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      Declan Rice’s ‘devilish’ Arsenal free-kick routine destroys Liverpool defence thanks to Mikel Arteta’s secret weapon

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      ARSENAL showed their set-piece prowess once more with a stunning free-kick routine in their 2-2 draw with Liverpool.Declan Rice delivered the perfect ball for Mikel Merino to power a header home at the Emirates on Sunday evening.Declan Rice swung in a sumptuous free-kickCredit: Sky SportsIt curved past the Liverpool defenders and back in for Mikel MerinoCredit: GettyThe Spaniard powered a brilliant header into the back of the netCredit: ReutersThe goal ensured Arsenal went into half-time leading 2-1 over their title rivalsCredit: GettyIt was the Spanish midfielder’s first goal for the club as Arsenal regained the lead to go into half-time 2-1 in front.It came as a result of the Arsenal players positioning themselves late in the box after arriving from wide on the left of the area.Rice had also threatened with his delivery beforehand, troubling Liverpool’s back line with wicked dead-ball crosses as the Arsenal attackers took up similar positions.Fans hailed the set piece details – which are the work of designated coach, Nicolas Jover – Mikel Arteta’s secret weapon.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL One social media user said: “Rice’s free-kicks have been devilish.”Another added: “That free-kick routine was a goal coming. We were warned before.”A third replied: “Deep how insane that is. Showed the set-piece coach for like a minute and then we go on to score the free kick. Love it 🤩🤩”While a fourth responded: “Forget any player, if I could make one signing in world football it would be Arsenal’s set-piece coach.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSNicolas Jover, left, has been praised for his role as Arsenal’s set-piece coachCredit: Getty”Every corner and free-kick they get is just as dangerous as a penalty.”Arsenal’s set-piece coach Jover joined Arteta in North London from Manchester City in 2021.Arsenal legend Ian Wright in wheelchair after surgery as Roy Keane helps him out after filming Stick to Football They have now scored 24 set-piece goals in the Premier League since the start of last season, more than any other club.Seven of those have come in just nine league games at the beginning of the 2024/25 campaign.Bukayo Saka had given Arsenal the lead with a brilliant strike, before Virgil van Dijk levelled with a header.Merino’s header put the hosts back in control, but Mo Salah struck late on to salvage a point for Arne Slot’s men.Arsenal ratings vs LiverpoolARSENAL lost further ground in the title race with a 2-2 draw with Liverpool.Arne Slot’s side are a top team, but it will still frustrate Mikel Arteta that his team couldn’t clinch all three points having twice led the match.Here’s how SunSport’s Jordan Davies rated the Arsenal players…DAVID RAYA – 6/10Very little he could do for Liverpool’s equaliser, forced to stay on his line from the flicked-on corner, and the same goes for Mohamed Salah’s tap in from a speedy counter.JURRIEN TIMBER – 7Kept Salah quiet for the majority and proved his worth with ball at feet, but starting him was clearly a risk as he hobbled off late on.BEN WHITE – 7He may have been at centre back but his telepathy with Saka remained, curling a peach of a ball over the top for the opener and remained solid even when those around him chopped and changed.GABRIEL – 7Missed his centre-back partner but did well until he worryingly limped off. No surprise that Salah and Darwin Nunez found space when he was absent.THOMAS PARTEY – 8Was targeted in his unnatural position within the first 30 seconds but held his ground for the most part. One of Arsenal’s best players.MIKEL MERINO – 8A stray touch gifted Salah a great chance to score before getting a bang to the same shoulder that kept him out at the start of the season. And then, after a so-so performance, he steps up with a thumping header just before the break to regain the lead.DECLAN RICE – 8Did the nitty-gritty very well in the middle of the pitch with some crucial interceptions and timely tackles. Carried on covering every blade of grass until the very last.LEANDRO TROSSARD – 6Drifted in and out of the game as a floating 10 and striker but got stuck in when needed and pressed like a rabid dog. Still, was quiet given his recent form.GABRIEL MARTINELLI – 7Lively enough without creating too many clear-cut chances in the first half. Unlucky not to win a penalty after being hauled down by Ibrahima Konate.BUKAYO SAKA – 9Injury? What injury? His hamstring seemed right as rain as he cruised in behind Andy Robertson, cutting it back through the full-back’s legs and firing into the roof of the net.Was understandably taken off in the second half with a need to protect him going into a hectic period of the season.KAI HAVERTZ – 7Given freedom to roam and drop deep. Missed a sitter in the box after Martinelli’s penalty shout but lacked the service via crosses to really be effective in the first half.Remained a physical nuisance after the break but never had that one golden opportunity.SUBS:JAKUB KIWIOR (GABRIEL, 54) – 6Impressive to come in out of the cold to stay firm, but again, his work with the ball at his feet left a lot to be desired.MYLES LEWIS-SKELLY (TIMBER, 76) – 6Caught out of position for Liverpool’s late leveller but showed signs of real maturity too.GABRIEL JESUS (SAKA, 85) – N/AETHAN NWANERI (MARTINELLI, 85) – N/AClick here for more Arsenal news. More

