Erik ten Hag revealed Casemiro is in a “race against the clock” to make the Manchester derby and says the squad is behind Alejandro Garnacho as he faces a potential ban for a social media post.
The eyes of the footballing world will be on Old Trafford this Sunday afternoon as treble winners Manchester City look to end the Red Devils’ unconvincing three-game winning streak in all competitions.
United have stumbled to those victories against Brentford, Sheffield United and Copenhagen, with a vastly improved performance required if they are to lay a glove on Pep Guardiola’s men.
The midfield battle looks key and Ten Hag says his side may be missing Casemiro for a third straight game, with an ankle injury sustained on Brazil duty putting his place in jeopardy.
“Aaron (Wan-Bissaka is back) in training today and Case is a race against the clock,” Ten Hag said. “No, not 100 per cent.”
Casemiro had trained ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash against Copenhagen – a group match he was unable to play in due to suspension.
The Red Devils were made to sweat in a narrow 1-0 victory against the Danish champions, with Andre Onana producing a stoppage-time penalty save that saw the under-fire goalkeeper mobbed by team-mates.
Garnacho later uploaded a photo on X, formerly known as Twitter, of the United players celebrating with the Cameroon international with a caption featuring two gorilla emojis.
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The post was quickly deleted and Onana defended his team-mate, who he said was trying to express “power and strength” as he added “this matter should go no further”.
But the Football Association has punished players in the past for making racial references on social networking sites and is understood to have sought Garnacho’s observations.
“Not (concerned about a ban) in this moment,” Ten Hag said. “We are talking with the FA.
“But what you see and I can confirm that and I want to emphasise, we are together, we are United and we have seen that in the post of Andre Onana.”
Former United striker Edinson Cavani was banned for three games and fined £100,000 in 2020 for using the Spanish phrase ‘Gracias negrito’ – which translates as ‘thanks little black’ – below a friend’s Instagram post.
The Uruguay striker also underwent a two-hour face-to-face training course for a comment said to be a term of endearment in his native Uruguay.
The previous year Bernardo Silva was given a one-match ban and fined £50,000 by the FA for his tweet to Manchester City colleague Benjamin Mendy.
The Portuguese tweeted an image of a young Mendy alongside an image of the cartoon brand mascot of Spanish confectionery brand Conguitos, with the caption “Guess who?”
Silva could be lining up at Old Trafford against Garnacho this weekend in the 191st Manchester derby – a match that could define United’s mood at a key stage of the season.
“Definitely you see we are back where we wanted to be in that this is a hard team to beat,” United boss Ten Hag said. “They find a way to win, so we are going in the right direction.
“I think it’s a match above many other derbies. It’s so huge because it’s Manchester, internal.
“But I think it’s also about world football and all the eyes will be on this game global-wide.
“In this moment they’re six points ahead, we’re six points back, so we have to catch up.
“We know we have to progress the team, so we have to make developments.”
Havertz will be Tottenham's 'biggest fan' against Manchester City
Kai Havertz joked he will be Tottenham's "biggest fan" as Arsenal look for a helping hand from their fierce rivals when they take on Manchester City.
Arsenal defeated Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford on Sunday through a first-half Leandro Trossard tap-in that was nicely assisted by Havertz.
That victory lifted the Gunners one point above City, who have an inferior goal difference of three and play their game in hand at Tottenham on Tuesday.
Pep Guardiola's side still have the title in their hands, but dropped points in North London will change that heading into the final round of fixtures, with Arsenal hosting Everton and City at home to West Ham.
Asked by Sky Sports if he is going to back Spurs for the victory against City, Havertz laughed and said: "I am going to be the biggest fan of Tottenham ever. Let's hope for the best."
Arsenal's victory at Old Trafford was their 27th in the Premier League this season - only in 1970-71 (29) and 1930-31 (28) have they won more in a single top-flight campaign.
Mikel Arteta's men could reach 89 points with victory over an Everton side with nothing to play for, yet that may still not be enough if City win both remaining fixtures.
Regardless of the result at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Premier League title race will still go down to the final weekend.
"We have one game and we need the whole club behind us - anything is possible," Havertz said.
"We prepared for the game very well, we didn’t have our best game but we needed the three points and we have it now so we can be happy.
