Premier League

MANCHESTER UNITED fans have hailed Erik ten Hag for his tactical tweak against Brentford. The Dutchman switched up his formula by playing Marcel Sabitzer in a more advanced role than in previous matches.
Fans praised Erik ten Hag for his tactical switch against BrentfordCredit: Reuters
As Marcel Sabitzer’s new role yielded an assistCredit: Getty
Sabitzer played in a more advanced role against Brentford
And the move worked wonders as his cushioned header set up Marcus Rashford’s winner against the Bees.
Sabitzer, on loan from Bayern Munich, struggled to stamp his mark on the game against Newcastle at the weekend.
Seeing this, Ten Hag tweaked the roles of his midfield for the Brentford test, having Sabitzer play further forward while Bruno Fernandes dropped deeper.
And following the 1-0 win, fans praised Ten Hag for the switch.
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One fan said: “What a game yesterday. Brilliant performances from the team. Glad to see Ten Hag change his ways about the striker and the formation played was brilliant.
“We had the right players for the formation and we have the flexibility of interchanging Sabitzer and Bruno’s positions.”
Whereas he struggled in a deeper role against Newcastle
A second typed: “Erik ten Hag knows what he’s talking about! Those players are all absolute game-changers who can shake up any opposition.”
A third commented: “Thought Marcel Sabitzer had his best game United yet tonight due to the type of role he was given by Ten Hag.”
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A fourth added: “I thought Sabitzer was better advanced up the pitch probably his best game so far.
“Bruno was also brilliant last night & McTominay defensively made two or three big tackles in our own box.”
Ten Hag himself was happy with the improved performances from a number of stars, most notably Sabitzer and Jadon Sancho.
He said: “was really happy with the performance from Jadon Sancho, Antony and Marcel Sabitzer because all game they were a threat and they can do it.
“The return of Anthony Martial can help us so we have options there.” More

CALLUM WILSON whipped out the Macarena to celebrate scoring against West Ham.And the reason behind it is absolutely brilliant.
Callum Wilson did the Macarena to celebrate at West HamCredit: Getty
The Toon striker was all smiles as he whipped out the dance movesCredit: Getty
Wilson, 31, got the nod ahead of Alexander Isak to start at the London Stadium tonight.
And he justified his selection within six minutes as he directed a free header six yards out into the back of the net.
Wilson ran behind the goal and demonstrated his silky-smooth dancing skills by busting out the iconic Macarena moves.
And it all came back to a bet he had with West Ham forward Michail Antonio, with whom he does the Footballers’ Football Podcast.
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Wilson said: “There is a story. Michail Antonio and I do a podcast together.
“He’s been giving me stick about whoever scores needs to do this celebration.
“You get caught up in the moment wheeling away.
“I got a bit of stick but it was nice to do it in front of the West Ham fans but it’s not personal.”
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Sky Sports pundits Jamie Redknapp and Jobi McAnuff were loving it – and even recreated the dance in the studio during their analysis.
Wilson’s dream record against West Ham continued as he made it 12 goals against the Hammers in the Premier League – only Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen have more.
He was gifted his second and Newcastle’s third on the night when Jacob Murphy picked Nayef Aguerd’s pocket seconds after the restart and laid the ball on a plate for Wilson to tap in.
Lukasz Fabianski put No4 on the night as Isak got on the scoresheet and Joelinton completed the 5-1 rout in the 90th minute to add to his 13th-minute finish.
Wilson – whose side remain third – added: “Michail ran off and didn’t want to speak to me.
“The next podcast will be fun for me, not for him!
“It’s tradition now. Sometimes you have teams you play against. I enjoy playing against them and you just have a feeling you’re going to score.
“I had an opportunity to start today and I got on the scoresheet and we got three points. 
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“Before the game everyone talks saying, ‘It’s West Ham you’re going to score today.’
“You get a feeling and it’s about taking the opportunity. I have been on the bench the last few weeks and starting today, you have to make a statement.”
Jamie Redknapp and Jobi McAnuff got involved in the Sky studioCredit: Sky Sports
Wilson tapped in to make it 3-1 seconds after the breakCredit: Alamy
Michail Antonio cut a frustrated figure as West Ham moved closer to relegationCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun More

