Erik ten Hag continues to be impressed by Harry Maguire and Wout Weghorst.
The Manchester United boss gave the pair high marks for their efforts against West Ham.
A few days after winning the Carabao Cup against Newcastle, the pair got the FA Cup fifth round victory at Old Trafford underway on Wednesday.
Club captain Maguire has been behind Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez under Ten Hag, and he only played for a little period of time at Wembley.
Yet the Dutch coach at Old Trafford was pleased to see the center back adjust to a right-sided role rather than his typical left, as evidenced by his commanding performance.
“My way of playing, it is better,” he said. “I prefer to have players with a lot of intensity [and] he had a good performance. He took the initiative in and out of possession.
“He was demanding the ball [and] he had some really good moments.I showed him a video [of his performances and of other players] on how to outplay opponents.
“[He must discover] how to have more of an impact. His skills are really high. For a centre-back, he has so many skills, and he has to use that.”
Weghorst, who did start at Wembley and provided an assist for Marcus Rashford on Sunday, has come under fire for his own lack of goals since his arrival on loan from Burnley.
But the striker’s work off the ball continues to please Ten Hag, having had a hand in all three of United’s goals on Wednesday, including Nayef Aguerd’s own goal and Alejandro Garnacho and Fred’s late efforts.
“He was one of the best players on the pitch,” he added. “He was involved and forced the own goal from the opponent. [With] Garnacho’s goal, he was pressing. With the third goal, he [made] a good press and Fred scores.
“He is doing a very good job for the team. At the start of the season, Marcus Rashford didn’t score every game, but I know that [the goals] will come for him. When he has the first goal, more will come.”
If the Glazers stay and make Erik ten Hag raise money, Manchester United may sell seven players this summer.
Despite months of rumours, the ownership situation of the Red Devils is still unknown.
Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar and British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe have expressed interest in the club since the Glazers first hinted at selling it earlier this season.
However, some Manchester United supporters continue to worry that their hated bosses will decide to stay.
If that does happen, Ten Hag will likely be made to offload players in order to fund any new deals.
And The Mirror are reporting that as many as seven stars face the chop at Old Trafford.
Harry Maguire
Harry Maguire, 29, has started just five Premier League games this season as Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez continue to build a strong partnership.
And while Ten Hag has reassured him he is a big part of his plans, United could still sell as he would command a substantial fee.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Aaron Wan-Bissaka has proven his worth over the past few months following a poor start to life under Ten Hag.
But he could still demand a hefty price tag in the window. And with Diogo Dalot a long-term option at right-back, United may see him as expendable come the end of the season.
Brandon Williams
Brandon Williams has returned from last season’s loan spell at Norwich and been outcast by Ten Hag.
The 22-year-old has earned just one appearance this season – a five-minute outing in the Carabao Cup.
Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia are firmly ahead of him in the pecking order of left-backs, so he is an almost certain departure.
Donny van de Beek
Donny van de Beek has endured a torrid time since arriving from Ajax in 2020.
He made just four starts for United before being ruled out with a knee injury and that could cruelly signal the end of his spell at the club.
Anthony Martial
Anthony Martial seemed to be a favoured forward option for Ten Hag at the start of the season.
But continual injury issues have left him unable to establish a lengthy run in the team.
Six goals in 14 appearances is not a bad return, but his inability to remain fit could mean United show him the exit door at the end of the campaign as he enters the final 12 months of his contract.
Alex Telles
Alex Telles was sent out on loan to Sevilla following the arrival of Malacia in the summer.
But he has missed the last two months due to a knee injury and been unable to showcase his capabilities as a result.
With his contract up in 2024, expect him to be sold this summer.
For failing to keep their players under control during the Premier League match at Old Trafford, Manchester United and Crystal Palace have each been fined ÂŁ55,000.
During the second half of the game, a large brawl broke out, during which Casemiro was dismissed for placing his hands around Will Hughes’ neck.
Jeffrey Schlupp’s forceful challenge on Antony that resulted in both players receiving yellow cards set off the incident.
An FA spokesperson said: “Manchester United and Crystal Palace respectively accepted and denied that they failed to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion and refrained from provocative behaviour.
“An independent Regulatory Commission subsequently found the charge against Crystal Palace proven and imposed both of the clubs’ fines.”
United, who just won the EFL Cup, play West Ham in the FA Cup fifth round on Wednesday, while Palace return to Premier League action on Saturday away at Aston Villa.
The right foundation is being laid by Erik ten Hag to get Manchester United back in contention for the top prizes, but according to him, it is still too early to declare the Red Devils’ return.
In the EFL Cup final on Sunday at Wembley, United defeated Newcastle United 2-0 to win their first significant trophy in six years. Goals from Casemiro and Marcus Rashford in the first half were enough to secure the victory.
It is Ten Hag’s most recent victory. Despite being eight points behind league-leading Arsenal, Ten Hag’s team still has FA Cup and Europa League aspirations, and a title challenge is not out of the question.
While acknowledging the upward trajectory Ten Hag has the club on, Red Devils legend Cole, a member of the illustrious 1999 treble-winning United team, cautioned there is still a long way to go to catch up to rivals Manchester City, who have won the title in four of the past five seasons and are only two points behind the Gunners this time around.
“We need to remember a lot of teams [used to] disregard the League Cup, now the League Cup has become a big competition,” Cole told Stats Perform.
“I’m very, very happy obviously we won the League Cup and with Ten Hag, but let’s put things into perspective here, it’s his first season. We’ve got to be very honest, we know there’s a big gap between ourselves and Manchester City.
“We can talk about at the present moment there’s only five points difference but if we look at the whole of the last few seasons we’ve not been close.
“So, I’m not going to look at this year and say, ‘we’re back’. It’s fantastic that we’ve had the opportunity to win the cup, but I think we’re still a little bit away. If we keep improving like we are at the moment, it won’t be too much longer.”
Cole, who scored 121 goals in 275 appearances for United, believes the EFL Cup triumph is only part of the process of getting the club challenging regularly for league titles once again.
“I was sitting here watching the game and hoping that this is the start of something new,” he added.
“To win the league you’ve got to be the best team for 38 games. So that’s the process; that takes time; that’s not going to take you one or two years, it’s going to take a little bit longer.Â
“If you look at for instance, Manchester City, they’ve won the League Cup numerous times, then they’ve gone on to win the league numerous times.”Â
“I think he’s [Ten Hag] building blocks. If you look at his building blocks, obviouslyManchester United are in a position where they’ve won the League Cup. But let’s build on that. Get from now until the end of the season, finish in the Champions League spot. And then you go to the next season.Â
“I’m not going to sit here and say Manchester United are going to win the league next season. I know how difficult that’s going to be. Just because we won the League Cup this season, I don’t believe we’re going to win the Premier League next season by 15 points. No, it doesn’t quite happen like that; everything is a process.”
United have had plenty of false dawns since legendary manager Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, with the likes of Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer all ultimately falling short in their attempts to restore past glories â even though the two former coaches did win trophies.
Cole believes Ten Hag can lean on Ferguson for advice but ultimately step out of his shadow.
“I think with Ten Hag we all know he’s got a pinch on the game and how he wants to run the football club, he’s very good with discipline,” he said.
“From the outside looking in, I could say possibly that’s what Ten Hag is doing at Manchester United – leaning on Sir Alex Ferguson for his knowledge.
“But at some stage you’re going to look at things and address things in a totally different way. So, I think to take it on board that Sir Alex Ferguson is there and he’s going to be there period.
“There’s no point to try to fight against him because I think when people try and fight against it then it seems to cause more problems than anything else, it seems like they’ve got a very good relationship which is only a positive thing.”
Before Sunday’s EFL Cup championship match against Manchester United, Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe wants his players to become accustomed to competing for trophies in championship games.
The Magpies haven’t participated in a domestic championship game in 24 years, and they haven’t claimed a significant victory since winning the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1969.
Since the ownership changed in October 2021, which allowed for increased spending on the team, expectations have grown around Newcastle. The team is currently competing for a Champions League spot, sitting fifth in the Premier League.
Since Howe’s appointment in November 2021, the Magpies improved from relegation battlers to finishing 11th in the 2021-22 campaign, with their 2022-23 league position and cup final appearance seen as another step forward which the boss wants to become the norm.
“We want the players to become accustomed to these days and expect them, not look at this final as a one-off and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Howe told reporters.
“In our position, that wouldn’t be a healthy way to look at this game. We want to be very controlled in our emotions, use the energy of the crowd, but also have high expectations.
“This is the future we all want and we know only hard work and staying true to our principles will earn us the right to achieve it. We hope this is the start of an era where we compete for honours on a more regular basis.”
Howe was hopeful his side could use the final as a springboard to bigger and better things but insisted that defeat would not be devastating for the club.
“Winning would help us accelerate the process, for sure, but it isn’t the be-all and end-all for what lies ahead,” he said.
“Regardless, the club is in a good place and can grow from here. Of course,we want to put pressure on ourselves to achieve. There is no part of me that’s going to Wembley just to enjoy the day.”
Bruno Fernandes put Manchester United’s 2-1 comeback win over Barcelona down to a “bouncing” Old Trafford on Thursday.
Due to the Portuguese midfielder’s tug on Alejandro Balde, the hosts fell behind in the first half. Robert Lewandowski converted the penalty for Barcelona.
But after the break, United turned things around to win 4-3 on the whole and advance to the round of 16, thanks to goals from Fred and Antony.
A boisterous Old Trafford supported Erik ten Hag’s team the entire time, and Fernandes was quick to acknowledge the support afterward.
“The belief in the team is always there,” he told BT Sport. “The belief from the fans, for us, is amazing. They [have] pushed us through difficult moments this season.
“They’ve been with us in the toughest moments. This season, we have been good, really good. This is something different, between them and us.
“We have something special, because they can see we are doing all we can to win games for them.Old Trafford was bouncing, and that’s why we got the result.”
For United, there is limited time to dwell on such a momentous result â their first win over Barcelona since April 2008 â as they turn focus towards Sunday’s EFL Cup final against Newcastle United.
With a chance to end the club’s six-year silverware drought this weekend, fellow midfielder Fred acknowledges they must refocus quickly to stay on track.
“[It was a] good game today,” he added. “[But] we need to keep going. We have a final on Sunday. We need to change our mind [ahead] of the final.”
Last summer, Frenkie de Jong turned downManchester United in favour of competing for a spot at Barcelona, and so far, that move is looking wise.
The classy Dutchman has since become a focal point of Xavi’s midfield for the LaLiga leaders, despite the fact that United manager Erik ten Hag was eager to reunite with his former Ajax charge at Old Trafford.
We highlight the Blaugrana playmaker’s impressive season as he gets ready to take on the Red Devils in the second leg of their Europa League knockout round play-off.
