Tag: Man United

  • Man City Defeat Man Utd To Win FA Cup

    Man City Defeat Man Utd To Win FA Cup

    Manchester City are one game away from a historic treble after Ilkay Gundogan scored twice to beat Manchester United 2-1 in the FA Cup final on Saturday.

    Pep Guardiola’s men completed a domestic double at Wembley and can become just the second side, after United in 1998/99, to win the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in the same season should they beat Inter Milan to become European champions for the first time on June 10.

    Gundogan scored the fastest goal in FA Cup final history after just 12 seconds.
    United levelled on 33 minutes through Bruno Fernandes’ penalty after Jack Grealish was harshly penalised for handball.

    But the City captain, in what could be his final game for the club on English soil with his contract expiring at the end of the season, volleyed home the winner six minutes into the second-half.

    “Everyone knows the FA Cup is the most beautiful domestic club competition in the world, so to win this trophy again and complete the double is amazing for us,” said Gundogan.

    “We have a chance to do something special and win the treble and we do not want to let this opportunity pass us by.”

    The first ever major final between the Manchester giants had the most explosive of starts.

  • Man United Appoints Ralf Rangnick as new manager

    Man United Appoints Ralf Rangnick as new manager

    Manchester United have appointed Ralf Rangnick as their new interim manager.

    Man United disclosed this in a statement via their website on Monday.

    Rangnick’s appointment is coming less than 24 hours after Man United played a 1-1 draw with Chelsea in a Premier League tie on Sunday.

    The statement read in part: “Manchester United is delighted to announce the appointment of Ralf Rangnick as interim manager until the end of the season, subject to work visa requirements.

    “Following this period, Ralf and the club have agreed that he will continue in a consultancy role for a further two years.”

    Reacting, John Murtough, Manchester United’s football director, told the club’s website: “Ralf is one of the most respected coaches and innovators in European football. He was our number one candidate for an interim manager, reflecting the invaluable leadership and technical skills he will bring from almost four decades of experience in management and coaching.

    “Everyone at the club is looking forward to working with him during the season ahead, and then for a further two years in his advisory role.”

  • Greenwood extends Man United stay

    Greenwood extends Man United stay

    Mason Greenwood has signed a new contract with Manchester United which will keep him at the club until June 2025, with the option to extend for a further year.

    The 19-year-old academy graduate has been with the club since the age of seven and has gone on to make 82 first-team appearances.

    On the new deal, Greenwood, who is also United’s youngest-ever European goalscorer, said, “When you join the club at seven years old you just dream of playing for the first-team one day.”

    “I’ve worked so hard to reach this level and the last two years have been amazing. I want to thank the academy for everything they have done for me and for their continued support to this day.

    “There is so much that I want to achieve in the game and I know that this is the perfect environment to play my football.

    “With the support from the manager, Kieran (McKenna) and the rest of the coaching staff and so many great players to learn from; I know that I am developing every single day.

    “There is a lot more to come from myself and this team and I am so committed to working week in, week out to help the group achieve success. I want to repay the club for the support that everyone has given me over the years and show everyone just what I am capable of.”

  • Fans reacts as Man United Thrashes Southampton 9-0

    Fans reacts as Man United Thrashes Southampton 9-0

    Manchester United football club of England on Tuesday, February 2, won against Southampton with a heavy 9-0 scoreline, the first time the club will win another club with over 4 goals in the league since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.
     

    The match was a contest for less than two minutes as visiting midfielder Alexandre Jankewitz was shown a straight red card early on for a lunging challenge on Scott McTominay.

    United went on to score four goals in the first half, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Marcus Rashford and Edinson Cavani finding the net. Jan Bednarek also scored an own-goal.

    Five strikes followed in the second as Anthony Martial netted after coming on at the break before goals from Scott McTominay and Bruno Fernandes, and another Martial strike. Daniel James rounded off the scoring.