ERIK TEN HAG called on his players to start performing with the consistency of robots.Their recent form in the league has seen them get their wires crossed.
Marcus Rashford was back on the scoresheetCredit: PA
The Manchester United forward half-volleyed home in styleCredit: Getty
But the Red Devils’ bid for a top-four place sparked back into life last night thanks to the electric Marcus Rashford.
It was his 28th goal of the season in the 28th minute that lit up Old Trafford.
It brought a victory that moved them back above Tottenham into those Champions League places.
It wasn’t totally convincing, but against a team that humiliated them 4-0 back in August, it was enough.
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With just three wins from their previous nine league games and no goals in the last three, questions were starting to be asked of this Ten Hag team.
The progress in the cups – which has seen them win the Carabao and reach the semis of the FA Cup and quarters of the Europa League – have masked a dip in form in the race for the top four.
Defeat at Newcastle on Sunday saw them drop out of those Champions League positions with what the boss called an “unacceptable” performance at St James’ Park.
The Magpies had responded to their Carabao Cup final defeat while the suggestion from ex-United ace Rio Ferdinand has been that his old club had relaxed after winning its first silverware in six years.
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Ten Hag denied this but needed a reaction from last Sunday and it was clear from the first whistle that the players wanted to provide one.
The Red Devils spent most of the first period camped in Brentford’s half.
It wasn’t just the midfield and forwards providing a threat either with Luke Shaw and Raphael Varane having early runs at the Brentford back four.
The United boss had made only one change from Sunday and a much-needed one at that with Wout Weghorst finally dropped.
He was benched after 19 straight starts that have brought two goals, none in the league.
Sunday was the final straw even for Ten Hag who has constantly defended him despite the overwhelming evidence for the prosecution.
However, this season ends this club needs a proper No9 once again if it wants to make the next steps.
Weghorst isn’t, Anthony Martial is always injured and Rashford, for all his goalscoring exploits this season, is best coming in off the left.

Still it was he who added to his career-best goals tally for a season from a central position.
That made him the joint best goalscorer in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2016-17 and Bruno Fernandes in 2020-21 who both also got 28.
There are likely to be plenty more to come before this season is up too.
The deadlock was broken when a cleared corner was chipped back into the area by Antony.
On-loan Marcel Sabitzer rose highest to nod the ball back across goal for Rashford to meet on the half-volley and fire into the roof of the net.
As ever he celebrated by pointing to his temple.
It’s all about mentality he claims and his is spot on.
It was about time for United as well as this was their first goal in league football in 327 minutes.
DODGY DE DEA
Still, this is a very different team to the one that Brentford hammered in the second game of the season, despite recent hiccups.
The question now was whether they themselves could now hammer home the advantage they had gained against Thomas Frank’s side.
It was nearly handed straight back at the start of the second half.
Newcastle had targeted David De Gea’s extremely limited ability to play the ball out from the back last weekend.
Brentford were clearly alert to it as well when Lisandro Martinez played a short goal-kick to his goalkeeper.
The Spaniard’s attempted clearance was immediately charged down by Ivan Toney who gambled on the goalkeeper making a mistake.
The ball rebounded back off the Brentford forward and went just wide of De Gea’s goal.
It was a moment that seemed to spur on the visitors.
David De Gea made up for his dodgy footwork with a smart saveCredit: Reuters
Luke Shaw limped off in the first halfCredit: Getty
The underrated Scott McTominay was putting another shift in tracking back and twice intervened when the Bees began to buzz around the United box.
Then when a De Gea clearance was immediately intercepted Toney put sub Kevin Schade through one-on-one.
What De Gea lacks in his distribution skills he more than makes up for in his instinctive stops.
Although on this occasion when he came out and spread his body it was his groin that stopped the ball much to his discomfort and resulting in a break in play.
United should have had a second with ten minutes remaining when Rashford teed up substitute Fred but he fired over.
This team creates chances, it just doesn’t have enough players who can put them away.
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That will be addressed in the summer – because United have not won a league game without Rashford scoring since the 2-1 victory at Fulham on November 13. 
For now it remains down to Rashford’s rediscovered goalscoring instincts to keep the season on the right course.
Ivan Toney struggled to make a mark at Old TraffordCredit: Getty
Erik ten Hag’s team had not won in the Premier League since FebruaryCredit: Getty More

