Chelsea fell to a third home defeat of the season as Brentford maintained their 100% winning record at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League with a deserved 2-0 victory.
Ethan Pinnock took advantage of non-existent marking to head the visitors in front shortly before the half-hour mark after Mauricio Pochettino’s side had failed to take advantage of a first half in which they dominated.
Thereafter there was little genuine attacking threat nor hope of salvation, as the hosts took a worrying backwards step towards the goal-shy, hesitant play that characterised the manager’s early games.
Robert Sanchez was embarrassed in added time after joining his team’s attack for a corner, failing to catch Neal Maupay in a foot race as he broke with the ball, allowing Bryan Mbeumo to score in an empty net to compound home fans’ woes.
Chelsea’s dire form at Stamford Bridge now stands at one win in their last 13 games in the league, with August’s victory over Luton their only success here in seven months.
They were without Enzo Fernandez and Mykhailo Mudryk, key components in their recent uptick in form, with neither player risked after picking up knocks in training on Friday.
In place of Mudryk came Noni Madueke, in for his first start under Pochettino, and he wasted little time in staking a case to his manager, standing up Vitaly Janelt on the right of the penalty area and opening his body to unleash a wicked, bending effort that thumped the crossbar.
It was a busy start from Chelsea. Conor Gallagher, captain again with Reece James fit only for the bench, stung the palms of Mark Flekken when he shot low at goal from 30 yards.
Marc Cucurella found space from a wonderful ball into the box from Cole Palmer, but the defender could summon neither power not placement with his right foot.
Raheem Sterling looked in electric mood. His dazzling burst through the middle saw the ball break to Madueke, who shepherded it inside for Palmer to return for Sterling who had continued his run. The move deserved a goal; instead the England forward ballooned his shot into the Matthew Harding Stand.
As the half wore on Chelsea became increasingly camped in the visitors’ half, shifting focus from probing for the critical pass in central positions in favour of balls down the channels, where Madueke and Sterling would not allow Brentford peace.
But there was a feeling of old habits creeping into Chelsea’s play, with the creative fluency of recent weeks not so forthcoming. The period ended with Pochettino remonstrating with a fan who questioned Nicolas Jackson’s lack of involvement, the manager of a mind that only supportive voices were welcome, but doubtless aware privately of his team’s shortcomings.
There was almost a goal within minutes of the restart, Janelt left to rue profligate finishing after he was left free 12 yards out but fired straight at Sanchez. It was a stark warning, but one Chelsea’s defence would not heed.
On 58 minutes, their generous marking struck again and this time Pinnock readily accepted the gift.
It was a smart link-up between Kristoffer Ajer and Mbeumo from a throw-in on the right that began the move, with Mbeumo given space to run the ball to the byline and hoist a cross. The delivery hung high in the air, finally dropping into the six yard box where Axel Disasi did little more than observe as Pinnock powered beyond him and beat Thiago Silva to the ball to thump his header home.
The shock jolted Chelsea from whatever rhythm they had inherited from the first half. Still they hogged the ball, but rarely was Flekken tested as they toiled in vain for an equaliser.
Substitute Yehor Yarmolyuk should have made it 2-0 on the break in the final minutes, he was denied point-blank by Sanchez, before Mbeumo lashed millimetres wide of the post.
Pochettino’s assistant Jesus Perez was sent off with frustrations between the two benches boiling over, and it got even worse for the home side with Mbeumo’s tap-in and the end of Chelsea’s mini-revival.
Ancient Wisdom showed an abundance of spirit and stamina to land the Kameko Futurity Trophy Stakes at Doncaster.
Charlie Appleby’s charge made the running early on but was headed by Devil’s Point and Dancing Gemini when the pace quickened three furlongs out.
However, Ancient Wisdom got a second wind in the latter stages and galloped on strongly to outstay Devil’s Point by a length and three-quarters.
William Buick’s mount was sent off the 5-4 favourite, while God’s Window stayed on to finish a head behind Devil’s Point in third. Aidan O’Brien’s Diego Velazquez faded out of contention.
