The Warm-Up: Hate brigade on standby as Sterling agrees pay rise
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Updated 02/11/2018 at 08:53 GMT
Plus: City's concerns over De Bruyne and 'Soccer' on the Simpsons...
Manchester City's Raheem Sterling reacts during the match
Image credit: Reuters
FRIDAY’S BIG STORIES
Sterling work
Shhhh. Quiet, just for a second. Can you hear it? That distant rumbling?
That, friend, is the collective heart rate of a hundred tabloid news editors thrumming through the gears at the prospect of Raheem Sterling becoming the best-paid English footballer on the planet.
All together now: Footie idiot! Gun glamoriser!
Yes, heaven knows what the hate brigade will be brewing up in the wake of the news that Sterling – a black man; won’t somebody think of the children?! – has verbally agreed to a new contract at Manchester City. And it comes with the kind of pay rise that freelance snark-traders like The Warm-Up could only dream of: from £170,000 a week to a rumoured £300,000.
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Raheem Sterling File Photo
Image credit: PA Sport
Those are big old numbers, but you’d have to be pretty blind or blinkered to argue that he doesn’t deserve it. Sterling is one of the best players in one of the best sides the Premier League has ever seen – and there’s a sense that he’s still got plenty of heights yet to reach. He is still only 23, after all.
For now, though, it’s probably time to batten down the hatches and prepare for the latest wave of scrutiny from people whose own moral compasses haven’t located due north for a few decades now.
It’s going to be all, “Loaded Raheem splashes £35 on CUTLERY SET from WAITROSE”, perhaps with a little dash of that sentiment’s diametric opposite, “Cheapskate Sterling buys his air fresheners from POUNDLAND despite new City deal”, isn’t it?
Oh, joy.
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Raheem Sterling of Manchester City in action during the Group F match of the UEFA Champions League between FC Shakhtar Donetsk and Manchester City at Metalist Stadium on October 23, 2018 in Kharkov, Ukraine.
Image credit: Getty Images
KDB SOS
There was mixed news for City on the pitch, with an easy 2-0 League Cup win over Fulham somewhat overshadowed by the sight of Kevin De Bruyne departing the field early with in injury.
“He is being checked by the doctors,” said Pep Guardiola after the game. “I don’t know right now. Hopefully what happened in the last minute is not serious.”
No panic, then. Although when you’ve got Bernardo Silva, David Silva, Ilkay Gundogan and Phil Foden covering those positions, an air of calm is pretty much guaranteed.
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Kevin De Bruyne
Image credit: Reuters
Foxes ‘in shock’
Leicester boss Claude Puel has suggested his side will carry the psychological scars of last week’s tragic events at the King Power Stadium with them for some time.
“This has been without doubt one of the hardest weeks in the history of this football club,” the Frenchman said ahead of Saturday’s game against Cardiff. “The tragic loss of five lives has left us numb and in shock.
“Vichai made Leicester City into what it is. He made it a family and made a dream. He invested in the club, the city and he invested in the people. He truly was loved by everyone inside and outside the club.
“I have never been prouder to be manager of this club. Playing football has not been on our minds this last week but for this weekend and all matches after we will play to honour and remember a man who did so much for our club.”
An emotional occasion awaits.
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Claude Puel, Manager of Leicester City
Image credit: Getty Images
IN OTHER NEWS
Good news for Newcastle United, who tied captain Jamaal Lascelles down to a new long-term deal yesterday. But The Warm-Up has some reservations about the exact content of this “contract” after looking more closely at the signing picture.
Obviously the Sports Direct empire wasn’t built on frivolities like unlimited printer budgets, but surely they could have grabbed a pen or something?
This is also an excellent excuse to dip into the world of former Warm-Upper Adam Hurrey (who remains officially dead to us, for the record). The Lascelles entry in his ongoing list of photos that look like stills from video games is pure.
HEROES AND ZEROES
Hero: Claudio Ranieri
Heartbreaking, but heartfelt.
Zero: Rafinha
List of acceptable halloween costumes: Zombie, werewolf, vampire, mummy etc etc.
List of not-so-acceptable halloween costumes: Middle-Eastern-looking ‘bomber’.
Not cool, Rafinha.
RETRO CORNER
It’s exactly 21 years since football – soccer, if you prefer – made its debut on The Simpsons. Here’s that segment all of its glory:
HAT TIP
Dejan Lovren has become a bit of a laughing stock – unfairly, in The Warm-Up’s view – but he makes the most of his right of reply in this revealing interview with Copa 90:
COMING UP
It’s Friday press conference roulette, as ever, but there’s also some actual football going on: Aston Villa vs Bolton is your Friday-night treat. Or for you continental types, there’s PSG vs Lille, Stuttgart vs Eintracht Frankfurt and Napoli vs Empoli, aka the Oli Derby. Definitely, definitely didn’t make that up.
The Warm-Up will be back on Monday, piloted by… no idea, to be honest; the schedule is a wreck.
Scan me
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