Meet the opposition: liverpool
It has been a poor season so far for the Reds but Anfield will be bouncing come Sunday
editorial
The fight for places intensifies
Liverpool at Anfield … in the last few years we’d have been bracing ourselves for humiliation but now, we can almost taste revenge. With a bit of luck, beating the Scousers convincingly in their own back yard might just become the highlight of a season full of highlights. It’s a chance to see Ten Hag go head-to-head with Jurgen Klopp again, and what a battle of wills that could prove to be. In our lead article this week, Darragh Fox compares the two managers and is relishing the challenge of what could prove to be a new clash of the managerial titans.
But will Garnacho be starting? Wednesday was probably the first occasion where the youngster was effective from the start. Has he already progressed beyond super-sub? Ayantan Chowdhury has a look into that one.
And who will start at right back? It’s becoming quite a battle for supremacy. In this issue’s Devils’ Advocate, Red Moon argues for Wan-Bissaka and Red Billy argues for Dalot. Whose side are you on?
Another fringe player hoping to get the nod is Marcel Sabitzer. Following on from last week’s look into the loanee, Derick Kinoti says he has seen enough already and explains why he feels sure United should make the deal a permanent one.
Anthony Martial looks set to miss out yet again and Seth Dooley argues that his fitness levels are only part of the problem. Impressing in pre-season and being selected ahead of Ronaldo in the early stages of the campaign, Martial looked to clearly be one of Ten Hag’s favourites, but will he keep the faith?
No such question marks over Casemiro. What a signing he has been. David O’Neill reflects on the success of the surprise signing and how different it turned out to be from similar high-profile midfield additions that have gone before.
We hope you like this new-look, extended magazine format. There’s now a dedicated women’s section penned by our resident Barmy Army general, Zoe Hodges. Both Eckers and Billy have their say this week, there’s an extended transfers section and a new “Blast from the Past” column from our nostalgia expert Paul Speller, who starts with A for Anderson – but not the Brazilian version. Paul is also back with his regular Newton Heath column, looking at a famous 4-0 triumph in the same fixture just a few years ago.
We also welcome back a revamped tactical preview of the game and an even bigger quiz, crossword and jigsaw and a new puzzle. Photo of the week has become an entire gallery of the best United photos around. So what are you waiting for? Go and lock yourself away somewhere quiet and get in the know about everything in red!
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Erik ten hag: first in his class
United finally have a manager to take on the likes of Jurgen Klopp
There’s not a thesaurus large enough to offer the requisite superlatives to do justice to how good a job Erik ten Hag has done in his first nine months as Manchester United manager. The demoralising nadir of last season seems a distant memory, with the team rejuvenated and the atmosphere surrounding the club transformed.
Players who had appeared closer to the exit door than the pitch have found a new level of performance under the proficient stewardship of the Dutch manager, while disruptive team mates have been carefully and deliberately removed from Old Trafford. Fans, who had fallen into a pattern of frustrated booing at times last year, are louder and prouder than ever, creating a cacophony of supportive noise every time the team sets foot on the pitch.
Manchester United is reunited, a year on from being thoroughly fragmented. And there is only one man to thank. Erik ten Hag.
Speaking after the recent Carabo Cup triumph at Wembley, where the Dutch manager’s team ‘Newcastle-d’ Newcastle, Ten Hag reiterated his feelings from last summer:
‘When this opportunity came, I thought this is the right club for me, I want to be a part of it.’
It’s the right club with the right manager producing the right things on the pitch.
The success at Wembley was Ten Hag’s first opportunity at silverware and he succeeded, and United are still going strong in both the FA Cup and Europa League, yet it’s their form in the league which paints the clearest picture of progress.
Manchester United sit 3rd in the table, 11 points behind Arsenal, with a game in hand. Talk of a title challenge is premature given United’s start to the season, but the results since the World Cup have been remarkable, indicating the upward trend of performance the team is producing. United are 1st in the ‘post-World Cup table’ with a game in hand, level on points with Arsenal and City, but ahead on goal difference. It’s a statistic which validates title discussion and one that is wholly impressive given United continue to challenge (and succeed) on four fronts simultaneously. This success is certainly a jolt to the system for many United fans.
In the post-Ferguson malaise Manchester United fans endured a very different experience to this season. Old Trafford welcomed many new faces through its doors under the watch of Ed Woodward, both on the pitch and off. A wide selection of players were expensively recruited, often without much analysis beyond a flashy name, and a disparate group of managers tasked with leading them. The results were predictably poor.
Moyes possessed neither the skill of a top level manager nor the confidence to succeed at a footballing behemoth like United. Van Gaal possessed both but was out-of-touch with modern players and could not cultivate team spirit to sustain initial early promise. Mourinho came next, bringing a selection of qualities which made him suitable to the size of the chair, but also attributes that are entirely antithetical with Manchester United. Mourinho did not fundamentally understand the club, nor did he care enough to try. Chaos finally ensued in his typical third season implosion.
It’s little surprise he was replaced with Ole Gunnar Solskjær – a man who embodies the club and the defining part of perhaps the most iconic moment in the club’s history. Solskjær understood the club, he knew how to foster a positive team spirit, and how to unify the players and fans. Yet, principally, he lacked the coaching credentials of a title-challenging coach. United’s football under Solskjær was at times effective, but ultimately reductive. It was a path to nowhere.
These differing experiences, under very contrasting managers, is what has made the transformation in tactics, results, and mood at the club this year so staggering to fans. Manchester United finally have a manager who matches up to their rivals. A manager who is the envy of the footballing world. A manager who is attempting to implement an attacking and proactive style of football, while incorporating academy players in his squad; prerequisites for a man at the helm of Old Trafford. Erik Ten Hag fundamentally understands Manchester United.
It’s a luxury which Liverpool fans have been privy to in recent years – a top quality manager who appreciates the club (and city) on an emotional level. Liverpool endured a much longer wilderness than Manchester United in their recent history, unable to win a Premier League title since the competition’s inception until 2019. One man changed that.
Jürgen Klopp, a disciple of gegenpressen and heavy metal football, has successfully put Liverpool back on their perch during his tenure at the club. Liverpool have won the Premier League, the Champions League, the FA Cup, the Carabo Cup, the UEFA Super Cub and the Fifa Club World Cup in seven years under Klopp. They also went unbeaten at Anfield for 1369 days, a remarkable run stretching from April 2017 to January 2021. If it weren’t for having to compete with a Petrostate, who have provided an illegitimately sourced collection of world-class players to a world-class manager, Liverpool would have won even more titles.
Yet Klopp has shown an equally impressive side off the pitch. Liverpool have transformed their squad under Klopp, making impressive signing after impressive signing (Darwin Núñez aside), with a clear philosophy and profile in mind. But even more than that, Klopp has demonstrated a capacity to say the right thing at the right time; to connect on a personal level with fans.
The German manager spoke eloquently and precisely when defending his players from critiques by journalists about the Qatar World Cup, effectively reversing the attention back on to those asking the difficult questions. And he was absolutely right do so.
