughout the application and selection process.
Shortlisted applicants will then have their details shared with the ECB (English Cricket Board) who will be involved when it comes to making their final decisions.
It goes without saying that even if you just love sports or just want to find a way into the industry, this is an opportunity that is not to be missed.
Danny Jones -
11th November 2022 
