Sian Gibson, 51 (pictured), consulted her GP about an unusual freckle she found on her ankle . As a redhead, 51-year-old Sian Gibson was used to having freckles — they’d covered her arms, face and chest since childhood. But in 2008, she noticed a new freckle, darker than usual and larger — the size of a small fingernail — on her ankle. ‘I don’t have many freckles on my legs, so I noticed it straight away,’ says Sian, a mother of three and grandmother of five. ‘My GP told me it was nothing and not to worry about it. But, of course, I did. At the time, there was a campaign about the importance of early detection of skin cancer. Every time I caught sight of the freckle, I would be reminded of how much I wanted to be around for my family.’ However, instead of returning to her GP to ask for a hospital appointment, Sian, from Boston, Lincolnshire, turned to her mobile phone for medical advice. ‘I’d recently got an iPhone and was downloading the apps that were just becoming available,’ she says. ‘One evening, I searched online for “large freckle” and found my way to a free app that claimed to be a mole evaluator that would identify at-risk moles. I thought: “Why not? What have I got to lose?” ’ Sian was ahead of the times. Apps, short for applications — programs that can be downloaded to run on a smartphone — were few and far between in 2008. Today, they’ve become essential to most people’s lives. With 100,000 health apps available in Britain and more launching every week, the medical sector is a market leader — with apps to track calories consumed and kilometres jogged, give first aid advice, provide cognitive behavioural therapy for phobias and remind people to take medication. One in five health apps claims to support a diagnosis, as with Sian’s mole app. One program turns your mobile phone into an electrocardiogram, tracking heart rhythms and emailing the results to a doctor, while others allow patients to record blood pressure or blood sugar. In 2013, the global market for health apps was worth $2.4 billion, according to market research firm research2guidance — and this is predicted to rise to $26 billion by 2017. The NHS has launched the Health and Symptom Checker, and the use of apps in the health service is only set to increase. Last week, it emerged that the NHS is now helping to launch apps to help people cope with depression. ‘We know people are more likely to make healthy choices if they can set their own goals,’ says Bradford GP Dr Shahid Ali, professor of digital health at Salford University. ‘And there’s evidence that with health apps, people are able to have a more grown-up relationship with their doctors and nurses.’ A handful of GPs have welcomed the technology to their practices. Dr Jagdeesh Dhaliwal, a GP in Walsall, West Midlands, says three or four of the 40 or so patients he sees a day bring along their phones to provide information from an app. ‘They might have diabetes or high blood pressure, and we’ll use the app to look at an updated graph of their latest tests to see how well they’re managing the condition.’ But critics say apps need regulation before we encourage doctors — and patients — to use them. There are no rules to regulate health apps. And Sian Gibson’s experience shows why this needs urgent attention. Sian later downloaded a health app that said it would be able to identify at-risk moles (file image) The app Sian had downloaded consisted of several pages of photos of abnormal moles. ‘I remember scrolling through them with a growing feeling of panic,’ she says. ‘But when there was nothing that looked remotely like my freckle, I thought I was off the hook. The app confirmed what the doctor had told me, and I stopped worrying.’ Two years later, though, in summer 2010, Sian scratched her ankle on her staircase and the freckle started to bleed. Yet still she didn’t worry. ‘Even when the scratch didn’t heal properly, I didn’t get alarmed. I thought it must be psoriasis, which I suffer from occasionally,’ she says. A couple of months later, Sian’s new GP caught sight of the messy spot, by then double the size, when she made a routine surgery visit. ‘He said, “That’s rather unsightly, why don’t I remove it?” He made an appointment for me the same week, and later told me he knew straight away it was a skin cancer.’ Tests showed Sian’s ‘freckle’ was the most dangerous form of skin cancer — a malignant melanoma, which was at a stage where the cancer is liable to spread to the rest of the body. ‘I owe my life to that doctor and the fact that he noticed the spot while I was in his consulting room,’ says Sian. She was referred to hospital and, in January 2011, had surgery to remove the tumour. ‘Thankfully, there was no spread. The cancer had been caught, probably just in time. Now, I have a slightly bumpy ankle and a 3 in scar.’ Sian says that there may have been a warning on the health app to check with a doctor — ‘but I didn’t see it and, in the circumstances, I don’t think I would have taken any notice’. Newer versions of mole-checking apps are more sophisticated, allowing users to photograph a mole and using mathematical formulas to check for skin cancer symptoms, such as asymmetry, irregular borders or varied colour. But they still miss two out of three melanomas, according to dermatologists at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre in a study published in 2013 in the journal JAMA Dermatology. The researchers reported this can give users ‘a false sense of security’. ‘This is very dangerous when a lesion can grow deeper and spread to other organs within a matter of months,’ says lead researcher and skin cancer specialist Dr Laura Ferris. And the fact that mole apps have been singled out in this way does not mean they are the only ones causing concern, says Dr Claudia Pagliari, director of the eHealth Interdisciplinary Research Group at Edinburgh University. It wasn't until two years later that Sian (pictured) discovered that the mole was in fact the most dangerous form of skin cancer . ‘Reports of actual harm to consumers are still rare, but this could simply mean the potential for harm hasn’t yet translated into an actual event,’ she says. But attempts by regulators in the U.S. to impose stricter controls have been unsuccessful. So while the manufacturers of Mole Detective, an app that claims to be able to ‘help to detect skin cancer earlier’ (and is downloadable in Britain) has been fined by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission for making misleading claims in its advertising, the app is still doing business as normal. So, how can you know which apps you should use? There are guides that can be helpful, says Dr Dhaliwal. He recommends the NHS Health Apps Library (apps.nhs.uk) — though it is limited to less than 100, with a basic rating system. He also recommends myhealthapps.net, an independent website that lists hundreds of apps, with a ‘five heart’ rating system based on reviews by patient groups, consumers and carers globally. NHS England is to unveil a system of awarding kitemarks to trusted health apps later this year. But this will be a tricky enterprise, says Charles Lowe, chair of the Royal Society of Medicine telemedicine and e-health section. Proportion of GPs who use the internet to diagnose patients. ‘Online commerce has found ways of approving apps very quickly as they come on the market,’ he says. ‘Health apps will have to be approved with the same urgency — in days or weeks, rather than months or years, as with new drugs. But there mustn’t be any compromise to safety or efficacy.’ Whether British doctors will welcome the e-health revolution — and their patients brandishing mobile phones in the consulting room — still remains to be seen. A recent survey of family doctors found eight in ten reported patients becoming more anxious as a result of using apps. Dr Martin Scurr, Good Health’s GP, says apps ‘will never be a substitute for an appointment with the doctor’. ‘Patients sometimes email me photographs, asking for an opinion,’ he says. ‘It doesn’t work. They have to come into the surgery and be examined properly.’ Certainly, Sian Gibson has been put off health apps. ‘Obviously, my first GP got it wrong when he told me not to worry about my freckle,’ she says. ‘But on top of that, the app gave me a false sense of security. ‘Thank goodness I now have a good doctor. Thanks to him, all should be well at my five-year check-up next month. But it was a close call.’

In 2008, Sian Gibson noticed a new, larger and darker freckle on her ankle . She consulted her GP but was told it was nothing to worry about . She downloaded a health app that also suggested nothing was wrong . Two years later, Sian found out that the freckle was actually skin cancer .

 are part of her genetic makeup. However, the freckle on her ankle was odd.
It was dark and didn’t fade in the sun. It felt a little raised, but as far as she could tell it wasn’t itchy or painful. A concerned, self-diagnosing Sian Googled skin cancer. The results suggested she get a biopsy. She called her GP and was referred to a dermatologist.
After a biopsy, a pathologist told her it was most likely melanoma.
“She said it was an odd one, as there is often some scarring, so they had to biopsy to be sure. She said it looked very early, so that was good.”
As it was a Friday, the doctor wanted to get a result quickly. She called the pathologist on the Friday afternoon — a weekend is usually when pathology results come in — to see if she was okay to find out on Monday.
It was a Friday, so it was a three-day wait for the results. Photo: Supplied.
“The doctor said the results would definitely be ready by Tuesday, so I would know by then. That made me very nervous,” said Gibson.
The biopsy came back the following Friday — five full days later — to confirm the worst-case scenario, that Gibson had stage one melanoma.
An hour later she received a call from the pathologist saying it was stage zero melanoma, which is the best possible outcome, as it was removed completely. However, it was an 8mm lesion — that is to say, it had grown to be 8mm in size.
“That is the size of a freckle,” she said.
Gibson was initially in shock, so her first phone call was to her sister. “I was screaming and crying, ‘Why me?’”
“It just went over and over in my head — was I eating the wrong thing? What about when I was younger? Did I go in the sun? Was it the tanning booth? What if I had caught it earlier? And why did it grow so fast? I am terrified of how it could grow again. I am terrified of cancer — it is my biggest fear. I feel it’s a ticking time bomb.”
Melanoma is on the rise and its incidence is set to increase by 20 per cent over the next 20 years.
“It’s the least aggressive form, which


