Tag: Manchester United

Categories
football Slides Sports News

MOHAMED SALAH NETS HATRICK AS RAMPANT LIVERPOOL CLAIM RECORD WIN AT MAN UNITED

Mohamed Salah scored a hat-trick as Manchester United were ripped apart by relentless rivals Liverpool to leave Ole Gunnar Solskjaer under the most intense scrutiny of his near three years in charge.

The 202nd meeting of two of English football’s biggest rivals will live long in the memory after Jurgen Klopp’s men ran amok and recorded the club’s biggest ever win at Old Trafford.

Liverpool were as impressive as United were poor, with scintillating Salah’s treble complementing early goals from Naby Keita and Diogo Jota in a 5-0 rout in which substitute Paul Pogba was sent off.

Sir Alex Ferguson was seen shaking his head in disbelief after the fifth goal, with the visiting fans chanting Solskjaer’s name during an embarrassing display that will test the Old Trafford hierarchy’s support of their manager.

Never before in Premier League history had United gone into half-time four goals behind, but their consistently poor defence was punished by Liverpool as Keita and Jota scored before two Salah strikes.

A cacophony of boos met the half-time whistle and the Egyptian magician completed his hat-trick five minutes after the restart, with Pogba’s red card for a poor tackle on Keita compounding matters.

Liverpool were unable to add anymore and Cristiano Ronaldo saw a goal ruled out for offside in a second half that ended with empty seats and jeers, 10 years and a day since the 6-1 home loss to Manchester City.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

UCL: LAST-GASP CRISTIANO RONALDO HEADER COMPLETES STUNNING MANCHESTER UNITED COMEBACK

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s comeback kings did it again as Cristiano Ronaldo secured Manchester United a thrilling 3-2 victory in a breathless Champions League clash with Atalanta.

There was intense scrutiny on the 1999 treble hero and his players heading into the Group F encounter after Saturday’s embarrassing loss at Leicester compounded recent poor performances.

United were staring down the barrel of a fifth loss in eight matches and were booed by some fans as they trudged off at half-time trailing by two goals, only for Solskjaer’s side to storm back memorably at Old Trafford.

Marcus Rashford struck on his first start since the Europa League final and Harry Maguire lashed home a leveller, setting up a box-office finish that Ronaldo delivered with a powerful header from Luke Shaw’s cross.

The victory provided a much-needed shot in the arm for United, who moved top of the group and welcome rivals Liverpool to Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

The stirring second-half comeback displayed the best of Solskjaer’s side but they have plenty of room for improvement, notably at the back after Mario Pasalic and Merih Demiral capitalised on poor defending in the first half.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

HARRY MAGUIRE CLOSING IN ON MANCHESTER UNITED RETURN

Harry Maguire expects to be back in action for Manchester United in the near future.

The centre-back has missed United’s last two games with a calf injury and was unavailable for England’s World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Hungary.

He is again set to be absent for Saturday’s Premier League trip to former club Leicester but hopes to return to training soon.

The 28-year-old told the club’s website: “It’s getting there. I still haven’t trained yet with the squad, but I am getting better, I am progressing as I should be.

“It is obviously a frustrating injury for me to get, but I am progressing, and I will be back on the pitch soon.”

Both of United’s first-choice centre-halves are currently injured with Raphael Varane having sustained a groin problem while on international duty with France. He is expected to be sidelined for a few weeks.

On a more positive note for United, Marcus Rashford and Phil Jones have both trained throughout the international break having stepped up their recoveries from long-term injuries. Both could come into contention for this weekend’s game at the King Power Stadium.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

RASHFORD RECEIVES HONORARY DEGREE FOLLOWING CHILD POVERTY CAMPAIGNS

Football star Marcus Rashford has said it felt “bittersweet” collecting his honorary degree for tackling child poverty the day after the Universal Credit uplift was retracted in the UK.

The England player used his speech at the University of Manchester ceremony at Old Trafford to highlight how the government’s cut meant “millions of families across the UK lost a lifeline”.

