Stay Away Fay’s star continued to rise over fences as he took the Betfair Esher Novices’ Chase at Sandown.

Paul Nicholls’ bay was the winner of the Albert Bartlett over hurdles last season and made a winning start to his chasing career at Exeter last month.

He stepped up to Grade Two level at Sandown in a field of four, including the horse he beat by a length and three-quarters at Exeter – Joe Tizzard’s The Changing Man.

Stay Away Fay was the 8-11 favourite under Harry Cobden and made the running with an athletic round of jumping, only running into trouble when The Changing Man unseated Brendan Powell and caused a bit of mischief when running loose.

Nicholls’ runner and Lucinda Russell’s Giovinco shared the lead in the latter stages but it was the former horse who eventually came out on top to secure a length-and-a-half victory.

The winning trainer said: “He digs deep and stays and gallops. He is a proper horse. I knew he would stay and gallop all the way to the line. It is hard in front as he doesn’t do a whole heap in front.

“In those better races, when you have loads of company and they go a true gallop, it helps him. No one was going to take us on, so we were left in front and we had to do the donkey work and you are a sitting duck, but one thing he does is gallop all the way to the line and he stays on strong. He is a good horse.

“I’m definitely not going for the National Hunt Chase and if he runs anywhere it will be the Brown Advisory at the Festival.

“We might look at something like the Reynoldstown at Ascot, but there are no real plans. He will not go to Kempton (for the Kauto Star), that is for sure, as he will have a little break now.”

Stay Away Fay is jointly owned by Dave Staddon and Chris Giles, the latter of whom said: “He had a lot of work to do. He did a lot of work by himself. It was a tough race for him, but it was a nice, staying finish and that is what you want up the Sandown hill.

“I think the second is a good animal and that is a nice race to win. We are very happy, especially as he was giving 3lb away.

“It was lovely to see him do it over those fences. Around the railway fences down the back straight twice meant there was a lot of jumping involved. He did not miss a fence. I think Harry thinks he would be better with a lead.

“He stays as he has got the stamina. I don’t think he is ever going to be a horse that wins by 10 or 15 lengths, but more so by two or three lengths. He will give us a lot of fun.

“We will miss the Kauto Star Chase for sure, but you wouldn’t be afraid to go straight to Cheltenham. I think he is proper horse and it was lovely to see him do that today.

“Listening to Paul, he thinks he is a proper horse and he doesn’t want to over race him in his novice season as there is more to come. You have got to (think of the Gold Cup next season) when you go and see him do that.”

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers hopes Sunday’s trip to Rugby Park is among the last few times his team have to play on artificial pitches in the cinch Premiership.

Kilmarnock aim to install a grass pitch in their stadium once their new training ground is up and running, although that is still at the planning application stage.

Reports claim that discussions will be held in the new year over potential rule changes to ban artificial pitches in the top flight.

Livingston manager David Martindale this week claimed that moving from plastic to grass could cost them £2.5million but other teams in the top division would likely welcome a rule change.

Rodgers said: “It’s a constant conversation. It’s clear that every coach would want to play, I’m pretty sure, on a grass pitch.

“The sooner that is the possibility up here then the better it would be for everyone.

“I understand the economics of it all and what it would mean for some clubs, but there should be a certain level or a certain standard of which every team, if you are playing in the top flight, should have a grass pitch.”

Celtic suffered a 1-0 Viaplay Cup defeat on Kilmarnock’s pitch in August, but Rodgers believes his side are better equipped for Sunday’s trip to Ayrshire.

“Certainly where the team is at now is a far different place to back then,” Rodgers said.

“It was probably a good time to play us with players coming in and the challenges we had. It’s a different team – the structure and attitude is different.

“That doesn’t mean it’s going to be an easy game. Derek (McInnes) has really put his team in a good place in the top six and they are hard to beat.”

Oh Hyeon-gyu affirmed his hopes of playing in the Asian Cup in January after netting two goals in Wednesday’s 4-1 win over Hibernian in only his second start under Rodgers.