Ancient Wisdom, supplemented for the race on Monday, was cut to as short as 6-1 with Betfair and Paddy Power for next year’s Derby, while Coral offered 8-1 for him to win the Epsom Classic.
The start of the race was delayed by a nasty incident when Battle Cry reared up in the stalls and fell backwards, unseating jockey Ben Curtis in the process.
That forced the O’Brien-trained outsider to be withdrawn but both horse and jockey were thankfully able to walk away.
Leeds thrashed Huddersfield 4-1 at Elland Road keep their bid for a return to the Premier League on track.
Dan James and Crysencio Summerville both hit first half doubles as Daniel Farke’s men finally produced the sort of free-scoring display their dominance at home has threatened all season.
James opened the scoring after 20 minutes before Summerville added the second on the half-hour.
James soon added the third and Summerville completed the Leeds scoring on a day when the home side threatened to get at least twice as many.
Michal Helik netted a consolation for the visitors with 20 minutes remaining as Darren Moore’s side looked more compact after the break.
James fired in the opener from 25 yards as Leeds eventually made their early pressure pay and there was not way back from Huddersfield as they had little to offer at this point save for an off-target effort by Delano Burgzorg.
Summerville picked his spot for the second as the visitors’ defence failed to cope with Leeds’ free-flowing style with forward Georginio Rutter once again proving a handful.
It did not take long for Leeds to add a third and Rutter was involved once again, laying the ball off to Summerville who burst from his own half to set up James.
The winger was able to take his time before firing a shot across Lee Nicholls which the Huddersfield keeper could do little about.
Leeds could have had another but Nicholls this time proved equal to a Summerville shot and James blazed the rebound over.
Rutter again provided the chance for the fourth Leeds goal which came in first-half stoppage time.
He burst down the left and cut the ball back for Summerville who had time to turn twice inside the area before beating Nicholls with a shot which went through a crowd of players.
Any thoughts Leeds fans had a of a second-half rout were dispelled by a more compact Huddersfield who benefitted from two changes at the break.
Leeds worked hard for a fifth goal and also took the chance to make changes of their own to give needed game time for some of their fringe players.
A mistake by Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier gave Huddersfield the chance to score a consolation after 70 minutes.
Meslier was unable to hold a shot from Sorba Thomas from outside the area and Helik had timed his move to stay onside and fire in the rebound from close range.
But that was as good as it got for Moore’s side on a day when they were well beaten by opponents who reside at the opposite end of the Championship table.
Adam Armstrong scored his eighth goal of the season as Southampton eased to a 3-1 Sky Bet Championship victory and condemned Wayne Rooney to a third straight defeat as Birmingham manager.
Forward Armstrong now has eight career goals against Blues, more than he has scored against any other side, as he settled the game with a fine finish.
He had set up Taylor Harwood-Bellis’ opener before Carlos Alcaraz tapped in – both players’ first goals of the season. Jay Stansfield pulled one back for the visitors but it could not help end Rooney’s winless run.
Southampton had monopolised the opening stages without creating anything clear-cut until Harwood-Bellis nodded in the ninth-minute opener.
Armstrongs Stuart and Adam worked a short-corner routine before the latter lifted for the Manchester City loanee to power in his third professional goal, and first since last September.
Blues rallied but Oliver Burke’s lashed effort into the side netting – their only shot of the first half – poked the hosts back into life.
Kamaldeen Sulemana and Stuart Armstrong linked up smartly on the left flank before the Ghanaian slid across the face of the goal for Alcaraz to push in.
Rooney had been booed after Wednesday’s 2-0 home defeat by Hull, and Saints supporters rubbed their advantage in with a round of “sacked in the morning” aimed at the Manchester United great.
But rather than rub further salt into the wound of Rooney’s poor start, Birmingham fans supported their boss with cries of “Rooney, Rooney” and “Wayne Rooney’s Blue Army”.
Their support should have been rewarded with a spot-kick but goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu got away with flattening Burke in the box.