At 23 years old, the Manchester United forward became the youngest recipient of an honorary doctorate from the university, rewarding his campaign against child poverty.

Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who also has an honorary degree from the university, joined Mr Rashford’s friends and family to see him receive the award from vice-chancellor Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell.

Speaking at the ceremony donned in a red, maroon and gold graduation gown with a doctorate cap, Mr Rashford also urged politicians to get “out into communities” like his home town of Wythenshawe in south Manchester.

He said: “To be here in the presence of a great such as Sir Alex, and those who have played a huge role in my journey to be where I am today is special.

“I’m here to receive my honorary doctorate for my workaround child poverty.

“Yesterday, millions of families across the UK lost a lifeline and a means of staying afloat.

“A move that could see child poverty rise to one in three children. For that reason, today is bittersweet.

“It’s time that representatives got out into communities like mine.

“It’s time they saw first-hand the true measure of struggle. Covid-19 can no longer be used as an excuse.”

The University of Manchester announced Mr Rashford would receive the accolade in July last year, but postponed the in-person ceremony because of the pandemic.

On presenting Mr Rashford with his degree, Dame Nancy said: “Marcus is an exceptional young man who continues to demonstrate a sense of community and generosity that goes well beyond his years.

“Our university also has social responsibility at its core, and we are extremely proud to share these values with Marcus.

“It really is an honour to finally present him with this well-deserved award on behalf of our institution.

“His ongoing charity work and high-profile campaigns not only help millions of people across the country, but inspire many more to try and make a difference themselves. Long may it continue.”

Mr Rashford waged a high-profile campaign last year to persuade the UK government to provide free meals to vulnerable youngsters in England throughout the school holidays during the coronavirus pandemic, forcing British prime minister Boris Johnson into a U-turn.

He has backed several child food poverty incentives and became the youngest person to top The Sunday Times Giving List by raising £20 million (€17 million) in donations from supermarkets for groups tackling the issue.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

GLAZER FAMILY PUT 9.5 MILLION MANCHESTER UNITED SHAREE UP FOR SALE

Manchester United’s owners have put 9.5 million shares in the club up for sale.

The club announced the stock, worth £137.12million, would be made available via the New York Stock Exchange.

A statement said the Premier League club “will not receive any proceeds from the sale of any… shares”.

The shares listed are in the names of directors Kevin Glazer and Edward Glazer and represent around eight per cent of the owning family’s combined ownership.

The announcement comes after another of the family, Avram Glazer, sold £70million of shares in March. United did not receive anything from that sale.

The latest development comes amid continuing fall-out following the failure of the European Super League project, in which the Glazers were heavily involved, earlier this year.

United and 11 other leading European clubs threatened to break away to form their own rival competition to the Champions League.

It quickly collapsed after being hit by a wave of fan, sporting and political opposition.

That then brought the turbulent relationship between United supporters and the Glazers, which has existed since the Americans took control in 2005, back to the fore.

In response the Glazers promised to engage more with supporters and said some shares would be made available to fans.

Categories
football Sports News

ANDROS TOWNSEND STRIKE EARNS EVERTON A POINT AT MANCHESTER UNITED

Andros Townsend secured Everton a deserved point at Manchester United as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men stumbled into the international break.

Just three days on from Cristiano Ronaldo’s stoppage-time winner against Villarreal, the Red Devils were back in action and looking to build some much-needed momentum.

Anthony Martial’s first United goal in eight months put Solskjaer’s men on course for victory, only for Townsend to secure Rafael Benitez’s Everton a 1-1 draw and frustrate the Old Trafford faithful.

Cristiano Ronaldo was surprisingly named on the bench on Saturday lunchtime, with the United boss plumping for five changes having been made to sweat in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Solskjaer bemoaned the Saturday lunchtime scheduling of this Premier League fixture but his side pulled ahead as Martial scored his first club goal since February. The forward’s relief was palpable.