Similarly, Klopp was the first manager to speak out against the abomination of the proposed ‘Super League’, offering fans across England comfort that a prominent figure in football mirrored their thoughts. Even a mere year into his role as Liverpool manager, Klopp chastised a reporter from The Sun, asserting he would no longer speak to them given the paper’s history with the city of Liverpool. Klopp understands his club and the city it comes from.
Manchester United finally have a manager at the helm who is a match for his Merseyside colleague, as well as Pep Guardiola across the city, who presides over a vacuous club not worth analysing. Over the past decade United have had the money to challenge Liverpool and Manchester City. They have had players who were good enough to start for either rival. What they have lacked is the manager to successfully bring these qualities together in a manner commensurate with modern football and the requirements of the club. Erik ten Hag represents the latest graduate from the school of elite coaches and, having put Klopp to the sword already this season, it appears he may be first in his class.
Darragh Fox
Manager: jurgen klopp
Jurgen Klopp holds a special place in the hearts of all Liverpool supporters having guided them to multiple trophies during his seven years at the club. And while he still has a lot of credit in the bank, it is hard to argue that he has failed to hit the heights expected of him and his team this season. Interestingly, at both his previous clubs (Mainz and Borussia Dortmund), Klopp struggled in his seventh season and inevitably left, and he is currently in his seventh year in Merseyside. He has not been helped by the fact that his first-choice midfielders -- Thiago, Jordan Henderson and Fabinho have failed to maintain the level of intensity that Klopp asks for while Virgil Van Dijk has not been great. But the team have been on a decent run in the last month and Klopp will be hoping to get more from his team starting this Sunday.
top scorer: mo salah
Mohamed Salah has scored 20 goals for a sixth straight season for Liverpool but he still has not hit the heights expected of him. Salah 176 goals (in 290 games) has the chance to enter the top five goalscorers in Liverpool's history this season if he can cross Robbie Fowler (183) and Steven Gerrard (186). Many Reds have questioned the Egyptian's form this season after he signed a bumper contract last July – the biggest Liverpool have ever awarded to a player. The stats also suggest the same with Salah scoring nine Premier League goals so far, compared to 19 on the same date 12 months ago. But he seems to be finding form at the right time with three goals in the five games and the electricity is there in his running once more.
club and fans
Just like the Glazers with United, Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group were said to be open to selling Liverpool. But the latest reports are suggesting that it is FSG’s current preference to align themselves with a ‘strategic partner’, potentially a media and entertainment company that could provide capital as well as expertise in how to scale the business moving forward, potentially with one eye on accreting a minority stake into a majority over time. Liverpool fans will not have been pleased to learn that Reds’ principal owner John Henry has revealed that FSG were not looking to sell the club and a minority partner was their preferred course of action, with Henry stating FSG were talking to investors.
New boys: nunez & gakpo
Both new attacking additions have not exactly set the stage alight since their arrival at Merseyside and have had to bear the brunt of jokes from opposition fans. Liverpool paid €75m upfront for Darwin Nunez and the Uruguayan was expected to come in and score goals with regularity but he has managed a paltry 12 goals in 30 games with only six coming in the Premier League. But Klopp has defended his displays and has said he will come good eventually with Liverpool fans loving his commitment to the cause. United fans will be aware of Cody Gakpo, who was incessantly linked with a move to United and it seemed very close at one point but Liverpool swooped in at the last moment. His Eredivisie record suggested he would hit the ground running but the Dutch forward has so far managed only two goals in 11 games, much to the delight of opposition fans.
interesting stats
Despite an indifferent season so far, when it comes to their record at Anfield, Liverpool certainly hold the edge. The Reds are unbeaten in their last six games against United at home and the last time they tasted defeat was back in 2016. This is their longest run without a loss since the 1970s where they went nine games unbeaten against United. It will be an uphill task for the Red Devils as records will show with United scoring only once in their last seven away games against Liverpool. The away side have not scored in the last three encounters at Anfield. United had failed to score in four games at Anfield from 1988 to 1992. This will be the 32nd time both sides meet on a Sunday, the joint-most played fixture on that day, and Liverpool are unbeaten in the last seven such encounters. The most recent encounter saw Klopp's team thrash United 5-0 last season at Old Trafford. United are currently on a good run of form having lost only once in their previous 11 Premier League games and will be hoping to do the double on Sunday.
FORM AND INJURIES
Both teams seem to have swapped roles during 2022-23 season, with United in contention for the league title while Liverpool are struggling to qualify for next season's Champions League. Injury-wise, Klopp will not have the luxury of calling upon Joe Gomez and Thiago Alcantara, who are both expected to miss the contest along with long-term absentee Luis Diaz. In some good news, Klopp's side are finally building some momentum as they head into this crucial encounter having recorded four successive clean sheets in the top flight, a record extended by a 2-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier this week. More importantly, the Reds have recorded five wins from the last ten games - a run that has got them back into the mix for a top four finish. Liverpool are currently sixth, six points behind fourth-placed Tottenham with a game in hand.
match preview
All the latest information about the upcoming game.
Team News and Predicted XI
Erik ten Hag is sweating on the fitness of a few key players ahead of Sunday’s highly-awaited Premier League clash.
Luke Shaw missed Wednesday’s FA Cup tie with West Ham, although the manager was very optimistic he would be available again on Sunday when speaking at the pre-match press conference. If Shaw doesn’t play, Tyrell Malacia is likely to continue at left back. Another doubt is Jadon Sancho, who also missed Wednesday’s game with illness. Ten Hag also sounded positive about him at the presser, saying “Sancho was ill, we have to see if that develops, but we think [he will be fit] as well.” (see links below for full press conference).
Anthony Martial is back in training but there is every indication that he will still not be made available for the game. The manager said on Wednesday “I don’t have an expectation about [his return]; let him do his work .. Several times now, he comes back, and he drops back too quickly. When he is available, then we have an extra option, and a good option, so give him time.”
With David de Gea in goal and Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez likely to be restored in the centre back positions after being rested in the week, another key decision facing the boss is who to play at right back. Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Diogo Dalot are probably neck-and-neck in the pecking order right now, with Dalot tending to be favoured for more attacking encounters and Wan-Bissaka for more defensive ones. Given that this is an away tie against tough opposition, we expect Wan-Bissaka to get the nod on that basis.
In central midfield, Casemiro is an automatic starter and will almost certainly be joined by Fred, who is enjoying a purple patch of form. Scott McTominay disappointed against the Hammers and was subbed at half time. Marcel Sabitzer is challenging Fred for his spot but probably has not done quite enough as yet to convince the manager.
Up front, the nailed-on starters are Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes. This leaves Wout Weghorst, Antony, Alejandro Garnacho and Sancho, if available, fighting for the other two places. Garnacho was man of the match on Wednesday but on balance, it seems more likely that Ten Hag will start the game with a more aggressive lineup, introducing the Argentinian and/or Sancho from the bench if needed in the second half. We therefore believe Weghorst and Antony will start the game.
Match officials
Referee: Andy Madley.
Assistants: Adam Nunn, Harry Lennard.
Fourth official: Chris Kavanagh.
VAR: David Coote.
