USA Update

CHELSEA fans have been left in hysterics after Marc Cucurella “salvaged” his relationship with Puma in a new advert.

The left-back’s boots hit the headlines during the Blues’ 4-3 win over Tottenham last Sunday.

@Cucurella3

Marc Cucurella has starred in a new Puma advert[/caption]

@Cucurella3

The brand have seen the funny side in their new advert[/caption]

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The left-back was left fuming and had to change his boots[/caption]

@Cucurella3

Cucurella posted the boots in the bin after the final whistle[/caption]

He suffered two disaster moments in the derby, slipping in the build-up to both Spurs goals in the first ten minutes before Chelsea staged a stunning comeback.

A fuming Cucurella charged across the pitch after Dejan Kulusevski made it 2-0 and swapped boots.

After the game, the Spaniard posted a snap of his pair of Puma Future 8s in the bin alongside the caption: “Sorry Blues.”

The boots were set to be released by the sportswear brand the following day.

And they were even engraved with the message: “This boot might be leaked. We’re used to it. Don’t worry. Stay tuned.”

It looked to be a marketing own goal but Puma have brilliantly responded.

In a new advert posted on social media, Cucurella is wearing the boots alongside a caution wet floor sign.

Puma wrote with the image: “It’s not how you slip, it’s how you bounce back.”

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The post also sees the wet floor sign placed in front of a goal, by the entrance of a Puma store, at a bus stop and on a West London street.

Fans found it brilliant, with one saying: “Excellent salvaging work.”

Another added: “Best marketing ever.”

A third wrote: “What a comeback from Puma.”

Chelsea players also saw the funny side as Marc Guiu and Enzo Fernandez commented laughing emojis.

AP

Cucurella slipped and cost Chelsea two goals in their win over Spurs[/caption]

@Cucurella3

Puma put wet floor signs around London[/caption]

SHOPPING for perfume can be hard at the best of times, never mind when you’re gifting.

But if a new signature scent is on your shopping list, these unisex fragrances are a guaranteed hit . . . 

Supplied

Budget

AllSaints Shoreditch Leather Eau De Parfum, £40 for 30ml, boots.com

Inspired by the AllSaints leather jackets, this is every bit as cool and edgy as you would expect.

Amber, patchouli, leather accord and sandalwood make it fiery and in your face – almost like a hot toddy in fragrance form, a real confidence boost in a bottle.

It’s perfect for this time of year when the weather is chilly, and the added notes of saffron, rose and jasmine give it a softness akin to suede.

Mid-range

aesop.com

Aesop Virere Eau de Parfum, £115.00 for 50ml, johnlewis.com

If you like the great outdoors, you’ll love this herbaceous, green scent.

Zesty bergamot, tart, almost bitter green tea and warm, earth hay unite to create a fragrance that feels like a breath of fresh air.

It is as energising as a brisk walk in the countryside.

Warm, jammy fig and spicy pink pepper give it staying power, grounding the lighter notes for year-round wear.

Surprisingly, it’s my favourite of the three.

Supplied

Luxury

LBTY Vine Thief Eau de Parfum, £225 for 100ml, libertylondon.com

On first sniff, you’re hit with a boozy, woody scent that’s just as opulent as you’d expect from the department store’s signature fragrance line.

Notes of condensed milk and strawberry offer a subtle freshness that stops it being too heavy, while vanilla and musk add a comforting edge that’s like wrapping yourself in a cashmere blanket by a roaring fire.

It’s a true winter warmer.

Pick of the day

Supplied

SHOPPING baskets at the ready – today is the last day Boots customers can receive an exclusive, complimentary luxury treat from Dior when spending £125 or more on selected Dior beauty products or ladies’ fragrances.

The limited-edition make-up bag contains mini Miss Dior and J’Adore fragrances. Talk about getting more for your money!

Shop now, while stocks last, on boots.com and in 93 stores nationwide.

FEELING tired, short of breath, pale skinned? Nails all brittle or plagued by headaches? You could be iron deficient.