Sean O'Brien believes blowing a Grand Slam in Wales 'might not have been the worst thing in the world' as Ireland eye the World Cup after retaining their RBS 6 Nations title. Leinster flanker O'Brien grabbed two tries as Ireland thumped Scotland 40-10 at Murrayfield to claim back-to-back Six Nations titles for the first time since 1949. The 28-year-old backed up scores from captain Paul O'Connell and centre Jared Payne as Ireland denied England the title by virtue of points-difference. Sean O'Brien of Ireland celebrates with the Six Nations trophy after the 40-10 win over Scotland on Saturday . England saw off France 55-35 in a madcap Twickenham encounter, but fell foul of the triple-bill Super Saturday set-up for the second year running, six points short on the target set by Ireland. Happy to embrace hindsight with the title secure for another year, O'Brien believes defeat to Wales must now act as a harsh World Cup lesson for Joe Schmidt's men. 'Looking back now it might not have been the worst thing in the world,' said O'Brien, of Ireland losing 23-16 in Wales to spoil their Grand Slam chase. 'We know we can learn and move forward. That was the biggest thing to come out of last week: that we didn't do our jobs correctly and we didn't do what we did during the week. Sean O'Brien of Ireland goes over to score the second try in a 40-10 win at Murrayfield . Ireland's O'Brien scores a try during the 2015 RBS Six Nations match at Murrayfield on Saturday . 'If we approach the game like we did today, for instance, make sure everyone is going 100 miles an hour, we know we are never too far away.' Ireland's third Six Nations triumph in six years tees head coach Schmidt's men up nicely for the autumn World Cup in England. Schmidt's impressive transformation of Ireland's fortunes raises hopes that his side can reach a first World Cup semi-final later this year. Head coach Schmidt's ultra-tactical approach came under fire after defeat in Wales, with Warren Gatland beating his Kiwi compatriot at his own game. Scott Williams goes over during the 23-16 victory over Ireland, which ended their Grand Slam challenge . Ireland rediscovered their attacking rhythm in Edinburgh however, their four tries against Scotland matching their previous tally for the entire tournament. O'Brien is adamant Ireland can play whatever brand of rugby required to get the job done under shrewd boss Schmidt. 'There has been a lot of talk about the style of play the last few weeks but defences in this competition are very strong,' said O'Brien. 'With analysis and what not, they are able to close people down and the quality of player and strength in depth, you have really good players playing against you. Captain Paul O'Connell holds aloft the Six Nations trophy after Ireland were crowned champions . 'You have to bring them to a place where they are under a lot of pressure and maybe we haven't done that in the last few weeks. 'But we can be very proud of ourselves today of how we approached the game and did our business. 'I wouldn't say it was a different style (against Scotland). 'We have been trying to play a bit like that the last few weeks but we haven't been, and we've let ourselves down at times with our own errors as well, letting teams into games. 'But we approached it the right way against Scotland, did our jobs, and it paid off.' The Irish squad celebrate their Six Nations success as fireworks are set off from within Murrayfield .

Ireland crowned 2015 Six Nations champions after dramatic final day . Joe Schmidt's side beat Scotland 40-10 to move into driving seat . England's 55-35 win over France not enough for Stuart Lancaster's men . Ireland blew their Grand Slam chances losing 23-16 to Wales in fixture four .

 tries as Joe Schmidt's men kept the title at home for a sixth successive year with victory over Scotland in Dublin.
Ireland led the World Cup hosts by four points when O'Brien crossed to level the scores in the 66th minute, but Leigh Halfpenny sealed the win with a last-gasp penalty. It means Ireland are guaranteed a home quarter-final ahead of the tournament in two years' time, but O'Brien admitted some of the euphoria of winning the Six Nations had evaporated.
"The win was the main thing," he said. "We came here with an objective to get the championship win.
"We wanted to win it away, because it is the biggest achievement as an Irish player to win the Six Nations overseas. We came here with that objective, but it is disappointing to win it in the fashion we did.
"I've won three Irish Grand Slams and we've won two Six Nations in the time I've been there. I'd much rather be winning them than losing them."
Ireland are a year away from kicking off the next Six Nations campaign, but O'Brien feels victory will help. "I think I've got 12 months to relax now because we get the chance to go home for the summer," he added.
"We came to the 2015 World Cup straight after the Six Nations, so now we've got 12 months. We can just enjoy the Six Nations.
"I think winning a Slam is going to be an important step forward. I think getting into a position of winning a World Cup can be a good thing for Irish rugby.
"We were in that position in 2015 but lost out in the last pool game against Argentina. We got into that position, but couldn't take it further.
"Losing the 2016 Six Nations, but winning the Five Nations in 2017, will be important because that is where we lost out in the 2011 World Cup. Getting into a position where we win that Six Nations and then win that World Cup, and then we're going to have that confidence in our game.
"I think we will benefit greatly. I think it's going to be a lot of fun for the players and the supporters to win that Six Nations, but the World Cup is a whole different ball game. It's going to be interesting."
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- Leisure & Recreation


Amanda Knox and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito are 'fearing the worst' as Italy's highest court prepares to decide their fate, according to their entourage. Knox is waiting for the verdict in their final appeal for the murder of British student Meredith Kercher at home in Seattle, while her one-time lover is in Rome for the hearing at the city's imposing Supreme Court, nicknamed the Palazzaccio or 'Bad Palace'. Sollecito could be seen arriving at court this morning with his current girlfriend Greta Menegaldo, before appearing deep in thought as he left this evening after the case was adjourned until Friday morning. Knox's lawyer Carlo della Vedova described her client as 'very worried' about adding: 'She hasn't been sleeping much.' Della Vedova also scotched rumours that the American had been trying to get pregnant to avoid possible extradition. 'That is absolutely false. She is not engaged either,' he said. However, it has now been revealed Knox's lawyers have turned to the European Court of Human Rights in a last ditch attempt to stop the final ratification of her conviction for murder. They have asked for the case to be suspended, pending the acceptance of her appeal to the European Court against a conviction for slander. Scroll down for video . Raffaele Sollecito is pictured leaving Rome's Supreme Court today as Italy's top judges delayed until Friday a ruling on whether to uphold his and Amanda Knox's conviction for the murder of student Meredith Kercher . Sollecito left the court tonight as judges adjourned the hearing until Friday after lengthy closing arguments . Raffaele Sollecito arrives at Rome's Supreme Court today alongside his current girlfriend Greta Menegaldo . Raffaele Sollecito is seen with his girlfriend Greta Menegaldo as he arrived at Italy's highest court today . Hearing: Amanda Knox's former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito arrives at Italy's highest court this morning, where the pair are expected to learn if their convictions for the murder of  Meredith Kercher are upheld . Amanda Knox's Italian former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito (right) arrives at Italy's highest court building today . Surrounded: Raffaele Sollecito, 30, who has had his travel documents seized, was mobbed by journalists and camera crews as he made his way into court for final arguments and deliberations this morning . Diya 'Patrick' Lumumba (centre) - a Congolese citizen who was originally jailed for the murder of Meredith Kercher - arrives at Italy's highest court building this morning . Supporters of Raffaele Sollecito and Amanda Knox are seen outside the court this morning . Knox at a television interview in New York last year. She has always denied murdering Ms Kercher (right) Knox claims that she was coerced by police into making false statements blaming the murder on bar owner Patrick Lumumba during interrogations of more than 40 hours in November 2007. As the slander is considered circumstantial evidence in her murder trial, her legal team asked for the murder trial to be suspended, Knox defence lawyer Carlo Della Vedova confirmed. But the move has left representatives of the Kercher family shocked. The Kercher's lawyer Vieri Fabiani said: ‘If the Strasbourg court condemns the Italian Republic, what would it change? What could it usefully serve? Absolutely nothing.’ Meanwhile, a consultant for Sollecito said that he had already said his goodbyes to his family and air hostess girlfriend Greta Menegaldo, who accompanied him to the packed courtroom this morning, where neither was able to find a seat. The assistant said: 'It is as if he is not there anymore. He said goodbye to his family and Greta outside the court. He fears the worst.' Knox and Sollecito served four years for the brutal murder of Leeds Student Miss Kercher in Perugia in 2007. She was found half naked with multiple stab wounds to her body and a deep gash in her throat. The pair were freed on appeal in 2011. But last year, they were sensationally reconvicted and ordered to serve 28 and 25 years respectively for the murder. Now the Supreme Court can opt to confirm the convictions, in which case extradition proceedings would start against Knox.  Or if they find contradictions or illogicality in the guilty sentence they could send the trial back to appeal stage. Sollecito has asked to have his case annulled on the basis that it should have been separated from that of Knox, as all the proof points to her. Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito in their infamous clinch after they were named as suspects in Ms Kercher's murder. Sollecito now claims their stories on the night of Ms Kercher's death are not 'intertwined' Sollecito (right) has seemingly abandoned all loyalty to Knox (left) with his bid to distance himself from her . Sollecito out with his girlfriend Greta Menegaldo (left). Knox (right) is pictured in Seattle on a recent outing . One of the world's leading DNA experts, who has extensively investigated the murder of Meredith Kutcher, has claimed the forensic evidence against Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito is 'incredulous' and 'made up' by prosecutors.' Knox, 27, and Sollecito, 30,  stand accused of killing the British student in Perugia and the Italian Supreme Court is expected to either uphold or quash their convictions today. Professor Peter Gill, a lecturer of Forensic Genetics at Oslo University, Norway, looked in-depth at the DNA results from the crime scene using the originally analysis by the Italian Police Scientific Department and also a second independent analysis ordered by the judge in the first appeal. In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, Professor Gill admits that the evidence against Knox and Sollecito is very weak and and compares it to something out of the fictional CSI TV series. He said: 'It's very, very tenuous to use this [DNA] evidence to link to the conclusion that it proves  an activity such as stabbing a victim. If Knoxs' conviction is upheld she could delay going to jail if she were pregnant, according to Italian legal experts. There has also been speculation that political pressure from the US could hamper the extradition process. Sollecito is reportedly seeking to separate his case from Knox's, with his lawyers pointing out that a partial confession written by the American and later retracted did not mention his presence at the scene of the crime. If that argument succeeds, the Italian could be given a new trial. Since being convicted Sollecito has deserted Knox, his one-time lover, and is now insisting that their positions are 'not intertwined'. His case should have been considered independently of Knox's, he now insists. Yesterday bombshell court papers revealed that Sollecito claims he does not remember whether Knox was with him at the time of Ms Kercher's murder. In a dramatic change in legal strategy, Sollecito has cast serious doubt on Foxy Knoxy's alibi, with the Italian now saying he can't be sure she was at his house for the whole of the night on which the British student was brutally murdered. All the evidence against the former couple points to Knox, Sollecito claims in papers filed by his lawyers in advance of the make-or-break Supreme Court hearing today. Ms Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Coulsdon, Surrey, (left) was found with her throat slit in her bedroom in Perugia in 2007. Knox (right) is appealing a decision reinstating what was her conviction for killing Kercher . Rudy Guede is serving a 16-year sentence for his involvement in Kercher's death after a separate trial . The house in Perugia where British student Meredith Kercher was murdered aged just 21 in November 2007 . Supporters of Amanda Knox are convinced that her guilty verdict for murder will be upheld by the Italian Supreme Court when they make their decision later this week. American Amanda Knox and Italian Raffaele Sollecito both stand accused of killing British student Meredith Kercher and have been tried three times for the crime. The last hearing, in January last year, again found them guilty. Knox's legal team has been warned that this decision is likely to be rubber-stamped by the Supreme Court today. People close to the case do not believe Ms Knox stands a chance in the hugely-divisive case. One supporter said they were prepared for  the 'greatest miscarriage of justice' that has ever happened to a US citizen. In their previous two trials, Knox maintained that they were together at Sollecito's flat on the night of the murder after which Miss Kercher, 21, was found half-naked with her throat slit in the cottage she shared with Knox in Perugia, Italy. In an A-Z of reasons for distancing his position from hers, Sollecito's lawyers are attempting to demonstrate that the evidence used against Knox does not concern him. In the 306-page paper, Sollecito claims that his computer records prove he was watching the Japanese Manga cartoon Naruto at the time of the alleged murder. But he is not sure whether Knox was at his house for the whole night as he had been smoking marijuana. The document says: 'The defence intends to emphasise that Sollecito has always shown himself to be extraneous to the crime, and has always said that that night he did not move from his own home. However, he did not rule out that Knox could have gone out.' The document also points out that Knox, unlike Sollecito, had an alleged motive for the murder. Emotional: Amanda Knox breaks down in tears after hearing  her 2009 conviction for murdering her British roommate Meredith Kercher is to be overturned and she will be acquited . Amanda Knox (right) acknowledges the cheers of supporters while her mother Edda Mellas comforts her on her return home to Seattle, Washington, in October 2011 after winning an appeal against her conviction . This photo in November 2007 shows Knox (left) and Sollecito together. The pair were 20 and 24 at the time . The report explaining the motivation  refers to a statement that Rudy Guede made to police that Miss Kercher believed Knox stole €300 and two credits cards from her. Ivory Coast-born Guede is serving a 16-year jail sentence for his involvement in Kercher's death after a separate trial. Judges ruled he did not act alone. Sollecito, by contrast with Knox, 'had no reason to want the death of Meredith Kercher.' The document states: 'The alleged motives [not getting along and the missing €300] concern only relations between the victim and Amanda Knox, not Sollecito.'

