Bournemouth are celebrating a stunning first-ever victory at Old Trafford after Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United were outplayed and outfought in a 3-0 Premier League humiliation.

The Red Devils were embarrassed by Andoni Iraola’s ever-improving Cherries just three days on from beating Chelsea with arguably their best performance of the season.

Star turn Dominic Solanke scored a smart fifth-minute opener and hit the post in an alarming first-half display by United that was followed by a complete capitulation after the break.

Substitute Philip Billing headed Bournemouth further ahead and Marcos Senesi added another from a corner in front of the elated, open-mouthed away support.

A number of United fans left after the third and a VAR review prevented Dango Ouattara adding another on an afternoon that ended with widespread boos from the Old Trafford faithful.

This result is sure to heap pressure on boss Ten Hag, whose decision to replace Anthony Martial with Rasmus Hojlund was cheered on a dark day that could soon be compounded.

United’s European ambitions are hanging by a thread heading into Tuesday’s final Champions League group game at home to Bayern Munich. A trip to high-flying rivals Liverpool follows next weekend.

The 11th loss in all competition of the campaign – and 18th of 2023 – was on the cards from the outset.

United stumbled out of the blocks and were breathing a sigh of relief when Solanke went down in the box as Andre Onana attempted to reach a back pass with 46 seconds on the clock.

The VAR decided against awarding a penalty after reviewing the incident, but the hosts’ sloppiness was quickly punished.

Having won the ball and kept it smartly, Bruno Fernandes’ clipped ball from deep on the left side of their own half was picked off by Lewis Cook.

The Cherries midfielder nipped in ahead of Scott McTominay, burst forward and sent a low ball that Solanke smartly took past Onana with a delicate six-yard finish.

United were stunned and quickly looked to make amends, but Harry Maguire’s looping header was the best they could muster despite controlling possession.

Bournemouth were as defensively organised as they were committed and threatened to land another first-half blow on several occasions.

Marcus Tavernier saw a low attempt saved and found the net in the 24th minute, turning in from close range after Onana stopped a header from what proved to be an offside Solanke.

Illia Zabarnyi saw an effort from a corner turned around the post by Diogo Dalot as the away side pushed for another, going onto hit the woodwork as half-time approached.

McTominay saw a first-time pass cut out and Solanke was slipped in to get away a low shot that beat Onana but came back off the far post.

The striker would have got away another in stoppage-time was it not for a key Maguire challenge at the end of a Bournemouth break. Little wonder there were boos at the interval.

The lack of United changes at half-time was more surprising and there were huge cheers when Hojlund replaced ineffective Martial in the 56th minute.

There had been groans during the forward’s involvement towards the end of the opening period and Ten Hag gave him a pat on the back after traipsing around the pitch to the dugout.

Hojlund was swiftly booked for waving an imaginary card and soon expressed more frustration when Dalot struck into the side-netting rather than crossing.

The hosts’ mood soon worsened. Bournemouth won possession and Solanke darted forwards, before playing wide for Tavernier to lift a cross to the far post where the towering Billing headed home.

The 68th-minute goal was followed by a another in the 73rd and led to some of the 72,427 in attendance making an early exit.

Tavernier’s corner from the right was good but made to look a lot better by awful defending, with Senesi all too easily able to get away a header that beat Onana.

Ten Hag made a triple change but it was too little, too late.

As if the afternoon was not damaging enough, Fernandes’ moaning at the referee earned him a a booking that rules him out of next Sunday’s trip to Liverpool.

The VAR saved United from conceding a fourth in stoppage-time, with Ouattara adjudged to have handled when bundling past the hapless hosts.

James McAtee’s first-half stunner handed Chris Wilder his first win since returning as Sheffield United manager as they beat Brentford 1-0 at Bramall Lane.

Chances were few and far between for much of the first period but United made their first shot on target count thanks to a McAtee beauty right at the end of the half.

A Brentford side without the injured Bryan Mbeumo struggled to pierce a resolute-looking Blades defence in the second period.

The home side had chances themselves to put the game to bed through Anis Slimane but nevertheless claimed their first clean sheet of the season and just a second Premier League victory.

A tightly-contested opening greeted supporters at a windy and rainy Bramall Lane with the first chance falling in the way of the hosts when Auston Trusty saw an early effort deflected behind for a corner.

Brentford midfielder Frank Onyeka could count himself lucky for still being on the field after he lunged in late on Vini Souza which was deemed only to a yellow card offence following a VAR check on the half-hour mark.

