The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Man United

  • Pogba praises Solskjaer for revitalising Man Utd’s attack

    Manchester United have rediscovered their attacking verve under caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, midfielder Paul Pogba has said.

    Solskjaer replaced Jose Mourinho in December and has made the most successful start by any manager in the club’s history, winning his first six games in all competitions.

    The 45-year-old has abandoned the stifling defensive approach favoured by Mourinho and tried to reinstate the free-flowing football that was the hallmark of Manchester United’s most successful sides under Alex Ferguson.

    “The way we are playing we have more possession of the ball. We know more where to attack and where to go.

    “We have more of a pattern of play and more of a structure. That makes it easier for everyone,” Pogba told Sky Sports ahead of Saturday’s English Premier League home game against Brighton and Hove Albion.

    Pogba, who was often asked to fill an unfamiliar defensive midfield role under Mourinho, has been granted greater attacking freedom by the Portuguese’s successor.

    Read Also: Pogba gets another double as Solskjaer extends perfect start

    The France midfielder has responded with four goals and four assists in his last five matches.

    Pogba also credited the form of goalkeeper David de Gea for their recent run.

    “He’s obviously one of the best, if not the best, goalkeepers in the world and when we need him he is there,” Pogba said.

    Manchester United Football Club is a professional football club based at Old Trafford in Greater Manchester, England and competes in the Premier League, the top flight of English football.

  • Man United ready to go ‘TOE-TO-TOE’ with cross city rivals

    MANCHESTER UNITED manager Jose Mourinho is ready to go toe-to-toe with “untouchable” Manchester City in this weekend’s eagerly-anticipated derby.

    Pep Guardiola’s Premier League leaders lie in wait at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday as United look to emerge from a daunting double-header with another memorable away win.

    Cristiano Ronaldo’s stunning volley was rendered meaningless on Wednesday as ’Mourinho oversaw a late 2-1 Champions League comeback win at Juventus – a side bracketed with City as among the continents best.

    Wednesday’s 6-0 defeat of Shakhtar Donetsk underlined the quality of Sunday’s opposition, but life off the field is not as rosy as City face allegations that they have tried to cheat European football’s Financial Fair Play rules.

    Asked if he felt United were operating on a fair playing field ahead of the derby, Mourinho said: “It’s difficult for me to answer because I focus on my job, I focus on the four lines.

    “I focus on football. If you want to speak about their football potential, we can speak.

    “And football potential starts with investment. After that, of course, there is a quality of the work and the quality of the organisation and I think that is untouchable. But what is behind, I cannot say.

    “But, in this moment, I have only to think about football, and to think about football is just to think about Manchester City as a football team.”

    The allegations about City’s finances have been made by German publication Der Spiegel, citing documents and private emails obtained from the whistle-blowing group Football Leaks.

    City have described the reports as the product of an organised attempt to damage the club’s reputation, based on “materials hacked or stolen”.

    Mourinho sidestepped the allegations against Sunday’s opponents and instead praised a side that he hopes to go toe-to-toe with, just as he did at Juventus and in the recent 2-2 draw at Chelsea.

    The United boss said: “We are going to try. I cannot say we are going to be successful in our motivations, in our desire, but we played two difficult matches away against two very good teams, Chelsea and Juventus, and we managed to get good results.

    “And even if the good results were not in our pockets, the performances were there, the positive attitude was there, so we are going to try. But you are right, Manchester City is a very powerful team.”

    Yet United know they can hurt Guardiola’s side, having come from behind to win 3-2 at the Etihad Stadium in April and delay their title party.

  • Match Update: Man United 2- 1 Leicester City

    • Man Utd 2-1 Leicester (8pm)
    • Pogba nets early pen (3)
    • Good Shaw finish doubles (83)
    • Vardy adds late consolation (90+3)
    • First game of new PL season

    After three long months, the English Premier League (EPL) starts today (Friday).

    To get things under way for the 2018/19 the opening day match will be at Old Trafford.

