Soccer

MANCHESTER UNITED’S starting XI for Sunday’s clash with City was “leaked”.New Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim was set to take charge of his first Manchester derby at the Etihad.Ruben Amorim was set to take charge of his first Manchester derbyCredit: GettyMarcus Rashford was not in the Man Utd squad to face CityCredit: GettyAmorim, 39, has so far not been afraid to tinker with his side since moving from Sporting last month.According to a supposed “leak”, the Portuguese was set to make four changes to his side that beat Viktoria Plzen on Thursday night.The MEN’s Man Utd writer Samuel Lockhurst claimed that the “unconfirmed” leaked line-up would NOT feature Marcus Rashford.The forward started against Plzen in mid-week but had been on the bench for United’s last two Premier League games.READ MORE MAN UTDOn his last Prem start, Rashford scored twice as his side beat Everton 4-0 at Old Trafford.According to the leak, Andre Onana would start in goal with a back-three of Harry Maguire, Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez ahead of him.This saw Maguire come back into the team in place of Tyrell Malacia.In Malacia’s place at wing-back will be Noussair Mazraoui, who started at centre-back against Plzen.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSDiogo Dalot would continue as the other wing-back, with Bruno Fernandes in midfield, partnered by Manuel Ugarte in for Casemiro.Amad Diallo was then set to continue as part of the attacking trio, with Mason Mount replacing Rashford.Amad runs the show again but Rashford is lucky to stay on the pitch and Onana has night to forgetThursday’s two-goal super-sub hero Rasmus Hojlund would then come in to start ahead of Joshua Zirkzee.The team turned out to be correct – and both Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho were not even named on the bench.SunSport columnist Troy Deeney has been scathing of Rashford’s application.The former Watford striker, 36, wrote in his latest column: “Rashford looks like he is carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.”Everything is always everybody else’s fault and his application stinks.”He is still capable of moments. It wouldn’t surprise me if he goes and scores the winner against Manchester City this weekend and then goes missing for the next few weeks.”He knows he can live off these ‘moments’ and nothing more, and that isn’t good enough.”READ MORE SUN STORIESRashford has scored four goals in 15 Premier League appearances so far this season.Last term he managed just seven Prem goals, and he has not played for England since a brief cameo against Brazil in March. More

GARY O’NEIL has been sacked as Wolves manager following Saturday’s defeat to Ipswich. The club endured a nightmare run of form to sit 19th in the Premier League table with just two wins this season and four points from safety.Gary O’Neil was sacked as Wolves manager after 16 months in chargeCredit: GettyWolves suffered their fourth defeat in a row on SaturdayCredit: AlamyThere were chaotic scenes after full-time with Matheus Cunha losing his headCredit: GettyBut Jack Taylor’s last-gasp winner for the Tractor Boys and the shocking scenes that followed on the pitch turned out to be the final straw for the manager.Now O’Neil, 41, has been dismissed from his post after 16 months in charge at Molineux.Wolves confirmed the news with a blunt statement on Sunday lunchtime. It said: “Wolves have parted company with head coach Gary O’Neil and his backroom staff.READ MORE FOOTBALL”O’Neil arrived at Molineux just three days before the start of the 2023-24 Premier League season, taking on a significant challenge and ultimately guiding the Old Gold to a successful campaign.”During his first season at the helm, Wolves beat Manchester City and won impressively at Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, as well as rivals West Bromwich Albion during a journey to the FA Cup quarter-finals.”Chairman Jeff Shi added: “We’re very grateful to Gary for all of his effort, dedication and hard work during his time at the club, and we wish him and his team the best of luck for the future.”Wolves fell behind yesterday with a comical own goal before Matheus Cunha fired in an equaliser.