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      Wayne Rooney reveals nine-word message to Plymouth stars that inspired stunning comeback from being 3-0 down

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      WAYNE ROONEY revealed his nine-word message that inspired Plymouth to their stunning comeback.Rooney saw his Pilgrims fall 2-0 behind at home to Preston in the first half on Saturday.Wayne Rooney revealed how he motivated his Plymouth stars to their comebackCredit: X @SkySportsFootballThen things got even worse when North End grabbed a third three minutes after half-time. But Plymouth came roaring back.They got their first on 55 minutes and equalised in the 82nd minute.Then Home Park erupted in the second minute of injury time when Morgan Whittaker fired into the back of the net.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLHe appeared to hobble off during his celebration but the home fans didn’t care as they celebrated a simply incredible effort from their team.And Rooney revealed his half-time rocket was enough of a threat to fire his stars into action – but not until they conceded the third. He said: “I told them you’ve got five minutes otherwise I’m making five changes.”And then we went three goals down.”Most read in ChampionshipFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSBut despite the impressive fighting spirit, Rooney was still not happy with what he saw.He added to Sky Sports: “I am angry because that performance is nowhere near good enough. We were easy to play against. Obviously I am pleased we drew the game but I can’t accept that performance.Former Man Utd star Wayne Rooney thinks Arteta is copying his management skills “I am frustrated but even at 3-0 you can turn a game and I tried to get more attackers into the box, but we didn’t do that at first.“The last three games we have hit a bit of a blip but we need to get out of it. The one thing I never question with the players is their character. We need to learn the little nuances of the game.“It could have been worse if it wasn’t for Dan (Grimshaw, goalkeeper). I felt for him today because of how easy it was for them to get through us and get shots off. It was schoolboy defending really.“I think the fans had every right to boo at half-time but then when they saw us pushing and making changes and getting more balls in the box you could feel the atmosphere growing. I was delighted for them we got a point.”Plymouth sit 21st in the Championship table, one point and one place above the relegation zone with three wins and three draws from 12 matches.Their last victory came when Whittaker again struck in injury time to grab a last-gasp winner against Blackburn – after Rooney had already been sent off. Morgan Whittaker scored in injury time to make it 3-3Credit: RexThe goal sparked wild scenes at Home ParkCredit: Rex More

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      Huge Arsenal blow as Gabriel Magalhaes forced off in Liverpool clash to deepen defensive crisis