    Manchester United will take on Leicester in the first game of the new campaign and the kick off time is 8pm.

    At Old Trafford, Leicester City have lost on seven of their last eight visits in the league, scoring a total of just three goals in that period.

    LEICESTER TEAM NEWS

    Team to play Man Utd: Schmeichel, Amartey, Morgan, Maguire, Chilwell, Ndidi, Silva, R Pereira, Maddison, Gray, Iheanacho.

    Subs: Ward, Evans, Vardy, Albrighton, Iborra, Fuchs, Ghezzal.

    MAN UTD TEAM NEWS

    Team to play Leicester: De Gea, Darmian, Bailly, Lindelof, Shaw, Fred, A Pereira, Pogba, Mata, Rashford, Sanchez.

    Subs: Grant, Lukaku, Martial, Smalling, Young, Fellaini, McTominay.

    Jose Mourinho says his Manchester Unitedsquad “is the same” as last season following a frustrating transfer window for the club.

    “It is the same, the same squad as last season,” Mourinho told Sky Sports. “We changed the goalkeepers with Lee [Grant] because Joel [Pereira] Is such a good young goalkeeper that he needs to play.

    “We changed Daley Blind for a 19-year-old kid [Diego Dalot] that we believe has the potential to play right-back or left-back and we changed Michael Carrick for Fred so our squad is the same.

    “He [Fred] is a midfield player, he’s not a striker, not a central defender, he’s a midfield player that technically is very good. In that sense, typically, the Brazilian player has a very rich luggage in technical terms and also in some static beauty movements of football. He’s a player to really enjoy, if he adapts as soon as possible.”

  • UCL: Man United, Juventus, Roma, Basel qualify, Atletico eliminated

    UCL: Man United, Juventus, Roma, Basel qualify, Atletico eliminated

    Manchester United were one of four clubs to secure qualification for the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League ( UCL ) in the final round of group games on Tuesday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Romelu Lukaku and Marcus Rashford scored as United defeated CSKA Moscow 2-1 and finished top of Group A, while Swiss champions Basel won 2-0 away at Benfica to join them in going through.

    A contentious goal awarded to Vitinho gave CSKA a shock lead on half-time, but Lukaku and Rashford struck twice in two second-half minutes to send Jose Mourinho’s side into the last 16 as Group A winners.

    Italian champions Juventus qualified from Group D after a 2-0 victory against Olympiakos in Greece, and Roma are through from Group C thanks to a 1-0 win at home to Qarabag.

    Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid were eliminated from the Champions League after a 1-1 draw at Chelsea that denied the English side top spot in Group C.

    It was a depressing evening for both clubs at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday as neither got what they wanted from their final group fixture.

    Atletico had to win to have a chance of advancing, but although Saul Niguez’s second-half header put the visitors ahead, Chelsea drew level through a Stefan Savic own goal.

    In the end, Roma’s win against Qarabag in the other group match made the result irrelevant for Diego Simeone’s team, who failed to qualify for the last 16 for only the second time and the first since the 2009-10 season.

    It was a painful moment for Atletico and, after finishing as Champions League runners-up in 2014 and 2016, they are now consigned to the Europa League.

    “It’s part of football. It hurts but there are no excuses. The responsibility is ours,” Simeone said.

    “This can be a new challenge. Everything bad we can make into a positive.”
    Chelsea were already through to the knockout stages, but blew their chance to finish in first place and in theory earn an easier draw.

    Having lost and drawn against Roma, Chelsea finished second behind the Italians due to their inferior head-to-head record. (NAN)

  • EPL Results: Man City, Man U, Liverpool, Chelsea win matches

    EPL Results: Man City, Man U, Liverpool, Chelsea win matches

    Man City vs Crystal Palace 5-0

    Palace held Man City out until the 44th minute before Leroy Sane broke the deadlock and a quick fire double by Raheem Sterling deflated the visitors’ initially stubborn resistance.