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSBut Taylor was able to head in deep into injury time to earn a crucial win for Ipswich against their relegation rivals in a huge six-pointer at the bottom of the table.Then – just like against Bournemouth and West Ham – Wolves players were involved in ugly meltdowns at the end. Gary O’Neil vows to deal with him internally after Wolves star Rayan Ait-Nouri’s meltdown following Ipswich defeatCunha punched and elbowed a member of Ipswich’s security team – and even ripped off his glasses – while full-back Rayan Ait-Nouri angrily confronted Wes Burns.Ait-Nouri had to be picked up and carried off the pitch by Craig Dawson then ushered down the tunnel, where the Algerian was sent off for a second yellow card. There were also reports of more bitter rows between Wolves team-mates who lost their heads – just like Jose Sa and Mario Lemina in recent weeks.Sa confronted a fan during the 4-2 defeat to Bournemouth while Lemina was stripped of the captaincy following his furious outburst at his team-mates and coach Shaun Derry at West Ham last Monday – with a shocking 4-0 defeat at Everton sandwiched in between.Boos rang out at Molineux after the Ipswich defeat as the atmosphere around the club grew increasingly toxic – with fans directing much of their anger at the board. But the hierarchy decided the best course of action was to dismiss O’Neil and find a new boss to take charge of the squad in turmoil. Gary O’Neill’s final Wolves post-match press conferenceIN HIS final press conference as Wolves manager, Gary O’Neil said he wasn’t the only one to blame for their problems…O’Neil insisted: “I’m not interested in my own position. I know the work I do every day and I know the situation we are in.”I know getting this group to perform the way they did took a lot of work. “People can point the finger at me but some of the responsibility has to land on the players.”I’m comfortable with myself as a coach, my standards and what I ask of the group. I also embrace this difficult moment.”That group downstairs needs me this week to help get them into a place where they are ready to go. “I will keep fighting for them and with them until I’m told not to.”It doesn’t mean I don’t think I’m going to get sacked. “For every [poor] result which comes the chances of me losing my job heightens. “It doesn’t concern me, the situation drives me to want to do better.”Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was in attendance on Saturday and is the early favourite to replace the former Bournemouth chief.Steve Cooper, sacked last month by Leicester, and David Moyes may also be in contention.However, reports from The Athletic claim Wolves are already working on a deal with Al-Shabab to poach ex-Porto, Fenerbahce, Corinthians and Flamengo boss Vitor Pereira from the Saudi Pro League outfit. O’Neil arrived at Molineux on the eve of the 2023-24 campaign with very little time to work with the squad or bring in his own players. He guided the club to 14th – 20 points clear of relegation – in an impressive opening season and signed a new four-deal year in the summer. But Taylor’s injury-time winner for Ipswich was the 40th goal conceded by his side in a disastrous start to the season.O’Neil did not hold back in his scathing assessment of the performance and attitude of his flops in what proved to be his final set of interviews as Wolves boss.People can point the finger at me but some of the responsibility has to land on the playersGary O’NeilThe ex-Portsmouth and Middlesbrough midfielder fumed: “I’m not interested in my own position. I know the work I do every day and I know the situation we are in.”I know getting this group to perform the way they did took a lot of work. “People can point the finger at me but some of the responsibility has to land on the players.”I’m comfortable with myself as a coach, my standards and what I ask of the group. I also embrace this difficult moment.”That group downstairs needs me this week to help get them into a place where they are ready to go.”I will keep fighting for them and with them until I’m told not to.”It doesn’t mean I don’t think I’m going to get sacked. “For every [poor] result which comes the chances of me losing my job heightens. “It doesn’t concern me, the situation drives me to want to do better.“Obviously Ait-Nouri’s emotion has spilled over and he’s lost control, which he knows is unacceptable. We have enough issues without dealing with people picking up silly suspensions.“The lads need to find a way to keep more control. I know they’re under big pressure and big stress at this moment, but making it more difficult for ourselves is unacceptable at this moment in time.”On the two goals, he added: “We’ve given Ipswich two mental goals. The first goal is unacceptable for Premier League level. “Liam Delap did that a lot when he played under-18s against kids that were 2ft smaller than him, when he looked like he was playing two years up, bashing people out of the way and running through.“Liam Delap won’t score that goal against any other Premier League team.”Then there was unbelievably bad decision making from a corner, from players deciding to switch positions for no reason that cost us at the end.”There were too many mistakes again from us, and we were probably punished for both of the real big mistakes, but they’re mistakes that just can’t happen at this level. READ MORE SUN STORIES“Just the team’s ability to cope at this level has proven unbelievably difficult for us. I’ve worked at this level, this is my third year now, and I’ve never had so much of a struggle to help a group cope with their level in real basic stuff.”Until we can defend our goal from basics, it’s going to be tough to win football matches.”O’Neil ripped into his flops after the Ipswich gameCredit: RexCraig Dawson carried Rayan Ait-Nouri off the pitchCredit: RexOle Gunnar Solskjaer was in attendance at Saturday’s matchCredit: PA More