Onyeka almost made his presence count straight away but he hit a tame effort into the hands of Wes Foderingham for Brentford’s first shot on target in the 36th minute.

Moments later it was the Blades’ turn to come forward after Gustavo Hamer slipped Will Osula through, only for him to divert wide of the front post from close range.

The hosts finished a cagey first half the better of the two, this time Hamer deciding to have a crack from distance which flew comfortably wide of Mark Flekken’s goal.

After a quiet first 40, the game seemed to spark into life and Brentford almost nicked an opener when Neal Maupay found himself with space inside the area but saw his effort deflect marginally wide.

Sheffield United broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time with their first shot on target of the game when McAtee spectacularly curled into the top corner as Flekken watched on helplessly for the Manchester City loanee’s first Premier League goal.

The Blades came close to a second just before the hour mark after Cameron Archer dispossessed Ben Mee. He teed up substitute Slimane, who was denied by the onrushing Flekken.

Yoane Wissa seemed determined to deny Blades victory and had a couple of chances on target.

After seeing a header saved by Foderingham, he was denied minutes later when the United stopper kept out his goalbound volley.

Space began to open up as Brentford went in search of an equaliser and United saw a wonderful chance go begging as Slimane lashed into the side netting when one-on-one with Flekken.

It was wave after wave of Brentford attacks in the final minutes and a nervous Bramall Lane blew a huge sigh of relief when a late Saman Ghoddos free-kick seemed to bounce off the arm of Anel Ahmedhodzic only for VAR not to rule it a penalty as United claimed their second win of the season.

Brighton were frustrated by a superb performance from Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford as they played out an entertaining 1-1 draw at the Amex Stadium.

Simon Adingra headed in from Pascal Gross’ cross in the 77th minute to deny Vincent Kompany’s side, who had looked set to claim a second away win of the season courtesy of Wilson Odobert’s sensational solo effort at the end of the first half.

Odobert’s strike had rocketed beyond Bart Verbruggen in the Brighton goal against the run of play to stun home fans, but after Roberto De Zerbi’s team had drawn level late on, they bombarded the Burnley goal, only to find Trafford in the form of his life to keep out first Kaoru Mitoma then Jack Hinshelwood at the death.

Brighton dominated the ball for the opening 10 minutes but they conceded the game’s first chance to Burnley, Sander Berge driving forward and passing to the feet of Johann Berg Gudmundsson who turned and curled wide with his left foot from just inside the box.

The hosts grew only slowly as an attacking threat. Charlie Taylor stretched well to hook Joao Pedro’s far-post cross away from the foot of Adingra, who would have had a tap-in, before Gross headed up and onto the roof of the goal from James Milner’s inviting delivery.

Minutes later, Gross spurned the clearest chance of the opening half-hour when, after being set up on the right by good play between Pedro and Adingra, he shot low to the near post instead of aiming across goal, Trafford turning it aside well with a strong left boot.

By now De Zerbi’s side were comfortably on top. Trafford made another save this time down to his right from Milner’s driven effort, before Jan Paul van Hecke wasted a golden opportunity, thumping a free header wide following a superbly flighted cross from Adingra.

Burnley were stretched, struggling to contain Brighton’s speed of passing and movement in between their lines, and Mahmoud Dahoud almost made them pay in spectacular fashion, his thunderous effort whistling inches over from 20 yards.

The goal then came completely against the run of play and owed everything to the brilliance of Odobert.

There seemed to be little on when the 19-year-old collected the ball on the left just outside the box in the final minute of the half. Three Brighton players stood off him, providing Odobert all the encouragement he needed, and with a stunning right-footed drive that nicked off Milner and looped over Verbruggen he gave the visitors the lead.

Brighton had won only twice in the league since September and that patchy form looked like persisting. De Zerbi sent on Mitoma and Billy Gilmour at the break to try and tip the game in his side’s favour.

Instead it was Burnley who almost extended their lead and it was Odobert again the threat, drawing a brave low stop from Verbruggen, with Jay Rodriguez foiled by the goalkeeper from the follow-up.

By the hour mark, Kompany’s side had dropped considerably deeper than during the first half, and Brighton were dominating again.

Mitoma swept a bending shot over the bar with his instep, Evan Ferguson put a free header wide from Van Hecke’s cross, and the Amex grew increasingly anxious as the prospect of a second defeat in three league games loomed.

The chances came more freely. Gross found Adingra in an acre of space at the far post, Trafford excelling yet again, racing from goal to deny him with a sprawling block.