It was a well-constructed goal cancelled out by a fine Everton break involving Demarai Gray, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Townsend, who replicated Ronaldo’s celebration after firing past David De Gea.

Everton thought they had snatched victory late on, only for Yerry Mina’s goal to be rightly ruled out by the video assistant referee for offside.

It was a poor end to a match that United had begun brightly, with Martial wasting a great early chance when heading a fine Aaron Wan-Bissaka cross off target.

But Everton settled after an uncomfortable start and Michael Keane met Townsend’s free-kick from the right with a glancing header just wide.

It was an even, entertaining encounter and Jordan Pickford prevented the hosts pulling ahead in the 21st minute after Edinson Cavani met a Fred cross with a firm downward header.

Mason Greenwood was looking lively and saw a long-range drive comfortably stopped, but Everton were having chances of their own.

Salomon Rondon and Townsend saw efforts blocked, before Gray turned Scott McTominay, ghosted past Fred and hit a driven 20-yard effort that De Gea denied with a strong one-handed stop.

Wan-Bissaka blocked a Doucoure strike when the visitors next countered, but United wrested back control as half-time approached and took the lead through a quality move.

McTominay showed impressive awareness to play into Greenwood, who swept over for Bruno Fernandes to kill the ball and play onto an overlapping Martial.

The France attacker opened up his body and fired a right-footed strike past Pickford, with his name sung from that point up until half-time.

Greenwood saw a shot from distance held by Pickford in a comparatively quiet start to the second period, with Solskjaer turning to substitutes Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho in the 57th minute.

The duo added renewed intensity to United’s attack but Everton had been a threat on the break all day and caught United from their own corner in the 65th minute.

Fred was all too easily outmuscled by Gray and played into Doucoure, who followed good footwork with a pass out to Townsend.

The winger hit a low right-footed drive past statuesque De Gea and brought out the Ronaldo celebration in front of the visiting support.

Paul Pogba replaced Fred shortly after the equaliser as United looked to pull back ahead.

Sancho and Ronaldo linked up before the latter flashed across the face of goal, with Pogba swinging a curling 20-yard effort wide as the match entered the closing stages.

Pogba headed wide from a corner, only for Everton to celebrate a goal from one at the other end in the 85th minute.

United cleared the initial set piece but Ben Godfrey coolly put Tom Davies behind the backline, directing across for Mina to tap home.

The towering defender ran off to the corner, where his celebratory dance was made to look a little foolish as the video assistant referee rule out the goal for offside.

Sancho mishit a late effort from a Ronaldo flick as the match ended level.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

SOLSKJAER FRUSTRATED WITH LUNCH TIME KICK-OFF AGAINST EVERTON

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants his Manchester United players to carry the momentum of Wednesday’s Champions League win over Villarreal into Saturday’s clash with Everton – but voiced frustration that the two games are so close together.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s stoppage-time strike at Old Trafford saw United come from behind to register their first points of this season’s Champions League campaign.

Having lost three of four games going into the fixture, United might have wanted to bottle that feeling at full-time and move quickly on to the next one. Just not, Solskjaer said, quite as quickly as this.

“The boost and energy you get in the group after a win like this has to be built on,” he said.

“It’s a very, very quick turnaround, Wednesday night and Saturday morning, but the players are not going to get caught out by it and we need to start as we finished on Wednesday night.”

Solskjaer’s frustrations are nothing new. United faced an even more difficult situation against Everton last season when they played away in Turkey in the Champions League on the Wednesday night, losing 2-1 to Basaksehir, but flying home and winning 3-1 at Goodison Park in the Saturday lunchtime kick-off.

“We had no explanation, but it’s TV of course,” Solskjaer said. “There’s no common sense at all. We had the same scenario last season when we were in Turkey and came back and played.

“We had that joy last year and we have to make it happen. The crowd are going to have to help us.

Us and Chelsea both played on Wednesday and could have easily played on Sunday while City-Liverpool could have been on Saturday.

