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      in Soccer

      Ronaldo DENIES camera gesture, Lingard’s brothers RANT, Jamie Carragher delivers Rangnick VERDICT – latest updates

      by

      CRISTIANO RONALDO has added to the speculation of his time at Old Trafford coming to an end.The Portuguese icon appeared to mouth the words “I’m not finished yet” during a post-lap of honour on the weekend.
      But the 5x Ballon d’Or winner has claimed that this was not what he said.
      Meanwhile, Jesse Lingard’s brother has gone on a rant as he believes that the United forward didn’t get the send off he derserved.
      And former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher doesn’t believe that the infusion of Ralf Rangnicks role in Manchester and Austrian managerial role will work.
      Get all the latest Man Utd news, gossip and transfer updates…
      JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)
      Man Utd injury updates
      Manchester United ace Jadon Sancho is likely to miss the rest of the season after spending the night in hospital with tonsillitis.
      But the good news for interim manager Ralf Rangnick is that captain Harry Maguire may return before the end of the campaign.
      Rangnick told the BBC: “Harry Maguire might be available again. We have to wait and see if he can train the day after tomorrow [Wednesday].”
      Rangnick added: “”If [Sancho is to return] then maybe in the last game.
      “I was in contact with him this afternoon. He was in hospital until this morning so he only returned back home today. He still doesn’t feel well so, for sure, not [vs Brighton]”
      Lingard’s brother vents
      Manchester United ace Jesse Lingard’s brother Louie Scott slammed the Red Devils for failing to give his sibling a proper farewell after the Brentford match.
      Jesse’s contract runs out in June and he is expected to leave Old Trafford after a total of 21 years.
      He posted on Instagram: “20 years of blood sweat and tears, four domestic trophies, three cup final goals, not even a farewell.
      “No wonder it’s Conference League next year”
      Credit: GETTY IMAGES
      Gard of honour
      Manchester United ace Jesse Lingard has been linked with a move to Juventus and AC Milan as his contract runs out in June.
      According to ESPN, the Serie A giants have both “registered their interest” in Lingard.
      Juve and table toppers Milan are “leading the chase” to land the England international, who becomes a free agent next month.
      The versatile midfielder hasn’t been able to stand out this season at United due to a lack of opportunities despite his successful loan stint at West Ham last term
      More from Carragher
      Jamie Carragher insists Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick can’t combine his consultancy duties with those of being Austria’s boss.
      Carragher added: “Let’s not forget that Rangnick isn’t really a manager. He’s a director of football or someone who helps the coaches or builds a club.
      “And that’s the talk about the role he’s going in and I just don’t get that.
      “I don’t think you can be the manager of Austria and work for Man United. It’s one or the other”
      Wreck it Ralf
      Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick should not be working part-time as a consultant for the club whilst managing Austria.
      That is according to Liverpool legend and TV pundit Jamie Carragher.
      Carragher told Sky Sports: “That is wrong. That should not be happening.
      “The manager of Austria should not be working part-time for Man United, that is a nonsense”
      Juan and only
      Manchester United ace Juan Mata said goodbye to fans by spending several minutes in the rain with them.
      Mata spent “several minutes in the rain” posing for photos and signing autographs for supporters after the match.
      The versatile winger was soaked in the car park, spending time chatting and making memories with his admirers.
      It was the Spaniard’s first Premier League start of the season and could be his final game in United’s colours
      Man Utd star Juan Mata gets standing ovation from fans as he leaves the pitch against Brentford
      Got it Ron
      Manchester United legend Cristiano Ronaldo has denied saying “I’m not finished yet” into the camera after Monday’s win over Brentford.
      Ronaldo appeared to mouth the words during a post-match lap of honour with his team-mates at Old Trafford.
      But now the five-time Ballon d’Or winner has insisted that was not what he said amid speculation over his future at the club.
      In response to an Instagram post about his message into the camera, Ronaldo replied: “I didn’t say that”
      Jur top, Klopp
      Manchester United incoming manager Erik ten Hag has got it easier than Jurgen Klopp did arriving in Liverpool, Jamie Carragher has claimed.
      Carragher said: “I think it’s very similar, really is.
      “Possibly a harder job for Klopp because the funds for any Manchester United manager will be a lot more than Klopp had when he came in.
      “There is talk about Liverpool and Manchester City being five or ten years ahead of United. I think that’s absolutely rubbish.
      “A top manager gets a top club back on track in a couple of years. That’s not saying to win the title or the Champions League but competing. Ten Hag has to get Champions League football next season [2023-24]”
      More from Fortune
      Former Manchester United ace Quinton Fortune opened up more about his time with Cristiano Ronaldo at Old Trafford.
      Fortune added: “The guy came back a year later and no one ever pushed him off the ball again.
      “I was laughing last night, because when I saw him shoulder barge the Brentford defender, it just reminded me of this kid that arrived in Manchester with no physical strength at all.
      “He wants to show people that even at 37, he’s still got that strength. I was at the game last night, and that moment just took me back.
      “There’s no way any of us can take any credit for teasing him and making him a stronger player, that’s all down to him and his own determination”
      ‘He took it personally’
      Manchester United legend Cristiano Ronaldo was teased about his lack of strength during his early years at Old Trafford, revealed former Red Devils player Quinton Fortune.
      Speaking exclusively to Ladbrokes at the launch of their 5-A-Side Bet on Brighton vs United, he said: “I was laughing at that moment last night before Cristiano won the penalty – he barged Rico Henry out of the way like he wasn’t there.
      “But Ronaldo, when he arrived at United all those years ago, we used to tease him about that part of his game.
      “We’d wind him up about his lack of strength, and he really took it personally. We’d tease him all the time in that first year, really getting under his skin”
      Credit: Times Newspapers Ltd
      Ready to Va-Reign
      Manchester United star Raphael Varane says he does not regret moving to Old Trafford despite a miserable first season.
      Varane said: “The experience it’s amazing. The feeling to be a United player is something special.
      “I am very happy to play in the Premier League and it’s a great experience.
      “Obviously, it’s not the result what we expected but I’m still positive and I think that the next season will be better.
      “I think I need a full pre-season to be fit but I think next season will be better. I think this season was not bad but we can improve and we can do better”
      Can’t go Ron
      Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick has vowed that Cristiano Ronaldo will be staying at Old Trafford despite all the rumours of a summer exit.
      Speaking to Stadium Astro after the match with Brentford, Rangnick was asked whether it was a ‘wave of goodbye’ from Ronaldo during his lap of honour.
      The German tactician said: “I don’t think why it should be a wave of goodbye.
      “He’s got another year of [his] contract. And as far as I know he will be here next season again”

