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      England star admits ‘it’d be difficult to say no’ to Man Utd transfer as he has a ‘sentimental spot’ for the Red Devils

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      ANGEL GOMES has refused to rule out a return to Manchester United after claiming it would “be difficult to say no” to the Red Devils.The twice-capped England star made his first senior United appearance at 16 but left Old Trafford for French side Lille in 2020.Former United academy star Angel Gomes has refused to rule out a return to Old TraffordCredit: GettyGomes told The Times that United will always hold a ‘sentimental soft spot’ in his heartCredit: GettyGomes was called up to England’s senior squad in SeptemberCredit: GettyUnited had reportedly wanted Gomes to stay, but the midfielder left as a free agent in a bid to play regular first-team minutes.His performances for Lille and England’s U21s impressed enough for Gomes to be called up to Lee Carsley’s first team in September.And it has left a sour taste in the mouths of many United fans, who have questioned why the Red Devils let him go in the first place.But Gomes has admitted it would be hard to rule out a return to Old Trafford, with his current Lille deal expiring next summer.read more football newsWhen quizzed on a possible return, Gomes told The Times: “There’ll always be that sentimental soft spot, so of course it’d be difficult to say no.”Before adding: “As amazing as it would be, after finding happiness abroad I know playing in the Premier League is not the be-all and end-all.”After coming through United’s academy, he made just 10 senior appearances for the club before leaving in 2020.Gomes shared a room with Marcus Rashford in United’s youth digs, after joining their academy at the age of six.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSHis Lille contract expires in nine months time, the French side keen to cash in on him in January if suitable offers come their way.Now with Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte struggling in midfield, United will likely re-enter the market for reinforcements. Ten Hag gives clear reason why he won’t bench Man Utd star despite fan moansSeveral Prem and European clubs are said to be interested in Gomes and Lille could push for a move in January so they can recoup a fee.He played in a deep-lying playmaker role in England’s victories over Ireland and Finland in the Nations League last month.The 24-year-old has been called up again to the upcoming fixtures against Finland and Greece.Gomes, who has an estimated transfer value of £21million, has played four Ligue 1 games this season and chipped in with one assist. More

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      Van Nistelrooy ‘will be offered interim job as Man Utd manager’ if Ten Hag is sacked but ex-striker ‘has reservations’

