Meet the opposition: reading
The Championship outfit will be looking to put their league form aside and go for the kill
editorial
Old boys, old rivalries, fresh legs
That 3-0 win at the City Ground has got us all buzzing again and it would be a major surprise if United don’t put Reading to the sword in this FA Cup foorth round match. For all the money that Chelsea, for example, have spent, Ten Hag seems to be taking us from strength to strength, bringing youngsters through, making one shrewd loan signing rather than several big money knee jerk transactions, although admittedly it would be nice to have the option.
But as we wait for the Glazers to sell up and ship out, the squad does remain thin and it is going to be tough to manage the gruesome schedule brought about by three cup runs and the interruption of the World Cup. In our lead article Darragh Fox discusses rotation and what it could mean for Ten Hag.
One rotation option that worked well in midweek is Victor Lindelof, who played really well alongside Lisandro Martinez against Forest, especially in the second half. Derick Kinoti looks at his role within the club and, especially with rotation in mind, it could turn out to be a really important one. There looked to be some vulnerabilities in the first half on Wednesday that took us back to seasons gone by, with Wan-Bissaka and Lindelof looking marooned on occasions, but whatever Ten Hag did and said at half time seemed to fix the issue and United are genuinely now looking to have a defence with at least two quality options in every position.
Further up the pitch, the one (so far) reinforcement this window has certainly filled the gap left by the once again injured Anthony Martial. He could already be proving to be the main man rather than the back up, as Ayantan Chowdhury discusses. Martial’s injury record is also preoccupying Red Billy in his column. Whilst playing it up to a big target man may not be the purist’s idea of attractive football, it got a result. As for the entertainment factor, that is the subject of this week’s Devils’ Advocate, with Red Billy and Red Moon arguing whether Ten Hag is shaping up to play an even more attractive style than Sir Alex Ferguson.
And whilst all this is going on, the women are going from strength to strength, topping the Super League at the halfway point. And yet fans are calling for the manager, Marc Skinner, to be sacked. What on earth is going on there? Zoe Hodges delves into the psychology of the situation.
As for Reading, as Paul Speller notes in Newton Heath, a rich FA Cup rivalry is rekindled, one that has paired us up against old boys like Jaap Stam and Steve Coppell over the years. This time is no different, with none other than Paul Ince at the helm. We welcome Incey back to the club but hope he won’t be smiling come 10pm on Saturday.
Latest united news
powered by
The top news stories about United this week, handpicked for you. Clicking on any headline will open the full story from The Peoples Person in a new window. See the dedicated transfers page for more transfer news.
Tuanzebe back in training, to boost ten Hag’s options
The importance of rotation
The Reading fixture is the perfect opportunity for Ten Hag to tinker
There was a point as 2009 drew to an end where Sir Alex Ferguson offered a holiday weekend as a prize to any journalist who could accurately predict Manchester United’s starting XI in their next game against Wigan. The confidence with which he could make such a bet lay in the fact it would be the 99th consecutive game where the great Scot had named a changed side; United would win the game 5-0 and end the season as champions. If Claudio Ranieri was nominated as Tinkerman, perhaps Sir Alex should have been nicknamed Master Tinker such was the ease and efficacy with which he rotated his title-winning squads.
It’s an approach, moreover, which has only become more relevant in the modern game as the intensity, as well as frequency, of fixtures has increased. Ferguson presciently recognised this at the time, detailing how:
‘Rotation is a part of the modern game. It’s got to be. Look at how fast the Premier League is and the intensity of the matches. The speed of the game has changed and somewhere along the line I have to make changes.’
In a season as chaotic and disrupted as 2022/23 the importance of rotation has never been stronger. The combination of the first ever winter World Cup, as well as the Queen’s passing, has produced a condensed timeframe to fit the already congested fixture list in.