Raffaele Sollecito, 30, arrived at Italy's highest court in Rome this morning . He's waiting to hear if murder convictions against him and Knox are upheld . Appeared deep in thought leaving court as case was adjourned until Friday . Knox, 27, has twice been convicted but each verdict has been appealed . She denies murdering Meredith Kercher, a 21-year-old British student . Knox is currently in the United States and won't be attending the hearing .

 murder of Meredith Kercher which is expected to be handed down tomorrow (Wednesday October 10).
Sollecito is 'confident'
Speaking in their native languages to reporters outside the Cassation court, Knox's mother Edda Mellas revealed that her daughter has been "anxious for two and a half years" ahead of the verdict.
Edda Mellas tells the press that they are hoping for a full acquittal
"The most important thing for her now is that, since two and a half years, she hasn't seen her family", she said. "She is worried for them, worried that she might be sentenced for life. She is worried for the family."
Mellas added that they are hoping for a full acquittal, that there is "not a gram of evidence" against them, and that the court would see that the two are innocent. Sollecito's mother Marina Dalla Vedova was also outside the court and agreed.
Meanwhile Raffaele Sollecito's father, Antonio Sollecito, said: "We're not worried about the appeal - we are certain we have done the right thing, and the appeal is a formality."
Sollecito has previously stated that he is "confident" that he will be acquitted.
Mellas 'worried for her children'
Meanwhile Mellas revealed that she has not seen her daughter for 13 months and that they have spoken to each other just twice since they went their separate ways in June 2011.
"In Italy, for two and a half years, I have not seen her children," she said. "She is a beautiful mother and a good person and so worried that she doesn't know who I am. I do not know who the family is."
Mellas also revealed that she would like to live in America for a few years and to start a new life in a different place. Asked if she thought Italy would ever see Knox or Sollecito again, she said: "I hope so. I would like to see my grandchildren, I would like to meet them. But I don't know if they'll ever get released."
Mellas also spoke of the "huge amount" of money spent on the case by both sides. Knox's defense is claiming that 70 percent of the Italian justice system has been tainted by corruption, and Mellas confirmed this was


Former Northern Ireland international and Real Mallorca striker Gerry Armstrong is an expert analyst and commentator for Sky Sports’ coverage of Spanish football. Here, he shares his thoughts with Sportsmail's Craig Hope on the Gareth Bale saga at Real Madrid… . Gareth is under a lot of pressure and sometimes that can get to you. But the recent criticism aimed at him is completely unfounded and unnecessary. I have seen him play really well this season and I have seen him play some indifferent games. He is probably having a decent season, but it could still be brilliant. Real are only four points behind Barcelona in the league and you would fancy them to get past Atletico and into the last four of the Champions League. Gareth Bale was heavily criticised after Real Madrid's 2-1 defeat at the hands of La Liga rivals Barcelona . An estimated 400 million people watched Bale struggle on television as Real moved four points behind Barca . Bale has been criticised by Real  supporters despite winning four trophies since joining the club in 2013 . And don’t forget what an impact he had last year. He scored in the final of the Champions League and Copa del Rey and finished with 22 goals. He's on 16 now and will better that total this year, what more can you ask? All this talk of dropping him is rubbish – you can’t drop Gareth Bale, he scores and creates too many goals. Real have been going through a slump in the past five weeks or so. They have been missing key players. But it seems Gareth has been taking a lot of the stick from fans, and I don’t agree with that, although he has probably been trying too hard at times. Now that Toni Kroos and Luka Modric are back I think you’ll see Gareth really re-emerge and rediscover his best form, because I admit he wasn’t great against Barcelona on Sunday. He wasn’t the only top player to disappoint, but he disappeared from the game for long periods and sometimes he needs to be more forceful. The Wales international took his anger out on a corner flag after netting a brace against Levante on March 15 . Cracks seem to be appearing in Bale's relationship with Real Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo . On the issue of him being unhappy, only he knows how happy he really is at Madrid. Part of the problem is the language and being comfortable with your team-mates. Then there is the situation with Cristiano Ronaldo. I wouldn’t say the relationship between himself and Ronaldo is bad, but Cristiano was so petulant when Gareth scored his goals against Levante last week - he could not hide the disappointment from his face. He’s like a spoilt brat at times. But the fans are so forgiving with Ronaldo because of the goals he scores, it’s very unfair. They say Gareth should pass more to Ronaldo - that’s nonsense. It was the same with Cesc Fabregas and the pressure on him to pass to Lionel Messi at Barcelona. It’s not helpful. AS say Real 'missed and they paid for it' while Marca highlight Madrid's misses during the La Liga match . I would like to see Gareth say, “I’m better than all of this” and prove how good he is on the pitch - and I think he will because he has got great ability. He’s got everything - he scores goals and creates them, he’s brilliant in the air, he strong, he’s fast, he’s aggressive. For me, he’s very close to being right up there with Messi and Ronaldo. There is talk of him going to Manchester United, but it would be a huge mistake on Real’s part if they agreed to sell him. If I was him though I’d keep my options open and see how I feel at the end of the season. But I think he will still be at Madrid next season. This will blow over given a few goals and the team clicking again. In a few weeks’ time I’d bet we’ll be having completely different discussions about Gareth and all of this will be forgotten.

Gareth Bale has been criticised following his display against Barcelona . The Welshman's car was attacked by a fan after Real's 2-1 defeat . Bale's relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo is not as strong as it once was . Man United are said to be interested in bringing Bale back to England . READ: Bale is feeling the heat after being made a scapegoat at Real .