Saints should have gone into the break with more than a two-goal advantage as Harwood-Bellis’ free header from a corner skipped wide and Adam Armstrong clipped a one-on-one over John Ruddy but wide of the goal.
After the break, Stuart Armstrong tamely ended a well-worked move and Adam Armstrong’s diving header flashed wide.
But the hosts floundered and Blues capitalised. Stansfield jumped off the bench, met Lukas Jutkiewicz’s knockdown, bullied his way past Kyle Walker-Peters and rifled into the top corner – all within 52 seconds of his 57th-minute introduction.
It was Stansfield’s fourth goal of the season and extended Southampton’s wait for a home clean sheet to 28 matches.
But Saints held onto the ball well and made sure of the result in the 86th minute when top-scorer Adam Armstrong pounced and swivelled onto Sam Edozie’s nod down.
Scott Hogan curled one onto the roof of the goal in additional time but it could not stop Saints moving to a sixth game unbeaten to cement their place in the play-off spots.
Trinidadian cyclist Nicholas Paul followed up his Men’s Sprint gold medal at the 2023 Pan Am Games in Santiago, Chile with a silver medal in the Men’s Keirin final on Friday.
The 25-year-old, who won gold in the men's sprint event at the Velodromo Penalolen on Thursday, used his electric sprint speed in the final lap to power himself to second place, after falling behind the pack with a couple of laps remaining in the six-lap event.
The keirin final was won by Colombia's Kevin Quintero, the reigning world champion in the event, while Mexico's Juan Ruiz Teran finished in third spot.
Paul also took Keirin gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Grand National hero Corach Rambler kicked off his campaign by finishing fifth behind Elvis Mail in the Edinburgh Gin Chase at Kelso.
The nine-year-old, who was giving a stone and more away to all of his rivals, has tended to need the outing when making his seasonal reappearance and a slow pace did not suit the out-and-out stayer.
Derek Fox was content to bide his time at the back of the six-runner field in the early stages, as Empire Steel and Highland Hunter dictated the pace at the head of affairs.
Lucinda Russell’s charge jumped fluently for much of the contest but was caught flat-footed when those ahead of him quickened up from the third-last fence.
Corach Rambler was untidy at the penultimate obstacle and was then left to coast home, while 11-4 chance Elvis Mail kept on strongly to get the better of Highland Hunter by two lengths.
Corach Rambler remains the 16-1 favourite with Coral to defend his Grand National crown at Aintree next April.
Henry de Bromhead enjoyed a birthday winner at Cheltenham when Dancing On My Own was driven home by Rachael Blackmore in the Epic Value At William Hill Handicap Chase.
De Bromhead was celebrating his 51st birthday but the race was still in the balance on the approach to the last as Gary Moore’s Haddex Des Obeaux, who had made every yard of the running, was still holding a slender lead when coming down at the final fence.
Having set a searching gallop, Haddex Des Obeaux had seen them all off bar the eventual winner and Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Guy, who were the only three in contention for the final half mile.
As Guy began to weaken up the hill and Haddex Des Obeaux came down, Dancing On My Own (14-1), the winner of Aintree’s Red Rum Chase in April, was left to come home alone. He had two lengths to spare over Triple Trade, with In Excelsis Deo and Notlongtillmay both making good progress for minor honours.
De Bromhead said: “Rachael gave him a super ride, she was brilliant on him.
“I was worried about his big weight and he was up 7lb for Aintree but I’m delighted with him, he jumped super.
“He’s funny, he just loves to go a good decent gallop the whole way, so the other horse going on suited him, and Rachael knows him better than anyone.
“Let’s see what the handicapper thinks, but he could come back for the Schloer maybe, we might need to look at conditions chases as he’s boxing up there.
“We haven’t managed to win the two-mile division (Queen Mother) but even with Energumene out, there are plenty of good horses in it.”
Luis Enrique has warned Paris St Germain against falling into the “trap” of being overconfident when they visit surprise package Brest in Ligue 1 on Sunday just because the reigning champions blew away AC Milan in midweek.