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      RUUD VAN NISTELROOY is set to be offered the Manchester United job if Erik ten Hag is sacked, but reportedly has reservations about replacing him.Ten Hag is teetering on the precipice of losing his job after a poor start to the season which has seen his side win just three games from their first nine games in all competitions.Ruud van Nistelrooy has been touted as a potential successor to Erik ten HagCredit: ReutersBut the former United ace is said to be having reservations over taking the jobCredit: RexIt was reported at the start of the week that Ten Hag, 54, had two games to save his job.The first of those was a 3-3 draw at Porto, with today’s clash against Aston Villa potentially the last dance for the former Ajax manager, with club chiefs also scheduled to meet in London on Tuesday.Consequently, talk over his replacement has been rampant, with one potential successor in the hot seat being assistant manager and United legend Van Nistelrooy on an interim basis.However, according to the Mirror, Van Nistelrooy is having doubts over his potential succession to the manager’s hot seat.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLIt comes after his own experience of being betrayed while a manager at PSV Eindhoven – to date his only senior managerial experience.Van Nistelrooy shockingly ended his association with PSV towards the end of his first season with the club which saw him win the Johan Cruyff Shield and qualify for the Champions League.He accused his assistant Fred Rutten and several senior players of conspiring with the club’s directors in the Spring of 2023, before he quit the Dutch outfit prior to the final game of the season.And he is said to be conscious of a similar scenario developing at Old Trafford.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSA source in Holland said: “Van Nistelrooy is a principled guy. “He felt betrayed at Eindhoven – and he will not want to be viewed as the man who went behind Erik ten Hag’s back.”Porto vs Man Utd player ratings Van Nistelrooy, 48, was brought in as a coach over the summer after Ten Hag was handed a contract extension by new club chiefs brought in by Ineos.Last week Arsenal icon Martin Keown suggested Van Nistelrooy might not be giving everything to help Ten Hag.He told talkSPORT: “I’m looking at Van Nistelrooy. Is he giving everything to this manager? This manager looks very lonely on the sideline.Why NOBODY is the right man to replace Erik ten Hag at Man UtdSunSport’s DAVE KIDD says Erik ten Hag’s time at Man Utd is up… and explains what’s wrong with all the potential candidates to replace him.THIS is a mid-table squad at an underachieving club, with a lot of unwanted players on big money.And Ratcliffe is an instinctive cost-cutter who may not pay top dollar to the next manager.If this club wasn’t called ‘Manchester United’, it wouldn’t be an especially desirable job.The good news for United is that their new sporting director, Dan Ashworth, is a very decent judge of a manager.He has been instrumental in three previous managerial appointments — Gareth Southgate for England, Graham Potter for Brighton and Eddie Howe for Newcastle.None were wildly popular at the time, all were conspicuous successes.Interestingly, Ashworth’s No 1 choice for the Newcastle job was Unai Emery, who turned him down to stay at Villarreal but has since proved that judgment right by excelling at Aston Villa.Emery may well deliver the coup de grace to Ten Hag on Sunday — especially with Bruno Fernandes suspended and Kobbie Mainoo an injury doubt.And the Spaniard would be an excellent fit for United — yet there is next to no chance that he would abandon Villa’s Champions League campaign to take the Old Trafford job, not least because he isn’t a stark raving madman.Howe would be another good candidate to succeed Ten Hag but, although he has become frustrated on Tyneside, the Saudis would surely not allow Ratcliffe to poach Howe, as they reluctantly did with Ashworth.Potter is available but his Chelsea experience and lack of charisma would make him a tough sell.Which brings us to Southgate, who remains close with Ashworth and is an excellent man-manager who was seriously considered by United last spring.Yet, despite having led England to two of their three major finals, Southgate’s reputation for over-caution was only enhanced during the Euros.Mauricio Pochettino, passed over twice by United, is out of the equation having taken the United States job.Thomas Tuchel would be a popular and gettable option but, despite being a fine coach and a very engaging man, he is considered something of a loose cannon.Likewise, Roberto De Zerbi, now at Marseille after his brief Brighton stint sparkled then fizzled out.Kieran McKenna — a gifted former United coach who has won back-to-back promotions with Ipswich Town — is an intriguing candidate but the imminent vacancy may come a year or so too soon.Marco Silva, the extremely under-rated Fulham boss, has been on United’s radar and should not be discounted.Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim, last season’s ‘next big thing’, was passed over by West Ham as well as Liverpool this summer and is not an easy man to pin down.Zinedine Zidane, who has taken over from Alan Curbishley as a 20-1 shot for every Premier League job, is a ‘figurehead’ manager and not an Ashworth type.Ruud van Nistelrooy, the former United goal machine who joined Ten Hag’s coaching team in the summer is the bookies’ favourite. Simply because he’s in the building and he’s Dutch.So, yes, getting rid of Ten Hag is the easy part.”Is Van Nistelrooy waiting to take over? Because it looks as if there’s going to be change taking place there.”Keown added: “Is everyone adding to the group? I’m not seeing that from Van Nistelrooy. “Ten Hag is just sitting there, nothing going on, no conversation. Pep [Guardiola] goes back and speaks to the gurus next to him.READ MORE SUN STORIES”Is everybody looking in the mirror at themselves giving their best?”It doesn’t look like the players are committed, it doesn’t look like the staff are particularly committed. It’s a lone man in the dugout.”Man Utd ratings vs PortoMAN UTD ended up with a 3-3 draw after throwing away a 2-0 lead away to Porto.Here’s how SunSport’s Dylan Terry rated the Red Devils’ stars performances in PortugalAndre Onana – 6/10Reacted brilliantly the first time he was called into action with a flying save, only for Porto to score the rebound.Porto then scored with their next shot on target too – Omorodion’s header – and Onana could do little about the excellent finish for Porto’s third.Made two great stops to keep Man Utd in the game.Noussair Mazraoui – 4Looked fairly stable in the first 45 minutes but waned as the game went on.All at sea at the start of the second half as Porto cut through the right-hand side of Man Utd’s defence with ease.Matthijs de Ligt – 4Looked imposing in the air as he dealt with Porto’s crosses from both sides, but then failed to get in front of Omorodion for the hosts’ second goal.Like most of the Man Utd side, his performance dropped as the game went on and he was bullied by Porto’s No9.Lisandro Martinez – 4Should have reacted quicker for the first Porto goal as Pepe got ahead of him to nod into an empty net – with Martinez static on the six-yard box.There is clearly not much of a partnership with De Ligt as Porto pulled them apart all evening.Diogo Dalot – 4Porto enjoyed a lot of success down Man Utd’s left-hand side and Dalot looked all at sea on several occasions.Had little help from Martinez but still looked exposed.Casemiro – 3Anonymous yet again in Man Utd’s midfield – the ball just passes him by.Could not even manage one of his customary fouls.Christian Eriksen – 5Looked leggy out of possession but produced an impressive run before laying it off to Hojlund for Man Utd’s second goal.Then failed to make much more of an impact and his delivery from wide areas left a lot to be desired.Bruno Fernandes – 4A damning indictment of Man Utd’s current predicament as Fernandes was shown a red card for a second successive game.Two high boots, two yellow cards, and another early bath for the Portuguese playmaker – who had worked tirelessly prior to his dismissal.Amad Diallo – 5Very quiet aside from one burst through the middle as Rashford received all of the ball over the other side.Replaced by Antony who arguably created even less.Rasmus Hojlund – 7Made his case for starting ahead of Joshua Zirkzee with a goal, firing beyond Costa at the near post.Held it up and then showed his strength and pace to run at Porto before the break – showing little rustiness in his first start of the season.Marcus Rashford – 8Rashford showed his directness for the opening goal, driving at the Porto back line and forcing the error from Costa.A constant threat in the first half as he assisted Hojlund’s strike.But he was then surprisingly hooked at the break, a decision that will need an explanation from Ten Hag.See how the Man Utd subs rated here More