With Kyogo Furuhashi and Daizen Maeda also in the running for the Japan squad, Rodgers is poised to go into the transfer market for a striker and his club were this week linked with a move for Aberdeen’s Bojan Miovski.

“It will depend,” he said, when asked about his plans for a new striker in January. “Clearly we are trying to anticipate over the last few months the guys that will go away to the Asian Cup.

“Clearly if Daizen is away, Kyogo is away and Oh is away, we would have to do something in the market.”

Mikey Johnston was also given a rare start against Hibs but Rodgers told the winger in a post-match media interview that he had to “do more”.

When asked about how to get the best out of players, Rodgers said: “That’s always the challenge of a coach. You are having to find many different ways to do it but, of course, you are always best being honest.

“Mikey knows that. The reason Mikey is still here, from the summer, is because I rate him as a player. I could easily have put him out on loan but I know his talent and I want to do everything I possibly can to allow him to maximise that talent.

“He has made great strides in his training performance just in terms of his consistency, and made an impact coming off the bench, but I know how much he wants to play for Celtic and start for Celtic.

“I know he was disappointed himself the other night. But without forcing it you hope you can see his qualities on a regular basis.

“He is a very, very talented player, one of the very best to come out of the academy here in terms of talent, individual quality, one v one, speed, he’s got stronger as well.

“But he’s not a baby anymore. He is 24 and if you want to start regularly for Celtic you have to have a robustness, you have to be mentally strong, you have to be competitive and physically brave.”

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers hopes Sunday’s trip to Rugby Park is among the last few times his team have to play on artificial pitches in the cinch Premiership.

Kilmarnock aim to install a grass pitch in their stadium once their new training ground is up and running, although that is still at the planning application stage.

Reports claim that discussions will be held in the new year over potential rule changes to ban artificial pitches in the top flight.

Livingston manager David Martindale this week claimed that moving from plastic to grass could cost them £2.5million but other teams in the top division would likely welcome a rule change.

Rodgers said: “It’s a constant conversation. It’s clear that every coach would want to play, I’m pretty sure, on a grass pitch.

“The sooner that is the possibility up here then the better it would be for everyone.

“I understand the economics of it all and what it would mean for some clubs, but there should be a certain level or a certain standard of which every team, if you are playing in the top flight, should have a grass pitch.”

Celtic suffered a 1-0 Viaplay Cup defeat on Kilmarnock’s pitch in August, but Rodgers believes his side are better equipped for Sunday’s trip to Ayrshire.

“Certainly where the team is at now is a far different place to back then,” Rodgers said.

“It was probably a good time to play us with players coming in and the challenges we had. It’s a different team – the structure and attitude is different.

“That doesn’t mean it’s going to be an easy game. Derek (McInnes) has really put his team in a good place in the top six and they are hard to beat.”

Oh Hyeon-gyu affirmed his hopes of playing in the Asian Cup in January after netting two goals in Wednesday’s 4-1 win over Hibernian in only his second start under Rodgers.

With Kyogo Furuhashi and Daizen Maeda also in the running for the Japan squad, Rodgers is poised to go into the transfer market for a striker and his club were this week linked with a move for Aberdeen’s Bojan Miovski.

“It will depend,” he said, when asked about his plans for a new striker in January. “Clearly we are trying to anticipate over the last few months the guys that will go away to the Asian Cup.

“Clearly if Daizen is away, Kyogo is away and Oh is away, we would have to do something in the market.”

Mikey Johnston was also given a rare start against Hibs but Rodgers told the winger in a post-match media interview that he had to “do more”.

When asked about how to get the best out of players, Rodgers said: “That’s always the challenge of a coach. You are having to find many different ways to do it but, of course, you are always best being honest.

“Mikey knows that. The reason Mikey is still here, from the summer, is because I rate him as a player. I could easily have put him out on loan but I know his talent and I want to do everything I possibly can to allow him to maximise that talent.