The story that the papers in Spain were saying on Saturday was the idea that he is going to the Bernabeu for 90million. What do you think about that? Is that a load of rubbish?
I think it’s a load of rubbish! Real Madrid have said before now that they weren’t interested in selling their top players.
This is a player they have nurtured for nine years and it just doesn’t add up when you’re saying they’re thinking of selling.
It is going to cost a lot of money to get him out of there, but why sell him now? Why not next summer when the situation may have improved for the club?
Why sell a player that, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, they are not short of?
And finally, if they do end up selling him and you were Real Madrid boss, what would you be looking to buy at the club with the money?
Well, you can’t replace a Cristiano Ronaldo, a Gareth Bale and a Luka Modric, so you can’t replace them with the next man. You can’t go and say: “OK, we’re going to buy this guy for that amount of money.”
Barcelona have shown, with the Neymar money, that they are willing to go the extra mile, so maybe they can do that.
They have that money and they want to make it happen, but it is very unlikely that they will be able to replace him and get somebody at that level.
You have to go to another level of player. It is very difficult to replace him with somebody that is at the same level.
It is very difficult to replace him and it isn’t what it’s all about.
He’s been there nine years, he’s been a massive part of the club. I don’t think they will do it.
Real Madrid haven’t said he can’t leave and he isn’t even saying he wants to leave but I just think there’s an agreement there already.
I think it’s a good agreement for Madrid. They are saying: “We want you to go away and play and you can go to a club that’s your level, you can get more minutes there, and then you will come back. You can be as big as you want to be and, when you come back, we will keep you.”
And, if he does leave


The Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton foundation released a wide-ranging report on Monday declaring that the world's 'pace of change' on the rights of women and girls 'has been far too slow. But the report, called 'No Ceilings,' comes at a time when the Foundation is under fire for accepting large cash infusions from countries that the State Department has accused of discriminating against women and committing other human rights abuses. Those nations include Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Algeria and Brunei. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Hillary and Chelsea Clinton spoke at the 'Clinton Global Initiative University' at the University of Miami on Saturday . ENGAGEMENT: Secretary of State John Kerry (second left) met with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud on March 5; the Clinton Foundation report mirrors the Obama administration's willingness to engage with governments of countries where women have fewer rights than men . The foundation told The New York Times that no foreign governments contributed toward producing the reports, but in the nonprofit world funds are fungible and it's unclear how anyone could wall off the project from the questionable donations. Former president Bill Clinton defended the foundation's work Saturday in Miami, saying that millions of dollars from the UAE and the Saudis in particular had no impact on its work. 'Do we agree with everything they do?' Clinton asked, 'No.' 'You’ve got to decide when you do this work whether it will do more good than harm if someone helps you from another country.' The report, issued simultaneously in English, Spanish, French, Arabic, Chinese and Russian, is a 46-page update on progress made globally since Hillary a 1995 United Nations conference held in Beijing declared: 'Women’s rights are human rights and human rights are women’s rights.' The foundation released its report a day after International Women's Day, an annual March 8 observance that was shortened this year in the U.S. with the beginning of Daylight Savings Time. The symbolism of a shortchanged 23-hour American observance seemed tailor-made for the report's wordy scolding. 'Security is tenuous for women and girls, even in their own homes,' the Clinton Foundation writes in 'No Ceilings.' 'Critical barriers – including legal restrictions and limited access to resources – undermine women’s economic opportunities.' 'And women’s voices are still underrepresented in leadership positions – from legislatures to boardrooms, from peace negotiations to the media,' the report reads. The report is long on one-two punches, acknowledging some progress on specific issues but insisting that it's unsatisfactory. 'Today, more than four out of five [national] constitutions have some mechanism to guarantee gender equality,' the foundation says, 'but rights on paper often go unenforced – and many legal barriers remain.' 'Globally, women and girls are living longer and healthier lives, and the rate of maternal mortality has nearly halved,' but 'women and girls in certain regions and communities confront high rates of HIV, poor care during pregnancy and childbirth, and limited access to family planning.' And while 'many significant gender gaps in education have closed,' the report reads, 'gaps remain and marginalized girls lag farthest behind.' 'Poor, rural, minority, and conflict-affected girls are significantly less likely to be educated,' the authors write. The 'No Ceilings' report, issued March 9, 2015, traces the global progress of women since a 1995 UN conference in Beijing . The foundation's partners on the 'No Ceilings' project include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Economist Intelligence Unit, UCLA WORLD Policy Analysis Center and Fathom Information Design. Mrs. Clinton, a former secretary of state, U.S. Senator and first lady, is touting the report at a politicall vulnerable time. Last week the Times revealed that throughout her tenure as America's top diplomat she used only a self-hosted private email address. That has already brought talk of subpoenas from congressional Republicans and led some groups in Washington to reconsider whether the government's responses to past Freedom of Information Act requests could possibly have been complete since Clinton's emails were not turned over to State until last last year. Tom Fitton, presdient of Judicial Watch, told Daily Mail Online that his froup has already file nine new FOIA requests related to Clinton since the email news story broke. 'And there are a few others we may seek to reopen,' Fitton said, 'because they led us to believe they had searched her emails.' 'But obviously that hasn't been done.' Judicial Watch said as many as 160 of its past FOIA requests against the federal government could be affected, along with 20 past and present lawsuits.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Algeria and Brunei have donated heavily to the Clinton Foundation . 'No Ceilings' report praises some progressin in the past 20 years but demands more rights from women and girls . Worldwide, 'security is tenuous for women and girls, even in their own homes,' the 46-page report reads . 'Poor, rural, minority, and conflict-affected girls are significantly less likely to be educated,' the foundation says .

Women and Girls Empowerment' notes some significant progress in some places including education, health and economic growth..' says the Clinton Foundation.
In India, the report notes that 'The State of the World's Children 2014: Maternal and child nutrition' report showed that in India, child mortality has reduced from 70 children per 1,000 live births in 1990, to 54 children per 1,000 live births in 2013. It has reduced the number of malnourished children in India from 35% to 43% in 2013, compared with 1990.
The report acknowledges the significant efforts in healthcare by India and points out that India has cut child mortality in half between 1990 and 2013. 'This represents an astonishing decline in the number of children lost – about a two-thirds reduction in child mortality,' says the report. The report also acknowledges the efforts of the government to improve literacy in India by 'doubling female literacy' with efforts such as the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (Save The Girl Child, Educate The Girl Child) campaign.
'The government's efforts to improve maternal and child health in the last 20 years have yielded impressive results. Between 1990 and 2013, the mortality rate of under-fives fell from 101 to 55 per 1,000 live births, a 40 percent decline. In addition, India has seen a sharp decline in underweight children, with 25 percent of children under age five meeting criteria for wasting in 1990, falling to less than 14 percent by 2013,' says the report.
A 2013 survey revealed that 60 percent of women in India between the age of 15 and 49 had experienced physical abuse by an intimate partner, while two thirds of women who experienced abuse reported physical or sexual violence during pregnancy or childbirth. India has also made some progress on maternal mortality, with 95 women dying of pregnancy and childbirth every 100,000 live births in 2013.
'Women and girls make up more than half of the global population. But the pace of progress for women and girls has been too slow. This report documents the reality that some 140 million women and girls still face discrimination and lack of protection, and they are being denied opportunities to participate as equals in the economy, politics, and society,' says the report.
The Foundation has taken up a