The result? By next Wednesday Manchester United will have played nine matches in twenty-nine days. Arsenal, as a comparison, will have taken to the field just five times in the same time frame. The energy and intensity with which Arsenal were able to finish the recent high octane match at the Emirates does not stem exclusively from skill or coaching; it’s a numbers game in part as well.
Erik Ten Hag has certainly mirrored Ferguson’s words this season. In October the Dutchman emphasised how ‘you need more than eleven players’ in order to ‘rotate and you have to keep everyone fresh to avoid big injuries as much as you can, and to get them in the right shape…the right form.’ The frantic nature of the season creates risks from which a manager must protect their own players. Ten Hag criticised the ‘huge overload on the players [meaning] they can’t recover, so you have to manage that. So you have to protect the players as a manager to get the best out of them.’
The upcoming match against Reading at home in the FA Cup offers the perfect scenario for such protection. Reading languish 14th in the Championship, having failed to win in their last four games; the most recent being a comprehensive 4-0 loss away to Stoke. Ten Hag should be able to field a rotated team, resting key members of the squad who have looked flat footed and jaded in recent matches, without jeopardising United’s risk of progressing. The strength in the cups – United the only remaining English side to be present in four competitions – has been a welcome addition for fans this season. Reading should offer little opposition to continuing this.
With United set to face eight fixtures in twenty-six days in February the relentless nature of the fixture congestion will not diminish however. Opportunities such as Saturday night represent a crucial opportunity to help traverse these difficult circumstances, without the risk of sacrificing results. Sir Alex would certainly agree with this assessment, in fact he’d most likely wager a weekend in the Lake District on it.
Darragh Fox
Manager: Paul Ince
Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Ince returns to Old Trafford, where he played close to 300 games between 1989 and 1995. Despite a trophy-laden spell, the 'Guv'nor' later joined Liverpool via Inter Milan and that soured his legacy forever. Ince became manager of Reading in February 2022 and has overseen a mixed spell so far. They have been disappointing in recent weeks but Ince will have his team up for the occasion considering his return to his previous home where he is not as loved as before.
One to watch: Lucas João
A former Portugal international who switched allegiance to Angola, Joao was the pick of Reading's players in the last couple of seasons. His 10 goals in 24 appearances proved crucial in last season’s relegation fight while he had netted 19 from 39 in 2020/21. That prompted a lot of transfer talk ahead of this season but he ended up staying put but has not been as impressive as in previous campaigns. The 29-year-old has scored only five times in 23 appearances across all competitions and recently lost his place in the starting XI. But his quality does not seem to be in doubt.
club and fans
A multi-million pound investment back in 2019, Bearwood Park replaced the much-loved, but out-of-date Hogwood Park before the Covid-19 pandemic. Not usually open to the public, it houses the first team, the women's team and all academy sides in a series of buildings around the 120 acre site. Interestingly, The Select Car Leasing Stadium's record attendance to date was 24,134 for the Premier League fixture against Manchester United in January 2008.
top scorer: Tom Ince
Tom Ince has been thriving under his manager and dad Paul Ince and scored six times and assisted a further three in 28 appearances, the most for Reading this season. Ince ended a four-year stay at Stoke in the summer to move as a free agent to Reading, where he had been on loan in the second half of last term. And his eye for goal, attacking potential and work off the ball have been pivotal for The Royals as they chase a place in the Championship play-offs.
interesting stats
Out of the 10 times Manchester United and Reading have come face-to-face in the FA Cup, United have progressed nine times with their only defeat coming way back in 1926-27 season. Reading hold a very poor record against the Red Devils in all competitions, winning only once in 22 attempts while 14 have ended in defeats. To make matters even more difficult for the Royals, United have not lost their last 14 home ties in the FA Cup. Reading hold a poor record against Premier League opposition in the FA Cup, losing seven of their last eight encounters.