“He has made great strides in his training performance just in terms of his consistency, and made an impact coming off the bench, but I know how much he wants to play for Celtic and start for Celtic.

“I know he was disappointed himself the other night. But without forcing it you hope you can see his qualities on a regular basis.

“He is a very, very talented player, one of the very best to come out of the academy here in terms of talent, individual quality, one v one, speed, he’s got stronger as well.

“But he’s not a baby anymore. He is 24 and if you want to start regularly for Celtic you have to have a robustness, you have to be mentally strong, you have to be competitive and physically brave.”

Rangers have been hit with a huge double injury blow ahead of one of the most important weeks in the club’s season.

Striker Danilo may have to have surgery on a knee injury picked up against Hearts on Wednesday night, while midfielder Tom Lawrence is also out until at least the winter break with a muscle problem which saw him go off in the first half at Tynecastle.

Rangers host Dundee in the cinch Premiership on Saturday, and after their final Europa League group game against Real Betis in Spain on Thursday night – the Gers have a chance of making the knockout stages but Europa Conference League football is guaranteed – the Light Blues prepare for the Viaplay Cup final against Aberdeen at Hampden Park the following Sunday.

Kemar Roofe is not ready to play 90 minutes yet while Nico Raskin, Ryan Jack and Scott Wright are also missing with various ailments.

Gers boss Philippe Clement, who  will go into the transfer marker in January to seek a replacement for Danilo, said: “Tom will be out for sure until the winter break and Danilo will also be out until that time so that is not so good.

“Danilo has a problem with his knee because of a bad tackle in the game, an unlucky situation, part of football. Because of contact he had a problem with his knee.

“The chances are he requires surgery so yes, it could be long term.

“It is a big blow for the players because they were really motivated, they were performing well and it is now time to focus on the guys who are fit because we have really important games now.”

Lewis Hamilton demanded change at the very top of Formula One after lambasting the FIA’s investigation into his boss Toto Wolff and wife Susie as “unacceptable and disappointing”.

Hamilton was speaking at the federation’s prize-giving gala in Baku an hour after Wolff revealed Mercedes are considering taking legal action against the FIA following its compliance inquiry into claims of an alleged conflict of interest with Susie, who is the managing director of the F1 Academy.

A day after the FIA announced its controversial investigation into the Wolffs, the sport’s nine other teams said they had not complained and, on Thursday night, the FIA said there was “no ongoing investigation” before closing the case.

On another day of twists, the FIA’s president Mohammed Ben Suleyam had been due to face the media, but he was pulled from his press conference after the federation said he was hospitalised with concussion following a fall several days ago.

The FIA said Ben Suleyam, 62, who is set to appear at the prize-giving ceremony on Friday night, will make a “full recovery”.

“It has been a challenging week, and a disappointing week to see that the governing body has sought to question the integrity of one of the most incredible female leaders we have ever had in our sport in Susie Wolff without questioning and without any evidence,” said Hamilton. “And then just saying ‘sorry’ at the end. That is unacceptable.

“We have a lot of great people in the sport doing amazing work and there is a constant fight to improve diversity and inclusion within the industry.

“But it seems there are certain individuals in the leadership of our sport that every time we try to make a step forward they try to pull us back and that has to change.

“This is a global sport and we have such an incredible opportunity and natural responsibility to be leaders of change. We need to make some changes to make sure we are all pushing in the right direction.”

Forty-eight hours after the FIA said its compliance department was “looking into” the allegations which arose in Business F1 magazine, the federation said on Thursday that it “can confirm that there is no ongoing investigation in terms of ethical or disciplinary inquiries involving any individual”.

But team principal Wolff, who has overseen six of Hamilton’s record-equalling seven world championships, said Mercedes are in an “legal exchange with the FIA”.

“We understand that there is significant media interest in the events of this week,” said the Austrian, 51, in a statement.