PSG pulled off the perfect response to their shock defeat by Newcastle in the previous round of the Champions League by cruising past Serie A giants Milan 3-0 to take charge of their tough group at the halfway stage.
The Spaniard’s men have won three of their last four league games but a win at Stade Francis-Le Ble would only boost them to within a point of leaders Nice, so Enrique is taking the assignment very seriously.
He told reporters: “Every match is a trap but this one might especially be one because of the kick-off time of 1pm (12pm GMT). We’ve never played at that time before.
“We’re also away from home and there are reasons why we might not be focused, so there are things we need to be wary of.
“They’re a team who defend well and put in a lot of crosses. It will be tricky, especially after a Champions League match. We have to be very careful.
“I’ve seen their ground and it’s like an English stadium with stands close to the pitch. The schedule is unusual but we have to be able to overcome that, too.”
Marquinhos (adductor), Layvin Kurzawa (illness), Keylor Navas (back), Marco Asensio, Presnel Kimpembe and Nuno Mendes are all unavailable due to injury.
Opponents Brest have raised eyebrows so far this season after charging into the European places before, after failing to win any of their last three matches, slipping down to fifth.
Their rise has created more buzz around this fixture and head coach Eric Roy was bemused by the increased number of reporters at his Friday press conference, saying: “Oh dear, oh dear, who are all these people?”
He was, however, keen to play down any hopes of strolling to a home win in front of a sellout crowd.
“I don’t think it changes much for us,” Roy told L’Equipe. “Against Toulouse the stadium was full too… perhaps that’s because it is small. The Parisians won’t bring many so we will have a 100 per cent Brestois backing.
“I hope that we will live up to the expectations of our supporters. We would like to play a great match and take on the challenge. If we ‘crush’ them 1-0, it will be magnificent.”
Steve Borthwick has made increasing depth in certain positions his priority having begun planning for the Six Nations even before the World Cup bronze medals had been presented to his England players.
After the heartbreak of falling to a late penalty in their 16-15 semi-final defeat by South Africa six days earlier, England dug deep to edge Argentina 26-23 in front of a hostile crowd at the Stade de France on Friday.
It was a sign of the team’s growing resilience that they were able to climb off the canvas to deal with motivated opponents playing to restore reputations battered by their capitulation to New Zealand.
Borthwick now has a solid platform off which to build for the Six Nations and the most pressing duty post-World Cup is to compile his review of the tournament before discussing his finding with his coaching staff in a fortnight’s time.
England’s head coach has indicated that part of the review will focus on the lack of options in some areas of the team – primarily front row and inside centre.
“I’ve already started looking forward to the Six Nations. The planning is in the early stages and already started in my mind,” Borthwick said.
“Naturally at the end of World Cups there are always some players that decide their time as a current England player will come to an end, but the age profile of the squad is strong.
“If you look at the semi-finals last week we had seven players who were 25 or under – more than any other team in the semi-finals.
“And there are a number of exciting young players that didn’t make the 33-man squad but who were part of the preparations over the summer.
“We know that the distribution positionally of those players isn’t necessarily even. We know there are some areas where we’re a bit thinner than others.
“I need to make sure we’re doing some work and finding some depth in those keys positions.
“That’s going to be part of my project over the next period of time along with my coaches.”
Theo Dan performed well against Argentina but the knockout games against Fiji and South Africa were deemed too big a stage for the rookie hooker, forcing Jamie George to start and finish both games.
The Springboks loss revealed that England do not have the scrummaging props to equal veterans Dan Cole and Joe Marler, while inside centre has long been a position of scarcity beyond Manu Tuilagi.
What the team will not lack in the Six Nations, however, is an an identity with second row Ollie Chessum revealing strong bonds have been formed over the last two months.
“We spoke about finishing this tournament and making sure England was in a better spot than it was when we came in,” Chessum said.
“We had a very up and down summer series and there was a lot of umming and aahing and we really felt we needed to find ourselves and that is exactly what this team has done.