      James Ward-Prowse reminder
      Southampton star James Ward-Prowse is the man incoming Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag wants to run his new midfield, reports SunSport’s Phil Thomas.
      And that could spark a £75million summer tug-of-war, as Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is a big fan of Ward-Prowse and wants him to replace Fernandinho in the middle of the park.
      Ten Hag faces a major rebuilding job at Old Trafford and has already started put together a hit-list.
      And the Dutchman has got the okay to go for the midfielder with West Ham intent on keeping Declan Rice for one more season.
      The Hammers want a whopping £150million for Rice, too much for the Red Devils, who will almost certainly miss out on the Champions League next season.
      Yet Ward-Prowse, whose release clause is 50 per cent lower than Rice’s, is rated highly by Ten Hag
      Thomas Frank reacts
      Brentford manager Thomas Frank claims a “stupid mistake” sealed his team’s defeat against Manchester United.
      Frank said: “We made a stupid mistake for the penalty, that killed the game off.
      “I think Rico [Henry] is one of the best defensive full-backs this season. I don’t think I’ve seen a player go past him in a one v one situation.
      “Knowing [Ivan Toney], I know he’ll be disappointed. He had three good opportunities, maybe not for three goals but at least one. We know in a game like this, we need to take it but he couldn’t do it”
      Credit: GETTY IMAGES
      All Premier League final
      An all-Prem Champions League final is the most likely outcome of this week’s semi-final second legs – at least, according to history and the numbers.
      Liverpool are firm favourites to progress at Villarreal this evening as they defend a 2-0 first leg lead over the LaLiga side.
      And despite Karim Benzema’s last-gasp penalty at the Etihad last week, the odds favour Manchester City withstanding their ordeal by Spanish fire at Real Madrid to ensure the fourth all-English affair in 14 years.
      Throughout the entire history of the Champions League, only five out of 21 teams have gone through after losing 2-0 away in the first leg.
      In addition, a staggering 76 per cent of teams who have won at home while keeping a clean sheet – 56 out of 74 – have progressed.
      And over the 30 seasons since the relaunch of Europe’s premier club competition, victory in the first leg has pointed the way to the eventual tie winner no less than 174 times out of 228
      More from Rangnick
      Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick is “not completely happy” with his six-month stint in charge of the team.
      Rangnick added: “I’m not completely happy with those six months. “I expected us to qualify for the Champions League. That was the goal we had, but we were not consistent enough.
      “We had two or three breaks [in my time in charge]. One of them we had hardly any players there [due to coronavirus]. We were also not able to bring in any new players in January.
      “I would have hoped and expected we won more points. We could easily have had eight or 10 points more”
      Rangnick reacts to Brentford win
      Manchester United interim boss Ralf Rangnick, who will undertake a consultancy role while juggling his duties as Austria manager, insists the club needs to strengthen in every position, except in goal.
      Rangnick told Sky Sports: “Apart from goalkeeping where we have three excellent goalkeepers in Tom Heaton, Dean Henderson and David de Gea, in all other areas there will be players leaving the club. I wouldn’t put focus on special areas of the pitch it should go through the whole team.
      “It’s obvious quite a few players will leave and there is a need for top-quality players. I strongly believe that if everyone works together we can bring Man Utd back to where we need to be.
      “Other clubs only needed two or three transfer windows to challenge but from now on we need to bring in top-quality players who really help raise the level. If this happens then I don’t think it should take too long”
      Milinkovic-Savic link reminder
      Manchester United are leading the race for Lazio star Sergej Milinkovic-Savic after his agent Mateja Kezman confirmed Old Trafford is his preferred destination.
      United are long-term admirers of Milinkovic-Savic, who could be available this summer as he refuses to sign a new deal with the Biancocelesti.
      And the Red Devils hold the advantage as the midfielder has his eyes set on competing in the Premier League.
      Quoted by Foot01, Kezman said: “Sergej has no shortage of offers for the summer transfer window.
      “At the moment we are dealing with Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain.
      “He is focused on the end of the season with Lazio, but Sergej wants to go to Manchester”
      Credit: GETTY IMAGES
      Chadwick gives Lingard opinion
      Ex-Man United star Luke Chadwick has given his view on Jesse Lingard’s absence from the club’s Old Trafford lap of honour which led to the attacker’s brother slamming the Red Devils.
      Chadwick said: “I think unfortunately that’s the way the game is at times. I’d assume his brother is quite close to Jesse so maybe that basically confirms he’ll be moving on at the end of the season.
      “But I’m sure if he stays in the Premier League he’ll return to Old Trafford and get the kind of reception that a local boy who’s come up through the academy deserves.
      “I don’t think it’s the be all or end all, he can be proud of what he achieved with United, whether he got a clap off the pitch at the end of it or not.”
      Ronaldo denies claims
      Cristiano Ronaldo has denied saying “I’m not finished yet” into the camera after Manchester United’s win over Brentford on Monday night.
      But now he has insisted that was not what he said amid speculation over his future at Old Trafford.
      In response to an Instagram post about his message into the camera, Ronaldo replied: “I didn’t say that.”
      Sancho will miss season remainder
      Jadon Sancho won’t play another game for Man United this season.
      That’s according to United interim boss Ralf Rangnick who revealed that Sancho’s injury will rule him out of contention for the season’s remainder.
      He said, via the BBC: “With Jadon [Sancho] it’s unlikely [he’ll play again this season]. He was in hospital until this afternoon.
      “Harry Maguire might be available again.”
      David De Gea defence
      Paul Parker has launched a passionate defence in favour of Man United keeper David De Gea.
      He told BonusCodebets: “We are seeing a lot of plastic journalists who are coming out saying that (Dean) Henderson is going to be the new goalkeeper, that Henderson should be the new goalkeeper.
      “They are calling David de Gea part of the problem.
      “He’s kept United in the game. The reason why United are still in the European spot is because of David de Gea.”
      “So there are ten outfield players as far as I can see, surely you don’t want your goalkeeper being the best football player on the pitch, do you?”
      What Man United need
      Man United should’ve made Antonio Conte their new manager, according to Fabrizio Ravanelli.
      But he reckons Ten Hag will do a good job if he can galvanise United’s youngsters and sort out the club’s defence that needs revamping.
      Ravanelli told SunSport: “If Conte had had the possibility to work with the Manchester United players, certainly it would have been easier for him to achieve certain results.
      “I don’t want to be nasty but honest. Without naming specific players, the whole defence should be changed completely. It needs radical change.
      “I truly believe with Erik ten Hag, a new cycle is about to start. He did really well at Ajax and enjoyed remarkable results.
      “He has always given great value to young players. If he starts working with the young players who understand what it means to play for United, they can make the difference and improve.”
      Raphael Varane on Ten Hag
      Raphael Varane is looking forward to working with Erik Ten Hag next season.
      Ten Hag takes the reins at United this summer.
      And Varane can’t wait for the Dutcham to arrive.
      He said: “I’m very excited to work with him. I’m looking forward to working with him.
      “I think he has good experience and he’s a good person to work in this club.”
      Artist unveils stunning Rashford mural
      A stunning mural for Marcus Rashford has brilliantly shown support for the Manchester United forward.
      Artist Reuben Dangoor has produced a fine piece of artwork on a wall in the Shudehill area of Manchester – revealing online abuse and highlighting praise for Rashford.
      The painting shows the Manchester-born ace in a Red Devils home shirt with his eyes closed and wearing a pair of Beats earbuds to block out the noise as part of the collaboration with the tech brand.
      On the left, above the term “form is temporary” sits below a cluster of angry emoji-style faces interspersed with raging tweets hitting out at Rashford.
      But the left, a lighter shade, has the opposite with happy, smiling, adoring and loving faces, coupled with love hearts and supportive tweets above the phrase “class is temporary”.

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    • 238 Shares109 Views

      in Soccer

      Villarreal 2 Liverpool 3 (agg 2-5) LIVE REACTION: Reds survive HUGE scare as Diaz inspires semi-final win – updates

      by

      LIVERPOOL’S quest for a historic quadruple remains intact having survived a massive scare to overcome Villarreal in their Champions League semi-final.The Reds were dragged back on level terms courtesy of two first half goals from Boulaye Dia and former Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin.
      However, Luis Diaz’ introduction in the second 45 inspired Liverpool to finish off what they had started at Anfield.

      RESULT: Villarreal 2-3 Liverpool (agg 2-5)
      TV/Live stream: BT Sport 2 HD
      Villarreal XI: Rulli; Foyth, Albiol, Torres, Estupinan; Lo Celso, Parejo, Capoue, Coquelin; Moreno, Dia
      Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Keita, Thiago; Salah, Jota, Mane

      Third time is a charm
      Jurgen Klopp will take his team to his third Champions League final and it means so much to everyone associated with the club.

      Substitutions changing the game
      You would be hard pushed to find a better signing this season than Luis Diaz.
      The January addition changed the game today with his half-time introduction.
      He gave Villarreal problems from the first whistle to the last.
      Scoring a goal in the process to send his side through to the final in Paris.

      A game of two halves
      The comeback kings have done it again!
      Turning the tie on its head with three goals in 12 second-half minutes.
      This Liverpool team do not lie down for anyone.
      Their spirit epitomised by their German manager.
      From Paris with love
      Jurgen Klopp will take his Liverpool team to yet another final as they travel to France for this season’s showpiece final.
      The players celebrate with the fans, the joy clear on everyone’s faces.
      Villarreal look devastated but they need to celebrate their accomplishment in this season’s tournament.
      FT: Villarreal 2-3 Liverpool
      Liverpool are in the Champions League final!!
      Paris will be the venue, Madrid or Man City to face them.
      The referee brings the game to a close.
      What a second half performance from Jurgen Klopp’s side.
      Villarreal 2-3 Liverpool
      90. All you can hear are Liverpool fans now.
      The home contingent have gone quiet.
      Liverpool’s second half performance has silenced them.
      Two additional minutes to be played.

