Alejandro Garnacho is the latest Manchester United player to offer a public apology for the humiliating 7-0 defeat to Liverpool.
United's Premier League hammering at Anfield on Sunday was their joint-worst defeat ever, alongside losses by the same scoreline to Wolves in 1931, Aston Villa in 1930 and Blackburn Rovers in 1926.
That it came against their fiercest rivals made it even tougher to swallow for United fans, who had seen their side end a six-year trophy drought with EFL Cup glory a week before.
Following apologies from David de Gea and Luke Shaw, Garnacho – who was brought on after an hour with the Red Devils 3-0 down – has posted a message of his own on social media.
"We are so sorry," he said. "We will give you a reaction on Thursday, Reds."
United will be aiming for a swift response in that Europa League last-16 first-leg home tie with Real Betis on Thursday, with defeat to Liverpool snapping an 11-game unbeaten run.
The Red Devils are still in the hunt for a cup treble this season, but full-back Shaw accepts the performance at Anfield simply was not good enough.
"It was unacceptable. Embarrassing, to be honest," said Shaw, who has played in 32 of United's 42 matches under Erik ten Hag.
"On the pitch I felt embarrassed for us players, for the fans that were there supporting us, that were watching at home, to watch that second half.
"I can only apologise for that and us as players have to own it, we have to stand up and accept that it was nowhere near good enough.
"It was completely unacceptable and I'm sure they’re hurting, but us as players are hurting a lot.
"Our standards have clearly dropped since we've won [the EFL Cup] and in the last couple of games we haven't been our normal selves.
"We showed no personality, no mentality and for a big team to come here we need to be better."
United follow up the visit of LaLiga side Betis with a meeting against Southampton on their return to Premier League action on Sunday.
Football rumours: Jadon Sancho keeping contact with Borussia Dortmund
Jadon Sancho is looking increasingly likely to call time at Old Trafford in January. The Daily Mail, citing Sky Germany, says the 23-year-old winger has been in regular contact with former club Borussia Dortmund, amid his stand-off with Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag.
Staying with the Red Devils, Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite has emerged on the club’s radar for a potential January move. According to the Mail, the centre-back is viewed as a potential replacement should Harry Maguire depart the club in the new year. Branthwaite is also wanted by Manchester City, having impressed on loan at PSV Eindhoven.
And The Telegraph reports former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard is open to replacing Michael Beale as Rangers manager.
Social media round-upPlayers to watchLionel Messi: The Daily Mirror says the Inter Miami forward will return to his first club, Newell’s Old Boys, when his contract expires in 2025.
Jeremie Frimpong: The left-back is set to re-sign with Bayer Leverkusen, according to the Daily Record.
Xisco Munoz vows to fight ‘until my last second’ at Sheffield Wednesday
Xisco Munoz apologised to Sheffield Wednesday’s supporters and said he would give it “until my last second” after a 1-0 defeat at West Brom left the Sky Bet Championship’s bottom team with the worst start in their history.
John Swift’s 13th-minute goal left the Owls with an eighth loss from the first 10 games of the Sky Bet Championship season, and they are already seven points adrift of the safety line.
Manager Munoz, 43, who led Watford to the Premier League in 2020-21, has taken just two points all season and none have come outside Yorkshire. Wednesday are also without a goal in 312 minutes of football.
“I understand the fans and I can only say sorry because it’s tough for everybody,” said the Spaniard.
“But as a manager, I can say we will continue until my last second.
“This is my life and I try to give my best to my players until my last minute.”
Munoz suggested he is running out of options after trying different permutations.
“We tried to change the formation and the players – I have used 24 or 25 players this season,” he added.
“We can play 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 5-3-2 but right now, we’re not finding the solutions.”
Munoz insisted he will keep persevering trying to find a winning formula.
“We need to continue trying to find what is better for us, we need to find which players we can use for the next game, what can hurt the opponent and how we can make better of these situations,” added the Spaniard.
“We played against a difficult style and a good team but the difference was nothing.”
West Brom made it five games unbeaten, during which they have kept four clean sheets and climbed to fifth.
Swift lashed home the only goal from six yards after Darnell Furlong played the ball down the right, Akin Famewo missed the chance to cut it out and Jed Wallace crossed low.
But just after the goal, Wednesday’s Juan Delgado missed Ashley Fletcher’s cross from point-blank range, then Tyreeq Bakinson’s curling shot was clawed away by goalkeeper Alex Palmer.
West Brom head coach Carlos Corberan saluted match-winner Swift, who scored his fifth goal of the season.
“When a player of his quality is mentally ready to compete he can be the difference,” he said.
Corberan admitted Albion found it hard going to find more goals.
“You change the feeling and change the game when you score from the opportunities you have,” he said.
“It was difficult to combat them from the set-pieces because they had a very physical team and when we won the second balls in the set-pieces, we couldn’t score the second goal to change the game.
“After one second ball and one set-piece, it led to two big opportunities that led Alex (Palmer) to achieve the clean sheet and the three points.”
Erik ten Hag vows to fight on ‘together’ with Manchester United
Under-pressure Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is not worried about losing his job after his side’s horror start to the season continued with a Champions League home defeat to Galatasaray.
The Red Devils threw away a 2-1 lead to fall to a 3-2 loss at a rain-soaked Old Trafford and suffer their worst start to a season since 1986.
They have lost six of their opening 10 games for the first time in 37 years and their chances of getting out of the group stages already look in doubt after just two matches.
But Ten Hag, who says there are “no excuses” for his side’s dismal performances, insist everyone at the club is pulling in the same direction.
Asked whether he feared for his job, the Dutchman said: “Last season: brilliant, terrific, more than we could expect.
“We also knew in this project there would be common gaps. At this moment we are in a very difficult period as everyone can see but we come out together, we are fighting together, we are sticking together and we are behind each other. That is me, the directors, the team, all together we will fight.
“This is not us, we know we have to do better, with togetherness we will come out.
“If I give an explanation, then you will see as excuses, there are no excuses. We can’t make the errors we are now making. We have to do better, it is a simple fact, we have to win our games.”
United had victory in their own hands after two Rasmus Hojlund goals, either side of former United winger Wilfried Zaha’s leveller, put them on course for a much-needed win.
But Kerem Akturkoglu again pegged them back and then a woeful error by Andre Onana set them on a path to self-destruction as his abysmal pass led to Casemiro fouling Dries Mertens in the penalty area and the Brazilian was sent off.
Mauro Icardi missed the resulting penalty, but made amends three minutes later as he grabbed the winner and sealed a first ever victory on English soil for the Turkish side.
Onana also made a costly gaffe in the Group A opener at Bayern Munich a fortnight ago but Ten Hag, who managed him at Ajax, has backed the Cameroonian to come good.
“We are happy with our goalkeeping group, definitely with Andre,” Ten Hag said. “He was in one semi-final of the Champions League, last year he was in the final of the Champions League, he has the capablilties to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
“He has shown that and he will do. We already have seen in games his great capabilites, also his personality after he made mistakes. He will bounce back and I am sure he will in the coming games as well.”
Galatasaray were good value for their victory and are now a good bet to progress to the knockout stages, having taken four points from their opening two games.
“In the second half I believe we played better, we had more chances,” coach Okan Buruk said. “At the end of the day we are happy, we won against this team, a very important team.
“This victory is very important for Turkish football, for us and for our standing in the group.”
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