Assistant VAR: Timothy Wood.
tactical preview
Liverpool have had a right-sided bias for years, but since the departure of Sadio Mane, that bias has been exacerbated.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has, in the past, been a player Jurgen Klopp could afford to give attacking freedom to, such has been his output. But lately the trade-off has been far from worthwhile for Liverpool and the fullback’s forays forward have become an obvious weakness.
United will expect to have less possession at Anfield, but allowing Liverpool to bring their fullbacks high up the pitch is exactly what will give the Red Devils the advantage. Using them as pressing triggers once they reach the final third will make for an easy ball into the path of United’s wingers, with Rashford in particular having the pace to reap the rewards.
As was seen in the Old Trafford fixture, Alexander-Arnold’s relationship with the right-sided centre back is particularly vulnerable, and that is a channel that is primed for Rashford to exploit, even in settled possession. The forward has improved in many aspects this season, including his close control. It is this skill that will help United take advantage of this weakness regularly.
Had Liverpool been able to field Ibrahima Konate, that channel may well have been easier for them to defend, but Joe Gomez and Joel Matip lack the Frenchman’s proactive instincts, meaning there ought to be space aplenty for Rashford to attack. In any case, neither player is a good enough one-vs-one defender to be confident of stopping the in-form attacker every time he runs at them.
Liverpool’s overly zealous fullbacks are not their only weakness. It is common knowledge that Jurgen Klopp’s heavy metal midfield has started to slow down this season and this is a vulnerability that Man United are very well set up to exploit. When facing tight midfield trios, Ten Hag often responds by having his own midfielders fan out. Thanks to the (somewhat unexpectedly) excellent passing range of Casemiro, United are able to bypass opposition midfields aiming to deny the middle of the park. It is not just Casemiro who can do this – Lisandro Martinez is capable of finding these angled line-breaking passes as well.
What is key is the positioning of unexpected players in the half spaces. Taking out an entire midfield with one swift, vertical pass has become a hallmark of this United side.
And with Liverpool’s own midfield lacking the dynamism it once had, they will struggle to recover. Should United make frequent use of these direct passes behind the midfield, the attackers need only maintain a good tempo to create dangerous attacking opportunities.
While it is made up of individually good players, Liverpool’s defence is an incredibly passive one. A good tempo in the final third will hurt Jurgen Klopp’s men and help Manchester United create chances. Anfield is never easy, but there is every reason to think that the points are there to be won.
David O’Neill
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 3 out of 5
victor osimhen (napoli)
Another great strike against Empoli last weekend means Osimhen has now notched 25 goal involvements in 25 games (21 goals, 4 assists). Osimhen is hotter than a jalapeno with a blowtorch and is arguably the most wanted player in football.
With PSG now interested, the price tag, which could be reaching the €150 million mark now, is probably an advantage to United as not many clubs will be able to match it. But will United have that kind of budget themselves? That could all depend on who are the owners come the summer.
🔥🔥
Rated 2 out of 5
Harry Kane (Spurs)
It’s almost certainly true that Kane is not sure to sign a new contract with Spurs and will see this as the last chance to join a club where he can win trophies.
Daniel Levy is a notoriously tough negotiator and will not want to lose him on a free in 2024, so he will try to get top dollar for him this summer.
United’s improvements under Ten Hag might be enough to persuade Kane to roll the dice but Levy would almost certainly prefer to see him go abroad, with Bayern Munich reportedly keen.
🔥🔥🔥🔥
Rated 2 out of 5
Mason Mount (Chelsea)
This rumour was started by ESPN and felt initially like it was agent manoeuvering to get a good deal for Mount at Chelsea. But when David Ornstein confirmed it, we started taking it more seriously.
As a home grown player, 100% of the profit on the sale of Mount could be used toward balancing the FFP books, making it a viable option as his contract starts to run down.
Fabrizio Romano says Liverpool are leading the race for Mount, but United should not be ruled out.
🔥🔥
Rated 1 out of 5
David Raya (Brentford)
Raya has been talking about his future and admits he could be heading for a new challenge. Thomas Frank is reportedly resigned to losing him.
But would United replace one Spanish Dave with another? De Gea’s contract talks are ongoing and there has been regular scouting of Porto keeper Diogo Costa. So we wouldn’t put money on Raya joining at this stage.
Rated 1.5 out of 5
Declan Rice (West Ham)
The theme at the moment is that a few top players will almost certainly be on the move in the summer, but the question is, will it be to United? Rice is no exception, with the Hammers now ready to cash in.
Various reports say that Rice’s preference is to stay in London, with Chelsea and Arsenal the obvious options. But the news this week is that Ten Hag would sanction a move if the player can be persuaded to head up the M1.
🔥🔥🔥
Rated 2 out of 5
Scott McTominay (to West Ham)
It’s going to be tough for McTominay to reclaim a starting place under Ten Hag and the idea of being a regular starter for the Hammers as Rice’s direct replacement could appeal.
The price tag is said to be £25m but if United do win the Rice race, a player plus cash deal could even be an option.
The Hammers will have to avoid relegation first if they are to have any chance of signing the Scotland international.
Rated 2 out of 5
Marcus Thuram (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
The Bundesliga side have confirmed that Thuram will definitely be leaving on a free at the end of the season, so there will be a lot of competition should United prioritise him.
Favourites in the early running has been Inter, which is fuelling speculation that they could be preparing to cash in on Lautaro Martinez. Whether United would go for the Argentinian is unclear.
Mundo Deportivo this week claimed that Thuram has been offered to Barcelona as well, which should put the cat among the pigeons.
🔥🔥🔥
Rated 2 out of 5
jeremie frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen)
Despite having successfully worked his way into Ten Hag’s trust, Wan-Bissaka is said to remain unsettled and rumours persist about United flirting with the idea of signing the likes of Jeremie Frimpong.
They will face tough competition from Newcastle plus a hefty price tag, said to be around €50 million.
With attacking stats better than the likes of Trent Alexander Arnold and being a considerable upgrade defensively, it’s easy to see why Frimpong is an attractive option.
Photo gallery
A selection of the best United photos since the last issue
All photos from Getty Images
VIVA garnacho!
After game-changing substitute appearances, the young Argentine is showing signs of becoming a regular starter
Manchester United were just crowned Carabao Cup champions and the players and staff hardly celebrated as they touched down in Manchester last Sunday before returning to training the following day. As Luke Shaw confirmed, there are no off days if the goal is to keep winning and with a FA Cup tie against West Ham United in a couple of days time, preparations needed to be made. But manager Erik ten Hag, whose magical abilities have been lauded by one and all, realised the need to rotate to keep players fresh as hot on the heels of the cup tie was a blockbuster Premier League game against fierce rivals Liverpool.
Changes in central defence and midfield had to be made while their most potent attacking option in Marcus Rashford was left on the bench, with the Dutch manager giving certain squad players a chance to prove their worth. He entrusted young Alejandro Garnacho to make the difference on the night, despite his tender age. The manager said before the game, “It’s getting time you had an impact when you come on, but now you need to have impact as a starter.” With the Hammers playing a full-strength team, it was not easy as Ben Johnson shepherded the Argentine masterfully whenever Garnacho tried to trick him.