“We are currently in active legal exchange with the FIA. We await full transparency about what took place and why, and have expressly reserved all legal rights.

“Therefore we ask you for your understanding that we will not be commenting officially for now, but we will certainly address the matter in due course.”

Susie Wolff, who in her role as boss of the all-female F1 Academy reports to F1 CEO Stefano Domenical, had already vehemently denied the allegations – calling them “intimidatory and misogynistic”.

However, on Friday she took another swipe at the FIA shortly before her husband’s statement was released.

“When I saw the statement issued by the FIA yesterday evening, my first reaction was: ‘Is that it?’,” she said on social media.

“For two days, insinuations have been made about my integrity in public and through background briefings, but nobody from the FIA has spoken to me directly.

“I might have been collateral damage in an unsuccessful attack on somebody else, or the target of a failed attempt to discredit me personally, but I have worked too hard to have my reputation called into question by an unfounded press release.

“We have come a long way as a sport. I was extremely thankful for the unified support of the Formula 1 teams. I have worked with so many passionate women and men at F1 and the FIA, who have the very best interests of our sport at heart.

“However, this episode has so far taken place without transparency or accountability. I have received online abuse about my work and my family. I will not allow myself to be intimidated and intend to follow up until I have found out who has instigated this campaign and misled the media.

“What happened this week is simply not good enough. As a sport, we must demand, and we deserve, better.”

Deafening Silence showed plenty of stamina when taking the Betfair Beacons Winter Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown.

Dan Skelton’s six-year-old was one of a field of five for the Grade Two event, starting at 6-1 as Nicky Henderson’s previously unbeaten Southoftheborder was the was the 11-8 favourite.

The latter horse unseated late on and so too did the rallying Josh The Boss, leaving Deafening Silence and Harry Skelton to pass Paul Nicholls’ Insurrection on the run in to the line to prevail by two and a quarter lengths.

“The two six-year-olds have come a long way clear and I think that is the type of day it is,” Skelton said of the first two home.

“That bit of strength on this ground, around this track is so important. He is obviously a very strong stayer.

“I wouldn’t say Harry was off the bridle, but he was a bit cold on him the whole way round. He has got a fabulous attitude, and he wants to keep doing it. There is not a lot not to like about him.

“We had a sloppy jump two out and I thought is that our chance gone, but he is a tenacious horse.

“I got him out of an English point-to-point so it is nice to fly a flag for the English pointers. I think he is a horse with a massive future. I said beforehand that he didn’t have to win today to think he has a big future, but that obviously cements that. A big bag of carrots is next for him.”

Following the race, Deafening Silence was introduced at 20-1 by Unibet for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, with that race likely to be his long-term target according to Skelton.

He added: “You would have to go up to three miles with him. Two and a half miles around here is three and more at most venues. We will just pick and choose.

“He could run at Cheltenham on Festival Trials Day over two and a half miles, but it would want to be really soft or he could go to Doncaster over three miles (River Don) or there is Haydock Park two weeks later (Prestige) over three miles.

“It is an acceptable dream to have (to go to the Cheltenham Festival). You wouldn’t want to be going to an Albert Bartlett at a tender age, but with his age and strength and the form to back it up, I think it is an acceptable situation to go there.”

Mauricio Pochettino admitted the pressure to perform is massive at Chelsea after the Blues’ lacklustre performance during their 2-1 defeat at Manchester United.

The Blues failed to build on Sunday’s 3-2 victory over Brighton when they fell to Scott McTominay’s late header at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

The Chelsea boss acknowledged that the expectations on his shoulders are high, but reiterated that success is only a matter of time.

Speaking ahead of Chelsea’s Premier League clash at Everton on Sunday, Pochettino said: “We can not forget that we are at Chelsea and the pressure is massive. It is about to win and when we don’t win, we feel the pressure.

“That is why we know what we need to do and it’s a matter of time. Sometimes it’s six months and sometimes it’s a year, but we need to analyse the situation.