“Common sense might not be so common.”

Solskjaer was not the only one feeling frustrated at United, with Donny van de Beek’s despair at a lack of playing time growing as he was left on the bench again on Wednesday night, instead seeing Jesse Lingaard and Fred brought on as substitutes.

Last year’s £40 million signing from Ajax has started only two of nine games this season. Though Solskjaer said there was no problem with the 24-year-old showing some frustration, he warned it could not go too far.

“I’ve been a sub more than anyone at this club probably, and you have to be ready all the time,” he said. “I’ve been unhappy a few times. I understand the frustration. Every player is keen to play, that’s got to be built into energy and determination for when you get on and show me.”

“It’s not just Donny, it’s all players. I’ve got a squad of internationals and if we’re going to be successful we need positive energy, no sulkers.

“Donny has never affected his team-mates negatively. As soon as I see players affecting the team negatively then that’s a different scenario and I’ll probably be firmer.”

Though Harry Maguire will miss the Everton clash and perhaps Luke Shaw too, United got good news on the injury front on Friday as Marcus Rashford took part in full training for the first time since his shoulder surgery, though he still needs time to build up fitness.

“Marcus trained fully for the first time today with contact,” Solskjaer said.

“There were a few tackles flying in on him, but he seemed OK, which was nice to see.”

Categories
football Slides Sports News

MAN UNITED TO APPEAL WAN BISSAKA’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE BAN

Following a statement from manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, released on their official website, Manchester United are set to appeal the recent red card issued to full-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

Wan-Bissaka, 23, was sent off during the Red Devils’ opening Champions League group game against Young Boys last month.

The full-back’s tackle, which saw him shown a contentious straight red, subsequently meant he missed his side’s most recent European fixture against Villarreal.

However, prior to the Red Devils’ home tie against the ‘Yellow Submarine’, it was confirmed that UEFA had increased the 23-year-old’s suspension from one game to two.

The news meant Wan-Bissaka will also miss the Red Devils’ next group fixture against Atalanta, however, following official word from manager Solskjaer, the club plan to appeal the decision.

“[I am] shocked,” Solskjaer told MUTV. “Yeah, we’re going to hand an appeal in of course, because he ends up almost with a three-game ban.

“It’s two-thirds of the game he got sent off in, that one [against Villarreal at Old Trafford], and an extra one.

“If you look at other tackles in the Champions League, I can’t see any reason why he should have two games, or almost three as I said.”

The club ended their communication by stating that although they do not know when they will receive the decision regarding their appeal – they are hopeful they will hear back before they face Atalanta on October 20.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

CRISTIANO RONALDO NOMINATED FOR PREMIER LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE MONTH

Cristiano Ronaldo has been named on the Premier League’s September Player of the Month shortlist.

The 36-year-old’s inclusion comes in his first month back in England’s top flight, where he has made an instant impact with three league goals – including two on his debut against Newcastle.

Ronaldo, who returned to Old Trafford from Juventus in August, also scored in United’s 2-1 victory at West Ham on September 19.

He is one of six players up for the award, alongside compatriot and Manchester City defender Joao Cancelo, Chelsea’s Antonio Rudiger, Allan Saint-Maximin of Newcastle, Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah and Watford’s Ismaila Sarr.

Fans are being encouraged to get involved and select their winner via the EA Sports website, with a deadline of 12pm on Monday, October 4

However, Ronaldo’s goal-scoring exploits have not been solely confined to the Premier League, with the Portuguese netting two goals in two Champions League matches so far this season – including a late winner against Villarreal on Wednesday.

His latest match-winning contribution left Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer singing his praises after the game.

“He’s done that so many times,” Solskjaer said of Ronaldo. “When you saw him against the Republic of Ireland a few weeks ago [for Portugal], he missed a penalty early, didn’t touch the ball more or less and then scored two great headers in the last two minutes.