FORM AND INJURIES
Both sides have met recently in the Cup and United secured a 2-0 win. United's Marcus Rashford has been involved in five goals in his last five FA Cup appearances (2 goals, 3 assists). His only brace in the competition to date came against Reading in January 2017. The Royals enter the contest on the back of a 0-4 loss against Stoke City, not ideal preparation ahead of such a crucial game.
match preview
All the latest information about the upcoming game.
Team News and Predicted XI
Luke Shaw is a doubt for United after missing Wednesday’s clash with Nottingham Forest with a virus.
It will be interesting to see how much rotating manager Erik ten Hag does, given that the next match, the return leg of that Forest semi-final, should be a straightforward affair as the Reds bring a 3-0 lead back to Old Trafford.
Against Reading, we think either Tom Heaton or Jack Butland could be brought in for David de Gea in goal, just to ring the changes in the Cup.
Diogo Dalot has not as yet returned to training so we expect Aaron Wan-Bissaka to continue at right back, although a lot is being placed on his shoulders with games coming thick and fast. Raphael Varane might be kept a bit longer in cotton wool against the Championship side and although Harry Maguire will be eligible again after serving a suspension, Ten Hag might opt to leave the Lindelof-Lisandro partnership unchanged after their excellent outing against Forest. Whether or not Shaw is available, Tyrell Malacia could well continue at left back. His midweek display was arguably his best yet in a United shirt so he is a more than able deputy for Shaw.
In midfield, there could be some rotation among Casemiro, Christian Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes over the course of these next two matches. We have gone for Bruno being rested against Reading and perhaps the other two against Forest next Wednesday, but it could be any combination of the three each time. We have gone for a midfield combo of Casemiro-Eriksen-Fred on this occasion. Scott McTominay is another option.
The same is true for the wings, but we think Marcus Rashford and Antony will start against Reading to try to get the job done quickly and efficiently, with their rest day being pencilled in for Forest. Alejandro Garnacho, Facundo Pellistri and Anthony Elanga are other options.
If Anthony Martial remains unavailable, Wout Weghorst will probably continue at centre forward.
Ten Hag intimated that Jadon Sancho might also have some involvement over the next couple of weeks, so a cameo from the bench could take place against the Royals.
Match officials
Referee: Darren England
Assistant Referees: Ian Hussin & Nick Hopton
Fourth Official :Dean Whitestone
VAR: Lee Mason
AVAR: Adrian Holmes
from back-up to main man
Anthony Martial has let yet another United manager down with Wout Weghorst set for increased scrutiny
Even for a neutral, it was easy to spot Manchester United’s difficulties under Erik ten Hag. He was in dire need of attacking reinforcements, even more so after Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure under acrimonious circumstances.
Marcus Rashford has shouldered the bulk of the scoring responsibility but he has not been helped by his fellow forward. Anthony Martial’s goals-to-games ratio remains impressive with the Frenchman netting five times and assisting a further two in only nine starts across all competitions. But that is exactly what is wrong with the France international.
The United No 9’s impressive performances in pre-season meant the former Ajax coach stuck to him this season and believed he could bang in the goals. He has missed 18 games due to a mixture of injuries and Ten Hag can hardly count on him when required. He has started only once against the traditional big six and in that game, he did not last beyond the first-half.
Ten Hag, however, has defended the Frenchman’s injury record. “He is not constantly injured,” said Ten Hag. “He is playing games. He has to work on that and he has to be more available and he can’t do nothing for it in that sense. It is sometimes also bad luck.
“Sometimes you don’t know the cause or the reason behind, and it can be like that. But when he is there he is really important for us because we play our best football when he is available. He has to be aware of that as well. If you want to be successful, we need him, but the first thing is that he needs to be available.”
The Dutch boss’s quest for supremacy in the Premier League has been severely hampered by a lack of squad depth. In a bid to remedy the situation, United went for Wout Weghorst, who was enjoying a decent loan spell in Turkey. But the manager knew of Weghorst’s limitations and that is exactly why he was brought in as a back-up option.
