Out-of-sorts Manchester United have lost three successive matches for the first time since 2019 as their concerning start to the season continues.
The 4-3 defeat at Bayern Munich in Wednesday’s Champions League opener was the latest and, here, the PA news agency takes a look at some of the issues facing the Old Trafford giants.
Weren’t things looking up under Erik ten Hag?After a wretched 2021-22 season, the Red Devils turned to meticulous Ajax boss Ten Hag in a bid to improve the club’s fortunes. The response was impressive as United went on to win the Carabao Cup – their first trophy in six years – and finish third in the Premier League, as well as going on to finish runners-up to Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
How has his second season begun?United rode their luck when beating Wolves 1-0 in their opener before seeing a bright start peter out in a 2-0 defeat at Tottenham. Ten Hag’s side bounced back from that and two early Nottingham Forest goals in their next game to win a 3-2 thriller, but since then things have gone downhill. A heartbreaking late 3-1 loss at Arsenal was compounded by a deserved defeat by the same scoreline at home to Brighton on Saturday, then Wednesday’s comprehensive 4-3 loss to Bayern. It all means United have lost four of their opening six matches for the first time since 1986-87.
What about the supposed takeover?Fans have protested against the Glazer family since their controversial leveraged takeover in 2005. Last November’s announcement of a strategic review, including the possibility of a full sale, brought hope of change. Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim submitted bids but the owners have dragged their heels, so the interminable potential sale limps on without clarity. Protests have continued, including a sit-in after the home game against Forest, and things could get ugly if, as reported, the Glazers take the club off the market.
What about issues regarding the playing squad?Mason Greenwood never played for Ten Hag and is unlikely to ever represent the club again, but United’s internal investigation into him cast a shadow over the start of the season. The Red Devils eventually bowed to external pressure and announced it had been mutually agreed that academy product would leave. Greenwood joined Getafe in a deadline-day loan and within days United had headaches to contend with regarding fellow forwards Jadon Sancho and Antony.
What happened with Sancho?Jadon Sancho is currently training away from the first team (Martin Rickett/PA)Long-term target Sancho arrived from Borussia Dortmund in 2021 but has struggled to live up to the hype. The 23-year-old was an eye-catching omission from the squad that lost at Arsenal, with Ten Hag saying the absence was down to poor performance in training. Furious Sancho claimed on social media that he had been made a “scapegoat” – something that has seen him banished from the first-team group “pending resolution of a squad discipline issue”.
What is the latest with Antony?Last summer’s big money signing is currently on a leave of absence in order to address allegations made against him of violence towards women. Antony has not been arrested or charged and says he will co-operate with police in order to prove his innocence. United have agreed with the player for him to stay away from the club in order to focus on defending himself. There is no timescale on his return.
That is a lot to of players to be without…Yes, but it goes beyond that as nine players were absent through injury against Bayern. Tyrell Malacia, Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka were out, so too fellow defenders Harry Maguire and Raphael Varane. Deadline-day signing Sofyan Amrabat has yet to be fit to make his debut, while fellow new boy Mason Mount has been out of the last four matches. Amad Diallo and Kobbie Mainoo complete an injury list that Ten Hag understandably called a concern.
What’s next for United?Ten Hag’s side stayed overnight in Germany and fly home on Thursday looking to kickstart their stuttering season. Their only wins to date have been unconvincing and Manchester City great Vincent Kompany is looking to heap further misery on United at Burnley this Saturday evening. It is early days but United are in desperate need of a morale-boosting victory at Turf Moor.
Pep Guardiola: Spurs under Ange Postecoglou an ‘incredible advert’ for football
Pep Guardiola expects Tottenham to come at his Manchester City side at full throttle this weekend.
Spurs caught the eye playing dynamic and attacking football in a strong start to the Premier League season under new manager Ange Postecoglou.
The Londoners have come unstuck in recent weeks, losing their last three games and suffering injuries to key players, but their Australian manager has determinedly stuck to his principles.
“He’s been there from day one, from the first game of the Premier League,” said City boss Guardiola, whose treble winners host Spurs at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
“I have the feeling it doesn’t matter the result, it doesn’t matter the opponent, home or away – they do what they have to do.
“I like that. I think that is so incredible an advert for our game, for our sport. When two teams (decide it) doesn’t matter what happens, I do my game, I go forward, there are always nice things to watch, all the time.
“It’s impossible you don’t see an interesting game where both teams want to try to do it.”
City midfielder Mateo Kovacic is back in contention after injury and John Stones, and unused substitute for the last games, is also close to returning to action.
Kyle Walker, who has taken over the City captaincy so far this season with Kevin De Bruyne out injured, will face his old club.
“I’m really, really pleased about what he’s doing,” said Guardiola of the 33-year-old right-back.
“He’s the same guy who was involved before, when he wasn’t captain, but now the players decided to pick him, so he now has a little more responsibility.
“When there’s some problems in the locker room or whatever, captains tend to solve it.”