Guidelines state men over 18 and women over 50 need 8.7mg and women 19-50 need 14.8mg, but five per cent of us are deficient.

Iron is found in red meat, chicken, beans, lentils and, of course, spinach.

If you feel like your iron intake needs a boost, here are three ways to help…

NOODLES

ZENB pasta is made from 100 per cent yellow peas – no wheat, gluten or anything else.

The brand is the only regular pasta alternative I like. Now it has brought out some fine noodles that are perfect for soups and Asian dishes.

A 100g portion contains 3.9mg of iron, which is 28 per cent of your daily recommended intake.

This is a great way to get iron, plus protein and fibre, into your diet without supplements or pills.

One of my favourite products and they take just five minutes to cook.

From £4.50 for a 320g pack with four individual portions, zenb.co.uk.

POWDER

I DON’T always believe a fancy name guarantees a fancy product.

But I do love the berry-flavoured daily greens from Elle Macpherson’s Super Elixir range.

It is a new flavour from the cult wellness product, with more than 40 ingredients. The main one is barley grass, followed by leaf powder and wheatgrass – all great sources of iron. Plus there is kelp and spinach, too.

There are also plenty of fruit and veg powders and fibres which help with energy production and are great for the gut, cognitive health, immunity and skin, hair and nails.

This is a pimped-up green powder but thanks to all the antioxidant rich fruits, you get a big fruity smell when you open the container and it tastes lovely.

It has got a supermodel price tag though.

From £50.40 for month’s supply, welleco.co.uk.

CAPSULES

IF you’re looking for a supplement that offers your entire daily intake of iron, then Innermost’s The Rise capsules could be a good solution.

With just two capsules a day you’ll get 14mg of iron. But these may also help cognitive function and stamina because they contain other productivity-boosting ingredients.

These include vitamin B, a superfood called maca and the mushroom cordyceps, which are said to aid endurance.

Plus there is bacopa monnieri, a plant that has been used for centuries in traditional Ayurvedic medicine that improves cognitive function for a sustained energy boost.

In trials, 85 per cent of people said two cap­sules a day made them feel more productive.

From £19.96 for a 30-day supply, liveinnermost.co.uk.

A blockbuster night of boxing is underway with stacked cards in Liverpool and Monte Carlo.

Natasha Jonas headlines against Ivana Habazin on Merseyside with Lauren Price and Viddal Riley also fighting on a huge bill.

While Cheavon Clarke goes for the vacant European cruiserweight title against Leonardo Mosquea in Monte Carlo.

• Start time: Cards underway NOW
• TV channels: Sky Sports Main Event (Liverpool show)/ DAZN (Monte Carlo show)

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Follow ALL of the latest updates below…

STRICTLY Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas has chosen a plunging cleavage as she joins her fellow judges for this year’s final.

Head judge Shirley has joined Motsi Mabuse, Craig Revel Horwood and Anton du Beke as they gather to judge this year’s four finalists on Strictly Come Dancing.

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Strictly viewers were quick to comment on Shirley’s ‘over exposure’[/caption]

Instagram

Instagram

Shirley, 64, chose a gold fitted dress with a plunge neckline exposing her cleavage for tonight.

She left her dark hair in loose waves as she took her seat on the judging panel, alongside the others.

Taking to Twitter, viewers were shocked to see the star wear such a daring choice.

One viewer wrote: “Shirley looks a picture tonight. If a little over-exposed.”

Another added: “Blimey Shirley.”

The wardrobe choice comes as the former dancer also revealed this week that she’s split from her fiancé Danny Taylor, after six years together.

Speaking on the Great Company podcast, she revealed she’s now single.

She said: “Currently, I’ve just split with my boyfriend.”

She then claimed that her romantic relationships have been a “disaster, all the way along the line”.

She added that she is now focusing her attention on her family as she explained: “What I am truly grateful for is that I still have my mother, and that she lives with me, and I get these precious moments with her,” she said.

“Because my mother is the only thing that’s been a staple in my life. No friend, no marriage, no nothing.”

