Premier League

MANCHESTER UNITED were thrashed 3-0 by Tottenham with Erik Ten Hag’s men run ragged for most of Sunday afternoon.The under-fire boss got the vote of confidence over the summer and signed a new contract – but after just six Premier League games into the new season, he is once again facing the sack.Erik ten Hag is in danger of losing his jobCredit: ReutersDiogo Dalot made an unforgivable errorCredit: RexSunSport’s Dean Scoggins breaks down where it all went wrong for UnitedSpurs carved the Red Devils open for the first time after just three minutes when Micky van de Ven’s stunning run set Brennan Johnson up for a tap-in.And it proved a sign of things to come as United’s tactics proved disastrous. Despite being down to ten men, there were huge red flags and there might be no way back for Ten Hag – or Diogo Dalot.Poor pressingMan Utd defend in a 4-4-2 shape but get the system horribly wrong.READ MORE ON MAN UTDTheir defensive lines are so far apart and Rodrigo Bentancur had a field day from kick off.The two that lead United’s press put no pressure on the ball and Tottenham could find a man in midfield to start attacks with ease.Bentancur had the freedom of Old Trafford and gave Spurs a numerical advantage in the centre of the park as Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte were occupied by Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison.Bruno Fernandes, while he was on the pitch, then started chasing the ball and left Pedro Porro unmarked. It was shambolic.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSSurely, he should have dropped deeper to go 3 vs 3 in midfield?Either the tactics are wrong or the players are not carrying them out properly – either way it is bad for Ten Hag.Bentancur had acres of spaces in the midfieldUnited’s midfield was torn apartMan Utd manager Erik ten Hag speaks after his side’s 3-0 Premier League loss at home to Tottenham Ugarte’s nightmare Spurs attack using the half spaces – between the centre and the wings.But United did not block these corridors effectively and new boy Ugarte – brought in to bring some stability – struggled against Maddison and looked unsure where he needed to be.They were also pressed relentlessly as Ange Postecoglou’s side had triggers for when to close down – if Dominic Solanke can get after the ball, the whole team squeezes with him.Spurs showed Man Utd how to pressThey forced Man Utd into giving the ball away – they had no patterns of play and did not know how to get outHorror mistakesVan de Ven’s run is exceptional – but he is allowed to go driving into that half-space corridor.Noussair Mazraoui is sold a dummy by Timo Werner’s run and Ugarte does not come across in time.Matthijs de Ligt fails to cut off the marauding run as Solanke cleverly drags Lisandro Martinez out of position to give Johnson space for the tap-in at the far post.But Dalot must hang his head in shame. As Van de Ven sets off, he is level with the eventual goalscorer on the half-way line on the opposite flank.Yet by the time the ball goes into the back of the net, Dalot is about ten yards behind Johnson.He switches off and gives up – it cannot be a lack of pace given the size of the gap – and is already apologising seemingly before it becomes 1-0.An unforgivable lack of discipline and effort, fans in the Stretford End could be forgiven for not wanting to see last season’s player of the year again.Dalot is only just behind Johnson as Spurs come forwardDalot ends up miles behind him and is already apologising as the ball goes inKulusevski’s geniusInsanely fit Kulusevski covers so much ground and against Man Utd was getting close to Solanke to support him.With Ugarte and Mainoo already occupied, the Swedish midfielder drifted inside and gave them another headache.His incredible stats show he created NINE chances during the game – four more than any United player has managed IN TOTAL at Old Trafford this season.It further underlined how United failed to get a grip in Sunday’s mauling.Kulusevski drifted inside and caused problemsDamming stats show Kulusevski ran riot and United are not creating chances at homeOnana keeps the score downFrom Ten Hag’s perspective, thankfully Werner played instead of Heung-min Son or it could have been 6 or 7.The ex-Chelsea man missed several huge chances – but Onana should get credit for the saves he made.READ MORE SUN STORIESWerner has lost confidence in his finishing and the keeper charged out quickly when he was through on goal before stopping to narrow the angle down and make the save.A solitary positive on a bleak day for the United flops and their manager, who appear to be completely out of sync and out of ideas. Andre Onana kept the score down with a couple of big savesCredit: GettyMan Utd ratings vs TottenhamMANCHESTER UNITED suffered a 3-0 thrashing against Tottenham at Old Trafford.Captain Bruno Fernandes was sent off in the first half for fouling James Maddison, forcing