Despite being 18, it was amazing to see the FA Youth Cup hero not get frazzled on the night despite a few failures and he diligently did the defensive work his manager asked of him. This trait was commonly seen under the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson, who made sure even the biggest superstar had to track back and do his share of defensive duties, just ask a young Cristiano Ronaldo. Garnacho’s impact as a substitute has been there for all to see, but adding desire and work-rate will please the manager even more.
Garnacho was dangerous throughout the game and despite not getting the better of Johnson on a couple of occasions, it did not deter him one bit as he kept running at him. That is why the manager had namechecked his young protégé recently when he had said his side contain fearless players. And that is exactly what the United academy graduate has shown throughout his stint as a first-team player. It was great to see the manager keeping him on and replacing Antony with United needing a goal, showing how the manager trusted the young superstar to make the difference. And what a difference he made just as the clock was ticking towards extra time.
Wout Weghorst’s attempted half-volley was blocked by a West Ham defender and the looping ball found its way to Garnacho on the left side. Johnson, as for the entire duration of the game, was pretty close to the former Atletico Madrid youngster. With a delicious first touch that ensured the ball dropped dead right in front and a swing of his right foot, the hearts of the Hammers fans broke as Garnacho curled home much to the delight of his manager and the fans.
“I see today another step. That (fearlessness) is one of his skills. But definitely it is a great skill when you are fearless, when you are brave. He is one of the players that I think has a skill that is so specific. There are not so many players in world football who can take players on, who are capable of just going at players and out dribble them. But he has more skill than only that, for example, finishing. I see he also has a big engine. He is fast and has speed, but he can keep running for 90 minutes or 120 minutes,” a pleased Ten Hag said after the game.
Garnacho has firmly established himself as Ten Hag’s go-to weapon in games where United need a goal and he often finds himself coming on as a substitute and has invariably made a difference as seen in big games against Manchester City, where he grabbed the assist for the winner and against Fulham where he scored a last-gasp winner. The youngster had revealed to the club’s media team about how he spends time studying his opponent before the game as well as during the match. “You have to be ready to go on and give everything, At home I always study the full-backs and during the game itself; during the time I’m sitting on the bench. So I can then go on and know where and how I need to be looking to go past them.” Remarkable clarity for an 18-year-old.
But one criticism that he has had to face is in games where he has been given a starting berth. The Argentina U-20 international has been guilty of spurning gilt-edged chances when starting games. He has failed to score from presentable opportunities against Leeds United, Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers and in most of those games, he was hooked at half-time with a section of the fan-base even going on to criticise him despite his age. The West Ham performance will give the manager food for thought going forward and his celebration, which included a sign to ask his critics to shut up, was the perfect riposte.
Stats show that the tricky winger now has four goals and five assists this season, all coming in clutch situations and therefore being match-winning contributions. Garnacho is a big fan of Ronaldo and was seen copying his celebration after his winner against Real Sociedad while often referring to him in his social media posts as ‘The GOAT’. While it is certainly too early for comparisons, Garnacho, in his first full season so far, has scored one goal less than his idol did back when he started out as a United player and that too in 11 fewer games.
Fans have paid Garnacho the ultimate compliment by replacing the lyrics of the iconic Ronaldo song to include his name and it is often sung during games when the youngster is in full flow. Now it is up to him to keep these performances up under a manager who trusts him and in front of an adoring fan-base as the Red Devils march on towards further glory.
Ayantan Chowdhury
The devil's advocate
“Aaron Wan-Bissaka is a better right-back than Diogo Dalot”
The case for ...
Manchester United’s right-back spot is probably the most interesting position in the team given the two vastly different players that mainly play there – Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Diogo Dalot. Besides the differences of their background (one being English and coming through Crystal Palace and the other being Portuguese and coming through Porto) their attributes are different too.
Even the circumstances they were signed in makes for interesting reading: Dalot was signed by Jose Mourinho who believed the defender would be the best full-back of his generation over time. Wan-Bissaka was signed by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for quite a fee, largely because of his incredible defending and the need to shore up a leaky defence, with Dalot not being strong enough in that regard.
Yet, here we are. Both players have been at United for several years and the debate for who should be starting for the club is still relatively up in the air.
Wan-Bissaka looked like he was going to be sold but has fought back tremendously to win the fans and perhaps his manager over again (although transfer rumours remain). Dalot looked like he was going to be moved on at one point in the past too. Nonetheless, if we focus on their attributes, it’s clear the former Palace man is superior. The argument most people use about Dalot being better is his apparent ability to attack. However, this is a myth. Anyone who’s honest with themselves will see Dalot’s end product is not as great as has been claimed. His crosses are constantly overshot, he rarely delivers a good ball into the area. While his defending has improved, it’s still not perfect, nor as good as Wan-Bissaka’s.
Even Erik ten Hag has recognised this and often brought on or selected the Englishman when solid defending is the priority. The claim Wan-Bissaka can’t attack is a myth too. He just does it in a different way, his strengths lie elsewhere.
Rather than dribble past ten men with amazing technical quality, he’s better at beating his man with raw power and pace (which he’s shown on occasion of late). His crossing is no worse nor better than Dalot’s. And his passing in the final third is solid if given the correct support.
Dalot has often benefitted from playing with a natural winger on the right wing in Antony. Whereas Wan-Bissaka is often tasked with holding down the entire right-flank on his own and then blamed when it doesn’t go his way.
Wan-Bissaka in the attacking third reminds me of Antonio Valencia, who used to rely on his physical attributes to get past his man before delivering. There’s nothing wrong with this way of attacking, it’s just a different way to the mainstream way at the minute.
If he’s given the right support and his attacking role is simplified, Wan-Bissaka can be a phenomenal full-back. And there’s no doubt Ten Hag can lead him there. But in the interest of the debate, let me end on this simple question – if it’s crunch time, who do you want as your defender, Wan-Bissaka or Dalot? For me it’s obvious who I’d choose.
Red Moon
The case against...
If the old adage is true that “you’re only as good as your last performance”, then there is an argument for Wan-Bissaka being better than Dalot, who wasn’t at his best against West Ham in the week. But apart from that, there is really little you can say in favour of the Englishman. The Portuguese is simply a much better player. Dalot is a more talented footballer with a better passing range, technically way above Wan-Bissaka.
Everyone – including Ten Hag it seems – seems to agree that Dalot is the better attacking full-back whereas AWB is better defensively. Red Moon argues that Dalot isn’t vastly superior in attack, well, I’d argue AWB isn’t vastly superior in defence. In fact, I’m not sure he’s better at all.
Granted, the Spider is an amazing tackler, one of the best I’ve ever seen, but I’d argue he’s often having to throw himself into tackles because he’s hopeless at positioning himself and reading the game. His mentality is a throwback to Solskjaer’s United, where we were constantly calling upon defenders to perform last-ditch heroics to save certain goals. Dalot is a Ten Hag type player, who works well as part of a unit that snuffs out opposition attacks before they’ve even started, a defence that stays on the front foot, is good at distributing and, above all, that is organised.