    Southampton were reduced to 9 men after the referee, Mike Dean had no hesitation in pointing to the penalty spot after Man United’s Martial took a tumble in the box, in close proximity to Saint defender, Jan Bednarek.  Dean then consulted the pitchside monitor to review his decision, and compounded Bednarek’s misery by brandishing his second red card of the evening.

    Southampton player, Adams scored later in the game but the goal was ruled out for the tightest of offsides after a VAR review.

    Manchester United beat Southampton 9-0

    With the win, Manchester United have now set the joint highest win in Premier league history .

    Manchester United beat Southampton 9-0

    The Reds are now level on points with Manchester City ahead of their game against Burnley on Wednesday night, although Pep Guardiola’s side do have two games in hand on the Old Trafford club.


    See some reactions from fans below.

    Manchester United beat Southampton 9-0
    Manchester United beat Southampton 9-0
    Manchester United beat Southampton 9-0
    Manchester United beat Southampton 9-0
    Manchester United beat Southampton 9-0
  • Man United set record in goalless draw against Arsenal

    Man United set record in goalless draw against Arsenal

    Manchester United set a new club record of 18 league away games without defeat after playing out to a goalless draw with Arsenal at Emirates Stadium
    on Saturday.

    However, United’s Premier League title challenge suffered a second setback in four days as they failed to breakdown an under-strength Arsenal.

    United threw away top spot with a shock 2-1 defeat to bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United in midweek and are now three points adrift of league leaders Manchester City having played a game more than their local rivals.

    A point edges eighth-placed Arsenal to within six points of the top four and it was the Gunners who came closest to scoring when Granit Xhaka’s free-kick struck the bar in the second half.

    Unlike the early days of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reign, it is against their traditional top six rivals that the Red Devils’ challenge for a first league title since 2013 has faltered.

    United have still yet to beat any of City, Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea or Arsenal in the league in six attempts this season.

    After winning at Old Trafford three months ago, the Gunners went seven league games without a victory but have bounced back in recent weeks.

    Mikel Arteta’s men are now unbeaten in seven to move back into contention for a top-four finish, but will rue missing their chances in the second half to take all three points despite a number of key absences.

    Two of Arsenal’s most impressive performers this season, Kieran Tierney and Bukayo Saka, were missing through injury, while captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was also absent for the third consecutive game due to his mother suffering from an illness.

    After a tentative start from both sides, Bernd Leno made a brilliant save to deny Fred a clever opener for United as the Brazilian tried to lob the ball in from the edge of the box.

    Arsenal had a number of half-chances before the break without testing David de Gea as Thomas Partey and Nicolas Pepe shot just wide from the edge of the box and a teasing cross from Gabriel Martinelli just evaded Alexandre Lacazette.

    – Fernandes goes close –

    It is exactly a year to the day since United signed Bruno Fernandes and the Portuguese nearly celebrated the anniversary with a curling effort that drifted inches wide.

    Fernandes has had a transformative impact on United’s fortunes and came closer than anyone to breaking the deadlock before the break with a free-kick that was deflected inches over.

    Willian has had the opposite effect since joining Arsenal in August, but the Brazilian was called upon by Arteta for the second half in place of Martinelli.

    The former Chelsea winger’s lack of confidence was obvious as his weak effort was blocked behind when presented with a great chance two minutes into the second period.

    Pepe then saw a goalbound shot blocked by Harry Maguire as Arsenal were the better side after the break.

    Xhaka’s free-kick came even closer than Fernandes’s effort from a similar area on the field as the Swiss midfielder’s shot crashed back off the bar.

    Moments later Emile Smith Rowe’s powereful effort was parried by De Gea.

    Another swerving effort from Pepe just did not have enough curl to nestle in the far corner, but United could still have snatched a win to keep the pressure on City late on.

    Edinson Cavani was quiet for 88 minutes, but the Uruguayan pounced on Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s dangerous cross only to see his volley fly inches wide.

    A point does at least maintain United’s long unbeaten run away from home in the league, which now stands at 18 games, bettering the previous club record held by Alex Ferguson’s 1998/99 treble-winning team.