    Late goals by Sergio Aguero and Fabian Delph completed a 5-0 route, making it the third time City hit five or more in three successive games.

    Southampton vs Man United 0-1

    Romelu Lukaku broke the deadlock on 20 minutes, converting the rebound after Saints goalkeeper Fraser Forster parried his header from Ashley Young’s cross.

    The result maintains United’s unbeaten start to their league campaign, although they are second in the table, behind Manchester City on goal difference.

    Their latest victory was not routine as Southampton piled on the pressure in the second half, and United’s Marouane Fellaini had to clear Oriol Romeu’s header off the line

    Leicester City vs Liverpool 2-3

    Simon Mignolet saved Jamie Vardy’s penalty to clinch a thrilling 3-2 win for Liverpool at Leicester city

    The goalkeeper capped an eventful game after conceding the spot-kick having also been in the spotlight for Shinji Okazaki’s controversial strike.

    Mignolet appeared to be held by the forward when he netted just before the break after Leicester trailed to goals from Mohamed Salah and Philippe Coutinho.

    Jordan Henderson made it 3-1 before Vardy netted but he was then denied from the spot by Mignolet.

    Stoke vs Chelsea 0-4

    Blues continued to show there is life after Diego Costa with another Premier League victory at Stoke, with Alvaro Morata scoring a hat-trick in a 4-0 win.

    Morata, the club-record signing bought to replace Costa, was on the scoresheet again early on before Pedro extended the lead on the half-hour mark.

    Both goals came from defensive mistakes by Stoke, whose manager Mark Hughes had demanded a response from his players following the disappointing midweek defeat at Bristol City in the Carabao Cup. He did not get it, with Morata rounding off the win in the final quarter-hour.

  • THE 100 MOST EXPENSIVE FOOTBALL TRANSFERS OF ALL TIME

    THE 100 MOST EXPENSIVE FOOTBALL TRANSFERS OF ALL TIME

    Romelu Lukaku has just joined Man Utd for a massive €84.8 million, so where does the Belgium forward rank among the costliest players in history?

    Romelu Lukaku has completed his transfer from Everton to Manchester United for a fee of €85 million, making him the most expensive transfer of the summer so far.

    However, the Belgium forward is still only 6th on the list of the biggest transfers in football history, which, of course, is still topped by his new team-mate Paul Pogba, who made a record-breaking €105m switch from Juventus to United last summer.