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      Man Utd cult hero Phil Jones reveals next career path after ‘stripping everything back’ and finding his purpose

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      PHIL JONES has revealed his next career path after he had to “strip everything back”.The former Manchester United star retired from football in August.Phil Jones has opened up his next step after ‘stripping everything back’ to find his purposeCredit: GettyJones retired from football in AugustCredit: GettyThe 32-year-old has struggled with injuries throughout the latter half of his career, which saw him not play at all for more than two years before he announced he was hanging up his boots.The ex-defender has since opened up on the mental health struggles he faced and has now lifted the lid on how he reflected on himself and what he wanted to do as his next step.Writing in an emotional column for BBC Sport, Jones explained how this saw him find a renewed purpose in his career and family life.He said: “I only announced my retirement in August but I knew for a while before then that I would be finishing. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL”To come to terms with that, I had to re-evaluate everything and unpick myself personally and professionally, with therapists and psychologists, to find myself.”I’ve talked quite a lot recently about how that worked for me and helped me deal with the issues I faced mentally, but it’s important for anyone reading this to know that the process is the same in every aspect of life, not just sport, if your circumstances change or things are not going well for you.”For me, that meant stripping everything back to understand who I was and where I wanted to get to next in life, and then thinking about the challenges I would face to get there.”Part of the purpose I have found is as a husband and a father, because I always wanted to be the best I could be at both for my family, but it applied to my future in football too.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS”It meant going away and trying to almost rediscover what had got me to that point in my career in the first place, and thinking about what I had actually achieved, before I was able to take the next step.”I have had some difficult times, but I am ready for anything now.”‘He’s done!’ | How woeful tactics & Dalot shocker saw Spurs smash Man Utd to spell end for Ten HagJones later explained in his column how he would hide his injuries from team-mates due to the shame he felt.He added: “Unfortunately there were times when I was at United when I did not look for help. “My coping mechanism when I had any problems was to stay silent, and that was probably my downfall.”I didn’t open up to anyone, and I would hide my injuries from other players and the staff. I put a shield up so no-one knew what was going on, apart from my close family.Why NOBODY is the right man to replace Erik ten Hag at Man UtdSunSport’s DAVE KIDD says Erik ten Hag’s time at Man Utd is up… and explains what’s wrong with all the potential candidates to replace him.THIS is a mid-table squad at an underachieving club, with a lot of unwanted players on big money.And Ratcliffe is an instinctive cost-cutter who may not pay top dollar to the next manager.If this club wasn’t called ‘Manchester United’, it wouldn’t be an especially desirable job.The good news for United is that their new sporting director, Dan Ashworth, is a very decent judge of a manager.He has been instrumental in three previous managerial appointments — Gareth Southgate for England, Graham Potter for Brighton and Eddie Howe for Newcastle.None were wildly popular at the time, all were conspicuous successes.Interestingly, Ashworth’s No 1 choice for the Newcastle job was Unai Emery, who turned him down to stay at Villarreal but has since proved that judgment right by excelling at Aston Villa.Emery may well deliver the coup de grace to Ten Hag on Sunday — especially with Bruno Fernandes suspended and Kobbie Mainoo an injury doubt.And the Spaniard would be an excellent fit for United — yet there is next to no chance that he would abandon Villa’s Champions League campaign to take the Old Trafford job, not least because he isn’t a stark raving madman.Howe would be another good candidate to succeed Ten Hag but, although he has become frustrated on Tyneside, the Saudis would surely not allow Ratcliffe to poach Howe, as they reluctantly did with Ashworth.Potter is available but his Chelsea experience and lack of charisma would make him a tough sell.Which brings us to Southgate, who remains close with Ashworth and is an excellent man-manager who was seriously considered by United last spring.Yet, despite having led England to two of their three major finals, Southgate’s reputation for over-caution was only enhanced during the Euros.Mauricio Pochettino, passed over twice by United, is out of the equation having taken the United States job.Thomas Tuchel would be a popular and gettable option but, despite being a fine coach and a very engaging man, he is considered something of a loose cannon.Likewise, Roberto De Zerbi, now at Marseille after his brief Brighton stint sparkled then fizzled out.Kieran McKenna — a gifted former United coach who has won back-to-back promotions with Ipswich Town — is an intriguing candidate but the imminent vacancy may come a year or so too soon.Marco Silva, the extremely under-rated Fulham boss, has been on United’s radar and should not be discounted.Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim, last season’s ‘next big thing’, was passed over by West Ham as well as Liverpool this summer and is not an easy man to pin down.Zinedine Zidane, who has taken over from Alan Curbishley as a 20-1 shot for every Premier League job, is a ‘figurehead’ manager and not an Ashworth type.Ruud van Nistelrooy, the former United goal machine who joined Ten Hag’s coaching team in the summer is the bookies’ favourite. Simply because he’s in the building and he’s Dutch.So, yes, getting rid of Ten Hag is the easy part.”I only spoke about this for the first time on a podcast last week, but one of my lowest moments was when I was trying to play through the pain of my knee injury, when it had got to a point where the doctor had to inject my knee before every game I played so I didn’t feel it.”I was on the bench for a game at Brighton but one of our centre-halves was struggling in the warm-up, so I thought I would be pro-active and get the injection before kick-off.”It was embarrassing for me because I didn’t want anyone to see that I was struggling, or in pain – I was meant to be a tough guy as a defender, remember – so I went into a cubicle in the changing room just as the manager started his pre-match talk, and got the doc to inject me in there.”He first tore his meniscus as an 18-year-old at Blackburn and, although Sir Alex Ferguson signed him for United, it was the beginning of his injury nightmare.READ MORE SUN STORIESAs the injury absences became longer, Jones became the subject of horrific abuse and ridicule both online and face-to-face in the street, which he opened up about in an interview with SunSport.But Jones is now excited for his future in management, having spent last season working with United’s Under-18s and going through his various coaching badges.Help for mental healthIf you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support.The following are free to contact and confidential:Mind, www.mind.org, provide information about types of mental health problems and where to get help for them. Email info@mind.org.uk or call the infoline on 0300 123 3393 (UK landline calls are charged at local rates, and charges from mobile phones will vary).YoungMinds run a free, confidential parents helpline on 0808 802 5544 for parents or carers worried about how a child or young person is feeling or behaving. The website has a chat option too.Rethink Mental Illness, www.rethink.org, gives advice and information service offers practical advice on a wide range of topics such as The Mental Health Act, social care, welfare benefits, and carers rights. Use its website or call 0300 5000 927 (calls are charged at your local rate).Heads Together, www.headstogether.org.uk, is the a mental health initiative spearheaded by The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales. More