Then finally came the equaliser Brighton had deserved, and it was the excellent Gross that made it. Aaron Ramsey tried to stand up the Germany international on the edge of the box, but checking back onto his right foot he crossed for Adingra who made amends for his earlier miss with a header into the corner.

Substitute Hinshelwood’s header was brilliantly pushed behind by Trafford in stoppage time.

Burnley’s goalkeeper had been outstanding, and he saved his very best until last, fingertipping over from Mitoma’s right-foot bullet in the dying seconds.

Nottingham Forest stopped the rot with a battling point at Wolves to give Steve Cooper an early birthday present in the fight for his job.

The under-fire Forest boss, who turns 44 on Sunday, saw his side scrap to a deserved 1-1 draw to end a run of four straight defeats.

Harry Toffolo headed in the opener only for Matheus Cunha to level in the first half at Molineux.

Toffolo missed a fine second-half chance to win it but Forest at least claimed a first away point in two months.

It kept them 16th, five points above the Premier League’s relegation zone, while Wolves sit 12th after stretching their unbeaten home run to six.

Wednesday’s 5-0 thumping at Fulham had pushed Cooper closer to the brink at Forest, with former Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui a contender to replace him.

Defeat at Molineux would reportedly cost him his job and Forest fans unveiled a flag of the boss in support before the game – and they had more to celebrate after 14 minutes.

Cheikhou Kouyate initially won the ball in midfield and, after swapping passes with Morgan Gibbs-White, found Neco Williams on the right.

His excellent delivery reached Toffolo at the far post and the defender’s downward header beat Jose Sa and Craig Dawson’s desperate attempt to clear on the line.

Forest had something to cling to. Cooper had made seven changes from the hammering at Craven Cottage and the much-changed visitors were prepared to dig in and frustrate Wolves.

The hosts pressed with little initial impact, bossing possession, with only Cunha’s tame effort to show for their efforts – until the forward levelled after 32 minutes.

An incisive move cut through Forest with Nelson Semedo and Mario Lemina involved before Pablo Sarabia was slipped in to cut back for Cunha, who steered in his fifth goal of the season from six yards.

Forest’s ambition had seemingly been to protect their lead but, with parity restored, they needed to some more attacking impetus – which only arrived when Wolves gifted them an opening just before the break.

Kouyate seized on Max Kilman’s dawdling and was suddenly clean through but his low shot was saved by Sa’s outstretched leg.

Before that, Wolves had continued to probe without further success and Forest emerged for the second half with the momentum which previously eluded them.

Anthony Elanga rattled the bar from close range, although the flag went up almost immediately, and Cooper’s frustrations boiled over with the boss booked after a decision went against his side.

His mood would have darkened further when Toffolo missed a golden chance to restore Forest’s lead after 69 minutes.

Williams dispossessed Matt Doherty and sent in another excellent delivery only for Toffolo to head over from three yards, to leave Cooper with his head in his hands.

It would have got worse had Matt Turner not saved Cunha’s shot after the striker bundled his way through with 15 minutes left. But, with a point in the bag, Cooper left the pitch being serenaded by the travelling supporters at the end.

Mohamed Salah believes Liverpool possess a similar mentality to their last title-winning side after his 200th goal for the Reds sparked a 2-1 comeback over 10-man Crystal Palace.

Jurgen Klopp’s men failed to register a shot on target in the first half at Selhurst Park, where the hosts were hoping to bounce back from a disappointing midweek defeat to Bournemouth after which boss Roy Hodgson pleaded for disillusioned fans not to abandon ship.

The crowd were boosted by the goalless first half and Jean-Philippe Mateta’s spot kick to open the scoring after the break, but both mood and momentum took a hit when Jordan Ayew was sent off for a second yellow in the 75th minute and strikes from Salah and Harvey Elliott denied them any points.

Salah, who became just the fifth player to reach a double-century of goals for Liverpool with his 150th Premier League goal, told TNT: “I think the most important thing is that we won the game. It was really tough. When we win the game and I score goals it’s a great feeling. I’m happy for the record and for the team to win the game.

“I see the mentality. Just keep fighting until the end. We did it this game, last game and the game before. It’s something positive we can take from that. Of course we have like a new team, six or seven new players in the starting line. We just need to give them our advice.

“They are learning a lot and they are really nice guys. There are similarities from 2019, but of course the other guys achieve a lot and we have to give them credit. But I am sure we can do something special this year.”

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, who characterised the Reds’ first 75 minutes as “horrendous”, revealed staff had been travelling with a shirt to mark the milestone moment for the past two weeks, and was relieved to finally hand it to the 31-year-old in the visitors’ dressing room at Selhurst Park.