    Pos. Player Clubs Year Fee
    1 Paul Pogba Juventus – Manchester United 2016 €105m
    2 Gareth Bale Tottenham – Real Madrid 2013 €100.8m
    3 Cristiano Ronaldo Manchester United – Real Madrid 2009 €94m
    4 Gonzalo Higuain Napoli – Juventus 2016 €90m
    5 Neymar Santos – Barcelona 2013 €86.2m
    6 Romelu Lukaku Everton – Manchester United 2017 €84.8m
    7 Luis Suarez Liverpool – Barcelona 2014 €82.3m
    8 James Rodriguez Monaco – Real Madrid 2014 €80m
    9 Zinedine Zidane Juventus – Real Madrid 2001 €77.5m
    10 Kevin De Bruyne Wolfsburg – Manchester City 2015 €75m
    11 Angel Di Maria Real Madrid – Manchester United 2014 €74.6m
    12 Zlatan Ibrahimovic Inter – Barcelona 2009 €69.5m
    13 Raheem Sterling Liverpool – Manchester City 2015 €69.1m
    14 Kaka AC Milan – Real Madrid 2009 €65m
    15 Edinson Cavani Napoli- PSG 2013 €64.5m
    16 David Luiz Chelsea – PSG 2014 €62m
    17 Angel Di Maria Manchester United – PSG 2015 €61.6m
    18 Oscar Chelsea – Shanghai SIPG 2016 €60.3m
    19 Luis Figo Barcelona – Real Madrid 2000 €60m
    20 Fernando Torres Liverpool – Chelsea 2011 €59m
    21 Hulk Zenit – Shanghai SIPG 2016 €58.6m
    22 John Stones Everton – Manchester City 2016 €58m
    23 Hernan Crespo Parma – Lazio 2000 €56m
    24 Alexandre Lacazette Lyon – Arsenal 2017 €52.4m
    25 Gianluigi Buffon Parma – Juventus 2001 €52m
    26 Eliaquim Mangala Valencia – Manchester City 2014 €51.7m
    =27 Alex Teixeira Shakhtar Dontesk – Jiangsu Suning 2016 €50m
    =27 Bernardo Silva Monaco – Manchester City 2017 €50m
    29 Anthony Martial Monaco – Manchester United 2015 €49.3m
    30 Christian Vieri Lazio – Inter 1999 €49m
    31 Gaizka Mendieta Valencia – Lazio 2001 €48m
    32 Mesut Ozil Real Madrid – Arsenal 2013 €47m
    =33 Rio Ferdinand Leeds – Manchester United 2002 €46m
    =33 Ronaldo Inter – Real Madrid 2002 €46m
    =33 Juan Mata Chelsea – Manchester United 2014 €46m
    36 Christian Benteke Aston Villa – Liverpool 2015 €45.8m
    =37 James Rodriguez Porto – Monaco 2013 €45m
    =37 Joao Mario Sporting CP – Inter 2016 €45m
    =37 Granit Xhaka Borussia Monchengladbach – Arsenal 2016 €45m
    40 Leroy Sane Schalke – Manchester City 2016 €43.9m
    41 Andriy Shevchenko AC Milan – Chelsea 2006 €43.3m
    =42 Robinho Real Madrid – Manchester City 2008 €43m
    =42 Radamel Falcao Atletico Madrid – Monaco 2013 €43m
    44 Juan Sebastian Veron Lazio – Manchester United 2001 €42.6m
    45 Alexis Sanchez Barcelona – Arsenal 2014 €42.5m
    46 Rui Costa Fiorentina – AC Milan 2001 €42m
    =47 Javier Pastore Palermo – PSG 2011 €42m
    =47 Thiago Silva AC Milan – PSG 2012 €42m
    =47 Jackson Martinez Atletico Madrid – Guangzhou Evergrande 2016 €42m
    =47 Henrikh Mkhitaryan Borussia Dortmund – Manchester United 2016 €42m
    =47 Mohamed Salah Roma – Liverpool 2017 €42m
    =52 Lilian Thuram Parma – Juventus 2001 €41.5m