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      GABRIEL MAGALHAES has become the latest Arsenal player to fall foul of injury.The defender was forced off the pitch during the Sunday afternoon 2-2 draw between the Gunners and Liverpool at the Emirates.Gabriel is the latest Arsenal injury set to cause Mikel Arteta a headacheCredit: GettyHe was forced to leave the pitch following a tussle with Darwin Nunez which left him grimacingCredit: GettyGabriel could be out for at least six weeks depending on the severity of the injuryCredit: ReutersMikel Arteta’s defensive options had already been depleted with injuries to Riccardo Calafiori, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Kieran Tierney and the suspension of William Saliba.However, following a second-half tussle with Darwin Nunez, Gabriel appeared to feel something and was then seen grimacing.He then fell to the floor in pain before receiving treatment to try and help him to carry on.But it proved to be ineffective, and Gabriel was taken off through injury in the 54th minute and replaced by Jakub Kiwior.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe knock was reported to be a knee injury sustained after it was jolted during his duel with Nunez.Footage of Gabriel while receiving treatment saw him holding his left knee, seemingly confirming this assessment as the club doctor also checked for a medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury.He was able to walk off the pitch and down the tunnel, but could now face weeks on the sideline.If Gabriel has suffered an MCL injury, then the amount of time he will miss will depend on the grade of the blow.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSA grade 1 issue will heal within 1-3 weeks while a grade 2 could take between four and six weeks and a grade 3 will take at least six with proper treatment.Jurrien Timber then added to these problems when he was replaced by teen Myles Lewis-Skelly in the 75th minute after the Dutchman was also forced to the floor with injury and received treatment.Arsenal fans say ‘time to upgrade the wardrobe’ as Gunners release ‘orgasmic’ new clothing range Gabriel returned to the side of the pitch later on to see out the remainder of the match.While Arteta will see the return of Saliba following his one-game suspension, Calafiori, Tomiyasu and Tierney remain out.Arsenal were also dealing with knocks to Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka before the Liverpool game.However, star player Saka was deemed fit enough to play before he opened the scoring with a vicious close-range shot after ten minutes.Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk scored from a set-play to level the score.Arsenal ratings vs LiverpoolARSENAL lost further ground in the title race with a 2-2 draw with Liverpool.Arne Slot’s side are a top team, but it will still frustrate Mikel Arteta that his team couldn’t clinch all three points having twice led the match.Here’s how SunSport’s Jordan Davies rated the Arsenal players…DAVID RAYA – 6/10Very little he could do for Liverpool’s equaliser, forced to stay on his line from the flicked-on corner, and the same goes for Mohamed Salah’s tap in from a speedy counter.JURRIEN TIMBER – 7Kept Salah quiet for the majority and proved his worth with ball at feet, but starting him was clearly a risk as he hobbled off late on.BEN WHITE – 7He may have been at centre back but his telepathy with Saka remained, curling a peach of a ball over the top for the opener and remained solid even when those around him chopped and changed.GABRIEL – 7Missed his centre-back partner but did well until he worryingly limped off. No surprise that Salah and Darwin Nunez found space when he was absent.THOMAS PARTEY – 8Was targeted in his unnatural position within the first 30 seconds but held his ground for the most part. One of Arsenal’s best players.MIKEL MERINO – 8A stray touch gifted Salah a great chance to score before getting a bang to the same shoulder that kept him out at the start of the season. And then, after a so-so performance, he steps up with a thumping header just before the break to regain the lead.DECLAN RICE – 8Did the nitty-gritty very well in the middle of the pitch with some crucial interceptions and timely tackles. Carried on covering every blade of grass until the very last.LEANDRO TROSSARD – 6Drifted in and out of the game as a floating 10 and striker but got stuck in when needed and pressed like a rabid dog. Still, was quiet given his recent form.GABRIEL MARTINELLI – 7Lively enough without creating too many clear-cut chances in the first half. Unlucky not to win a penalty after being hauled down by Ibrahima Konate.BUKAYO SAKA – 9Injury? What injury? His hamstring seemed right as rain as he cruised in behind Andy Robertson, cutting it back through the full-back’s legs and firing into the roof of the net.Was understandably taken off in the second half with a need to protect him going into a hectic period of the season.KAI HAVERTZ – 7Given freedom to roam and drop deep. Missed a sitter in the box after Martinelli’s penalty shout but lacked the service via crosses to really be effective in the first half.Remained a physical nuisance after the break but never had that one golden opportunity.SUBS:JAKUB KIWIOR (GABRIEL, 54) – 6Impressive to come in out of the cold to stay firm, but again, his work with the ball at his feet left a lot to be desired.MYLES LEWIS-SKELLY (TIMBER, 76) – 6Caught out of position for Liverpool’s late leveller but showed signs of real maturity too.GABRIEL JESUS (SAKA, 85) – N/AETHAN NWANERI (MARTINELLI, 85) – N/AClick here for more Arsenal news.But the hosts responded with a free-kick of their own as Declan Rice’s superb free-kick was headed home by Mikel Merino shortly before half-time, and then confirmed following a lengthy VAR check for offside.Liverpool equalised for a second time in the 81st minute through Mohamed Salah.Arsenal did get the ball in the net through Gabriel Jesus in injury time, but the goal was ruled out for a foul earlier in the move.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe result leaves Liverpool a point behind Manchester City at the top of the table, while Arsenal are now five adrift of the league leaders.Jurrien Timber was also forced off through injuryCredit: GettyGabriel returned to the Arsenal bench later on More

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      ‘He shouldn’t even be on the pitch’ fume Arsenal fans as Virgil van Dijk escapes red card minutes before equaliser