  • Arsenal vs Man United: Gunners can cope without Aubameyang –Arteta

    Arsenal vs Man United: Gunners can cope without Aubameyang –Arteta

    Mikel Arteta insists Arsenal are no longer so vulnerable when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is sidelined.

    Gunners captain Aubameyang missed their last two match–es, both against Southampton, and revealed on social media that his absence was due to his mother suffering from “health issues”.

    The Gabon forward is not expected to return for Arsenal’s Premier League clash with Manchester United on Saturday.

    But with Arteta’s side unbeaten in their last six league games, Aubameyang’s absence is no longer as fatal as it might have been in the past.

    Arteta feels more of his players have stepped up to make sure the skipper’s time away does not derail them.

    “That is something that we had to improve and address dramatically,” he said when asked if he was no longer reliant on Aubameyang.

    “If you want to have any chance of competing with the top teams in this league, just to rely on one player is completely insufficient and it won’t be sustainable over time.

    “But having said that, we know the importance of Auba and his goals and his contribution to the team. The more we have him, the stronger we are for sure as well.”

    Aubameyang had travelled with the squad for the FA Cup defeat at Southampton on Saturday before leaving just hours before kick-off.

    “Hey guys, Thank you so much for all the messages and calls over the last few days,” he wrote on Instagram.

    “My mother is going through some health issues and I had to be there for her. She’s already much better now and I will be back home tonight.

    “I’m more than grateful to the doctors and nurses helping her get through this.

    “And of course, thanks to my Arsenal fam for the love yesterday! I’m more determined than ever to keep our momentum going!

    “Thank you all again – I really am beyond blessed to receive this level of support and love from all of you and I can’t wait to be back.”

    (AFP)

  • EPL: Sheffield dent Man United title hopes with first win at Old Trafford since 1973

    EPL: Sheffield dent Man United title hopes with first win at Old Trafford since 1973

    Sheffield United put a huge dent in Manchester United’s Premier League title ambitions on Wednesday, beating Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s off-key side 2-1 at Old Trafford.

    United knew they had to respond after Manchester City leapfrogged them at the summit with a 5-0 hammering of West Brom on Tuesday but they were well short of their best on a frustrating night.

    Sheffield United stun Manchester United with their first win at Old Trafford since 1973

    The result leaves them on 40 points — one point behind City — but Pep Guardiola’s side now have a game in hand and are looking relentless.

    United were sloppy in possession from the start at Old Trafford against the bottom-placed visitors, who had won just one league match in the entire campaign.

    The home side dominated possession in the initial stages and Marcus Rashford had an early shot but they were short of ideas against the battling away team.

    The Blades broke the deadlock midway through the first half when Kean Bryan rose to glance home John Fleck’s corner after David de Gea failed to punch clear.

    Billy Sharp appeared to nudge the Spanish goalkeeper from behind but the goal was allowed to stand.

    Manchester United had the ball in the net after half an hour’s play but Anthony Martial’s effort did not count because referee Peter Bankes had already blown his whistle for a foul by Harry Maguire on goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.

    United lacked urgency as the first period wore on, struggling to get behind Chris Wilder’s organised back line.

    Bruno Fernandes fashioned half a chance for United when he ran beyond the last line of defence and hooked the ball back but Martial could not get enough purchase on the header.

    The home side tried to step up a gear at the start of the second half but still lacked sharpness in their passing, with Rashford off the pace.

    Mason Greenwood, who scored in United’s FA Cup win against Liverpool on Sunday, snatched at a chance after a fine through ball from Fernandes.

    United were now showing more urgency but David McGoldrick went close to doubling Sheffield United’s lead with a clever effort with the outside of his right foot.

    Solskjaer’s men were level in the 64th minute when an outswinging corner from Alex Telles was met with a thumping header by Maguire past the diving Ramsdale.

    Edinson Cavani replaced Greenwood moments later as United looked to turn the screw.