    =52 Corentin Tolisso Lyon – Bayern Munich 2017 €41.5m
    54 Andy Carroll Newcastle – Liverpool 2011 €41.3m
    =55 Pavel Nedved Lazio – Juventus 2001 €41.2m
    =55 Shkodran Mustafi Valencia – Arsenal 2016 €41.2m
    =55 Sadio Mane Southampton – Liverpool 2016 €41.2m
    58 Roberto Firmino Hoffenheim – Liverpool 2015 €41m
    =59 Marc Overmars Arsenal – Barcelona 2001 €41m
    =59 David Villa Valencia – Barcelona 2010 €40m
    =59 Sergio Aguero Atletico Madrid – Manchester City 2011 €40m
    =59 Radamel Falcao Porto – Atletico Madrid 2011 €40m
    =59 Hulk Porto – Zenit 2012 €40m
    =59 Axel Witsel Benfica – Zenit 2012 €40m
    =59 Javi Martinez Athletic Club – Bayern Munich 2012 €40m
    =59 Eden Hazard Lille – Chelsea 2012 €40m
    =59 Fernandinho Shakhtar Donetsk – Manchester City 2013 €40m
    =59 Ederson Benfica – Manchester City 2017 €40m
    69 David Luiz PSG – Chelsea 2016 €39.6m
    =70 Michy Batshuayi Marseille – Chelsea 2016 €39m
    =70 Antonio Rudiger Roma – Chelsea 2017 €39m
    72 Didier Drogba Marseille – Chelsea 2004 €38.5m
    =73 Michael Essien Lyon – Chelsea 2005 €38m
    =73 Fernando Torres Atletico Madrid – Liverpool 2007 €38m
    =73 Dimitar Berbatov Tottenham – Manchester United 2008 €38m
    =73 Gonzalo Higuain Real Madrid – Napoli 2013 €38m
    =73 Diego Costa Atletico Madrid – Chelsea 2014 €38m
    =73 Eric Bailly Villarreal – Manchester United 2016 €38m
    =73 Mats Hummels Borussia Dortmund – Bayern Munich 2016 €38m
    =73 Andre Silva Porto – AC Milan 2017 €38m
    =81 David Beckham Manchester United – Real Madrid 2003 €37.5m
    =81 Luke Shaw Southampton – Manchester United 2014 €37.5m
    83 Jackson Martinez Porto – Atletico Madrid 2015 €37.1m
    =84 Filippo Inzaghi Juventus – AC Milan 2001 €37m
    =84 Wayne Rooney Everton – Manchester United 2004 €37m
    =84 Edin Dzeko Wolfsburg – Manchester City 2010 €37m
    =84 Mario Gotze Borussia Dortmund – Bayern Munich 2013 €37m
    =84 Arturo Vidal Juventus – Bayern Munich 2015 €37m
    =89 Hernan Crespo Lazio – Inter 2002 €36m
    =89 Arjen Robben Chelsea – Real Madrid 2007 €36m
    =89 Ander Herrera Athletic Club – Manchester United 2014 €36m
    92 Javier Saviola River Plate – Barcelona 2001 €35.9m
    93 N’Golo Kante Leicester City 2016 €35.8m
    =94 Dani Alves Sevilla – Barcelona 2008 €35.5m
    =94 Willian Anzhi – Chelsea 2013 €35.5m
    =96 Xabi Alonso Liverpool – Real Madrid 2009 €35.4m
    =96 Romelu Lukaku Chelsea – Everton 2014 €35.4m
    =98 Nicolas Anelka Arsenal – Real Madrid 1999 €35m
    =98 Karim Benzema Lyon – Real Madrid 2009 €35m
    =98 Willian Shakhtar Donetsk – Anzhi 2013 €35m
    =98 Andre Gomes Valencia – Barcelona 2016 €35m
    =98 Moussa Sissoko Newcastle – Tottenham 2016 €35m
    =98 Renato Sanches Benfica – Bayern Munich 2016 €35m
    =98 Julian Draxler Wolfsburg – PSG 2017 €35m
    =98 Victor Lindelof Benfica – Manchester United 2017 €35m

