Erik ten Hag says Manchester United must respond with character and togetherness after a galling loss to Brighton on an afternoon when he regarded the booing of Rasmus Hojlund’s withdrawal as a positive.
After a promising first season under the Dutchman, a number of off-field issues at Old Trafford have been compounded by poor performances and results on the pitch.
Already beaten away to Tottenham and Arsenal, Saturday’s meek 3-1 home loss to Brighton meant the Red Devils have lost three of their first five matches for the first time in the Premier League era.
“Definitely that is something that bothers me,” manager Ten Hag said of the results. “But also I have to see the way we play.
“But finally it’s about character then. Now we have to see how strong we are, how the team sticks together and which players are standing up and showing the character and leading the team.
“Because in all the games, all the games but especially the games today, against Arsenal and Forest, we have seen we can play very good and we can create a lot of chances.
“But, yes, there are also some improvements to make. That is definitely the case and now we have to step up.”
Danny Welbeck put Brighton ahead against his former club before Marcus Rashford’s effort was deflected onto the woodwork and Hojlund’s first goal for his new club was ruled out by the VAR.
Pascal Gross and substitute Joao Pedro put the visitors further ahead in the second half at a stunned Old Trafford, where substitute Hannibal Mejbri’s exceptional first United goal did little to lift the mood.
There were boos at the final whistle and even louder jeers earlier in the second half when Ten Hag replaced lively full debutant Hojlund with Anthony Martial.
“I think it was positive,” the manager said of the reaction to the substitution. “You see that the fans from the first moment in Old Trafford, the reception for him was great.
“I think he performed very well, so I think it’s good that they gave this signal, this message. It will give him belief, Rasmus.
“But everyone knows he came in with a small issue. We built him over the last three, four weeks.
“He’s not ready for a whole game and we have many games to play in short notice, so we have to build him also in fitness.”
It has been a poor start to the season in all departments, but Ten Hag dismissed the notion that United are in crisis ahead of Wednesday’s tough-looking Champions League group opener at Bayern Munich.
“No, but we have to be very disappointed,” he said. “And we have to be very annoyed with ourselves because at United the demand is you win games.”
This loss ended United’s 31-match unbeaten home run in all competitions and saw them lose a Premier League match at Old Trafford for the first time since Ten Hag’s opening game.
Brighton were the victors that day and celebrated a second-ever Old Trafford win on Saturday, when they made it four top-flight wins in a row against the Red Devils.
Roberto De Zerbi’s brilliant side shone despite making six changes in the north west against a side constructed at a far greater cost.
“The football is nice because the small team can win in every moment against a great team,” the Brighton boss said.
“But I think Brighton is becoming not a big, big team but it’s not a surprise.
“The quality of the players of Brighton is very high and the organisation of the club. The possibility to manage two players per position is difficult.
“I don’t know the problems of Man United. I can explain my team.
“We are used to working in our style, we are playing with courage because we defended in Old Trafford man-to-man all the time.
“We are building our season in this way.”
Lenny Kravitz to headline UEFA Champions League Final kick off show
Pepsi® and UEFA have revealed that legendary rock musician Lenny Kravitz will headline the UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show presented by Pepsi. The highly anticipated performance is set to take place on June 1, 2024 at Wembley Stadium in London, marking the eighth consecutive year of this spectacular curtain raiser.
Lenny Kravitz, the Grammy-award-winning artist known for his dynamic stage presence and iconic hits, is set to captivate audiences with his genre-defying sound just minutes before the biggest final in the club football calendar. Kravitz, who recently received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, is currently generating buzz with his upcoming album, Blue Electric Light, that was launched on May 24, just one week before his UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show performance.
Pepsi has further built anticipation for the event by releasing an energetic short film titled ‘Wembley Is Blue | Lenny Kravitz x UCL Final Kick Off Show by Pepsi’. The film features the unmistakable echoes of the UEFA Champions League anthem as Kravitz walks down a tunnel, paintbrush in hand, covering the walls in Pepsi Blue before stepping onto the hallowed turf of Wembley Stadium. The camera reveals a blue mural of his face on the pitch, setting the stage for an unforgettable show.
“I’m really looking forward to my performance for the UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show presented by Pepsi in London, a city which holds a special place in my heart,” said Kravitz. “It’s going to be such an exciting event ahead of a final that means so much to so many. We can’t wait to show you all what we have in store.”