Shirley and Danny met in 2018 during a pantomime together, getting engaged three years later.

Shirley has been married twice before, first to Sammy Stopford and then to Corky Ballas who she shares her son Mark with.

Continuing on the podcast, she added: “All I keep saying at the end of the day is I’m blessed to have had my son, and without the journey I took, I wouldn’t have him, and then I wouldn’t have my grandson.

“So, it’s fate, if you want to, it’s the directions that you choose.”

MAKE the most of some tasty bargains on Christmas veg.

With prices set to plummet this week, you’ll save even more with a few clever tricks.

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Find out how to enjoy great-value goodness over the festive season[/caption]

Here’s how to enjoy great-value goodness over the festive season and beyond . . . 

TOP OF THE SHOPS: Super-markets have vegetable deals this week with most dropping prices to 15p for any of 2kg of potatoes, a kilo of carrots and 500g of parsnips or sprouts.

Sainsbury’s has swede deals from Wednesday, while broccoli is 15p at Asda and Aldi on Thursday. Lidl’s Thursday deals include a 15p bag of shallots.

FESTIVE FREEZE: It pays to buy extra vegetables and preserve them for future dishes.

Sliced carrots, parsnips and broccoli can all be blanched by putting them in boiling water for a few minutes until they just start to soften, then plunging them into ice-cold water.

Spread them on a baking tray lined with parchment and freeze them. Once solid, you can tip them into freezer bags and keep for soups, stews and sauces.

Braise red cabbage with apple and spices, and freeze it for future meals.

POTATO SO FUN: Why not buy that extra 15p bag of potatoes.

Once you’ve set aside enough for your Christmas feast, you can use the rest for other cheap dishes.

A simple baked potato will offset some of the upcoming overindulgence, or serve as part of a spicy vegetable curry or Spanish tortilla with onions and eggs.

These meals will cost your pennies.

SPROUT SHOUT: If your 15p sprouts are likely to get left, try a new way of cooking them in your air fryer.

Remove the tough outside leaves, toss in olive oil with a dash of salt and pepper then cook on 180 degrees in your air fryer for around six minutes until they start to soften.

Sprinkle over grated parmesan or another hard cheese and return to the air fryer until the cheese is melted and the sprouts are tender.

• All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability

Deal of the day

Argos

Use a code to get a discount on this Ninja Speedi 10-in-1 rapid cooker and air fryer[/caption]

USE the code NINJA35 at argos.co.uk to get 35 per cent off a Ninja Speedi 10-in-1 rapid cooker and air fryer for £99.45 instead of £153.

SAVE: £53.55

Cheap treat

Aldi

STOCKING filler alert! New Lacura Eyelashes from Aldi are offered in three styles, from dramatic to delicate, and they’re £3.49 a pack.

Top swap

Lindt

Grab a box of Lindt Lindor white chocolate truffles for £6.30[/caption]

Aldi

Or save with a box of Aldi’s Moser Roth luxurious white truffles for £3.49[/caption]

SHARE a box of Lindt Lindor white chocolate truffles, £6.30 at Morrisons, or save with a box of Aldi’s Moser Roth luxurious white truffles, £3.49.

SAVE: £2.81

Shop & save

tu

You can get this cable-knit slouch cardigan for £17.60[/caption]

WITH 20 per cent off many styles in Sainsbury’s Tu range, you can get this cable-knit slouch cardigan for £17.60, down from £22.

SAVE: £4.40

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SARA Sharif’s killer step-mum is now pals with evil Lucy Letby in prison – spending hours chatting and playing cards together.

Beinash Batool, 30, was placed on remand at the same secure wing where serial baby killer Letby is locked up.

AFP

Beinash Batool, 30, was placed on remand at the same secure wing as Lucy Letby[/caption]

PA

Letby is serving 15 whole-life terms after being convicted of murdering seven babies[/caption]

PA

Batool and Urfan Sharif will be sentenced on Tuesday for Sara’s murder[/caption]

PA

Batool is now an inmate at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey[/caption]

A source told the Mirror: “They hang out on the landing together most days, playing cards and chatting.