    But Sheffield United were back in front again in the 74th minute when Manchester United failed to clear and Oliver Burke’s strike took a wicked deflection off Axel Tuanzebe and went in off the underside of the bar.

    Solskjaer threw on Luke Shaw and Donny van de Beek as United desperately sought an equaliser but they had to face the intense frustration of three dropped points.

    AFP

  • Ighalo announces exit from Man United

    Ighalo announces exit from Man United

    Former Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo, has announced his departure from Manchester United.

    He made the announcement in an emotional farewell message posted on his social media handles.

    In the message, the prolific striker said it was hard to leave Old Trafford, saying it was a pleasure to play for the Manchester club.

    The 31-year-old striker’s loan from Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua expires at the end of this month.

    The Nigeria international joined United in January last year on an initial six-month deal that was later extended to 12 months.

    Ighalo scored five goals in 18 appearances during the 2019-20 campaign as he proved a useful back-up option for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

    He posted, “It’s so hard to see this dream come to an end. But I give God the glory for helping me fulfill this life long dream of putting on a Manchester United shirt as a player and represent this great club, it was indeed an honor I will forever cherish and be grateful for.

    “To the manager, I say thank you for trusting and believing in me when many did not, to my amazing team mates I will miss you guys, it was always fun and a time I look forward to training and spending time with all of you. And I pray we win the LEAGUE and FA cup this year.

    “To the best fans in the world (the Manchester United fans) we have missed you, but we hear your voices cheering us on from afar, we can’t wait to have you all back on the stands.

    “I’m still and would remain a MANCHESTER UNITED FAN forever. Once a Red, always a Red.
    Thank you @manchesterunited and God bless.”

  • EPL: 10 Man United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs transfers that could still happen

    EPL: 10 Man United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs transfers that could still happen

    There have been just 22 new signings across 12 Premier League clubs so far during the January transfer window.

    But, with the final week now in full swing, things are hotting up ahead of the 11pm deadline on Friday, Skysports reports.

    Paul Pogba – Manchester United to Real Madrid

    One transfer saga that will rumble onto next summer surrounds the future of Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba.

    Speaking to Sky Sports , the player’s agent Mino Raiola said the player will make a decision on whether he will leave Old Trafford at the end of the campaign.

    “I don’t say anything for sure,” he said. “Today he is not happy because he is not playing. He is recovering. Paul if he does not play he is not happy.

    “But I saw him go back to United when people did not think he would go back. People tend to forget that. People tend to imagine that United was the only club that he could have signed for. He chose United.

    “Everybody knows the ambition from both parts is not being met the last years. Let’s be honest, let’s talk about the elephant in the room. So we need to see in the summer if Paul is still in the plans of United and if United is still in the plans of Paul.”

    Christian Eriksen – Tottenham to Inter Milan

    The first to surely get over the line, as early as Monday.

    Tottenham midfielder Christian Eriksen is close to joining Inter Milan, with a medical scheduled for today. The 27-year-old is expected to complete a £16.8m move to Italy which could see him earn up to £320,000 per week.

    Inter Milan CEO Giuseppe Marotta said, “You all know that we are negotiating with Tottenham.

    “I am optimistic and I hope everything can be concluded quickly because the market closes on Friday and we hope to conclude the negotiations in the next few days.”

    The performance of Giovani Lo Celso during Tottenham’s 1-1 draw with Southampton in the FA Cup on Saturday would suggest that Jose Mourinho has a ready-made replacement.

    Lo Celso is currently on loan from Spanish side Real Betis but Spurs can secure a permanent deal this month for £27m or £34m at the end of the season.

    “I think the boy is earning the decision [to sign him],” Mourinho told reporters at St Mary’s.

    Bruno Fernandes – Sporting Lisbon to Manchester United

    Manchester United are still after Bruno Fernandes.

    He’s a world-class attacking midfielder and we’ve been told this week that he’s the best player in Portugal having been the Portuguese Player of the Year twice in a row.