“We are building something that will pay off. We knew when we accepted this offer that it was going to be tough.”

Chelsea sit in 10th and have made little signs of improvements after last season’s bottom-half finish.

Former Argentina international Pochettino remained hopeful that his young team will eventually challenge for the top four.

“We are going to challenge (for top four),” he said.

“Maybe not now, but for sure in the future. Who knows, we hope as soon as possible, but for sure we are going to challenge.”

Sunday’s opponents Everton have won three out of their last four after their important 3-0 home win over Newcastle on Thursday.

Pochettino, who has only lost to Sean Dyche once in his career, is expecting a difficult challenge from the Toffees.

He added: “He manages in a different style and they can play in different ways.

“I think his teams are always aggressive and they play like Sean’s personality.

“He is aggressive, he’s brave and I think we are going to find a team who will press high and build from the back and be direct. It’s going to be interesting because it will be a massive challenge for us.

“We need to match the energy because they are a team who brings great energy.”

Everton’s were deducted 10 points for breaching Premier League financial rules last month.

Pochettino thinks the ruling was unfair and believes it has galvanised the atmosphere inside Goodison Park.

“In adversity you can build something special,” he said.

“When something like this happens it will unify everyone and make them feel part of the unfair decision.

“We are going to find a tough atmosphere and if we want to perform in the Premier League we have to deal with this.”

Russian and Belarusian athletes will be able to complete as neutrals at next summer’s Olympics in Paris, the International Olympic Committee has announced.

The IOC said on Tuesday that sporting federations had requested a decision “as soon as possible” amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.

IOC president Thomas Bach last week indicated that a final call on the matter would come at an IOC executive board meeting in March next year.

The announcement published on Tuesday said federations had noted that athletes from those countries had competed under strict conditions of neutrality in their qualifying events “largely without incident”.

And in a release on Friday the IOC confirmed its decision.

A statement read: “The executive board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has decided that individual neutral athletes (AINs) who have qualified through the existing qualification systems of the international federations (IFs) on the field of play will be declared eligible to compete at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in accordance with the conditions outlined.

“Individual neutral athletes are athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport. The strict eligibility conditions based on the recommendations issued by the IOC EB on 28 March 2023 for international federations and international sports event organisers will be applied.”

In March the IOC published criteria under which global sports federations may consider readmitting athletes from Russia and Belarus.

The recommendations said only individual athletes from those countries should be allowed to compete – not teams.

Athletes and support personnel who actively support the war in Ukraine must also remain barred, as must any athlete or support staff member contracted to the Russian or Belarusian military or security agencies.

Stefano Pioli believes AC Milan should finish inside Serie A’s top four “as a minimum” ahead of their trip Atalanta on Saturday.

The 2021-22 champions reignite their bid for a second Scudetto in three years when they face Atalanta, who find themselves in eighth.

Pioli emphasised the importance of a win if they are to heap pressure on Inter and Juventus in first and second.

“There’s still a lot of football to be played before everything is decided, but we do need to put together a run of results in Serie A,” Pioli said.

“That’s what we’re aiming for. It’s our objective and tomorrow we have a great chance to do just that.

“We need to finish in the top four at a minimum but we’re aiming higher.”

Atalanta are without a win in four after Monday’s 3-0 defeat at Torino.

But Pioli refused to overlook Milan’s opponents and predicted they will bring the fight at Gewiss Stadium.

“Atalanta are always a tough team to face,” he added.

“They’ll fight for Champions League football until the end.

“We’ll be facing a complete side, which has quality, a big presence, intensity and midfielders who can chip in with a few goals.

“We know that they have it in them to come at us with aggression and we’ll have to adapt to evade their press.

“We’ll need to put in a top performance if we’re to come away with all three points.”

Pioli pinpointed the threat of Atalanta’s Charles De Ketelaere who is on loan from Milan and is contention to play against his parent club.

“De Ketelaere is playing in a more attacking role, Pioli said.