“We have found our identity, we have found what we are about as a team. We have got a great group of players and a great group of people in this squad.
“We showed everyone that we can compete with the best up there. We fell short last weekend but we have come away with a medal.
“The boys are looking forward to a well-earned rest, but everyone has loved every minute and it is a shame the tournament has come to an end
“It is going to be weird waking up in my own bed on Monday and not in a hotel with the lads!”
Romantic Warrior created history at Moonee Valley when the Hong Kong star won Australia’s most prestigious race, the Ladbrokes Cox Plate.
A multiple Group One winner in his homeland, the five-year-old was facing a completely different test on Saturday.
Trained by Danny Shum, the Irish-bred son of Acclamation was ridden by home jockey James McDonald and his local knowledge proved crucial.
Caught wide on the turn into the short home straight, Romantic Warrior looked to have a mountain to climb as seven-time Group One winner Alligator Blood hit the front before being challenged by Mr Brightside.
However, McDonald got Romantic Warrior rolling and managed to get home by a short head.
Since Able Friend’s eclipse at Royal Ascot in 2015, the majority of Hong Kong’s best horses have stayed closer to home with such big prize money on offer, but Shum’s and owner Peter Lau’s adventurousness was rewarded.
“It has big meaning for me as a trainer. It makes me happy. I’m more happy than I can tell you,” Shum told www.racing.com.
“I don’t know how to tell you how happy I am. I am really happy.
“I want to thank Peter the owner for giving permission to come here. James McDonald, all the team, all the Hong Kong fans, my wife Christine, my son Aaron. I love you! I love you!”
McDonald said: “I showed belief. This horse is pretty special to me. I mentioned if he came to a Cox Plate he’d be a suitable horse.
“I meant what I said and credit to Peter and Danny, it takes a hell of a lot of balls to come out of Hong Kong with all the prize money. It is one of the best racing jurisdictions in the world and they come here and showcase their boy.
“I was comfortable. I knew I was on the right horse; I kept going ‘he’s the best horse, he’s the best horse’ so I’d ride him like it.
“I took a gamble about the 1000 (metres) or 1200. We elected to come back a spot and to the minute right now I believe that was the winning move. Giving my horse an extra length to come back.
“I let Alligator Blood near him knowing I think I can still beat him letting him out and having last crack.”
Aidan O’Brien’s Victoria Road finished back in ninth under jockey Blake Shinn.
Brian Ellison believes if Tashkhan can reproduce his brave Cesarewitch run he will win Sunday’s Prix Royal-Oak at ParisLongchamp.
Carrying top-weight, the five-year-old hit the front inside the final quarter-mile, but his welter burden told inside the last furlong and he was passed by The Shunter and eventually Pied Piper.
Ellison rated it as a career-best effort, despite it coming in a handicap, but does harbour some doubts about whether those exertions may have taken the edge off his stable star.
“He ran a blinder in the Cesarewitch. You wonder if he had too hard a race there but you don’t know until you run them, that’s the danger,” he said.
“To be fair to the horse, he is tough, he seems well at home, I’m quite happy with him even though he’s just been ticking over and it’s his last run of the year, so we’ll see.
“If he performs like he did in the Cesarewitch, he’ll win, won’t he. I think it was just about his best-ever run when you take into account the weight he was carrying. All the ratings people tend to agree, too. It was some run.
“He was only beaten by two proper horses, giving them a stone. The winner has proven his class by winning at Cheltenham and Pied Piper was running against Champion Hurdle horses most of last season.
“I don’t think there’s anything like those two in this race, but the danger is we’ve got to travel all the way to France. But he is tough and if he can repeat his Newmarket run he won’t be far away.”
Fellow British raiders in what is the French version of the St Leger include Chester Cup winner Metier and James Fanshawe’s Novel Legend, while the home team is headed by the three-year-old Double Major.
Assistant coach Marcus Trescothick says England are “feeling the heat” of their World Cup implosion.
