Football fans think they’ve spotted Mateo Kovačić forgetting what club he plays for or very briefly revealing where his true allegiances still lie, after a video of celebrating Chelsea’s equaliser in the blockbuster 4-4 draw against Manchester City on Sunday, 12 November.
Kovačić joined Man City this summer, leaving Stamford Bridge to replace the outgoing İlkay Gündoğan — one of the best like-for-like bits of recruitment the club could have hoped for — and won a UEFA Super Cup almost the second he walked through the door.
That being said, the Croatian midfielder couldn’t have found himself a better destination than the home of the current European champions and treble-winners, so when a clip of his reaction to Chelsea’s equalising penalty surfaced on social media, it’s safe to say it raised a few eyebrows.
Capturing the moment immediately after former City starlet Cole Palmer tucks away his penalty to tie up the bonkers Premier League fixture, Kovačić appears to celebrate a hard-fought performance from his side going from three points to just one. Take a look and see what you think:
Some eagle-eyed fans think Matteo Kovacic (City No.8) celebrated Cole Palmer's equalizer, thus making him proper Chelsea. 🧐
Bottom left, number eight. Is Kovačić celebrating Chelsea’s equaliser?
You have to say, there aren’t many times you watch the opponent score against your own team and feel like you want to do a low fist pump…
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While the gesture is obviously a relatively reserved one, you swiftly see him then drop his arm — perhaps in a moment of realisation — before walking off with his head down.
Make of it what you will but, obviously, Chelsea fans all over social media are convinced that this was the 29-year-old letting slip that he still prefers his previous club, with supporters labelling him a “proper Chels” player and still a West Londoner “through and through”.
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The midfielder has yet to address the club and is likely to just ignore the whole thing until it blows over, but it is a curious one, to say the least. Perhaps he was just really chuffed for youngster Palmer, who also recently swapped his shirt for a different shade of blue this past transfer window, though the two can’t have spent much time together in the two months they were both still at the Etihad.
What do you think, Blues — was it a momentary lapse where the former Chelsea star simply forgot that he’s on the other team now, a hand gesture that’s simply been misconstrued or something else?
Pep Guardiola‘s champions are still sitting top of the table by just one point as they head into the international break, with Liverpool, Arsenal, Spurs and Aston Villa all within touching distance.
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Simply because it was one of the craziest games we’ve seen in a long time and already being hailed as a Premier League classic, we’ll leave the highlights for you here:
Featured Image — Mateo Kovačić (via Instagram)/Sports Extra (via YouTube)
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Manchester United officially launch second Adidas fashion collab with The Stone Roses
Danny Jones
After several weeks of teasers, the latest fashion collab between Adidas, Manchester United and The Stone Roses has officially revealed.
We have no doubt this one will be lapped up just as quickly as the first.
Following images of the new Stone Roses x Man United kit and the focal point of this new collection being leaked online earlier this month, the second drop by Adidas has now been unveiled in full.
Releasing another stylistic video to the tune of the legendary Manc band’s famous anthem, ‘I Wanna Be Adored’, players both past and present from the men’s and women’s team star in the launch video.
As you can see, not only did the players get involved with the shoot as expected, but the clip also includes a snippet of archive footage featuring a young Ian Brown in a short but profound talking head.
The Stone Roses frontman, and indeed other members of the band, have never made their love of United a secret – none more so than the late, great Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield – and the supporters have also shared plenty of it back.
Be it through ‘This Is The One’ being chosen by Gary Neville as the official walk-out song at Old Trafford and various chants sung to Stone Roses tunes, to the previous collab back in February 2024, the two iconic cultural brands pretty much go hand in hand.
Besides the next multi-coloured paint-splashed shirt, which leaked first, as well as a new bucket hat (again, very era appropriate), there are scarves, a graphic design t-shirt, two sets of shorts and even two different pairs of shoes.
Images of the white Stone Roses trainers also popped up in leaks across various Man United fan accounts on social media, but few had seen the black ZX 600 Adidas trainers until now.
What do you make of the latest batch of lifestyle fashion from the club?
Meanwhile, with just days left in the transfer window, it remains to be seen whether new interim manager Michael Carrick will be rewarded for his first two wins against the top two in the league with any reinforcements before the end of January – but there are some rumblings…
Featured Images — Manchester United FC/Adidas/The Stone Roses
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Chester Zoo announces new spring date for its popular running event to help UK wildlife
Emily Sergeant
Chester Zoo has announced that its popular Run For Nature is back again this year, and this time, there’s a new spring edition.
The UK’s biggest charity zoo seen success with this event in the past few years, with thousands of runners signing up for one of the North West’s most unique athletic experiences and all funds raised going towards efforts to protect highly-endangered giraffes in Africa.
This year though, the much-loved event’s focus brings conservation ‘a little closer to home’ and will protect some of the UK’s most threatened species instead – with all funds helping to safeguard hedgehogs, kingfishers, otters, harvest mice, and more.
It comes as the UK is currently considered one of the most nature-depleted countries on Earth.
Participants will first get to wind through the zoo and enjoy glimpses of elephants, lemurs, and other incredible species along the way, before heading out into the picturesque Cheshire countryside.
Adults can choose from a 10K or 5K route, while younger runners are invited to take part in a one-mile ‘Zoom’ race, open to children aged four-15, which takes place entirely within the zoo’s incredible 130-acre grounds.
All runners will receive free entry to the zoo for the rest of the day as part of their registration, along with a 25% discount for friends and family who come along to show support.
Chester Zoo’s popular 10K charity run is returns with a new spring date / Credit: Chester Zoo
Lorraine Jubb, who is the Fundraising Lead at Chester Zoo, called the Run For Nature a ‘really special event’.
“In previous years, runners have already supported conservation efforts for Asian elephants, Eastern black rhinos and Northern giraffe,” she explained. This springtime though, we’re turning our attention much closer to home in the UK, and to the wildlife we share our gardens, parks and countryside with.
“With one in six species now at risk of extinction in the UK, every runner will be playing a vital role in helping us protect animals and supporting our growing nature recovery work across right across Cheshire.
Danny Jones -
14th November 2023 