Funnily enough, Sofascore.com’s stats put Dalot slightly ahead in some defensive metrics (1.4 average interceptions per game vs. 1.3, 2.1 tackles vs 1.9). And in a big attacking stat, key passes, Dalot scores almost double in Premier League games this season, with 1.4 average per game compared to AWB’s 0.7. Stats only show so much, of course, but sometimes perception is flawed and we all see what we want to see.
Consistency is another big area where Dalot is hands-down better. We were all pretty much agreed that AWB should go, such were his dire performances last season. Now, after a few good games, he’s the best thing since sliced bread. But I don’t trust him to keep up his good form and it’s interesting that the two are neck and neck, and generating debates like this, when Dalot is arguably not at his best, and AWB is in the form of his life. If the form was reversed, I don’t think there’d be any question as to who is the better right back. You can also throw into the mix that Dalot is still only 23, two years younger than AWB, so there is arguably more to come from him.
But the biggest advantage of all that Dalot has is probably mentality. There is a lot of talk about Ten Hag’s “mentality monsters” and Dalot is right up there. You see him all the time, yelling at his teammates, chest bumping and high-fiving them, he’s a big character, perhaps even a future captain. That kind of character is worth its weight in gold.
Red Billy
newton heath
Classic United matches from yesteryear
15th April 2003: Manchester United 4 Liverpool 0
Manchester United were still reeling from their disappointing third place finish in the Premier League the previous season, ending the 2001/02 campaign behind not only champions Arsenal, but also their biggest rivals, Liverpool.
This season however, United were showing their teeth like the wounded animal they were, brushing aside almost all before them. United have only managed 4 goals or more against Liverpool in 10 of the previous 210 meetings between the two heavy weights. And with the last time being in 1969, this encounter is still to date, the only such occasion in the Premier League era that the Red Devils have done so. Sir Alex Ferguson, hunting down his eighth title in eleven years, was still showing a huge amount of faith in the English spine of his team, with the class of 92 still together and hungry for success, the addition of some European flair and experience pushed the Reds towards the title.
Liverpool were in need of a win to ensure qualification for the Champions League, and arrived in Manchester under Frenchman Gerard Houllier to find a rampant United side who were about to close an eight point lead on champions Arsenal, and had retaining their crown well within their sights. With Old Trafford rocking, the 5th minute red card given by referee Mike Riley to Liverpool captain Sami Hyypia for a tug on Ruud van Nistelrooy, and the subsequent penalty awarded, sent the Stretford End into raptures. As the Dutch goal-machine dusted himself off and dispatched the spot kick with power and precision, the fans knew what was ahead.
The visitors defended doggedly, and saw out wave after wave of United attack, with the home side spraying passes around all over the pitch. And it wasn’t until the second half that Van Nistelrooy settled things, with his, and United’s, second penalty of the contest. Smashing the ball into the net in the same place and with the same force as the first, the tie was United’s and Ferguson made his three changes, including David Beckham, in what would be one of his last appearances in front of the Old Trafford crowd that loved him so dearly.
Unsurprisingly it was a trademark Beckham right foot cross that Ryan Giggs slid home to make it 3-0 on 79 minutes, the Welsh wing wizard finally ending his goal drought at the Theatre of Dreams, scoring his first home goal in 2 years. With Ole Gunnar Solskjær getting in on the act, firing a last minute near post shot into the back of the net after some dazzling footwork, the Reds had seen off their bitter rivals and recorded a rare 4-0 win in doing so.
Going on to win the Premier League once more, with Van Nistelrooy deadly in attack, scoring 13 goals in the final 8 matches including two hat-tricks, United stole the title back from the second-placed Gunners and ended the season an astonishing 19 points ahead of the Anfield side they played hosts to in this huge win, United were once again a force to be reckoned with.
United line-up: Fabian Barthez, Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand, Wes Brown, Mikael Silvestre (John O’Shea), Phil Neville (David Beckham), Roy Keane, Paul Scholes (Nicky Butt), Ryan Giggs, Ole Gunnar Solskjær, Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Paul Speller
third time Casemiro
Manchester United have finally got it right with Casemiro after expensive midfield failures
There have been three times that Manchester United have signed a player with a claim to the title ‘best midfielder in the world.’
Juan Sebastian Veron traded Lazio for Old Trafford in 2001 and became the most expensive transfer in English football when the club paid £28.1m to procure his services. ‘The Little Witch’ was a sublime passer of the ball, a creative extraordinaire who had been the driving force behind an unlikely Scudetto and Coppa Italia double. In Italy, his only equal was perhaps the legendary Zinedine Zidane, a comparison that shows just how highly regarded the Argentine was. But in England, he failed to live up to the incredible pressure his fee brought with it and, despite some sublime performances in Europe, he could not become the player that Sir Alex Ferguson thought he could be for Manchester United.
Despite an expletive tirade in defence of Veron, The Gaffer soon was happy to let the midfielder sign for Chelsea for £15m, almost half of what United had paid for him. Veron was regarded as such an expensive flop that it is generally thought that he altered Ferguson’s entire transfer policy going forward – he certainly seemed to exercise far more caution with pricey players, particularly midfielders.
It wasn’t until the tenure of Jose Mourinho that United next went for a ‘world class’ player to add to their engine room. Paul Pogba had already left Old Trafford on a free transfer, joining Juventus, and subsequently thriving in Italy. He won the Serie A title in each of his four seasons with The Old Lady, played in the Champions League final, and was named in the 2015 Team of the Year for his excellent performances.
When he joined for £89m in 2016, there was a genuine belief amongst many Man United fans that their club had just signed the best midfielder in the world. And over the course of his six years at the club, there was the odd five-game stretch where he looked like he might become something like that, but the reality was that he, like Veron years before, never came anywhere near living up to the hype. Constant flirtations with other clubs, careless showboating, and the consistency of an English spring all combined to make him a divisive figure among the fanbase. Meanwhile his performances on the pitch were a poor trade-off for the problems he brought with him. He also ended up picking swathes of injuries for which he’d refuse the club’s medical department in favour trips to Dubai. Pogba’s final campaign saw him spend most of last season away from Manchester. In the end, his acrimonious departure saw him leave on a free transfer for a second time with few United fans caring very much at all.
Three months later and Casemiro signed for Manchester United.
£70m in transfer fees, over £300,000-a-week in wages, and a 5-year contract for a player who was 30 years of age. There were plenty of raised eyebrows last August. But Casemiro has shown already that, finally, United have got it right with a world class midfielder. He has taken Old Trafford by storm, becoming a midfield general the likes of which hasn’t been seen in these parts since Roy Keane’s heyday. Writing for The Athletic, Michael Cox described him as a ‘one-man firefighter,’ in the Man United team, with his inspired performance in the Carabao Cup final helping to end the Red Devils’ six-year wait for a trophy.
Casemiro spent much of this season anchoring for the adventurous pairing of Bruno Fernandes and Christian Eriksen – two players with very little defensive acumen – while covering for fullbacks tasked with getting high up the pitch, and shielding a defensive pairing that would otherwise be overwhelmed. And somehow, he still finds the time to chip in at the other end of the pitch, scoring five goals and providing as many assists. Ten goal contributions is more than £85m striker Darwin Nunez has mustered in the Premier League.