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      VIRGIL VAN DIJK scored for Liverpool in Sunday’s 2-2 draw at the Emirates – but Arsenal fans raged that he should not have even been on the pitch.Bukayo Saka opened the scoring in the huge North London clash with a sublime solo effort on nine minutes.Virgil van Dijk escaped a red for this kick outVan Dijk equalised for LiverpoolCredit: ReutersBut just ten minutes later and Van Dijk levelled from a Liverpool corner. That was after he escaped a red card just five minutes into the game following a collision with Kai Havertz. The centre-back appeared to twice kick out at Havertz during a tussle as the Arsenal forward went to ground. So when Van Dijk popped up with the equalising goal – Gooners were not too pleased. READ MORE IN football One said: “He shouldn’t even be on the pitch, but let’s save that for later.”Another added: “So Van Dijk equalises not long after he should have been sent off. “Any other side would have seen their player off but Livarpool get away with it. Make it make sense.”One fumed: “Ah. Van Dijk who should’ve been sent off scores. Of course.”Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSAnother raged: “Van dijk should be sent off, doesn’t even go to var and he goes and equalises, the game is f***ing destroyed.” Arsenal regained their lead before the break with Mikel Merino heading home from Declan Rice’s stunning free-kick cross.’If Arsenal lose to Liverpool, they are out of the Premier League title race… the gulf is massive’However Mo Salah scored a late leveller as the clash ended 2-1.Arsenal ratings vs LiverpoolARSENAL lost further ground in the title race with a 2-2 draw with Liverpool.Arne Slot’s side are a top team, but it will still frustrate Mikel Arteta that his team couldn’t clinch all three points having twice led the match.Here’s how SunSport’s Jordan Davies rated the Arsenal players…DAVID RAYA – 6/10Very little he could do for Liverpool’s equaliser, forced to stay on his line from the flicked-on corner, and the same goes for Mohamed Salah’s tap in from a speedy counter.JURRIEN TIMBER – 7Kept Salah quiet for the majority and proved his worth with ball at feet, but starting him was clearly a risk as he hobbled off late on.BEN WHITE – 7He may have been at centre back but his telepathy with Saka remained, curling a peach of a ball over the top for the opener and remained solid even when those around him chopped and changed.GABRIEL – 7Missed his centre-back partner but did well until he worryingly limped off. No surprise that Salah and Darwin Nunez found space when he was absent.THOMAS PARTEY – 8Was targeted in his unnatural position within the first 30 seconds but held his ground for the most part. One of Arsenal’s best players.MIKEL MERINO – 8A stray touch gifted Salah a great chance to score before getting a bang to the same shoulder that kept him out at the start of the season. And then, after a so-so performance, he steps up with a thumping header just before the break to regain the lead.DECLAN RICE – 8Did the nitty-gritty very well in the middle of the pitch with some crucial interceptions and timely tackles. Carried on covering every blade of grass until the very last.LEANDRO TROSSARD – 6Drifted in and out of the game as a floating 10 and striker but got stuck in when needed and pressed like a rabid dog. Still, was quiet given his recent form.GABRIEL MARTINELLI – 7Lively enough without creating too many clear-cut chances in the first half. Unlucky not to win a penalty after being hauled down by Ibrahima Konate.BUKAYO SAKA – 9Injury? What injury? His hamstring seemed right as rain as he cruised in behind Andy Robertson, cutting it back through the full-back’s legs and firing into the roof of the net.Was understandably taken off in the second half with a need to protect him going into a hectic period of the season.KAI HAVERTZ – 7Given freedom to roam and drop deep. Missed a sitter in the box after Martinelli’s penalty shout but lacked the service via crosses to really be effective in the first half.Remained a physical nuisance after the break but never had that one golden opportunity.SUBS:JAKUB KIWIOR (GABRIEL, 54) – 6Impressive to come in out of the cold to stay firm, but again, his work with the ball at his feet left a lot to be desired.MYLES LEWIS-SKELLY (TIMBER, 76) – 6Caught out of position for Liverpool’s late leveller but showed signs of real maturity too.GABRIEL JESUS (SAKA, 85) – N/AETHAN NWANERI (MARTINELLI, 85) – N/AClick here for more Arsenal news. More

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      Premier League release statement on controversial West Ham penalty as Man Utd and Erik ten Hag left furious at decision