He said: “That’s pretty much the best moment to score it to be 100 per cent honest. It’s an incredible number for a super, super special player. I don’t know how often he’s saved us with a goal he scored in the right moment. It was a pretty loud reception in the dressing room when I gave him the shirt.

“Now that’s off [his] shoulders because when you have 199 it is probably different to 198, so now we can go for the next 100.”

The mood was decidedly different in the Palace dressing room.

Palace boss Roy Hodgson said Ayew’s sending off was unfair and the player was “upset and disappointed”.

Add new injuries to forward Odsonne Edouard (knee), goalkeeper Sam Johnstone (calf) and midfielder Jefferson Lerma (hamstring) alongside Ayew’s suspension and Palace – already missing influential players including Eberechi Eze and Tyrick Mitchell – are facing a fitness crisis ahead of their trip to Manchester City.

Though Hodgson opened his press conference asking journalists not to characterise his mood, he later conceded: “If you want to describe my mood as disillusioned you’ve probably chosen the right word.”

Mohamed Salah reached 200 goals for Liverpool as the Reds came from behind to beat Crystal Palace 2-1.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the Egypt forward’s record with the club.

200 up

Salah made an immediate impact after his arrival from Roma for a reported £34.3m in 2017, scoring 32 league goals in his debut season. That was a record for a 38-game Premier League campaign until beaten last season by Erling Haaland’s 36 for Manchester City.

He racked up 44 in all competitions and it remains the most prolific season of his career, though he has scored at least 19 in every Premier League campaign with Liverpool and 31 in all competitions in both 2020-21 and 2021-22.

He has scored 148 league goals in 234 appearances for the club. With two for Chelsea earlier in his career, the goal against Palace was also his 150th Premier League goal, moving him level with former Reds striker Michael Owen for 10th place in the competition’s scoring chart since its 1992 rebranding.

He also has 42 Reds strikes in the Champions League and another three in this season’s Europa League, to go with five in the FA Cup and one each in the League Cup and Community Shield.

The club offered a breakdown on social media of how he has scored his goals, with 162 coming from his trusty left foot to go with 30 on his right and eight headers.

Goal Rush

“To score 200 goals, you only achieve this if you are a super, super special player.”

So said manager Jurgen Klopp on talkSPORT after the final whistle at Selhurst Park and Salah becomes the fifth player to reach a double century for Liverpool, following Ian Rush, Roger Hunt, Gordon Hodgson and Billy Liddell.

His goals have come in a total of 327 appearances in all competitions, giving him a scoring rate of 0.61 goals per game – better than all but Hodgson, whose 241 goals came in 377 games (0.64 per game).

Rush is the club’s record scorer in all competitions with 346, in 660 appearances between 1980 and 1996 interrupted only by a brief spell at Juventus. That ranks Rush sixth in the list of Reds players with the most appearances, behind Ian Callaghan – with a record 857 – Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard, Ray Clemence and Emlyn Hughes.

Hunt scored 285 in 492 games to rank second ahead of Hodgson, while Liddell is the next name in Salah’s sights after scoring 228 times in 534 appearances from 1938 to 1961.

The same players make up the club’s top five league goalscorers, with Rush (229) dropping to third behind Hunt (244) and Hodgson (233). With Liddell hitting 215, it will be some time before Salah climbs any higher up that list.

Mohamed Salah’s 200th goal for Liverpool inspired a second-half comeback as the Reds secured a 2-1 victory over 10-man Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Jurgen Klopp’s men got off to a lacklustre start in south London, failing to register a shot on target in the first half, while Jefferson Lerma came within inches of an opener for the hosts.

Palace went ahead through Jean-Philippe Mateta’s 57th-minute penalty, but their positive momentum came to a halt when Jordan Ayew was shown a second yellow and Liverpool levelled thanks to Salah a minute later.

Harvey Elliott secured all three points in the first minute of second-half stoppage time and the Reds clung on to the result despite Palace pressure that saw Joachim Andersen denied a late leveller.

Palace were still looking for just their second home league victory of the season after a disappointing 2-0 midweek loss to Bournemouth, and the visitors were on the attack early when Konstantinos Tsimikas fired wide of Sam Johnstone’s left post from 25 yards.

There was little to excite either side as the clock ticked past the 10-minute mark, the Eagles unable to make anything of their first corner before Salah sent a cross into the arms of the Palace keeper.

Liverpool looked more likely to break the deadlock, but it was Palace who came within inches of an opener shortly before the half-hour mark.