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      Man Utd confirm signing of former Arsenal wonderkid, 16, who scored TEN goals in one game against Liverpool

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      MANCHESTER UNITED have announced the signing of ex-Arsenal wonderkid Chido Obi-Martin.Obi-Martin, 16, has put pen to paper with United after a goal-laden two-year stint in the Gunners’ youth system.Man Utd have announced the signing of teenage sensation Chido Obi-MartinObi-Martin scored a staggering 32 goals in 21 appearances with Arsenal’s Under-18sCredit: GettyThe highly-rated striker snubbed offers from the Gunners before leaving in the summer after amassing a staggering 32 goals and three assists in 21 appearances with the Under-18s.That led the Denmark Under-17 international to the Under-18 Premier League golden boot last term.The forward, though, really caught the eye by scoring a whopping TEN GOALS in one match against Liverpool.Obi-Martin also registered a seven-goal haul against Norwich, five goals against West Ham, four strikes in back-to-back games with Crystal Palace and Fulham as well as two more hat-tricks.Read More on Man UtdAnd the teenage sensation is looking forward to his new challenge at United.Obi-Martin said: “I’m very happy to sign with Man United, an amazing club.“It’s now time to focus and achieve all my dreams.”Obi-Martin is eligible to play for Nigeria but has also represented both England and Denmark at youth level.Most read in FootballThe ex-Arsenal centre-forward has played for the English and Danish Under-16 sides.The Denmark youth star scored twice as he helped his country reach the semi-finals of the Under-17 Euros in May.How would Southgate and Tuchel transform Man Utd flops and who is best for job?United have seen a number of youth stars break into the first team in recent years, such as Marcus Rashford, Scott McTominay, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo. More

