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JORDAN PICKFORD has clung on to England’s No.1 jersey without breaking sweat for seven years.

But manager Thomas Tuchel — who officially took over on New Year’s Day — warned that reputations are out the window in the build-up to next year’s World Cup.

And that put 75-cap star Pickford, 31, on notice that he now faces a battle to keep his spot.

That is despite claiming the Everton ace is back to his best after the return of boss David Moyes to the Toffees.

Dean Henderson, fresh from helping Crystal Palace to their historic FA Cup win last month, has just two England caps but will now provide some stiff competition over the next 12 months.

There are high hopes for Burnley youngster James Trafford, who has also spent the week at the Three Lions’ training camp in Girona.

Southampton veteran Aaron Ramsdale — although not selected for this squad — is liked by Tuchel.

But the 27-year-old needs to find a top-flight club in England or elsewhere following Saints’ relegation.

At Espanyol’s RCDE Stadium on Saturday, the player in goal for Tuchel will be able to enjoy the sun without having to break sweat.

But the German is expecting some fierce competition between the sticks, which was not the case under former manager Gareth Southgate.

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Tuchel said: “It will always be a fight for every position and there is no exception for the goalkeepers.

“At the moment, Jordan is in a good place mentally and performance-wise.

“It helped him to stabilise himself at Everton with the change of manager with David Moyes.

“He became very, very stable and also emotionally stable and we’re very happy with that.

“Jordan has been in goal for a long, long time and he earned  his place with consistent performances at a high level in international football.

“All three of our goalkeepers are not involved in European football. They’re not used to European football, which would be ideal. It’s not a problem, though.

“Jordan behaves and trains at the highest level and we’re very, very happy with him.

“He’s doing everything at the moment to keep his place because he feels Dean stepped up and found another level, another gear.

Alternative goalkeeper options

“Dean got a big title with his club and was a key figure in the campaign, so that helped his confidence a lot.”

And then there is 22-year-old Trafford, who kept 29 clean sheets in 45 matches as Burnley won promotion back to the Premier League.

Tuchel added: “James had a long, long break after his  fantastic season with Burnley.

“He hasn’t been on the pitch for four weeks, he finished the season the earliest. That’s a little bit of a disadvantage for him, it’s not his fault but he is pushing strongly.

“That’s what we expect from him and he is at the moment a competitor for Dean Henderson and Jordan Pickford.

“Hopefully, he can prove  himself next season and then the race is on.”

Fitness challenges

It is not ideal that England, who won their opening World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia in March, are in such a weak group.

Andorra will be no trouble but the qualifier away to Serbia in September is a decent test, while there is also a Wembley friendly with Wales the following month.

This week has seen Tuchel test his players on how they deal with the heat as the conditions will be baking-hot at the World Cup next year in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

And he is trying to work out how his players can be at peak fitness, because he admits the squad were in their best shape during the mid-season 2022 World Cup.

Tuchel said: “The majority of our players play in the toughest league in the world and they are used to a kind of rhythm that is very unique.

“The tournaments are normally played after a long season and  it is not maybe an advantage for us but it is just a fact. It is maybe not a coincidence players felt the most comfortable in the Qatar World Cup.

“Suddenly, the demands of the Premier League became an advantage because they were  in the middle of it and felt they had an advantage over other players.

“It can be that at some point we need to adjust our style of play when it comes to tournament football and when it comes to knockout football.

“Everyone wants to win. Everyone wants to win in style. Can you really play the same game in 40C heat and humidity that you play in 20C in an evening match?

“So, these are some questions I don’t have all the answers  to and I don’t have to right now, because we still have one year to go but we are on it to answer them.”

BUKAYO SAKA is struggling with an injury he picked up on the final day of the season for Arsenal.

The winger could miss the World Cup qualifier against Andorra as he has only trained the last two days.

Getty

Bukayo Saka is out of the England squad for the clash with Andorra[/caption]

Getty

It is a bitter blow to Thomas Tuchel’s plans[/caption]

Getty

Saka also missed Tuchel’s first England squad in March through injury[/caption]

Saka returned at the end of the season after missing three months with a hamstring problem.

Tuchel said: “Until that latest injury he was more or less always available, always playable every three days.

“He had this consistency in his game and in his body, which made him very unique.

“He was decisive for England, he took responsibility, he bounced back after a decisive and dramatic penalty miss (Euro 2020 final).

