Premier League

JAMIE CARRAGHER joked Sir Alex Ferguson was NOT the man responsible for Manchester United’s great Premier League success.And that came as a cheeky and clever response to Gary Neville’s latest rant about the Glazers.
Jamie Carragher could not resist a cheeky dig at Gary NevilleCredit: Alamy
Sir Alex Ferguson won 13 Premier League titles as United bossCredit: PA
Former United right-back Neville launched a furious tirade on Twitter following Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at home to Brighton.
That was the club’s third defeat from their opening five games this season – a new and unwanted Premier League record.

And that prompted Neville to air his frustrations at the poor performance online, before turning his anger to the controversial Glazer family’s ownership at Old Trafford who have still not agreed a sale.
He fumed: “I’ve just got back from Old Trafford and you always have to be optimistic pre-match but the most concerning thing is what we ended up watching wasn’t a surprise.
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“This wasn’t a lack of effort or a group of players not interested. This was a team well-beaten by opponents who were well-drilled and knew what they were doing. Simple as that…”
Neville then added: “Oh and yes the Glazers are responsible. It’s how it works. You own a business and everything good and bad sits with you!
“They inherited the best in all areas. They’ve overseen ten years of mediocrity off the pitch and on the pitch.
“They set the culture of greed, ill-discipline, indecision and uncertainty that runs right through the club.
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“It would be best if they sold the club with some speed and efficiency and allowed at least the off-the-pitch items to be corrected properly that re-set the tone and culture.
“Football is volatile so results on the pitch can be erratic and cyclical but if the off-the-pitch stuff including the owner’s direction and leadership are spot on it gives you a better chance to succeed on it.”
The Manchester United board stumped up more than £183million to sign Mason Mount, Andre Onana, Ramsus Hojlund and Altay Bayindir this summer.
However, the Red Devils have struggled to find any form – with the wins over Wolves and Nottingham Forest very unconvincing – and further off-fields situations have only made the mood around the club more sour.
But that rant blaming the Glazers for Erik ten Hag’s troubles on the pitch prompted Carragher to chime in with his witty but valid response.
He jokingly credited the United dominance since the formation of the Premier League to former Old Trafford chairman Martin Edwards, rather than 13-time title-winning gaffer Ferguson.
The ex-Liverpool man wrote: “All this time I thought Alex Ferguson stopped us winning the PL, but it was actually Martin Edwards.”
Neville hit back by referencing Carragher’s article in which he slammed Andre Onana for trying to endear himself to his new supporters by publicly yelling at “broken” Harry Maguire.
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Neville replied: “You still on here after your Onana piece?” 
And his Sky colleague quipped: “Even more so after today! Tell him to stop waving his hands at players and use them to save some shots.”
Neville let rip at the Glazers following the 3-1 defeat to BrightonCredit: PA
Supporters vented their anger ahead of the Seagulls gameCredit: Getty More

ROY HODGSON is “feeling better” after being taken ill ahead of Crystal Palace’s clash at Aston Villa.The Eagles boss, 76, was forced to miss the trip to Villa Park.
Roy Hodgson missed Crystal Palace’s trip to Aston VillaCredit: Getty
Instead, his assistants Paddy McCarthy and Ray Lewington took charge in the dugout as the team succumbed to a 3-1 defeat.
And McCarthy confirmed Hodgson is making progress as he issued an update for concerned supporters following the loss.
The Irishman said: “Roy is feeling better and we are hopeful he will continue to feel better and be back with us sooner rather than later.
“We had contact with him before the game and we will speak to him now after the game as well.
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“All the preparation was done with Roy.
“After breakfast and before the pre-match meal he felt a bit unwell, and that’s when we found out. We continued to prepare.”
It is unclear if Hodgson was able to watch the Premier League drama unfold.
The former England boss would have been delighted to see Odsonne Edouard give the South London club the lead just two minutes into the second half.
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However, despite leading on 87 minutes, it all unravelled for Palace in the closing minutes.
Jhon Duran scored a belting equaliser for Villa, blasting home emphatically.
Villa were then awarded a controversial penalty as referee Darren England was sent to the pitchside monitor but stuck with his original decision despite Chris Richards appearing to win the ball when tackling Ollie Watkins.
Douglas Luiz stuck the spot-kick away in the 98th minute and Leon Bailey added a third to wrap up the victory for Unai Emery’s men in the 101st minute. More

CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN revealed what Manchester United must change following their horror start to the season.The dismal 3-1 home defeat to Brighton on Saturday set an unwanted and embarrassing new record for the Red Devils.
Manchester United’s miserable start to the season continuedCredit: Alamy
Erik ten Hag’s men have now lost three of their opening five games of the Premier League season for the first time since its formation in 1992.
United came undone on their away trips to Tottenham and Arsenal before the Seagulls defeat.
They unconvincingly scraped past Wolves and Nottingham Forest in their other two games.
And now Eriksen identified how the team can turn things around.
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The Danish midfielder, 31, said: “The small things. We had the offside at Arsenal and today when we scored but it was out of play.
“The small things we are missing and a bit of luck to get over the line and get something out of the effort we put in.
“Any game at the start of the season, doesn’t matter who you play, is very important.
“We focus on our games and whoever we play we want to win. But we have lost three already and we have to change that.”
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Eriksen played the full 90 minutes as part of a new-look diamond midfield for United against Brighton.
Rasmus Hojlund was denied a home debut goal when VAR ruled the ball had gone out in the build-up.
Ex-United striker Danny Welbeck opened the scoring for the Seagulls as Pascal Gross and Joao Pedro added strikes after half-time before a fine consolation from Hannibal Mejbri.
And there were loud boos from the Old Trafford crowd when Ten Hag replaced Hojlund with Anthony Martial.
Reflecting on the loss, Eriksen added: “It is a heavy one. We have to look at ourselves.
“We changed some things but we are disappointed. In the first half we had a lot of moments, had good control.
“They had a lot of possession but not many chances.
“They then score with their first chance and the system they play they keep the ball a lot and we had to chase it down. But we still had chances to get back into the game.”
Christian Eriksen thinks the ‘small things’ need to change to go United’s wayCredit: Getty
Brighton put on a superb performance at Old TraffordCredit: Reuters More

RICHARD LEADBEATER became a Christian while on Wolves’ books in the 1990s.Ten years later, the striker would hang up his boots for good in order to take on a full-time role with the church.
Richard Leadbeater played up front for Wolves, Hereford and StevenageCredit: PA
He would quit playing at 26 to become a vicar
The promising forward came through Wolves’ academy during Graham Taylor’s time at Molineux, going on to debut under the former England boss’ successor Mark McGhee.
Leadbeater told Wolves Heroes: “For me, it was a shame Graham left.
“If Graham had stayed, I think I’d have got a longer contact than the one year I was offered under McGhee.
“He didn’t know us, so he didn’t want to commit to longer.”
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Leadbeater made one first team appearance for Wolves in 1996, before being loaned out to Hereford the following year.
He scored seven goals in 15 games on loan at Edgar Street, including a memorable hat-trick against rivals Kidderminster in a 4-1 win.
The striker had become a Christian at 16 after his older sister had revealed that she had started going to church.
And following his Wolves release upon the conclusion of his loan spell at Hereford, his interest in the ministry only grew.
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After a series of trials at Football League clubs, Leadbeater joined Hereford on a permanent deal.
Just six months later he was on the move again, when Stevenage offered cash-strapped Hereford £20,000 for his services.
After two-and-a-half seasons with Stevenage he moved to Hednesford Town, with his love for the professional game on the decline – partly because he was being paid to play.
He told the Hereford Times: “My passion for the game had started waning while my passion for being involved in the ministry was increasing.
“One of the things I wrestled with towards the end of my career was being paid to play sport. When you are paid to play it stops being a sport and starts becoming a business. I found the two were often an uneasy fit.”
During later spells at Halesowen Town and Redditch United, Leadbeater began studying theology at the University of Birmingham.
And at just 26, he retired from football to focus on the church.
He spent four years as a pastoral assistant at St Stephen’s Church in Selly Oak, Birmingham.
And after being ordained at Birmingham Cathedral in 2010, he took his first service.
It was a 5-6 year period where I slowed down one career and started another oneRichard Leadbeater
On his journey with the church, he later told Your Herefordshire: “It was a long process, I become a Christian at 16, the older I got, the more I wanted to work full time in the church.
“I began a process of dropping down the leagues and whilst doing that I took some studies and explored different avenues, it was a 5-6 year period where I slowed down one career and started another one.
“I was ordained in the Church of England and moved to Guildford in 2014 where I’m based at the King’s Church.”
Despite the culture of “mickeytaking” in football, Leadbeater does think there are similarities between his old profession and his current one.
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He added: “I like to think my sermons are like being in a football changing room. I feel like I’m rallying the troops.
“I try not to mention to people about my football past, as it can come across as arrogant and it was a long time ago.” More