England arrived in India as defending champions but are on course to leave with their tail between their legs after losing four of their first five games.
The all-conquering hosts are next up in Lucknow on Sunday – on paper their toughest assignment of all – and another loss would represent England’s worst-ever sequence at the tournament.
The question marks are piling up with every disappointing result, with team selection, tactics and the England and Wales Cricket Board’s structural commitment to the 50-over game all under scrutiny.
Captain Jos Buttler and head coach Matthew Mott have both been forced to defend their positions and Trescothick made it clear the situation was taking its toll.
“We’ve just not been matching up to the levels we expect and of course it’s disappointing,” he said.
“We’re all feeling it. We’re all feeling the heat. It’s challenging for everyone.
“But what can you do? We prepared the same. Every practice we go through, we’re coming out the other side thinking we’re in a good place and feeling quite right.
“But it’s just not quite worked when we’ve gone into the games.”
The drop off in performance from a side who became the most feared white-ball side in the world on their way to the 2019 title has been so stark, there have been suggestions about England’s motivation to climb the mountain once more.
Asked if England had simply lost interest in the 50-over format, sidetracked by T20 and the ‘Bazball’ revolution in the Test arena, Trescothick resisted.
“Forgive me, I don’t want to be blunt here, but we haven’t lost faith in what it is,” he responded.
“I can’t really say too much more. We love playing any form of cricket, any form of the game that we play.
“We were desperate to come here and try and win back-to-back 50-over competitions. So, we’re still very much focused on all formats of the game.”
Lining up against India at their home can be a daunting experience at the best of times and doing so while devoid of confidence and form only makes matters worse.
Rohit Sharma’s side bring a 100 per cent record into the match and are likely to be aided by a highly partisan crowd and, if local reports on the ground are to be believed, a helpful turning pitch.
But Trescothick hopes to see England thrive under adversity.
“I think playing against India in a World Cup in their own country is a special part of the game,” he said.
“You know there’ll be a big crowd and there’ll be a wonderful occasion. The atmosphere is going to be electric.”
England will surely consider bringing Harry Brook back into their under-performing batting line-up after surprisingly dropping him last time out, while Gus Atkinson, Sam Curran and the recently-arrived Brydon Carse all stand by to help refresh the bowling stocks.
There will be some temptation to play all three in an overt act of adding a more youthful sheen to an ageing outfit, but England may exert more restraint given the size of the task ahead against the likes of Rohit and Virat Kohli.
Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario earned praise from captain Son Heung-min following his key role in their latest victory.
Spurs made it four wins in a row after they battled to a 2-1 triumph at Crystal Palace, with Joel Ward’s 53rd-minute own goal and Son’s eighth strike of the campaign enough to earn all three points.
Jordan Ayew netted in stoppage time for the hosts, but Ange Postecoglou’s resurgent team held on and Son subsequently paid tribute to summer signing Vicario.
Vicario made two crucial early saves to deny Ayew and Odsonne Edouard, and while he missed out on a fifth clean sheet since he displaced Hugo Lloris as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper, he continues to grow his reputation.
“Before we score without Vic’s saves we are going behind and when you go behind in this stadium, you know what is going to happen. I think big credit to Vic for making unbelievable saves,” Son told SpursPlay.
“I am enjoying every single moment (with Vicario) because he made a good save, is playing out well and it is fantastic to have him behind the goal.
“Obviously any game we are going to face chances and shots on target, but when you have Vic behind us you are just very comfortable he is going to make unbelievable saves, which he did.
“Big, big credit to Vic today and also the way he play with the feet is fantastic. It brings so much to the team and I am very, very happy to have him in the team.”
Vicario has adapted to life in England immediately and been an unsung hero during Tottenham’s ascent to first place in the Premier League.
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The role of top goalscorer Son has earned more headlines and he netted again on Friday, but only after a brilliant team move. Pape Sarr’s diagonal ball was headed down by Brennan Johnson to James Maddison, who touched back into Johnson’s path and he teed up the Spurs captain for a smart close-range finish.