“It’s nice to see that he’s back because he wanted to be back, and you straight away see when he comes in, he is comfortable to be with the squad.

“He knows what it takes to be a national player.

“He came into camp with a little bit of discomfort from the last match against Southampton, so we took care of him and treated him individually.

“It was the first training session that he started and finished with the group today. Yesterday, he started with the group but did not finish with the group, so let’s see.

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“I’m not sure if we take the risk for this game.

“The decision has not been taken, but he will be available for the Senegal match, and he plays a major role in our thoughts on how to build a competitive team.”

In addition, Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins will play no part against Andorra or Senegal on Tuesday in Nottingham.

The striker withdrew from Tuchel’s party as a precaution because of what the FA described as a “minor” issue.

Tuchel said: “Ollie Watkins has a discomfort in his upper thigh or groin area in the muscle and we decided not to take any risks.

“He will go home to continue treatment and we will not take any risks in case he gets an injury. It’s very minor.”

Watkins was the top-scoring Englishman in the Premier League last season with 16 goals, one ahead of Chelsea‘s Cole Palmer.

The Villa star scored the dramatic late winner in last summer’s European Championship semi-final against Holland.

Watkins’ withdrawal leaves Tuchel with captain Harry Kane and Saudi-based Ivan Toney as his two centre forwards.

England do not intend to bring in a replacement and so will have 25 players for Saturday’s World Cup qualifier against Andorra and Tuesday’s home friendly against Senegal.

PA

Ollie Watkins has also pulled out of the squad[/caption]

MANCHESTER UNITED are ready to win the race for Viktor Gyokeres.

The Red Devils recently revealed total operating expenses have dropped by £41.6million to £162.1m in the latest quarterly club accounts after Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s brutal cost cutting.

That is despite the cash spent on the Glazers’ debt spiralling to a staggering £1.2BILLION.

United’s gradual U-turn in club finances means they are ready to pip Arsenal to land Sporting Lisbon striker Gyokeres.

The Gunners are keen on the former Coventry hitman, 27, but are also chasing RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko.

Sweden striker Gyokeres, who scored 54 goals in 52 games for Sporting last season, has an £85m release clause.

But it is understood that the Portuguese side would accept a fee closer to £60m this summer.

United boss Ruben Amorim is now ready to raid his former club after the boost in their accounts.

Yet the Glazers’ debt still casts a long shadow over the fallen giants, whose wage bill was down a huge £20m to £71.2m compared with a year ago.

United  have now spent an astonishing £1.2bn on the debt in 20 years of the Americans’ ownership.

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According to the BBC, £815m in debt interest repayments; £166m in dividends to shareholders; £197m in external net debt repayments and £10m in management and administration fees to the Glazer family companies has left the club since the Glazers bought it in June 2005.

Meanwhile, chief executive Omar Berrada warned United must improve after a humiliating season in which they finished 15th in the Premier League and lost the Europa League final against Tottenham.

He said: “We were proud to reach the final of the Europa League but ultimately were disappointed to finish as runner-up in Bilbao.

“We had a difficult  season in the Premier League, which fell below our standards, and we have a clear expectation of improvement next season.”

United have already agreed to pay £62.5m to land forward Matheus Cunha from Wolves.

And they are chasing a £55m deal for Brentford ace Bryan Mbeumo as they attempt to stay within the Prem’s Profit and  Sustainability Rules.

But Amorim will also need to offload a clutch of big-name players from a group  including Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Alejandro Garnacho, Antony and Casemiro.­

Manchester United have been urged to consider a move for one of Arsenal’s transfer targets to provide Ruben Amorim with more attacking firepower.

After a deflating end to the campaign, which saw them finish 15th in the Premier League and miss out on European silverware, United are plotting their latest summer rebuild.

The Red Devils have identified the forward line as a key area for improvement and have already signed Matheus Cunha to begin to address those concerns.

A deal for Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo could also follow, although both clubs are still yet to agree on a fee after United’s initial offer was rejected.

Should a deal for the Cameroonian international fail to materialise, however, United may be forced to consider alternative options.

And former Red Devils defender Gary Pallister believes that Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma could be the man to make an instant impact at Old Trafford.

‘I don’t think you can ever have enough attacking options and we have seen what Kaoru Mitoma can do in the Premier League,’ Pallister told Compare.bet.