“That’s just what he’s done throughout his career. He’s so strong mentally. He stays in the game, I’ve seen him all day today, the way he’s built himself up for this game, how focused he’s been and when he gets that one chance, it’s a goal. But a true mark of a very good finisher is that he keeps calm when the chance arrives.

“He’s so good in front of goal and he has an impact on everyone – the crowd, the players, everyone.”

Categories
football Slides Sports News

CRISTIANO RONALDO STRIKES AT THE DEATH TO SNATCH MAN UTD VICTORY OVER VILLAREAL

Cristiano Ronaldo capped his record-breaking Champions League appearance by firing Manchester United to a stunning late comeback win against Europa League final foes Villarreal.

Just four months on from the penalty shoot-out loss to Unai Emery’s side in Gdansk, the sides met again with the Red Devils needing to make up for their shock defeat at Young Boys in the Group F opener.

A disjointed United were staring down the barrel of a third straight home defeat in all competitions when Paco Alcacer deservedly put Villarreal ahead.

But Alex Telles’ sublime volley gave Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side hope and Ronaldo secured a 2-1 win in stoppage time, sending Old Trafford wild on the night he broke Iker Casillas’ all-time Champions League appearances record.

It was a box-office end to his 178th appearance in the competition and a relief to all those connected with United, after David De Gea had to produce some superb saves to keep Villarreal at bay in a one-sided first half.

The Spaniards continued to threaten after the break and finally capitalised on the hosts’ issues defending down the right early in the second period, with Alcacer turning home the impressive Arnaut Danjuma’s cross.

United levelled in stunning fashion soon after with Telles’ rocket from a smart Bruno Fernandes free-kick, but both sides looked to have blown glorious chances to win.

Yet, just as the match looked set to end level, Ronaldo struck in the fifth and final minute of stoppage time, meeting a smart Jesse Lingard touch with an unerring finish from an acute angle.

It was an incredible end to a night that started terribly as Villarreal made life a misery for a backline without Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

United right-back Diogo Dalot had a particularly tough time against fleet-footed Danjuma, who followed an early warning shot with a curling effort that De Gea did well to stop.

Fernandes and Ronaldo had attempts during that period but Villarreal were asking bigger questions.

De Gea tipped over a close-range Alcacer header after Danjuma bamboozled Dalot, who the former Bournemouth player roared past before prodding into the side-netting.

Even watching United fan Usain Bolt would have been impressed by his turn of speed.

The hosts’ poor performance even saw Raphael Varane wobble as the normally unflappable defender misread a long past forward and Alcacer strike narrowly struck wide from the edge of the box.

Alberto Moreno, constantly reminded of his Liverpool connection, came closest for United when directing just wide of his own goal.

Yeremi Pino forced De Gea into another save before the break, with Villarreal deservedly going ahead eight minutes after the restart.

Unsurprisingly the visitors got joy down United’s right-hand side, with Danjuma crossing for Alcacer to turn home from close range.

The goal belatedly sparked Solskjaer’s side into life, with Fernandes flashing a 20-yard effort across the face of goal before he provided the assist for a stunning 60th minute leveller.

The United captain clipped a free-kick from the right up to the edge of the box, where Telles met the ball with a sensational volley that Geronimo Rulli could do nothing to stop

Jadon Sancho slipped at the wrong moment when trying to get a shot away soon after, with Mason Greenwood forcing Villarreal’s goalkeeper into a low stop from a difficult angle.

Solskjaer turned to Edinson Cavani and the introduction nearly brought an immediate reward, only for him to somehow head wide a Greenwood cross.

Villarreal were then wondering how they failed to grab a winner of their own.

De Gea could only push a Moi Gomez strike into the path of Boulaye Dia, with the United goalkeeper instinctively stopping the follow up before Telles blocked the substitute’s next attempt.

Scott McTominay saw a volley saved in stoppage time and Rulli denied Lingard as the clock wound down.

But United do not know when they are beaten and Ronaldo rocked the ground to its foundations when striking home from an acute angle following a deft Lingard touch.