Erik Ten Hag’s side to play with 10 men against Ange Postecoglou’s team.After back-to-back draws against Crystal Palace and FC Twente fans hoped United would redeem themselves against Spurs.However, the match at Old Trafford quickly turned sour. Brennan Johnson scored early and things worsened when Fernandes was sent off allowing Spurs to extend their lead to 3-0.And here is how SunSports Charlie Wyett rated the Manchester United stars.Andre Onana – 5Stood his ground to deliver a good save from Timo Werner who was clean through – no chance for either goal.Noussair Mazraoui – 5First in the refs’ book for chopping down Destiny Udogie. Could also have blocked Micky van de Ven for the goal. Just watched Solanke make it 3-0.Matthijs de Ligt – 4Shocking first half. Failed to cut out the cross from Micky van de Ven which led to the first goal.Lisandro Martinez – 5Switched off for the Spurs goal and was drawn to the ball and Johnson was left unmarked.Diogo Dalot – 5Gave the ball away in dangerous areas and struggled against Johnson.Manuel Ugarte – 5Suffered a stinker and was lucky to last until the 73rd minute.Kobbie Mainoo – 5Not one of his better performances and was taken off just before half-time following Fernandes’ sending-off.Marcus Rashford – 5Over-ran the ball for Tottenham’s first. Way off the pace.Bruno Fernandes – 4Arguably the worst captain in United’s history. Deserved red card for his challenge on James Maddison.Alejandro Garnacho – 6Had United’s only chance in the first half but hit the outside of the post. Improved in the second half.Joshua Zirkzee – 5Looked completely lost up front – threatening to be another poor Erik ten Hag signing. Replaced at half-time.Subs:Mount (for Mainoo 45)  5, Casemiro (for Zirkzee 46) 7, Hojlund (for Rashford 73) 5, Eriksen (for Ugarte 73) 5. More

BOURNEMOUTH’S announcer was cheered after informing Southampton fans their last train home was cancelled.The Saints suffered a South Coast hammering against their rivals on Monday night.Bournemouth fans cheered as Southampton supporters were informed their last train home was cancelledCredit: ReutersBournemouth dominated the first half to race into a 3-0 lead.And despite conceding in the second half, the Cherries remained strong to see out a 3-1 win.Home fans delighted in their exciting football as Southampton’s meticulous passing style failed to impress.And the results mean Bournemouth have moved above Man Utd in the table to 11th.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe Saints remain in 19th as they search for their first win of the season.However, a bad night for Russell Martin’s travelling fans got even worse.With just minutes of the game left, the Vitality Stadium’s announcer gave them some unpleasant news.Cheers rang out from home fans as Saints supporters were informed that the last train back to their city, which was due to leave at 11.10, had been cancelled.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSThe distance between Bournemouth and Southampton is roughly 32 miles.And fans were left with the prospect of either getting a pricey Uber back home, or staying put until the morning with the next train at 5am.Meet the new Wags of the Premier League season, from a Belgian interior designer to a Portuguese modelViewers at home certainly found the announcement amusing.One said: “You can hear the joy in his voice as he says the train is cancelled.”Another declared: “Disgusting, they should provide replacement buses.”One noted: “Amazing s***housery, I’m all for it.”Another added: “The game isn’t gone just yet.” More

ERIK TEN HAG still has the backing of Manchester United — but his potential sacking is being discussed openly by the players.The under-fire Red Devils manager faces a massive four days to save his job, with Thursday’s difficult Europa League clash away to Porto followed by a trip to Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday.Erik ten Hag has two games to save his Man Utd jobCredit: GettyTen Hag’s future is a big talking point amongst his playersCredit: EPATen Hag, whose team slumped to a 3-0 loss to Spurs on Sunday, has the support of the club’s board but patience is running out.Two more poor defeats and the Dutchman will find himself facing  the axe.The vast majority of United’s stars are also behind the beleaguered manager.But there has been much talk among the squad over how much longer he will remain in charge with the club floundering in the Prem. READ MORE IN FOOTBALLUnited have registered just seven points so far, their joint-lowest after six games of a Premier League season.But Ten Hag, who  signed a  one-year  extension until 2026 in July, claims he is unconcerned about his future. He said: “No, I am not thinking about this.“We all decided to stay together in the summer.”Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSIf United axe Ten Hag, assistant boss Ruud van Nistelrooy is likely to take temporary charge.Former United star Rio Ferdinand is worried for the club’s future.Manchester United vs Tottenham Player RatingsRuud van Nistelrooy is the early frontrunner to take chargeCredit: GettyHe said: “It doesn’t look like the United players know what the plan is because I don’t see it on the pitch.“Six hundred million spent by Ten Hag and it’s the most inconsistent team around. That hurts me to say that.”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. More