“He’s a player with a lot of promise and should he play, we’ll need to pay a lot of attention to him when we’re defending.”

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola believes the club’s recent slump has delivered a much-needed reality check.

Guardiola says he and his treble-winning players have enjoyed being stroked “like a cat” for too long after their recent successes and it was time they were given a shake.

City were not only beaten but outplayed at Aston Villa on Wednesday – a result which extended their winless run in the Premier League to four games and saw them slip to fourth in the table.

“As a manager I sometimes need that, I need that challenge,” said Guardiola at a press conference to preview Sunday’s game at Luton.

“I think for everyone it is good. I think it’s necessary to live that.

“For a long time, we’ve lived like a cat (strokes head) and (known) how good we are.

“We need it to say: ‘Guys this business – it’s terrible’. You are unbeatable and then, oh my God, you cannot win one game – from nothing.

“Maybe for myself first, I need that challenge to prove myself, that I’m a good manager, to help the players overcome that situation.

“For the players it’s a good challenge to say: ‘Aston Villa were miles better than all of us, so imagine the other ones’.

“The club, all the organisation, (know) we can be out of the Champions League next season, so we have to work hard. As soon as we realise (it) we come out of here quicker.

“The club needed it. One month ago I thought the club needed a shake, to be shaken. The bad results can help you to live that.”

Guardiola, however, was quick to dismiss suggestions of complacency within his squad, insisting standards remain high.

He said: “It’s not about complacency. Complacency is arriving late to training, not training good, not doing a good job, it not mattering what happens.

“I’m talking just about bad results. Bad results help you to understand. When you lose games, it is necessary. It’s necessary to live that.

“After, (you) make a step forward. It’s the only way.”

City will have influential midfielder Rodri back at Kenilworth Road after he completed his latest ban. The Spaniard has now missed four games through suspension this season and Guardiola’s side have lost them all.

Guardiola again overlooked the credentials of Kalvin Phillips when selecting his side at Villa Park, fuelling further speculation the England midfielder could leave the club in January.

Phillips has failed to establish himself at the Etihad Stadium since his move from Leeds in the summer of 2022.

Guardiola said: “I don’t know what will happen. I feel so sorry for my decisions for him. He doesn’t deserve for one second not to have minutes but it’s just that I visualise things and struggle a little to see him.”

Kevin De Bruyne, who has been out since undergoing hamstring surgery in August, has been named in City’s squad for the Club World Cup later this month but it is not yet clear if he will be fit to play.

Guardiola said: “Maybe it is a little bit early, but I don’t know.”

JPR One has a golden opportunity to provide Joe Tizzard with his first Grade One success as a trainer in the Betfair Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown.

The six-year-old has always been held in high regard by the Tizzard team and made a winning chasing debut at Newton Abbot in October.

JPR One was in the process of enhancing his reputation in supreme style in the Grade Two Arkle Trial at Cheltenham last month, before a stumble at the last saw him unseat Brendan Powell with the race at his mercy.

He now has the chance to gain some big-race compensation and establish himself as one of the leading two-mile novice chasers heading into the second half of the season.

“It’s a nice race for him and he’s come out of Cheltenham really well,” said Tizzard.

“It’s not a walk in the park by any stretch of the imagination, but on ratings he looks about right and I’m excited to run him in a Grade One.

“I think it happened at a stage at Cheltenham where we knew he was going to be impressive and I’ve been excited about running him over fences for a while now. It’s exciting that he can go there with a decent chance.”

Jamie Snowden has his string firing on all cylinders and has always felt Colonel Harry would eclipse his hurdles achievements once tackling the larger obstacles.

The course winner created a taking impression at Chepstow on his fences bow and is set to relish testing conditions at the Esher track on Saturday.

“He was obviously a very smart novice hurdler last season, winning twice and placed in two Graded races,” said Snowden.

“He’s always promised to be a better chaser and jumped really well down at Chepstow when beating Tahmuras, who had beaten him over hurdles in the Tolworth.