Eric Melis, VP of Global Brand Marketing at PepsiCo, expressed the brand’s excitement about the upcoming event. “As a brand with a rich heritage in both music and football, we are proud to bring together once again, in the host city, millions of viewers from around the world and one of the most iconic names in music for an electrifying performance live from iconic Wembley Stadium in London, the home of music, sports, and entertainment. Lenny Kravitz adds unparalleled dynamism and energy to the show. He lives by our ‘Thirsty For More’ philosophy, which celebrates people’s thirst for life - and we can’t wait to see how fans react to this unmissable show.”
Guy-Laurent Epstein, UEFA Marketing Director, highlighted the significance of the performance. “This year’s UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show presented by Pepsi will bring fans to their feet as legendary rock and roll icon Lenny Kravitz takes the stage to deliver one of his signature performances ahead of this year’s UEFA Champions League final. Our longstanding and fruitful partnership with Pepsi fills us with enormous pride as we collaborate to make this flagship match on the football calendar more memorable and entertaining for fans inside Wembley and those watching around the globe.”
Pepsi and UEFA have consistently marked the UEFA Champions League final with momentous music performances, uniting football and music fans through one compelling entertainment spectacle. The UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show presented by Pepsi will air in over 200 countries and territories globally, just minutes before the standout fixture of the club football calendar, embodying Pepsi’s ‘Thirsty For More’ global platform.
Mbappe's Madrid move nears but Deschamps focused on France collective
Kylian Mbappe will draw plenty of attention as speculation swirls over an impending move to Real Madrid, but France head coach Didier Deschamps is not one to place much focus on his superstar forward.
The France international is reportedly readying to complete his switch to Madrid, after announcing the 2023-24 campaign will be his last with Paris Saint-Germain.
Los Blancos are not expected to confirm the deal until after Saturday's Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund, though focus will swiftly turn to Euro 2024 later next month.
Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Mbappe dominated the line of questioning – but Deschamps remains unbothered by the speculation and acknowledged he is content to "adapt" to the situation.
"It doesn't depend on me," the Les Bleus head coach said as impatience grows for Mbappe's move to be announced in the Spanish capital.
"They will decide when it will be time to make it official. As far as possible, I will adapt to the collective and the French team."
Mbappe leaves Paris with 256 goals across his seven seasons, including 42 in the Champions League, as Luis Enrique prepares for life without the 25-year-old.
Adding in 96 assists for the Ligue 1 champions, Mbappe's 352 goal involvements rank as the most for PSG this century – ahead of Edinson Cavani (236) and Zlatan Ibrahimovic (210).
"You don't think he's in good shape... He only scored 44 goals in the season, he could have done better," a teasing Deschamps added.
"He played in a Coupe de France final, he's active."
Though Mbappe remains the focus of European football interest, Deschamps has no intention to treat the attacker any different to his France team-mates.
"The context in the French team is different, I'm not going to pay more attention to him in relation to that aspect," the veteran boss continued.
"But I understand that from the outside, the media aspect in relation to [the club's] decisions and the announcement, it takes up a lot of time."
Deschamps will hope his France team can focus solely on their upcoming Euro 2024 campaign soon, which they start against Austria on June 17.
The Les Bleus manager wants to have qualification sealed by defeating Austria and Netherlands, before a final group-stage meeting with Poland.
"I am a positive person, and I am driven by the idea that every day that goes by brings us closer to a positive response," he said. "Everything will be done to make sure things go as smoothly as possible."
Bompastor named Chelsea Women head coach after Hayes departure
Sonia Bompastor has been appointed as Chelsea Women's new head coach, replacing Emma Hayes at Stamford Bridge.
Hayes oversaw a fifth straight Women's Super League title for the Blues this season but departed to take up a role with the United States Women's national side.
Bompastor was expected to come in as the replacement for Hayes, with the announcement confirmed on Wednesday as Chelsea managed to strike a compensation deal with Lyon Women.
The 43-year-old, who has signed a four-year deal with Chelsea, leaves the French side after a successful three years in charge, winning three league tiles and the Women's Champions League in 2022.
"The sporting directors and I conducted a thorough and considered recruitment process to identify Emma’s successor," Chelsea's general manager Paul Green said of the appointment.
"Sonia's vision, coaching philosophy and winning mentality made her the outstanding candidate.
"She is a world-class coach with a proven track record of success on the biggest stages that will instantly command respect from the dressing room."
Bompastor won seven trophies during her time with French heavyweights Lyon but lost the Champions League final last Saturday against Barcelona.
She was capped 156 times by the French national team before retiring in 2013, and subsequently becoming the first woman to win the Champions League as a player and coach after her success with Lyon.
Assistants Camille Abily and Theo Rivrin will join Bompastor as Chelsea prepare for a new era without Hayes, who departs the Blues after a 12-year spell that yielded 14 major domestic titles.
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