    A lot of people think he’s exactly what they’re looking for. The only problem is United aren’t offering Sporting enough. Sporting want £52m but United are offering £42m.

    This came after the player’s agent, Jorge Mendes, threw the deal into serious doubt when speaking to Sky Sports on a visit to England

    “I don’t know,” he said when asked by Sky Sports if a fee was close to being agreed. “If he doesn’t leave now, he will leave for sure in the summer because Sporting have already spoken with other clubs. Something will happen but I am not sure if now or at the end of the season.”

    We still await a breakthrough in negotiations.

    Boubakary Soumare – Lille to Chelsea

    Another player that United have been linked without throughout the window is Lille’s Soumare, but they face competition from Chelsea.

    The French U21 international, described by team-mates at Lille as “Paul Pogba without the baggage”, has been earmarked to leave the Ligue 1 club this week.

    Lille boss Christophe Galtier says he is unsure on the future of his player, saying last week: “I don’t know about Soumare. Nobody told me something about this situation. I don’t know if this could be his last game [against Paris Saint-Germain].”

    With that game now out of the way, the moment of truth is arriving.

    Islam Slimani – Leicester to Manchester United

    Will Manchester United sign a striker? Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted United need “quality” signings to help his mentally fatigued young squad after the 2-0 home defeat to Burnley last week – the fifth loss since December 22.

    The scramble has turned desperate – Odion Ighalo and Islam Slimani are two of a number of players United have looked at as they try to bring in a striker on loan following the long-term injury to Marcus Rashford.

    It would be the biggest shock of the window, but time is running out for United to get a striker over the line.

    Solskjaer has insisted the club are still working on reinforcements in a “difficult” market – and signing one of the two could prove to be a fall-back option if a stellar name cannot be lured to the club on a short-term deal.

    Edinson Cavani – PSG to Atletico Madrid

    Edinson Cavani was left out of Paris Saint-Germain’s squad for their match against Lille on Sunday night – with manager Thomas Tuchel admitting it was due speculation surrounding the forward’s future

    The Uruguay international has been tracked by Chelsea, Manchester United and Atletico Madrid in the January transfer window, and the Uruguayan is said to have his heart set on joining the latter club.

    Sky Sports News’ Rob Dorsett on United’s link with the striker, “If you look at the facts, he fits exactly their profile.

    “United have done this in the past. Look at Radamel Falcao, look at Henrik Larsson and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

    “They go for world-class strikers with huge reputations that are coming to the latter ends of their careers, and they’ve been very successful for United, on the whole. It’s kind of in United’s DNA.

    “Cavani is 32 and his contract expires at the end of the season with PSG. He hasn’t started a game for PSG since November 9 and all of that points to the fact he’s available.”

    Mykola Matviyenko – Shakhtar Donetsk to Arsenal

    Flamengo defender Pablo Mari arrived at Heathrow over the weekend alongside Arsenal’s technical director Edu, but Mikel Arteta does not look like he is finished with his January transfer business.

    With Arsenal set to complete the first signing of the Arteta era, might a second defensive reinforcement follow suit?

    The Gunners look to be finally adding some solidity to a leaky backline – having been frustrated in their pursuit this month of Bournemouth’s Nathan Ake and Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng.

    They will have to pay £30m if they are to buy Ukrainian defender Mykola Matviyenko from Shakhtar Donetsk.

    The player’s agent, Yuriy Danchenko, says the clubs are in talks about a deal for the 23-year-old, who has 18 months left on his contract. Watch this space.

    Moussa Dembele – Lyon to Chelsea

    Chelsea manager Frank Lampard made his priorities for the final week of this January transfer window very clear ahead of his side’s FA Cup fourth-round tie with Hull.

    He said, “The impetus to bring in a striker or players who can get on the end of the chances we’re creating is there.

    “I think we have to be really honest about that. We had more than 20 shots in both games against Arsenal and Newcastle so we have to find solutions. We’ve lost points because of these situations.”

    Lyon striker Moussa Dembele was watched by scouts this week but the French club are desperate to hold onto him.

