Meet the opposition: leicester city
The Foxes haven’t won a Premier League game this season
editorial
Hello happiness, goodbye loneliness? The roller coaster life of the United fan
Picture the scene: United have hammered Leicester 4-0 and it’s 4.20pm on Sunday when out walks new signing Frenkie de Jong to rapturous applause from the Old Trafford faithful (who were really singing “We want Glazers out”, but the sound has been doctored by the club). How sweet would that be? Well, it could happen. At least, it still remains a possibility at the time of writing.
United’s transfer windows have become as unpredictable as the team themselves. Brilliant on some occasions and horrific on others. The worst has to be the single, solitary signing of Marouane Fellaini for more than his buy-out clause, which had expired the day before, in 2013. The best? Well, last year wasn’t too shabby, with Varane, Sancho and Ronaldo – although it maybe set us up for failure by building our expectations too high.
We’ve had the David de Gea fax machine window, the Falcao window … let’s just hope that John Murtough and co. have got a couple of surprises in store for us to keep the pulses racing right until the end.
Of course, you might be reading this on the 2nd, 3rd or 4th of September, already knowing what transpired. I hope you’re smiling.
We decided to publish a bumper double edition because, well, who decided to schedule the Leicester game for deadline day? And then the Arsenal game less than three days later? Red Billy has more to say on that subject in his column. But it seemed the best way to handle it all is all in one issue.
It’s an issue of hellos and goodbyes, even if we’re not sure who exactly will end up in each column. It looks like hello to Antony, and in our main feature David O’Neill looks at why United paid almost three times his market value to sign him. Hello to a solid looking centre back pairing, Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez and, as Darragh Fox discusses, hello to the bench for former Teflon Man, Harry Maguire. It may or may not be goodbye to Cristiano Ronaldo, but we argue that whether he stays or not, it may have to be goodbye to the playing style that has made him the household name he is.
Could it be hello to the regular fight for Champions League spots for a couple more clubs, and could it be goodbye to two-team dominance for Guardiola and Klopp? That’s got Scott Eckersley musing in his new column, Eckers. And could it be hello to the captaincy for Bruno Fernandes? This week’s Devils’ Advocate debates whether that’s the right thing to do at this stage or not.
We hope you enjoy this double edition and if you’re reading this before the Leicester game and before the window closes, check back in again tomorrow as we’ll be adding bonus content on the fallout from both. Here’s hoping it will be something to celebrate.
Latest united news
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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.
chong secures permanent switch
hannibal completes birmingham move
Women win last pre-season match
FISH, galbraith and wellens complete loan moves
antony: why united paid €100m
Eyebrows were raised at the fee agreed for the 22 year old, but it was a considered move
Is Antony worth €100m?
Yes, next question.
In all seriousness, there is plenty to suggest that to this manager, in these circumstances, in this market, for this player, he absolutely could be.
Antony was linked to Liverpool as a potential Mohammed Salah replacement before the Egyptian signed a new contract at Anfield. With Sadio Mane moving on instead, Liverpool signed the right-footed Darwin Nunez, also on Manchester United’s radar at the time.
But there is plenty to suggest that Liverpool got their succession planning backwards. Darwin is a goalscorer, happy in the channel and a nuisance to defend against – he is a Salah. Antony is a silky creator, happy on the flank and a pressing monster – he is a Mane. They just have the footedness the other way round.
What it means for United is that the Brazilian is primed to make up for a mistake made back in Louis van Gaal’s reign, when the club decided that the Senegalese forward was grossly overpriced at £37m. With the benefit of hindsight, that looks to have been a very poor decision.
But whether or not United have gone above the market value to get their man, Antony has everything in place to be a success at Old Trafford. He joins a side managed by the man who extracted the best form of his career to date and fills a couple of roles absent from the squad.
As a left-footed attacker, Antony will be in a company of one at United. To Erik ten Hag, that is already a solid reason to go big to sign the winger, as he will offer different angles to the Red Devils’ attack. His team has just acquired to ability to dribble, shoot, and play infield from the right and no matter how good Jadon Sancho can be on that flank, those are options that he will never be able to provide in the same way.
In terms of tactics, Antony can provide different solutions to problems – problems that have occurred right before Ten Hag’s eyes during his start in the Premier League.
Regular readers of the Tactical Preview section may have noticed a recurrence of the ‘bait and switch’ ploy as something to watch out for in United’s play. It has been one of the Dutchman’s favourite ploys throughout his managerial career.