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      THE PREMIER LEAGUE have released a statement explaining the award of West Ham’s controversial penalty against Manchester United.Referee David Coote did not give a spot kick after Matthijs de Ligt came together with Danny Ings in the area.Matthijs de Ligt was judged to have fouled Danny IngsThe penalty was given after the VAR sent referee David Coote to the monitorCredit: RexThe decision enraged Man Utd’s players and manager Erik ten HagCredit: GettyTen Hag described the decision as ‘not right’ after the gameCredit: AlamyA VAR review took place and Coote was instructed to view the incident on the monitor.He did so and ended up giving the penalty, before the Premier League made comment on their Match Centre account on X, claiming there was “sufficient contact”.They said: “The referee did not award a penalty to West Ham for a challenge by de Ligt on Ings.”The VAR deemed there was sufficient contact on Ings’ lower leg and recommended an on-field review.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL”The referee overturned his original decision and awarded a penalty.”Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag confronted the officials after the game and looked incensed by the decision.When asked about the controversial call, he said: “Three times this season we feel injustice.”Unfair and unjust the way we conceded the penalty.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS”It was so difficult to see. Before the season there was the instruction about VAR only interfering in clear and obvious mistakes.”That is definitely not a clear and obvious mistake from the on field referee.Watch Jose Mourinho’s hilarious reaction after Man Utd keeper Andre Onana’s ‘double worldy’ save”More frustrations but I can do nothing with that. They don’t collect points and that’s what we have to do.”We have to look in the mirror, we don’t score in a good game from our side. Create loads of chances and concede none but when you lose in this way it’s a bad feeling.”Asked whether he had talked to the officials, he added: “I spoke with them. But the decision is made. There’s no way back and that’s football.”That’s a third time I have felt injustice in the season and it has a big impact on our team and on our scores and where we are in the table. It’s not right.”Man Utd ratings vs West HamTHE LONDON STADIUM was the venue for the latest defeat in a shocker of a season.To be fair, it was a hugely controversial VAR call in the dying moments that handed West Ham a 2-1 win.And the first half from the Red Devils was impressive.Here’s how SunSport’s Jack Rosser rated the players…Andre Onana – 6Very loose with the ball at his feet early on but soon settled.Manchester United conceded from West Ham’s first shot on target, though given Ings’ deflected strike there was little Onana could have done about it.Diogo Dalot – 5Delivered one of the most entertaining missed chances you will see all season – doing so well to clip the ball past Lukasz Fabianski before smashing the ball high and wide of an open goal.Despite that, had little trouble from those in claret and blue attacking down his side until Summerville was introduced. The former Leeds man tested Dalot a number of times with his pace.Redeemed himself a touch with the header back in ahead of Casemiro’s equaliser.Matthijs de Ligt – 6Hard done by in conceding the penalty for what looked a soft challenge on Hammers striker Ings.Restricted West Ham well for the most part but United never looked entirely comfortable at the back and a more potent attack could have caused much more trouble.Lisandro Martinez – 6Struggled at times to deal with the strength and direct nature of Michail Antonio, who tested all across United’s back line well until he was replaced by Ings.Noussair Mazraoui – 5Struggled to keep a handle on both Bowen and former Manchester United man Aaron Wan-Bissaka for the most part and was thrown around by Michail Antonio at times.Having looked soft at the back he also offered very little going forwards down the left.Casemiro – 6Started strongly dominating in the middle but struggled to wrestle that back when West Ham picked up.Was denied a first half goal by Fabianski’s superb save but got one eventually as he refused to give up and made sure the ball.Christian Eriksen – 5Some flashes of creativity in the first half but could not help United keep control in the second after West Ham perked up.Marcus Rashford – 4Entirely absent throughout the hour he was on the pitch. Played down the right he was easily managed by Emerson Palmieri who had little of note to do before the winger went off.Bruno Fernandes – 7Caused huge problems for West Ham and created plenty of chances which his teammates put to waste.Fernandes made a fine run to meet a Casemiro cross but headed over the bar and had to watch both Garnacho and Dalot pass up huge chances after his good work to set them up – especially the latter, a wonderful looped ball to cut out the entire West Ham defence.Alejandro Garnacho – 5The young winger should have had two goals inside the opening eight minutes. One chance was rattled against the bar before a poor finish sent the second wide of the far post.He continued to cause trouble down the left but faded as the game went on and crucially gave the ball away in the build-up to Summerville’s goal.Rasmus Hojlund – 5Drew a couple of saves from Hammers keeper Fabianski but neither looked too difficult.The Dane was rather comfortably dealt with by West Ham’s central defenders and never looked too much of a threat.SubstitutesAmad Diallo – 6Added some life and threat to a forward line which had offered little after the break and lifted a clever ball over to Dalot in the build-up to Casemiro’s goal.Joshua Zirkzee – 5Claimed an assist but did not know a lot about it and struggled to have an impact from there on.Victor Lindelof – n/aUnused subs: Altay Bayindir, Manuel Ugarte, Jonny Evans, Ethan Wheatley, Harry Amass, Jack Fletcher.Many fans had similar feelings about the decision as they took to social media to vent their frustration.One said: “That’s a disgrace. The game is gone, I can’t believe I witnessed this being given as a penalty.”Another added: “Not enough for a penalty. Contact not sufficient. Shouldn’t even have gone to the VAR. United robbed!”A third replied: “Manchester United were robbed in my opinion. Not a penalty.”READ MORE SUN STORIESWhile a fourth responded: “VAR HAS MADE AN ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE MISTAKE!”The result lifts West Ham above Man Utd into 13th place, one spot above Ten Hag’s men who are already seven points adrift of a Champions League place. More