LUIS ENRIQUE could be set for an awkward reunion with Roy Keane if he takes over as Chelsea manager.SunSport revealed the ex-Spain boss emerged as a frontrunner for the vacancy at Stamford Bridge following Graham Potter’s sacking.
Luis Enrique and Roy Keane battled it out on the pitchCredit: Action Images
The captains went head to head in a Barcelona vs Manchester United friendlyCredit: Rex
He held positive talks with Todd Boehly in London today before flying back to his homeland.
And he is ready to become Chelsea’s next permanent gaffer – with Frank Lampard set to take over as a stop-gap solution until the end of the season.
But should Enrique, 52, arrive in the summer, it surely will not be long before he comes across Keane working for Sky Sports.
The hardman former Manchester United captain, 51, has turned into an equally-no-nonsense pundit.
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But it was during a pre-season clash way back in August 2003 that Keane lived up to his fiery reputation.
In a so-called friendly, the Irishman put in a meaty challenge on Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes after he had already grabbed the ball with both hands.
A long-haired Valdes writhed around on the floor in agony clutching his head.
And his Barcelona team-mates Carles Puyol and skipper Enrique were quickly on the scene to make their feelings known to Keane, who typically refused to back down.
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The Red Devils skipper, unsurprisingly unremorseful, got a yelllow card for his very robust challenge.
And he had the last laugh in Philadelphia as United ran out 3-1 winners thanks to a Diego Forlan double and a Ruud van Nistelrooy strike.
However, they later did agree on one thing – David De Gea.
Enrique dropped the United goalkeeper from his Spain squad and Keane believed it was the right call, urging Erik ten Hag to do the same.
Enrique spent five years at Real Madrid before making the controversial move directly from the Bernabeu to the Nou Camp in 1996.
The attacking midfielder went on to make 300 appearances for Barca up to his retirement in 2004, winning two LaLiga crowns.
He then stepped into management, starting with Barcelona B in 2008, replacing Pep Guardiola, before spells with Roma, Celta Vigo, Barcelona and two stints with Spain, leaving after the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
Keane angered Barca’s stars with his brutal challenge on Victor ValdesCredit: YouTube
Enrique is expected to take over as Chelsea manager in the summerCredit: Getty More

JADON SANCHO justified Erik ten Hag’s masterstroke selection against Brentford by outperforming Wout Weghort with ease as Manchester United finally ended their goal drought.Weghorst played 62 minutes in the 2-0 defeat at Newcastle on Sunday.
Manchester United ended their long wait for a Premier League goalCredit: AP
Jadon Sancho proved a threat from the first whistleCredit: Getty
In that time he managed a measly TEN touches as his long wait for a Premier League goal goes on.
That prompted Ten Hag to switch it up against Brentford tonight, ditching Weghorst and bringing Sancho into the attack.
And after just 20 minutes, Sancho had already had more touches than Weghorst did on Sunday.
By the half-hour mark against the Bees, the English winger had already racked up 28 touches.
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Plus his dangerous corner was recycled in the build-up to Marcus Rashford’s opening goal to end United’s barren streak in front of goal.
Ten Hag’s side drew blanks in the defeats at Liverpool and Newcastle, either side of the 0-0 stalemate at home to Southampton.
However, they looked far more dangerous with Weghorst withdrawn from the team for the first time and Sancho operating on the left flank – with Rashford through the middle.
Asked about the decision, Ten Hag explained: “Creativity. Jadon is making good progress since he came back.
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“He can play the final pass, have an action one-on-one, he has movement in behind and can score goals.”
Fans took to Twitter to heap praise on Ten Hag and Sancho during the 1-0 win.
One said: “Ever since we took out Weghorst and played Antony and Sancho as our wingers, the attack is more fluid.”
Another wrote: “I don’t want to see Weghorst ever again brev – Sancho, Rashford, Antony, Pellistri, Martial. Pick three from them.”
And a third joked: “If the Nobel Prize had a football category, Ten Hag probably would have won it.
“He has the mind of a scientist and the imagination of a painter. Football hasn’t seen a creative genius like him.”
Despite his bright and lively start, though, Sancho struggled to make too much impact in terms of creating chances and he was subsequently hooked off on 71 minutes for Anthony Martial.
Wout Weghorst managed ten touches in 62 minutes at Newcastle
After 30 minutes, Sancho had 28 touches
Weghorst was dropped to the bench for the first time as a United playerCredit: Getty More