Summer saga
Unitedâs pursuit of De Jong was one of the sagas of last summer, with Ten Hag identifying the 25-year-old as the ideal addition to implement a transformation of the Red Devils’ fortunes.
The midfielder was at the heart of Ajaxâs sensational run to the Champions League semi-finals in 2019 under the 53-year-old, and a reunion seemed to be a smart move on both sides.
De Jong had been in and out of Xaviâs starting XI last term, and the LaLiga giants’ financial plight meant they were willing to part with the player they handed a five-year contract to in 2019.
But rather than succumbing to pressure to make the move, the talented creator stood firm and insisted he was happy in Catalonia.
Focal point
United eventually turned their attentions elsewhere by signing Christian Eriksen and Casemiro, moves that have both proved successful, but it is unlikely De Jong has been watching on with any sort of envy.
The Blaugrana have raced eight points clear at the top of LaLiga and the Oranje ace has been a regular presence, starting 16 of their 22 league games and missing out only once through injury.
Finding a natural heir to legendary midfield pivot Sergio Busquets has been an issue to solve for some time at the Camp Nou and De Jong has been a surprise revelation in that role.
Switching between that deeper position and a more advanced one, he has expertly dictated proceedings in the engine room and allowed burgeoning youngsters Pedri and Gavi to flourish.
No Barca player has completed more passes than the technically-gifted Dutchman in LaLiga this term, with only three beating his total of 1,076 in the division overall.
Suitable system
De Jong has also thrived alongside Busquets of late, with Xaviâs deployment of four midfielders, including shifting Gavi across to the right, proving effective in overloading the opposition.
A similar system was used in the first leg against United, with De Jong selected alongside Franck Kessie, and Xavi believes the tactics are getting the best out of his No21 in particular.
Xavi, 43, said: “We feel comfortable in any system. Weâve also played great games with two wingers.
“Actually, we never change much. Maybe with Frenkie and Busquets together, with four midfielders, we lose fewer balls.
“We have found the perfect position for Frenkie. I see he is happy.”
That certainly looked to be the case, particularly in the first half, against the Red Devils last week.
De Jong completed 40 passes, took 50 touches, and won possession more times in the middle third (five) than anyone else on the field.
Concerns have been raised about the potential effects on Paris Saint-Germain, which was taken over by Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) more than ten years ago, after it was revealed that a consortium led by a Qatari banker is in the running to buy Manchester United.
For just 70 million euros ($74.7m at the current exchange rate), QSI, a division of the sovereign wealth fund of the Gulf state of Qatar, acquired control of the French club in 2011.
PSG is now used by Qatar to project soft power because, while still the dominant club in France, they are also a major player on the European stage and a household name thanks to QSI’s ownership.
More than 1.5 billion euros have been splashed on transfers over the last dozen years, including the two biggest fees in the history of the game for Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in 2017, although all that money has not yet delivered Champions League glory in which Qatar could bask.
But now the tiny, gas-rich state is aiming even higher with its sights set on United, the most successful club in the history of the most powerful league in the world, with commercial and broadcasting income far greater than what can be generated in the French top flight.
The bid, led by the chairman of the Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB), Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani, is believed to be worth between four and six billion euros, according to several sources.
“This means nothing has been done without the approval of the emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.”
However, there is no suggestion of the Qataris abandoning PSG in the short or medium term. New strategy? If the Qatari bid for Manchester United succeeds, “the plans for PSG would not change at all. The two clubs would be totally separate on the field and off it. The QIB is totally separate from QSI,” a source close to PSG’s owners insisted to AFP.
Last December, PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi also shut down any suggestion of a possible withdrawal when he said in an interview with the Financial Times “we have a long-term project here”.
At the same time, Khelaifi admitted the French champions had been in discussions with several investors about potentially selling a 15 percent stake. “Qatar is capable of persisting with the two clubs. That doesn’t mean that it is finished with PSG. It is above all a demonstration of Qatar’s power that it is able to show an interest in a club like Manchester United,” Raphael Le Magoariec, who specialises in the Gulf and sport at Tours University in France, told AFP.
“It is unlikely that they would withdraw from Paris because that would be seen as a failure.” Nevertheless the dispute with Paris city council over PSG’s attempts to buy their Parc des Princes stadium from the local authority has left a bitter taste with the club’s owners. Qatar, according to Le Magoariec, “has invested a lot and thinks that its generosity is not being respected”.
Despite that, the ties between France and Qatar, which possesses stakes in numerous French multinational corporations, make it unlikely the country will divert its capital away from a club like PSG.
“Paris is the type of platform which givesQatar standing in the world,” says Le Magoariec. Yet it is possible a slight change in strategy at PSG is taking place, given the club is being closely watched by UEFA to ensure they fall in line with the Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules of European football’s governing body.
The club made huge losses last season of 370 million euros and has an enormous wage bill, weighed down by the salaries of superstars Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar. “There is maybe less investment.
They have already tightened their belts because of FFP constraints,” said Guegan. “But they are going to open up to foreign investors, and depending on the identity of these investors we will see if the club continues to be an asset in Qatar’s strategy of visibility or if they move on to a different stage.”
After dominating European football for nearly two decades, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have both been referred to as the greatest players of their generation by their supporters.
The two have amassed numerous team and individual championships throughout their careers, making them the most Ballon d’Or winners with five and seven, respectively.
The argument over which of the two is superior has been raging for more than ten years.
Beckham is the most recent player to weigh in on which of the two superstars is superior.
In an earlier interview with ESPN Argentine, via Tribuna, the Manchester United legend admitted that the Argentine was in a class of his own: âIt has to be Messi,â Beckham said. I love Leo for many different reasons. I love him because heâs a great father. I love him because heâs a great personality, a character. Heâs a great person. âBut I think what everybody loves about him is the way he plays the game.
He plays the game with passion. He plays the game just free the way he plays. “And I think this past World Cup again. I think the way he played for his team, for his country, and to win that World Cup was an incredible moment for him. And I love watching players like him.â
Meanwhile, Chelsea legend, Joe Cole has picked Lionel Messi ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo as the greatest player in the history of football, Daily Post reports.
Joe Cole insists that neither Al-Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo nor the late Diego Maradona can be compared to the Argentine World Cup star.
Messi’s victory with Argentina at the 2022 World Cup, according to the former England international, has put the debate between the Paris Saint-Germain superstar and Ronaldo to rest. Fernando Torres settles GOAT debate Earlier, Sports Brief reported the football world continues to be divided on whoâs the greatest of all time between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The decades-long debate continues to rage on, with former and current footballers weighing in with thoughts on whoâs better between both superstars. Former Liverpool and Chelsea forward Fernando Torres picked Messi ahead of Ronaldo, thereby staking his claim on the debate on which of the superstars is superior.
The manager of Manchester United claims that Erik ten Hag and his team don’t have time to worry about rumors of a possible takeover at Old Trafford.
Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS and a Qatari group led by banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Al Thani submitted bids for United before a “soft” deadline this week.
There seems to be an end in sight to the Glazer family’s mainly unpopular ownership of the team, but United has a lot of attention to devote to the field right now.
Ahead of Sunday’s match against Leicester City, Ten Hag‘s side are third in the Premier League going into a huge week that includes a Europa League second leg against Barcelona and the EFL Cup final against Newcastle United.
For that reason, takeover talk is of little concern.
“There’s movement around the club, but it’s not up to me,” Ten Hag told Sky Sports.
“The owners of the club are taking this stuff â I have to manage the team, make sure the team is performing and we get the right results in.
“Every third day we have a game, so I don’t have time to get involved in stuff like this.”
He added: “It’s not distracting us. We’re focusing on football. We’re focusing on our games, preparing and training. That is our job to do. It doesn’t distract us. So far, so good.”
While United have a relentless schedule, Wembley opponents Newcastle have a clear week ahead of a long-awaited final appearance.
But Ten Hag said: “It’s a big advantage for us, I would say. We are used to playing big games. That will be a huge advantage for us.”
Sure to be key to United’s hopes against both Barca and Newcastle is Marcus Rashford, who has scored a remarkable 14 goals since returning from the World Cup in December.
The England forward is out of contract at United at the end of next season, and his future will have to be a top priority for any new owner.
“Of course it’s a priority,” Ten Hag said. “We will work on that. Sit, wait, but in the background, we’re working hard.”
Marcus Rashford added to his incredible run of goals on Thursday night in Barcelona.
In the 2-2 draw at Camp Nou, the 25-year-old attacker increased his season total to 22, matching his previous highest goal-scoring campaign in 2019â20.
This stands in stark contrast to United’s performance from the previous season, when the No. 10 only managed to score five times, representing a disastrous year under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick.
Ahead of the Red Devilsâ Premier League clash with Leicester at Old Trafford this afternoon, we take a look at Rashford’s renaissance.
Making his Marc
Rashford has delivered 29 goal contributions in 35 games this term, registering 51 shots on target, a devastating output.
His form before the World Cup was promising enough for Gareth Southgate to include the United striker in his squad for Qatar, where Rashford shone, most notably notching a brace in the 3-0 win over Wales.
Since his return to Manchester, his game has reached new heights, bagging 14 goals in just 16 games, with Crystal Palace, Reading and Nottingham Forest the only three opponents to keep the lethal marksman at bay.
Marcus Rashford has been Manchester United’s chief attacking threat this term
Beaming boss
Rashford has become an emblematic figure for United’s improvement under Erik ten Hag and the Dutch manager believes there is still more to come from the 51-cap international.
Ten Hag, 53, said: “He has the skills. I was convinced from the first moment and I was really excited to work with him.
“I thought that I could get more out of him. He has so many skills and such high potential that I think there can be even more.
“When he works well, he will even score more goals because he can score with his left, right and his head.”
Marcus Rashford has dominated Manchester United’s play this term
Stepping up
Rashford has thrived on the left flank in Ten Hag’s favoured 4-2-3-1 formation, dovetailing well with Antony out on the right and Bruno Fernandes through the middle.
The presence of Real Madrid legend Casemiro at the base of midfield has had a stabilising effect on United, providing a solid platform on which their attacking talents can shine.
And after his latest showing at the Camp Nou, Rashford garnered further praise from ex-United defender Rio Ferdinand.
The six-time Premier League winner, 44, said: “Marcus Rashford is on smoke.
“He is on a new level, a level he hasn’t been at until now, a level of consistency he hasn’t been able to stay at until now.
“A fit, focused, direct, confident, deadly and potent Rashford is not to be messed with.”
Marcus Rashford has scored 12 Premier League goals this season
Title tilt
United’s goal for this season will have been to qualify for the Champions League and they are on course to do exactly that.Â
The Red Devils sit seven points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham while an EFL Cup final to look forward to next Sunday will provide further cause for positivity.