      Villarreal 2-3 Liverpool
      88. Etienne Capoue is beaten for pace by Curtis Jones and the Villarreal man receives his second yellow card.
      No arguments from the player as he walks off before waiting for the card.
      This should make the final few minutes much easier for Liverpool.
      They have dominated this half of football.
      Red card – Etienne Capoue (Villarreal)
      Villarreal 2-3 Liverpool – Torres yellow card
      86. Pau Torres makes a rash challenge on Mane.
      He upends the Liverpool player and receives a yellow.
      Villarreal looking frustrated now.
      Villarreal 2-3 Liverpool
      84. James Milner comes on for Fabinho.
      The Brazilian has to be up there for man of the match.
      His goal got things going for Klopp’s men.
      Villarreal 2-3 Liverpool
      82. There are some dejected fans in the stands now.
      Villarreal cannot believe how this game has changed.
      Liverpool holding firm at the back whenever the yellow shirts pile forward.
      Villarreal 2-3 Liverpool
      80. Liverpool have made a number of changes.
      Tsimikas and Curtis Jones joining the game.
      Thiago and Robertson making way.
      Jordan Henderson has joined the game too.

      Villarreal 2-3 Liverpool
      78. Liverpool are 13 minutes away from booking their place in Paris.
      There seems no way back for Unai Emery’s side.
      Never say never, this tournament tends to have many twists and turns.
      Villarreal 2-3 Liverpool
      76. Liverpool have scored three goals in 12 minutes in this second half.
      Rulli comes racing out of his box and Mane gets to the ball first taking it around him.
      The Senegal striker slides the ball into an empty net.
      Goal – Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
      Villarreal 2-2 Liverpool
      74. Fabinho is penalised for a foul on Lo Celso.
      He has been fantastic in this half.
      The Brazilian has taken control of the centre park.
      Villarreal 2-2 Liverpool
      72. Liverpool are knocking the ball around with more purpose in this half.
      They look a different team to the one we saw in the first half.
      Villarreal chasing shadows at the moment.
      Villarreal 2-2 Liverpool
      70. With twenty minutes left, Liverpool have got their two-goal advantage back.
      Moreno comes off for Villarreal.
      They push forward looking to find a way back into this tie.

      Villarreal 2-2 Liverpool
      68. Alexander-Arnold crosses this time with his left foot.
      He finds Luis Diaz on the back post who heads home.
      What a second half display by Liverpool, turning this tie around.
      Goal – Luis Diaz (Liverpool)
      Villarreal 2-1 Liverpool – Diaz chance!
      66. The Columbian picks up the ball on the left and cuts inside.
      He gets a shot away but it deflects inches wide of the far post.
      Konate wins a header from the corner but it goes wide of the upright.
      Villarreal 2-1 Liverpool – Capoue yellow card
      64. The Villarreal midfielder goes in hard on Fabinho.
      No arguments about that being a foul.
      Fabinho felt that one.
      Villarreal 2-1 Liverpool
      62. Fabinho is threaded in and he finds himself one on one with the keeper.
      He opts for power rather than precision and ball goes straight through Rulli’s legs.
      Huge goal for the visitors.
      Goal – Fabinho (Liverpool)
      Villarreal 2-0 Liverpool
      60. Robertson is penalised for a foul on Lo Celso.
      Unnecessary with so many red shirts around him.
      Villarreal come forward for the first time in this half but lose possession.

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    • 188 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Man Utd are ‘dealing with’ Milinkovic-Savic transfer, Brentford win, Ward-Prowse’ £75m EXCLUSIVE – latest updates

      by

      MANCHESTER UNITED have been labelled as frontrunners to sign Lazio sensation Sergej Milinkovic-Savic this summer.The Serbian is heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford and his agent has now confirmed that United are one of the clubs that they are “dealing with”.
      Meanwhile, SunSport has exclusively revealed Erik ten Hag wants James Ward-Prowse to boss Manchester United’s midfield next season.
      But that could spark a £75million summer tug-of-war, as City chief Pep Guardiola is a big fan of the Southampton captain.
      Get all the latest Man Utd news, gossip and transfer updates…
      JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)
      Rangnick reacts to Brentford win
      Manchester United interim boss Ralf Rangnick, who will undertake a consultancy role while juggling his duties as Austria manager, insists the club needs to strengthen in every position, except in goal.
      Rangnick told Sky Sports: “Apart from goalkeeping where we have three excellent goalkeepers in Tom Heaton, Dean Henderson and David de Gea, in all other areas there will be players leaving the club. I wouldn’t put focus on special areas of the pitch it should go through the whole team.
      “It’s obvious quite a few players will leave and there is a need for top-quality players. I strongly believe that if everyone works together we can bring Man Utd back to where we need to be.
      “Other clubs only needed two or three transfer windows to challenge but from now on we need to bring in top-quality players who really help raise the level. If this happens then I don’t think it should take too long”
      Milinkovic-Savic link reminder
      Manchester United are leading the race for Lazio star Sergej Milinkovic-Savic after his agent Mateja Kezman confirmed Old Trafford is his preferred destination.
      United are long-term admirers of Milinkovic-Savic, who could be available this summer as he refuses to sign a new deal with the Biancocelesti.
      And the Red Devils hold the advantage as the midfielder has his eyes set on competing in the Premier League.
      Quoted by Foot01, Kezman said: “Sergej has no shortage of offers for the summer transfer window.
      “At the moment we are dealing with Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain.
      “He is focused on the end of the season with Lazio, but Sergej wants to go to Manchester”
      Credit: GETTY IMAGES
      Chadwick gives Lingard opinion
      Ex-Man United star Luke Chadwick has given his view on Jesse Lingard’s absence from the club’s Old Trafford lap of honour which led to the attacker’s brother slamming the Red Devils.
      Chadwick said: “I think unfortunately that’s the way the game is at times. I’d assume his brother is quite close to Jesse so maybe that basically confirms he’ll be moving on at the end of the season.
      “But I’m sure if he stays in the Premier League he’ll return to Old Trafford and get the kind of reception that a local boy who’s come up through the academy deserves.
      “I don’t think it’s the be all or end all, he can be proud of what he achieved with United, whether he got a clap off the pitch at the end of it or not.”
      Ronaldo denies claims
      Cristiano Ronaldo has denied saying “I’m not finished yet” into the camera after Manchester United’s win over Brentford on Monday night.
      But now he has insisted that was not what he said amid speculation over his future at Old Trafford.
      In response to an Instagram post about his message into the camera, Ronaldo replied: “I didn’t say that.”
      Sancho will miss season remainder
      Jadon Sancho won’t play another game for Man United this season.
      That’s according to United interim boss Ralf Rangnick who revealed that Sancho’s injury will rule him out of contention for the season’s remainder.
      He said, via the BBC: “With Jadon [Sancho] it’s unlikely [he’ll play again this season]. He was in hospital until this afternoon.
      “Harry Maguire might be available again.”
      David De Gea defence
      Paul Parker has launched a passionate defence in favour of Man United keeper David De Gea.
      He told BonusCodebets: “We are seeing a lot of plastic journalists who are coming out saying that (Dean) Henderson is going to be the new goalkeeper, that Henderson should be the new goalkeeper.
      “They are calling David de Gea part of the problem.
      “He’s kept United in the game. The reason why United are still in the European spot is because of David de Gea.”
      “So there are ten outfield players as far as I can see, surely you don’t want your goalkeeper being the best football player on the pitch, do you?”
      What Man United need
      Man United should’ve made Antonio Conte their new manager, according to Fabrizio Ravanelli.
      But he reckons Ten Hag will do a good job if he can galvanise United’s youngsters and sort out the club’s defence that needs revamping.
      Ravanelli told SunSport: “If Conte had had the possibility to work with the Manchester United players, certainly it would have been easier for him to achieve certain results.
      “I don’t want to be nasty but honest. Without naming specific players, the whole defence should be changed completely. It needs radical change.
      “I truly believe with Erik ten Hag, a new cycle is about to start. He did really well at Ajax and enjoyed remarkable results.
      “He has always given great value to young players. If he starts working with the young players who understand what it means to play for United, they can make the difference and improve.”
      Raphael Varane on Ten Hag
      Raphael Varane is looking forward to working with Erik Ten Hag next season.
      Ten Hag takes the reins at United this summer.
      And Varane can’t wait for the Dutcham to arrive.
      He said: “I’m very excited to work with him. I’m looking forward to working with him.
      “I think he has good experience and he’s a good person to work in this club.”
      Artist unveils stunning Rashford mural
      A stunning mural for Marcus Rashford has brilliantly shown support for the Manchester United forward.
      Artist Reuben Dangoor has produced a fine piece of artwork on a wall in the Shudehill area of Manchester – revealing online abuse and highlighting praise for Rashford.
      The painting shows the Manchester-born ace in a Red Devils home shirt with his eyes closed and wearing a pair of Beats earbuds to block out the noise as part of the collaboration with the tech brand.
      On the left, above the term “form is temporary” sits below a cluster of angry emoji-style faces interspersed with raging tweets hitting out at Rashford.
      But the left, a lighter shade, has the opposite with happy, smiling, adoring and loving faces, coupled with love hearts and supportive tweets above the phrase “class is temporary”.