But from a back-up option, the Dutch striker is slowly becoming the main man, not because of earth-shattering displays or because of impressive application in training but because once again, Martial has let yet another United manager down.
Weghorst has not done too shabbily so far. His hold-up and general link-up play has been decent against both Crystal Palace and league leaders Arsenal but a striker is ultimately paid to score goals and that was missing till the Carabao Cup semifinal first-leg clash against Nottingham Forest.
He was the first to pounce as Antony’s volley was parried away by Wayne Hennessey and smartly struck the net with an outside of the foot shot. This will give him greater confidence going into far more difficult challenges. It is likely that he will be leading the line for the 20-time English league champions for some time now.
Ayantan Chowdhury
transfer rumours
What’s hot, what’s real and what’s not
In this section we look at some of the most active transfer stories of the week about United, both comings and goings. We give each story a fire rating (how hot the story is, out of five) and a star rating (how reliable the story is, out of five).
our top transfer tip
🔥🔥🔥
Rated 2 out of 5
HARRY KANE (SPURS)
Kane is approaching the last year of his contract and United are in need of a top class striker. This week there has been more talk of Kane being willing to negotiate a new deal at Spurs, which has dampened speculation of a United move a little.
Other reports are saying Victor Osimhen could be Ten Hag’s preferred choice as his style of play is better suited, but he would go for Kane if Osimhen’s price is exhorbitant, which it probably will be.
🔥🔥
Rated 1.5 out of 5
Facundo Pellistri (to Valencia)
There were reports of a done deal on this one but these were soon quashed by local Valencia press, who claim Gattuso only wants players who are match fit. The clubs seem to be queueing up for the Uruguayan, however, so if not Valencia, then Bologna and Botafogo, among others, are options. Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano says Flamengo are no longer in the running. United are said to be set to decide between loaning Pellistri or Elanga this month by the end of the window.
Rated 2 out of 5
victor osimhen (napoli)
Osimhen is being linked with a host of clubs and with a contract that goes on to 2025, Napoli are not going to let him go cheaply. There is no buyout clause and figures of around €130-€140m are being bandied about.
United have made noises that despite him being first choice, they are not going to pay that sort of figure, but with the likes of Real Madrid now being linked, it certainly won’t be an easy one to bring home at any price.
🔥🔥
Rated 1.5 out of 5
Gonçalo Ramos (Benfica)
Benfica’s €120m take-it-or-leave-it stance made a January transfer impossible for Ramos but the price will probably be lower in the summer. This week United are reported to have scouts watching him again, although there are several players at Benfica that they could be considering. A Ten Hag-type player, he could be the second reserve behind Kane for a summer deal.
Photo of the week: over-exuberace
Getty Images
lindelof: the iceman cometh
What does the future hold for the Swede at Old Trafford?
As Manchester United strolled to a 3-0 first-leg Carabao Cup semi-final win against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday, the surprise inclusion in the side was Victor Lindelof. Lindelof was named in the starting XI by Erik ten Hag to partner Lisandro Martinez in Harry Maguire’s absence. Raphael Varane, Martinez’s usual partner in crime, was given a rest by the United boss. The Swede justified Ten Hag’s selection of him. He played a pivotal role in helping the team keep a clean sheet against an endeavouring and venturing Forest side that gave United a fair few problems to deal with. Lindelof was excellent in the execution of his defensive responsibilities. He came out on top in his duels both on the ground and aerially, in what was a masterful and measured performance from him at the heart of United’s defensive apparatus. Lindelof also chipped in offensively. His remarkable technical value and ability in possession were on show again in the way he distributed the ball to midfield and attack. On a night when United put one foot forward towards Wembley, the centre back ensured the plaudits were shared between himself and the ever-reliable and excellent Martinez.