We never lost trust – Sarina Wiegman confident England would fight back for win
England boss Sarina Wiegman maintained full faith in her side to stage the stunning second-half comeback that lifted the Lionesses to a 3-2 win over the Netherlands in their penultimate Women’s Nations League group-stage clash at Wembley.
Needing a victory to remain in contention to finish top in group A1 and advance in the tournament, which serves as a qualifier for next summer’s Olympics in Paris, England quickly dug themselves a hole after Lineth Beerensteyn netted twice before the break.
But the Lionesses battled back after the restart on a frigid night in London, Georgia Stanway and Lauren Hemp stoking the crowd back into a frenzy by the hour mark before substitute Ella Toone sealed a dramatic victory in stoppage time.
Wiegman said: “I was actually pretty calm. I was very disappointed they scored the second goal because I didn’t think we played bad. The second goal we were a little bit unlucky, it was an unnecessary goal. We didn’t play bad but we needed some more. We truly believed we could turn it around. We never lost trust.
“At half-time we said the game was absolutely not over and that if we score a goal they can become a bit shaky.
“They were struggling with the defence with how we played in attack. We also did a tactical thing we needed to do better in defence. We said everyone needed to step up and bring something extra. You could tell the players gave everything because they were really tired.”
It leaves England in second place in the group, level on points with the Netherlands and one in front of Belgium, ahead of concluding their group matches by playing Scotland at Hampden Park on Tuesday. Belgium drew 1-1 with Scotland in Friday’s other Group A1 contest.
England and the Dutch are level in terms of head-to-head record, with the latter – who face Belgium at home next week – having a goal difference superior by three, while England will finish their group stage away at relegated Scotland on Tuesday.
Despite the victory, England’s keeper Mary Earps was left in tears as she spoke post-match about the two goals the Lionesses conceded, the second of which saw her get her glove to the ball only to see it slip past her and trickle in – something that left the Manchester United stopper beating the turf in frustration.
Knowing England needed to win by two goals to take over at the top of the group, Earps told ITV: “I thought the girls were unbelievable to come back into the game. I thought they were unbelievable, the subs that come on impacted the game.
“I am just sorry that my performance has cost the team tonight.
“That [second goal] will haunt me for a long time today, I am really gutted because it could have been a really special night.
“The team were unbelievable, don’t get me wrong, the goals are unbelievable, the way that they played and moved it around showed great patience at times, real tenacity, real intensity to the play.
“I am a competitor but when it is not good enough, it is not good enough and I can only apologise to my team-mates and to the fans, I take that fully with my whole chest.”
The apology was utterly unnecessary for Wiegman, who said: “I spoke to her very shortly and I don’t want her to talk like that.
“We win as a team and lose as a team. That is part of the game. Of course she didn’t like the team down, everyone does her best. You only let the team down when you don’t put effort into the game and we never don’t put effort in.
“Everyone stepped up. We needed to step up as a team. I think everyone did that.”
Shaun Maloney determined to repay Wigan chairman Mike Danson with FA Cup run
Wigan manager Shaun Maloney admitted he was determined to reach the third round of the FA Cup for chairman Mike Danson following a 1-0 win at York.
Maloney, who was a member of the Latics’ 2013 FA Cup final-winning team, is desperate to repay Danson with a money-spinning run in this season’s competition after he saved the club from financial ruin when he took over in the summer.
The Latics had to start their League One campaign with an eight-point deduction due to the off-pitch issues Danson inherited, meaning a good cup run would prove a perfect fillip given the handicap they were given in the league.
After Stephen Humphrys’ goal sealed victory at the National League outfit, Maloney said: “I am very happy to be in the third-round draw.
“The chairman literally saved the club so I want to repay him for that and I know, with what happened in the summer, how important the finance you can get from this competition can be.
“We wanted to be at our best in this tie which I showed with my team selection,” added the former Scotland forward, who picked an unchanged starting XI following Tuesday’s 3-0 home win against Fleetwood, “and I was reasonably happy with the performance, although the last three or four minutes were a bit nervy.
“It was a brilliant finish by Stephen, though, to win the game and he’s got so much talent in one-on-one situations with his speed.
“I’m always confident that our attacking players will take a chance at some point in a game. The only criticism I would have in this game is that we could have been more clinical but, to be fair to York, they had a couple of good chances as well.”
York boss Neal Ardley was left to reflect on what might have been after a mistake by defender Tyler Cordner led to Humphrys’ goal and captain Lenell John-Lewis missed two great chances to force a replay late on.
“I thought our game-plan went really well,” Ardley said. “We wanted to still be in the tie after 70 minutes and then look to bring the two wingers off the bench.
“But the outcome has been settled by one mistimed header. It just came down to that one moment and, then, Lenny (John-Lewis) had two great chances that haven’t gone in and, if we were going to get through tonight, we had to be mistake free and take our chances when they came.
“But the effort of the players and their execution of the game-plan was really good because a team who are causing problems for a lot of teams in League One struggled to break us down.
“We nearly nicked an equaliser after throwing caution to the wind and people will say why didn’t you start like that? But it doesn’t work like that.”
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