      Rangnick speaks on Ronaldo’s future
      Ralf Rangnick is adamant that Cristiano Ronalod will be at Man United next season.
      He told Stadium Astro: “Why should he say goodbye?
      He has another year of contract, as far as I know Cristiano will be here next season”
      Man United face transfer challenge
      Man United are reportedly facing competition in their pursuit of RB Leipzig star Christopher Nkunku.
      The Red Devils have been tracking Nkunku in the hopes of recruiting him this summer.
      But ESPN claim Bayern Munich plan to railroad United’s pursuit by tabling a bid of their own for the 24-year-old.
      Roy Keane on Ronaldo
      Roy Keane doesn’t understand why Man United would get rid of Cristiano Ronaldo.
      He said: “There might be a conversation that needs to be had about the way you are going to play or that you are not going to be playing week in and week out.
      “But why would you get rid of a player who scores that many goals? I don’t see the logic in it.”
      Varane speaks on first goal
      Rapahel Varane issued a rallying cry to Man United’s fans after scoring his first goal for the club.
      Varane scored United’s last goal in their 3-0 win over Brentford on Monday night.
      And Varane took to Instagram to share his joy.
      The defender said: “Yesss. What a special feeling to score my first goal for this amazing club at Old Trafford!!”

      Ronaldo ‘weak’ jibes revealed
      Cristiano Ronaldo used to get teased about his lack of strength during his first spell at Man United.
      The jibes made to Ronaldo were revealed by ex-United star Quinton Fortune.
      He told Ladbrokes: “I was laughing at that moment last night before Cristiano [Ronaldo] won the penalty; he barged Rico Henry out of the way like he wasn’t there.
      “But Ronaldo, when he arrived at United all those years ago, we used to tease him about that part of his game. We’d wind him up about his lack of strength, and he really took it personally.
      “We’d tease him all the time in that first year, really getting under his skin.”
      Cavani shares emotional fan moment
      Edinson Cavani made a fan’s night after the club’s Brentford win.
      The young United fan was in tears when she bumped into her idol Cavani.
      And Cavani was in good spirits as he hugged the youngster and signed an autograph.
      But it may be one of the last times the teenager gets to see Cavani in a United shirt with the striker set to leave Old Trafford this summer.

      ‘We need more strikers’
      Ralf Rangnick wants Man United to have a wider spectrum of strikers going forward to rival Liverpool and Man City’s attacking depth.
      He said to the club’s press: “If you look at, Liverpool and Manchester City, and look at their strikers, they have, in their squad, five or six top-class strikers.
      “Gabriel Jesus, until four weeks ago, he hardly played. Now he’s playing again regularly, I mean you look at the number of players they have and if you ask me in his career is he playing central striker or a winger? Is [Jack] Grealish a winger or central striker?
      “They’re all strikers and they can play in different positions. They can also switch, they can rotate.
      “Those kinds of players, we don’t have that many.”
      Get Rash in the bag
      Marcus Rashford has been urged to swap Man United for Arsenal in order to relaunch his career.
      That’s the view of football legend Kevin Phillips who said to Football Insider: “I can’t see him being valued at much – he just hasn’t done enough in the past year.
      “I think the biggest thing he needs to do is leave Man United. He needs to reignite his career and his passion for the game.
      “Arsenal can get him through the door with that £45million budget – that is far too much to spend on him, and I’d be negotiating that price down, for sure.”
      Ronaldo’s best position
      Ralf Rangnick has discussed Cristiano Ronaldo’s positioning.
      Rangnick said: “Cristiano is not a central striker, he also does not want to play in that position.
      “In order to not play central, you have to play with two strikers. But if you look at international football.
      “There are not many top teams who play with two strikers.”
      Ten Hag comparisions
      Gary Neville reckons Erik ten Hag’s job at Man United will be similar to when Gerard Houllier or Rafa Benitez took over at Liverpool.
      Not like Jurgen Klopp’s Reds’ transformation as claimed by Jamie Carragher.
      Neville responded to Carragher’s suggestion by saying: “I don’t think so. Jurgen Klopp’s done the most outrageous job at Liverpool but there was no set winners when he came in.
      “You’re coming now to Man United when these two and three managers [Pep, Klopp and Tuchel] are set in their jobs and their foundations are so deep.
      “The job that ten Hag has is absolutely huge. It’s more of a Gerard Houlier and Rafa Benitez job because they were taking on great managers.”
      Ten Hag tracks Hammers star
      Erik ten Hag wants to sign West Ham star Jarrod Bowen, according to reports.
      That’s according to Fichajes who claim the Dutchman has placed Bowen on the list of targets he’s compiled.
      Bowen could be joined at Old Trafford by Hammers pal Declan Rice who is also high on Ten Hag’s list.
      Rangnick on Ten Hag
      Ralf Rangnick has revealed that he’s yet to speak with incoming Man United boss Erik ten Hag.
      But he did admit that Ten Hag will make a number of changes when he does take over at Old Trafford.
      He said: “So far we haven’t been able to speak. Erik’s focus is on winning the Dutch league [with Ajax Amsterdam], our focus was on our games.
      “It’s obvious quite a few players will leave and there is a need for top quality players. I strongly believe that if everyone works together, we can bring Man United back to where we need to be.”
      Man United’s size decline
      Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Man United shows they’re now a small club
      That’s the opinion of Jamie Carragher who claims Liverpool would never try and re-sign Luis Suarez.
      Carragher told Sky Sports: “What would you do if you were ten Hag when you’ve got the biggest name in the world?
      “Would Liverpool bring back Luis Suarez? I don’t think they would. They should be bringing Haaland.
      “Man City are bringing him in. It made me think of Man United as a small club.”
      Ugly scenes at Old Trafford
      Man United and Brentford fans clashed in ugly scenes outside Old Trafford on Monday night.
      Riot police intervened as missiles were launched between the rival supporters.
      Video footage shows a group of United fans chasing Bees followers as they entered the away end of the stadium.
      Punches are thrown and flares ignite in the chaos.
      However, things were prevented from spilling over even further as stewards and security staff teamed up with police.
      They wore face masks and helmets to protect themselves from the smoke and objects thrown.

      Lingard set for Serie A?
      Jesse Lingard is set to leave Manchester United on a free and Juventus and AC Milan are favourites to sign him, according to reports.
      ESPN report that the two Italian giants have both “registered their interest” in Lingard.
      Juventus and table toppers AC Milan are “leading the chase” to land the England international.
      It would end a 20-year career at the North West club with 232 senior appearances.
      Lingard has barely featured under Rangnick after falling out of favour while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was in charge.
      Lingard’s brother slams Man United
      Jesse Lingard’s brother has branded Manchester United as “classless” as he slammed the club for not giving the midfielder an Old Trafford send-off.
      He said: “20 years of blood sweat and tears, four domestic trophies, three cup final goals, not even a farewell. No wonder it’s Conference League next year.
      “Attacking players for celebrations when the clubs being sold to the super league OK.
      “Class of 92, Busby Babes, you’re ran by people who don’t even know the offside trap. Classless and the fans need to realise. Goodnight, godbless!
      “Been there since nine years of age and didn’t even get a send off!!! Well done bro your family are proud.”
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      Chelsea’s league status in JEOPARDY with fears that Abramovich could cause Boehly deal to COLLAPSE – latest updates