Jordan Ayew’s cross found Lerma at the back post where an outstretched Alisson was able to palm the ball off the upright where it dropped down dangerously again before Trent Alexander-Arnold scrambled in to clear.

Palace were initially awarded a penalty when Virgil van Dijk barged into Odsonne Edouard, but after a lengthy pause to consult VAR, referee Andrew Madley ruled Will Hughes had fouled Wataru Endo in the build-up and the Reds were instead awarded a fortunately-timed free-kick.

The Reds applied pressure but had little to show for it after the first period, while the home support – who booed their side off the pitch three nights ago – recognised the Eagles’ efforts with a burst of applause.

Both managers made changes to start the second half, Hodgson bringing on Mateta for Edouard, who had taken a knock, and Klopp swapping Endo for Joe Gomez.

Though VAR had rescinded the hosts’ first spot-kick, they were more favourably rewarded after the restart, when Jarell Quansah made contact with Mateta.

Play was initially waved on, but Madley was eventually advised to turn to the monitor after a lengthy review and ultimately pointed to the spot, where the substitute fired the hosts to a 1-0 lead with a composed finish.

Palace’s much-needed positive momentum was quickly quashed when Ayew fouled substitute Harvey Elliott and was sent off with his second yellow on 75 minutes and Salah sent a deflected strike past Johnstone a minute later after pouncing on a loose ball inside the area.

There was more bad news for the Eagles when Johnstone was forced off and replaced by Remi Matthews, who could do nothing to deny Elliott who rifled past him to complete the comeback.

Victory for Liverpool was preserved by another huge save from Alisson to stop Joachim Anderson from netting a dramatic equaliser in 10 minutes of stoppage time.

Ange Postecoglou admits he owes Newcastle boss Eddie Howe a thank you for his unintended role in his journey to Tottenham.

Sunday will see Postecoglou and Howe go head-to-head for the first time, but back in the summer of 2021 they were the talk of Glasgow.

Howe was widely expected to take the vacant Celtic role only to turn it down following prolonged negotiations, which resulted in Postecoglou getting the nod.

The Australian never looked back and after he won five trophies during his two-year stay in Scotland, it convinced Spurs to give the 58-year-old his first opportunity to be a Premier League manager.

“Oh absolutely, sliding doors moment,” Postecoglou acknowledged.

“There’s probably been no bigger decision in me being here today than Eddie knocking back the Celtic job.

“I haven’t thanked him, I probably should.”

Postecoglou quickly took the Premier League by storm upon his arrival and guided Tottenham to the top flight summit in October, but the past six weeks has produced a five-match winless run and a growing list of absentees.

But the experienced coach is not in the mood to panic, he insisted: “The pressure is the pressure, you know.

“It’s always there, it’s how you kind of treat it and I’ve never let it sort of guide my path or my way forward.

“For me, I don’t have a three or five year plan up my sleeve that’s guaranteed for success. What I do have is a plan that I think will get us to where we need to be.

“How long that takes? I don’t know. It depends on how we keep disciplined in staying and sticking (to) the path.

“It’s how focused you are and how committed you are to go on the path you’ve started. I’m unwavering with that, I just will not budge. I just think that’s what I believe is the best way forward.”

Injuries to Micky van de Ven and James Maddison have proved costly and while Spurs recently welcomed back Pape Sarr and Richarlison, they remain without eight first-teamers for Sunday’s match.

Newcastle boast an equally large number of players on the treatment table, which has opened the door for 17-year-old Lewis Miley, who has impressed over the past month.

Postecoglou has several of his own academy graduates involved in the squad right now and admitted he could turn to Tottenham Under-21 playmaker Jamie Donley, 18, if they continue to struggle for goals.

“It’s fair to say Newcastle are probably the only other club who have gone through anything like we have from an injury perspective. That’s going to affect every club, but I think they’ve battled through it reasonable well, very well in fact,” Postecoglou added.

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“Players have an opportunity every day to show what they can do and give me food for thought in terms of selection.

“If I’m not doing it, there’s a reason why I’m not doing it, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t change for next week or the week after.

“Certainly Jamie, I think he’s developing. It’s benefitted him training with us regularly now.

“He’s a permanent fixture in here and within that context I think our next few games, if he keeps developing the way he is, he’ll get an opportunity in a game as well.”

Pep Guardiola believes his Manchester City side face a challenge to get back to winning ways at Luton this weekend.

The champions have gone four games without a Premier League win for the first time since 2017 after successive draws against Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham were followed by defeat at Aston Villa on Wednesday.