“The child killers always stick together because they want to protect themselves.

“So it doesn’t surprise me in the least that they get along so well.”

Batool and her husband Urfan Sharif were this week found guilty of murdering his 10-year-old daughter Sara.

She is now an inmate at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey, where Letby and fellow killers Michelle Smith and Sharon Carr are caged.

Smith poisoned six-month-old daughter Amy with adult painkillers in Swansea in 2007.

Sharon Carr was aged just 12 when she knifed 18-year-old Katie Rackliff 30 times in a random attack in Camberley, Surrey, in 1992.

All four women are said to live in House Block Four in the women’s prison.

Batool and Urfan Sharif will be sentenced on Tuesday for Sara’s murder following a 10-week trial at the Old Bailey.

The court heard how the pair inflicted “unspeakable violence” on Sara – even burning her bottom with an iron.

Sara suffered 100 internal and external injuries, including a brain injury, broken bones and human bite marks.

Her body was found at home in Woking on August 10 last year after Sharif called police.

After making the call, he fled to Pakistan with Batool and his brother Faisal Malik.

Malik, 29, was found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child.

Letby is serving 15 whole-life terms after being convicted of murdering seven babies.

She also attempted to kill seven more at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016.

STRICTLY Come Dancing descended into chaos this evening as Tasha Ghouri was left without a working microphone.

The Love Island star was unable to communicate after her first dance of the evening – leaving bosses scrambling to sort out the issue.

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Tasha struggled to be heard as her mic failed her[/caption]

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Tasha was handed a handheld microphone so viewers at home could hear her.

The glitch appeared to be fixed as she put down the mic for the final part of her conversation with host Claudia before the judges’ scores were revealed.

Despite the issues afterwards, Tasha was hailed as “quite possibly” the best Strictly dancer the show has ever seen after she performed a couple’s choice routine to What About Us by P!nk.

She and dance partner Aljaz Skorjanec were given 39 points from the judges following Craig Revel Horwood saying he would have liked “more from the pair”.

Head judge Shirley Ballas praised Ghouri for getting “on top” of her emotion, and getting that to come through in the routine.

Anton Du Beke said “are you the best dancer on Strictly Come Dancing? Quite possibly”.

Tasha was born without hearing and has had a cochlear implant since she was five years old, making her only the second deaf person to have appeared on Strictly. 

Rather than hide her implant behind her hair or something else, she’s had it covered in jewels and has made it an integral part of her costumes, winning praise from fans.

Speaking about the chance she’s had to raise awareness on Strictly, Tasha said: “The messages I’ve got from younger women, younger children, teenagers, have said ‘I felt represented because I’ve seen you on TV, I started decorating mine as well’.

“I feel like it’s just been such a special year to be a part of because representation is so important to have and I feel so passionate about it, honestly.”

Tasha and her pro partner Aljaz Skorjanec clinched the first 10 of the series and the first full score of 40.

She added: “To me, I feel like I’ve already won with me by doing that.

“We’ve created such amazing magical dances, the waltz, the American Smooth, the Couple’s Choice.

“I feel like people have known I’ve wanted to do this for such a long time and I’m so proud that we’ve left a footprint there.”

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Eroteme

A MAJOR emergency response has been scrambled after a double-decker bus hit a railway bridge in Glasgow.

The First Bus crashed into the railway bridge at Cook Street at around 6.10pm.

Paul English

A double decker bus has hit a bridge on Cook Street[/caption]

Paul English

Cops have scrambled to the scene and locked down the area[/caption]

Pictures from the scene near to the O2 Academy show passengers appear to be trapped on board following the crash.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said they received a call about the crash at 6.10pm.

Dozens of firefighters are currently working with mercy crews as the road remains locked down.

Scottish Ambulance Service, cops and representatives from First Bus are currently on scene.

The streets around the crash were cordoned off.

One passenger who was on the bus was too distraught to comment.

