Shaun Wright-Phillips promises to ‘banter’ dad Ian Wright if Chelsea beat Arsenal in Europa League final

Shaun Wright-Phillips promises to ‘banter’ dad Ian Wright if Chelsea beat Arsenal in Europa League final
Former Chelsea star Shaun Wright-Phillips has promised to ‘banter’ his dad Ian Wright if the Blues beat Arsenal in the Europa League final.The two London rivals go head-to-head later this month at Baku’s Olympic Stadium, and there will also be rivalry between father and son on the same day.getty3

Wright-Phillips wants his former club Chelsea to beat Arsenal to the Europa League trophy

Former Gunners striker Wright adopted Shaun, the son of his girlfriend Sharon, at the age of three, with another son coming along a few years later.Both Shaun and his brother Bradley went on to become footballers, with the former having a highly successful career in the Premier League and for England. He started out at at Manchester City before moving on to Chelsea when Jose Mourinho was manager, and it is the Blues he will be backing in the May 29 showpiece.And a victory for Chelsea means Wright-Phillips can ‘banter’ with his dad, who will obviously be supporting Arsenal – the club at which he remains adored.“I think Chelsea will win the Europa League final,” said Wright-Phillips, speaking exclusively toAmericanGambler.com.getty3

Wrighty wants Arsenal to win… to escape being ‘bantered’ by his own son

“Ill be supporting Chelsea, and Ill definitely be sending my dad some banter if Chelsea pick the trophy up. I dont know if hed do the same to me, but Ill definitely be calling him out!”Maurizio Sarri, the Chelsea manager, has been dealt a blow in the run-up to the final with Ruben Loftus-Cheek picking up a serious injury in a post-season friendly.The midfielder will reportedly be sidelined for over six months with a ruptured Achilles, leaving Sarri with a selection headache for the clash in Baku.He also has a decision to make in attack, with Gonzalo Higuian and Olivier Giroud battling it out to be the chosen striker despite pretty poor campaigns from the pair.

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Wright-Phillips believes the France international should be selected for the match, and also thinks Chelsea should keep Giroud around despite rumours he will leave Stamford Bridge this summer.He continued: “I think that Chelsea actually missed him [Giroud] this year, and that he would have been a key player if Chelsea had given him a run of games, because he holds the ball up so well, he gets goals and he brings the wingers in to play. He allows the wingers more space and time to get in behind so the attacks all link up and theyll miss him massively if he leaves as well.Getty3

Will Giroud get the nod to start the Europa League final?

“He will be a tough player to replace, even with the fact that he didnt play that much this year, hes a hard guy to replace and I dont think Arsenal have recovered without him.“Obviously [Alexandre] Lacazette and [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang are so good and they score the goals, but Arsenal are being let down by their defence unfortunately.”

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