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      Erik ten Hag ignored being told to leave Man Utd ‘through the front door’… and now facing sack in crucial meeting

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      ERIK TEN HAG ignored advice to leave Manchester United, it has been claimed.Ten Hag, 54, stood defiant following the FA Cup final win over Manchester City last season amid a whirlwind of speculation suggesting he would be sacked after a poor season in the league.Erik ten Hag was advised to walk away from Man Utd in the summerCredit: GettyIt comes after Sir Jim Ratcliffe failed to publicly back Ten Hag, with a meeting set to be held by club chiefs on TuesdayCredit: AlamyThe Dutchman was eventually handed a contract extension in July, but is now facing the chop after just seven league games this season – with the seventh to be played against Aston Villa tomorrow.Reports have revealed that United chiefs are set to meet in London on Tuesday, 48 hours after the team face Villa.That meeting could conclude that Ten Hag should be relieved of his duties at Old Trafford, a feeling given particular weight after Ratcliffe failed to publicly back the manager.However, Ten Hag was apparently advised to walk before he was pushed.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLLeon ten Voorde, a journalist who has been friends with Ten Hag for more than 40 years and still works with their hometown club Bon Boys, revealed on the De Ballen Verstand podcast: “I advised him to leave last summer. “He won the FA Cup, so you leave through the front door. “He’s had a lot of injuries this past year. “But then trainers think: ‘I can turn things around’.”Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSHe added: “How long does United think this can go on? “That question is now hanging over United and Ten Hag again. ‘We are MAD’ – Ten Hag tells raging Man Utd flops to channel anger of Tottenham humiliation into must-win Porto clash”In general, he is calm and relaxed. “But I can’t imagine that this leaves you completely unaffected.”Man Utd ratings vs PortoMAN UTD ended up with a 3-3 draw after throwing away a 2-0 lead away to Porto.Here’s how SunSport’s Dylan Terry rated the Red Devils’ stars performances in PortugalAndre Onana – 6/10Reacted brilliantly the first time he was called into action with a flying save, only for Porto to score the rebound.Porto then scored with their next shot on target too – Omorodion’s header – and Onana could do little about the excellent finish for Porto’s third.Made two great stops to keep Man Utd in the game.Noussair Mazraoui – 4Looked fairly stable in the first 45 minutes but waned as the game went on.All at sea at the start of the second half as Porto cut through the right-hand side of Man Utd’s defence with ease.Matthijs de Ligt – 4Looked imposing in the air as he dealt with Porto’s crosses from both sides, but then failed to get in front of Omorodion for the hosts’ second goal.Like most of the Man Utd side, his performance dropped as the game went on and he was bullied by Porto’s No9.Lisandro Martinez – 4Should have reacted quicker for the first Porto goal as Pepe got ahead of him to nod into an empty net – with Martinez static on the six-yard box.There is clearly not much of a partnership with De Ligt as Porto pulled them apart all evening.Diogo Dalot – 4Porto enjoyed a lot of success down Man Utd’s left-hand side and Dalot looked all at sea on several occasions.Had little help from Martinez but still looked exposed.Casemiro – 3Anonymous yet again in Man Utd’s midfield – the ball just passes him by.Could not even manage one of his customary fouls.Christian Eriksen – 5Looked leggy out of possession but produced an impressive run before laying it off to Hojlund for Man Utd’s second goal.Then failed to make much more of an impact and his delivery from wide areas left a lot to be desired.Bruno Fernandes – 4A damning indictment of Man Utd’s current predicament as Fernandes was shown a red card for a second successive game.Two high boots, two yellow cards, and another early bath for the Portuguese playmaker – who had worked tirelessly prior to his dismissal.Amad Diallo – 5Very quiet aside from one burst through the middle as Rashford received all of the ball over the other side.Replaced by Antony who arguably created even less.Rasmus Hojlund – 7Made his case for starting ahead of Joshua Zirkzee with a goal, firing beyond Costa at the near post.Held it up and then showed his strength and pace to run at Porto before the break – showing little rustiness in his first start of the season.Marcus Rashford – 8Rashford showed his directness for the opening goal, driving at the Porto back line and forcing the error from Costa.A constant threat in the first half as he assisted Hojlund’s strike.But he was then surprisingly hooked at the break, a decision that will need an explanation from Ten Hag.See how the Man Utd subs rated here More