He remained behind the cordon with emergency services.

A resident who lives near to the crash site and visited the cordon said: “Buses don’t usually go this way. Where was it going to go? There could have been people on the top. Hopefully no one has been injured.

“The driver should have known that buses can’t go this way because the bridge is too low. There are multiple signs that high vehicles can’t go under this bridge.”

Pictures from the scene show the devastating impact of the crash with the front of the bus smashed in.

ScotRail have cancelled, delayed or revised services between Ardrossan Harbour, Ayr, Largs, Gourock, Wemyss Bay and Paisley Canal and Glasgow Central.

The rail provider added: “Due to a road vehicle colliding with a bridge between Glasgow Central and Cardonald all lines are closed.”

Police Scotland confirmed that a number of roads in Glasgow are closed following reports of the collision.

They have advised the public to avoid the area.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “A number of roads in Glasgow are closed following a report of a bus crashing into a bridge on Cook Street around 5.55pm on Saturday, 14 December.

“Cook Street is closed at Centre Street, Commerce Street is closed until Wallace Street and Salkeld Street is closed to Cook street.

“Emergency services are in attendance and drivers are asked to avoid the area.”

In comes 18 months after ten were injured after a roof was ripped off of a bus during a crash at the same bridge.

First Bus have been approached for comment.

LUKE HUMPHRIES says his oche bromance with ‘little brother’ Luke Littler can dominate darts for the next decade.

Humphries, 29, is aiming to become the FOURTH man to retain the Sid Waddell Trophy and follow in the footsteps of the legendary Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis and Gary Anderson.

Alamy

Luke Humphries believes his oche bromance with Luke Little could dominate darts[/caption]

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Despite battling it out for darts’ biggest prizes, Humphries is like a brother to Littler[/caption]

If he scoops £500,000 on January 3 he will boast more than £2million in prize money over the past year — a record.

Sport is defined by rivalries and Cool Hand reckons his emergence alongside superstar Littler, 17, will elevate standards and help establish a “new era”.

The world No 1, winner of seven major TV titles, said: “I won my first major a couple of months before Luke appeared on the scene but I feel like we’ve come through it together at the same time.

“It’s not like he’s knocking me off my perch or I’m knocking him off his perch. We’re going together.

“When you look back, you see that Phil Taylor ruled and then Michael van Gerwen came along and knocked him off his perch. Maybe Phil didn’t like it but Michael was loving it.

“And with Eric Bristow and Taylor, it happened when Phil took over.
“The difference for us two is that we’re coming through at the same time.

“I know I’ve won more over the last 15 months — but hopefully over the next ten years we can share it out and create our own legacies.”

This year’s finals between the ‘Lukes of Hazard’ saw Humphries win the Worlds, Littler the Premier League, and Cool Hand the Players Championship.

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The pair never trash talk, routinely fist-bump on stage and hug one another — the rivalry is a healthy one.

Humphries admitted: “I do feel like an older brother to him. I met him when he was 12 or 13.

“I knew a lot about him. I knew his dad before. I can only imagine what I’d feel like at 17 and in this situation.

“We’ve sort of come through the top end together. We get along. He does his own thing but we always have a chat.

“It’s good fun being involved in the top end of a sport — it’s a privilege.

“We see it as a bonus we’re the top two in the world at the moment.”

Humphries begins his world defence tonight against France’s Thibault Tricole or Aussie Joe Comito but he knows Warrington ace Littler might await in the semis if they both make it that far.

The Berkshire-born star added: “We come from different backgrounds — I’m from the south and he’s from the north — but now we both live near each other.

“If you’d told me two or three years ago all this was going to happen I wouldn’t have believed it. He probably wouldn’t have believed you, either.

“Everything can change and one of us could shoot off or the other drop off.

“At the moment, we’re battling for trophies and I can’t see that changing.

“He’s much younger than me and if he takes his game to another level, then I am going to have to work even harder to catch him.”

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Humphries accepts that younger Littler offers his biggest threat[/caption]