Leaders Arsenal and chasing Manchester City had seemed to be too far in the distance for Ten Hag’s charges to catch but the gap to the stumbling Gunners is now only five points ahead of Matchday 24.
Should Rashford continue his blistering form, do not rule out an unexpected title push from the club who last lifted the Premier League trophy in 2012-13.
Foxes trap
The challenge for Rashford and his team-mates will be to maintain their momentum in both league and European competition.
Leicester, who they face next, are exactly the kind of side they should dispatch with confidence.
But the Foxes have won three on the bounce, including last weekend’s 4-1 victory over Spurs, and could provide a banana skin at Old Trafford when United return from Catalonia.
Only bottom two Bournemouth and Southampton have a worse defensive record than Brendan Rodgers’ side however, so more chances should fall to Rashford.
If the Three Lions ace can continue to fire, United are sure to end their season well.
According to rumors, British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe has made a bid to purchase Manchester United through his chemicals business INEOS.
Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Al Thani of Qatar will compete against Ratcliffe, a lifetime United supporter.
The son of a former Qatari prime minister and chairman of the Qatar Islamic Bank, Al Thani, recently acknowledged he had submitted an offer without any debt and promised to spend all earnings made under his leadership back into the group or society.
Just two hours before an alleged “soft deadline” of 22:00 GMT on Friday, Al Thani made his offer public, albeit the precise sum was not made clear.
Ratcliffe had previously been the first to formally lodge an interest last month after the incumbent owners â the Glazer family â announced in November the club had been put up for sale.
The Telegraph quoted a source close to INEOS as saying: “His aim is to be a long-term custodian of Manchester United and set the standard for a progressive approach to club ownership.
“As locally born, he wants to put the Manchester back into Manchester United.”
The Glazers have been deeply unpopular among supporters during their 18 years as stewards, predominantly down to their initial takeover coming in the form of a leveraged buyout, which saddled the club with huge debts.
In United’s most recent financial figures, released in September, the club revealed their net debt increased from ÂŁ419.5million to ÂŁ514.9m in the year up to June 30, 2022.
Speculation over the past few months has run wild with regard to prospective buyers, with Elon Musk, Apple, Jeff Bezos, and a Saudi Arabian consortium all credited with varying degrees of interest.
But talk of Ratcliffe and a separate Qatari-backed bid had long gathered the most traction in the media, and it is the former many United fans are thought to favour.
Ratcliffe’s company INEOS already owns Ligue 1 side Nice and has been routinely linked with Premier League clubs in recent years, even tabling an offer for Chelsea in 2022 prior to their sale to Todd Boehly and his Clearlake consortium.
His long-held affinity for United is an understandable positive for fans hoping for a return of the glory days.
Though, for many fans, siding with Ratcliffe comes as much from a place of uncertainty due to the Qatari bid’s potential ties to Qatar’s state.
The 2022 World Cup host nation has been widely derided for its human rights record ever since being given that tournament in 2010.
David Harrison has been named the director of football operations at Manchester United.
Harrison joins from Everton, another Premier League club where he spent the previous 27 years of his career.
Alan Dawson, who is leaving United after 11 years, will be replaced by him, and he will be in direct contact with John Murtough, the director of football.
“David is known as one of the most able and respected operators in football and we are delighted that he has chosen to join Manchester United,” Murtough said.
“He will bring deep experience and knowledge to this important role, and add further strength to the support structure we are building around our football teams, to give our players and staff the best chance of success.”
Harrison, who started his career working in United’s ticket office, said: “I’m excited to be taking this role at a time of such opportunity and promise for Manchester United.
“I will always cherish my memories of 27 years at Everton and wish everyone at Goodison and Finch Farm all the best for the future.
“Now, my focus is on helping Manchester United create the best possible operating environment to support success on the pitch.”
We can confirm Director of Football Operations, David Harrison, will leave at the end of this month to take up a new role at Manchester United.
Best of luck for the future, Dave, and thank you for your service over the past 27 years.
Despite Marcus Rashford’s valiant efforts, Manchester United was unable to overcome Barcelona’s improbable goal in the first leg of their Europa League knockout stage play-off, which ended in a 2-2 draw.
In the enthralling contest on Thursday at Camp Nou, in-form Rashford equaled his greatest season goal total with his 22nd goal, canceling out Marcos Alonso’s opening strike.
Nine minutes after falling behind, United took the lead thanks to some more excellent play from Rashford, whose quick thinking from a short corner resulted in Jules Kounde sending the ball into his own net.
However, Barcelona, who lost crucial midfielder Pedri to an injury in the first half, came back against the odds in the 76th minute when Raphinha’s cross went all the way through to put the tie in a tight position going into next week’s second leg.
In the game’s first significant opportunity, Wout Weghorst was given a clear path to the goal by Bruno Fernandes, but he was stopped by Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who was also up to the task of stopping Casemiro’s header.
Ter Stegen made another excellent save to deny Rashford, and David de Gea stopped Jordi Alba’s shot after Aaron Wan-Bissaka dragged out his step.
Four minutes into the second half, Alonso found the back of the net after eluding his defender and heading in a corner from Raphinha, but the visitors quickly drew even.
Fred surged forward and played in Rashford, who blasted past Ter Stegen at his near post to keep his hot streak going.
Rashford was key again just before the hour, driving into the box and delivering a cross that went in off Kounde after Fernandes flicked it on.
United looked good value for another goal but were instead pegged back soon after â Raphinha’s right-sided cross evading Robert Lewandowski and nutmegging Raphael Varane before nestling in the bottom-left corner.
Barca went particularly close to finding a late winner as Casemiro hit his own post amid a scramble, before De Gea superbly denied Ansu Fati in a gripping conclusion that also saw the hosts have a penalty appeal rejected for a possible handball against Fred.
Fans are perplexed by Kylian Mbappe’s most recent Instagram post, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain.
Tuesday night’s Winners League round of 16 encounter pitted the defending Ligue 1 champions against Bayern Munich, the dominant team in the German Bundesliga.
Due to a recent muscle injury, Mbappe started the game on the sidelines, putting Neymar and Lionel Messi in charge of penetrating Bayern’s defense.
Kingsley Coman, a former player for Paris Saint-Germain, scored the game’s only goal in the 53rd minute to give Julian Nagelsmann’s team a slim 1-0 lead for the Bavarian club, which ultimately prevailed in the closely contested match.
With work to be done in the second leg, Mbappe took to Instagram to send a message to his fans after the disappointing display against Bayern.
Having posted a message in French, the translation tool on Instagram has got fans all confused.
Mbappeâs posted a picture with a message that read: âTout reste Ă faireâŚâ which normally would translate to âEverything remains to be doneâŚâ.
However, the message was weirdly translated as âAll that remains to be doneâŚManchester Unitedâs team is now on @psg.â
Naturally, Manchester United fans were quick to react to the glitch.
One fan said: âDoes that mean Qatar are buying us and Mbappe is joining too???â
Another tweeted: âThat translation thing does not actually translate what you wrote, it simply reads your mind and says it out loud.â
A third fan added: âBro this translation got me confused. I need help!â
Someone else commented: âBro just come to Manchester United already.â
The fact that United star Marcus Rashford commented on the post will only add fuel to the fire amid all the speculation about the club’s potential new owners.
Image Credit: Instagram/@k.mbappe
It has been reported that the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani is expected to launch a bid to buy United after the Glazer family put the club on sale.
The 20-year-old centre-back has caught the eye under the tutelage of ex-United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Branthwaite has made 20 appearances in all competitions for the Dutch giants and netted an impressive brace in his sideâs 3-1 KNVB Cup last-16 win against FC Emmen on Wednesday.
The Mail say PSV made two bids, the last believed to be £15million, to sign the Carlisle academy product permanently in January but both were rejected by the Toffees.
Sean Dycheâs men now look set to have to stave off interest from Merseyside rivals Liverpool as well as United, both of whom are keen to add an English player to their ranks.
Roma are another side to be regularly checking Branthwaiteâs progress, with Everton seemingly open to selling for the right price due to their wealth of options at the back.
The towering defender was handed his debut for the Goodison Park outfit by Carlo Ancelotti in July 2020 but failed to make an impact under Rafael Benitez and Frank Lampard â and it remains to be seen where he stands with new boss Dyche.
Erik ten Hag insists that Manchester United won’t have any justifications if they lose to Leeds on Wednesday night.
Due to injuries and suspensions, United will be missing a number of important players, with Casemiro starting a three-match suspension after getting sent off during last Saturday’s 2-1 victory against Crystal Palace.
The important midfielder will observe as Ten Hag attempts to select the strongest starting lineup from a group that is also without Christian Eriksen and Donny van de Beek for an extended period of time, along with Anthony Martial, Antony, and Scott McTominay.
The 53-year-old Dutchman, though, is adamant that his team will still give it everything they have at Old Trafford to get three points.
He said: “I’m the manager. I always have to play with the players who are available.
“We have a squad, we have many good players available in that squad who are not always in the starting XI. So others [will] get the chance and I have to do it.
“After the game, I can’t say Casemiro is not there, Martial is not there. No, we have to win.
“This squad, all players in [it], are Man United capable, so they have to perform and we have to win the games, no matter who is coming on the pitch.”
âšď¸ Erik has ruled three Reds out through injury ahead of #MUNLEE.#MUFC || #PL
Barcelona’s Sergio Busquets could be out for 15 days after the injury he picked up against Sevilla. His presence in the first leg against Manchester United on 16 February is doubtful.
It wasnât all positive for Barcelona on Sunday. Despite winning, seeing Real Madrid lose and extending their lead to eight points, Sergio Busquetsâ injury robbed them of full joy.
The Barca captain was forced to leave after just five minutes and, pending further tests, is suffering from a grade II ankle sprain that could keep him out for the next 15 days, according to âASâ.
If this period of absence is confirmed, Busquets will miss the first leg of the Europa League tie against Manchester United, unless he reduces his recovery time.
It is an important absence for Xavi Hernandez, who has always relied on the midfielder as a link between defence and attack. It was Kessie who replaced him who replaced him against Sevilla.
Xavi could opt to return to a three-man midfield, with De Jong in the â5â position, and open up the flanks to Raphinha and either Ferran Torres or Ansu Fati.
Erik ten Hag acknowledged that Casemiro “crossed the line” and was dismissed during Manchester United’s nerve-wracking 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace in the Premier League, but the Dutchman feels that some Eagles players got off easy.
Following a VAR review, Casemiro was expelled for putting his hands around Will Hughes’ neck during an argument between both sets of players that was started by Jeffrey Schlupp’s push on Antony and led to a penalty kick from Bruno Fernandes and yet another goal from the in-form Marcus Rashford.
Schlupp then scored with 14 minutes remaining to set up a nervous finish, but United held on to earn their 13th straight victory at home in all competitions, matching their longest streak at Old Trafford since they won 20 straight games from December 2010 to September 2011.
