Premier League

ERIK TEN HAG has warned Sir Jim Ratcliffe NOT to interrupt his rebuild of Manchester United.Part-owner Ratcliffe is unconvinced Ten Hag is the right man to lead the Red Devils into a new era.Erik ten Hag warned Sir Jim Ratcliffe not to disrupt the progress he has madeCredit: GettyThe new owner has taken charge of football operations at Old TraffordCredit: GettyAhead of the Premier League clash at Chelsea, United’s boss was asked if the Blues’ struggles under chairman Todd Boehly should serve as a warning over making big changes too soon.Ten Hag, whose side are currently sixth, said: “Don’t interrupt this process. We have good young players coming through.“They are developing very well in their progress. We are in a good way, a good direction and need to make the next steps.“You need to follow the process.”READ MORE ON MAN UTDSince taking charge of Chelsea in May 2022, Boehly has splashed out over £1billion on players and Mauricio Pochettino is his fourth manager.The Blues are mid-table in the Premier League and fans have turned on the owner by chanting “Boehly, Boehly, you’re a c***”. Supporters have also blasted their manager by singing “f*** off Mauricio”.United fans have long despised the club’s owners, the Glazer family, who are on their fifth permanent manager since Sir Alex Ferguson retired 11 years ago.The hope is that Ineos chief Ratcliffe taking charge of football operations will change things.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSMan Utd vs Chelsea – so what? They’re sinking towards irrelevance, says Dave KiddBy Dave Kidd
MANCHESTER UNITED and Chelsea were the two dominant forces in English football when Sir Alex Ferguson and Roman Abramovich were in their pomp.
But when they meet at Stamford Bridge on Thursday night it will be a ‘so what?’ match between dysfunctional clubs lurching in and out of crisis.
On Saturday, Erik ten Hag’s United failed to build on an FA Cup win over Liverpool and were poor in the 1-1 draw at Brentford.
And Mauricio Pochettino put out a Blues side that failed to beat ten-man Burnley at home.
Will either be in a job next season? And will it make much difference?
United have only won a League Cup in seven years and Chelsea’s last domestic honour was the 2018 FA Cup.
Both clubs are sinking towards irrelevance.

Ten Hag’s position is far from certain despite him still having the backing of the majority of the Red Devils faithful.But their patience is beginning to be tested with their Champions League hopes slipping away after Saturday’s woeful 1-1 draw at Brentford.Who could be Man Utd’s next manager after Ten Hag? More

EMILE SMITH ROWE reminded Mikel Arteta and the Arsenal faithful of his talents in the 2-0 win over Luton.The midfielder earned a rare start in place of Jorginho and repaid the faith shown by his manager – and provided a timely boost as the title race hots up.Emile Smith Rowe impressed on a rare startCredit: GettySmith Rowe picked up the Player of the Match award thanks in part to the role he played in both Gunners goals.He pinched the ball off Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu in the build-up to the opener and supplied the cross that Luton defender Daiki Hashioka bundled in for the second.But it was his ability to drive Arsenal up the pitch which proved most useful on a night where Luton tried to frustrate the table toppers.Smith Rowe, 23, covered plenty of ground in his first start for two months, particularly on the left flank where he linked up well with Leandro Trossard.READ MORE ON ARSENALHe won 100 per cent of his tackles and made two interceptions – but it was in attack where he had the biggest influence.A return of 55 touches from his 85 minutes show how involved he was, with five of those coming inside the Luton penalty area.Smith Rowe made several touches and passes in and around the Hatters box while his four passes into the attacking final third helped to advance his side up the pitch.He also created two chances on a night where clear-cut opportunities proved hard to come by for the Gunners.Most read in FootballSmith Rowe played a role in both of Arsenal’s goalsThe midfielder had a very influencer roleBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERPerhaps most impressive was his composure in the lead up to the second goal, with a perfect low cross Reiss Nelson should have turned home instead of Hashioka.Above all Smith Rowe and Arteta will be pleased he completed 85 minutes unscathed, with the Arsenal boss praising him after the match.Three ways Declan Rice has become one of the world’s top midfieldersExpert analysisSUNSPORT’s Jordan Davies was at the Emirates to witness Smith Rowe’s performance. This was his verdict…

For the first time in a long time, Smith Rowe strutted his stuff on a Prem stage.
He was energetic, inventive, direct on the ball and a nuisance off it, winning a collision with Luton’s Mpanzu before Arsenal broke for their opener.
Should have grabbed a first half goal himself but for a good save by Thomas Kaminski and then put it on a plate for Nelson to double their lead before the break.
Read Jordan’s verdict on all the Arsenal players with our player ratings.