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      CHELSEA’S takeover seems to have taken a turn for the worse as there are now fears that a deal with Todd Boehly could COLLAPSE.Boehly has been named as the preferred bidder for Chelsea despite a last-gasp £4billion bid from Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
      And Boehly’s team were told they had been granted a “period of exclusivity” to discuss the final terms and conditions of a takeover package.
      However Russian Oligarch Roman Abramovich is reportedly “attempting to renege on his promise to write off a £1.6 billion debt”.
      This is despite the 55-year-old saying he would NOT be asking for any loans to be repaid when he put the club up for sale.
      Which could see any future deal between Boehly and the West London outfit fall through.
      Or in a worst case scenario, Chelsea could LOSE their Premier League status.
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      Keep up to date with all of the latest gossip from the takeover in our live blog…
      Takeover ongoing situation
      If a deal with LA Dodgers owner Todd Boehly is agreed, it will still need to be accepted by the Premier League, with all parties subject to the owners and directors test.
      That is likely to take a minimum of 10 further days to be completed.
      And the ultimate sign-off will then need to come from the UK government after Roman Abramovich and his assets, including the club, were placed on the sanctions list.
      But Abramovich’s loans could make things much more confusing for the negotiators
      More on takeover risk
      Chelsea’s takeover has hit a serious obstacle over fears that departing owner Roman Abramovich is attempting to renege on his promise to write off a £1.6billion debt.
      That is according to The Times, who report that the Blues told the government as well as several bidding groups that they want to restructure the way the club is being sold.
      That would include paying off the debt from the West Londoners’ parent company Fordstam Ltd to a Jersey-based company Camberley International Investments, which appears to be linked to Abramovich.
      There is fear that would badly affect the switch amid the Russian’s sanctions, which has seen his assets getting frozen due to Russia’s unjust war in Ukraine
      Credit: GETTY IMAGES
      Chelsea ‘top-four place secure’
      Chelsea can bank on a top-four finish this season despite their takeover worries.
      That’s the view of football legend Chris Sutton who claims the Blues’ spot in next season’s Champions League is secure despite the club’s indifferent form as of late.
      The ex-Blackburn striker said: “Chelsea have had a wobble, things aren’t right.
      “Everyone looks at the uncertainty for next season but you look at the fixtures they have left and they couldn’t have easier fixtures. I think they will finish in the top four.”
      Chelsea takeover faces COLLAPSE
      There are fears that the Chelsea takeover could COLLAPSE amid claims Roman Abramovich wants to recoup £1.6billion in loans.
      But according to The Times, there could be a big spanner thrown into the works.
      Abramovich is reportedly “attempting to renege on his promise to write off a £1.6 billion debt”.
      This is despite the 55-year-old saying he would NOT be asking for any loans to be repaid when he put the club up for sale.
      Ratcliffe’s plans for Chelsea
      Chelsea bidder Jim Ratcliffe has revealed he plans to put the Blues on equal footing with Real Madrid and Bayern Munich if his takeover bid is successful.
      Ratcliffe hopes to unseat Todd Boehly as the favourite to take over the Blues.
      He also wants to increase the capacity of Stamford Bridge from 41,000 to 60,000, the BBC claim.
      PSG and Chelsea comparisons
      Chelsea and PSG have been compared to Man City by Luka Modric.
      Real Madrid face Man City in the Champions League second leg this week.
      And Los Blancos star Modric reckons Pep Guardiola’s side possess the same quality as the Blues and PSG who were both knocked out by the Spanish side in the competition’s previous rounds.
      Modric said: “Tomorrow’s opponents are just as good as PSG and Chelsea are and if tomorrow’s game will be harder I can’t say.”
      Former Chelsea boss’ retirement plans
      Former Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti plans to retire after he leaves Real Madrid.
      But he doesn’t mind sticking around for another decade if Real want him to.
      He told Amazon Prime: “After Real, yes, I probably stop.
      “But if Real keep me here for 10 years, I’ll coach here for 10 years.”
      Victor Moses’ failed England return
      Ex-Chelsea star Victor Moses nearly made a return to England with Nottingham Forest.
      Moses now plays for Spartak Moscow who are domiciled in warmongering Russia.
      FIFA gave players in the region to suspend contracts with their teams in March.
      And Forest tried to woo Moses at the time but a transfer fell through, The Telegraph reported.
      Abramovich’s sanctions delay in America
      Roman Abramovich’s sanctions in America were held off at the request of the Ukrainian government.
      Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky asked US president Biden to delay plans to sanction Abramovich who was viewed as a potential mediator with Russia, the Wall Street Journal reported.
      However, the report also states that the American government refused to confirm or deny talks between Biden and Zelensky.
      The same courtesy wasn’t extended to Abramovich in the UK where he was slapped with a number of sanctions.
      Lukaku’s troubles discussed by Ferdinand
      Rio Ferdinand has given his opinion on Romelu Lukaku’s struggles for Chelsea this season.
      Ferdinand said on his podcast: “Yes, he’s had opportunities that have come and he hasn’t put chances that you would expect to put away but there is no doubt that Romelu Lukaku for me, I think he is a world-class striker as his goal record tells you just that.
      “You buy him to score goals, so keep him in your team and you will score goals.
      “This season is not part of what Romelu Lukaku would have drawn up as a script for himself, so I think he would shout out that he has underachieved more than anybody in the league.”
      Super fans plan
      Todd Boehly has revealed how he plans to build direct relationships with Chelsea fans and supporters of his other sports teams.
      He said, via SB Nation: “I think loyalty programs, whether it’s Vivid Seats, Dodgers, Lakers, Chelsea, we’re all thinking about how do we have direct customer relationships that we can then build upon.
      “And if a form of that comes in a ‘tokenisation’, then so be it.
      “And if we have direct access to our fanbase, we can start thinking about lots of tiers of different fans that want different products.
      “So we’re starting to think a lot about what is that we want to really give our ‘super fans’ and how do we develop fans.”
      Jorginho is Juventus’ ‘Plan A’
      Chelsea star Jorginho is Juventus’ top choice this summer.
      The midfielder is Juve’s ‘Plan A’ option as they plan to bolster their squad, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.
      The report states that talks with Jorginho’s agent Joao Santos and Juve, are ‘already at an advanced stage’.
      However, they also add that the transfer could be in jeopardy because of Chelsea’s transfer woes.
      Lukaku makes Milan choice
      Romelu Lukaku will reject a transfer to AC Milan, reports claim.
      The Belgian striker has no intention of betraying Inter Milan for a switch to their rivals, the Evening Standard reported.
      Lukaku will also turn down an approach from Newcastle, the report states.
      ‘Conor Gallagher has to play’
      Chelsea have been urged to play the ‘beautiful’ Conor Gallagher when he returns to the club from Crystal Palace next season.
      That’s the plea from Ben Foster who said on his podcast: “All I can say is, playing against Conor Gallagher, he’s a beautiful player. He’s got it, he will be a player, a baller.
      “Chelsea have to play him. Conor Gallagher has shown now he can do it. He’s doing it week in week out. Honestly, he’s got everything.”
      Plans for Chelsea owner
      LA Dodgers owner Todd Boehly has discussed his plans for Chelsea if he takes over at the club.
      He said: “We’ll have four million people coming out to Dodger Stadium this year. So, our goal is to give them the best possible experience.
      “We still have the most affordable tickets in the league basically, for a stadium that’s full regularly.
      “When you look at how we think about price points, and how we think about sports, we just believe they’re not making more of them, so implicit in that is scarcity value.
      “We’ve been really focused on just the super big brands. In some sports like the NFL, they share all the media money. In baseball, you’re really a derivative of your local market.
      “The Premier League is similar. If you look at the way it works, to be one of the big brands, you have a structural advantage. And for us, we’re always looking for structural advantages.”
      Barcelona continue Chelsea raid
      Andreas Christensen has agreed a five-year contract at Barcelona, according to reports.
      And he could be joined by Chelsea team-mates Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso at the Nou Camp next season.
      The Catalan giants are set to let go of Clement Lenglet, Samuel Umtiti and Oscar Mingueza this summer.
      But they are hoping to add further reinforcements from West London with Spanish duo Azpilicueta and Alonso.
      Tuch of European class
      Thomas Tuchel has been branded as one of the best coaches in Europe.
      That’s the view of ex-Italy coach Marcello Lippi who also admired Tuchel’s inquisitiveness.
      Lippi told Football Italia: “In Europe, Thomas Tuchel, Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp.
      “When Arrigo Sacchi and I met Tuchel, he asked us so many things…he wanted to learn.”
      Tuch of trouble
      Thomas Tuchel admitted he simply didn’t have enough substitutes to bring on Romelu Lukaku against old club Everton.
      He told the Standard: “Because we brought Jorginho off.
      “We only had three changes.”
      The Belgian has struggled at the European champions since his move from Inter.
      The striker has started just one of the past NINE Premier League games.
      Who is Jim Ratcliffe?
      Jim Ratcliffe is a fracking and chemicals entrepreneur who has topped chart of the UK’s wealthiest 1,000 people in The Sunday Times Rich List 2018.
      The Brexit-backing businessman is the chairman and CEO of chemicals group Ineos.
      He increased his wealth by more than £15billion in 2017 to take the top spot on the Sunday times Rich List.
      He is the first British-born industrialist to top the list, according to a Sunday Times profile.
      Ratcliffe is also the first UK-born person to top the rich list since the Duke of Westminster in 2003.