‘Marcus Rashford might be leaving the club and Amad Diallo was the only forward hitting his top level before he got injured, the club needs back up in those areas.

‘If Mitoma is available then I’d like to see him at Old Trafford, he can make an impact.’

Bayern and Arsenal interested in Mitoma

The Japanese international notched up 10 goals and four assists in the league last season and has attracted interest from several top European clubs so far this window.

Bayern Munich have taken an interest in the 28-year-old, while Sky Germany also reported that Arsenal have shortlisted the Brighton star as a potential target this summer.

A fee of around €50 million (£42m) is said to potentially be enough to secure Mitoma’s services.

Mitoma is one of several names on Arsenal’s shortlist as Mikel Arteta’s side look for wide attacking reinforcements in the summer window.

Real Madrid’s Rodrygo is said to be the club’s dream target but Xabi Alonso has played down speculation linking the Brazilian with an exit.

Nico Williams has also been heavily linked with a move to the Emirates in recent windows, but the Spaniard is now reportedly in talks to extend his stay at Athletic Club with a new and improved contract.

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The family of three Britons jailed in Indonesia for alleged drug smuggling have said they are worried for their safety.

Jon Collyer, 38, and Lisa Stocker, 39 were arrested at Bali International Airport following the discovery of £300,000 worth of cocaine.

Phineas Float, 31 is said to have been due to receive the haul, which was concealed within packets of Angel Delight dessert powder. 

Drug smuggling in Indonesia is punishable by a maximum sentence of death, with many caught importing lesser quantities imprisoned for life.

Convicted drug smugglers are sometimes executed by firing squad.

But the nation has not carried out an execution since 2016 and in the last few months has repatriated several foreign convicts of drug offences.

Mr Collyer and his partner Ms Stocker, both from East Sussex, were stopped on arrival in Bali in February and were later allegedly found to be in possession of a total of 17 packages of cocaine, with a market value of £296,000.

Jon’s father Julian said he was in ‘deep shock’ for his son, with whom he had only been in contact once in the last three weeks.

He told MailOnline: ‘I’m very, very worried as any father or parent would be.’

An anonymous relative of Ms Stocker said the mother had been taken advantage of and that she ‘couldn’t sleep at night’ thinking about what might happen to her.

Dean, a friend of Jon’s said he was unaware the couple had travelled to Indonesia and said the situation was ‘an absolute mess’.

He added he was ‘horrified’ to learn they had both been arrested and charged with smuggling narcotics.

Several high profile foreign drug smugglers have been allowed to return home from Indonesia in recent months.

Serge Atlaoui, who was sentenced to death for drug offences in 2007, was repatriated to France in February.

Last December Philippine drug convict Mary Jane Veloso was returned to Manila after more than a decade on death row.

The trio are just three of many British nationals held abroad for drug smuggling offences.

Earlier this week it was reported a 21-year-old British woman was detained in Munich in April on suspicion of carrying cannabis on a flight from Thailand – where the drug was made legal in 2022.

Prisoners Abroad, a charity which represents British nationals detained overseas, said there had been a 60% increase in Britons arrested for drug offences in the last year.

It said eight out of 12 people it was supporting in Indonesia were arrested on suspicion of drug smuggling.

It advised those holidaymakers and overseas visitors to check the laws and customs of the country they are travelling to, especially those with particularly strict regimes.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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Novak Djokovic admitted his French Open semi-final defeat to Jannik Sinner could well be his final match at Rolland Garros, sparking suggestions of his impending retirement.

The 38-year-old was seeking to win a record-breaking 25th grand slam singles, but was denied in straight sets by World No.1 Sinner.

Djokovic took his time leaving Court Philippe-Chatrier after his 6-4 7-5 7-6 defeat, putting down his bags to applaud every corner of the stadium before touching the clay as he exited.

And the Serb admitted that his emotions were heightened knowing that could well be the final time he competes at the French Open.

‘This could have been the last match ever I played here, so I don’t know. That’s why I was a bit more emotional even in the end,’ Djokovic said in his post-match press conference.

‘But if this was the farewell match of the Roland Garros for me in my career, it was a wonderful one in terms of the atmosphere and what I got from the crowd.’

Asked if it’s more than likely that Friday’s defeat was his last French Open contest, he added: ‘I don’t know really what tomorrow brings in a way at this point in my career. You know, I going to ‘keep on keeping on’.