Typically, Ten Hag likes to have a ‘hook’ on one flank and an ‘isolator’ on the other. The hook uses skill and combination play to draw opposition defenders toward him, shifting the opponent’s defensive structure. The isolator is then in space for a switch of play, resulting in an easy one-on-one situation with his opposite full back. He used this ploy when Liverpool came to town to deadly effect, with first Anthony Elanga and then Marcus Rashford able to exploit Trent Alexander-Arnold’s positioning in quick transitions.
The problem is that United don’t have anyone comfortable as an ‘isolator’ on the right flank. Sancho is a world class ‘hook,’ but lacks the pace to go beyond a defender once he has him beaten, while Rashford and Elanga just don’t look comfortable in one-on-one situations on that side. Against Southampton the ploy was clear – Sancho often drew the Saints to him, but the resulting switch from the midfield out to Elanga often led to nothing, despite the Swede going up against an out-of-position opponent.
Antony solves this problem. He relishes facing up to his opposite fullback and has the speed to blitz past them once he has them befuddled. Ten Hag has spoken publicly of his desire for more ‘weapons’ and he has just been handed a trusted one.
He is certain to be central to the Red Devils attack straight away, as his underlying numbers already suggest that he is one of the best wingers in Europe right now. Taking only his Champions League exploits into account, Antony is in the 98th percentile (or better) for Progressive Carries, Progressive Passes Received, Shot Volume, Passes into the Penalty Area, and Interceptions.
Basically, he does everything you could possibly want a wide attacker to do, and he wins the ball back while he does it. He also has a habit of winding up his opponents, just for good measure.
While he may not be ready for action against either Leicester or Arsenal, Antony has everything it takes to become a fan favourite at Old Trafford. Can you put a price on that?
David O’Neill
Meet the opposition: leicester city
The Foxes haven’t won a Premier League game this season
Manager: Brendan Rodgers
Brendan Rodgers has been at Leicester City for just over three years and impressed for quite a while before the current malaise set in around The Foxes. A manager who favours patient possession and a modern pressing style, it was not that long ago that he was considered among the favourites to take the reins at Old Trafford. He has cut a frustrated figure this season, bemoaning the need for ‘five or six’ new players and getting none – the result is that his team are yet to pick up a win this season.
One to watch: kieran Dewsbury-hall
Dewsbury-Hall has been a rare bright spark for Leicester these past few months, cementing his place in Rodgers’ first team. He earned both the Player’s Player and Young Player of the Season award at the King Power Stadium last term and has started this one in good form. He inspired what might have been a 2-0 win over Brentford on opening day, but for a second-half collapse after his withdrawal. A creative central player, he often looks to dribble through the midfield when a long ball isn’t on.
Last Time Around
Dull match, very dull. Ralf Rangnick opted for a strikerless system something like a 4-4-2-0 and baffling appeared to discourage any runners from deep, be they wide or central – a fact that drew smirks from Brendan Rodgers in his post-match interview. Leicester themselves came into the match with injuries and in poor form. The match was a prime example of what happens when a pliant object meets a stuttering force: a drab 1-1 draw. Kelechi Iheanacho broke the deadlock by converting a James Maddison cross just after the hour mark, but Fred responded with a rebound three minutes later.
star man: jamie vardy
He may be yet to register a goal in this campaign, but it would be inadvisable to bet against Jamie Vardy going over double digits this season. The 35-year-old still has the pace and awareness to get on the end of chances and, judging by the annoyance of his opposing centre backs this season, the goals are only a matter of time.
interesting stats
Two influential midfielders for Leicester over the years were Robbie Savage and Ritchie Wellens, By a strange twist of fate, they both have sons called Charlie who both play for United's under 21's. Savage Junior is also a midfielder but Wellens Junior spoils the whole synchronicity a little by plying his trade at full back.
FORM AND INJURIES
The headline is that James Maddison is out until September, which has devastated Leicester fans. His absence saw them struggle to find the quality to better ten-man Chelsea on Matchday 4. Elsewhere, Ricardo Pereira is a long-term injury, while Ryan Bertrand is out until mid-September at the earliest. In terms of form, Leicester have had a very poor start. They are yet to win a game and conceded ten times in their opening four fixtures. Almost as worrying for The Foxes, Jamie Vardy is yet to score a goal.
match preview
All the latest information about the upcoming game.
Team News and Predicted XI
Erik ten Hag kept faith with his Liverpool-slayers against Southampton, and we expect him to do much the same against Leicester.
Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez have been rock-solid together and against the pacey Jamie Vardy, there is no reason to lessen the speed in the backline.
David de Gea, Diogo Dalot and Tyrell Malacia are likely to complete the defensive unit as they are all clear first-choice in their positions.