They will be expected to put that behind them at Kenilworth Road on Sunday but the promoted Hatters have produced some battling performances on their top-flight return and Guardiola expects another.

The City manager said: “They are doing really well for the way they play. Top clubs like Liverpool and Arsenal have struggled to win against them and it will be no different for us.

“But at the same time we’re ready for the challenge. We’ll keep working. That’s what we have to do.

“We’ll go to Luton, adapt for the pitch, the team, the style they play. They’ve done really good things but we will try impose our game and break their dynamic.”

City’s form has raised eyebrows with some observers questioning their hunger or whether they have become complacent after all their recent successes.

Yet none of this is a concern to Guardiola, who has guided City to five Premier League titles as well as Champions League glory.

The Spaniard said: “When you are winning a lot of games you are the best team in the world, when you are not winning it’s a crisis. We know it. It’s always exaggerated one way or another.

“What is important is to face the reality. We’re not used to playing four games without winning but we played against top teams. They’re always difficult.

“It is not the first time we have been in this position. In these eight years we’ve always had periods where we don’t get results.

“We have to try to end them as soon as possible but it happens, so we face it, challenge it. That is the situation, let’s do it, let’s go for it.”

City have Rodri and Jack Grealish available again after suspension and Jeremy Doku will be assessed after missing the Villa game through injury.

Mauricio Pochettino admits midfield duo Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo need to improve after Chelsea’s poor start to the Premier League campaign.

The Blues’ recent 2-1 defeat at Manchester United kept them in 10th place, five points behind West Ham in ninth.

And Pochettino believes big-money signings Fernandez and Caicedo need to up their levels but acknowledged the two 22-year-olds’ development is a “process”.

Speaking ahead of Chelsea’s Premier League clash with Everton on Sunday, he said: “The relationship between them needs to improve of course, between them and individually also.

“They are young, the expectation is massive when you arrive.

“Caicedo had one season in Brighton and Enzo after three months in Europe, he was in Benfica before arriving to the Premier League. Arriving not in the best place to perform quick because they need to be part of the solution.

“They are not the cherry of the cake. When you arrive in a team that is in a building process and you’re young with not too much experience, even if you have good quality and people can see the club paid big money and only for that you need to perform, it is not like this in football.

“Some people think in this way because they don’t know about football. It’s a process.

“It’s going to be a process for different reasons. Chelsea are in a completely different reality in the last years and we need to attack this. We can’t live only thinking in the past.

“We need to keep the culture and understand we are in Chelsea and always it’s about winning, but the reality is completely different.”

Sunday’s opponents Everton are on a high after Wednesday’s 3-0 victory over Newcastle at Goodison Park.

And Pochettino identified Everton’s physical presence from set-pieces and called for his Chelsea players to play more cleverly.

He added: “It can be a problem, yes. But we need to be more aggressive and try to avoid conceding chances like corners or wide free-kicks.

“We need to be clever in the way we are going to work and try to stop them.

“Yes, it can be a problem but maybe no. In football, it’s the way you approach the game, the attitude and then being clever, trying to avoid giving the possibility to the opponents to use their strengths.”

Pochettino highlighted the challenges of keeping his players motivated after their inconsistent start to the campaign.

He said: “When you win it is easy, you jump to train.

“But when you have ups and downs it is really difficult to keep your balance because to translate the capacity to a player to keep pushing and assimilate and to keep the good mood around the training ground is the most difficult thing.

“Because the frustration, disappointment, sometimes in the way we concede, you become upset, angry. “

Pep Guardiola believes his Manchester City side face a challenge to get back to winning ways at Luton this weekend.

The champions have gone four games without a Premier League win for the first time since 2017 after successive draws against Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham were followed by defeat at Aston Villa on Wednesday.

They will be expected to put that behind them at Kenilworth Road on Sunday but the promoted Hatters have produced some battling performances on their top-flight return and Guardiola expects another.

The City manager said: “They are doing really well for the way they play. Top clubs like Liverpool and Arsenal have struggled to win against them and it will be no different for us.

“But at the same time we’re ready for the challenge. We’ll keep working. That’s what we have to do.

“We’ll go to Luton, adapt for the pitch, the team, the style they play. They’ve done really good things but we will try impose our game and break their dynamic.”

City’s form has raised eyebrows with some observers questioning their hunger or whether they have become complacent after all their recent successes.

Yet none of this is a concern to Guardiola, who has guided City to five Premier League titles as well as Champions League glory.

The Spaniard said: “When you are winning a lot of games you are the best team in the world, when you are not winning it’s a crisis. We know it. It’s always exaggerated one way or another.