"We have to win every single game as City are always keeping the pressure on. It is so nice to be in the [title] race and every week you have to play at your best."
Havertz kept up his impressive form by setting up the only goal for Trossard, who has put Arsenal 1-0 up with three of the last four goals he has netted.
An out-of-sorts United side offered little in an attacking sense, a few David Raya saves from distance aside, in what was a deserved victory for the visitors.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Trossard said: "Man Utd are still a good team and they can hurt you in different ways so credit to the boys - we defended really well.
"Obviously we only have one objective to win the league. We have done our job today and it will be up to the last game and that is what we are aiming for.
"Hopefully next week we can celebrate something - you never know, it could be. We can only hope. We have done our job and that is the only thing we could have done."
Manchester United 0-1 Arsenal: Gunners keep title pressure on Man City with Old Trafford triumph
Arsenal regained top spot from Manchester City heading into the final week of the Premier League season with a 1-0 win at Manchester United on Sunday.
Leandro Trossard scored the decisive goal at Old Trafford with 20 minutes on the clock as Kai Havertz profited from an intercepted Andre Onana pass to tee up the Belgian's simple finish.
The Gunners move one point clear of City, who thrashed Fulham 4-0 on Saturday and still have a game in hand at Arsenal's fierce rivals Tottenham on Tuesday, meaning the title remains in the hands of Pep Guardiola's side.
City then host West Ham on the final day, while Arsenal are at home to Everton.
United, beaten 4-0 by Crystal Palace on Monday and now with just one win in their last eight in the competition, stay eighth in the table and are three points off Chelsea and Newcastle United directly above them with a game to go.
Arsenal did not have any true sights of goal in an evenly contested opening, with United looking more coherent than in recent weeks, until the visitors' breakthrough arrived through Trossard.
Onana's pass was cut out on the halfway line and played to Havertz, who was kept onside by Casemiro failing to get up the pitch, and the German squared for Trossard to convert from point-blank range.
The Gunners, who failed to win on the two other previous occasions they had led at half-time at Old Trafford, were happy to sit back after the restart and invite United onto them.
Casemiro was invited to shoot from distance and did just that, forcing a save from David Raya, who then denied Antony's poor attempt from a similar position.
But there was to be no way through for United, who had Onana to thank for late saves to deny Gabriel Martinelli and Declan Rice, as the visitors completed a league double in this fixture for the first time since 2006-07.
United continue to concede
Trossard's goal, which came despite United having four players back in a position to intercept Havertz's pass, makes it 82 goals conceded for the Red Devils across all competitions this season – the most they have shipped in a single season since 1970-71 (also 82).
Erik ten Hag's men were ultimately unable to hit back and have therefore now suffered 19 losses across all competitions this term, which is their most since 1977-78 (also 19).
This is also just the third time in Premier League history they have lost at home to three sides from the capital in a single season, having previously fallen to Crystal Palace and Fulham.
Havertz and Trossard stepping up
Trossard has more than played his part in Arsenal's title pursuit, with this his 12th league goal of the season. Three of his last four have put the Gunners 1-0 up, showing just how important he has been.
That crucial breakthrough goal was assisted by Havertz, who has scored and assisted a combined 14 goals in the Premier League since the start of 2024 – already surpassing his previous highest tally in a single year in the competition with Chelsea in 2022 (13).
Indeed, only Chelsea's Cole Palmer with 19 can boast more direct goal involvements than the Germany international this calendar year among all Premier League players.
Atletico Madrid 1-0 Celta Vigo: De Paul stunner keeps Simeone's side on course for Champions League
Rodrigo De Paul scored a brilliant late goal to snatch a 1-0 home victory for Atletico Madrid against relegation-threatened Celta Vigo, as they consolidated fourth spot in LaLiga on Sunday.
The Argentina midfielder controlled a clearance from a corner just outside the box before unleashing a breathtaking shot into the top-right corner with just six minutes remaining.
The win leaves Atletico with 70 points from 35 games – eight points ahead of fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao – while Celta are 16th with 34 points, five points above the drop zone.
Diego Simeone's hosts had launched a late offensive effort but remarkable saves from Celta goalkeeper Vicente Guaita kept them at bay until De Paul's stunner clinched three points.
Atletico can secure a spot in the Champions League next season with victory away at Getafe on Wednesday.
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