In front of them, Casemiro is the only change from Southampton we have predicted, and the Brazilian will surely make the defensive unit a lot more comfortable.
Eriksen could be invaluable in exploiting Leicester’s difficulties in dealing with crosses, drifting wide from beside Casemiro.
Ahead of that pair, Bruno Fernandes will look to add to his goal against Southampton.
The front three positions are somewhat dictated by availability, with Anthony Elanga, Jadon Sancho, and Marcus Rashford the likely trident.
There is a strong case to be made for starting Cristiano Ronaldo against a Leicester side that struggle with balls into the box, but with his situation unresolved, on September 1st he is as likely to be sitting on a plane as he is the bench.
Tactical Analysis
Leicester have actually started games pretty well for the most part.
But eight of the ten goals they have conceded have come in the second half – perhaps unsurprisingly given Rodgers’ lack of faith in his squad.
In four matches, they have conceded three times against substitutes, while none of their changes have brought goals to the pitch. One could argue that no team is struggling with the new five subs ruling as much as Leicester.
A lack of quality outside the starting eleven and a lack of legs in it for The Foxes, could mean that making this a game of attrition would suit Manchester United.
With Soyuncu out of favour, Rodgers has trusted Daniel Amartey at the heart of defence. Why he has continued to trust him is anyone’s guess.
The Ghanaian has been incredibly error-prone, particularly in contending balls played into the box, although to be fair to him, Leicester seem to struggle with that as a unit.
At Ajax and out on tour in preseason, Erik ten Hag has shown clear intention to have his players flood the penalty area when a crossing opportunity is on, and if they continue to do so throughout the game on Thursday, United should be able to reap the rewards.
Against Chelsea Timothy Castagne at right back was particularly hesitant to close down opponents in crossing positions, despite surely being aware of the disorganisation behind him.
It could be worth targeting him with Christian Eriksen drifting to support Marcus Rashford or Jadon Sancho on that flank for an easy source of balls into the box.
David O’Neill
Match officials - leicester city
Referee: Craig Pawson. Assistants: Marc Perry, Scott Ledger. Fourth official: Simon Hooper.
VAR: Jarred Gillett. Assistant VAR: Matthew Wilkes.
opposites attract
Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez already seem to have forged a formidable partnership
Raphael Varane is 29 years old and stands a commanding 6 foot 3 inches of calming authority. An integral part of teams that have won virtually every trophy possible within club and international football, Varane offers a magnificent combination of physical dominance and anticipatory defending. Jose Mourinho went as far as describing him as the ‘best central defender in the world’ at only 21. While there is a technical consistency to Varane, and a well-drilled ability to pass first time ambidextrously, he’s never been known as a ball-playing centre-back. This led to some initial doubts about Varane’s ability to play within the expansive system that his new manager, Erik Ten Hag, would favour.
Conversely, Lisandro Martinez clocks in at a more modest 5 foot 9 inches with something of a Napoleon complex. He was a bit part of the Argentina team that won its first international trophy for 18 years last summer, and only made his Champions League knockout debut at the age of 23 later that year. The performances that followed for Ajax, however, were exemplary and ensured that Martinez followed his manager’s move to Manchester in a £57 million deal. Such was Ten Hag’s belief in Martinez that the Dutch manager ‘overruled’ United’s scouting department’s choice – Pau Torres – in favour of his man. What Martinez lacks in physical attributes he more than makes up for with a ferocious attitude and a proactive style, augmented by superb ball-playing skills.
This leaves Manchester United with two centre-backs who share few common characteristics yet form a complimentary partnership. An experienced Frenchman, who is excellent in the air and at sweeping, and a young Argentinian, whose aggression without the ball is matched by his quality on it. Varane favours the right-hand side of the defence while Martinez’s left-foot makes him a Dutch manager’s dream. Varane’s former coach at Lens asserted his defensive dominance stemmed from his ability to ‘read the game very well,’ often serving as the last line of defence. Martinez’s nickname is ‘El Carnicero’ (The Butcher), such is the aggression and intensity with which he attacks opposition forwards.
It is a description that would have been similarly apt to Varane’s last defensive partner – Sergio Ramos. In many ways Varane and Ramos were diametrically opposed as defenders, yet this contrast was the basis of their strength as a duo. The recent performances of Varane and Martinez will offer United fans hope for the emergence of a similar partnership between their seemingly antithetical centre-halves.