“Tahmuras probably disappointed that day, there is no doubting that, but we did a lot of things right and it has always been our plan to come here since.

“He handles testing ground and is a thorough stayer at this trip – and I thought his comeback run was great. Fingers crossed, he can run a big race.”

Iceo has 13 lengths to find with JPR One from when they met in the autumn, but he was an odds-on favourite that day despite conceding 15lb to the winner and is given the chance for revenge by Paul Nicholls at the scene of his impressive Imperial Cup triumph over hurdles.

“He was always going to be a chaser and made a lovely start over fences with a cosy success at Newton Abbot early in October, before finishing third giving plenty of weight to two decent horses at the same track three weeks later,” Nicholls told Betfair.

“I don’t think he was quite right that day, perhaps I ran him a bit too soon, and I’ve put a line though that run. He is fine now and I’ve always had this Grade One chase in mind for him.”

Dan Skelton’s Unexpected Party claimed the scalp of Ditcheat’s Knappers Hill at Chepstow before running a creditable fifth in a high-class renewal of the Paddy Power Gold Cup, while Petit Tonnerre picked up some pieces following the unseat of JPR One at Cheltenham, battling on for second.

The field is completed by Le Patron, who has won by a combined 30 lengths in two chasing appearances and Gary Moore hopes his stamina could prove an asset dropping back in trip.

“He’s probably an improving horse but whether he is up to that grade, I don’t really know,” said Moore.

“He will probably be better going a bit further but in soft ground, as long as they don’t get him at it down the back too much where the ground is a bit better, I think he will be OK. I see him coming into his own in the straight, hopefully.

“I just hope his jumping keeps him in the race.”

Erik ten Hag has told Marcus Rashford it is up to him to force his way back into the Manchester United side.

Rashford was dropped for Wednesday’s 2-1 win over Chelsea after being criticised for his performance in last weekend’s 1-0 defeat at Newcastle, and the England forward has been struggling for form for much of the campaign.

Last season Rashford scored 30 goals to help United finish third and lift the Carabao Cup, but has only scored twice this term – with one of those a penalty in the 3-0 win over Everton last month.

Without Rashford, United produced arguably their best performance of the season on Wednesday night, and the outstanding form of Alejandro Garnacho in his favoured position on the left is another challenge for Rashford to overcome.

“Rashford is an incredible, good player,” Ten Hag said. “You can’t do it with 11 players, he can’t play every game. He’s not in this moment in the form he was last year but I am sure he will get there.

“It is up to him. The team will always line themselves up and the best players who form the best team will play.”

With Rashford struggling in front of goal, United’s top-scorer this term is Scott McTominay, who got both goals in Wednesday’s win to move on to six for the season.

During the summer it had appeared the Scotland midfielder might be on his way out of Old Trafford, and it was a similar story for England defender Harry Maguire, who has instead forced his way back into Ten Hag’s side and was on Friday rewarded with Premier League player of the month honours.

“I think we have a squad and in the squad there is internal competition,” Ten Hag said when asked about the pair. “If you want a successful season you need more than 11 players. Finally, in every season, it will turn and in every season it’s what is the best team.

“They are here, they are great players and have played into the team. That’s what you expect from every player, there has to be dedication to aim for this.”

In the wake of the Newcastle defeat, Ten Hag was facing questions about a club in crisis, but less than a week later he had his own Premier League monthly award to show off, with his side only three points behind neighbours City.

“We know where we are going and we had our setbacks, especially at the start of the season. Things went against us with injuries, decisions, and sometimes you find yourselves in such a place,” he said.

“You see the character of the team, we’re in a better place, better form. The performances are increasing, we are performing as a team and as individuals, you have to be sharp in every game. This league is very competitive and you see it in results this week. Everyone kills everyone.”

United face an in-form Bournemouth side at Old Trafford on Saturday, and Ten Hag has plenty to consider in his team selection with a must-win Champions League match against Bayern Munich to follow on Tuesday before they head to Liverpool next Sunday.