“What is important is to face the reality. We’re not used to playing four games without winning but we played against top teams. They’re always difficult.

“It is not the first time we have been in this position. In these eight years we’ve always had periods where we don’t get results.

“We have to try to end them as soon as possible but it happens, so we face it, challenge it. That is the situation, let’s do it, let’s go for it.”

City have Rodri and Jack Grealish available again after suspension and Jeremy Doku will be assessed after missing the Villa game through injury.

Alan Pardew was announced as Newcastle manager on a five-and-a-half-year contract on this day in 2010.

The former Reading, West Ham, Charlton and Southampton boss was unveiled as successor to the sacked Chris Hughton, who had overseen the Magpies’ promotion in 2009-10, as furious fans made their feelings heard about his appointment.

At a press conference that day Pardew – not accompanied by Newcastle owner Mike Ashley or managing director Derek Llambias – said: “I know they (the fans) are frustrated, that’s fairly obvious by the reaction.

“I’m not going to say I have kept away from it, I have tried to keep up to date with the frustration.

“They probably thought they had some stability with Chris and that’s gone, and the record of managers who have come and gone here, it doesn’t bode well.

“I am trying to say that I will work as hard as I possibly can here to get a situation where I can bring some longevity to the job.”

Pardew took over with the team in the thick of a relegation battle having collected 19 points from their first 16 games of the season.

But he expressed confidence that the side he inherited from Hughton would be good enough to preserve the club’s Premier League status.

He added: “I do think there is enough and we have got to make sure the impact of this mid-season situation with the manager changing isn’t an adverse impact.

“I am very much aware that the only faith I am going to gain is by keeping this club in the Premier League where it belongs.”

Pardew guided Newcastle to a 12th-placed finish that season and fifth the following term. He would stay in the job until January 2015, when he left to take charge of Crystal Palace.

Erik ten Hag has indicated the door is still open for Jadon Sancho to save his Manchester United career but said the winger must buy into the culture he has created at the club.

Sancho has not played for United since August, and fell out with Ten Hag in early September when he responded to comments made by the manager regarding his performances in training by saying he had been made a “scapegoat”.

Although Sancho later deleted the social media post, he has not made the apology that Ten Hag demanded and has continued to train alone.

Sancho has scored 24 goals in 92 appearances for United since a £73million move from Borussia Dortmund in 2021. A January move would appear to suit all parties, but when asked directly if Sancho’s time was up, Ten Hag said it was still in the player’s hands.

“It is about a culture and every player has to match certain standards and it was about that,” the manager said. “What will happen there, he knows what he has to do, if he wants to return it is up to him. He knows what he has to do, it is up to him.”

Ten Hag has been determined to improve discipline at the club since his arrival in Manchester 18 months ago.

Young winger Alejandro Garnacho was one of the first to get a taste of that when he was dropped during the summer tour of 2022 after turning up late for meetings, but the 19-year-old learned his lessons well.

Garnacho has been one of the star performers in recent weeks, and as Ten Hag won the Premier League manager of the month award for November and Harry Maguire took player of the month honours, Garnacho made it a hat-trick with his outstanding bicycle kick at Everton winning goal of the month.

“There is big potential and there is a lot to build on but we are happy with his performing in this moment and happy with his contribution,” Ten Hag said.

“The foundation and basis is always the defending part of his game but attacking-wise he has the key actions – assists, counter-attacks and scoring goals, that is very important for an offensive player that you have the production.”

Garnacho’s form on the left has come at a time when Marcus Rashford continues to struggle for form, having been dropped for the midweek 2-1 win over Chelsea.

That came after the defensive side of Rashford’s game was criticised in the 1-0 defeat to Newcastle last weekend.

Ten Hag said it was up to the England forward to force his way back into the side, but denied that Rashford was lacking when it came to tracking back.

“‘Rashy’ knows exactly what to do, nowadays in football it is not possible,” he said. “All top-level teams and all players are doing the jobs. When you can’t do it you will not play but I don’t attach that to ‘Rashy’ as he is doing the job.”

Any comeback may need to wait, with Rashford a doubt for Saturday’s match against Bournemouth after missing training through illness on Friday.

Ange Postecoglou is unequivocal in his belief that Tottenham will come through this tough period but has warned his squad, life will never be comfortable during his reign.

Spurs claimed an unwanted Premier League record on Thursday night when they went ahead for a fifth-consecutive Premier League match, but again failed to hold on with West Ham able to secure a 2-1 away win.