It may only have been six months since Casemiro was joined the club, but the early signs point to him being an unmitigated success. Three times Manchester United have signed a player with a claim to the title ‘best midfielder in the world.’ Third time lucky it is.
David O’Neill
eckers
How does that make you feel?
For anyone wondering where the current tsunami of positivity has come from, there were plenty of clues on display during the Carabao Cup Final. The Reds were ruthless in victory and ensured that the biggest week in Erik ten Hag’s reign so far will go down as one to remember. Newcastle played pretty well in defeat but, on this occasion, the irresistible force had too much cherubic Brazilian for the immovable object to handle.
The game itself, while maybe lacking in quality, was liberally peppered with moments of astute management from the Reds’ boss. The starting eleven did what was needed to establish a decent lead and the Dutchman’s subs made sure that the Magpies stayed at arm’s length. Aaron Wan-Bissaka – on for the booked Diogo Dalot – shackled the dangerous Saint-Maximin superbly, while Sabitzer and McTominay – on for Fred and Weghorst – instantly exerted control to turn the midfield tide. The manager once again getting the big calls right, his interventions proving decisive.
However the clearest indicators of how Ten Hag has managed to right the course of the United juggernaut were to be seen during the celebrations. Immediately obvious was how much the victory meant to every single player. Even serial winners like Casemiro, Martinez and Varane celebrated as if the humble Carabao Cup was a Champions League Final, vindicating a transfer policy that has rightly been attacked over the last decade. However, Ten Hag’s pursuit of big characters with infectious personalities has been a vital break from the past. Rather than being dwarfed by the red shirt his signings have settled in and elevated everyone around them.
Proof of concept was also there in the sight of Bruno and Slabhead lifting the trophy. It’s easy to forget just how tricky the captaincy issue appeared to be last season, with persistent rumours of a rift dividing the entire squad along differing lines of loyalty. All of that noise seemed like old news as the pair hoisted the trophy together to spark a wave of celebrations. The former Ajax supremo has done an incredible job in unifying all that seemed broken less than a year ago.
As Ten Hag joined the revelry down on the pitch even his moments of joy seemed to offer insights into the characteristics that have made him such a popular figure. On one hand, the sight of him dancing rigidly with former charges Antony and Martinez showed a playful side. However it also highlights the kind of loyalty he inspires among his players, the way his upbeat brand of Lynchian weird strikes a chord and puts everyone at just the right level of ease. These players seem to love him. He might be an unusual man who makes some odd noises but he’s also utterly compelling in his own unorthodox way.
Moments later he was caught bending the ear of our latest hot prospect, Kobbie Mainoo. It seemed clear that the 53-year-old thought it important to interrupt his celebrations to give Mainoo an impromptu motivational speech. Although we’ll probably never know exactly what was said, it looked like our bald genius was waving an arm across the the triumphant scenes and saying, “Keep working and this will be your future.” Even in victory he seemed to be thinking about the months ahead and bringing people further inside his circle.
Finally, it’s hard to exaggerate how much he has energised our fanbase. The supporters have been through a pretty rough decade all in all and morale had hit a new low towards the end of last season. The players seemed to have given up and the fans had lost faith in them. It had become hard to state with any conviction which personnel were worth keeping and which should be jettisoned. Tellingly, the Player of the Year debate stalled embarrassingly at just two ‘less shite then the rest’ names in Fred and David de Gea. Some seemed more bothered about clicks than performances and many had offered too little for too long.
Now look at us. Wembley was bouncing with a rediscovered fervour as the Reds’ faithful upped the volume even higher to show their complete and utter commitment to this exciting new era. Week upon week the noise has been getting louder at matches, the fans feeding off the players’ hunger and the players responding to the reciprocal wave of passion and belief with defiance and determination. None of this has just happened – Ten Hag himself prioritised improving the connection between fans and staff. Therefore, if the season ended today, supporters choosing a Player of the Season would feel spoiled for choice.
This engagement with fans has been one of the biggest achievements to date. We realised just how difficult the situation had become and were desperate for someone to come in and whip our broken collection of misshapen pieces into a satisfying whole. The crowd recognised just how much Ten Hag has succeeded in this brief by reserving the heartiest roar of the day for the moment he lifted the trophy. It feels great to be United again.
Scott Eckersley
sabitzer: A no-brainer
The Austrian has already done enough to show United must sign him permanently
There’s a common phrase in English football that warns against falling in love with loan players, but Manchester United fans could be forgiven for their admiration and adoration for Marcel Sabitzer. The Austrian arrived at United on deadline day from Bayern Munich and as all Erik ten Hag’s signings have done, wasted no time in making an impact at Old Trafford. In Casemiro’s absence, while the Brazilian was serving his three-game match ban in the Premier League, it’s Sabitzer that stepped up in a largely unfamiliar position or role to ensure that Casemiro was not sorely missed. More impressive is the fact that the Austrian was almost thrown into the deep end without being afforded time to settle at his new club or get familiar with his new environment.
Whether it’s along Fred or Casemiro, Sabitzer has shown that he can still put in big performances and give a good account of himself when on the pitch. The 28-year-old’s game is marked by great tenacity, athleticism and excellent technical ability. Sabitzer thrives in both the offensive and defensive aspects of the game. Last Sunday as United beat Newcastle to lift the Carabao Cup, Sabitzer’s introduction into the game proved to be yet another masterstroke from Ten Hag. With United seemingly content with defending their 2-0 first-half advantage against the Magpies, Sabitzer came off the bench and provided much-needed attacking impetus. His presence in the middle of the park helped relieve pressure off the Red Devils and enabled them to push higher up the pitch. On Wednesday as United completed a sensational comeback against the Hammers, Sabitzer was yet again outstanding, this time as a starter. In a physically demanding league that’s levels above the Bundesliga (with all due respect to the German domestic league), Sabitzer has taken to life in England like a duck to water.
Reports from Germany have suggested that the Bayern Munich star is extremely keen to make his United tenure permanent. Bild recently relayed that Sabitzer feels the love of the fans, his teammates and the manager – something he felt was lacking while at the Allianz Arena. Last month, Sabitzer’s agent Roger Wittmann divulged that his client relishes the “hardness” of the Premier League and is playing his best football at the Theatre of Dreams. Sabitzer has of course not publicly declared where his heart lies, but all the signs point to an intention to remain under Ten Hag’s tutelage beyond the end of the season when his loan deal expires. Manchester United should strive to keep the Austria international. Sabitzer has proved that he has what it takes to perform at the club and a player of his quality cannot be passed on. The former Leipzig man can play a crucial role in Ten Hag’s revolution going forward. One also gets the impression that he can still kick up a few gears and produce even more spectacular performances. It has been widely indicated that a transfer fee of €20m would be enough for Bayern Munich to part with Sabitzer’s services. At such a price, it’s a no-brainer that the Red Devils should permanently sign the player.