Lindelof’s fine showing against Forest was a reminder that he is still a crucial member of Ten Hag’s first-team setup. The extremely successful and regularly effective combination of Varane and Martinez has almost rendered the Swede the forgotten man at Old Trafford. This, coupled with the constant news and rumours revolving around Maguire and his lack of game time, have served to take the spotlight off Lindelof and his significant importance to the team. Ten Hag’s repeated deployment of Luke Shaw in the centre-back position even in Lindelof’s presence has not helped his case. Alongside the fact that he barely makes headlines off the pitch in the manner that some of his more extroverted teammates do, it’s clear why Lindelof is largely become an afterthought within large sections of the fanbase.
What does the future at the Theatre of Dreams look like for the 28-year-old? At present, there is little discussion in regard to Lindelof remaining or not at United beyond the end of this season and providing a credible selection option for Ten Hag. He has barely been linked to a transfer elsewhere with the same vigour that propels rumours of Maguire’s imminent departure. He was briefly linked to Roma this month, but this was quickly quashed by the club, who made it known they would not entertain any offers. Nothing suggests a move is likely to happen during the summer and he is set to stay unless something drastic occurs.
The “Iceman,” as he’s popularly called by supporters, is still an invaluable member of the squad despite not being guaranteed of starting every match. As mentioned, he represents a quality alternative and he offers something different compared to the other defenders on United’s books. The value of a useful player who never complains but still does a job when called upon cannot be underestimated. United’s very success was built off the backs of such footballers. There are shades of Wes Brown, for example. At 28, Lindelof is also an experienced operator and boasts of United knowledge that few others on the club’s roster can. That he’s at the club and will probably remain for a few more seasons, pending the extension of his contract, is a huge net positive.
Derick Kinoti
The devil's advocate
“Erik ten Hag will play more attractive football at United than Sir Alex Ferguson”
The case for ...
There is a difference between arguing that Ten Hag will be more successful, or a better manager, than Sir Alex and arguing that his United sides will play more attractive football. I can’t imagine anyone ever matching the great man’s achievements, perhaps ever, at any club.
However, memory is a funny thing. We tend to remember highs and lows of life and when it comes to Sir Alex, it’s natural to remember those games that left us purring. The away match at Norwich, the last ditch wins at Anfield, the Champions League semi-final in Turin – the list goes on and on. 26 years, so many memories.
But it wasn’t always like that. We sat through some pretty dour, dire matches and times too. We just don’t tend to remember them, because, well, they were not memorable! Random example, United 0-1 West Ham, May 2007. United had already won the league, so it was a time to relax and celebrate with the fans. But Sir Alex benched the likes of Ryan Giggs, Cristiano Ronaldo and Paul Scholes and played a team including the likes of Kieran Richardson, Alan Smith and Darren Fletcher. United lost the game and it was a damp squib.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying Sir Alex didn’t play attractive football. What I’m saying is, it wasn’t always as attractive as we would like to remember and his intent was not always to entertain, as we like to think it was.
Ten Hag’s Ajax were incredibly attacking. Last season they scored an incredible 98 goals in 34 games in the Eredivisie. If memory serves, that is something Sir Alex never achieved with United despite there being 4 more games in the PL than in the Dutch league. Obviously, I am not speaking to the standard of the opposition but merely to attacking intent and Ten Hag’s is phenomenal.
We have already seen and heard the Dutchman berating his stars for not getting on the front foot, of not going in for the kill. We have seen him prioritise exciting stars like Garnacho and Antony and unleashing Marcus Rashford. His full backs are attacking full backs first and foremost and his centre backs have to be able to play out from the back. He has got a pass master, Christian Eriksen, playing elegantly out from deep midfield.
This is his first season, with a squad he largely inherited, in a state of flux, when a complete rebuild is required. Especially after the start-of-the-season humiliations against Brighton and Brentford, there was every reason for Ten Hag to adopt a cautious approach, but he has not done so. Erik’s got us playing the way we should. Something tells me I’m into something good.