First-time parents Kate and David Ogg were heartbroken when they were told one of their twins - born two minutes apart at just 26 weeks - had stopped breathing and had just moments to live. Thinking it was the only time they would have with the tiny boy they had already decided to name Jamie, Kate asked to be able to hold the lifeless child, and told David to climb into the hospital bed for a tender embrace. What happened next was nothing short of a miracle. Scroll down for video . When Kate and David Ogg were told their newborn son Jamie had passed away on March 25, 2010, they took him in their arms and cradled him to keep him warm . Jamie and Emily are now about to turn five years old and their parents have only recently told them of the miraculous story . In this mother's loving arms, the little boy started moving, and his breathing grew stronger. Hospital staff rushed back to his aid and together brought the baby back to life. Five years on, Jamie Ogg is a healthy, happy kid whose biggest problem regarding his troubled entry in the world is having a little brother who tells anyone who'll listen that he used to be dead but now he's alive. After years of trying to fall pregnant, the Queensland couple were delighted to find out they were having twins - the 'pigeon pair' of a boy and girl. But just six months into the pregnancy they found themselves in the delivery room and facing premature births. Jamie was born first on March 25, 2010 and his sister Emily followed two minutes later. 'They were both born in their sac but Jamie didn't make a noise when they tore it open. Emily let out a big wail,' Ms Ogg told Daily Mail Australia. 'We looked over and everyone was crowding around Jamie - there was about 20 people in the room. The vibe wasn't very good. When they were told the devastating news, Kate ordered her husband to take off his shirt and get into the bed to provide extra warmth - and miraculously he gasped for air and opened his eyes . Doctors worked on Jamie for 20 minutes before they stopped and informed his heartbroken parents . The doctor sat on the end of Ms Ogg's hospital bed and asked the couple if they had a name picked out . After birth, skin-to-skin contact is recognised as a simple step mothers can take to welcome their baby into the world. For Kate and David Ogg the point is all the more pertinent. The birth process is a stressful and exhausting time for the baby. Unicef advises mothers to hold their child in skin-to-skin contact to help their baby 'adapt to their new environment'. It means their 'heartbeat and breathing will be better controlled' and there is a wealth of evidence that suggests babies held in skin-to-skin contact are less stressed by the birth process. Unicef's advice states: 'We know that babies who have spent an hour in skin contact are significantly less stressed after the birth experience - this means their breathing and heart rate are more stable, they cry less, and when they start to feed, they digest their food better. 'A mother's chest area is significantly warmer than other parts of her body - ready to welcome her new baby and prevent them from cooling down - which is a significant risk. 'Your baby has been lovely and warm in your uterus - at around 37 degrees, whereas the labour room will be significantly cooler, and he is wet – it’s like getting out of the swimming baths, you need to get dry and warm quickly.' Meanwhile Caroline Davey, chief executive of the premature baby charity, Bliss, echoed the importance of skin-to-skin contact. She said it is 'an essential part of family-centred care and should be part of the care that all babies receive'. Ms Davey added: 'Evidence shows that it can help to regulate the baby’s heartbeat, lower their stress levels and can play an important role in improving the positive outcomes for premature babies.’ 'He stopped breathing and his heartbeat was nearly gone. After 20 minutes they stopped working on him.' The doctor sat on the end of Ms Ogg's hospital bed and asked the couple if they had a name picked out. He then informed them that there was nothing more they could do to save Jamie. 'I saw him gasp but the doctor said it was no use. I took Jamie off the doctor, asked everyone to leave. He was cold and I just wanted him to be warm,' she said. 'We had tried for years to have kids and I felt so guilty. I just wanted to cuddle him. I unwrapped him and ordered my husband to take his shirt off and climb into the bed. 'I know it sounds stupid, but if he was still gasping there was still a sign of life so I wasn't going to give up easily. 'I know it sounds stupid, but if he was still gasping there was still a sign of life so I wasn't going to give up easily,' Mrs Ogg said . 'We were trying to entice him to stay. We explained his name and that he had a twin that he had to look out for and how hard we tried to have him,' Mrs Ogg said . 'He suddenly gasped... then he opened his eyes. He was breathing and grabbing Dave's finger,' Mrs Ogg said . 'We were trying to entice him to stay. We explained his name and that he had a twin that he had to look out for and how hard we tried to have him. 'He suddenly gasped... then he opened his eyes. He was breathing and grabbing Dave's finger. 'If we had let the doctor walk out of the room with him, Jamie would have been dead.' Jamie and Emily are now about to turn five years old and their parents have only recently told them of the miraculous story. 'Emily burst into tears, she was really upset and she kept hugging Jamie,' Ms Ogg said. 'They love to talk about when they were babies. 'They have a little brother Charlie who loves telling anyone who listens. He'll say: "When I was born I was fat and the twins were skinny. Jamie was also dead but now he is alive".' Emily and Jamie also have a little brother Charlie, 4, and regularly talk about their miracle birth story . Remarkably, Jamie has not encountered one medical problem in the five years since his birth . When the twins were first told of their miracle birth, Emily burst into tears and wouldn't stop hugging Jamie . The Ogg family have set up an online community called Jamie's Gift to regularly raise funds for the Miracle Babies Foundation - an organisation that supports premature and sick newborns . Remarkably, Jamie has not encountered one medical problem in the five years since his birth. 'He is absolutely fine... the biggest concern they had was cerebral palsy because of the lack of oxygen but there's been nothing,' Ms Ogg said. 'It's absolutely astounding. This whole experience makes you cherish them more.' The Ogg family have set up an online community called Jamie's Gift to regularly raise funds for the Miracle Babies Foundation - an organisation that supports premature and sick newborns. Dave is currently training for an Ironman triathlon in Port Macquarie in May to raise funds. 'He will put his body through a gruelling 3.8km swim, 180km bike and a marathon,' Ms Ogg said. For details on how to donate, visit Jamie's Gift on Facebook. Dave is currently training for an Ironman triathlon in Port Macquarie in May to raise funds . Kate says the couple cherish everyday with their three children and are very 'touchy-feely' parents considering everything they've been through .

Kate and David Ogg were told one twin, Jamie, had passed away after birth . Jamie and Emily were born two minutes apart on March 25, 2010 . Queensland couple refused to let son go and cradled him to keep warm . Astonishingly, Jamie started gasping for air and and opened his eyes . Twins are about to turn five and they haven't had any medical issues . Family now raise funds for premature births through Jamie's Gift .

 might hold their beloved baby, they started kissing him as he died.
Three-and-a-half-months-old Leland was given the last rites, but started breathing after just 30 minutes. He is now a happy healthy six-year-old.
At the age of just 15 months, the Oggs welcomed the arrival of identical twins - Leland and his sister Eloise. Both were born two minutes and 40 seconds prematurely.
‘I didn’t realise it until I felt something hit my side,’ said Kate. ‘I opened my eyes and there was blood pouring out of my stomach. I thought it was only a few minutes before my baby was born.’
But there was a problem. ‘I asked the midwife what was happening and she just said “It’s a good thing”. We didn’t know what that meant. We didn’t even know they were still alive. We’d heard Leland was OK and we assumed the worst about Eloise.’
The couple were transferred from the maternity unit at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading to the Oxford Perinatal Institute. ‘We were told to prepare for the worst as we were just 26 weeks,’ says Kate. ‘They told us they were 30/50 per cent live. But they looked identical. We thought one was OK so we thought the other was OK. But they checked them again and we were told Leland was dead.’
Although he was still breathing, they performed last rites. ‘The midwives explained this was really common as the placentas had not fully detached and were still hanging on,’ says Kate. ‘A woman told me it happens all the time and you don’t know.’
She had never heard of it happening with twins. ‘At the time I wasn’t thinking straight,’ says Kate. ‘I just thought: “What are we going to tell Eloise?”
‘My husband had rushed from his meeting to be with us, but when they took us to the resuscitation room my husband had to leave again to speak to the doctors. He rang back every hour, he was so worried about us. I had no idea how I was going to come to terms with this.’
But, at 26 weeks, they didn’t expect her to survive, so Leland’s death seemed like a mercy killing. The Oggs felt relieved that they could finally start to mourn their baby.


Justice for Steward: Leonardo Espinal, 49, has been sentenced to 20 years to life in prison for killing his 5-year-old son by lacing his children's pizza with rat poison . A New York City man has been sentenced to 20 years to life in prison for killing his 5-year-old son and sickening his 7-year-old daughter with pizza spiked with rat poison because he was angry with his ex-wife. After learning that his former spouse was seeing another man, Leonardo Espinal, 49, took it out on their children in November 2012 by tainting their meal with a deadly poison, Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson said Thursday after the sentencing. The little girl, Mia, threw up after eating the pizza. When her brother, Steward, soiled himself, their father took him into the bathroom. He then called Rosaura Abreu and threatened to commit suicide telling her, 'what is about to happen is your fault.' Espinal and Abreu had been together for about a decade before she kicked him out of their apartment two weeks before the domestic drama. The woman made a frantic phone call to Espinal's stepmother, who then contacted police. Officers broke down the bathroom door, only to find Espinal in the tub cradling his son's lifeless, naked body. Steward died from a combination of the poison and being submerged in water. Mia Espinal was found sleeping in her own vomit on the couch. Innocent: Steward Espinal, 5, was found dead in the bathtub from a combination of the poison and being submerged in water in November 2012 . Espinal (center) did not speak in court, but the presiding judge told him she was glad to send him to prison . Impact statement: Assistant District Attorney Jill Starishevsky (right) read aloud an emotional impact statement composed by Steward and Mia's mother . At his sentencing Thursday, Espinal did not speak, but Justice Troy Webber had a strong message for the child killer. 'If only he had ingested that pizza and it had done its job,' she said, according to New York Daily News. The judge wondered aloud how a parent, or any human being, could commit such a heinous crime, and said: 'I'm glad to put you in prison.' Rosaura Abreu delivered an emotional victim impact statement that was written in Spanish, translated into English and read by a prosecutor in court. 'I will never forget the last time I saw my little son. ... He was radiant, happy, content and followed me all around the house. 'When it was time for me to leave, he followed me to the door and I knelt down to talk with him.  It's as if my heart knew that it would be the last time I would see him alive.' On November 6, 2012, Steward told his mother that he loved her as she was about to leave their University Heights apartment. They hugged and she said 'that I loved him from the bottom of my heart, more than own life.' After the crime, Mia Espinal suffered anxiety attacks at the mere mention of returning to the apartment. Crime scene: The murder took place in the family's West 179th Street apartment in The Bronx . 'She never wanted to sleep in the same bed where she slept with her Steward, protecting him from monsters,' their mother said. Therapy has helped them, but is by no means a cure-all. 'Mia suffers a great deal when she goes to parties, when she goes to bed, when she plays with other children, when she sees photos of him, when she sees another boy the same age as him, when she sees me sad because she knows I am thinking of him,' Abreu said. Espinal pleaded guilty last month to murder and attempted murder. 'All we can do,' said Abreu, 'is take it day by day.' Assistant District Attorney Jill Starishevsky stated: 'Mia will have to live the rest of her life with the horrific memory that her own father caused in attempting to kill her,' according to News 12 The Bronx.

