Premier League

ERIK TEN HAG says rumours of his imminent sacking are “fairytales”.But he admits that Manchester United simply are not good enough right now.Erik ten Hag is under huge pressure with Manchester United 14th in the Premier LeagueNew co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, left in green jacket, could sack Ten Hag if results get any worseCredit: AFPTen Hag’s job is hanging by a thread after their worst ever start to a Premier League season sees them in 14th place going into this weekend’s home game against Brentford.Still, the Dutchman feels rock solid in his position at Old Trafford, even if others are finding that difficult to believe.Ten Hag said: “The only noise is only coming from the media. Bringing up stories, creating stories, making fairytales. We are all on one page this club.“I said that before the break, and several journalists they didn’t believe me, I see the reports but internal in the club it’s quiet.”READ MORE ON MAN UTDHowever, he knows things have to improve starting with the visit of Thomas Frank and his team, another manager linked to the Old Trafford hot seat.Ten Hag said: “Of course, we are unhappy in the position where we are and we have to turn the corner with a strategy to turn this corner but ultimately we are quiet, we are composed, we stay where we are, we stick to the plan and we are convinced we will make it a success.“Also we have to climb a mountain, that’s top football and sometimes you have to face challenges, sometimes it goes up, sometimes it goes down I am sure we will make it a success like we did the last two seasons.“We are in a direction, underneath I see good patterns, good steps that confirm we are in a direction but the ranking is not lying, it is not good enough.”Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSMan Utd have not won in five games in all competitionsCredit: GettyThomas Tuchel was another manager tipped to take over from Ten Hag and was even spoken to by the club over the summer as they sought out a new boss only to stay with the man they had.Now he has become England manager and Ten Hag believes it is a good choice.Darren Bent claims Thomas Frank is ready to take over from Erik ten Hag at Man Utd He said: “I think it’s a very good choice from the FA. He is a top class manager who has proved himself, creating top teams, creating teams who win.“England hasn’t won since 1966 so I think it’s a very good appointment to get a win because England has world-class players to make a team and they have the opportunity to win the Euros or the World Cup.”United just need to win a few more games to take the heat off Ten Hag whether he thinks stories of his position being under pressure are fairytales or not.The players look like they are feeling the pressure particularly in front of their own fans with a shocking performance in the 3-0 defeat against Tottenham last time out at Old Trafford.He stabilised things with away draws against Porto and Aston Villa.And Ten Hag said: “I think the players do well, we won a trophy last season, maybe you forgot and when we face problems sometimes we have to line up teams that were not in the right balance because the players were not available.“In general, the players do perform well and we have to start scoring and that part is the most important part in football if you want to win games.“That part we have to improve, we are entering the final third, the box, we are coming in good positions to score but now the most important part is to net.”READ MORE SUN STORIESUnited go into Saturday’s game without Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire who are out for a fortnight each injured.There is good news on Noussair Mazraoui, however, who is available after a procedure on his heart.Nine managers Man Utd considered before keeping Erik ten HagERIK TEN HAG appears to be safe as Man Utd manager, but the Dutchman edged dangerously close to the sack.Here are nine managers Red Devils chiefs are reported to have considered for the job and what allegedly happened with each.Gareth SouthgateEnjoys plenty of support among Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos chiefs but made clear he wouldn’t talk to any clubs until after Euro 2024. There is yet to be any suggestion that contact was made with the England boss.Kieran McKennaTalks were opened with McKenna’s representatives before the FA Cup final, but the former Man Utd coach opted to sign a new deal with Ipswich after Ten Hag’s Wembley win.Roberto De ZerbiAllegedly sounded out before the FA Cup final with salary expectations discussed. But Ineos chiefs concluded ex-Brighton boss was not the right fit for the project.Thomas FrankBrentford boss met Man Utd representatives the day before the FA Cup final. The Dane also dined with Ratcliffe, Roy Hodgson and Frank Lampard at the launch of a new Ineos car in February.Marco SilvaFulham boss reportedly met Man Utd representatives face-to-face two days before the FA Cup final, around the same time as Ten Hag was conducting his press conference.Mauricio PochettinoFell out of Man Utd’s thinking in the first week of June, despite being a favourite of Sir Alex Ferguson.Thomas TuchelMade a very strong impression and came across well during a Monaco meeting. Personal terms were discussed before the ex-Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss decided to step back from the process.Ruben AmorimSporting boss was discussed by the Man Utd hierarchy but did not make the final reckoning.Roberto MartinezPortugal manager was considered in the early stages. More