      Chelsea bidder plans supporter meet
      Jim Ratcliffe is reportedly still pursuing Chelsea ownership.
      Todd Boehly’s consortium was selected for exclusive talks to buy Chelsea.
      But Ratcliffe is pushing ahead with plans to meet with Blues supporters this week, according to Chelsea specialist Nizaar Kinsella.
      The reporter made the claims on Twitter.
      Pul the other one
      Christian Pulisic will fit in well at West Ham if he leaves Chelsea.
      Thats’ the opinion of ex-Hammers stopper Shaka Hislop.
      Hislop said: “I think that would be a very good fit and a very good fit for him both in terms of where he is as a player and the type of football that West Ham play.”
      Hislop’s comments come after Pulisic’s dad stated that the midfielder has had a ‘sad’ time at Stamford Bridge.
      Reece James ‘deserves accolade’
      Rio Ferdinand has crowned Reece James as the Prem’s Young Player of the season.
      He said: “I’m going to go Reece James [for Premier League young player of the season]. I just think the importance that he has in this team, when he doesn’t play in that team now they miss him massively. He has a massive impact in that team.
      “I watched him at Old Trafford the other day… he was treating some Man United players like boys. That’s how good he is, how comfortable he looks now.
      “I’ve seen him on loan at Wigan playing centre-back, playing in midfield. He’s so versatile. His passing range is off the charts.
      “Just his all-round general play, the composure, the physicality, his defending one-v-one. I think he’s got everything.”
      Time to move on
      Andreas Christensen has reportedly agreed a five-year contract with Barcelona.
      And the Blues defender will receive five million a year at the Nou Camp, according to AS.
      Christensen’s contract expires this summer and his exit from the club now seems certain if reports are true.
      Good morning Chelsea fans
      LA Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly is set to win the battle to own Chelsea despite a last-gasp bid by Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
      Ratcliffe and his Ineos group announced they were making a £4.25billion offer to buy out the Blues.
      But it emerged that Boehly’s group, which includes Switzerland’s richest man Hansjorg Wyss and has also enlisted former Chancellor George Osborne, had ALREADY been awarded preferred status.
      The other two consortiums, one led by ex-Liverpool chairman Sir Martin Broughton – backed by Lewis Hamilton and Lord Seb Coe – and the other by Boston Celtics and Atalanta co-owner Stephen Pagliuca, were informed they were effectively out of the running.
      However, Boehly’s team were told they had been granted a “period of exclusivity” to discuss the final terms and conditions of a takeover package.
      US-based bank Raine Group, who are handling the takeover for departing owner Roman Abramovich, have determined the Boehly-led bid offers the best deal and guarantees for the future of the club.
      Meanwhile, Chelsea star Reece James is reportedly open to the idea of moving to Real Madrid.
      James has become a Real transfer target as manager Carlo Ancelotti looks to strengthen his backline.
      According to Marca, the wing-back is among Ancelotti’s top targets ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window.
      Although a move won’t be completed this summer, the England international is said to welcome the idea because he “likes” Real.
      Elsewhere, Juventus want to sign Chelsea star Jorginho and are looking to take advantage of his contract situation.
      The 30-year-old has a deal with the Blues until the summer of 2023 but with the West Londoners set to lose Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen for nothing this summer, they may be keen to avoid the same fate with the midfielder.
      Juve made contact with the Italy international several weeks ago and could look to strike a deal, report Todofichajes.
      But the Bianconeri know how important Jorginho is to Chelsea and understand they will be unwilling to let him leave.
      So to persuade the reigning European champions to sell, the Vecchia Signora will reportedly offer Arthur in exchange.
      Finally, Chelsea fear Mason Mount could be lured away by Liverpool or Manchester City, who could take advantage of the club’s ownership crisis, reports SunSport’s Duncan Wright.
      Mount is one of the Blues’ lowest paid players on around £70,000 a week and he has just two years left on his deal but sanctions are preventing the club from offering him a new contract.
      And rivals Liverpool as well as City are watching closely as concerns grow at the West Londoners’ camp that the England international could be tempted away by a more lucrative offer.
      The Reds’ boss Jurgen Klopp has publicly spoken highly of his admiration for the 23-year-old and the Citizens’ manager Pep Guardiola is another major fan
      Broja moving south?
      Napoli have set their sights on signing Chelsea forward Armando Broja, who is on loan at Southampton.
      According to Todofichajes, Partenopei manager Luciano Spalletti and the club’s board are eyeing a move for Broja.
      Their current striker Victor Osimhen has been very impressive with 17 goals in 29 games this season.
      It has attracted attention from across Europe, most notably Paris Saint-Germain, as well as Manchester United.
      And Broja is said to be top of Napoli’s wishlist
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      Man Utd 3 Brentford 0 LIVE REACTION: Ronaldo inspires Red Devils to routine victory over tame Bees – latest updates

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      MANCHESTER UNITED beat Brentford 3-0 tonight in the Premier League in what was a routine victory for Ralf Rangnick’s men. Bruno Fernandes, Cristiano Ronaldo and Raphael Varane were all on target for the Red Devils at Old Trafford, where fans staged a protest against the owners the Glazer family.

      RESULT: Man Utd 3-0 Brentford
      Man Utd XI: De Gea, Dalot, Varane, Lindelof, Alex Telles, Matic, McTominay, Bruno Fernandes, Mata, Ronaldo, Elanga
      Brentford XI: Raya, Ajer, Jansson, Bech, Roerslev, Norgaard, Janelt, Eriksen, Henry, Mbuemo, Toney