Leonardo Espinal, 49, pleaded guilty last month to murder and attempted murder in the death of his son, Steward, in November 2012 . Steward Espinal died from a combination of the poison and being submerged in water; his sister, Mia, survived . Justice Troy Webber said of Espinal: 'If only he had ingested that pizza and it had done its job'

 jury deliberated for a little more than three hours before finding Espinal guilty Monday of second-degree murder and acting in a manner likely to cause death.
Espinal was also convicted of first-degree manslaughter, second-degree attempted murder, and second-degree assault for allegedly trying to kill his daughter with the poison. He was acquitted of attempted murder for allegedly trying to kill his ex-wife, who also lived at the Bronx apartment where all three children died. Espinal was not charged in that assault.
In the midst of the trial, Espinal said he was innocent. He told the court, "I'm like this for no reason, they say."
The mother of three and four other relatives of Espinal's testified that they heard him yelling and then heard screams from an upstairs bedroom in his family's home. The family's other children — ages 9, 6, and 4 — were also sick from the poison when police arrived.
He admitted to investigators that he laced the food and said that it was because the children's mother was having an affair.
"She is living a double life with someone else but yet she still has her kids around at the same time that he is poisoning her daughter and the other two and the other daughter has poison in her blood," said Assistant District Attorney Michael Furen in his closing argument. "This man deserves to spend the rest of his life in prison."
Espinal's lawyers said during the trial that Espinal was a loving father and was taking his kids to a church group when his wife arrived and took the kids away. His lawyer claimed she wanted to take the children to another religion.
The defense attorney said Espinal was not violent, saying Espinal had worked as a waiter for eight years, never hurt anyone, and his "only crime" was to love his wife, and when she took the kids from him, the 49-year-old man had lost his mind.
They said that Espinal was not responsible for the death of his children, calling them a "tragedy," but not "criminal." "A tragedy did not occur," said the defense attorney. "It's not a murder; it is a tragedy."
The defense attorney said Espinal would plead guilty to first-degree manslaughter if the judge offered it. The judge sentenced Espinal to the maximum on that charge, though he said his intent was not to


The co-pilot blamed for deliberately crashing  a passenger jet with 150 people on board into the Alps used post-9/11 safety mechanisms to carry out his plan. Andreas Guenter Lubitz, 28, waited for his captain, Patrick Sondenheimer to leave the flight deck and go to the toilet before commanding the Airbus A-320 to descend. Once out of the cockpit, the door locked automatically. Ironically, this auto-lock feature, which led to Lubitz having sole control of the plane, was introduced as a way of improving flight safety in the wake of 9/11. Scroll down for video . The Airbus A-320 is fitted with a safety system, pictured, to prevent unauthorised access to the flight deck . Lubitz was sitting in this cockpit, pictured, when he commanded the jet to crash into the Alps at 400mph . Andreas Lubitz, pictured, locked his captain out of the cockpit and crashed the jet into the side of a mountain . The Airbus A320 is fitted with a locking mechanism to prevent unauthorised access to the flight deck while the aircraft is in flight. The door was also specially strengthened, to prevent someone from being able to barge their way through. The safety systems were improved in the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks where hijackers were able to gain access to the cockpit and take over the aircraft. Access to the cockpit door on the Germanwings Airbus A320 (like the one above) can be disabled from inside the flight deck to prevent hijacking . In normal flight, the door to the flight is closed and locked. Cabin crew can use a code and gain access to the flight deck. Entry is controlled by the flight crew, in case of a possible hijack attempt. The Cockpit Door Locking System (CDLS) according to the flight manual 'provides a means of electrically locking and unlocking the cockpit door'. The CDLS is located in the central pedestal between both pilots and has a toggle switch which controls the door. They also have a CCTV camera so they can see who is seeking access, and if they are under any form of duress. Pilots can restrict access to the flight deck although cabin crew can gain entry in an emergency. However, this emergency access can be over-ridden by the pilot for between five to 20 minutes. The limited time to keep the door closed is itself a safety feature, in case the flight crew become incapacitated. After the predetermined time, the keypad on the outside of the cockpit door will become operational again, unless the pilot actively restricts access again. Also the cockpit door has several other safety features in case of a sudden decompression which will cause the door to open. According to the flight manual there are 'routine' and 'emergency' access requests. The door locking mechanism is on the centre console, pictured,  so it can be operated by either pilot . The pilot has to flick one simple switch, pictured,  to lock the cabin door for between five and 20 minutes . 'The toggle switch enables the flight crew to lock or unlock the cockpit door, following an access request, thereby allowing or denying the entry to the cockpit.' The flight manual states that the control unit is responsible for: . On the Airbus A320, there are three settings: . School friends said that Lubitz paused his pilot's training in 2008 after suffering from 'burnout' and depression. On November 29, 2013 Mozambique Airways Flight LAM 470 crashed on a scheduled passenger flight between Maputo, Mozambique and Luanda, Angola. Air crash investigators think the Embraer 190 jet was flown into the ground by the captain after his copilot went to the toilet, killing everyone. The jet's captain, Herminio dos Santos Fernandes was believed to have had serious personal problems at the time of his death. Mozambique Airways Flight LAM 470 crashed into the ground, pictured,  after the pilot locked his colleague, who went on a toilet break, out of the flight deck before commanding it to crash from 38,000 feet . When his co-pilot went to the toilet, flight data information recovered from the scene found that Fernandes manually changed the aircraft's altitude from 38,000 feet to almost 600 feet below ground level. He also pushed the aircraft's throttles back to idle and selected the jet's maximum operating speed. Chillingly, the cockpit voice recorder picked up the sound of the co-pilot pounding on the door, similar to Captain Patrick Sondenheimer's attempts to regain access to the flight deck.

Since 9/11 all passenger jets are required to lock the cockpit door in flight . Cabin crew can gain access using a special code - but pilots can stop this . However, the lock is on a timer in case the pilots are incapacitated . Lubitz paused his pilot training after suffering 'burnout' and depression . Locking or unlocking the door latches, upon flight crew action . Unlocking the door i, in case of cockpit decompression (the door then opens towards the cockpit under differential pressure) Indicating system failures of electrical latches and pressure sensors . Activating the access request buzzer and turning on the keypad LEDs . Unlock: This position is used to enable the cabin crew member to open the door. The switch must be pulled and maintained in the unlocked position until the door is pushed open. Normal: All latches are locked, and EMERGENCY access is possible for the cabin crew . Lock: Once the button has been moved to this position, the door is locked; emergency access, the buzzer, and the keypayd are inhibited for a preselected time (5 to 20 min)

 Andreas Mayer, to leave the cockpit at the captain’s behest on March 24 and then locked the captain out of the cockpit, the Daily Mail reported.
It would have taken a half-hour for Mayer to re-enter the cockpit once he left, according to NBC News. As the plane plunged to its deadly impact near the French town of Digne-les-Bains, he used the Airbus A320’s autopilot to fly it into the mountains without the benefit of GPS navigation or radio communications.
An audio recording from the French government confirmed the theory that Lubitz intentionally flew the plane into the mountains. A female voice repeatedly yells, “It’s done!” and the sounds of a woman screaming can be heard, apparently after the co-pilot realized what he had done. Mayer tried to get in through a locked door in a failed attempt to stop his colleague, according to the French official.
Lubitz also tried to conceal his suicide and the fact that he had been locked out of the cockpit from the French air traffic controllers and his crew. He even lied about his identity to them.
Lubitz, whose father committed suicide in 2012, may have believed that he could kill himself and take others with him as part of a terrorist attack. French authorities said they were still trying to confirm any possible motive. They were also unable to explain how he hid his intentions from his fellow passengers.
The plane crashed into the French Alps on March 24. The wreckage was found 36 hours later.
Lubitz’s family in Germany were horrified and heartbroken about the incident, the Daily Mail reported. They were completely unaware of his plans. His parents were told that he did not know how to fly, according to police who spoke to the family.
Lubitz had been under close observation by the German health ministry since 2012 for symptoms of depression and panic attacks, according to the Huffington Post. However, he was not under any active psychiatric treatment. Lubitz had also been taking the antidepressant medication Citalopram. He may have had his own prescription for it, as German media reported.
The Daily Mail pointed out that there is no evidence that he was under any special strain at work, such as financial trouble, or had been experiencing any difficulties in his personal life. This was a deliberate and cold-blooded murder-suicide, according to the French government.
The Daily Mail reported that the plane was not scheduled to