JHON DURAN is the blockbusting strike sensation who steams through defences like a runaway train.Yet when he was a kid, that unstoppable incendiary style once threatened to derail his own dreams of glory.Aston Villa star Jhon Duran has come a long way from humble beginnings in ColombiaCredit: GettyDuran started out at Envigado where he learned under Wilberth Perea and James Rodriguez’s fatherCredit: GettyPerea worked hard to help Duran unfold his full talent before his move to VillaDuran, 20, has been Aston Villa’s star of the season so far, capped by a stunning winner in the club’s 1-0 Champions League victory against Bayern Munich.Although nine of his ten appearances have come off the bench, his six goals top Villa’s scoring charts and made him a Holte End hero.The Colombian’s pace and power makes him impossible to knock off the ball.But in his early days at Envigado FC back home, that heart for a battle and refusal to back down once brought more cards than a casino croupier.Read More on FootballYouth coach Wilberth Perea, the man Duran sees as a second father, knew he was a special talent.Perea, whose assistant was Colombian legend James Rodriguez’s father, revealed: “He first got my attention at 11 and always had an overwhelming personality.“Jhon had such a strong character who didn’t back down from anyone and was afraid of no one.“He had the heart and soul of a child but when competing was totally different. He always played at the limit, no matter the cost. Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS”He’s doing it against the best defenders in England but even as a young player, against older and more experienced ones who played dirty, he didn’t care.“Even then he was like a runaway train. Jhon just crushed them without giving them a chance and his style of play meant he got so many cards.”Jhon Duran ’causes chaos with s—housery’ as Aston Villa ace performs controversial gesture amid West Ham transfer linkFining the up-and-coming Duran was no option as the kid from the humble background had little money.The solution came with punishing laps of the pitch — plus a series of rockets from his coach that often reduced him to tears.Perea added: “We couldn’t impose fines, so made him run round the athletics track at the stadium, that’s why he has an explosive capacity and such a long sprint trajectory.“There were many moments in the Under-15 locker room I had to show such a temper at times it made him cry.“His mother and father, Saturnina and Regino, are humble people and I knew how hard it had been for them to support their family. I told Jhon, ‘You have to give your parents a better life. Please don’t waste the chance’. It touched his pride and, at times, he didn’t like it.”Yet he knuckled down and, when he signed pro, the club gave him a place to live where he could bring his parents.Skipping schoolThere were still hiccups along the way, though — like skipping school so often that Perea would make regular trips just to check he had turned up.He joked: “I would make surprise visits to school and if Jhon wasn’t there, I’d furiously go round to his house and he’d be in bed listening to reggae!“Sometimes I felt like grabbing him by the ears and throwing him out of the window. The school janitor used to laugh and said I was the student, not Jhon.”Duran is passing every footballing test with honours this season.After a stuttering start to life at Villa, who signed him from MLS side Chicago Fire for an initial £14.75million last term, his career has exploded.READ MORE SUN STORIESAnd when he hit that stunning lobbed winner against Bayern, Perea admitted it left him sobbing with pride.He said: “I called Saturnina and we were both crying. All those days he said he was fed up and wanted to throw in the towel, now he’s scoring against the best teams in the world.”Who are these famous footballers? More