Only time will tell whether Ten Hag succeeds in building one or more United sides capable of playing more attractive football than those led by Sir Alex. But one thing I feel confident of saying is that the intention is certainly there and the possibility is a real one.
Red Billy
The case against...
Ten Hag will not play more attractive football than Sir Alex.
Manchester United are on an encouraging path of late despite their recent loss to league leaders Arsenal. Erik ten Hag has done enough of late that fans are actually not too upset at the three dropped points.
The Dutchman’s reign so far has been superb. Not necessarily because of certain moments or trophies won or whatever else. But rather because he’s had every possible challenge thrown his way and has met each one head on, making the correct call every time. Add to it that United have had some slick moments of play and their tactics have looked in the healthiest shape of recent years, it’s pretty nice what’s cooking over at Old Trafford.
In fact, Arsenal legend Thierry Henry was impressed enough by Ten Hag that he predicted, with all due respect, that if backed by the owners, the former Ajax man will play more attractive football than Sir Alex Ferguson. Outrageous right?
Maybe it’s the Scottish legend’s fault for having such memorable traits and making such big calls that people forget just how enjoyable his teams were to watch. Let’s not forget to match how many teams he built over the years and how many different ways he tweaked his tactics to suit his players to extract the maximum from them.
And yet, his football was always still at its entertaining best.
It doesn’t mean because Ten Hag finally has our players stringing three passes together that makes it more attractive or on the way to being more attractive than Sir Alex’s.
The Red Devils legend had us playing direct, attacking football that included the perfect blend of technical skill with raw pace and power. We were capable of playing down the wings, beating our opponents one on one and whipping in crosses to our hungry strikers. And we were equally capable of passing our way down the middle, slicing stubborn defences open with incredible vision and passing.
It’s a blend of football we hardly see nowadays. Now we only have extremes in football. Either you have 80% possession or you lob the ball forward in the hopes of a miracle.
We haven’t even mentioned yet how often Sir Alex adapted to each new era and each new opponent that came up against him, without selling out on his authentic footballing principles.
Ten Hag has a long way to go to match that kind of football, let alone the results of playing that way.
Red Moon
newton heath
Classic United matches from yesteryear
7th January 2017, FA Cup 3rd Round: Manchester United 4-0 Reading
While perhaps not the most familiar of opponents to fans of Manchester United, Berkshire side Reading will travel North this weekend having already played the Reds in an incredible 16 previous FA Cup meetings. With just six Premier League match ups, the 23rd time the two sides play each other will be a battle for a place in this season’s 5th round draw.
United have only ever lost to the Royals once, and they needed two replays to achieve that, a 3rd round FA Cup tie all the way back in 1927. And the most recent meeting between them was at the same stage of the same competition, in 2017. As Jose Mourinho embarked on his first season with the Reds, they welcomed Reading to Old Trafford for a match full of goals, new records and familiar faces.
Former United and Holland star Jaap Stam was the visitors’ new manager, and with the recent addition of another former Reds defender, Tyler Blackett, Stam had the Championship side playing some attractive football. Their visit to Old Trafford, while daunting, was the ideal opportunity to claim a huge scalp and was an exciting prospect.
Cue United’s main man, Wayne Rooney, who after just seven minutes put the hosts in front after Anthony Martial had terrorised the visitors’ defence with step overs and then a nutmeg, before playing the ball into the path of Juan Mata, his flick falling just right for United’s skipper to slot it home. This wasn’t just any goal though, the England marksman equalled Bobby Charlton’s record of 249 goals in red, reaching the phenomenal milestone in a mere 543 appearances compared to Sir Bobby’s 758.
It wasn’t long before Martial was at it again, his direct play and close control was far too much for the away side to handle, and as he exchanged passes with Rooney, the Frenchman ghosted into the box and doubled United’s lead, calmly placing the ball in the far corner out of the keepers reach. With a goal and an assist, Rooney was dictating play and proved a constant goal threat, as he had done his whole career. But as the game went on, it was time for experience to give way to youth, as is the Manchester United way.
