man utd news

Subterms

    More stories

    • 213 Shares159 Views

      in Soccer

      How Timothy Fosu-Mensah convinced Van de Beek to sign for Man Utd despite Real Madrid transfer interest

      by

      TIMOTHY FOSU-MENSAH has revealed he played small role in Manchester United’s acquisition of Donny van de Beek.
      The Netherlands international joined the Red Devils in September from Dutch champions Ajax in a £39million deal.

      Timothy Fosu-Mensah played a small in role in Man Utd signing Donny Van De Beek

      United – who made five signings in the summer – fended off interest from Spanish champions Real Madrid to land the midfielder.
      The Old Trafford club’s pursuit of Van de Beek was made easier by a conversation between the Dutchman and his former Ajax academy team-mate Fosu-Mensah, who convinced the 23-year-old to swap Amsterdam for Manchester with an impressive sales pitch.
      The full-back told United’s official website: “I told him United is a big club, if not the biggest club.
      “I said it’s good if you have the opportunity to come here. We have got very good team-mates, the quality is very good here.

      “I said, ‘It’s up to you because I can’t make the decision for you but it’s a very good club’. At the end of the day it was his decision.”

      Van de Beek had to make do with a place on the bench during his first few months in England.
      The former Ajax man’s agent – Sjaak Swart – was left furious by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s decision to bench the coveted ace and was quick to voice his frustration .
      Van de Beek appears to have forced his way into Solskjaer’s plans in recent weeks, with the Norwegian handing him starts in United’s last three outings.

      Although his team-mate’s United career got off to a slow start, Fosu-Mensah is confident he’ll be a success.
      The 22-year-old said: “He’s a good player, a player with a lot of qualities and I think he’s also a good guy so he’ll bring a lot of positive things to the club.”
      Fosu-Menash is over the moon to be reunited with his countryman, adding: “It feels good.
      “It’s special also because we’ve seen each other since we were so small, growing up and then I left when I was 16. He was still at Ajax but we always had good contact with each other.
      “When I left for United, I still played for the national youth teams in the Netherlands, the Under-17s, Under-18s, Under-19s, Under-21s, and he was always there. So it’s very special to see him now at Manchester United.”
      ⚽ Read our Man United live blog for the latest news from Old Trafford

      Donny van de Beek denies being unhappy at Man Utd saying he knows he can give the team something extra More

    • 275 Shares149 Views

      in Soccer

      Angry David Moyes says West Ham were kicked in b***s as ball appeared to go out of play for Man Utd goal

      by

      DAVID MOYES claims West Ham were kicked in the b***s by a dodgy decision from the linesman.
      West Ham’s manager insists Manchester United keeper Dean Henderson’s massive clearance sailed over his head and out of play seconds before Paul Pogba smashed in an equaliser.

      David Moyes claims West Ham were kicked in the b***s by a dodgy decision from the linesmanCredit: Guardian News & Media / Free to use by all titles in perpetuity under NMC agreement

      Paul Pogba celebrates United’s equaliser Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

      The shell-shocked Hammers were still reeling as Mason Greenwood and Marcus Rashford went on to seal a victory that puts their team in the top four and ended West Ham’s fine run.
      Moyes said: “I had the best view in the house. The ball went over my head and I applauded my player for charging down their goalkeeper.
      The linesman is claiming he didn’t see it. It was a poor decision.
      “The ball was out of play, the players’ reaction gives the best way to look at it and all our players knew it was out of play as well.

      “The linesman seemed to be checking for an offside but his first job was to check the flight of the ball.
      “I can only tell you what I saw and if I thought it had stayed on the pitch I would say that too.”
      West Ham were leading at the time through Tomas Soucke’s first half goal and they had hit the post through Pablo Fornals.
      Moyes said: “We lingered too long on the disappointment and we weren’t clinical enough. I will address that.”

      Moyes insists Dean Henderson’s clearance sailed over his head and out of play

      Seconds later midfielder Pogba smashed in an equaliser

      The game was the first in the Premier League to welcome back fans with 2,000 inside the 60,000 capacity London Stadium.
      Moyes said: “I’m sorry we could not give them the result we wanted but they made noise and it was great to see them.”
      Touchlines are a blindspot for the dozens of cameras at very top flight games.
      Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admits his team is riding its luck too often at the moment despite a fifth win in six games.
      This is the second Premier League game in a row where they have had to come from behind.
      Solskjaer said: “It was a very, very good goal from Paul.
      “If it was human error then we got lucky but we had Fred sent off against Paris St.Germain in the week for something that was clearly not a foul.