Derick Kinoti
Top 10 Videos
Some of the best United-related videos on Youtube since the last match
Click below to select
10 Videos
Erik ten Hag FULL post-match press conference | Manchester United 2-0 Newcastle | Carabao Cup Final
12:06
'I told Garnacho it was time he had an impact AS A STARTER!' | Erik ten Hag | Man Utd 3-1 West Ham
8:01
no more excuses for martial
Support for Anthony Martial has become unfounded: A response to Carl Anka of The Athletic
Anthony Martial has featured less than Wout Weghorst this season, a startling fact given that the latter only arrived at Old Trafford a month ago. Is the French striker worth a place in Manchester United’s squad whatsoever?
Martial, 27, has missed 27 matches through injury this season, surpassing his 2020/21 injury-hit season in which he was ruled out for 17 club fixtures. Unlucky? Yes, of course. He has experienced five separate injuries this season. Unfortunately, in top level sport there is not much time to spend hoping a player will regain consistent fitness.
As seen with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, a striker who missed almost three entire seasons through injury, there can be little value for a club to hold onto these players aside from the obvious moral duties. Solskjaer scored 11 goals upon his return to the team in what was his last season.
But during Martial’s lengthy spell on the sidelines, time to consider his future has nonetheless been provided. The Frenchman’s problem throughout his career has been his inconsistency in form. He will score against Manchester City but be peripheral against Southampton one week later. At 27 years old, this should no longer be pinned onto him being at a developmental stage as a young professional. This is Martial’s eighth season at Old Trafford.
Carl Anka of The Athletic recently published a piece in which he analysed Martial’s worth and gave a verdict on the striker’s current predicament. Like many fans, Anka has pinned his hopes on Martial’s performances during pre-season. He did score a remarkable three goals, after all!
‘A disappointing loan spell at Sevilla last season seemed to have spurred something within Martial, who went into United’s summer tour under Ten Hag with greater endeavour and application.
‘He was no longer hesitant to make runs and offered more to collective attacking and defensive moves other than his impressive repertoire of finishes.
‘If that version of Martial can be maintained for the majority of a season, then United might only need to sign one new striker in the summer window.’
The only problem prohibiting Martial, according to Anka, is his physical frailties this season.
Between November and January – separated by the Qatar World Cup – Martial featured in six consecutive games, albeit Erik ten Hag admitted to having played him against Manchester City when he was not 100 per cent fit. In this period, he played 357 minutes against Aston Villa, Fulham, Nottingham Forest, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Bournemouth. The United No.9 scored one goal. There seems to be a strange neglect for his competitive performances this campaign with some people’s judgements conveniently being framed by his non-competitive games in Australia instead. The facts displayed by Premier League matches indicate that he is not capable of being a reliable, goalscoring, dynamic striker for Manchester United.
But, let’s say that he is, in fact, showing some signs of understanding Ten Hag’s philosophy and requirements. This is what Anka alludes to, saying that Martial now apparently knows what to do:
‘Martial finally understands how to carry out the responsibilities of a United striker.’
Forgetting his lack of goals in recent years for a moment, maybe his overall performances and involvement are positive for the team?
The statistics would suggest otherwise. There is no metric which indicates Martial ‘understands’ how to be a centre-forward for United and Ten Hag. Playing for United, the striker is part of a front four who are relied upon to create chances for themselves and each other in front of goal.
Martial, however, has averaged 1.77 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes this season. Placing him in the 35th percentile amongst fellow strikers in England, it hardly screams that he is now passing the ‘responsibility’ test with flying colours.
As for what Ten Hag demands, Martial is so far not meeting the Dutchman’s ideals. He has made zero tackles this season and averages 0.98 ball recoveries per 90, placing him in the bottom percentile. Not exactly proactive.
Anka continues:
‘He is now in the unfortunate position where he understands the above shoulders demands (mentality) of Ten Hag and wishes to repay the faith his manager places in him, but lacks the below shoulders reliability (physicality) to make it happen.’
The Athletic writer is for some reason adamant, again, that Martial’s application has now reached the required level.
Oh well, Julian Lopetegui, Jose Mourinho, Didier Deschamps, Louis van Gaal, and Claudio Ranieri – all of whom have suggested that Martial’s application in-game and on the training ground is insufficient – must be wrong then.
You can point to Martial’s lack of minutes this season to suggest that he is, but just unable to show so; six goals in 14 appearances is a reasonable return, especially for someone who has been playing whilst unfit. But as Ten Hag has admitted: “Routines can’t become routines when you are not always available.” The Dutchman needs fit players to carry out automatisms in training.
Anka’s readiness to throw around multiple statements insisting that Martial has the mental capacity and more-than-perfect understanding of Ten Hag’s system to play for United with zero evidence or opinion to back this is, therefore, random and delusional. That’s not to say that Martial has not grown mentally since these aforementioned managers made their claims about him, but merely that there is no reason to think that he has now developed into a ‘mentality monster’ capable of playing up front regularly for United.
United have made a new striker the number one priority this summer, with Dusan Vlahovic, Benjamin Sesko, Victor Osimhen, and Harry Kane touted as being the prime targets. Should Martial remain at the club to ‘repay the faith’, he would undoubtedly be the second choice. A €250,000 per week second choice striker who is unavailable due to constant injuries and when he does play is quite ineffective is not ideal, no matter how much Anka alleges that it is.
Seth Dooley
twitter chatter
Some of the best United-related posts on Twitter since the last match
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blast from the past
An A-Z of former Players
viv Anderson
Years at club: 1987-91
69 appearances, 4 goals
England: 30 caps, 2 goals
“I was called up and delighted at the time, but thoughts are going through your head saying, ‘don’t let yourself down, don’t let your teammates down and don’t let your parents down”. Viv Anderson reflecting on his achievements during Black History Month.
Early life
Vivian Alexander Anderson was born to Jamaican parents on 29th July 1958 in Nottingham and spent a year as a schoolboy at Manchester United before signing for Forest in 1974.
Before United
Anderson was one of the first black players to represent top English clubs and regularly suffered racial abuse, despite this the full-back quickly established himself as an important part of Brian Clough’s successful team. Making his England debut in 1978, he was also an integral part of the Forest side who won the European Cup in 1979 and famously retained it in 1980, Anderson was a tall but quick right back, with tough tackling and the knack for scoring the odd important goal, he left for Arsenal in 1984.
Manchester United career
Alex Ferguson made Anderson his first signing for United, paying £250,000 for him in 1987 and the experienced defender became a significant part of the team rebuild, helping The Reds to a 2nd place finish the following season and an FA Cup final win in 1990.
After United
Anderson later played for Sheffield Wednesday and Barnsley, managing the latter and was former United captain Bryan Robson’s assistant at Middlesbrough until 1997.
Where are they now?
Viv Anderson left the world of professional football in 1997 but was awarded an MBE in 2000, and inducted into English footballs hall of fame in 2004. As of 2005 he was running a sports travel agency and working as an ambassador for the FA, making the occasional appearance on the clubs official tv channel, MUTV as a guest pundit.
