Soccer

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

PEP GUARDIOLA has long been in a league of his own for setting football firsts — but this was one no one saw coming.The sight of the Manchester City manager, a man hailed as the best in the world, talking lost dressing rooms.Pep Guardiola says he would quit Man City if he felt he had lost the dressing roomCredit: ReutersCity have won just one of their last ten gamesCredit: GettyEven more remarkable, he had raised the subject himself.All of a sudden, even seven defeats in ten games for the four-time champions was knocked into a cocked hat. This was even more jaw-dropping.Guardiola was addressing the worst run of his managerial career, and defiant that it has only given him a greater heart for the battle.There is only one loss that would bring the serial-winning Spaniard to his knees — and it would not be on a pitch.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLIt is the moment Guardiola suspected his words were falling on deaf ears. When the players no longer saw him as a footballing Pied Piper. When the dressing room was no longer his.Yet before City fans start calling the Samaritans, the Messiah has seen no hint of it yet.But he admits that if he ever does, he will be out of the Etihad in the blink of an eye.Guardiola insisted: “There is one thing when I would say, ‘Pep, you have to think about it’. And that’s when I lose the team.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS“When I feel they do not run. When everyone says the manager has lost the team and they don’t follow me.“In that moment I will not be here for one more minute. Man City manager Pep Guardiola sings song for Barcelona’s 125th birthdayThe Spaniard appeared to scratch his head several times during Man City’s match against Feyenoord last monthPep Guardiola’s horror Man City runPEP GUARDIOLA admitted he is having sleepless nights as he endures his worst-ever spell as a manager.Here are the three-time defending Premier League champions’ nightmare last 10 games…Oct 30: Tottenham 2 Man City 1 – DEFEATNov 2: Bournemouth 2 Man City 1 – DEFEATNov 5: Sporting Lisbon 4 Man City 1 – DEFEATNov 9: Brighton 2 Man City 1 – DEFEATNov 23 – Man City 0 Tottenham 4 – DEFEATNov 26: Man City 3 Feyenoord 3 – DRAWDec 1: Liverpool 2 Man City 0 – DEFEATDec 4: Man City 3 Nottingham Forest – WINDec 7: Crystal Palace 2 Man City 2 – DRAWDec 11: Juventus 2 Man City 0 – DEFEATTOTAL – WINS 1, DRAWS 2, DEFEATS 7″But at the moment it is there and more than ever I am there — no doubt about that.”Guardiola knows the incredible run of defeats — as many as City suffered in their previous 105 games — is not down to a lack of inspiration from the dugout.It is down to a horrendous casualty list, the long-term loss of key figures — none more than Rodri — and a schedule that would put a pack mule on its back.There is one thing when I would say, ‘Pep, you have to think about it’. And that’s when I lose the team.Pep GuardiolaHe added: “I don’t know what would have happened with all the players there… with Rodri there, with Phil Foden there, with Oscar Bobb there, with the four central defenders there. I don’t know what position we would be in.“I can imagine what it would be but I cannot prove it, right? We’d be a better team, everybody knows, but the reality is the complete opposite.“In the past maybe we would go the whole season and losing seven didn’t happen. But it’s football, it’s life.“Tell me a month ago, when we were top of the league and unbeaten, we were going to lose seven and I’d say, ‘Are you crazy? It’s not going to happen to my team’.“But it’s happened — and maybe we are going to lose more. And the reason why is the schedule.“Rodri played 75 games last season. He won the Euros with Spain, got injured with Spain and came back. Do you feel he was fresh for this year? No.“As strong as he is, he came back tired. But I needed him against Arsenal, even though he was not at the top.“Normally when you have a game, the day after is recovery and the ones who didn’t play the day before train.“But we have seven, eight or nine out. We’re not the best right now because we don’t have the players. We have made a lot of mistakes but we don’t have time. We have to practise, you have to know.“To be a writer, it’s not necessary to read books, you have to practise to write a novel, unless you are William Shakespeare! After that, you don’t need anything.”Yet for all the reasons, all the injuries, Guardiola needs no telling that ultimately the buck stops with him.To be a writer, it’s not necessary to read books, you have to practise to write a novel, unless you are William Shakespeare! After that, you don’t need anything.Pep GuardiolaAnd the bottom line is City have not been good enough.Bragging rights from the Manchester derby would be a start, if little more than a sticking plaster on a gaping wound.He admitted: “We don’t have a defence, my friends. We’ve lost too many games when this happened. All the criticisms and judging, it’s deserved.“You can share opinions and listen to opinions but in the end it’s you that has to make them. It’s on me — that’s why I am well paid.READ MORE SUN STORIES“If I don’t want that, all the comments after the games, I have to get another job — it’s not new.”Fortunately for City, he has no intention of doing so just yet. At least that’s one bright spot, anyway. More