There was a lot of action going on off the pitch at Elland Road last night, with both Kyle Walker and Pep Guardiola causing chaos.
The pair both brought some light relief to the Premier League clash between Manchester City and Leeds by behaving like toddlers.
At one point, Kyle Walker had broken what looked like a very expensive piece of camera equipment he kept playing with.
At another, Pep was toddling around in his giant puffer jacket like someone just learning to walk.
And at another, poor Kalvin Phillips was pulling silly faces as Leeds fans chanted fat jokes at him.
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What on earth was in the water in Leeds last night?
Kyle Walker breaking a camera last night, to the amusement of onlookers. Credit: Amazon Prime Video
The madness started when Walker tried to turn round the camera clamped to the roof of the Man City dugout, which seemed to be blocking his view.
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But rather than turn it round, he accidentally snapped it clean off its perch, then quietly placed it on the ground and looked away. You can practically hear him doing a nonchalant whistle in his head.
A technician had to run out and fix it at half-time after what’s now been dubbed ‘Walker vs Bench cam’, ready for him to just stare down the camera for ages like a ‘lovable grandparent trying to work FaceTime’.
Once the defender had stopped smashing stuff, it was over to Man City manager Pep Guardiola to start wreaking havoc.
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He had a momentary temper tantrum (despite City’s 3-1 victory) and kicked a water bottle, sending it flying into the assembled Leeds dugout, who were just minding their own business.
Realising he’d hit someone in the face with a bottle, Pep clapped his hands to his head and trotted straight over to apologise. Cute.
He was also welcomed home to his former club ground with chants of ‘You fat b*stard’.
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He took it like a champ from his former team’s fans though, laughing along and puffing out his cheeks.
And Pep soon corrected his comment, joking: “He has the perfect body, so sexy!”
Featured image: Amazon Prime Video
Sport
Premier League Darts is returning to Manchester’s AO Arena in 2027
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Premier League Darts is confirmed to be returning to Manchester next year.
Now’s your chance to see the youngest world champion in darts history, AKA Warrington’s very-own Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler, show us how it’s done, as next year’s BetMGM Premier League Darts lineup has just been announced this week – with various dates confirmed across 17 different cities in the UK and Europe.
And Manchester is one of those cities, as the AO Arena has shared that they are set to host an evening next April, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
This means that we will be lucky enough to witness the biggest names in world darts all under one roof, including headliners Gian van Veen and Luke Humphries, as well as Littler.
Manchester is the only northern city to get the pleasure of hosting the event next year, as Liverpool is also on the lineup, as is Leeds, Sheffield, and Newcastle, while elsewhere in the UK, the stars will travel to Glasgow, Birmingham, London, and several other major locations.
BetMGM Premier League Darts is to be held on Thursday 8 April at the AO Arena in Manchester, and to avoid being disappointed, fans are advised to register for presale ticket access.
Following a successful season of events in 2026, tickets are expected to be like gold-dust, so don’t say you haven’t been warned.
To access the first wave of tickets, fans must become an active PDCTV Annual Member before 23:59pm on Friday 9 October. Alternatively, general sale is on Thursday 22 October 2026, but make sure not to hang about.
Featured Image – Sandro Halank (via Wikimedia Commons)
Sport
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands
Emily Sergeant
Andy Burnham has claimed he wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on fans getting to drink alcohol in football stands.
It’s a ban that’s been in place in the top five tiers of men’s football since 1985, when fears over violence and hooliganism were at their height, but now the Prime Minister has raised the question of whether drinking in football stands – or ‘drinking in sight / view of the pitch’, as it’s known formally – is actually unjust, due to the fact that same rules don’t apply to fans of other sports.
“I don’t think it’s fair for football fans to be singled out in that way,” Andy Burnham has declared this week, grabbing headlines in the process.
He continued: “I think that legislation dates to an era where football was very different, and I do believe there is a case to remove that discrimination.
“I’m not going to back away from what’s been a long-held view of mine. I don’t see how it can be fair that some supporters of one sport can be treated differently.”
The Prime Minister’s comments have been met with mixed response.
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands / Credit: James Kirkup | Julia Nastogadka (via Unsplash)
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), for example, has very much welcomed the idea, saying that it ‘totally agrees’ the legislation is ‘outdated’ and ‘deserves to be reviewed’.
Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA, said in a statement: “The FSA has always argued that it’s unfair to criminalise football fans for having a pint while watching the match – especially since you can sit in the same seat drinking alcohol whilst watching an Oasis gig or rugby league.”
However, on the flip side, the UK Football Policing Unit said it would be ‘incredibly rash’ to change the rules without proper consultation.
“Other sports simply don’t see the violence and criminal behaviour from their supporters that football does, albeit a minority, with alcohol often playing a significant part in violent and disorderly behaviour,” it said in a statement on the matter.
The Prime Minister did state in his initial proposition though that ‘there are different ways it could be done’, hinting that it could be done ‘on a trial basis’ perhaps.
The English Football League (EFL) added that it would be ‘receptive to discussions around reviewing current legislation and permitting alcoholic drinks within view of the pitch’.
No formal details on a review have been confirmed as of yet, so fans are encouraged to stay tuned for updates in due course.
Daisy Jackson -
29th December 2022 