Paul Speller
play time: Quiz Crossword Puzzle Jigsaw Word Search
mystery Manc
Who’s the mystery United scorer, what was the year 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 80 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. United skipper who lifted the FA Cup in 1977
2. Captained United in between stints at Villa
3. The only Ecuadorian to captain United
4. Now manager of Middlesbrough
5. Captain Marvel
6. Captain between 1992 and 1996
7. Captained United from 199697
8. Captained United from 1997 2005
9. Captained United from 2005 to 2011
10. Captain signed from Leicester City
11. Captained United to first title in 41 years in 1952
12. Captained United for 6 years from 1968
13. The only Serbian to captain United
14. Skipper who lost his life in Munich air disaster
15. Succeeded 14 as captain
X
Congratulations individual!
word search
Find the names and words relating to this week’s match in the grid below. They can read left to right, right to left, top to bottom, bottom to top but not diagonally. Drag the cursor along the word to select it. It will be crossed out if you got it right.
united women's world
Earps crowned world’s best
Manchester United as a club have much to celebrate at the moment. Of course, the victory in the Carabao Cup felt like the beginning of the Reds’ return to the glory days. At United’s 3-1 victory over West Ham in the FA Cup in the week, Maguire and Fernandes paraded the cup, Sir Alex Ferguson presented David De Gea with an award after he broke the clean-sheet record and Casemiro showed off his FIFA Best award. However, it’s not just the men’s team that are celebrating. Also at that game was Mary Earps, walking side by side with Casemiro showing off her FIFA Best Goalkeeper award.
Earps returned to training where her team showered her in flowers and praise as she was officially crowned the Best Goalkeeper of 2022 by FIFA. It all comes after Earps helped the Lionesses to European glory last summer and that excellent form has spilled over into her club football too. United currently sit top of the Women’s Super League ahead of this weekend’s fixture against Leicester and are through to the quarter-final of the FA Cup, where they will face Lewes away.
On collecting her award, Earps gave a moving and inspiring speech in which she said, “Sometimes success looks like this – collecting trophies and sometimes it’s waking up and putting one foot in front of the other. There’s only one of you in the world and it’s more than good enough, be unapologetically yourself.” As she thanked England manager Sarina Wiegman, who went on to win Best Coach, Wiegman looked close to tears as she beamed back at her keeper.
International success
This weekend sees a return to action in the WSL for the Reds after the international break and last weekend’s FA Cup fixture. Earps added to her trophy cabinet there too as the Lionesses retained the Arnold Clark Cup; the United shot-stopper played two of the three matches to help them over the line in that tournament too. Although gutted she didn’t keep a clean sheet in her final match – something her teammates took the mickey out of her for – she is a safe pair of hands between the sticks and an inspiration to her teammates.
It wasn’t just Earps United could be proud of on international duty. Also in the Lionesses squad was Maya Le Tissier, Ella Toone, Alessia Russo, Katie Zelem and Emily Ramsay, who is currently on loan to Everton. Meanwhile, our French internationals also won their tournament so it is a happy camp that is reuniting.
boe rise knocking at the door
United thrashed Durham at home last weekend 5-0 to progress in the FA Cup. Though it took them a while to make the breakthrough, when they did, there was no stopping them. The first goal came from Vilde Boe Risa, who has been talked about a lot in the press and by the fans on social media as to why she’s not getting game time in the league. And after her rocket of a free kick the other day, who can blame them? What it means though, is that United do have more depth than they ever have had before. Goals are coming from everywhere this season. We have the ability to dig deep and get the win when needed, to utilise the bench and come from behind to beat the best if necessary (think back to that glorious win over Arsenal).
leicester city preview
This weekend, I believe we’ll see a little rotation from Skinner who has previously been criticised for not changing things up a bit. In his pre-match press conference he alluded to the fact that one of our January signings may get her debut, Norwegian international Lisa Naalsund. “Right now, everyone bar Jayde Riviere is in contention, even Lisa Naalsund,” he told reporters. He went on to add that Naalsund had been training fully with the team all this week and reiterated her availability.
With an almost fully fit squad, United are the strongest they’ve been since they reformed in 2018. Injury and fatigue has plagued them in the second half of the season in previous years, so every game week that comes with no new injuries, the fans breathe an audible sigh of relief. They intended to get Champions League football this time, a top three finish, but now they’re eyeing a bigger prize… to be crowned Champions. The battle is far from won with Chelsea away next weekend set to be their biggest test so far and they still have to face Arsenal and City again before the season is out. However, Skinner believes United can beat any team in this country when they’re at their best and the Reds have shown little that would cast doubt on this theory. With a buzz in the air around Carrington, the two senior teams must surely be feeding off each other’s successes. A win over Leicester would keep the pressure on those teams around them and stop them from being knocked off the top.
Zoe Hodges
HERO to ZERO
Who are we raving about this week?
Hero
alejandro garnacho
What a performance from the wonderkid on Wednesday. With Ten Hag’s mentality being infused into this raw talent, we could have a galactico on our hands.
ZERO
steven gerrard
Why? Just because he’s Stevie G. Plus, the Sun running a story he could be next PSG boss has to be the funniest thing we saw all week.
RED billy
Bring on the quintuple
I saw a stat today saying Erik ten Hag’s season win percentage of 73.2% is the highest in Manchester United’s entire history. And that’s after losing the first two games. You have to pinch yourself to check you’re not dreaming, don’t you? How is this even possible?
When we were 1-0 down to West Ham on Wednesday, I remember saying to myself, “Billy, let’s be realistic, something had to give.” But then, it didn’t give. This juggernaut is unstoppable. If United beat Liverpool on Sunday, then regardless of what City and Arsenal do, then I really will start to believe that a quadruple really could be possible. The fact we’re even thinking along those lines is unbelievable.
You also get the impression that this side will bounce back if they do finally get beaten. Solskjaer’s United could go on all-conquering runs, but the wheels would come off the bus after a defeat. With Ten Hag, defeats and setbacks are used to learn, motivate and propel his team forward. The man seems to be a genius. He seems to have the discipline and respect of a Ferguson, the tactical acumen of, say, a Tuchel and the popularity with his players of a Klopp. That is a winning combination. If he doesn’t fall out with the owners or have his head turned by another club, it’s hard to see what could go wrong now. It seems crazy to be saying that so soon into a manager’s tenure, but I think we’re all feeling it.
Spare a thought for poor Ed Woodward. Or, that is, let’s have a laugh at his expense. The minute he left, life changed not just a little, but in the most dramatically transformative way a football club could possibly have changed. It’s almost as if Woody brought a curse over the club, isn’t it? Of course, he’ll take credit for having laid the groundwork for Erik’s appointment, but all the press at the time showed him favouring a Poch appointment and meeting the Argentine on a number of occasions. You also have to ask yourself how badly he’d have interfered with the summer transfer business. Would United have signed Casemiro had Woody still been running the show? Would we have spend that extra money to get Antony? Probably not in both cases.
I’m not singing the praises of Richard Arnold but rather the absence of Woody. That, in some ways, might have contributed almost as much to United’s success so far this season as Erik’s appointment.
Imagine, then, what could be achieved if and when the Glazers finally get out of Dodge. That huge dark sinister cloud lifted, the debt repaid, the stadium redeveloped, the manager backed and a proper sporting director brought in. Couple that with it being Erik’s second term, with a squad more built in his image. They are going to have to invent an extra tournament for us to play in next season, because the quadruple might just not be a big enough challenge.