      “You can debate issues about VAR all day if you want.
      “We weren’t at the races in the first-half. We have done this too many times now coming back from one-down for it to be a coincidence.
      “But we have character and belief. We always trust ourselves. There’s no shouting or screaming. We believe in our team-mates and ourselves.
      “Last week, we were two-down at Southampton, so this is a step forward.
      “We’re very happy with our away form. We are getting better at home. And we are moving up the table.
      “The players still believe in themselves and that’s a big thing. At the end of the season, you don’t care about performances, it’s about winning.
      “We know the quality wasn’t there in the first-half but all the goals in the second were exceptional.”

      Solskjaer says the quality of Man Utd in the second half was too high for West Ham More

    • 238 Shares179 Views

      in Soccer

      Mason Greenwood proved his worth for Man Utd with a strike that only the very best can pull off

      by

      THAT is what Mason Greenwood is about, right there.
      Right there, in the 68th-minute, when he struck the kind of goal that only the very best in the world can execute.

      Mason Greenwood buried a vital goal in Manchester United’s win on SaturdayCredit: AFP

      The ball was behind him when Alex Telles pinged it over from the left flank.
      But out he stretched his left leg to bring it under his control, then came the turn and shot across the goalkeeper… and in.
      It was wonderful, it was Greenwood, a player who will go on to prove himself one of the very best England has produced over the next decade.
      Because there is magic in those boots as he proved once again in this moment.

      He did not have time to think about what to do, it is pure instinct to control the ball like that and put it away in a flash.
      With this goal he became the youngest Manchester United player to 20 goals since Norman Whiteside.

      The one thing United have been missing this season has been that instinctive finishing.
      Greenwood has struggled with a turbulent opening to the campaign.

      His ejection from the England camp for breaching team and Covid orders in Iceland undoubtedly jolted a player not used to hitting the front pages as well as the back.
      Solskjaer has had to talk long and hard to him about his priorities about his football.
      The talent, was never going to be lost. It was more about the application.
      Now you have to wonder whether it is time for Solskjaer to start giving him a decent run of his own through the middle as the sole No9.
      He certainly offers more threat than Anthony Martial right now.
      It was only when Martial limped off the pitch that we realised he had been on it in the first place.

      Greenwood sealed a comeback win at London StadiumCredit: Guardian News & Media

      The striker showed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer his ability as a No9Credit: EPA
      Marcus Rashford of course has claims to that role.
      He got another to put the game beyond West Ham’s reach.
      There is not doubt he can play that role but he remains equally dangerous from a wide role, whereas Greenwood is the player that is really alive in the box, sniffing out those chances.
      Either way, there are goals in this team.
      More goals than they are actually scoring right now.
      Paul Pogba proved once more that he can hit them with his long-range drive the likes of which Juventus fans got used to.

      In a flash of goalscoring genius, he proved he was back.

      The big hope for United is that this moment for Greenwood sets him off on a scoring run.
      He needs to start against RB Leipzig in that crucial midweek Champions League encounter, there is no doubt about that.
      In a flash of goalscoring genius, he proved he was back.
      ⚽ Read our Man United live blog for the latest news from Old Trafford

      Neil Custis says Martial is more to blame for Man Utd’s PSG loss than Fred or Ole Gunnar Solskjaer More

    • 250 Shares139 Views

      in Soccer

      Former Man Utd target Allegri reveals dream to manage Premier League club having been out of work since leaving Juventus

      by

      A PREMIER LEAGUE switch is on Massimiliano Allegri’s mind after over a year out of the game.
      Countless clubs have been linked with the Italian, 53, since he called time on a highly-successful spell with Juventus.

      Massimiliano Allegri is eyeing a return to the dugoutCredit: Reuters

      Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s job at Manchester United is always up for speculationCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      A return to management is next on the agenda for Allegri, who believes England or Italy are the most likely destinations for his next move.
      He told The Times: “I would like to experience the Premier League.
      “In Italy, I was in Milan four years. Five years in Juventus.
      “Now I expect [to work again] in Italy, but it is difficult, or in England.”

