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• Gary Neville dismisses ‘nonsense’ idea of sacking Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag

  Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville has said the idea of the club sacking boss Erik ten Hag is “absolute nonsense”.

  United suffered their 11th defeat of the season in all competitions, and seventh in the Premier League, on Saturday as they crashed to a 3-0 home loss to Bournemouth.

  Neville says there is “no way” Ten Hag should be sacked this term and pointed the finger at United’s owners the Glazer family.

  Speaking to Sky Sports, Neville said of Ten Hag: “I fear for him generally, not really just because of this week (when United play Bayern Munich and Liverpool). Just more generally around the way in which a cycle is repeating itself again.

  “I hope that somehow Erik ten Hag can turn it around this season and that ultimately he can improve what’s happening at the moment – or else he will be in trouble, it’s just inevitable. We’ve seen it with (previous United managers) Ole (Gunnar Solskjaer), Jose (Mourinho) and Louis van Gaal.

  “There’s no way they should change him this season, this idea of sacking him is absolute nonsense. I wouldn’t be in favour of that.

  “The lack of leadership and structure above him…I know people say you can’t blame the Glazers – yeah you can. You can because 10 years of failure, of miserable recruitment comes down to the fact they have not got a sporting director, a proper head of recruitment in place.

  “That is why this happens. Ultimately managers look above them and think ‘I haven’t got anyone there to help me so I might as well just try and do it myself’.

  “This is all down to the leadership. If it happened once, fair enough, if it happened twice you would ask a question, but this is five times, five times in 10 years.”

  It is expected that Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s purchase of 25 per cent stake at the Old Trafford club will be announced soon, with him acquiring significant control over footballing operations.

  Neville added: “He has got to come in and sort this out, and you wonder how he is going to be able to pull it out of it, that’s the concern I have.

  “What we need is a change of structure at the top, that will hopefully happen in the next few weeks, hopefully that will change the way in which the sporting project is looked at because you can’t come in and leave everything as is.

  “And maybe, with some leadership and structure around the club, Manchester United could have some sort of ability to cope with the other clubs who recruit a lot better and do business a lot better.”

• Richarlison brace inspires Tottenham to return to winning ways against Newcastle

  Richarlison fired Tottenham to a first win since October 27 with a brace to inspire a 4-1 victory over Newcastle.

  Spurs were Premier League leaders at the beginning of November, but had endured a barren run since after a succession of injuries and failed to win any of their last five matches despite taking the lead in each fixture.

  It was a different story this time with Ange Postecoglou’s team selection paying dividends with the recalled Richarlison scoring twice after Destiny Udogie had broke the deadlock in the 26th minute.

  Son Heung-min set up two of those goals after being moved back to the left wing and grabbed his 10th goal of the campaign with five minutes left from the penalty spot before Joelinton hit a stoppage-time consolation for Eddie Howe’s side.

  Richarlison had one shot blocked and another deflected wide inside five minutes before Newcastle almost took the lead in the ninth minute.

  Not long after Bruno Guimaraes had rifled over from 22 yards, Anthony Gordon broke the hosts’ offside trap, but Spurs defender Ben Davies got the faintest of touches to his cross and it was enough to put off Alexander Isak at the back post.

  Postecoglou’s side regrouped after as Cristian Romero’s header was cleared off the line, while Son and Brennan Johnson fizzed dangerous balls across the face of goal shortly before the breakthrough.

  Udogie passed out to Son on the left wing and the Spurs captain worked a yard of space to cross in for the defender to slot home from close range for his first goal for the club.

  It was nothing new Tottenham taking the lead, having done so in 10 matches in a row now, but getting the second goal had been more difficult of late.

  Newcastle threatened through Joelinton before the second goal arrived for Spurs in the 38th minute and it was all about Richarlison.

  He won possession back on the halfway line before Tottenham moved the ball quickly out to Son, who again got the better of former team-mate Kieran Trippier to tee up the Tottenham number nine to sweep home.

  It was only Richarlison’s sixth goal since his £60million transfer from Everton last year, but crucially gave Postecoglou’s team a two-goal cushion and it could have been 3-0 moments later.

  Pape Sarr robbed Joelinton of possession and passed into Johnson, who fizzed an effort from 22 yards that skimmed the outside of the far post.

  Newcastle came out with improved intent after the break, but their spirit was broken on the hour mark.

  Pedro Porro was the architect with a wonderful crossfield pass into Richarlison, who got enough of a touch to bring the ball into his path and slide under Martin Dubravka for his second goal.

  The shackles were firmly off now and Johnson side-footed against the inside of the post before Son flashed a volley across goal, which sparked a change by Howe with Callum Wilson introduced.

  There was still time for more from Postecoglou’s men when Son was sent through and despite a heavy touch, he got beyond Dubravka and won a spot-kick which he converted.

  Newcastle had the final say on proceedings when Joelinton slotted home in the first minute of stoppage time after Wilson’s assist, but Spurs returned to winning ways in style.

• Mauricio Pochettino: Chelsea need to improve in the next transfer window

  Mauricio Pochettino believes Chelsea need more transfer window surgery in January to lift them out of the malaise which has left them 12th in the table and well adrift of Champions League qualification.

  A 2-0 loss at Everton was their seventh Premier League defeat of the season and bridging the 14-point gap to Manchester City in fourth looks near-impossible for a side short of goals and consistency.

  Chelsea have spent over £1billion in the last three transfer windows but many of those preceded Pochettino’s summer arrival and he wants his own players in to help kick-start his Stamford Bridge rejuvenation.

  “This was a game to win. It’s a problem we need to check. We need to talk and to try and improve in the next transfer market,” he said.

  “We are dealing with this. After five months, or the first half of the season, we need to check and that’s the reality. If we are not aggressive enough (on the pitch) maybe we need to do something.”

  Asked specifically about the coming window he added: “Some movement. That’s a thing to analyse with the sporting director and the owner and see what we can do to change the dynamic and improve the second half of the season.

  “Our reality now is mid-table and if we want to go up we have to push ourselves. When the transfer window opens (we will) see what we can do.

  “I’m not saying I’m going to ask for more players or less players but it is to see if perception matches reality.

  “If perception here (indicating one point on a line) and reality is here (indicating another point) then we are missing something in the middle. Sometimes it’s good, a reality check.

  “It is a new project, a new team with too many circumstances against us. That’s the reality, too many problems and circumstances from the beginning of the season.

  “It’s not as easy to build something new, that is why it is about being strong in that we assess and be clever and take decisions to try to improve in the second part of the season, to be more competitive and get the results a club like Chelsea deserves.”

  Pochettino’s side had 72 per cent possession and had 16 shots but only four on target compared to Everton’s five on target from nine.

  Despite their territorial dominance the visitors never really looked like troubling Jordan Pickford and goals from Abdoulaye Doucoure and substitute Lewis Dobbin, his first in the Premier League, gave Everton a third win in just over a week.

  “We need to score if we want to win a game and be in a different position in the table because we played well and dominated the game against a difficult team in Everton and were much better than them but in the end you need to score,” added Pochettino, who lost full-backs Reece James and Marc Cucurella and goalkeeper Robert Sanchez to injury.

  Everton boss Sean Dyche did not disagree with Pochettino’s assessment but revelled in the way his side kept them at arm’s length and then took opportunities when they came.

  He said: “They are a very good team, without a shadow of doubt. Better in some ways. They kept the ball, they have technically-good players, have spent a fortune on players and he’s a top manager so I wouldn’t dispute his opinion.

  “To find another way of winning against a side like Chelsea is very pleasing and under all that is a very firm mentality that is growing all the time.”