COST-CUTTING Sir Jim Ratcliffe has “ripped out” the Manchester United that Michael Owen used to know, the former striker claims.Ratcliffe, 72, has made a series of brutal cuts since buying a stake in the Red Devils earlier this year.Michael Owen has been disappointed with recent cuts at Man UtdCredit: GettySir Jim Ratcliffe has made a series of unpopular changesCredit: PAThe Ineos chief axed 250 staff roles, while he recently received a backlash as ticket prices were raised to a minimum of £66 with concessions scrapped.United’s staff Christmas party was also cancelled, with their £100 festive cash bonus slashed to a £40 M&S voucher.Owen, who played for the Red Devils between 2009 and 2012, has been disappointed to see the club shaken up behind the scenes.But the former striker worries that fans won’t care, if they see results on the pitch.READ MORE MAN UTDSpeaking to the MEN, via AceOdds, the 45-year-old said: “When I was at Manchester United, all the kit men, the canteen ladies, the security, the receptionist, the physios, the doctors, it’s the backroom team that you know so much – if you go back now it’s literally all been ripped out.”It’s quite heartbreaking for people that you know who have lost their jobs.”The casual fans don’t care, they just want to see their team lifting a trophy whereas to us players, if I speak to old Liverpool team-mates and say, ‘oh, you’ve been back to Liverpool lately, I went back to the training ground and I know nobody’. It’s just a different club.”The badge is still the same and the bricks and mortar are still the same, but inside it’s just totally different and that’s what matters to us who have lived it and were on the inner sanctum.”Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSOn the strain that such changes can put on people behind the scenes, he added: “It’s quite hard to say when somebody comes in and has a massive shake-up and loads of people lose their jobs.”However, as I say, to the casual fan, they probably think, ‘yeah, get rid of everyone, and let’s start again’.Man Utd team-mates in furious on-pitch argument at final whistle after Red Devils scrape past Viktoria Plzen”It’s easy to flippantly say that, but these are people who probably have children and lives and it’s been their job for a long time and they’ve invested everything into it. It’s quite heartbreaking the actual practicality of it.”Tinged with a little bit of sadness when I heard some of my old friends have lost their jobs, but understand, of course, as well, that Manchester United did need a bit of a shake-up and I can understand why they’ve taken the axe or wielded the axe, to so many roles.”Following his sacking, former boss Erik ten Hag found himself in line for a £15million pay off.United then forked out Ruben Amorim’s £11m release clause to prise him from Sporting.The Red Devils also eagerly recruited Dan Ashworth from Newcastle, only to axe him at a cost of £3m just five months later.Amorim will lead his side to the Etihad this afternoon as they take on Manchester City.READ MORE SUN STORIESUnited go into the contest 13th in the Premier League.On Thursday night they defeated Czech side Viktoria Plzen 2-1, with two goals by super-sub Rasmus Hojlund completing the turnaround.Inside Man Utd chaos with Dan Ashworth axed just five months into jobBy Neil CustisThe blame game has another victim as things go from bad to worse at Old Trafford.Manchester United’s first sporting director, Dan Ashworth, arrived in the summer and is gone before Christmas.SunSport exclusively revealed in November that there was trouble at mill.That the new senior management team were already blaming each other for the mess the club were in.Chief executive Omar Berrada and Ashworth were trying to wash their hands of it all, claiming they had arrived too late after serving their gardening leave.New part owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe said making decisions was all down to them.Meanwhile, Jason Wilcox thought it was all a mess under previous boss Erik ten Hag but was part of the team that encouraged him to stay after every other candidate ran for cover.Defeat Nottingham Forest in December, after their second-half capitulation at Arsenal a few days previously, proved too much.READ MORE ON MAN UTD’S CHAOS  More