Ten Hag had no issues with the decision to fire Casemiro, a brazilian player who will now miss United’s next three league games, but the former Ajax manager believed Jordan Ayew and other Palace players should have also received punishment.
“We played a brilliant game and it was a really high level first 70 minutes until the incident took place and then you see this team stands for each other,” he said.
“It’s such a good spirit in the team and they don’t accept when a player from us can be badly injured and that’s the way Antony got treated.
“This team sticks together but, of course, you have to control your emotions. But it’s really difficult in such a moment and I see two teams fighting each other.
“I see two teams of players crossing the line and then one player gets picked out, gets sent off. And for me, that’s not right.
“The player from Crystal Palace takes a big risk with this foul that he gets badly injured by pushing him across the line and you know the pitches here. And then everyone is reacting, Crystal Palace and Manchester United players, and not only Casemiro.
“He [Ayew] was one of the players who did even worse than Casemiro. Casemiro, you freeze the moment, I think within the shot he’s crossed the line there, I do definitely. And you have to be consistent as a VAR.
“Players and colleagues are hurting each other that bad like the player last week [Reading’s Andy Carroll] did against Christian Eriksen and the player from Crystal Palace [Schlupp];Â he started this, he took a big risk by injuring Antony.”
United are back in action again on Wednesday when Leeds United visit Old Trafford, before the Red Devils travel to Yorkshire for the reverse fixture just four days later.Â
Raphael Varane has confirmed his permanent retirement from the French national team. The 29-year-old defender wants to focus fully on club football and said his farewell via social media.
Raphael Varane has been a permanent fixture in Didier Deschampsâ squad for years and, at 29 years of age, everything pointed to the fact that he had plenty of energy left in him. However, the centre-backâs international career has come to an end sooner than expected.
According to âLe Parisienâ, the current Manchester United defender wants to focus fully on club football due to his ongoing injuries. Shortly afterwards, the French national team officially announced it.
âIâve been thinking about it for a few months now and Iâve decided itâs the right time for me to retire from the national team,â he said on his personal Instagram account.
In addition, the French footballer posted in some Instagram stories of the aforementioned social network the best moments lived with France.
The same media outlet stated that, after a decade in the French national team, he has suffered a certain physical and psychological wear and tear that prevents him from being motivated to the maximum.
Another of the reasons given by the aforementioned information is his family. Apparently, Varane aspires to devote more time to his family. In this way, his mind will be fully dedicated to United.
The 21-year-old was arrested in January last year amid allegations surrounding images and videos that emerged online.
He was later charged with attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The Crown Prosecution Service said the charges were discontinued after a key witness withdrew their involvement.
A spokesman said: âWe have a duty to keep cases under continuous review.
âIn this case a combination of the withdrawal of key witnesses and new material that came to light meant there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction. In these circumstances, we are under a duty to stop the case.
âWe have explained our decision to all parties.
âWe would always encourage any potential victims to come forward and report to police and we will prosecute wherever our legal test is met.â
Manchester United could close their next signing very soon. Marcel Sabitzer will arrive at Old Trafford on loan. The Bayern Munich midfielder is already on his way to England.
Manchester United have moved quickly to replace Christian Eriksen, who is out of action until May due to an ankle injury. Marcel Sabitzer will replace the Denmark international.
Eriksen is likely to be ruled out until early May by an ankle injury he suffered in the FA Cup win over Reading. This injury has changed the plans of the English team and they have decided to look for a replacement as soon as possible.
Yannick Carrasco, who currently plays for Atletico, offered to play in Unitedâs attack. However, Sabitzer will be the one to play at Old Trafford.Â
The Bayern Munich player travelled to England earlier this afternoon. The footballer flew from Munich to Manchester to undergo pre-contract medical tests.
Manchester United have wasted no time in searching a replacement for Eriksen as the Red Devils have agreed a last-minute deal with Bayern Munich for the loan of Marcel Sabitzer.
Manchester United have managed to reach an agreement with Bayern Munich for the loan of Marcel Sabitzer until the end of the season without option to buy.
According to reports, the Red Devils reached an agreement quickly as the midfielder reportedly agreed immediately to travel to Manchester to play under Ten Hag.
The Old Trafford sideâs move has been prompted mainly by the loss of key midfielder Christian Eriksen, who is likely to be out until May after suffering an ankle injury in the FA Cup win over Reading.
The former Bayern Munich player was caught in the afternoon arriving in England to undergo a medical with the Mancunian club. In this way, the Austrian will help fill the gap left by Eriksenâs absence. In addition, the player will help Ten Hagâs side continue their run of form, which sees them sit fourth in the Premier League on 39 points, level with Newcastle and six points behind runners-up Manchester City.
The 28-year-old playmaker will join his sixth club in his career, having had spells with Admira, Rapid Wien, Salzburg, Leipzig and BayernMunich. Sabitzer has been capped by Austria and has made 581 official appearances in his playing career, scoring 140 goals and providing 76 assists.
Even though Christian Eriksen will be sidelined for three months due to injury, Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag does not plan to enter the transfer market on deadline day.
Eriksen, who suffered an ankle injury in the FA Cup victory over Reading on Saturday, would likely be sidelined at least until late April, United announced on Tuesday.
Andy Carroll delivered a strong tackle to him, which remained unpunished until he eventually received two more severe challenges that led to his dismissal.
Losing Eriksen is a major blow for United given his prominence in his first campaign at Old Trafford, with Bruno Fernandes (2,603) the only outfield player to record more minutes on the pitch than the Dane (2,274) for Ten Hag’s men this term.
United will suddenly be without one of their chief creators, as Eriksen’s 53 key passes is second only to Fernandes (81), and he leads the way for assists with nine.
But Ten Hag is confident he has the options to cope.
“Of course, [Eriksen] is disappointed about [the injury], we are disappointed about it,” the manager told reporters ahead of Wednesday’s EFL Cup semi-final second leg against Nottingham Forest.
“It happens in top football, you have to deal with it.”
He added: “As you said, something coming out on deadline day is difficult and you can’t make policy on such bad injuries, but we have players in the midfield department, good players, we also have players who can fill the gap.”
Eriksen’s injury leaves Ten Hag with only Scott McTominay, Fred, Casemiro, Fernandes, and Donny van de Beek as senior midfield options, while 17-year-old Kobbie Mainoo has made two cup appearances and has occasionally served as a substitute in the Premier League.
Zidane Iqbal, a 19-year-old Iraqi international who has yet to make his debut but was apparently in line for a loan move, has also found himself on the bench frequently this season.
Regardless of who steps up, Ten Hag acknowledges that there will need to be some adaption because they won’t have the same qualities as the Danish celebrity.
“I think you can never fill that because every player has their own characteristics and identity, so another player will always fill it in in a different way,” he said.
“So, it doesn’t mean that you have to be less successful, but it’s quite clear that Christian Eriksen, for our squad, brings top quality and he has some specifics that are hard to replace. For instance, his impact in the final third, [with his] final ball.”
The Brazilian midfielder Fred would seem to stand to gain the most from Eriksen’s absence.
Although the 29-year-old has only started five Premier League games this season, he has participated in a total of 17 matches in the top tier. Ten Hag appears to admire the player’s vigor and perseverance in the second half when others may be worn out.
Additionally, the fact that he frequently competes with Casemiro for the Selecao is convenient.
“You mentioned already in your first sentence, he’s playing together with Casemiro in the Brazilian squad, I would say that’s not the worst squad in the world,” Ten Hag said with a grin.
“They have so many choices what they can make but they often prefer to play them together. So, that tells something about the quality Fred has and what he can contribute to the team.
“He has done it several times with his performance for instance against Tottenham, for instance against Manchester City.
“When he’s coming on [in the] last game [against Reading], he’s scoring a goal straight away. He has a lot of qualities. I think they are a really good combination, Casemiro and Fred.”
Manchester United faced Reading in the fourth round of the FA Cup. The match was played at Old Trafford and Ten Hagâs side were very comfortable throughout the game. Casemiro stood out with his brace and it ended 3-1 for the âRed Devilsâ.
Manchester United faced Reading in the fourth round of the FA Cup. Both teams fought to qualify for the next round of the worldâs oldest domestic cup competition.
United dominated possession in the first half and Reading hardly touched the ball. The âRed Devilsâ created many chances but the players were not on the same wavelength. Bruno Fernandes had many attempts from inside the box. Moreover, Rashford scored the first goal of the game in the 34th minute but it was disallowed because Antony was caught offside. As a result, Ten Hagâs men were unable to score the first goal in the first 45 minutes.
However, the situation changed drastically in the second half. Manchester United started much stronger and the changes Ten Hag made also boosted the team. In fact, Casemiro opened the scoring in the 54th minute and scored the second four minutes later. Fred came on to replace Eriksen and netted the third goal for his team. Fred and Bruno Fernandes played together to provide assists and score goals for the Old Trafford club.
Andy Carroll was sent off with a double yellow card for pushing and shoving several players and tackling too hard. Nevertheless, Inceâs team did not give up. They hit back and Mbengue scored in the 72nd minute but their efforts were not enough to find an equaliser.
The âRed Devilsâ won the match and booked their ticket to the next round of the FA Cup.Â
With a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semifinal, Manchester United secured a place at Wembley Way.
Only a miracle turnaround in the second leg, which is scheduled for next week, can prevent United from playing in the League Cup final at the national stadium next month after goals from Marcus Rashford, Wout Weghorst, and Bruno Fernandes in the first half and a late third at the City Ground.
Rashford’s goal, which he scored after sprinting 50 yards, Weghorst’s first goal for the team since joining on loan from Burnley, and Fernandes’ decisive late goal effectively ended the tie.
With the victory, United is poised to play in its first domestic championship game at Wembley since losing the 2018 FA Cup final, and Erik ten Hag will have the opportunity to end the team’s trophy drought, which dates back to 2017, in his first season at Old Trafford.
With four titles won in 12 years under Brian Clough, Forest has a history in the League Cup that is almost as extensive as United’s. Forest will view this as a squandered opportunity to head to Old Trafford next week with something to grasp onto.
Sam Surridge had a goal disallowed in the first half, and Morgan Gibbs-White and Brennan Johnson also had good opportunities.
However, Ten Hag’s team easily won on the Trent River’s banks and will mark February 26 on their calendars for a trip to Wembley, while Forest will need to channel their late manager Clough in the hopes of a miracle.
The two teams memorably faced off in the 1992 League Cup final at Wembley, which United won on the strength of a goal from Brian McClair. The current crop of players demonstrated their desire to return there this year.
Rashford continued his stellar form with a spectacular individual goal, and Ten Hag was rewarded for selecting his strongest team possible with an early lead.