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      Man Utd owners Joel Glazer and Jim Ratcliffe to hold crisis meeting just hours after Ten Hag’s must-win game vs Villa

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      MANCHESTER UNITED’S hierarchy are scheduled to meet up just 48 hours after the crunch clash with Aston Villa, reports suggest.It comes amid growing uncertainty surrounding manager Erik ten Hag’s position at the club.Man Utd’s hierarchy including Sir Jim Ratcliffe are set to hold a meeting on TuesdayCredit: GettyClub chiefs including Sir Dave Brailsford, Omar Berrada, Dan Ashworth and Jason Wilcox will be in attendanceCredit: GettyCo-chairman Joel Glazer will also be flying in from the US for the London meetingCredit: GettyIt comes 48 hours after Man Utd’s game will Aston Villa, though it is not yet clear whether Erik ten Hag’s future is on the agendaCredit: ReutersTen Hag had the Porto and Aston Villa games to convince bosses he was the right manager to lead the team forward.The Red Devils drew 3-3 at Porto on Thursday, and will face Unai Emery’s Villans at Villa Park in a do-or-die clash tomorrow.And two days later, United’s executive committee are set to hold a meeting in London, according to The Athletic.This committee is comprised of the club’s newly-appointed decision makers; Omar Berrarda, Dan Ashworth and Jason Wilcox, as well as Ineos chiefs Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sir Dave Brailsford.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLCo-chairman Joel Glazer will also be in attendance after flying in from the United States, while United’s chief financial officer Roger Bell and chief operating officer Collette Roche will also be present.There is also scheduled to be a stop closer to home in Manchester as well.However, it is not yet clear whether the club’s performance on the pitch will be an item on the agenda.Ratcliffe now owns 27.7 per cent of Man Utd, which he paid £1.3billion for earlier this year.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSThe Glazer family own 41.3 per cent, with the rest of the shares being held by private investors.Ten Hag was handed a contract extension in July before being backed with a new set of coaches and recruitment that included his former players.Porto vs Man Utd player ratings But with results currently failing to justify that decision, Ten Hag’s position may be in some peril without immediate improvement.It is understood that Ratcliffe will be in attendance at Villa Park on Sunday ahead of the meeting.The British billionaire failed to publicly back Ten Hag earlier this week, saying the decision over his future was “not my call”.Speaking to BBC Sport, he said: “I like Erik. I think he’s a very good coach but at the end of the day it’s not my call.”It’s the management team that’s running Manchester United that have to decide how we best run the team in many different respects.”But that team that’s running Manchester United has only been together since June or July. “They weren’t there in January, February, March or April – [CEO] Omar [Berrada], [sporting director] Dan Ashworth – they only arrived in July.”They’ve only been there… you can count it in weeks almost – they’ve not been there a long time, so they need to take stock and make some sensible decisions.Manchester United executive committeeCo-chairman – Joel GlazerMinority owner – Sir Jim RatcliffeHead of sport Ineos – Sir Dave BrailsfordCEO – Omar BerradaSporting director – Dan AshworthTechnical director – Jason WilcoxCFO – Roger BellCOO – Collette Roche”Our objective is very clear – we want to take Manchester United back to where it should be, and it’s not there yet, obviously – that’s very clear.”The ultimate decision will lay in the hands of a three-person ownership committee of Ratcliffe, Brailsford and Glazer.However, it will come based on the recommendation of those working more intimately at the club, including chief executive Berrada, sporting director Ashworth and technical director Wilcox.READ MORE SUN STORIESMan Utd have won just three of their opening nine games in all competitions this season and sit 13th in the Premier League.Other managers linked include Gareth Southgate and Thomas Tuchel, while it’s been reported that Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi has rejected an offer.Man Utd ratings vs PortoMAN UTD ended up with a 3-3 draw after throwing away a 2-0 lead away to Porto.Here’s how SunSport’s Dylan Terry rated the Red Devils’ stars performances in PortugalAndre Onana – 6/10Reacted brilliantly the first time he was called into action with a flying save, only for Porto to score the rebound.Porto then scored with their next shot on target too – Omorodion’s header – and Onana could do little about the excellent finish for Porto’s third.Made two great stops to keep Man Utd in the game.Noussair Mazraoui – 4Looked fairly stable in the first 45 minutes but waned as the game went on.All at sea at the start of the second half as Porto cut through the right-hand side of Man Utd’s defence with ease.Matthijs de Ligt – 4Looked imposing in the air as he dealt with Porto’s crosses from both sides, but then failed to get in front of Omorodion for the hosts’ second goal.Like most of the Man Utd side, his performance dropped as the game went on and he was bullied by Porto’s No9.Lisandro Martinez – 4Should have reacted quicker for the first Porto goal as Pepe got ahead of him to nod into an empty net – with Martinez static on the six-yard box.There is clearly not much of a partnership with De Ligt as Porto pulled them apart all evening.Diogo Dalot – 4Porto enjoyed a lot of success down Man Utd’s left-hand side and Dalot looked all at sea on several occasions.Had little help from Martinez but still looked exposed.Casemiro – 3Anonymous yet again in Man Utd’s midfield – the ball just passes him by.Could not even manage one of his customary fouls.Christian Eriksen – 5Looked leggy out of possession but produced an impressive run before laying it off to Hojlund for Man Utd’s second goal.Then failed to make much more of an impact and his delivery from wide areas left a lot to be desired.Bruno Fernandes – 4A damning indictment of Man Utd’s current predicament as Fernandes was shown a red card for a second successive game.Two high boots, two yellow cards, and another early bath for the Portuguese playmaker – who had worked tirelessly prior to his dismissal.Amad Diallo – 5Very quiet aside from one burst through the middle as Rashford received all of the ball over the other side.Replaced by Antony who arguably created even less.Rasmus Hojlund – 7Made his case for starting ahead of Joshua Zirkzee with a goal, firing beyond Costa at the near post.Held it up and then showed his strength and pace to run at Porto before the break – showing little rustiness in his first start of the season.Marcus Rashford – 8Rashford showed his directness for the opening goal, driving at the Porto back line and forcing the error from Costa.A constant threat in the first half as he assisted Hojlund’s strike.But he was then surprisingly hooked at the break, a decision that will need an explanation from Ten Hag.See how the Man Utd subs rated here More