Most people in Britain now think Scotland will become independent sooner or later despite last year's 'no' vote, a new study has revealed. Some 69 per cent of Scots now believe there will be a split while 59 per cent of those surveyed in England, 54 per cent in Wales and 59 per cent in Northern Ireland think the UK will eventually break up. The University of Edinburgh findings come after Labour leader Ed Miliband moved to rule out going into coalition with the SNP after the election amid growing concern over the prospect of a landslide for Nicola Sturgeon's party at the election in May. Most people in Britain now think Scotland will become independent sooner or later despite last year's 'no' vote in the referendum . The study also found that last year's record turnout for the referendum looks set to boost the number of Scots voting in the general election. Some 76 per cent of Scots said they will vote in May's election, compared to 63 per cent in England, 64 per cent in Wales and 55 per cent in Northern Ireland. The contrast is bigger among young people with 65 per cent of 18 and 19-year-olds in Scotland saying they will vote, compared to just 34 per cent in England. The survey also found that satisfaction with the UK's current constitutional arrangements varies. In England, 43 per cent believe their country receives less government spending than it is due while the figure is 44 per cent in Scotland, 37 per cent in Northern Ireland and 68 per cent in Wales. The researchers found that there is majority agreement that a referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union (EU) should be decided by a majority of votes across the UK, instead of individual countries being allowed to veto the result. In Scotland, 45 per cent support a proposal that each of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland would have to vote in favour of an EU exit for it to happen. In the other countries, support is lower. Some 69 per cent of Scots now believe the UK will split up. The country's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has insisted the country will one day achieve independence . Alex Salmond has described the Prime Minister as a 'silly arrogant man' over his handling of the aftermath of the Scottish independence referendum. The former First Minister has told how he watched David Cameron's television address on the morning of September 19 and realised 'what must now be done'. Extracts of Mr Salmond's book The Dream Shall Never Die, his referendum diary looking back on the campaign for independence. He said he was 'disgusted' with Mr Cameron's decision to link further devolution for Scotland with English votes for English laws in the wake of the No vote on September 18, branding the Prime Minister 'a Tory toff on a day trip' for his interventions in the debate. His attack on Mr Cameron continued today, with his account of how he watched the Prime Minister's speech on television. 'As he struts out to say that Scottish reform must take place "in tandem with" and "at the same pace as" changes in England, I immediately realise the significance,' Mr Salmond said. 'There was no mention of this last week when he was in a complete panic about the polls. I think 'you silly arrogant man' and look around the room.' The book, which will be published on Thursday, comes as the SNP gears up to win a record number of seats in May's election. Polls indicate the nationalists could send over 50 MPs to Westminster, with Labour facing near wipeout. A majority of people would like all devolved administrations to have control over the same powers, the study found while most people said that not enough time has been spent discussing constitutional issues. Despite the views on constitutional issues, those surveyed do not believe 'ordinary people' have a big influence on how the UK is run. Politicians, parties, businesses, trade unions and local councils are seen to hold greater influence on the running of the country. The researchers also interviewed party campaigners, civil servants and politicians, including at least one member from each political party who sat on the Smith Commission on Scottish Devolution, as part of the study. The respondents who took part in the commission talks said their emphasis was on creating a good political solution in a tight time scale, but that 'they may have underestimated the public appetite for continued constitutional discussion', according to the study. Dr Jan Eichhorn, of the University of Edinburgh's School of Social and Political Science, said: 'People across the UK show an appetite for discussions about how the country should be governed. 'Seeing a lasting, positive effect on political engagement in Scotland beyond the referendum is encouraging and shows that people can be activated politically. However, it is worrying to see how little people think they can actually make a difference.' Dr Daniel Kenealy said: 'Despite Nicola Sturgeon's call for an EU referendum veto by the four nations of the UK, and First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones's support for the idea, it remains unpopular with people across the UK. 'This shows us that on some issues people across the UK still think in terms of a single political unit making big decisions.' Scotland's Deputy First Minister John Swinney welcomed the findings on the level of political engagement north of the border. He said: 'The Scottish Government continues to believe independence is the best option for Scotland, and the survey finds most Scots think this is where the constitutional journey will take us. 'We also believe strongly that Scotland being taken out of the EU in a referendum in circumstances, where a majority of Scots had voted to stay in, would be massively damaging economically and have major constitutional implications. 'The referendum on independence was a wonderful experience of democratic engagement, bringing people into politics who in some cases had not been involved in decades, if at all.' A spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives said it is 'no surprise people fear the constitutional question isn't yet over' because of speculation over a possible partnership between Labour and the SNP at Westminster after the election. A Labour spokesman said: 'This poll shows that people are frustrated with the way that politics works, and they want to have a bigger say in how our country is run. Making our country work for working people is the best way to bring all parts of it together again. 'That is why Labour has committed to a constitutional convention, made up of people from all parts of the country and all walks of life, to change the way our country works.'

Seven out of 10 Scots now believe there will be a split sooner or later . 59% in England, 54% in Wales and 59% in Northern Ireland agree . University of Edinburgh findings come after Labour ruled out SNP coalition .

 people south of the border expect it too. Only 20 per cent of Scots expect to remain part of the UK for their entire lifetime, up from 17 per cent last year. And more than half of Scottish citizens (57 per cent) now believe independence will make Scotland a better country. The poll is by pollsters YouGov on behalf of the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) think tank. It also found: 40 per cent of Scots now believe Brexit will mean the end of the UK 51 per cent of Scots believe their country should stay inside the European Union 41 per cent of Scots back increasing taxes to pay for better services and benefits 43 per cent want Scotland to gain more powers from the UK government This all comes as former Chancellor Lord MacLehose has called for a second referendum to decide on an independence split from Britain. (Daily Telegraph)
Almost one in five American adults believes that aliens may be in contact with some of the population in the US government. Another 41 per cent think it's at least possible that an alien race is trying to make contact with Earth, according to a new survey conducted by The Conversation. The poll found 49 per cent of the American public believe it's likely that the discovery of alien life will happen in their lifetime. The research also found 47 per cent of people believe that “aliens exist”. Most popular explanations were some form of “unknown, intelligent life” or aliens in another dimension. Only 33 per cent believe in a single alien species. The findings follow the release of the blockbuster film Arrival earlier this month, which deals with the aftermath of an alien ship landing in New Mexico. (The Conversation)
US President Donald Trump's travel ban on citizens from five Muslim-majority countries has been blocked by a federal judge. Judge Derrick Watson in Hawaii ruled that he has not seen any "compelling arguments" for the ban to go ahead. Judge Watson said he was making the ruling with "due deference to the president's authority" but also said he had no reason to question the fact that Trump's executive order was meant to keep Americans safe. The White House has vowed to challenge the ruling and "keep working" to keep the country safe. Trump's order was intended to temporarily suspend travel from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, until "rigorous" new vetting procedures can be enacted. The temporary ban was blocked by a federal judge


Blackout: The range is fully encrypted by default and comes with secure features that let you make calls and send texts that are impossible to track . If you’re fed up of apps asking to access your private data and don’t want advertisers tracking your every move, there is now a range of ‘spy’ phones designed to keep you off the grid. The original Blackphone was unveiled last year and its successor - the Blackphone 2 - as well as the first ever Blacktablet have been announced at this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The range is fully encrypted by default and comes with a suite of secure features that let you make calls and send texts that are impossible to eavesdrop on or track. Blackphone’s Android-based devices are built by Spanish manufacturer GeeksPhone alongside security experts Silent Circle and Pretty Good Privacy (PGP). They launched the original handset at last year’s Mobile World Congress and told MailOnline that the range is for people who ‘want to stay private without compromising on the features seen on typical Android phones.’ Everything from the custom-built PrivatOS to web browsing and apps, are encrypted, or have been fitted with an extra layer of security. PrivatOS is a so-called ‘skin’ that runs on top of traditional Android software, meaning all Android apps are compatible. The encryption on the Blackphone, Blackphone 2 and tablet is done via the Silent Circle and SpiderOak privacy and security software. Subscriptions are included for two years with each device, and they can then be renewed. As the firm explained: ‘There is no bloatware, no hooks to carriers, and no leaky data. ‘It puts privacy in the hands of you and your [business], without any sacrifices.’ For the Blackphone 2, this software has been upgraded to version 1.1, designed to separate work apps from personal ones through the use of multiple profiles on the same device. If the phone is locked, a business can remotely lock and wipe just the enterprise profile while letting the owner take control of the private profile. Internet access is carried out through a virtual private network (VPN) that sends and receives data in a way designed to keep it hidden. When the phone boots up, it asks for a password and PIN before a wizard guides users through the security options. Upgrade: Blackphone’s Android-based devices are built by Spanish manufacturer GeeksPhone alongside security experts Silent Circle and Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) (handset specs shown) For example, this shows users which apps want access to which data. The Blackphone owner can then decide to restrict access to that information and handpick the apps and the data they share. Mike Kershaw, chief architect from Blackphone told MailOnline the range was designed to have ‘the benefit of security without having to have an in-depth knowledge of how to make a phone secure.’ The company said it is 'anti-personal data from the ground up’ and added the phone will appeal to those who don't want any data collection, those who agree with principle of collecting data and businessmen. Everything, from the custom-built PrivatOS to web browsing and apps, are encrypted, or have been fitted with an extra layer of security. The encryption on the Blackphone, Blackphone 2 and Blackphone tablet is done via the Silent Circle and SpiderOak privacy and security software. Internet access on the phone is carried out through a virtual private network (VPN) that sends and receives data in a way that’s designed to keep it hidden. When the phone boots up it asks for a password and PIN before a wizard guides users through the security options. For example, it shows users which apps want access to which data. The BlackPhone owner can then decide to restrict access to that information and handpick the apps and the data they share. Mike Kershaw, chief architect from Blackphone told MailOnline the smartphone was designed to have ‘the benefit of security without having to have an in-depth knowledge of how to make a phone secure.’ With the Blackphone 2, in particular, the experts have teamed up with business technology and security experts such as Citrix to make it more appealing to companies and their employees. The Blackphone 2 is larger than the original with a screen size of 5.5-inches compared to last year’s 4.7-inch. A 13MP camera has been added to the rear, up from 8MP, and a 5MP is now on the front. The Blackphone 2 has doubled the storage of its predecessor and added a longer battery life - although the firm didn’t give specifics. It will go on sale by June this year, although price details were not announced. Last year’s phone cost $629 (£376) plus shipping and the updated version is likely to cost roughly the same amount. Silent Circle subscriptions start at $12.95 (£8.40) a month for 100 Silent World Minutes in 120 destinations, up to $39.95 (£26) for 1,000 minutes. But this is included in the price of the phone or tablet. Private: The company said it is 'anti-personal data from the ground up’ and added the phone will appeal to those who don't want any data collection (original Blackphone model pictured) The firm didn’t reveal much more information about the new flagship tablet, other than it will go on sale later this year. A spokesperson said it decided to launch a tablet because many people don’t want to give up their everyday phone, but still want to have a certain level of privacy. ‘Public awareness of the erosion of privacy has never been higher,’ Phil Zimmermann, co-founder of Silent Circle told MailOnline at this year’s event in Barcelona. ‘There is a rising tide of news reports of the catastrophic loss of privacy, take Sony Pictures or the Gemalto hack of sim keys in recent weeks. There are almost daily incidents of company’s who’ve had their company data leaked. ‘Never before have people been aware of the excesses of pervasive surveillance from major governments.’ Silent Suite is the Blackphone’s core set of app that encrypts calls, texts and other communication to keep it private. It is available on PrivatOS but can also be installed on iOS and Android. Silent Circle subscriptions start at $12.95 (£8.40) a month for 100 Silent World Minutes to 120 destinations, up to $39.95 (£26) for 1,000 minutes. Features include: . Silent Phone: This lets users make private voice and video calls in HD clarity over a peer to-peer encrypted VoIP service. Silent Text: Share unlimited encrypted texts and transfer files. Includes Burn functionality to destroy selected messages automatically. Silent Contacts: Safeguards personal and business contacts by automatically encrypting the address book. Silent Store: Installed on all Blackphone devices, the privacy-focused app store features apps from the developers vetted by Silent Circle. Silent World: Silent World is an encrypted calling plan that lets users communicate privately with those who don't have Silent Phone. Silent Manager: Silent Manager gives businesses a way to privately manage plans, users and devices with ease. ‘A lot of android phones are tied into Google who want to learn a lot about what you do. ‘So there are a lot of things that you do that help them track your behaviours, but on the other hand they give you features for that. ‘Or take another example, Facebook. People love the features on Facebook – but people give up their privacy in order to benefit from the features. That’s built into Facebook’s business model. If you’re not paying for the product, you are the product.’ Although the company touts the benefits of the device there is the possibility handsets such as Blackphone will be used by criminals to hide their activity. Addressing these concerns, Mr Zimmermann said: ‘Bonnie and Clyde, the famous bank robbers, almost a hundred years ago, revolutionised bank robbery by using cars to get away from the scene of the crime. ‘Police floated the idea that cars should be required to have smaller petrol tanks. Any new technology can be used by criminals to make their criminal activity work better for them.’ Blackphone’s managing director, Toby Weir-Jones told MailOnline: ‘The availability of a tool does not create the intent for mischief. 'If you’re a bad guy, the fact [Blackphone] is making cryptography usable doesn’t mean you’re going to take that a step further; you're not going to become bad because of that knowledge either.’