Marcus Rashford, who had set Old Trafford alight after forcing his way into the team as an 18-year-old the previous season, had already squandered two chances in the first half, wasting his shots after racing away from his marker each time. Still creating opportunities in the second half, he finally increased United’s lead on 75 and bagged himself another just 4 minutes later. A defence splitting pass by midfield maestro Michael Carrick latched onto before beating the goalkeeper easily, who then presented the ball right to Rashford to ensure the reds cruised into the next round.
United were formidable that day, and finished the match with 27 shots, 12 of which were on target, and another clean sheet for their dependable back up goalkeeper, Argentinian Sergio Romero, his 10th in just 15 appearances. More of the same on Saturday would see the Theatre of Dreams embrace cup days again, like on so many previous occasions.
United line-up: Sergio Romero, Ashley Young, Chris Smalling, Marcos Rojo (Phil Jones), Daley Blind, Michael Carrick (Timothy Fosu-Mensah), Marouane Fellaini, Juan Mata (Bastian Schweinsteiger), Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford, Wayne Rooney.
Paul Speller
RED billy
Anthony Martial is now officially United’s most injury prone player.
What is going on with Anthony Martial? We had “minor issue with his leg”, then we had “begged to play against City”, but didn’t make it past 45 minutes, then we had “it was a precaution” and now we have four more games absence.
Is he flaky? Does he have an underlying issue nobody is telling us about, or that nobody has diagnosed?
Asked about the forward at the presser ahead of the first leg of the semi final, Ten Hag said “He is not constantly injured, he is playing games … I agree, he has to be more available and he can do nothing for it in that sense, and sometimes also bad luck.
“Sometimes you don’t know what the reason behind it is but when he is there, he is really important for us because we play our best football when he is available. He has to be aware of that. If we want to be successful, we need him.”
The boss was asked quite bluntly if Martial should be making himself more available, to which he replied “I don’t want to set that conclusion. What I said, no-one is the same. I can’t see and I can’t point to a cause. If I could, I would work on that process to get it turned around.”
I don’t know about you, but I don’t find these words particularly comforting. Especially not when coming from the boss, who always seems to be on top of things. This, he doesn’t seem to be on top of at all.
We can have endless debates, as we often do in these pages, about whether Martial is good enough, or consistent enough, or has the right attitude, to be a top striker for United. But whether he is a crock is another debate altogether, and one that we maybe need to start having now. I mean, we’re in Phil Jones and Eric Bailly territory now aren’t we? This is the fourth separate injury already this season, there were 3 last season, two in 20/21 – one of which was ruptured knee ligament that lasted 126 days, four, including a 56 day thigh muscle strain the year before, four in 2018/19, and then just one each in the previous four seasons. 17 injuries in 4½ seasons is not good. Jonesy only has 5 in the same period although admittedly one of those ruled him out for 18 months. Bailly only 15 in the same time.
If we’ve written off Jones and Bailly for their inability to stay fit, sadly we must also do so at this point for Martial. If, as Ten Hag says, some of it is “bad luck”, then maybe his luck can change. There are examples out there of injury prone players who seem able to overcome it later in their career, although they are few and far between. Maybe there is still hope, especially if some of it is just him being flaky or ultra-cautious, but with every press conference when we’re told he’s unavailable, that hope seems to fade a little more.
Top 10 Videos
Some of the best United-related videos on Youtube since the last match
What's the beef with Marc Skinner?
What to do when you’re enjoying your best spell ever … sack the manager?
Psst… psst… Reds, we’re top of the league! That is, of course, Manchester United Women are top of the Barclays WSL. You might not have heard over all the shouting for manager Marc Skinner to be sacked after a shocking performance that saw us beat Reading 1-0. Yes, you read that correctly, despite being top of the league at the halfway stage, some fans are commenting saying Skinner’s contract should not be renewed or extended at the end of the season.