CHELSEA have trademarked a new crest and have staked their claim as “London’s true club”.The new badge, which will NOT replace the current one, features the iconic blue lion above the letters “LDN”.Chelsea have trademarked a new emblem to celebrate the club’s 120th anniversaryCredit: ChelseaThe new crest will not replace the current oneCredit: RexThe emblem has been released to celebrate the Blues’ 120th anniversary in March.Reports from the Daily Mail claim the logo will be seen on club branding in the coming months.Designers Uncommon Creative Studio called it a “new icon designed to show Chelsea as London’s true club.”They added: “This new visual identity will continue to come to life across the club, stadium and players throughout the season. Stay tuned.”READ MORE IN FOOTBALLChelsea applied to trademark the crest back in August, with other parties given two months to oppose the ruling.But none of their capital rivals like Tottenham, Arsenal or West Ham objected – despite the Hammers having the word “London” on their badge already.The emblem is now registered to Chelsea for at least the next ten years.Fans were split on the design, with one saying: “It’s beautiful.”Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSAnother added: “I hope they don’t use LDN underneath, use CFC.”A third commented: “I’m all for the Lion crest. It’s clean and modern but the ‘LDN’ underneath it feels very franchisey.”How Chelsea can shock Liverpool in ultimate ‘game of chicken’ with high-risk ‘tension-ball’ tacticMeanwhile, the club has also applied to trademark the words “Chels” and “The Chels”.A decision from the UK Intellectual Property Office on those is due next month. More

THOMAS FRANK has leapt to Erik ten Hag’s defence ahead of Brentford’s trip to Manchester United this weekend.The Bees face a Red Devils side in the midst of their worst-ever start to a Premier League season.Thomas Frank has had his say on Erik ten HagCredit: GettyTen Hag has faced severe scrutiny amid United’s poor start to the seasonCredit: RexBrentford go into the weekend 11th in the table, three places and two points above Man Utd.This weekend’s match will be the Red Devils’ first at Old Trafford since a humbling 3-0 defeat to Tottenham last month.Despite United’s poor start to the season, Frank believes that pressure mounting on Ten Hag is “too much”.Previewing the game for Brentford’s club media, the 51-year-old said: “It’s incredible how much scrutiny he’s had to face.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL”As a head coach, I acknowledge how it feels to be in a situation like this. I think [the criticism] is too much.”He’s clearly a good coach, he’s won two trophies in two seasons.”But I understand how it is: if the team wins, the head coach is absolutely fantastic; if the team loses, the head coach is absolutely s***! Whereas it’s probably somewhere in between.”It’s never only the head coach, or the players, or the fans, or the board – it’s a combination of all of these things.”Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSFollowing the defeat to Spurs, Man Utd drew matches at Porto and Aston Villa prior to the international break.Sir Jim Ratcliffe subsequently met with other United board members in London, although Ten Hag remains in position for this weekend’s game.A day in the life of workaholic Ten Hag revealed by ex-Man Utd coach who jokes ‘his wife is on verge of divorcing him’Thomas Tuchel had been linked with the potential vacancy, only to rule himself out by taking the England job.Gareth Southgate has also been touted for the role, but recently vowed that he will not manage in the next 12 months.Frank himself has been mentioned as a possible candidate for the Old Trafford hotseat.Having been linked with the Red Devils, Frank spoke to talkSPORT about his future.He began: “I’ve said many times I’m very happy at Brentford.”Who knows what will happen in the future. Maybe I stay here for many years. I’m open, maybe something happens.”But first and foremost, very happy, just working very hard every day to make the club better.”Nine managers Man Utd considered before keeping Erik ten HagERIK TEN HAG appears to be safe as Man Utd manager, but the Dutchman edged dangerously close to the sack.Here are nine managers Red Devils chiefs are reported to have considered for the job and what allegedly happened with each.Gareth SouthgateEnjoys plenty of support among Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos chiefs but made clear he wouldn’t talk to any clubs until after Euro 2024. There is yet to be any suggestion that contact was made with the England boss.Kieran McKennaTalks were opened with McKenna’s representatives before the FA Cup final, but the former Man Utd coach opted to sign a new deal with Ipswich after Ten Hag’s Wembley win.Roberto De ZerbiAllegedly sounded out before the FA Cup final with salary expectations discussed. But Ineos chiefs concluded ex-Brighton boss was not the right fit for the project.Thomas FrankBrentford boss met Man Utd representatives the day before the FA Cup final. The Dane also dined with Ratcliffe, Roy Hodgson and Frank Lampard at the launch of a new Ineos car in February.Marco SilvaFulham boss reportedly met Man Utd representatives face-to-face two days before the FA Cup final, around the same time as Ten Hag was conducting his press conference.Mauricio PochettinoFell out of Man Utd’s thinking in the first week of June, despite being a favourite of Sir Alex Ferguson.Thomas TuchelMade a very strong impression and came across well during a Monaco meeting. Personal terms were discussed before the ex-Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss decided to step back from the process.Ruben AmorimSporting boss was discussed by the Man Utd hierarchy but did not make the final reckoning.Roberto MartinezPortugal manager was considered in the early stages. More