It was his 10th goal in 10 games since the resumption after the World Cup and his form has been the driving force behind Unitedâs impressive run of results.
There were more goals for the taking in a dominant start for the visitors but Antony twice drifted shots wide of the post from good positions after cutting in from the right.
Forest had been overrun in the opening 15 minutes but they came to life and thought they had levelled in the 23rd minute.
A brilliant counter-attack saw Gibbs-White feed Sam Surridge, who produced a fine first-time finish into the bottom corner.
However, it was ruled out after VAR found Surridgeâs knee to be offside.
Forest to their credit did not let that disappointment affect them and they continued to push forward and had chances for an equaliser.
David de Gea produced a flying save to keep out Gustavo Scarpaâs volley from the edge of the area, then got down well to stop a Gibbs-White effort before watching Johnson fire over after gliding past a couple of United tackles.
Having soaked up that pressure, United got a killer second goal on the stroke of half-time.
They expertly manoeuvred the ball from back to front and, after Hennessey palmed out Antonyâs shot, Weghorst reacted first to fire home the rebound and break his United duck.
The hosts struggled to recreate the verve they showed in the first half and United kept them at armâs length.
Indeed, it was the visitors, who won 8-1 on their last visit to the City Ground in 1999, who strengthened their grip on the tie.
Christian Eriksen had earlier hit the crossbar before Fernandes drilled home a low finish in the 89th minute, with ecstatic United supporters appearing to fall through a broken hoarding during the celebrations.
Erik ten Hag stressed Manchester United must not let their grip slip on games after their Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg win over Nottingham Forest.
Goals from Marcus Rashford, Wout Weghorst and Bruno Fernandes delivered the Dutchman a convincing 3-0 win at the City Ground.
But Sam Surridge saw a would-be equaliser chalked off in the first half in what proved to be a lucky escape for the visitors.
Ten Hag was delighted to see his side bounce back to winning ways after a Premier League loss to Arsenal but cautioned his side to watch their control in games.
âThere was one moment that could have changed the game,â he told Sky Sports. âThat is where we need to improve.
âThey changed the system, and we didnât anticipate that. It cannot happen. This is still where we have to learn and improve if [we] want to be top. These moments canât happen.
âWe almost let them come [into] the game. We canât allow an opponent to get back when we started so good. We need to avoid that.
âI think in the second half, we were much more composed, and we tracked them. It was much better.â
Striker Weghorst, who netted his first goal following his switch from Burnley, echoed his managerâs sentiments.
âWe didnât have the control like we wanted and [it] made it too up and down after,â he added. âWe were lucky their goal was disallowed.
âWe were not happy with the way we had played in the first half [but] the [goal] at the end it made it even better. Itâs a great result for us tonight, [so] letâs finish it next week.â
United will host Forest at Old Trafford next Wednesday for the second leg.
To help Manchester United become the best team in football, Erik ten Hag wants Marcus Rashford to pledge his future to the club.
Rashford is United’s leading scorer so far this year with eight goals in the last eight games.
The England international has scored 17 goals in 28 games, compared to 12.8 predicted goals, and scores once every 124 minutes (xG).
The contract for Rashford expires in 2024, but Ten Hag is optimistic that a new deal will be reached.
“This is the best place to be because we want to construct the best team â first in England, then Europe, then the world,” said Ten Hag ahead of Wednesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Nottingham Forest.
“It is confidential, talks between clubs and players, [but] he understands Manchester United is his club and also in this environment, this team, he is playing his best football.
“He is improving, he is giving 100 per cent.
“He can bring his qualities and this team can help him be in the right position to score goals. The team is constructed so that his qualities come to the fore.
“He knows he is important for us and if we want to succeed, we need him.”
While Rashford is thriving on one side of United’s attack, Antony â a big-money signing from Ajax last year â has struggled after a fast start to his career in England.
Ten Hag is not concerned, though.
“He is not losing games,” the Dutchman said of the Brazil winger.
“He is playing and the team is winning and that already gives a message of how well he is performing.
“He can do better. I see space for improvement, and we want him to be more direct.”
Ghanaian striker Eddie Nketiah was the star for Arsenal on Sunday as they defeated Manchester United on Sunday at Emirates Stadium.
The striker scored twice with the winner coming in the 90th minute as they opened a five-point lead over second-placed Manchester City.
Manchester City’s earlier win over Wolverhampton Wanderers applied pressure on the Gunners but they responded with character and quality, even after going behind, to secure a five-point advantage at the top with a game in hand.
United’s man of the moment Marcus Rashford fired home a superb right-foot strike from 25 yards to give them a 17th-minute lead.
Arsenal responded fiercely and were level seven minutes later when Granit Xhaka’s cross created a heading opportunity for Nketiah, who got in ahead of Aaron Wan-Bissaka at the far post.
Bukayo Saka’s angled drive put Arsenal ahead eight minutes after the break but their advantage lasted only six minutes, with Lisandro Martinez heading his first goal for the club after keeper Aaron Ramsdale dropped a corner.
Arsenal looked the more likely winners in the closing stages, with Saka hitting the post and Nketiah denied by David de Gea’s outstanding save.
The pressure paid off in the closing moments when Nketiah – a striker who is doing an outstanding job filling in for injured Gabriel Jesus – turned in from close range to spark wild scenes of celebration at Emirates Stadium. VIDEO BELOW:
In order to revive a winning culture at Manchester United, Erik ten Hag wants the bar to stay high.
On Sunday, United will play Premier League leaders Arsenal. While their immediate focus is on securing a spot in the top four, a win may imply a title challenge is not out of the question.
Wednesday’s 1-1 tie with Crystal Palace snapped United’s seven-game winning streak in all competitions.
It’s about rediscovering the ethos that allowed United to rule English football under Alex Ferguson, according to Ten Hag.
“What I want to bring in is some culture from high standards and values,” he told reporters.
“And also, I think accountability and transparency. So honestly, they are our values [that] I want to set, want to control.
“I think that is the way we have to cooperate. Internally, but also externally. So for instance, with the media with the fans.”
Asked if he has confidence in United’s ability to keep improving, Ten Hag said: “Yes, I’m quite convinced of that process. I think we are [going] in the right direction.
“It also means that we have to improve a lot if you want to compete in the future for the top positions because the competition will be really tough.”
United beat Arsenal 3-1 at Old Trafford in September, which marks the Gunners’ only league defeat of the season.
This is just the third time Arsenal are hosting United in a Premier League match while top of the table, with the previous two meetings ending in draws â 1-1 in March 2004 and 2-2 in November 2007.
The clubs have enjoyed a fierce rivalry down the years, and Ten Hag believes both sides are close to getting back to where they belong.
“I think in the Premier League, you have six, seven teams who all can win the league,” he said.
“When you have the right philosophy, the right strategy, I think that many more clubs can compete for positions for the top positions in the league, so that’s a great challenge.”
Leandro Trossard will make his debut for Arsenal against Manchester United on Sunday, and manager Mikel Arteta is optimistic about the Belgian’s ability to “immediately impact” the match.
Trossard completed a rumoured ÂŁ27 million transfer from Brighton and Hove Albion on Friday and signed a long-term contract at Emirates Stadium that is likely to last until 2027.
The 28-year-old Belgian international was eager to leave Brighton after an argument with manager Roberto De Zerbi, who took the winger out of the team earlier this month and criticized his attitude.
After missing out on their top target, Mykhaylo Mudryk, last week and having him sign with Chelsea, Arsenal moved quickly to sign Trossard.
While Gunners fans had been eager for Mudryk to join, there is a perception Trossard represents less risky business given his Premier League experience and that he cost roughly a third of what Chelsea paid to Shakhtar Donetsk.
Arteta expects Trossard to adapt quickly, and confirmed he is in line to face Manchester United on Sunday, with the north Londoners hoping to open an 11-point gap between themselves and Erik ten Hag’s men in third.
“Well, he trained today [Friday], so hopefully he will be [available on Sunday]. Yes. I think [all the paperwork is done], I think he’s good to go,” Arteta told reporters.
“He’s a player we followed for a while now. The opportunity came, we have the necessity, obviously, to have a player in the frontline that is versatile enough to play in different positions.
“He knows the league, has enough experience here, and I think he can have an immediate impact in the team.
“In the summer we were looking for a player in that position and we were unable to do it. It’s something this squad needed, obviously with the injuries of Gabby [Gabriel Jesus] and Reiss [Nelson].
“We are really short in the front line and we needed reinforcements, and we found in Leandro a player who fits everything we want.”
The signing of Trossard, given his age, marks a departure from Arsenal’s recent transfer policy of focusing on young players.
However, with Arsenal leading the Premier League and hoping to win their first title since 2004, Arteta emphasised how crucial he felt it was to bring in a player who would be able to give them what they need straight away.
“Very important, we have to think short term but also medium and long term, and I think he gives all that,” Arteta said.
“He’s a very intelligent player. When you look at his career, what he’s done in the last few years, he’s a player who fits our way of playing, for sure, and we are happy to have him.”
Trossard will have found a familiar face in the Arsenal changing room, with Arteta’s assistant Albert Stuivenberg formerly the player’s coach at Genk.
The Dutchman was able to provide a glowing reference of Trossard’s character, even if De Zerbi’s recent criticism of his attitude might have caused concern among fans.
“Albert gave me a really, really good reference, but not for now, for a few years [ago],” Arteta said.
“We talk about everything that is connected, about players we know we want to recruit because character is something crucial, but as well to understand how they are, how they behave, whether they can accept the role they’re going to have at the club with us, and then personal conversations. Obviously they are very important as well.”
Former Manchester United defender, Rio Ferdinand says Casemiro is an intelligent and a better player than Thomas Partey when the two midfielders are compared.
Both players have been pivotal for their respective clubs in the ongoing Premier League season.
The aforementioned midfielders faced each other several times in the Madrid derby in Spain, when Partey played for Atletico Madrid and Casemiro lined up for Real Madrid.
Partey, who is Ghana’s deputy captain is expected to feature against Manchester United on Sunday at the Emirates as Arsenal hope to continue their fine run with Casemiro expected to sit out due to suspension.
Ferdinand acknowledged the importance of both players to their teams but said Casemiro is on another level.
âI think the importance to their teamsâŚyou could argue both sides quite equally. But then, when you through the stats in Casemiro wipes him away,â the former Manchester United defender said on his podcast, as quoted by the Daily Mail.
âNo, no no. I donât think Partey is good enough defensively to do what Casemiro is doing, I donât think he has the impact defensively for Man United, on the ball heâs doing more.â
âOn the ball, heâs [Partey] doing more. Heâs dictating play for Arsenal. Heâs actually playing passes I didnât know he had. His passing has been unbelievable.â
Arsenal are currently eight points above Manchester United on the Premier League table and could further extend their lead at the top if they beat the Red Devils this weekend.