United’s victory against Reading was not a comfortable watch for fans, admittedly. After beating Liverpool 6-0 in their previous game, some fans predicted that we’d thrash the Royals on the road but they put up a fight. United had many chances which they just couldn’t take advantage of including a saved penalty. At the other end, Earps had a lot to do in goal, pulling off some incredible saves which secured her her 50th clean sheet in the WSL, making her the first keeper to reach this milestone in the league. Eventually, it was substitute Rachel Williams who came off the bench in the 84th minute who scored the 87th minute winner for the Reds. You could tell what it meant to team.
Williams herself received a lot of criticism when she signed, with fans saying she was too old, she was past it, they wanted younger game changers coming off the bench to score the winners. But the truth is Williams has impressed since her arrival. Her experience in front of goal and in high-pressure games means she can come on, maintain her composure and be the difference at the death of games in which opponents have frustrated our younger players.
United more than likely won’t win the league, we’re only halfway through and can we take points from the likes of Chelsea? However, we are far exceeding expectations this season and that is partly down to the dedication of our players and the decisions our manager is making. I know there are talented players in our squad who are unhappy about the lack of game time they are getting, I understand and sympathise with their frustrations but Skinner’s approach seems to be, ‘Why fix something that isn’t broke?’ His starting eleven is grinding out results, so we haven’t required heavy rotation. I expect to see new names and faces in the FA Cup starting line up and possibly some rotation in the next league game as there were some tired legs out there against Reading, perhaps, but the criticism Skinner is receiving is completely uncalled for.
I’ve never witnessed a manager who is having so much success come under such scrutiny from the fanbase. If he secures us Champions League football – our main goal this season – or if he was to win the league, I still think the fanbase would be unnecessarily harsh on him. I think many fans made their mind up about him before he even stepped into the dugout. Casey Stoney was a tough act to follow and he had a shaky start to last season as the Reds dropped points from winning positions. I think male coaches in the women’s game have more pressure on them and receive more criticism than female coaches. There has been instances of abuse within the women’s game previously and I wonder if it takes fans longer to trust males managing female athletes then females in these positions.
Skinner seems to be doing a great job to me. He is there to manage the team, not make individual players happy and bring success to the club, the latter of which he is on course for. Perhaps we could all be a bit more enthusiastic about his tenure and get behind him and the team.
Zoe Hodges
twitter chatter
Some of the best United-related posts on Twitter since the last match
Clicking on a video tweet will open it in Twitter in a new window.
play time: Quiz Crossword Puzzle Jigsaw
mystery Mancs
What’s the occasion, who’s the United star and what was the score? Click the button to reveal the right answer.
jigsaw
Drag the pieces below to solve this United jigsaw. The default jigsaw has 48 pieces but you can change this by clicking the ‘Play On Jigsawplanet’ button and selecting a different size (opens in new window, no sign in necessary).
Crossword
1. Current FA Cup holders
2. Won FA Cup 4 times between 2014 and 2020
3. Team United beat in 2016 FA Cup final first word
4. Team United beat in 2016 FA Cup final second word
5. This team beat United in 2007 FA Cup final
6. United beat this team in the 2004 final
7. This team beat United in 1995 final
8. Team United beat in 1983 final
9. Won 1981 and 82 finals, both after replays
10. Won first FA Cup in 1872
11. Team United beat to win their first FA Cup in 1909 first word
12. Team United beat to win their first FA Cup in 1909 second word
X
Congratulations individual!
HERO to ZERO
Who are we raving about this week?
Hero
Wout Weghorst
Again. What a loan deal this is proving to be. He might not be Ronaldo, but what an upgrade on … Ronaldo. Another superb performance against Forest and a well-deserved first goal for the club.
ZERO
CASEMIRO
OK this is maybe a bit harsh but having arguably been United’s standout player of the season so far, he was probably the least effective player on the team against Forest. That’s all. We still love you, Case.