SIR ALEX FERGUSON has revealed what he did on January 1 every year that summed up his relentless drive for trophies.The legendary manager won 13 Premier League titles as Manchester United boss, culminating in his 2013 crown.Sir Alex Ferguson revealed his genius title-winning planning schemeCredit: Getty ImagesThe Manchester United boss won 13 Premier League crowns with the clubCredit: GettyFergie, though, gave an insight into his meticulous preparation and planning by telling Ally McCoist one of his many secrets to success.And it involved analysing exactly how United’s main rivals will fare in the second half of the season.Speaking about his final season in charge, the 2012-13 campaign, he opened up on how he had told his wife Cathy he would retire.And Fergie was confident he would bow out with one last Premier League triumph thanks to his detailed calculations to kick off the New Year – the day after his December 31 birthday.READ MORE ON SIR ALEX FERGUSONFerguson, 82, said: “Cathy’s sister had died in the previous October and she was lost, she was definitely lost.”So at Christmas I said to her, ‘Look, I’m going to retire at the end of the season.’ “I knew by her reaction that she was delighted because she was on her own. “She had given her life to me, everything to me, looking after me because of my job… bringing the kids up. Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS”When I said I was going to retire, she was delighted and I knew that. I could tell by her body language.”I always said when I got to January – what I did every January 1, I wrote down every year where our opponents’ games could be won or lost and I put us down to win by ten points.Sir Alex Ferguson steps away from ambassador duties at Manchester United”The team was playing really well and I thought we’d do that, but I think it was 11 points. “They did really well, the team did really well and Robin van Persie was fantastic – his goals, his thrust in the game, his power and confidence.”The team had perseverance, we never gave in, that’s the quality that great team always had. We had that for years.”At the end of the day when you look at my career at United, it’s encapsulated by the leagues, but it’s also about myself and the team – we were second in the league six times and won it in the next year. “Isn’t that amazing? Six times second, twice on goal difference, and we won it in the next year. “That tells you what that club is about, what these players are about – not just one set of players, that was going back to the 1994-95 team – tough as nails – to the really talented team in 2008 with Carlos Tevez, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney up front. They were unbelievable.”Lo and behold, United did indeed finish 11 points clear at the top of the table in 2012-13 – a year after being denied by Sergio Aguero in the final seconds of the previous campaign. They clinched the title on April 22 with a 3-0 win over Aston Villa – memorable for that epic Van Persie volley – to move out of reach of rivals Manchester City. Fergie axe comes at the right time – and he knows itBy Phil ThomasIT is over a decade since he left the dugout but Sir Alex Ferguson has lost none of his sense of timing.When to sell, when to buy, when to change and ultimately when to go, Fergie has always been in a class of his own.Over the years there were countless decisions which had everyone scratching their head — but Sir Alex always knew the time was right.Some were more obvious than others. Like the night Manchester United won the Treble on the back of his substitutions.Others less so, like the summer of 1995 when terrace legends Mark Hughes, Paul Ince and Andrei  Kanchelskis were sold at the peak of their powers.The whole of football thought the manager had lost his marbles.But Fergie knew better, as he chose that year to unleash his “you win nothing with kids” Double heroes.Just as he knew best when it came to right-hand men.Brian Kidd, Steve McClaren, Archie Knox and Co — an endless list of world-class coaches who all came and went.And, of course, the biggest decision of all. Calling time on 26 years in which he had gone from the brink of the bullet to English football’s greatest-ever gaffer.The majority of people are convinced Ferguson stepped down because he knew United’s era of dominance was over.Maybe not the nosedive to come but certainly that an almighty rebuild was just around the corner. Another mass overhaul, yet not one he was prepared to oversee.Now