Manchester United and Chelsea are ready to battle it out with Tottenham to sign Brentford keeper David Raya at the end of the season.Â
The Bees are currently eighth in the Premier League and the ever-present Raya, 27, has kept six clean sheets in 19 appearances.
Spurs had hoped to lure him to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as the long-term successor to Hugo Lloris but their pulling power is set to be tested by United and big-spending Chelsea, according to The Telegraph.Â
Raya is in the final 18 months of his deal and could be available for a cut-price fee this summer.
Erik ten Hag was left frustrated by Manchester United’s perceived lack of effort to score a second goal as they were held to a dramatic draw by Crystal Palace.
Bruno Fernandes had put United in control at half-time thanks to a well-worked opener just before the break.
For a while that looked set to be enough despite United â who seemed to commit fewer bodies forward in the second half â coming under pressure from Palace towards the end.
Eventually, a stunning Michael Olise free-kick found the top-right corner via the crossbar in the first minute of stoppage time, securing Palace a point and ending United’s nine-match winning streak.
Ten Hag was disappointed by United’s failed quest to get a second goal, which would have rendered Palace’s late strike irrelevant.
“We dropped two points,” he told BBC Sport. “When you’re winning with two minutes to go… [Palace] don’t create anything except one which was a corner and this one was a free-kick from far [out].
“You don’t expect to drop points. We have to invest more to get that second goal and then not be in that situation that a lucky moment costs you two points.
“We were 1-0 up. In the second half we had a lot of space to kill them and go for the second. I never saw we really went for the second goal.
“It’s difficult to say [why]. I have to criticise my team. Go for the second.”
The late equaliser suddenly changed the complexion of Sunday’s trip to Arsenal, which for a while on Wednesday looked to be shaping up as arguably the biggest game of the Premier League season so far.
Now, defeat at the Emirates Stadium will surely end any remaining dreams United have of winning the title this term as it would leave them 11 points adrift.
United will have to face the game without probably their most important player in Casemiro, who earned a late yellow card for a wild lunge on Wilfried Zaha after Fernandes pulled out of a challenge. But Ten Hag is refusing to panic.
“He’s a really important player for us and a reason we’re in this position,” he said. “But last time we beat Arsenal without Casemiro. We need to do it again.”
Goalkeeper David de Gea was even more frank about the loss of Casemiro and took the opportunity to vent about the fixture schedule, with Arsenal not in midweek action ahead of the Sunday showdown.
“It’s a big blow to lose Casemiro for Sunday,” told Sky Sports.
“I don’t get it why Arsenal don’t play as we have to play in the same week and they don’t. Now we are missing one of our best players.
“I don’t understand. Now we miss him for a big game and it is a big loss for us.”
Alejandro Garnacho is enjoying a breakthrough season at Manchester United under Erik ten Hag.Â
After making his debut for the club last term, the winger has amassed 15 appearances this campaign, scoring twice.
Last Saturday, Garnacho became the youngest player to provide a Premier League assist in a Manchester derby when he set up Marcus Rashford’s winner aged 18 years and 197 days.
Ahead of Unitedâs trip to Crystal Palace tonight, we turn the spotlight on the talented youngster and take a look at what the future might hold for Garnacho.
Star on the rise
Garnacho has been in demand from an early age. Starting his youth career at Getafe, he was poached by Atletico Madrid in 2015, when he was just 11 years old.
Five years later, United paid ÂŁ420,000 to bring the Madrid native to England, despite the fact that he was not a regular in Atleti’s youth setup.
In his second season at the club, Garnacho won the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award and scored twice in a 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest in the FA Youth Cup final.
Even before he had received that prestigious Under-18s accolade â following in the footsteps of the likes of Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Marcus Rashford â the starlet had made his first-team debut against Chelsea in April 2022.
Hard work pays off
Erik ten Hag saw a turnaround in Alejandro Garnacho’s attitude
Ten Hag’s arrival last May has certainly accelerated Garnacho’s development.
However, the Dutch boss was not immediately impressed with the Argentina U-20s international.
After giving Garnacho his full debut against FC Sheriff last October, Ten Hag said: “I was not happy with him.
“The last weeks I was happy with him, a better attitude, more resilience.”
Such comments can often have much to do with a manager trying to keep a youngster from becoming complacent, but they were later echoed by a senior player.
After Garnacho scored the winning goal in Unitedâs 1-0 Europa League success at Real Sociedad, playmaker Bruno Fernandes gave his thoughts on the tricky forward’s development.
Fernandes said: “At the beginning of the season, he was not at his best.
“In the tour, he didnât have the best attitude that he shouldâve had. Heâs getting his chances because heâs training better, heâs having a different attitude and heâs deserving his chances.”
At the races in derby win
It is a positive for any club to have both a manager and leaders in the changing room demanding the highest standards are met by young players that are entering the first-team squad.
When that club is United, thoughts immediately turn to their most successful manager Alex Ferguson, who was always ready to give the next generation an opportunity but had high expectations.
Getting the balance right between tough love and positivity is a challenge for any manager. Though Ten Hag has clearly tried to keep Garnachoâs feet on the ground, he was quick to give praise after the 2-1 win against fierce local rivals City.
Ten Hag said: “He has a skill that I donât see many players in the Premier League having â he beats players one on one.Â
“Heâs learnt in the last months about how to play in a team, how to live, how to do the right things in the week, how to have the right attitude on the training ground and you see how heâs acting as a team player and with his individual skills that can make the difference.”
Alejandro Garnacho has exhibited his talents for Manchester United this season
Key cameo role
The future looks bright for Garnacho at Old Trafford, but with Marcus Rashford generally playing in his favoured left-wing position, he may have to be content with cameo appearances and starts in cup competitions for now.
With the highly-skilled talent still being so young, there is plenty of time for him to grow into a regular starter in a United squad where competition for places is growing.
Already, he seems to have leapfrogged older players such as Anthony Elanga and Facundo Pellistri in the pecking order, with a fresh challenge coming in the form of the returning Jadon Sancho.
The Red Devils are now on the fringes of the title race and look assured of Champions League football next season, which will enable them to further improve their options in attack.
The good news for Garnacho is that his many attributes mean Ten Hag will continue to give him opportunities from the bench against tiring defences.
Right now, he is making the most of those chances.
The Glazers have been deeply unpopular among supporters throughout their time as custodians, but new ownership appears to be on the horizon.
British billionaire Ratcliffe, a United fan, registered an interest publicly last August having failed in a last-gasp bid to buy Chelsea three months earlier.
Ratcliffe is seemingly aiming to be in the running from the start this time, with the 70-year-old â who also owns Ligue 1 club Nice â the first come forward as a prospective buyer.
“We have formally put ourselves into the process,” an INEOS spokesperson said.
Ratcliffe has a net worth of $15.5billion (ÂŁ12.7billion), according to Forbes, having made most of his fortune since founding chemicals giant INEOS in 1998.
The process to purchase Manchester United from the Glazer family has begun with Jim Ratcliffe’s company, INEOS.
In November, the Glazers declared they were looking into “strategic alternatives” for United.
The potential for additional investment in the Premier League club or “a sale” were two of the ideas mentioned at the time.
Malcolm Glazer acquired his initial interest in United in September 2003 and eventually completed a contentious leveraged buyout of the company in 2005.
Due to the fact that a large portion of the money necessary to close the acquisition was borrowed against the assets of the club, his takeover left United deeply in debt.
Manchester United struck twice in the space of four minutes late on to snatch a dramatic and controversial 2-1 derby win over Manchester City on Saturday.
Jack Grealish looked to have headed City to a crucial victory in their pursuit of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League when he came off the bench to head home on the hour at Old Trafford.
But United responded to claim a hotly-contested equaliser through Bruno Fernandes after Marcus Rashford was deemed by VAR not to be interfering with play despite racing towards the ball from an offside position.
City reacted furiously and failed to regroup after play restarted, allowing Rashford to poke home a winner from an Alejandro Garnacho cross eight minutes from time.
It was Rashfordâs eighth goal in his last seven appearances and lifted United to within a point of title-chasing City, whose recent indifferent spell after their midweek Carabao Cup exit continued.
The result means Arsenal can now move eight points clear at the summit if they win their own derby contest against Tottenham on Sunday.
The drama of the closing minutes was a far cry from the pedestrian nature of the first half, when City were sloppy in possession and unable to stamp their usual authority on the game.
That encouraged United and it was they who had the gameâs chance when Bernardo Silva lost possession and Fernandes shot wide from a Christian Eriksen pass.
United threatened again as Anthony Martial broke clear but his ball into the box took a ricochet and Joao Cancelo prevented the in-form Rashford from shooting.
City struggled to get their key forwards, notably Erling Haaland, into the game but the Norwegian but did get an opening as United failed to clear one attack, only for Casemiro to block his powerful strike.
That was a rare opportunity for City. As the first half wore on, United began to look the stronger but were unable to make the most of their attacks.
Rashford beat the outrushing Ederson on one break but was forced wide and Manuel Akanji blocked his shot. On another occasion Rashford was let down by a heavy touch and Ederson gathered.
United looked concerned when Rashford went down with what appeared a hip injury just before the interval but he was able to continue.
The half ended with Kyle Walker curling a speculative effort wide from distance.
City began to show more urgency after the break and the game opened up.
It still took a change from City to make the difference after Grealish replaced the ineffective Phil Foden after 57 minutes.
Moments later Grealish found himself in the right place as Kevin De Bruyne reached the byline and pulled back a cross for the England midfielder to head home from close range.
The real drama was still to come and United levelled on 78 minutes in controversial circumstances.
Rashford was clearly offside as he raced onto a long ball from Casemiro but he opted not to take a touch and Fernandes swept home.
City surrounded the officials in response but, after a delay for a VAR check, the goal was given.
United sensed their opportunity and Rashford did the damage after Garnacho delivered a low ball across goal at the second attempt.
On Saturday at Old Trafford, Manchester City will want to register a significant victory for Pep Guardiola by defeating Manchester United for the fourth time in a row.
In a remarkable career filled with trophies, Guardiola will manage his 500th match in the highly anticipated derby.
For the City manager, it will be more crucial that his team wins because it would reduce the gap between them and Premier League leaders Arsenal, who play in their own derby against Tottenham on Sunday, to only two points.
When the two teams played at the Etihad Stadium in October, the Red Devils were trounced 6-3 despite Guardiola’s team having defeated their arch rivals twice the season before.
Fourth-placed United are flying under Erik ten Hag, though, and a win over City â who suffered a shock EFL Cup defeat to Southampton on Wednesday â would leave them only a point behind their neighbours.
Stats Perform has used Opta data to preview a huge derby showdown.
Another huge milestone for Pep
Guardiola has long since established himself as one of the best managers in the world, achieving great success with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and City.