Former Empoli goalkeeper Vicario said: “I think our second goal was a top masterclass of football from the back. Find the spare man and then he (Son) attacks the right space.
“It is easy for him to come to the back and score this kind of goal. It is a big situation we work on during the week, so we’re happy for that and we have to keep going, keep improving on that because we can do it.
“Of course we enjoy the win, we take the rest of the week and then we go again.”
A largely perfect night for Tottenham was rounded off with Rodrigo Bentancur returning from injury to play for the first time since February 11.
Bentancur suffered anterior cruciate ligament damage to his left knee in a defeat at Leicester, which curtained a fine individual campaign that had seen him score five times.
Captain Son was thrilled to see the midfielder return with a late cameo, he added: “What an unbelievable player. Having him in our squad is kind of like a new signing.
“We couldn’t wait to have him back and when he came on I was getting emotional. He is one of my good friends and last year when I suffer with injuries, he was always pushing behind me.
“I am really grateful he came back healthy.”
Palace boss Roy Hodgson was downbeat about the impact of his substitutes and called for patience with Brazilian attacker Matheus Franca after his home debut off the bench.
“They need more time,” Hodgson insisted. “The fact is I feel sorry for Franca. For some reason people have tried to imbue him with qualities that we can’t expect to see from him.
“He’s 19 years of age, he has a handful of games in Brazil behind him and now we’re asking him to play against Tottenham, the team that is running away at the top of the Premier League at the moment.”
Erik ten Hag knows Manchester United “have a way to go” as they look to kickstart their season with a statement derby victory against rivals Manchester City.
All eyes will be on Old Trafford this Sunday as Pep Guardiola’s treble winners look to halt the Red Devils’ wholly unconvincing three-game winning streak.
United required their latest ever Premier League comeback to beat Brentford 2-1 before an international break they returned from with a win by the same scoreline at rock-bottom Sheffield United.
Ten Hag’s team toiled to a third straight victory in all competitions on Tuesday, when Andre Onana’s last-gasp spot-kick save sealed a crucial 1-0 win against Copenhagen in the Champions League.
It was another narrow escape for a United side that need to be far better if they are to stand any chance of winning the 191st Manchester derby.
“We are in the right direction, and we have a way to go,” Red Devils boss Ten Hag said.
“I see positives, I see also negatives. We are not consistently, in possession, on the level where we can be, where we show in games we can be.
“Like for instance, Arsenal away. Also, the first 30 minutes in Bayern Munich away. But we should do this on a consistent basis.
“But pressing, we are quite good. We have the most ball regains from the whole Premier League, we have the most middle regains from the whole Premier League.
“So, there you see, our defensive organisation, our pressing organisation. I said before the season how we wanted to play, that is us.
“But then, we don’t take the benefit in the attacking transition moments, and we should be because we have the abilities in our team, the players there who can take benefit from it.
“We paid some attention to it, and this has to grow, this has to progress. Then games will become easier.”
United’s spate of defensive injuries has undoubtedly impacted them this term, so too their inability to show a clinical edge in front of goal.
Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial have only managed one goal apiece this term, while summer signing Rasmus Hojlund is looking to open his Premier League account after scoring three European goals.
Asked if the lack of goals was the forwards’ fault, Ten Hag said: “Fault? It’s co-operation and that has to click.
“We showed this week some examples where we are in overload positions going to the opponents’ goal and we don’t net, or we don’t even hit the target. We should do this better.
“I’m sure we don’t have time to train this fact, but we get some coaching and I’m convinced with the qualities from our players, that they will go and score more goals.”
The form of Rashford – who scored the winner when these sides last met at Old Trafford back in January – has been particularly alarming.
The England forward has looked a shadow of the player that plundered 30 goals in 2022-23 during the opening months of the current campaign, but there is confidence he will soon open the floodgates.
“Especially give him the trust, I play him every game,” Ten Hag said.
“Most of the games also he finishes. I have a strong belief he will return to scoring a lot of goals.”
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