    THE MOST EXPENSIVE BRITISH PLAYER

    Gareth Bale Perez Real Madrid

    As illustrated above, while Pogba’s return to Old Trafford saw Gareth Bale slip to second in the all-time standings, the Wales international remains the most expensive British player of all time, thanks to his €100.8m move to Real Madrid in 2013.

    The costliest English player in history, incidentally, is Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling, who joined from Liverpool in 2015 for €69.1m.

    THE MOST EXPENSIVE TEENAGER

    Anthony Martial Manchester United

    Sterling was 20 when he arrived at the Etihad but Anthony Martial was still only 19 when he became the most expensive teenager in history by joining City’s cross-town rivals United in 2015 for €49.3m.

    However, another Monaco starlet, Kylian Mbappe, would shatter that record if he were to move this summer or next, given the France forward does not turn 20 until December 2018.

    THE MOST EXPENSIVE DEFENDER

    David Luiz PSG

    City also nearly made John Stones the most expensive defender of all time when they paid Everton €58m for the centre-half’s services shortly after the arrival of Pep Guardiola as coach last summer.

    However, that particular title belongs to Brazil international David Luiz, who moved from Chelsea to PSG for €62m in 2014 only to then return to Stamford Bridge two years later for €39.4m.

    THE MOST EXPENSIVE GOALKEEPER

    Gianluigi Buffon Juventus

    City also nearly made history with Ederson, who joined from Benfica for a whopping €40m, but Juventus captain Gianluigi Buffon remains the most expensive goalkeeper ever – 16 years after he joined from Parma for €52m.

    The Italy icon looks set to hold on to that particular title for a while yet but it only seems like a matter of time before Pogba loses his crown as the most expensive player in the world.

    THE BIGGEST TRANSFER OUTSIDE OF EUROPE

    Oscar Shanghai SIPG

    Indeed, with Borussia Dortmund striker Aubameyang having been linked with a move to the Chinese Super League, we may even see a non-European club break the transfer fee world record for the first time.

    As it stands, the most a non-European club has ever paid for a player is €60.3m, which Shanghai SIPG handed over to Chelsea for Brazil midfielder Oscar last year.

  • Man United, Ajax through to Europa League final

    Man United, Ajax through to Europa League final

    Manchester United survived a nervy last few minutes to reach their first Europa League final after a 1-1 draw with Celta Vigo.

    Jose Mourinho’s team went through 2-1 on aggregate following last week’s 1-0 win in northern Spain.

    Marouane Fellaini had given United a first half lead with a header but Facundo Roncaglia gave Celta hope with a header five minutes from time.

    Roncaglia and United’s Eric Bailly were sent off on 88 minutes after a clash before John Guidetti missed an open goal with the last kick of the match that would have sent the Spaniards into the Stockholm final.

    Dutch giants Ajax secured their ticket to the Europa League final on Thursday despite losing 3-1 away to Lyon in their semi-final second leg.

    Ajax’s 4-1 win in the first leg in Amsterdam saw them through against their French rivals with the 1992 winners progressing 5-4 on aggregate.

    Kasper Dolberg scored early for Ajax but a quickfire Alexandre Lacazette double — the first from the penalty spot — just before the break reignited Lyon’s hopes of a first European final.

    Substitute Rachid Ghezzal nodded in a heavily-deflected third late on as Ajax played the final minutes with ten men after Dutch international Nick Viergever received a second booking.

  • Europa League: Rashford fires United into semi-finals

    Europa League: Rashford fires United into semi-finals

    Full Time: Man Utd 2-1 Anderlecht

    A wondrous winner from Marcus Rashford, deep into extra-time, finally saw off Anderlecht to cap a thrilling night at Old Trafford and send United into the Europa League semi-finals.

    For a short while, it looked like being a short night for United. They took the lead on 10 minutes when excellent work from Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford created a chance which Henrikh Mkhitaryan powered home; 2-1 on aggregate.

    And United looked likely to add to their advantage in the following few minutes, but Reuben Martinez made two excellent saves and Anderlecht then hauled themselves into the game; as such, it was no great surprise when Sofiane Hanni equalised, ramming home after good work from Youri Tielemans. 2-2 on aggregate.

    At the start of the second half, United were again the better side, but did not create many chances until the arrival of Marouane Fellaini, after which they did not stop creating chances. Fellaini, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Jesse Lingard, Rashford and Paul Pogba were all culpable, but so well did they play that a goal seemed inevitable.

    Yet they could not score, and as they endeavoured one last opportunity, Ibrahimovic injured his leg; immediately afterwards, the whistle went for the end of normal time, and the end of a thrashing, pumping, thrilling half of football.

    Though they would most likely have gone out with the concession of a second away goal, United tore into Anderlecht again in extra-time, crafting a further succession of chances before, in the second minute of its second period, Rashford took possession in the box, took a delicious first touch, paused, found a Cruyff turn out of nowhere, and slid home the winner which capped another fantastic individual performance. What a player he’s going to be; what a player he already is.

    So United progress, and at the end of the kind of onslaught for which they were once famed; they will fancy themselves to beat whoever comes next, and if they maintain the same level of aggression, they’ve a chance.