He took charge of 152 LaLiga games during his Barca tenure, 102 in the Bundesliga with dominant Bayern and this will be his 246th Premier League match as City boss.
Guardiola has won 379 of the 499 top-flight encounters he has overseen, suffered 52 defeats and drawn 68 games.
With a win percentage rate of 76, he has the most victories and highest win rate – for managers who have taken charge of at least 100 games – of any boss in Europe’s big-five leagues since his first top-flight season in 2008-09.
Ten Hag has lifted the gloom and there is more of an air of optimism at Old Trafford, with United having won eight consecutive games in all competitions.
Since and including their win over Liverpool on August 22, no team has earned more Premier League points than United’s tally of 35, winning 11 of their 15 games during that time.
The Red Devils have won all three Premier League games since the World Cup without conceding a goal and reached the EFL Cup semi-finals with a 3-0 win over Charlton Athletic on Tuesday.
City to add insult to injury by breaking scoring record?
Erling Haaland and Phil Foden scored hat-tricks as City put United to the sword just over three months ago.
Guardiola’s men could break their record for the number of goals scored against United in a season, which stands at eight established by 5-0 and 3-2 victories way back in the 1954-55 campaign.
The most goals the Red Devils have conceded against an opponent in a Premier League season is nine against Liverpool in 2021-22.
Rashford can do no wrong
Marcus Rashford can do no wrong at the minute, scoring in every game since the World Cup.
He came off the bench to help himself to a late double in the win over Charlton, making it seven goals in six matches since returning from England duty in Qatar.
Rashford, who found the back of the net twice for the Three Lions in the World Cup, has scored 15 times this season for United â who are certainly not missing Cristiano Ronaldo.
Manchester United and Chelseaare reportedly considering a move for Southampton right-back Kyle Walker-Peters.
According to talkSPORT, the Red Devils are on the lookout for a replacement for Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who could be allowed to leave this month.
The Blues are also on the hunt for reinforcements at right-back with Reece Jamesâ injury problems affecting their form this term.
Walker-Peters, 25, is believed to be an ideal option for both outfits to fill the gap in that position.
Erik ten Hag wants strong competition for current first choice Diogo Dalot, while the Saints man is suited to Graham Potterâs style of play having featured at wing-back on several occasions.
The natural right-sider showcased his versatility last night after playing at both left-back and right wing-back during his sideâs superb 2-0 Carabao Cup quarter-final win over Manchester City.
He is one of the best performers of a difficult season for lowly Saints, starting all 14 Premier League games he has been available for this term and scoring once.
The South Coast club are aware they face a battle to keep hold of the two-cap England international after talks over a new contract stalled.
Former employers Tottenham are also said to be keeping tabs on the Londoner’s situation though it is unclear whether he would be open to returning to Spurs.
If Manchester City exhibits the same level of play that saw them knocked from the Carabao Cup, Pep Guardiola claims they “don’t have a chance” to defeat rival Manchester United this weekend.
For Wednesday’s quarterfinal match at Southampton, City started with players like Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, and Ederson among their replacements, and they paid the price with a 2-0 loss.
Sekou Mara gave the Saints the lead by beating Kyle Walker to a cross, and Moussa Djenepo added a second goal just before halftime by taking advantage of Stefan Ortega’s poor positioning.
De Bruyne and Haaland were substituted in during the break as part of a triple substitution, but City went the whole second half without a shot on goal for the first time this season.
Next up for City is a trip to in-form United in the league on Saturday, and Guardiola accepts a big improvement is needed from his side at Old Trafford.
“It’s a different competition, but of course if we perform in this way we don’t have a chance,” he said in his post-match press conference. “I know the momentum they have.
“For many years they’re looking forward to being in this position. We know exactly what to do to play better and we’re going to try to do it.”
Asked about his decision to leave out Haaland and De Bruyne for a second game running, Guardiola said: “Who knows if with Erling and Kevin it would have been different?
“But when you play for four competitions it’s important to use every player in the squad.”
For the third time in 30 games under Guardiola, who has won the EFL Cup four times in seven seasons, City was defeated before the end of the 90-minute mark.
The defeat, City’s fourth in 28 games this season, came just three days after an outstanding display that saw off Chelsea 4-0 in the FA Cup third round.
Guardiola acknowledges that his team’s two-goal loss at St. Mary’s Stadium could not be criticized.
“It was a bad night. I know them quite well. We didn’t get close to what we are,” he said. “Three days after facing Chelsea… I’ve nothing to say.
“They were better, we congratulate them and accept it. We have to be prepared every single game when you play for Manchester City. Today we were not.”
City defeated United 6-3 when the sides last met in October and are seeking a Premier League double over the Red Devils in a single season for the sixth time ever.
Ilkay Gundogan, who played the full 90 minutes against Southampton, is hoping the cup setback can spark some life into City heading into the derby.
“There’s no room for any mistakes [against United], or for any poor performances like today,” he told the club’s official website.
“Hopefully, if there is something good we can take out of this game today, it was something like a wake-up call at the right time.
“Even though it is sad and disappointing to be out of this cup, hopefully, at the end, in a few weeks we can at least look back and take something good out of this game.”
In the Carabao Cup semifinals, Manchester United will play Nottingham Forest, and Newcastle United will play Southampton.
Having defeated third-tier Charlton Athletic 3-0 in the round of eight, Erik ten Hag’s team will now head to the City Ground for the first leg of their two-game semifinal matchup as United looks to win its first trophy since 2017.
Forest has struggled in the Premier League as they fight to stay up, but they defeated Wolves on penalties on Wednesday following a 1-1 draw to move closer to the Wembley Stadium championship final.
Newcastle advanced to the competition’s semifinals for the first time since 1976 with a 2-0 victory over Leicester City. They will now travel to Southampton, the bottom team in the Premier League, for the first leg.
Only West Ham and Manchester United have defeated Pep Guardiola’s City in the EFL Cup, while Nathan Jones’ team defeated Manchester City in an improbable 2-0 quarterfinal victory (twice).
Marcus Rashford kept up his impressive scoring pace as his two goals in stoppage time gave Manchester United a 3-0 Carabao Cup quarterfinal win over Charlton of the Sky Bet League One.
After Antony’s first-half goal gave United the lead, Rashford scored twice in stoppage time to end the game. This was his sixth consecutive encounter with a goal.
As of early November, it was their eighth straight victory, and they secured a spot in their third League Cup semifinal in four years.
Erik ten Hag, a demanding manager, won’t be lavishing praise after this performance, either, as his drastically altered team was pushed hard at Old Trafford by the third-tier Addicks.
In fact, they weren’t able to secure their triumph at the very end until Ten Hag had added big guns Rashford, Casemiro, and Christian Eriksen.
Although they have won eight of their last twelve games and 11 of their last 12, they will face a considerably tougher test on Saturday when they face off in the Manchester derby.
The Addicks, managed by diehard United fan Dean Holden, can take pride in their performance and as they now concentrate on mounting a League One play-off push in the second half of the season.
It might have been even more convincing for the hosts had they taken one of the early chances that the prodigious talent Alejandro Garnacho created.
The Spaniard made an opening for Diogo Dalot after cutting inside from the byline, but the defender blazed over from a good position.
Garnacho then twice tried to go on his own as he had his marker Sean Clare on toast, first cutting in and then fizzing a shot just wide before a jinking run into the penalty area ended with him dragging a shot wide.
But it was from the right where United forged their 21st-minute opener.
They worked the ball well out to Antony, who made space on his preferred left foot and then sent a curling effort past Ashley Maynard-Brewer and into the top corner.
The hosts were within inches of doubling their lead 10 minutes before the break when Fredâs 30-yard free-kick crashed into a post, with Maynard-Brewer a bystander.
Charlton, roared on by 10,000 travelling supporters, had battled hard and enjoyed their best period of the game heading into the interval as Albie Morgan whipped a free-kick wide and then Tom Heaton had to claim Clareâs low cross with Corey Blackett-Taylor waiting to pounce.
They started the second half strongly as well and their golden opportunity came 76 seconds after the restart as Scott Fraser latched on to Miles Leaburnâs flick-on but put his left-footed shot over.
Anthony Elanga had a goal ruled out for a clear offside but it was Charlton who continued to press their illustrious hosts and, such was their impact, Ten Hag introduced Rashford, Casemiro and Eriksen on the hour mark.
That experienced trio helped United gain control of the match and they created some chances to kill the game off as Garnacho brought a flying save from Maynard-Brewer, who also got down low to keep out Eriksenâs effort.
United eventually got the second that made the game safe in the 90th minute as debutant Facundo Pellistri teed up Rashford and the in-form forward added a second after being played through by Casemiro.
Harry Maguire has been encouraged to leave Manchester United by Rio Ferdinand because he feels Erik ten Hag has treated him disrespectfully after the World Cup.
This season, the England international has made just six starts in all competitions, including just one out of every five games since making his comeback from the World Cup.
Instead, Ten Hag has chosen to play left-back Luke Shaw outside of his position in the center of defense amid rumors that Maguire is drawing attention from Aston Villa for a transfer.
Ferdinand expects the limited opportunities to continue, thus he thinks Maguire’s top aim in the mid-season window should be an escape.
“If you’re [Maguire], you have to leave now. Luke Shawâs playing centre-back instead of him,” Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel, Vibe With Five.
“That’s like me going back after the World Cup, playing well, everyone saying he’s done really well, and Patrice Evra is playing centre-back.
“I’d want to strangle Patrice! I would’ve smashed Patrice in training to make sure he’s not available, and I’d be going to the manager and saying, ‘are you taking the p*** out of me, boss?’.
“I’d have walked straight into the manager’s office and said, ‘you’re disrespecting me’. Harry Maguire’s got to move.
“I think he stays because of the games, and they canât get someone else in. He plays in the cup games.”
United host Charlton Athletic in the EFL Cup on Tuesday ahead of a huge clash against arch-rivals Manchester City in the Premier League on Saturday.
According to reports, Manchester United and Al-Nassr of Saudi Arabia have agreed to loan out striker Vincent Aboubakar for the rest of the season.
After terminating Cristiano Ronaldo’s contract in November of last year, Man United is looking to add a new center forward. Ronaldo has since teamed up with Aboubakar at Al-Nassr.
Aboubakar has been with Al-Nassr for the past 18 months and has scored 13 goals in 39 appearances for the Middle Eastern club in all competitions, including four goals in 12 games so far this season.
Aboubakar’s availability has ‘alarmed’ Man United, and Al-Nassr is willing to let the 30-year-old player go on loan.
Following Ronaldo’s arrival, Al-Nassr reached the number of non-Saudi Arabian players allowed in their first-team squad, and they are unable to sign the five-time Ballon d’Or winner until one of their remaining seven foreign players leaves the club.