“I think they have very good form, Bournemouth,” Ten Hag added. “It’s a very good side, very well constructed, capable players, again you have to play your best.

“Everyone is killing everyone, you have to be 100 per cent ready as a team for that game. That’s our job to do, to get there.

“As a manager, my coaches, with the rest of the staff, we always consider everything but the next game is always the most important, especially in the Premier League where everyone is killing everyone. You need a strong team.”

Gordon Elliott’s Coko Beach will bid to maintain his recent good form in the Boylesports Becher Handicap Chase at Aintree on Saturday.

The grey gelding may have been pulled up in the Grand National last season, but he was eighth the year before and has returned to action this term clearly in good heart.

His reappearance came in the Munster National at Limerick over three miles, where he was third when beaten just two and three-quarter lengths.

The eight-year-old then headed to Navan for the Troytown Chase and was the winner there from a field of 20, beating Limerick Lace and a whole host of Elliott stablemates in a tough staying victory.

Naturally, the handicapper has taken note and the gelding will now return to Aintree off a British mark of 162, a career-high that will see him carry top-weight of 12st.

Eddie O’Leary, of owners Gigginstown House Stud, said: “He’s got an awful lot of weight.

“He’s up to 161 now (in Ireland, running off 162 in UK) and that is going to be very tough because he’s far from that.

“He’s going for the Becher because he will enjoy the fences, he’s run in the National the last twice and he just hasn’t quite got home.”

The burden he will carry is eased by the booking of jockey Danny Gilligan, who claims 5lb and has ridden Coko Beach in his two prior starts this season.

“Danny is taking 5lb off his back, which will help,” said O’Leary.

“There is no point in him running in something like the Savills Chase (at Leopardstown), because he’d get lapped.

“He’s a lovely horse, he’s only eight, he was second in a Fred Winter as a juvenile but unfortunately he’s got no chance competing against those good horses and his mark now is very tough in handicaps.”

Joe Tizzard has a real chance with The Big Breakaway, fifth in the Badger Beer Chase at Wincanton on his first run of the campaign.

The chestnut ran in the Grand National itself in April, but his bid was cut short when he fell at the second obstacle.

Tizzard believes he will have no issue taking to them this time around, however, and his chances are helped by the drop in his handicap mark to 147.

“I’m looking forward to running him over the Aintree fences and he was unlucky in the National, he just got knocked over at the second,” the trainer said.

“This has always been the plan with him, to get a run into him and then have a crack at these fences and make sure that he takes to them as we expect him to. He’s in lovely form at home.

“The handicapper has given him a chance, that is for certain, and for a horse who has only won one chase, we always felt he was a little bit high. That was a serious run at Chepstow (second in the Welsh National) and that sort of warranted his mark, but now he’s been given a bit of a chance.

“He’s a beautiful jumper of a fence at home and when he is on song. I think he will take to the fences well and if he gives us an answer to the question, then we will give him a proper Grand National campaign.”

Harry Cobden will ride instead of stable jockey Brendan Powell, who heads to Sandown instead, with Cobden having already taken the ride on the horse twice in his earlier career.

Tizzard said: “Harry won two Tophams for us and has actually ridden The Big Breakaway at Cheltenham in his novice days and has schooled him plenty of times, so it’s all worked out perfectly for me because I was worried I was going to have a headache and then got the phone call that Harry could ride all ours up there.”

Dan Skelton’s Ashtown Lad is the reigning champion in the race, having won by two and a quarter lengths from Gesskille in the contest last season.

He was pulled up in the Badger Beer when returning to action this season but has been well-fancied in the ante-post markets to return to form and retain his title.

Laura Morgan’s Percussion, second in the Grand Sefton over these unique obstacles, is another leading contender, alongside Philip Hobbs and Johnson White’s Celebre D’Allen and Fergal O’Brien’s Highland Hunter.