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      Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…
      Thomas ‘Frank’ about penalty
      Rico Henry appeared to unnecessarily bump Ronaldo to the ground in frustration to concede a penalty. Did ‘stupidity’ cost the Bees this evening?
      The Brentford boss had his say:
      We made a stupid penalty. There was no need to make that mistake there and then of course that takes a little bit of air out of everything.Thomas Frank, Brentford boss
      .Credit: Getty
      Magisterial Mata
      Juan Mata and Cristiano Ronaldo took most of the plaudits in their lap of honour this evening, and rightly so. Despite many questioning his in the starting eleven, Mata fitted right into the number 10 role tonight, rolling back the years. He set up Ronaldo’s disallowed goal and looked quietly classy in all areas of the pitch.
      A fine farewell for the Spaniard.
      .Credit: PA
      Bruno hits a half-century
      Bruno Fernandes scored his 50th goal in a Manchester United shirt this evening.
      No player has scored more for the club since his debut in February.
      Meanwhile, Varane scored his first.
      Two players surely essential to Erik ten Hag’s plans next season.
      .Credit: PA
      Bees lacking sting
      Incredibly Brentford had three more shots than Manchester United this evening. But they were incapable of making anything count.
      Toney had a few great chances, but lacked the composure where it really mattered. I dare say that without Eriksen they wouldn’t have had one chance this evening. He was magnificent.
      .Credit: Getty
      Ronny only getting younger
      Ronaldo played like a someone 10 years his junior this evening, sprinting around the field like a man possessed.
      Put his penalty aside, he was excellent in all areas. He defended, he pressed, he made runs and provided for others all evening.
      .Credit: PA
      Full time – Manchester United 3-0 Brentford
      Manchester United victorious in their last home game of the season.
      The fans applaud, and the players reciprocate.
      It’s all smiles, slightly surprised smiles.
      Meanwhile, Sam Allardyce is getting Sir Alex Fergurson’s signature. Lovely scenes.
      Manchester United 3-0 Brentford
      90, There will be two added minutes here as a few fans start to make their way home before the players’ expected lap of honour.
      Manchester United 3-0 Brentford
      89, Fernandes lines one up, but gets it all wrong, striking the ball wildly off target. Poor by his standards.
      Manchester United 3-0 Brentford
      88, The space opens up for Jensen who strikes a powerful effort on goal, but Jones gets his body in the way.
      The midfielder then picks the ball up and slides in Toney who falls to the floor under the pressure of Varane. He looks to the referee who waves the game on.
      Manchester United 3-0 Brentford
      87, Ronaldo spins and curls a ball over to Cavani who attempts the spectacular, but sends his bicycle kick high into the air, before slipping as he looks to run on to it.
      The flag then goes up against him. A rather embarrassing sequence of events for the Uruguayan.
      Manchester United 3-0 Brentford
      84, Eriksen fires one across the area, but Toney can’t connect in the middle.
      That’s been the story of Brentford’s night in attack. Eriksen carving out the chances, but no one in yellow on the end of them.
      Manchester United 3-0 Brentford
      80, McTominay picks Brentford’s pocket with plenty of runners ahead of him. He opts for Ronaldo. However, Cavani was far better placed on his right. Brentford get back to avert the danger.
      Manchester United 3-0 Brentford
      77, Despite plenty of ‘Glazers out’ banners, there aren’t too many fans leaving their seats for the protest.
      I wonder if the scoreline has anything to do with that.
      Manchester United 3-0 Brentford
      75, The crowd are on their feet for Mata who soaks up the applause before being replaced by Jones.
      Cavani is also on for Elanga.
      For the Bees, Mbeumo makes way for Wissa
      GOAL! – Manchester United 3-0 Brentford
      72, Varane heads home from the corner!
      In the lead up to the corner, Jansson looked panic and headed an awkward ball back to his keeper who was forced into a diving save.
      Telles then swung the ball into the box where Varane jumped highest to plant a header past Raya in goal.
      Manchester United three to the good.
      Manchester United 2-0 Brentford – Changes
      71, Matic comes off to a warm applause and handshakes. Fred is on in his place.
      Dasilva and Jensen are on for Janelt and Norgaard.
      Manchester United 2-0 Brentford
      70, On the replays Telles was far too close to do anything about it.
      Manchester United 2-0 Brentford
      68, No penalty is the decision. We haven’t seen a replay yet.
      Manchester United 2-0 Brentford
      67, the Brentford players are adamant of a hand-ball against Telles as a ball is floated into the area.
      VAR will be having a look.
      Manchester United 2-0 Brentford
      66, Matic is caught in posession and Toney can let fly.
      It’s blocked and McTominay clears the corner as well as his team-mate Ronaldo, who is back to his feet now.
      Manchester United 2-0 Brentford
      64, The showboating has started.
      Fernandes and Mata flick a cute one two between them before setting Ronaldo free down the left.
      The forward nutmegs Ajer before going down in the box again. He just looked to lose his balance.
      It then comes out to Matic who appears to freeze in the absence of Ronaldo’s movement, and it’s nicked off him.
      GOAL! Manchester United 2-0 Brentford
      61, Ronaldo rifles the ball into the bottom left corner.
      Raya went the wrong way anyway.
      It was a formality in truth, and Ronaldo has his goal!
      Manchester United 1-0 Brentford
      59, Penalty to Manchester United!
      Ronaldo is too strong for Henry and the full-back gets up to stupidly bundle the forward to the floor.
      Certain penalty.
      I’ll let you guess whose taking it.
      Manchester United 1-0 Brentford
      57, Brentford nearly back in it!
      Manchester United don’t deal with the corner and it rolls out to Toney who fires an effort on goal.
      But De Gea spreads himself brilliantly to deny him with his right foot.
      The ball then bounces around a congested 18-yard box before Ronaldo takes control, calmly heading the ball back to his keeper.
      Manchester United 1-0 Brentford
      56, Mbeumo kills the ball dead before scooping a dangerous ball to the back stick where Eriksen was arriving.
      Lindelof with a vital interception to head behind for the corner.
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      Celtic vs Rangers LIVE: Leipzig lose on league duty, Peter Lawwell’s son lands scouting job, Jota has ‘eyes elsewhere’

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      THE final Old Firm derby of the season. (almost) feels like a distant memory now as focus turns elsewhere for both clubs.Celtic have one strong hand on the Premiership trophy thanks to the draw 1-1 at Parkhead and will be looking to wrap up the title ASAP.
      Rangers have a huge Europa League semi-final on Thursday against RB Leipzig.
      Keep up date with all the latest news right here with our live blog.
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      Leipzig shocker
      Just days before their clash with Rangers, RB Leipzig have crashed to defeat against a ten-man Borussia Monchengladbach side.
      Domenico Tedesco’s team , who hold a 1-0 first-leg lead over the Gers in their Europa League semi-final, made five changes from last week’s match at the Red Bull Arena.
      RB Leipzig went down 3-1 to Borussia MonchengladbachCredit: EPA
      Trailing 2-1 at half-time, Leipzig were then handed a man advantage when Nico Elvedi upended Christian Nkunku. 
      But Jonas Hofmann scored his second of the night not long after to extend Monchengladbach’s lead, which proved enough for the three points.
      Sounds familiar
      Just in case you were wondering…
      Mark Lawwell is indeed a relation to former Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell.
      He is the recently-departed chief’s SON.
      “Great trust”
      Ange Postecoglou on Celtic’s new head of scouting and recruitment, Mark Lawwell:
      “I was very keen for Mark to join the Club and clearly I am delighted that he has accepted this important role and that we have been able to bring him to Celtic.
      “Mark is someone who I worked closely with throughout my four years at Marinos, through which time we developed great trust and an excellent working relationship. He knows the way I like to work, the way my teams play and the particular player profile which this requires.”
      He continued: “I know he will be a great addition to our team, leading our first-team scouting and recruitment function and delivering on our key objective of identifying and bringing exciting, talented players to the Club.  
      “We have a great team of people at the Club and since joining Celtic I have been hugely impressed by the staff around me who have all worked so hard to deliver success.  
      “I have said before that I didn’t want to make changes just for the sake of it, but we always aim to build and develop everything we do and in bringing Mark in I know we have made an appointment which will be hugely beneficial for us moving forward.”
      Celts announce new recruitment chief
      One of Ange Postecoglou’s former aides has been appointed as the club’s new head of scouting and recruitment.
      Mark Lawwell worked with the Aussie at Yokohama F. Marinos in Japan and is expected to play a key role in the upcoming transfer window.
      A club statement read: “Celtic Football Club is pleased to announce the appointment of Mark Lawwell as Head of First Team Scouting and Recruitment.  
      “Mark joins Celtic from his position as Head of CFG Scouting and Recruitment, within City Football Group’s global structure, having spent the last 10 years there.
      “Mark, who will join the Club in readiness for the summer transfer window, previously worked closely with Celtic Manager Ange Postecoglou on scouting and recruitment throughout Ange’s time as Manager of Yokohama F Marinos.”
      Jota’s not a done deal
      Jota has his eyes on a move ELSEWHERE from Celtic Park, in the mind of one Hoops hero.
      Frank McAvennie would love to see the Portuguese winger return from Benfica on a permanent basis but says it’s worrying that an agreement has already been announced.
      Jota has been a hit at Celtic this season on loan from BenficaCredit: Kenny Ramsay
      When asked if Jota would be a Celtic player next season, McAvennie told Football Insider: “I don’t think so.
      “I would love it to happen. Every time I see him he has been tremendous.
      “He can be a bit hot and cold sometimes but he has been different class since he came back from injury.
      “He’s a talented boy and I hope he likes what is happening at Celtic. It’s a great environment.
      “He’s one hell of a player but I think if he was going to sign then he would have by now.
      “Maybe I’m wrong, I hope I am wrong but maybe he has his eyes on a move somewhere else this summer.”
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      Gers can pull off “greatest achievement for 20 years”
      Reaching the Europa League final would be the greatest achievement in Scottish football for two decades, says former Rangers and Kilmarnock goalkeeper Cammy Bell.
      Gers trail 1-0 to RB Leipzig going into Thursday’s return leg at Ibrox but Bell reckons the Light Blues have what it takes to progress to the final in Seville – where Celtic played Porto in the Uefa Cup Final 21 years ago.
      He told Go Radio: “These moments don’t happen very often. If Rangers can get to a European final, it would be one of the greatest achievements in Scottish football for 20 years.
      “It’s massive on Thursday night and I genuinely think they’ll do it.”
      “Honoured and grateful”
      Celtic ace Kyogo Furuhashi has spoken of how “honoured” he was to pick up two awards at the club’s player of the year do last night.
      The striker won goal of the season and top goalscorer at the event.
      He tweeted: “I am very honoured and grateful to receive the #CelticFC Top Goalscorer and Goal of the Season awards in my first year at the club.
      “Thanks to everyone who voted for me. None of this would be possible without the effort of the whole team. We will continue to work hard 🍀🙏”
      Euro vision
      Scotland’s champions WILL go straight into the group stages of the Champions League next season.
      It comes as Uefa announced that Russian clubs will not compete in continental competition for 2022-23.
      That clears the path for the Premiership victors to go straight into the tournament proper, regardless of whether Villareal were to lift the trophy this year (a win for the Spanish side could in theory have led to Scotland’s champions missing out).
      As it stands then, Celtic will be back in Europe’s top club competition next season for the first time since the 2017-18 edition.