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      Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s back to work policy costing Man Utd money as club forced to convert hospitality suites into offices

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      Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s rigid “back to work” policy is costing Man Utd money as the club are paying to convert Old Trafford hospitalty suites into temporary offices and back again every week.United’s staff were all ordered back to the office on a permanent basis in June after Ratcliffe banned flexible working arrangements, but the club do not have enough desk space to accommodate all staff at Old Trafford.Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s policy of forcing Man Utd staff to work on-site is costing the club moneyCredit: PAOld Trafford hospitality suites are being used as officesCredit: APSunSport has learned that United have responded to the problem by hiring an agency to convert hospitality areas into pop-up offices after every home game.The conversion process is time-consuming and expensive however, with staff kicked out of their offices the day before the match and not allowed back until two days after the fixture has taken place.During the period in which the offices are out of action United staff are permitted to work at home.Back-to-back games at Old Trafford are particularly problematic and leave the temporary office space unusable for the best part of a week.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe temporary offices will be shut for eight days from next Tuesday for example, with United at home against Leicester in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday before welcoming Chelsea to Old Trafford in the Premier League the following Sunday.In addition to moving and storing the office equipment extensive electrical safety checks are also required before staff are allowed back in.While the ban on flexible working is understood to have come from Ratcliffe, United’s senior leadership have embraced it on the grounds that office work promotes a greater sense of cohesion, team spirit and creativity.While club sources conceded that creating temporary offices has led to additional costs they believe that is offset by the gains in having more staff on site.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSRatcliffe appointed consultancy firm Interpath Advisory to undertake a root and branch review of United’s cost base after completing his £1.25billion investment in the club last January, which led to the club implementing significant cost-cutting measures.Around 250 members of staff were made redundant last summer, while anyone unwilling to return to the office permanently by June was let go.Man Utd board’s EIGHT-HOUR London crunch talks and what it means for Erik ten HagThe drive for savings has continued however, with Ratcliffe targetting both executive perks and money spent on poorly-paid match-day staff.The use of private chauffeurs and company credit cards were among the first areas targeted last season, while senior staff were also dismayed at the removal of other perks ahead of the FA Cup final, such as a pre-match party and hotel accommodation in London.Rank and file staff members were also hit as free coach travel was also axed for United’s shock win over Manchester City at Wembley, while the ticket allocation was reduced.The cuts have continued this season at Old Trafford, with packed lunchboxes provided to matchday staff removed and the number of programmes given to corporate fans cut in half.The biggest saving however came in United’s surprise decision to strip Sir Alex Ferguson of his ambassadorial duties, which will save the club around £2.1million-a-year.United posted losses of £113.2m for the 2023/24 season last month, with their ­cost-cutting measures projected to save the club between £40m and £45m in total.United declined to comment.READ MORE SUN STORIESOn the pitch, the Red Devils lost 2-1 at West Ham on Sunday.They missed a host of chances in the first half before VAR controversially overruled the referee to award a late penalty to the Hammers, scored by Jarrod Bowen.Man Utd ratings vs West HamTHE LONDON STADIUM was the venue for the latest defeat in a shocker of a season.To be fair, it was a hugely controversial VAR call in the dying moments that handed West Ham a 2-1 win.And the first half from the Red Devils was impressive.Here’s how SunSport’s Jack Rosser rated the players…Andre Onana – 6Very loose with the ball at his feet early on but soon settled.Manchester United conceded from West Ham’s first shot on target, though given Ings’ deflected strike there was little Onana could have done about it.Diogo Dalot – 5Delivered one of the most entertaining missed chances you will see all season – doing so well to clip the ball past Lukasz Fabianski before smashing the ball high and wide of an open goal.Despite that, had little trouble from those in claret and blue attacking down his side until Summerville was introduced. The former Leeds man tested Dalot a number of times with his pace.Redeemed himself a touch with the header back in ahead of Casemiro’s equaliser.Matthijs de Ligt – 6Hard done by in conceding the penalty for what looked a soft challenge on Hammers striker Ings.Restricted West Ham well for the most part but United never looked entirely comfortable at the back and a more potent attack could have caused much more trouble.Lisandro Martinez – 6Struggled at times to deal with the strength and direct nature of Michail Antonio, who tested all across United’s back line well until he was replaced by Ings.Noussair Mazraoui – 5Struggled to keep a handle on both Bowen and former Manchester United man Aaron Wan-Bissaka for the most part and was thrown around by Michail Antonio at times.Having looked soft at the back he also offered very little going forwards down the left.Casemiro – 6Started strongly dominating in the middle but struggled to wrestle that back when West Ham picked up.Was denied a first half goal by Fabianski’s superb save but got one eventually as he refused to give up and made sure the ball.Christian Eriksen – 5Some flashes of creativity in the first half but could not help United keep control in the second after West Ham perked up.Marcus Rashford – 4Entirely absent throughout the hour he was on the pitch. Played down the right he was easily managed by Emerson Palmieri who had little of note to do before the winger went off.Bruno Fernandes – 7Caused huge problems for West Ham and created plenty of chances which his teammates put to waste.Fernandes made a fine run to meet a Casemiro cross but headed over the bar and had to watch both Garnacho and Dalot pass up huge chances after his good work to set them up – especially the latter, a wonderful looped ball to cut out the entire West Ham defence.Alejandro Garnacho – 5The young winger should have had two goals inside the opening eight minutes. One chance was rattled against the bar before a poor finish sent the second wide of the far post.He continued to cause trouble down the left but faded as the game went on and crucially gave the ball away in the build-up to Summerville’s goal.Rasmus Hojlund – 5Drew a couple of saves from Hammers keeper Fabianski but neither looked too difficult.The Dane was rather comfortably dealt with by West Ham’s central defenders and never looked too much of a threat.SubstitutesAmad Diallo – 6Added some life and threat to a forward line which had offered little after the break and lifted a clever ball over to Dalot in the build-up to Casemiro’s goal.Joshua Zirkzee – 5Claimed an assist but did not know a lot about it and struggled to have an impact from there on.Victor Lindelof – n/aUnused subs: Altay Bayindir, Manuel Ugarte, Jonny Evans, Ethan Wheatley, Harry Amass, Jack Fletcher. More