ROOMING with Ronaldinho is not something you forget in a hurry.In January 2001, an 18-year-old Mikel Arteta arrived at Paris Saint-Germain alone and “terrified” after being shipped out on an 18-month loan from Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy.Mikel Arteta has lifted the lid on sharing a room at PSG with RonaldinhoCredit: Offside/PRESSE SPORTSThe Arsenal boss is looking to get the better of his old side in the Champions LeagueCredit: GettyIn his first taste of men’s senior football, he was guided on the pitch by friend and mentor Mauricio Pochettino, a man who first inspired Arteta to go into management.And by the summer of 2001, the now-Arsenal boss had a new roommate — a 21-year-old Brazilian signing called Ronaldinho, someone who opened Arteta’s eyes to the beautiful game.More than two decades on, Arteta faces the Parisian giants for the first time as a manager on Tuesday, and cannot help but smile as he recalls what it was like sharing a room with a footballing legend known for his tricks and flair on the pitch . . . and mad partying lifestyle off it.Asked what sort of roomie  Ronaldinho was, Arteta grinned: “With me, he was always perfect.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL“We were room-mates for a year. He was great. So much energy, so much fun, everything was good. Never a problem. Great times.“I did not see him as a superstar at the time, obviously. But he was a huge talent.“He was coming from Brazil. He didn’t have the work permit so he had to wait for a couple of months.”A young Arteta was desperate to stay in Paris beyond his loan spell, only to be recalled by Barcelona and sold to Scottish giants Rangers in 2002 before arriving in England — via Real Sociedad — with Everton  two-and-a-half years later.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSRonaldinho’s stay at the Parc des Princes was also short but sweet, leaving for Barca in 2003 where he won the Ballon d’Or, two LaLiga titles and the Champions League across five years.Arteta continued: “He’s the only player I have seen in history that could transform, by himself, two clubs. He did it in Paris, he transformed them. He went to Barcelona in one of the worst moments and transformed them.Former Arsenal star Fabian Caballero passes away aged 46Ronaldinho went on to become a Barcelona and Brazil iconCredit: GettyArteta also played with Bolton legend Jay-Jay Okocha at PSGCredit: Getty“He had an aura, an energy, a smile on his face . . . it was impossible to be next to him and be in a bad mood.“And in training, I never saw a  talent like this. In every drill, it was like: ‘How is this possible?’.“It was unbelievable to play with him. I had to do all the defending because I had Ronaldinho and Jay-Jay Okocha in front of me. Imagine!“It was super, almost unreal. It was a dream for me.“I was so blessed and I had so much energy at that time. I couldn’t waste that opportunity — I enjoyed every minute of it.”Arteta also has a strong friendship with current PSG boss — former Barca player and Treble-winning manager Luis Enrique, 54 — who he shares much in common with. But Arteta, now 42, admits he owes a lot to his days in Paris for making him the man and manager he is today after being “protected like a son” in the “perfect environment”.A month after joining as an unknown teenager, he made his Champions League debut  at the San Siro against AC Milan in a 1-1 draw.Arteta said: “I was in the tunnel, I was looking . . . it was [ex-Milan owner Silvio] Berlusconi, [Paolo]  Maldini, [Andriy] Shevchenko.“I was looking, they were all like this [holds his hand up high]. I was like: ‘Really?’ I was thrown to the lions in Rome.“But it turned out to be a really good match, which I really enjoyed. It was an unbelievable night.”Arteta is hoping for another of those nights at the Emirates, having drawn their first Champions League outing 0-0  at Atalanta last month.Last season, Arsenal were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Bayern Munich after a 1-0 second-leg defeat at the Allianz Arena on April 17.Three days earlier, their title dreams had been damaged by a 2-0 home loss to Aston Villa.READ MORE SUN STORIESAhead of another gruelling title race and European run, Arteta said: “Last year we almost went all the way. We came up short, so that is something we have to do better, to prove. That’s the next step we have to make as a team.”Gunners defenders Ben White (groin) and Riccardo Calafiori (knee) face late fitness tests. More