Man Utd transfer news

DANNY MURPHY sparked a huge debate after blasting the “horrendous” role of Bruno Fernandes in an “awful” penalty decision.Fernandes won and converted Manchester United’s hotly-disputed and match-sealing spot-kick in Monday’s 2-0 FA Cup third-round win at Wigan.
Bruno Fernandes went down to win a penalty after Liam Shaw clipped his foot but fans are divided over whether the Man Utd star made a meal of itCredit: Getty

This tumble and reaction from Fernandes proved controversialCredit: Getty
And ex-Liverpool midfielder Murphy pointed the finger at the Red Devils’ midfielder for an “exaggerated fall” after his trailing leg was caught by Latics’ counterpart Liam Shaw.
Many angry fans backed the ex-England star’s verdict but others reckoned it was a clear penalty, even if a soft one.
With no VAR in FA Cup ties, Murphy claimed Fernandes’ actions underlined a growing problem – that of players tumbling after almost no contact.
The talkSPORT pundit said: “It’s horrendous. It is not just Fernandes, we have seen a few of them recently.
READ MORE ON MAN UTD
“There is a tiny little touch and unfortunately, what we are doing by giving those penalties, is we are encouraging players to dive with any contact.
“Because there was not enough contact to send him over and then he puts his foot on the floor and thinks, ‘Oh, I better go over’.
“It is an exaggerated fall, it is an awful decision and it’s encouraging diving. It is encouraging players to go down.”
Referee Anthony Taylor took his time before awarding the penalty that infuriated Wigan and ended the League One side’s resistance.
Most read in FA Cup
Fernandes’ dramatic response to the challenge angered some fansCredit: Getty
FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS & NEW CUSTOMER BONUSES
And some viewers reckoned Fernandes was entitled to highlight the fact he had been caught, as he spiralled over and clutched his foot.
Legendary ex-Arsenal striker Arsenal Ian Wright had no doubts it was a spot-kick “in the current climate” – as he joined those fans who believed the Portuguese ace had been “clever”.
But one fan called Fernandes an “absolute embarrassment” and added sarcastically: “Great example from the club captain”.
Another posted: “Why’s he holding his shin? Tragic.”
A third joked: “There was more contact with the pensioner I grappled with to get the last box of half price mince pies at Morrisons and she managed to stay on her feet. ”
And several accused the 63-cap ex-Sporting Lisbon man, 29, of being a known “diver”.
Danny Murphy blasted Fernandes for an ‘exaggerated fall’Credit: The Sun More

ROY KEANE has identified four huge problems for Manchester United as he told new investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe: “It can’t get any worse.”The Old Trafford legend saw Erik ten Hag’s wasteful side made hard work of Monday’s 2-0 FA Cup win at Wigan.
Roy Keane outlined huge issues for the Red DevilsCredit: Rex
INEOS owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has completed a 25% takeover of Man Utd, subject to ratification from football chiefsCredit: PA
Rasmus Hojlund is struggling to justify his £72m summer transfer feeCredit: Getty
And the former midfield hardman tackled major areas of concern for manager Ten Hag as well as Ratcliffe.
INEOS owner Ratcliffe’s 25 per cent United takeover has been confirmed, subject to approval by football chiefs, but any major squad shake-up won’t come until next summer.
And with United only eighth in the Premier League, as well as out of the Champions League, Keane delivered a withering assessment.
The pundit, highlighting four areas of concern, told ITV: “It can’t be any worse than it has been over the last few years in terms of decision making, people making decisions upstairs in regard of recruitment, the fees they’ve been paying out, the wages they’ve been handing out.
READ MORE TOP STORIES
“You hope there’s a change of dynamics at the club, new opinions. But only time will tell.”
And just ahead of an iffy third-round victory at the League One Latics, Keane derided the Red Devils for lacking unity on the pitch.
He said: “I don’t think they play like a team.
“They have got a lot of very good players, but we have seen how inconsistent they are.
Most read in Football
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
“They have lost a lot of games this year. Every time they get into an arm wrestle in any game they always seem to go under.
“They are talented players, no doubt, but they are not a team.”
But the ex-Ipswich and Sunderland manager claimed the Red Devils have also been unlucky, albeit making big mistakes on the transfer front.
Keane, 52, said: “They have had plenty of excuses over the past year with recruitment, ownership of the club and injuries.”
Erik ten Hag saw his Man Utd side miss numerous chances in a frustrating 2-0 victory at Wigan in the FA Cup in the third round on Monday nightCredit: Reuters More