He said: “I love him Smith-Rowe as a player. It’s a joy to watch him.“He can help with all his skills. He’s a joy to watch, he helped us a lot to win the game also today”Smith Rowe’s return to form is perfectly timed, with Arsenal facing a string of vital games.They play Brighton this weekend before a daunting battle with Bayern Munich next week.Top-four chasing Aston Villa come after that before a trip to Germany for the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final.With games coming thick and fast, it’s likely Arteta will need to call on all of his squad.He was key for the Gunners in the attacking final thirdThe midfielder was fit enough to cover plenty of ground More

RECALLED Emile Smith Rowe shone brightest as much-changed Arsenal went back on top of the Premier League with a 2-0 win over Luton.The fit-again midfielder was involved in both first-half goals as Martin Odegaard drilled home following a one-two with Kai Havertz and Daiki Hashioka put through his own net.Emile Smith Rowe impressed after finally getting a full chanceCredit: GettyMartin Odegaard was back in form and hit the openerCredit: GettySmith Rowe even overshadowed the brilliant Odegaard, who bounced back to his best following Sunday’s 0-0 draw with Manchester City.Gunners’ boss Mikel Arteta also handed rare starts to anchorman Thomas Partey, wideman Leandro Trossard and forward Reiss Nelson.Second-half sub Declan Rice was the main man who had the biggest rest in a routine victory.Here’s how Arsenal rated at the Emirates on Wednesday night.DAVID RAYA – 6/10As expected, very little to do, but kept his composure under pressure on occasion and will be happy with a third clean sheet in four league games.BEN WHITE – 6Had license to roam forward and did so to good effect on several occasions, helping out the rusty Reiss Nelson with his runs and movement inside. Sloppiness crept into his game after the break as the match drifted.WILLIAM SALIBA – 7Lauded by Luton boss Rob Edwards before kick-off and was at his composed, unflappable best. Nothing ever fazes him, and why should it when you have the pace, size and skill to match. I’m a former Arsenal and England star who had to pay kitman £10k when washing gamble backfiredGABRIEL – 7A slight mix-up with Oleksandr Zinchenko in his own box the only blemish on a solid first half performance.Most read in FootballHas a knack of being in the right place at the right time, especially when defending set-pieces.OLEKSANDR ZINCHENKO – 6Had a chance to win back his place in the side off of make-shift full-back Jakub Kiwior. Did nothing majorly wrong, but nothing majorly right either. A bog-standard shift.THOMAS PARTEY – 6Dictated from deep, even if some of his passes forward were slightly wayward as he continues to build momentum on his first Prem start since August.EMILE SMITH ROWE – 9For the first time in a long time, Smith Rowe strutted his stuff on a Prem stage.He was energetic, inventive, direct on the ball and a nuisance off it, winning a collision with Luton’s Mpanzu before Arsenal broke for their opener.Should have grabbed a first half goal himself but for a good save by Thomas Kaminski and then put it on a plate for Nelson to double their lead before the break.MARTIN ODEGAARD – 8Among all the changes, Arsenal’s one constant, and a player Arteta cannot afford to drop thanks to his pressing ability, but he added a goal to that repertoire in the 24th minute, his seventh in the Prem this season.LEANDRO TROSSARD – 6Was given plenty of space to run in to but his end product was missing.Will get lots more chances this season to prove his worth, mainly due to his willingness to get back and help out defensively.Attacker Reiss Nelson was taken off after 75 minutes of a rare startCredit: ReutersREISS NELSON – 7Looked slightly off the pace, but who can blame him? A first Prem start since July 2020. Grew into the game and forced in Arsenal’s second as a Daiki Hashiokaown goal.KAI HAVERTZ – 6Looked quite clumsy in the opening stages, fluffing a few early chances with a heavy touch, but provided the perfect pass on the counter to tee up Odegaard in the box.Continued to be wasteful in front of goal yet carried on chasing lost causes.SUBSEDDIE NKETIAH (HAVERTZ, 66) – 6Would have been annoyed not to have been given a start in this one, so had a point to prove. Aside from a low shot that was well saved, offered very little.DECLAN RICE (PARTEY, 66) – 7Instantly brought a fizz and an accuracy of pass that was missing for most of the game. You only appreciate what you have until it is (briefly) gone.GABRIEL MARTINELLI (NELSON, 74) – 6Did not do much, but did not have to. Is still working his way back to full fitness and minutes here – as well as at the Etihad – will stand him in good stead.TAKEHIRO TOMIYASU (ZINCHENKO, 74) – 6READ MORE SUN STORIESCovered a lot of grass in the 20 minutes he was involved. Covered well defensively and even went close with a curling shot on the edge of the box.JORGINHO (SMITH ROWE, 85) – N/A More