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      Sir Alex Ferguson’s former coach reveals catch-up with Man Utd title-winning duo as they prepare to go head-to-head

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      TWO STARS of Manchester United’s final title-winning side go from midfield partners to Championship rivals on Saturday.Red Devils legend Michael Carrick, 43, and Tom Cleverley, 35, go head-to-head nearly 150 miles away from the Old Trafford pitch they graced under Sir Alex Ferguson.Tom Cleverley and Michael Carrick (right) were midfield partners for Sir Alex Ferguson’s Man UtdCredit: PAThe two will come face-to-face in Championship when Boro travel to WatfordCredit: GettyEric Steele was United’s goalkeeper coach during Fergie’s last few seasons in charge and got to know both the current Middlesbrough and Watford managers both on and off the pitch.The 70-year-old, who also worked for Man City and England during his time at the FA, says he always felt that Carrick was destined for the dug-out.He told SunSport: “If you looked around the dressing-room then I’d have said you could see Darren Fletcher going into it, certainly Michael. The way he played, top player, the way he thought and cared about the game – so Michael more so than Tom.“The nice thing about working where we worked at Manchester United is that you got to meet a lot of good and nice people and Michael, as a Geordie, is naturally going to be a good lad.READ MORE ON FOOTBALL“I know his family well and his dad, Vince, all the way through Wallsend Boys Club for years. “They are good, genuine people who care and the thing that I like is that they have a love for the game or they wouldn’t be doing it.“Michael is very much inclusive with his staff, the decision-making, and has good people around him. He takes precedent when he’s going to step in.“He’s still very much a young coach finding his way. It’s been a tough upbringing so far at Middlesbrough but all credit to him.”Most read in ChampionshipFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSSteele now works as a radio pundit covering Derby County and that has led to him catching-up with both men recently.He said: “I met up with Tom before Derby played Watford in August and it was brilliant. My dad was a deaf footballer and I have epilepsy but I’ve scored against Man Utd and now I’m going to play against Messi”A great insight into how he wants to play, coach and it was a lovely surprise because he is a good guy. He’s got the game at heart and wants to do it his way.“I was really impressed with how he set the team up and changed things tactically in the second half.“Then, a week later I met up with Michael before Derby hosted Middlesbrough, so I’ve been in touch with both of them this season.“They’ve probably both been real students of the game which I perhaps didn’t realise just how much so at the time.”Carrick is, remarkably, the third-longest serving boss in the Championship having taken charge of Boro just under two years ago.He led them from fighting relegation to the play-offs during his first season but missed out on the top six last term by six points last term.Cleverley, meanwhile, took over permanently after a short stint as interim in the summer.His team go into this clash sitting eighth, a point and a position behind Boro.It was a brave move by him to accept the job as the Hornets’ 11th permanent boss since Javi Gracia departed in September 2019.Steele said: “Watford’s actual success, or failure, whichever way you want to look at it, the number of managers they have had is quite large. You must be constantly looking over your shoulder.“But when I spoke to Tom he was very much determined to do things his way. He knew the squad and he has a good blend of pace, power, and very fit physically.”Former Man Utd goalkeeper coach Eric Steele recently caught up with both menCredit: PA:Empics SportCarrick is eight years older than the man who will be in the opposition technical area today, but the combined ages of the pair is still short of the man that shaped their careers at the Theatre of Dreams.And the two former England internationals both know that the 82-year-old legendary Fergie is never far away if they need some more of his guidance.Steele said: “The great man is always there to support any of the players. Any of them that have gone into management or coaching know they always have the support of Sir Alex.“I’m sure he’ll have spoken to both of them when they got their jobs.“It’s unbelievable for them both. If they have any problems or any doubts, they know they can pick up the phone to one of the very greatest that the game has known.”Steele refuses to risk upsetting either one when pressed for a prediction, but he is just as intrigued as Sir Alex will undoubtedly be to see who comes out on top.He added: “It will be a really good contest when they face Boro. I just hope that it will be a good game.READ MORE SUN STORIES“Isn’t it great that you have two ex-Manchester United midfield players going head-to-head tactically.“It’s refreshing for me seeing these young managers coming in and I think it will be a great contest and may the best coach win.” More