    TALKING POINT

    Will United be better without Ibrahimovic? For quite some time, it has been evident that Zlatan, at the same time as being the team’s only reliable scorer, slows it down and misses too many good chances for a player who does little when not scoring, at the same time as blocking Marcus Rashford from playing in his natural position. Now, he is injured, and by the look of things for the foreseeable future. Do not be surprised to see United play with greater intensity and cohesion in his absence.

     

  • Mourinho masterclass as United beat Chelsea 2-0

    Mourinho masterclass as United beat Chelsea 2-0

    Manchester United produced arguably their best performance of the season to damage Chelsea’s title charge with a 2-0 win at Old Trafford on Sunday.

    United boss Jose Mourinho made the controversial decision to bench his star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and in-form winger Henrikh Mkhitaryan before kick-off and handing the captain’s armband to bit-part player Ashley Young, putting the omissions down to fatigue following Thursday’s Europa League tie at Anderlecht.

    Although the line-up drew no shortage of raised eyebrows, it soon became apparent that Mourinho had his tactics spot on, United’s pacey formation quicker to the ball and forcing Chelsea into errors.

    United’s opener set the tone for the match, Ander Herrera gaining the rub of the green as the ball bounced off his hand before feeding Marcus Rashford, who slotted past Asmir Begovic from an acute angle.

    The excellent Ander Herrera, who man-marked Eden Hazard for much of the match, added a second shortly after half-time after his powerful shot deflected off the heel of Kurt Zouma, a late replacement for the unwell Marcos Alonso.

    Victory marked a first win over Chelsea since 2012 and a first for Jose Mourinho over his former club, the result leaving Chelsea just four points clear of chasing Tottenham Hotspur with six matches remaining. Manchester United move into fifth, four points behind neighbours City but with a game in hand.

    TALKING POINT

    Who needs Zlatan and Mikhtaryan? The starting line-up drew tweets of exasperation and frustration from United fans but this result and particularly performance means that only a fool should criticise a manager who has done this so many times before.

    MAN OF THE MATCH

    Ander Herrera (Manchester United): On any other day, Marcus Rashford would have got the nod but Herrera not only marked Eden Hazard out of the game, he also had a positive creative influence in the middle of the park and scored the second via a deflection. A superb performance.

  • Man United overtake Madrid from Deloitte Football Money League

    Man United overtake Madrid from Deloitte Football Money League

     

    Real Madrid have fallen from the top of the Deloitte Football Money League for the first time since 2005 and have slipped below Manchester United and Barcelona.
    The study – which has been running from 1996 – ranks football clubs in terms of their turnover and whilst United’s surge to the top is seen as significant, it is warned that they will fall again next year due to pound sterling’s fall against the euro.
    At £515m, the Red Devils have become the first team to break the £500m turnover barrier in a year and is just shy of £50m than that generated by Barca, who pipped Madrid into second place by less than £100,000.
    “You can’t really look past Manchester United returning to the top spot and it is because of their ability to make commercial deals that are way ahead of their peers,” the author Tim Bridge told PA Sport.
    The only other Spanish side in the top 20 are Atletico Madrid, who rank 13th.

    Deloitte Football Money League Table – 2015-16 Revenue

    1. Manchester United – £515.3m
    2. Barcelona – £463.8m
    3. Real Madrid – £463.8m
    4. Bayern Munich – £442.7m
    5. Manchester City – £392.6m
    6. Paris Saint-Germain – £389.6m
    7. Arsenal – £350.4m
    8. Chelsea – £334.6m
    9. Liverpool – £302m
    10. Juventus – £255.1m
    11. Borussia Dortmund – £212.3m
    12. Tottenham – £209.2m
    13. Atletico Madrid – £171m
    14. Schalke 04 – £167.9m
    15. Roma – £163.2m
    16. AC Milan – £160.6m
    17. Zenit St Petersburg £147m
    18. West Ham – £143.8m
    19. Inter – £134m
    20. Leicester City – £172.1m