SO it turns out Mikel Arteta does have a half-decent squad after all.On the night when Arsenal’s manager allowed his understudies to take centre stage, his team returned to the Premier League summit with a smooth victory.Martin Odegaard opened the scoringCredit: RexEmile Smith Rowe repaid his rare starting opportunity by setting up the second goalCredit: GettyArteta made five changes – his most significant rotation since 2021 – and saw fringe player Emile Smith Rowe play a major role in both of the first half goals which effectively ended the contest.The Gunners chief is no tinkerman. He makes far fewer changes to his starting line-up than title rivals Jurgen Klopp or Pep Guardiola.And the feeling was that a lack of depth might be Arteta’s undoing as he spins plates between the Premier League and Champions League, without having serious trust in his back-up boys.Well here was proof that Arsenal go far deeper than their first eleven.READ MORE ON ARSENALDeclan Rice, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli and the injured Bukayo Saka were all missing but a Martin Odegaard strike and a Daiki Hashioka own goal made this a largely sweat-free night for the north Londoners.Smith Rowe, Thomas Partey and Leandro Trossard were all influential for the hosts and all are capable of making meaningful interventions during the title run-in.The Gunners will surely be top for just 24 hours, before Liverpool’s inevitable home win over Sheffield United tomorrow.But this was a victory which suggested Arsenal may have staying power down the final straight.Most read in FootballArsenal dominated from start to finishSmith Rowe impressed and played a role in both goalsBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSure, Luton are in the relegation zone and operate on a fraction of Arsenal’s resources but they have rattled some of the Premier League’s elite this season and were unable to lay a glove on this much-altered line-up.Smith Rowe, still only 23 but something of a forgotten man after two injury-riddled seasons, fitted in perfectly as Arsenal backed up Sunday’s creditable but almost unwatchable goalless draw at the Etihad with something more entertaining.Thomas Tuchel makes bold Arsenal claim moments after conceding ‘title is over’ as fans fume ‘what a loser’With Brighton and Bayern Munich to come in the next week, Arteta needed to give respite to some of his main men.His selection turned an apparently routine fixture into something more interesting – his decision to leave Rice on the bench was particularly eye-catching as the England man barely ever misses a game for club or country.It might have made eyes light up in the Luton dressing room, Rob Edwards’ side had come close enough to upsetting Arsenal’s first eleven before they fell to a 4-3 defeat at Kenilworth Road this season.But Arteta’s changes certainly didn’t alter the expected pattern of the match – Arsenal hogged the ball, pinging around nicely until things continually broke down in the final third.Partey was orchestrating from the anchor role, Odegaard was busy and inventive but Kai Havertz, at centre-forward, was making one of his frustrating startsStill, midway through the first half, Arsenal were in front and Smith Rowe played a key part, robbing Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu 30 yards from Luton’s goal.Smith Rowe fed Odegaard, who exchanged passes with Havertz, then drilled his first-time shot past Thomas Kaminski.Luton joined in for a while. Andros Townsend – booed almost politely in memory of his long-off Tottenham days – had a pleasing jink down the right but Jordan Clark couldn’t apply a proper header to his cross.William Saliba added a touch of the banger car to his Rolls-Royce status when he followed through heavily on Daiki Hashioka but ref Criag Pawson played on and while Luton’s Japanese defender was stricken, Smith Rowe had a close-range shot pushed away by Kaminski.Ben White then confected a lovely piece of eye candy, a drag-back on the turn to skewer his marker and feed Havertz, whose shot was pushed wide.Odegaard had a big influence on the matchThomas Partey covered plenty of ground in his first start for a whileLuton had a bit of joy in the second half but were otherwise outplayedThe second goal was coming and it arrived courtesy of three of those called off the bench by Arteta.Trossard fed Smith Rowe down the left and he cut back towards Reiss Nelson, whose presence persuaded Hashioka to make a hash of it and find his own net.The second half was largely uneventful. Takehiro Tomiyasu, on as a sub, curled a shot narrowly wide but Arsenal were managing the same wisely enough.Eddie Nketiah, another sub, forced a decent save out of KaminskiLuton’s supporters made plenty of noise on a big night out, their club’s first ever visit to the Emirates.The older among them will remember the Hatters defeating Arsenal to win the 1988 Littlewoods Cup in a vintage Wembley final.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe financial gulf between the two clubs is far wider now but Edwards still has his team in with a chance of survival.The Hatters may well be back here next season. And Arsenal may yet greet them as champions of England.Partey was as good on the ball as off it More