    The Frenchman has made no secret of his desire to one day return to England to play in the Premier League, where he has previously made just three appearances as a youngster with Fulham.

    A switch back to the capital may be more appealing for the 23-year-old than a move to United, given the lure of Champions League football.

    Krzysztof Piatek – AC Milan to Tottenham

    Tottenham head coach Jose Mourinho says the club need a striker and are “doing everything possible” to sign one during the January transfer window – but time is running out.

    Spurs laboured to victory over Norwich having fired blanks at Watford, underlining the need to ease the burden on Dele Alli and Heung-Min Son in the absence of Harry Kane.

    Piatek is struggling for game time with AC Milan, and the Poland striker’s father said last week that his son was “too good to be left on the bench”, stirring up speculation that he could be about to leave the San Siro.

    With the European Championships this summer, the 24-year-old is desperate for regular first-team football, and while several Premier League clubs including Everton, West Ham and Newcastle have expressed an interest, it would cost £25m to prise him away from Milan.

    Olivier Giroud – Chelsea to Inter Milan

    World Cup winner Giroud is not part of Chelsea’s plans and has one foot out of the door at Stamford Bridge.

    Lampard has said, “There’s been contact with other clubs, and if and when that’s agreed, I’ll let you know, but it’s not yet so he’s still our player.”

    It would be remarkable if the striker were to remain at the club beyond this window, given his importance to the French national team ahead of next summer’s championships.

    At 33, he will want to head into that tournament match fit, and it appeared earlier this month that a move to Inter Milan was a done deal. Antonio Conte was said to be desperate to get Giroud to the San Siro having been the man who signed him from Arsenal for Chelsea in January 2018.

    A fee hasn’t been agreed between the two clubs, which led Inter to turn their attentions to former Tottenham striker Fernando Llorente as part of a swap deal with Roma involving Matteo Politano.

    But a twist emerged at the end of last week with Sky in Italy journalist Gianluca Di Marzio reporting that the Llorente loan to Inter is off, which will lead to the resumption of negotiations between Inter and Chelsea over Giroud.

  • De Bruyne says 15 minutes of planning led to Manchester City’s win over Manchester United

    De Bruyne says 15 minutes of planning led to Manchester City’s win over Manchester United

    Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola needed only 15 minutes in training to get the tactical changes which led to Tuesday’s 3-1 win over Manchester United, playmaker Kevin De Bruyne said.

    The 3-1 win was in the League Cup semi-finals on Tuesday.

    Guardiola opted to play without a recognised striker at Old Trafford.

    He thus gave De Bruyne and fellow midfielder Bernardo Silva licence to push forward centrally, and the move worked perfectly as Manchester City scored three times before half-time.

    “We did 15 minutes on it (tactics) in the morning. That’s about it,” De Bruyne told the British media on the plan to play with a
    `false nine’ in the first leg.

    “We didn’t train that but it’s not like we never did it before —– we did it sometimes against teams that prefer to play man-against-man; Cardiff City, Manchester United, in Barcelona away we did it the first year with Pep… we’ve done it a couple of times.”

    In spite of Silva’s unfamiliarity in the position, he scored the opening goal in the 17th minute before Riyad Mahrez doubled the lead and Manchester United’s Andreas Pereira scored an own goal.

    Manchester United pulled one back in the 70th minute through striker Marcus Rashford to give themselves a chance in the tie.

    “With Bernardo dropping (back) it’s four against three in midfield, so they have to choose what they do,” De Bruyne said.

    “If they put their defender up there’s more space behind and if not Bernardo’s going to be free. That’s what we tried to do. I think overall we played well.

    “The second half they tried to put a bit more pressure on us and we made one mistake and they scored from it.”

    Manchester City, who succumbed to Manchester United’s counter-attacking might in a 2-1 English Premier League loss at the Etihad Stadium in December, host their neighbours in the second leg of the semi-final on Jan. 29.(Reuters/NAN)