      Allegri has been one of the most speculated-about coaches in the game since his departure.
      An incomplete list of the clubs linked to the Italian includes Manchester United, Tottenham, Newcastle, Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Juventus.
      Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s United are certainly one of the most discussed clubs when it comes to changing manager, such is the pressure on the Norwegian.
      Since Sir Alex Ferguson’s exit from Old Trafford, the club have struggled to consistently win trophies.

      But Allegri is not surprised by how tough the Red Devils are finding it, with Arsenal also still finding their way post-Arsene Wenger.
      The six-time Serie A winner insisted that Pep Guardiola’s job at a ‘virgin’ club such as Manchester City makes it easier to mould the side to the manager’s identity.
      He added: “It’s difficult to change the history of the club.
      “For example, Manchester United played for 50 years the same style. When [Louis] Van Gaal arrived, he had a different mentality.
      “Van Gaal wanted to play with possession. But Manchester United are ‘get in the box, attack, attack, cross, cross’.
      “Arsenal are different to United. In Italy, the same, Juventus different to Milan.”

      Guardiola can work with a ‘virgin’ club and has the possibility to work his own way.
      Massimiliano Allegri

      He added: “Manchester City don’t have a big history like United, so Guardiola can work with a ‘virgin’ club and has the possibility to work his own way.
      “For me, English football is improving now because there are a lot of foreign trainers.
      “There are more tactics compared to ten years ago. England now is more sophisticated, and more tactical, but is also respecting the tradition of English football.
      “It’s a good balance of the spirit of English football and the new quality and new tactical approach of the new coaches.”
      ⚽ Read our Man United live blog for the latest news from Old Trafford

      Massimiliano Allegri urged to snub Bayern Munich and take Man Utd job by compatriot Fabio Capello More

    • 225 Shares149 Views

      in Soccer

      Man Utd get go-ahead to trial 1,500 ‘safe-standing’ spots at Old Trafford once stadiums return to full capacity

      by

      MANCHESTER UNITED have been given the go-ahead to trial safe standing with 1,500 ‘rail seats’.
      The seats are set to be installed in the early part of next year and will come into use once full crowds are allowed back into stadiums.

      Manchester United are set to begin the trial of 1,500 safe standing seats next yearCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      MailOnline reports that ‘the 1,500 new seats will be added to the J Stand area of the ground’.
      This is a section of Old Trafford that has historically encountered issues with people standing when they are not supposed too.
      SunSport has previously reported that The Red Devils were given special permission in April to become the first Premier League club to trial the new area.
      The initial plan was to install 1,500 barrier seats to allow supporters to either sit or stand in the north-east corner of the stadium.

      There had been fears the coronavirus pandemic could have put an end to it though, with worries over social distancing.
      But United were still keen to introduce the trial, even with fans only allowed back at a reduced amount.
      The initial plan was to install 1,500 barrier seats to allow supporters to either sit or stand in the north-east corner of the stadium.
      There had been fears the coronavirus pandemic could have put an end to it though, with worries over social distancing.

      But United were still keen to introduce the trial, even with fans only allowed back at a reduced amount.
      United spent the lockdown period making renovations to Old Trafford, including a new area for disabled fans.
      Safe standing was introduced into English football after the Hillsborough disaster and subsequent Taylor Report.
      ⚽ Read our Man United live blog for the latest news from Old Trafford

      Man Utd lose 3-1 to PSG to set up a mouthwatering final Champions League group game at Leipzig More

    • 263 Shares109 Views

      in Soccer

      Man Utd stars arrive at The Hilton ahead of PSG clash as Edinson Cavani backed to get ‘revenge’ on old club

      by

      MANCHESTER UNITED players arrived at The Hilton hotel on Wednesday ahead of a massive showdown with Paris Saint-Germain. A place for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side in the last-16 of the Champions League can be secured with a win or a draw at Old Trafford. Ahead of the game, Marcus Rashford and Edinson Cavani were spotted […] More

    • 288 Shares129 Views

      in Soccer

      Keane might be right about De Gea – Man Utd’s No1 could be facing the beginning of the end after Henderson replaced him

      by

      FOR David De Gea, this really could be the beginning of the end as Manchester United No1.
      Mistakes have been an unwanted part of his game for the past couple of seasons now; his place amongst the highest-rated keepers in world football already in doubt.