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      ‘Dr Tottenham’ strikes again in Crystal Palace clash as fans say ‘never fails to cure those in need’

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      CRYSTAL PALACE’s winless run came to an end thanks to a dose of “Dr Tottenham”.The Eagles got their first three points of the season with Jean-Philippe Mateta’s first-half opener separating the sides. Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou looks on in frustrationCredit: RexAnd fans say they were blessed with the visit from Dr Tottenham to cure their lack of victories. One said: “Dr. Tottenham. Never fails to cure those in need.”Another added: “Imagine not thinking Dr Tottenham is a thing.”One swiped: “Death, taxes, and the Dr Tottenham cure.”READ MORE IN football Another said: “Never underestimate Dr. Tottenham.”Spurs fell to their fourth defeat in nine Premier League matches as manager Ange Postecoglou admitted fan frustration will be rife. He said: “It was one of those games with a lot of stoppages and battles and they ended up winning a lot of them and coming out on top. “There was a lot of disruption and it was hard to get any fluency. They did better than us.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS”It turned into a game they were thriving on and we should have dealt with it better.”It was a poor goal to concede, it had nothing to do with playing out from the back. That can happen.Wayne Rooney reveals nine-word message to Plymouth stars that inspired stunning comeback from being 3-0 down”I’d be very surprised if they were happy right now. Why would I be happy? If I’m unhappy then they’ll be unhappy. “If you’re suggesting that our fans weren’t happy with today then that’s a fair assessment.” More

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      Man Utd player ratings: Bruno Fernandes causes endless problems but Marcus Rashford entirely absent before being hooked