Man United and Turkish powerhouse Fenerbahce have an agreement in place to sign Aboubakar on loan in January, according to Saudi Arabian news site OKAZ. The Cameroonian is anticipated to prefer a move to the Premier League.
Wout Weghorst might be making a surprise move to Manchester United in January, but Besiktas won’t let go of the Dutch international without a fight.
After scoring the second goal in the Turkish club’s 2-1 Super Lig victory over Kasimpasa on Saturday, the 30-year-old looked to wave goodbye to the supporters. Cenk Tosun, a former Everton striker, scored the first goal.
According to reports, United is interested in temporarily signing Weghorst from Burnley, who is now on loan to Besiktas, until the end of the current campaign.
Erik ten Hag, the manager of United, has indicated a need for a striker, and Weghorst is an unexpected pick.
Besiktas manager Senol Gunes said after the Kasimpasa game: “I have not seen Wout Weghorst’s move and I do not know. I cannot speak about what I do not know.
“Wout plays from the heart. He contributes. I do not find it appropriate to talk about someone’s future, there is no such thing on our agenda.”
He added: “Weghorst is an important player for us. It’s not enough to say goodbye to the crowd to say goodbye. He has to talk to the club as well.”
Besiktas would be reluctant to see Weghorst go, believing they struck a deal with Burnley that would keep him at the Istanbul club for the duration of the season.
They would be seeking compensation, according to sporting director Ceyhun Kazanci.
He told broadcaster NTV: “I don’t understand why Weghorst said goodbye to the fans, why he made such a move. He is our football player now. There is no clause in our contract with Burnley that includes returning or leaving at half-time. Our contract ends at the end of the season.”
Kazanci added that Burnley would need to sound out Besiktas about any change to the loan agreement.
“If we accept, the contract will be terminated,” he said. “Otherwise, he won’t be able to go anywhere until the end of the season.”
Weghorst struggled to make an impact in the Premier League with Burnley in a short spell last season, after a previous prolific time at Wolfsburg in the German Bundesliga.
The 6ft 6in target man came to global prominence at the World Cup, scoring twice as a substitute in the quarter-final against Argentina before the Netherlands were ousted on penalties.
An alleged homophobic shout heard during Manchester United’s FA Cup match against Everton is being looked into by the Football Association (FA).
At Old Trafford on Friday, United defeated their fellow Premier League team 3-1 to advance to the fourth round.
Homophobic chants were heard from some home fans, who were believed to be targeting Everton manager Frank Lampard.
Following the game, the FA acknowledged that it is looking into the situation in a statement.
“We continue to work closely with the Crown Prosecution Service, as well as the UK Football Policing Unit, in relation to the use of this term,” the statement read.
“Part of our work in this area has been to provide the relevant authorities with impact statements from LGBTQ+ supporters, detailing how chants of this nature affects their experience and feeling of inclusion at football matches, so that a clearer stance and understanding on the chant can be established.
“We stand firmly against all forms of discrimination and we are striving to ensure our game is a safe environment for all, which truly embraces diversity and challenges hateful conduct both on and off the pitch.”
After Antony’s early goal, Conor Coady pulled Everton even, but the defender subsequently buried the ball in his own net before Marcus Rashford’s late penalty gave United the victory.
United also denounced the yelling from their supporters in a widely circulated statement they made on Friday.
“Homophobia, like all forms of discrimination, has no place in football,” the statement read. “Manchester United is proud of our diverse fan base and the work we have done to reduce instances like we sadly heard today.
“We will continue to campaign for inclusivity and to tackle discriminatory abuse whether inside stadiums or online. This includes working with fan groups to educate fans on the offence which discriminatory language causes.”
The incident comes less than a week on from Nottingham Forest launching an investigation into allegations of homophobic chanting directed at Chelsea fans in a 1-1 draw.
With a 3-1 victory over Everton, Marcus Rashford scored his fifth goal in as many games and assisted on two more, advancing Manchester United into the FA Cup’s fourth round.
Conor Coady, who scored the equalizer for Everton, converted a pass into his own goal in the second half after Rashford had set up Antony’s early goal.
Then, in stoppage time, after Ben Godfrey fouled Alejandro Garnacho, Rashford continued his streak of goals by forcing Jordan Pickford’s save.
For the first time since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer served as interim manager in 2019, United achieved seven straight victories in all competitions despite not being particularly brutal and being thankful to have a potential Dominic Calvert-Lewin equalizer disallowed for a tenuous offside ruling.
With the pressure mounting on Frank Lampard following Tuesday’s 4-1 loss to Brighton, Everton found solace in an improved performance. They are now 18th in the Premier League.
In a strong lineup for his first FA Cup appearance, Erik ten Hag chose Luke Shaw at center back, leaving Lisandro Martinez, who hasn’t played since Argentina’s World Cup group stage match against Mexico on November 26, on the bench with Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof.
After the horror show of Tuesday night, Lampard reverted to the 3-5-2 system used to frustrate Manchester City last weekend, while Neal Maupay replaced Calvert-Lewin in attack.
The 9,000 travelling Everton fans arrived in Manchester still fuming over their latest capitulation, the first chant of âsack the boardâ coming 15 minutes before kick-off, and their mood did not improve as United snatched the lead just four minutes in thanks to more dismal defending.
Anthony Martial and Rashford combined well to allow the England man to roll in a low cross from the left, but Antony was almost ignored as he raced clear to poke in at the far post.
Everton, devoid of confidence, gifted United further chances through careless passing. Martial flashed a shot wide after a lazy Pickford clearance, while Antony should have been in again soon after but failed to capitalise.
However, Everton remarkably equalised 14 minutes in. Amadou Onana shrugged Casemiro aside to collect the ball inside the United box and found the run of Maupay. His low cross should have been routine for David De Gea, but the goalkeeper inexplicably let it bobble between his legs before Coady stabbed it in.
United tried to reassert their authority but Pickford was out smartly to deny Martial, who then saw another shot blocked by James Tarkowski, and Unitedâs early threat seemed to ebb.
Everton were hit by injury a minute into the second half as Alex Iwobi seemed to turn his ankle when tackled by Tyrell Malacia, leaving the pitch on a stretcher with his hands covering his face. Despite the long delay, replacement Abdoulaye Doucoure was somehow still tying his boot laces as play resumed.
And it got worse for the visitors moments later as Rashford cut in from the left and drove into the Everton box, beating Seamus Coleman to send in a low ball which Coady turned into his own net.
United fans, expecting their side to finish the job comfortably, chanted âYouâre getting sacked in the morningâ at Lampard â but Everton were not done yet.
Doucoureâs charge into the box was halted by Raphael Varane but the ball rolled to Coleman, who forced De Gea to parry a dangerous cross before Vitalii Mykalenkoâs effort was blocked.
Everton thought they had levelled in the 73rd minute when substitute Dominic Calvert-Lewin chested in Grayâs cross from point-blank range, but VAR intervened to rule it offside.
Unitedâs third came in added time as substitute Garnacho raced at goal, drawing the foul from Godfrey and allowing Rashford to send Pickford the wrong way from the spot and keep his goalscoring run going.
Marcus Rashford was dropped from Manchester United‘s starting XI for Saturday’s trip to Wolves due to “internal disciplinary” reasons.
The England forward has been in great form for United this season and looked particularly sharp since returning from the World Cup.
He scored in each of United’s first two games after Qatar 2022, while he also got an assist in the 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Tuesday.
Manager Erik ten Hag has managed to get the best out of the 25-year-old after a particularly disappointing 2021-22 campaign, but something behind the scenes has put an obstacle in Rashford’s path.
Asked why he removed Rashford from the team after looking so lively in United’s two previous games, Ten Hag told BT Sport: “Internal disciplinary. No [details]. Our rules.
“Now focus on the game. He is in very good form and no-one can play all the games.”
Alejandro Garnacho was the one to benefit from Rashford being dropped, with the 19-year-old lining up in attack with Antony and Anthony Martial.
Luke Shaw kept his place at centre-back despite both Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire being fit enough to take places alongside Rashford on the bench.
Also among United’s substitutes is talented 17-year-old midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, who will make his senior debut if he comes on.
World Cup winner Lisandro Martinez is still absent despite returning to training this week; Diogo Dalot â who is also yet to feature since the World Cup â misses out again as well.
Anthony Martial thinks Manchester United have plenty of reason for optimism ahead of the second half of the season, praising the “great dynamic” instilled by Erik ten Hag.
The Red Devils have enjoyed something of a resurgence under the Dutchman following a dismal 2021-22 campaign, mounting a charge for the top four once again.
With a quarter-final berth in the EFL Cup secured, United next face Nottingham Forest on Tuesday as they resume their Premier League season following the break for the World Cup in Qatar.
Martial, who has been limited by injury so far but nevertheless has picked up four goals in eight games, certainly believes there is cause to believe the club can succeed this term under Ten Hag.
“Why not?” he told MUTV. “We’ve [got] a very good team of players, with a great dynamic about us and lots of victories under our belt.
“We now just to have keep on [with] those winning ways we have shown in these recent matches.
“There has been some time for rest, so we hope we will return in good shape for the challenges ahead, and to win all the matches we can.”
While several members of United’s squad – including the central defensive trio of Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire – enjoyed deep World Cup runs, Martial was absent after France passed him over.
But the forward feels those left behind have used their time wisely to ensure they can hit the ground running as 2023 comes around the corner.
“We’ve put in a lot of good work, and it has been a bit like a pre-season for us,” he added. “We’ve worked on fitness training and getting into top shape physically, and I’ve benefited a lot from that personally.”
Manchester United have triggered one-year extension clauses in the contracts of Marcus Rashford, Luke Shaw, Diogo Dalot and Fred, Erik ten Hag has confirmed.
With United three points adrift of the Premier League’s top four with a game in hand ahead of the competition’s resumption, each of the quartet has played a key role for Ten Hag’s side.
In particular, Rashford has looked rejuvenated since the Dutchman took charge, leading the Red Devils’ scoring charts with four Premier League goals this term and netting three times for England at the World Cup.
Rashford’s deal had been due to expire at the end of the season, leading the forward to be linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain, but Ten Hag has confirmed the 25-year-old is set to stay.
Asked about widespread reports claiming United had extended the players’ contracts, the United boss told MUTV: “Yes, I can confirm it.
“We are happy because the squad is going in the right direction and those players [have made] a massive contribution in that direction.
“We want to develop, we want to support those players and we want them to keep in our process, so that’s why we came to those decisions, I’m sure they are the right decisions.
“We want to construct a team for the future, for longer years, and those players have to be part of it.”
United will resume their Premier League campaign against Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford on Tuesday, having won four of their last five home games in the competition (D1).
The Red Devils have won each of their last six games against Forest in all competitions, recording an 8-1 victory in the teams’ most recent meeting in February 1999.
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