      David De Gea was grounded as Jan Bednarek opened the scoring for SouthamptonCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      James Ward-Prowse’s free-kick even injured the goalkeeperCredit: EPA

      And then came another worrying performance, on this occasion at the hands of Southampton and the set-piece prowess of James Ward-Prowse.
      A corner that arguably could have been dealt with, and a free-kick that – regardless of the technique and accuracy – should have been saved.
      In the past, these sorts of game-changing incidents may be dismissed as one-offs, and faith restored simply because of a lack of a replacement.
      And luckily for him, in the end, it did not cost them.

      The difference now is that United have an alternative in Dean Henderson, who was brought on at half-time to replace De Gea after he picked up a knock in the aftermath of his clanger.
      A spell on the sidelines appears likely for the Spaniard, who looked glum as he watched on from the stands at St Mary’s in the second half with his hood up.
      But there is little certainty he will return as Henderson made his long-awaited Premier League debut.
      The mystic powers of United legend Roy Keane were on full show in the Sky Sports studio pre-match, as he launched into a keeper he is used to criticising.

      Keane ranted: “De Gea’s performances have been a bit better this season.
      “It’s certainly helped that Dean Henderson has come back to the club – there’s competition there now.
      “When they train they can look each other in the eye and he knows if he makes mistakes then Henderson will be in, but I’m still not his biggest fan. He’s still not done enough for me.
      “He’s on a big contract but he’s made some big mistakes that cost united big points. He has one league title in ten years, that’s not a great stat.”
      Unprompted, he happily continued: “People say he’s a good shot-stopper – that’s his job!
      “It’s other parts of the game – commanding the area, communicating. He needs to be more consistent.

      De Gea watched United’s comeback from the stands on SundayCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

      Roy Keane has made his feelings on the goalkeeper very clearCredit: AFP or licensors
      “If he makes a load of saves today I’ll be the first to give him credit but I don’t think I’ve been too harsh – he’s made far too many mistakes and the stats will tell you that.”
      Forget the stats, just watching a game can tell you De Gea’s confidence is not what it once was – although Southampton’s opening goal was more about poor defending.
      Ward-Prowse’s whipped corner towards the front post met four United players marking themselves, allowing Jan Bednarek to nip in and glance his header goalward.
      De Gea’s biggest critics would jump down his throat, but he would expect his defenders to deal with it for him.
      Even Keane admitted at half-time: “That would be harsh on him.”
      But the free-kick from 18 yards out that found its way in may well be the defining moment in De Gea’s United career.

      The whip and pace Ward-Prowse generated was impressive, but De Gea was slow with his feet and was unable to keep it out, despite getting a full hand to it.
      Keane lamented: “I would expect my keeper to save that.”
      He lay in the back of his net in a heap clutching his left leg, and looked uncomfortable until the half time whistle – grimacing and bent over at the waist inspecting the pain.
      But as Henderson produced a solid display after the break as United fought their way back to an unlikely victory, that pain will be nothing compared to the realisation his squad number may have just changed from No.1 to No.2.
      ⚽ Read our Man United live blog for the latest news from Old Trafford

      Dean Henderson expects to be Man Utd No1 next season as he fights for England place More

    • 225 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Southampton 2 Man Utd 3: Cavani double and Fernandes complete incredible turnaround after awful start for Red Devils

      by

      VETERAN Edinson Cavani rolled back the years to bag a huge win for Manchester United at St.Mary’s.
      On at half-time, the 33-year-old goalscoring hero of Napoli and PSG created one and scored two more after the Red Devils had trailed 2-0 at the break.

      This was a player neither PSG nor anybody else wanted and United picked off the shelf on the final day of the transfer window.
      There were doubts, it was seemingly an act of desperation – doubt no more.
      Jan Bednarek and James Ward-Prowse had put Southampton on course for a stellar win.
      But Bruno Fernandes rolled United back into it before Cavani’s headed double snatched the points.

      Full report to follow… More