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      Ex-Man Utd coach reveals ‘no one knew anything about Sancho’ and admits Chelsea star would ‘sneak off to London a lot’

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      JADON SANCHO’S stint at Manchester United failed because the coaching team knew “literally nothing” about him.That is according to ex-United first-team coach Benni McCarthy, who spent the last two years at Old Trafford working under manager Erik ten Hag.Chelsea star Jadon Sancho failed at Man Utd because of a ‘lack of communication and understanding’Credit: GettyEx-Man Utd first-team coach Benni McCarthy claims no one knew anything about SanchoCredit: GettySancho fell out with Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag before his move to ChelseaCredit: PASancho would also ‘sneak out’ to London during his time at Man UtdCredit: PASancho, 24, joined the Red Devils in 2021 after a staggering £73million move from Borussia Dortmund, where he thrived for four years but never managed to live up to his billing in Manchester.The winger ultimately fell out of favour last year after a public spat with Ten Hag, who claimed he left him out of the squad because of his performances in training.The player responded with a fiery post on social media claiming he was turned into a “scapegoat” amid the team’s turbulent start to the campaign.The England international refused to backtrack and that led to the Dutch tactician axing him from the first team entirely.Read More on Man UtdMcCarthy, 46, claims the main reason behind Sancho’s hapless United stint was down to a “lack of communication and understanding” between the forward and the coaching staff.And that led to Ten Hag as well as his assistants never really getting to know the now Chelsea star as a player.McCarthy said on the On The Whistle podcast: “Just a bit of communication problems, really, because Sanch is a very quiet guy.”No one knows literally nothing about Jadon. Jadon comes in, he does his job, he does his work, and then it’s just like, very quiet.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS”[He’s] A great boy, great character, fantastic footballer, unbelievable the things that he can do. “For me, it was a real shame that it didn’t work out for Jadon at United, because I thought he was the type of player that would flourish in a United shirt. Man Utd flop Jadon Sancho makes bizarre claim about Enzo Maresca being reason he joined Chelsea but it doesn’t add up”But unfortunately, I think lack of communication and understanding, I think was was part of the downside that didn’t end up working with Sanch.”Sancho returned to Dortmund on loan in January and showed glimpses of his former self as he helped the Bundesliga giants make it to the Champions League final.The forward returned to United in the summer and reached an uneasy truce with Ten Hag but still couldn’t manage to convince on the pitch and thus joined Chelsea on loan with an obligation to buy.McCarthy believes Sancho may finally reach his full potential with the Blues, especially after an impressive start under new manager Enzo Maresca, as he is now closer to home.The South Africa legend suggested the fact the Camberwell native was far from home also contributed to his troubles at Man Utd as he revealed he would often “sneak out” to London.McCarthy added: “He’s closer to home because he did sneak out to come to London quite a lot.Sancho would ‘sneak out’ to London”So probably the fact that he was missing home, and, just wanted to be a bit closer to family and friends and his culture.”The London culture is quite strong, so I think Jadon maybe wanted more of that. So that’s why he kept on. He was in London quite a lot.READ MORE SUN STORIES”Now he is closer to home, so hopefully he can find that peace, he can find that bit of magic that he found when he went to Dortmund, and he gets the love that he deserves from the coaching staff, the players.”I think he will turn out to be a special player again. Because I think every single one that knows Sancho that would want him to be at that level, because it’s good for world football.” More