another end has arrived. Not as dramatic or as out-of-nowhere, admittedly, but an end nonetheless.Next summer Fergie will leave his 12-year role as global ambassador. Many see it as the most ruthless swing of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s cost-cutting axe — and they are wrong.For while he is trying to save every penny in making United great again —  how’s that going, Sir Jim? — Ferguson has not suddenly and callously been told he is surplus to requirements.This decision was a two-way call. An amicable parting. Football’s own conscious uncoupling, in Chris  Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow lingo.And not, incidentally, a departure which means we will no longer see Fergie at Old Trafford on a matchday.That  simply  will  not  happen.   He  will still be there rain, wind or shine . . .Only now as a high-profile non-executive director, rather than a man with the ear — and the sway — behind the owners’ biggest decisions.Like he was when urging United to re-sign Cristiano Ronaldo in 2021.Admittedly not his finest hour, rather an indication of the influence he still retained.Back then, until just before  Ratcliffe and his Ineos team arrived, in fact, Ferguson had the owners’ ear. Almost a hotline to the Glazer family, you could say.And those days are done.Not that Sir Alex is bereft at the thought. For a start, some of the staff sackings have enraged the Scot — long-serving photographer John Peters and kitman Alec Wylie, for example.This is not a cosy-cosy relationship with Ratcliffe being severed.If anything, it is closer to the opposite. And as Fergie the Red, in every sense The Boss — those who played under him still call him that  — knows, trousering £2million or so a year in such tight times is not a good look.Fair enough, not an amount anyone would turn down in normal circumstances.Yet when many in the steerage class are losing their livelihoods, it is not something that would have sat well with him.There is also the practical side of things as well.At the end of December, Sir Alex will be 83 years old, albeit still a freakishly fit 83 years old.Yet even though the grey matter remains oh-so-sharp and the mind clear as a bell, the bones grow creakier and even Superman had to put his feet up on occasion.That does not mean you will not see shots of Fergie alongside Ratcliffe at various points — Sir Jim loves too much the associated glamour of being pictured with the greatest.But any idea of Sir Alex having an emperor’s thumbs-down power has gone for good — and quite frankly that is something which suits both sides.Ironically, the Red Devils only picked up five points from their final four games under Ferguson – so could have extended the gap even further.They drew at Arsenal, lost at home to Chelsea, beat Swansea in Ferguson’s Old Trafford farewell and then finished with a thrilling 5-5 draw at West Brom. In the opening episode of Ally’s Social Club for TNT Sports, Ferguson also said he turned down Arsenal, Tottenham and Wolves before taking the Old Trafford gig.And he even exposed his genius tactical plan to beat Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final – despite missing key midfielders Roy Keane and Paul Scholes.Ferguson added: “It’s easy to say this, but the homework won us the game. “When we did the analysis of Bayern, during big games they used to take the two wide players off and go tight in midfield. ‘I HAD TO GAMBLE'”So, without having Keane and Scholes, I had to gamble with my midfield and I wanted to make sure we had a passing ability and I played David Beckham in centre midfield along with Nicky Butt. “Nicky would do all sorts of jobs, marvellous, and we played [Ryan] Giggsy wide right and Jesper Blomqvist wide left. “It didn’t work in the first half at all and I was waiting for them to make a substitution.”So, the minute they made the substitution I went three in the middle and three up. “I brought Teddy Sheringham and I said, ‘Teddy you go and play on top of the right centre back, try and pull the right back in,’ who was Markus Babbel. “With Giggs playing on the left of midfield, it was really suited to him because he was running into the space all the time. “Beckham on the right side started getting crosses in and in the last 15 minutes we made a lot of chances. READ MORE SUN STORIES”Having said that, we could have been out long before that – they hit the crossbar, they missed a couple of chances, Schmeichel made a couple of terrific saves.”The full episode of Ally’s Social Club with Sir Alex Ferguson will be available to watch on TNT Sports’ YouTube channel from midday today and broadcast on TNT Sports 1 at 10.30am on Saturday.Ferguson decided to retire following the passing of wife Cathy’s sisterCredit: ReutersRobin van Persie’s volley helped wrap up the 2012-13 title, as the manager predictedCredit: Action Images – ReutersFergie spoke to Ally McCoist for TNT SportsCredit: TNT Sports / Getty Images More