It continued the club’s poor run of results, which has coincided with their squad being depleted by injuries and suspensions but the latest example of Postecoglou’s team taking the lead and throwing it away sparked debate over the historic ‘Spursy’ tag.

While Postecoglou insisted rival fans using that word was akin to playground chat, he acknowledged his players must embrace the pressure if they are to be part of his journey in north London.

“That’s schoolyard stuff. All I need to know is that this club hasn’t won anything for 15 years. That’s all I need to know,” Postecoglou said ahead of Sunday’s visit of Newcastle.

“Why that is and why others may think that is and whatever tag, that’s the reality. There’s no getting away from that.

“There’s no point in me trying to disguise that, or anybody else at this football club trying to disguise that.

“If you want to be successful, then like most organisations, you’ve got to learn from the mistakes of the past, you’ve got to come up with a plan, you’ve got to stick to it.

“I have been there and I have the benefit of experience. I’ve been through this many times, so I know, unequivocally, what we need to do, but for a lot of these guys, it’s the first time and I’m always mindful of that wherever I’ve been.

“Always in the first season there are challenges.

“Players need to go through that and come out the other side and see that, ‘OK, we’ve survived that. It hasn’t killed us, we’re still going, we’re still alive, we’re still up for it,’ right? And then if anything, it can make us stronger going forward.

“My role in this is to guide the players through it. I know how we get through this and I know what the road ahead looks like, but they’ve got to go through it themselves and find out about it themselves.

“Do they want to be part of this because it’s not going to get any easier. That’s the one thing I keep telling them. There’s never going to be a time where it’s going to be smooth – not while I’m at the club.

“Even when things are going well. I’m going to be pushing for us to be better. I’m going to be pushing for us to improve and pushing for us to bring success to this football club.

“So, there’s never going to be a time where they can feel any sort of comfort that things are going to run smoothly. The more they embrace this side of it, the better.”

Tottenham’s major problem in recent weeks has been turning their dominance into goals and they have scored only once in four of their last five matches.

Postecoglou’s team gained plaudits for being great entertainers during the opening months of the campaign when they embarked on a 10-match unbeaten run, but he knows they must marry that with a killer edge.

“I don’t play this kind of football to entertain. I play this kind of football because it wins,” he said.

“Now it happens to also entertain, which I like, but I don’t think they need to be mutually exclusive.

“My whole career has been about winning things. That’s why I want us to play the way we are.

“That’s where you can sometimes fall down a trap and it’s happened at every club I’ve been at, where the players sometimes think playing that football is enough – it’s not.”

Mauricio Pochettino admitted the pressure to perform is massive at Chelsea after the Blues’ lacklustre performance during their 2-1 defeat at Manchester United.

The Blues failed to build on Sunday’s 3-2 victory over Brighton when they fell to Scott McTominay’s late header at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

The Chelsea boss acknowledged that the expectations on his shoulders are high, but reiterated that success is only a matter of time.

Speaking ahead of Chelsea’s Premier League clash at Everton on Sunday, Pochettino said: “We can not forget that we are at Chelsea and the pressure is massive. It is about to win and when we don’t win, we feel the pressure.

“That is why we know what we need to do and it’s a matter of time. Sometimes it’s six months and sometimes it’s a year, but we need to analyse the situation.

“We are building something that will pay off. We knew when we accepted this offer that it was going to be tough.”

Chelsea sit in 10th and have made little signs of improvements after last season’s bottom-half finish.

Former Argentina international Pochettino remained hopeful that his young team will eventually challenge for the top four.

“We are going to challenge (for top four),” he said.

“Maybe not now, but for sure in the future. Who knows, we hope as soon as possible, but for sure we are going to challenge.”

Sunday’s opponents Everton have won three out of their last four after their important 3-0 home win over Newcastle on Thursday.

Pochettino, who has only lost to Sean Dyche once in his career, is expecting a difficult challenge from the Toffees.

He added: “He manages in a different style and they can play in different ways.

“I think his teams are always aggressive and they play like Sean’s personality.

“He is aggressive, he’s brave and I think we are going to find a team who will press high and build from the back and be direct. It’s going to be interesting because it will be a massive challenge for us.

“We need to match the energy because they are a team who brings great energy.”

Everton’s were deducted 10 points for breaching Premier League financial rules last month.

Pochettino thinks the ruling was unfair and believes it has galvanised the atmosphere inside Goodison Park.

“In adversity you can build something special,” he said.

“When something like this happens it will unify everyone and make them feel part of the unfair decision.

“We are going to find a tough atmosphere and if we want to perform in the Premier League we have to deal with this.”