      Have your say

      EURO TRIP
      Celtic and Rangers face a fixture pile-up in Europe next season due to the World Cup in Qatar.
      November’s tournament means the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League group stages will end early that month.
      The Hoops will book their place in the Champions League when they win the Premiership title.
      While Rangers will start off in the second qualifying round unless they win the Europa League, in which case they’ll go straight into the group stage.
      FINAL THREE
      Rangers and Celtic both have three league games to play before the Premiership season comes an end.
      Here are the remaining fixtures in full:
      Rangers: Dundee United, Ross County, Hearts.
      Celtic: Hears, Dundee United, Motherwell.
      Backwards Billy
      Tony Cascarino believes Billy Gilmour has gone BACKWARDS in his spell at Norwich.
      The Chelsea kid hasn’t featured much in the league’s bottom side but remains a key part of Steve Clarke’s Scotland squad.
      He told talkSPORT: “The lad Gilmour that came to Norwich, didn’t do particularly well at the club, and the fans turned on him at the start of the season.”He’s a terrific young footballer but, somehow, he’s not grown.
      “We talk all the time about young lads going elsewhere and improving – the lad Williams as well from Man United – but they’ve gone backwards this year.
      “Two players have gone there from big clubs have gone backwards at Norwich.”
      In Fashion
      Fashion Sakala added to his Rangers goal tally at Parkhead yesterday.
      Can he be the man Van Bronckhorst trusts in midweek?
      Here’s his numbers in the league this term.

      EYES ON GERMANY
      Rangers will be keeping a keen eye on the Bundesliga tonight with Europa League rivals RB Leipzig in action.
      They face a trip to Borussia Monchengladbach in a key fixture for their automatic Champions League hopes.

      Freiburg occupy 4th spot and the final spot at Europe’s top table through the league placings with Leverkusen one place ahead having played a game less.
      FC Cologne and Union Berlin are also firmly in the hunt going into the last couple of games.
      But tonight is a massive game for Leipzig – just days ahead of a crucial semi-final showdown at Ibrox.
      MORE FROM ANGE
      “It’s very humbling, and I’m proud.
      “It’s not just representative of my work but all the staff.
      “It’s been a big challenge for us and I think people have recognised that. It’s great when it is voted by your peers because they understand what you’re going through.
      “It’s not what drives or motivates me [proving people wrong]. I’m not too harsh on people that said the jury was out on me. I understand that.
      “There was no great recognition of what I have done, and when you come from the other side of the world that’s always understandable.
      “People have recognised the challenge I had, especially in a year that many thought would be a transition season.
      “Hopefully in the next couple of weeks we tick off the big one.”
      FIRST CLASS
      Ange Postecoglou has heaped praise on John Kennedy and his Celtic coaching staff
      The Aussie boss arrived at Parkhead last summer on his own – in a decision he revealed was made by himself.
      He last night landed the PFA Manager of the Year award with the Hoops on the verge of landing the Premiership title alongside their Premier Sports Cup success.
      He told Sky Sports: “It was my call not to bring anyone in – and just to assess the staff I had.
      “The key to that was then getting them to believe in me. They’ve been outstanding.
      “Led by John Kennedy who has been at the club a long time. He understands what success looks like but all the staff have been great.
      “For us to be in the position we are has taken a massive collective effort.”
      Firm legends
      Ally McCoist shared a picture with Celtic hero Danny McGrain before yesterday’s Old Firm clash.
      The pair posed outside Celtic Park prior to the 1-1 draw.
      Fans from both sides took to social media to laud the ‘legendary’ pair.
      McGrain was at Celtic for 17 years and is widely regarded as one of the best right backs in British football history.

      MORE FROM BOSNICH
      “I have been in dressing rooms before where because of nerves people might be physically sick.
      “Everyone takes it different. Dwight Yorke was one of the most laid-back people before games. I was told just to embrace it.
      “It’s down to the manager to create, as best as he can, the environment, then it’s up to the players.
      “The biggest thing for Ange is to keep a lid on things.
      “It’s a wonderful opportunity, yes. You have to be prepared for every scenario.”
      HE IS THE BOS
      Mark Bosnich has hailed Ange Postecoglou as a winner with a capital W.
      The Celtic boss is on the verge of securing his first Premiership title after Sunday’s draw with Rangers.

      The gap remains at six points with three games to go following the 1-1 draw at Parkhead.
      He told AK Media: “It would be a superb achievement. He’s illuminating a pathway for young Australian coaches.
      “I got to know Ange really well sitting next to him for nearly four years when we worked at Fox Sports together.
      “Knowing the style of football he plays, his approach to football, it will be a fantastic achievement.
      “When he first came there and there were so many doubters, I think that inspired him more. It’s understandable, especially people from Europe.
      “He’ll definitely be on the front foot; he’s a winner with a capital W.
      “The thing that really endeared him to Australian football fans was the style of football he played. The style of football he plays allows fans to be very, very proud of their team. That’s wherever he has gone.”
      BORNA AGAIN
      Borna Barisic has labelled Rangers’ game with RB Leipzig as their ‘biggest game of the season’.
      The Light Blues trail the Bundesliga outfit 1-0 going into the Europa League semi-final second leg at Ibrox on Thursday night.
      He said: “Listen, this is now our biggest game of the season on Thursday.
      “We know what we need to do, we know how they play. We know how they played in Germany will be different at Ibrox.
      “We cannot wait for that game to show energy, to show desire, to try to qualify for the final.
      “We know the fans will help our performance for sure. They’ll be behind us like always.
      “It’s on us now to perform on Thursday. I expect a very, very good atmosphere and we’ll see what happens. We’ll give everything to win the game.”
      ALL HART
      Joe Hart insists Celtic still have work to do in their bid to win the Premiership.
      He said: “Look you’re never going to get me to sit here and say that but I think we’ve worked very hard to be in this position.
      “We’ve come through a lot and we’re pleased with where we are and we’ve got a job to do. And that continues.
      “This league is not set up for us to win it. There is opposition out there, there are other teams trying to do it.
      “Rangers mathematically are still in this fight. They’re never going to lie down.
      “This fixture wouldn’t allow them to lie down and that’s why it’s such a great fixture to be involved in.”
      JOB NOT DONE
      Jota insists Celtic’s bid to win the Premiership title is NOT done and they will be ready to go into battle with Hearts next week.
      He told Celtic TV: The job’s not done. We keep on going. We rest and then next week we go again.

      “It’s game after game. We know how important the next one is, so we keep on, we don’t give up, we get together the troops and we go into battle next week.”
      He continued: “It’s always a tough game against Rangers so we tried our best. We wanted to win but, unfortunately, we didn’t.
      “Our style of game always aims for goals and pressing and keeping after them, but unfortunately we didn’t score again after the first goal.
      “We kept on trying and then we conceded a goal. But the main thing to think about all of this is that we didn’t give up.”
      Big bad John
      John Lundstram’s reputation on the park continues to grow.
      Off it, Rangers fans’ will soar after his latest moment.
      Gers supporters loved a clip circulating social media showing Lundstram staring down jeering Celtic supporters.
      The incident came after the game when the 28-year-old was leaving Parkhead for the coach home.
      Despite a barrage of boos and insults, Lundstram smiled, stared back and kept on walking.

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