A RELATIVELY straightforward night for Manchester United — it is not often you can say that.Even in victory, it is rarely so at the moment.
Dalot opened the scoring with a wonderful curling effortCredit: Reuters
Dalot is creating a habit of scoring a wondergoalCredit: Getty

But goals here at the DW Stadium from Diogo Dalot in the 22nd minute and a 74th-minute penalty from Bruno Fernandes saw off Wigan to put the Red Devils in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
With Eastleigh or Newport awaiting, further progress should come.
They could even mask their difficulties in the league by getting all the way to Wembley.
Even the very best in Sir Alex  Ferguson did that over 30 years ago.Still, Erik ten Hag was left to wonder how two was not four, five or six given the  chances they had.
READ MORE ON MAN UTD
United’s Dutch boss was certainly taking no risks. Not with the team he fielded or in the warning he gave them ahead of kick-off.The Red Devils chief said: “Every game in the FA Cup, you have to play your best because every team is highly motivated.
“For them, it’s the game of the year, maybe the game of their life, so they will give their lives. So we have to match that.”
There are 54 league places between the two clubs, with United eighth in the Prem and Wigan 18th in League One — after an eight-point deduction after failing to pay players on time.
But the Latics know better than anyone the magic this competition can produce.
Most read in FA Cup
FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS & NEW CUSTOMER BONUSES
Fernandes made it two from the spotCredit: Getty
The United midfielder roared in celebrationCredit: AFP
United completely dominated the gameCredit: The Sun
It was nearly 11 years ago that Roberto Martinez’s side — struggling against Prem relegation — met  Roberto Mancini’s expensively assembled Manchester City in the final.
Ben Watson’s last-gasp header won that one for Wigan, with current  Latics boss Shaun Maloney the man who delivered the corner.
Of course, 12-time winners United were in last season’s final but were second best to neighbours City, who completed the second step of their climb to the Treble.
Things have changed for Ten Hag since then. He went into this match with the pressure on and one of his new bosses Sir Dave Brailsford watching on from the stands.
 As he had been last time out when United went down 2-1 at Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.
So the strongest team Ten Hag could field was out there, roared on by 7,000 United fans that filled the stand down one length of the pitch.
Mind you, they were wincing after just three minutes when Wigan very nearly took a shock early lead.

Marcus Rashford struggled out on the wing against WiganCredit: The Sun
Speedy winger Martial Godo was clearly out to give Dalot a rough ride.
 And when he broke down the right and crossed, Thelo Aasgaard was coming in at the far post to fire off a first-time shot.
Andre Onana has had plenty of criticism  but he deserved praise for denying the Wigan player here.
Sensing United were a little rattled, Wigan went for it again.
This time Sean Clare wriggled his way between two United players before a well-timed Kobbie Mainoo tackle in the box.
United dominated the rest of the half. In the 14th minute Fernandes flicked to Alejandro Garnacho but  the 19-year-old’s  shot was blocked.
 It broke to Marcus Rashford, whose effort was saved at the foot of the post by Wigan keeper Sam Tickle.
On 22 minutes United took the lead. Garnacho crossed from the right, Rashford had a shot blocked but the ball rebounded back to him.
Dalot put in a man of the match performanceCredit: The Sun
He laid it off to Dalot on the edge of the area and the full-back  curled a fine effort through a crowd of players and into the bottom corner.
It could and should have been more for the visitors by the break. Rashford saw a shot squirm through the keeper’s grasp but he recovered with an outstretched arm.
Garnacho hit the bar from long-range — and was in fine form again. Rasmus Hojlund sadly was not, again.
He could not complain about the service when Garnacho crossed from the right on 29 minutes only for the Dane to head over at the near post.
Hojlund will have been thankful for the linesman’s flag as he missed an absolute sitter from close range.
From the restart Ten Hag’s Red Devils were out to make the tie safe.Mainoo had a shot from the edge of the area saved.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Garnacho combined to set up Scott McTominay but his effort was diverted over.
A short corner routine finished with a Fernandes shot deflecting wide.
Hojlund drew a blank againCredit: Getty
You wonder with United this  season  if the goal was about two foot off centre how many more they might score.
So many of the  chances they create are JUST wide and not enough are taken, not enough goals scored.
So situations like this become very tense.
Just like when, from a United  corner, Wigan won possession and Godo flew forward — it needed the speed of Mainoo to get back and block his final effort.
It needed a penalty for United to get that vital second when Liam Shaw was adjudged to have fouled Fernandes as he checked back.
The captain took it himself.
Read more on The Sun
He ran up like he was going to knock the cover off the ball and then rolled it gently into the bottom left-hand  corner as Tickle went the other way.
Job finally done. More