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      JARROD BOWEN converted a controversial injury time penalty to heap more pressure on Erik ten Hag.The West Ham captain sealed West Ham’s third win of the season from the spot in the 92nd minute after referee David Coote was sent to the monitor by VAR Michael Oliver for a very soft challenge by Matthijs de Ligt on Danny Ings.Jarrod Bowen’s stoppage-time penalty earned West Ham the win over Man UtdCredit: GettyIt was another miserable afternoon for Erik ten Hag’s sideCredit: GettyCasemiro had earlier cancelled out Crysencio Summerville’s opener for West Ham.The visitors showed a supreme knack for incompetence in front of goal throughout the first half.Alejandro Garnacho should have had a brace before 10 minutes was even on the clock.Diogo Dalot, having skipped past Lukasz Fabianksi, then hilariously missed a glaring open net.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThere were one-on-one chances too for Rasmus Hojlund and Marcus Rashford that neither took advantage of before Fabianski pulled off a fine fingertip save from Casemiro.After a horrendous first half, Julen Lopetegui made a treble change – introducing match-winner Summerville – and West Ham were immediately on top.They were quickly creating and were ready to take their chance when United offered it up.Garnacho cheaply gave the ball away on Manchester United’s left where Jean-Clair Todibo set Jarrod Bowen away.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSIngs met his cross with a scuffed finish but it fell to Summerville at the far post to bag his first goal for the Hammers.Having been in the ascendency, West Ham sat back and looked shaky after the goal.Nicky Butt reveals time Sir Alex Ferguson caught him and Roy Keane red-handedTen Hag sent on Zirkzee to try and capitalise and they were soon level – the Dutch striker grabbing the assist.Amad Diallo, another substitute, lifted a cross to the far post where a trio of headers, from Dalot, Zirkzee and then Casemiro saw the ball past Fabianski.United’s work in getting back into the game was undone by a VAR call which left the visitors fuming, with De Ligt judged to have fouled Ings in the box – allowing Bowen to convert and claim a much needed win.Here is how SunSport’s Jack Rosser rated the Manchester United players…Andre Onana – 6Very loose with the ball at his feet early on but soon settled.Manchester United conceded from West Ham’s first shot on target, though given Ings’ deflected strike there was little Onana could have done about it.Diogo Dalot – 5Delivered one of the most entertaining missed chances you will see all season – doing so well to clip the ball past Lukasz Fabianski before smashing the ball high and wide of an open goal.Despite that, had little trouble from those in claret and blue attacking down his side until Summerville was introduced. The former Leeds man tested Dalot a number of times with his pace.Redeemed himself a touch with the header back in ahead of Casemiro’s equaliser.Matthijs de Ligt – 6Hard done by in conceding the penalty for what looked a soft challenge on Hammers striker Ings.Restricted West Ham well for the most part but United never looked entirely comfortable at the back and a more potent attack could have caused much more trouble.Lisandro Martinez – 6Struggled at times to deal with the strength and direct nature of Michail Antonio, who tested all across United’s back line well until he was replaced by Ings.Noussair Mazraoui – 5Struggled to keep a handle on both Bowen and former Manchester United man Aaron Wan-Bissaka for the most part and was thrown around by Michail Antonio at times.Having looked soft at the back he also offered very little going forwards down the left.Casemiro – 6Started strongly dominating in the middle but struggled to wrestle that back when West Ham picked up.Was denied a first half goal by Fabianski’s superb save but got one eventually as he refused to give up and made sure the ball.Christian Eriksen – 5Some flashes of creativity in the first half but could not help United keep control in the second after West Ham perked up.Marcus Rashford – 4Entirely absent throughout the hour he was on the pitch. Played down the right he was easily managed by Emerson Palmieri who had little of note to do before the winger went off.Marcus Rashford endured another difficult afternoonCredit: RexBruno Fernandes – 7Caused huge problems for West Ham and created plenty of chances which his teammates put to waste.Fernandes made a fine run to meet a Casemiro cross but headed over the bar and had to watch both Garnacho and Dalot pass up huge chances after his good work to set them up – especially the latter, a wonderful looped ball to cut out the entire West Ham defence.Bruno Fernandes’ performance was a silver lining for Ten Hag’s sideCredit: GettyAlejandro Garnacho – 5The young winger should have had two goals inside the opening eight minutes. One chance was rattled against the bar before a poor finish sent the second wide of the far post.He continued to cause trouble down the left but faded as the game went on and crucially gave the ball away in the build-up to Summerville’s goal.Rasmus Hojlund – 5Drew a couple of saves from Hammers keeper Fabianski but neither looked too difficult.The Dane was rather comfortably dealt with by West Ham’s central defenders and never looked too much of a threat.SubstitutesAmad Diallo – 6Added some life and threat to a forward line which had offered little after the break and lifted a clever ball over to Dalot in the build-up to Casemiro’s goal.READ MORE SUN STORIESJoshua Zirkzee – 5Claimed an assist but did not know a lot about it and struggled to have an impact from there on.Victor Lindelof – n/aUnused subs: Altay Bayindir, Manuel Ugarte, Jonny Evans, Ethan Wheatley, Harry Amass, Jack Fletcher. More