‘Twelve months at this point in my career is quite a long time. Do I wish to play more? Yes, I do. But will I be able to play in 12 months’ time here again? I don’t know.

‘Wimbledon and US Open, yes, they are in my plans. That’s all I can say right now. I’m going to, unless something, I don’t know, happens.

‘But I feel like I want to play Wimbledon, I want to play US Open. Those two, for sure. For the rest, I’m not so sure.’

Djokovic has battled injuries and inconsistencies this season, but showed flashes of his best to become the oldest man to reach the last four at Rolland Garros since 1968.

But overcoming Sinner proved one obstacle too many for the 38-year-old, with the Italian now advancing to face Carlos Alcaraz in Sunday’s final after the Spaniard came through his semi-final with Lorenzo Musetti.

‘I think mentally he deserves big credit for hanging in there when the whole stadium was cheering and he managed to find some really good shots,’ Djokovic said of Sinner’s performance.

‘He showed why he is number one in the world, he was just too solid for me today.’

Sinner pays tribute to Djokovic after his win

Sinner, meanwhile, was keen to heap praise on Djokovic after his ruthless victory over the former World No.1.

‘It is very difficult, he has achieved so many things,’ Sinner said post-match when asked about the challenges of facing Djokovic.

‘He is the best player in the history of our sport. Playing against him here is amazing.

‘I wish him only the best for the rest of the season and I think we are all very lucky to see him playing such a high level of tennis.

Asked about his clash with Alcarez in the final, the 23-year-old added: ‘Sunday is going to be very difficult. I know that, my head-to-heads don’t look great lately against Carlos. So let’s see what I can do.

‘I am very happy to be here in the final, we will see what I can do.’

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JOSH KELLY has made a statement on national television by landing a brutal left hook to beat Flavius Biea in just the first round!

Three body shots rattled the torso of Romanian Biea which drew a big reaction from the Newcastle crowd.

And then two consecutive hooks from Pretty Boy dropped Biea to the canvas – and the Romanian simply couldn’t beat the count.

• Main event ring-walks time: approx 10pm BST
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Follow ALL the action from the Newcastle Arena with our live blog below…

A PROFESSIONAL spray painter and decorator has revealed what really happens when a customer refuses to pay.

So if you’re unhappy with a service you’ve had recently, you’ll need to listen up and prepare to be stunned. 

TikTok/@finishing.touch.s

TikTok/@finishing.touch.s

Posting on social media, the labourer explained what went down after he gave one of his customers a lovely fence upgrade.

The tradesman acknowledged that his client was unhappy with the painted black fence and as a result, didn’t pay the man, who works for a company called Finishing Touch Sprayers.

Clearly fuming, the man took matters into his own hands to ensure he got the ultimate revenge.

In a short clip shared online, the workman gave his followers a close-up look at one of his customer’s black fences.

After his payment was withheld, the manual worker slammed: “Can’t pay, we’ll take it away.”

He then used a pressure washer to remove the black paint from the fences, instantly turning them a golden brown.

Following this, the man confirmed: “Took our paint back because [the] customer wouldn’t pay.”

Eager to know what others would do if they were in the same situation, he then asked: “What would you do? Would you do the same?” 

The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @finishing.touch.s, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly racked up 123,000 views in just one day. 

Not only this, but it’s also amassed 1,059 likes and 341 comments. 

But numerous social media users were stunned by the man’s original paint job and claimed that it “looked better after”.

One person said: “I wouldn’t have paid either.”

Another added: “It looks better now.” 

He clearly added a paint stripper then pressure washed it off. Hence the before look

TikTok user

A third commented: “You didn’t do a good job so…looks better after you removed the shoddy paint job!”

Meanwhile, someone else questioned: “How long ago did you paint it? Looks like it was peeling anyway.”

But to set the record straight, one user responded and explained: “You think a pressure washer took the paint off? 

“He clearly added a paint stripper then pressure washed it off. Hence the before look.” 

Not only this, but the expert also confirmed that this indeed was the case, as when asked “Why does all the paint look like it’s been on ages and peeled off?”, he simply confirmed: “Paint stripper”. 

Good on ya… Don’t do it for em again

TikTok user

At the same time, others were horrified that the man’s customer had refused to pay.

One user slammed: “How shameful not to pay.”

A second claimed: “Some people have no morals.” 

Whilst someone else penned: “Good on ya… Don’t do it for em again, you don’t need the hassle.” 

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