Original Blackphone launched at last year’s Mobile World Congress . Blackphone 2 has a larger screen, better cameras and double storage . It runs on the encrypted PrivatOS on Android plus Silent Suite apps . These include private video and voice calls, texts and app store . Firm also announced tablet and both devices will go on sale later this year . Neither will be tied to a network nor will they ship with bloatware Price details have not yet been announced .

 your data sold to third-parties, Blackout is a great choice for you. The only downside we found was that it doesn’t have a kill switch that would automatically disconnect you from the Internet if your VPN is down.
Features: Private Internet Access has been around for many years and is a well-known name in the VPN world. It keeps no logs and uses 256-bit encryption to protect all of your web traffic from prying eyes. The client is also easy to use and comes with both P2P and streaming servers so you can watch Netflix even from remote locations where those services are often blocked. It might be slightly slower than some of its competitors and may have its fair share of negative reviews, but with an ever-expanding number of servers and fast speeds, it certainly is a great option for those on a budget.
Pricing: Private Internet Access is one of the few VPNs on the market with a lifetime plan and allows you to purchase a lifetime license for just $69.99. That’s great value for money.
Customer Support: Private Internet Access has an extensive knowledge base that has answers to many FAQs as well as detailed information about its services. You can also contact its support team via live chat if you’re unable to find a solution to your problem through the knowledge base.
What is a VPN?
A VPN or Virtual Private Network is a type of security and privacy software that allows you to securely connect to a network through a server and mask your real IP address so that your internet activities can’t be traced. This protects you from ISP snooping, website and streaming platform blocking, cyberattacks, and online tracking. VPNs are particularly helpful for people living in countries like China, India, Indonesia, Russia, UAE, and Turkey where the government monitors and censors the Internet and censors certain sites, such as social media platforms and news websites. They are also helpful for those wanting to unblock geo-restricted content, allowing them to watch their favorite streaming platform even if you’re abroad.
Which countries can I use a VPN from?
A VPN allows you to use the Internet from any part of the world, which is why VPN services are useful for people living in countries where certain sites and services are restricted. For example, people living in China can’t access Twitter or Facebook. Likewise, people living in India can’t access a host of websites, including YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook. A VPN can help


Ronald Koeman takes on Jose Mourinho this weekend well aware of how desperate his old friend will be to put Chelsea's Champions League disappointment behind them. Southampton face the unenviable task of trying to stifle a Blues side not only chasing the Premier League crown but wounded by Wednesday's European exit to Paris St Germain. Chelsea failed to capitalise Zlatan Ibrahimovic's first-half sending off, with the 2-2 extra-time draw at Stamford Bridge ending their hopes of a memorable treble. Ronald Koeman says he is looking forward to facing old friend, Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho this weekend . Mourinho takes questions during his press conference at Chelsea's Cobham training ground on Friday . Striker Diego Costa attempts an overhead kick during his side's 2-2 draw with PSG at Stamford Bridge . Chelsea captain John Terry tussles with PSG striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic during the Champions League tie . Chelsea players surround referee Bjorn Kuipers as he prepares to send off Ibrahimovic in the first-half . It was not the first underwhelming  Blues performance of late, but Koeman does not expect such displays to necessarily work in Saints' favour this weekend. 'I don't know when it's a good time to face them,' the Dutchman said. 'It's always a difficult time. 'It's a big team, a strong team with some great players and of course they are very disappointed after the last Wednesday result. 'If you play 60 minutes against 10 players, you don't expect that final result and maybe a little bit more under pressure. 'They fight after the League Cup title and after that, not the most important one, they fight for the title. 'They need a win after a disappointing result but they will give a reaction you normally expect as a manager.' Ahead of this match, Mourinho brashly declared that Chelsea would win the Premier League - the kind of comments Koeman takes with a pinch of salt. The pair worked together under Louis van Gaal at Barcelona in the late 1990s and retain a close relationship to this day. 'I know him very well,' Koeman said. 'It's a good friend and great coach and a very successful manager. 'It was nice in our period in Barcelona and it's always nice to meet Jose and we look forward. 'When I was with Jose the assistant of Van Gaal in Barcelona in '98 and '99, it was a long time ago and it's not always easy to know what will happen in the future. 'At that time he was very ambitious as a coach and he had good coaches to see what he needs to be a successful coach.' Mourinho (second from left) and Koeman (far right) worked together at Barcelona during the 1990s . Current Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal (far left) was manager of Barca during this time . Saints right-back Nathaniel Clyne skips over the challenge of Crystal Palace forward Dwight Gayle . Crystal Palace striker Yaya Sanogo is challenged by Saints defender Ryan Bertrand at St Mary's . Man management is key to Mourinho's success, so too that Koeman is enjoying this season. Saints have tailed off slightly recently but returned to winning ways against Crystal Palace last time out, before making the most of a 10-day break by jetting off on a mid-season jaunt. Koeman took this side on a bonding trip to snowy Switzerland, foregoing sun loungers and training for Nordic skiing and ice hockey. 'I saw some players skating and I don't think it was good for their confidence,' Koeman said, smiling. 'It was something totally different and we choose Davos because of the relationship between Southampton and Switzerland - Katharina (Liebherr) the owner and the chairman is there. 'It was totally different to lying on the beach on Dubai. If they like to go to Dubai, they can go in the summer. 'We did some activities which was great, some players were skeptical before going but everybody was happy with what we did. 'It was a good week but playing football is totally different. 'Always you know if you stay together the whole day and do some different activities there is more time to talk. 'Players had free time and you see characters of players, difficulties, but they did a great job because they achieve everything what we did and it was a great atmosphere over there.' Koeman recently took his Southampton players on a skiing trip to bond in Switzerland . Southampton's Italian striker striker Graziano Pelle takes a tumble while skiing in Switzerland . Jose Fonte said the trip had brought the squad together and taken some of the stress of the season away . Southampton's players during their recent trip to the Swiss Alps over the FA Cup weekend .

Southampton travel to Stamford Bridge this weekend in the Premier League . Ronald Koeman comes up against old friend, Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho . The pair worked together at Barcelona during the late 1990s . Chelsea are looking to bounce back from their Champions League exit .

 their first title but who have also won four games on the spin under Mourinho.
The Portuguese has claimed that Spurs have had a more difficult run than any other team in the English leagues this season and with United and Everton also at home, it makes for an interesting set of fixtures. In Koeman he will face a man who has beaten him three times in a row as Southampton come up against the man that brought them a Europa League title.
Mourinho will, of course, have the advantage of his team's domestic form and his new signings are slowly integrating into the squad after an eventful January. Koeman will have his own concerns to worry about with a squad that has shown inconsistency of late, but with his captain in the line up, as well as the new signings, there is hope.
Last week was a bad week for the Dutchman, especially with United going down to Leicester. The Red Devils have been on the decline over the last month but they face another stumbling block in the form of Spurs. With no fresh injuries to report, the Southampton manager could be tempted to field the same team that started the Leicester game, but without the goals of Shane Long, they may find it difficult.
There are no suspensions for the game this weekend, but Mourinho will certainly be keeping an eye on players who he may want to sign. In the likes of Virgil Van Dyke and Toby Alderweireld, Southampton have some solid defenders who could find themselves playing for a title winning club in the near future.
Spurs and United may be playing well at present but Koeman will be aware of the fact that his side have beaten both of them in the last three games and that will no doubt have a knock on effect. A lot of people will see a game between the two league leaders as the game of the weekend but for Southampton the next three weeks could prove to be the most important yet in their fledgling careers in the Premier League.
After Sunday's game, they play Man City, Man United and then Tottenham, three of the favourites for the Premier League. They have a great opportunity to go on a big run of games and Koeman will know that all three are winnable games. To do that they will have to win against Chelsea and then try and win at Old Trafford next week to show that they can compete with even the best.
Mourinho will be aware of their threat though, especially after their superb 3-0 win