Much has been made of Martinez’s height and the various ways in which English football will punish him, and Manchester United, for it. His debut against Brentford was a brutal introduction to the league and he was hooked at half-time. A rough start indeed, but one that only made the proceeding performances even more impressive (and illuminating). If the Brentford demolition was a baptism of fire for Martinez, then he rose like a phoenix from the ashes against Liverpool a week later. This was followed up with a Man of the Match performance against Southampton in a gritty 1-0 win. Martinez’s partner against Brentford? Harry Maguire. His partner against Liverpool and Southampton? Raphael Varane.
Opposites attract.
Darragh Fox
opposites attract
Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez already seem to have forged a formidable partnership
Raphael Varane is 29 years old and stands a commanding 6 foot 3 inches of calming authority. An integral part of teams that have won virtually every trophy possible within club and international football, Varane offers a magnificent combination of physical dominance and anticipatory defending. Jose Mourinho went as far as describing him as the ‘best central defender in the world’ at only 21. While there is a technical consistency to Varane, and a well-drilled ability to pass first time ambidextrously, he’s never been known as a ball-playing centre-back. This led to some initial doubts about Varane’s ability to play within the expansive system that his new manager, Erik Ten Hag, would favour.
Conversely, Lisandro Martinez clocks in at a more modest 5 foot 9 inches with something of a Napoleon complex. He was a bit part of the Argentina team that won its first international trophy for 18 years last summer, and only made his Champions League knockout debut at the age of 23 later that year. The performances that followed for Ajax, however, were exemplary and ensured that Martinez followed his manager’s move to Manchester in a £57 million deal. Such was Ten Hag’s belief in Martinez that the Dutch manager ‘overruled’ United’s scouting department’s choice – Pau Torres – in favour of his man. What Martinez lacks in physical attributes he more than makes up for with a ferocious attitude and a proactive style, augmented by superb ball-playing skills.
This leaves Manchester United with two centre-backs who share few common characteristics yet form a complimentary partnership. An experienced Frenchman, who is excellent in the air and at sweeping, and a young Argentinian, whose aggression without the ball is matched by his quality on it. Varane favours the right-hand side of the defence while Martinez’s left-foot makes him a Dutch manager’s dream. Varane’s former coach at Lens asserted his defensive dominance stemmed from his ability to ‘read the game very well,’ often serving as the last line of defence. Martinez’s nickname is ‘El Carnicero’ (The Butcher), such is the aggression and intensity with which he attacks opposition forwards.
It is a description that would have been similarly apt to Varane’s last defensive partner – Sergio Ramos. In many ways Varane and Ramos were diametrically opposed as defenders, yet this contrast was the basis of their strength as a duo. The recent performances of Varane and Martinez will offer United fans hope for the emergence of a similar partnership between their seemingly antithetical centre-halves.
Much has been made of Martinez’s height and the various ways in which English football will punish him, and Manchester United, for it. His debut against Brentford was a brutal introduction to the league and he was hooked at half-time. A rough start indeed, but one that only made the proceeding performances even more impressive (and illuminating). If the Brentford demolition was a baptism of fire for Martinez, then he rose like a phoenix from the ashes against Liverpool a week later. This was followed up with a Man of the Match performance against Southampton in a gritty 1-0 win. Martinez’s partner against Brentford? Harry Maguire. His partner against Liverpool and Southampton? Raphael Varane.
Opposites attract.
Darragh Fox
transfers
What happened in the summer window
The final tally for the 2022/23 summer transfer window. Note that there could be more outgoing moves as other countries’ windows close on different dates.
INCOMINGS
antony (Ajax) - €95m
Martin dubravka (newcastle) - loan
casemiro (real madrid) - €70.65m
Christian Eriksen - free agent
Lisandro Martinez (Ajax) - €57.37m
Tyrell Malacia (Feyenoord) - €15m
outgoings
hannibal mejbri (birmingham city) - loan
alvaro fernandez (preston) - loan
dean henderson (notts Forest) - loan
amad diallo (sunderland) - loan
lee grant (retired)
juan mata (released)
alex telles (Sevilla) - loan
tahith chong (birmingham city) - undisclosed
edinson cavani (Valencia) - free
nemanja matic (roma) - free
paul pogba (juventus) - free
jesse lingard (notts forest) - free
eric bailly (marseille) - loan €2m fee
andreas pereira (fulham) - free
james garner (everton) - £9m
the ones that got away
Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona)
CODY gAKPO (PSV EINDHOVEN)
benjamin sesko (Red Bull salzburg)
bonus material - leicester city 0-1 United
in pictures
eckers
How many teams are in the top six?
Sigh. The 1990s. For those old enough to remember, it might seem like the last decade of relative innocence and pre-internet hedonism. The Berlin Wall had fallen, New Labour had swept into power on a wave of optimism and, thanks to Britpop, The Beatles were cool again.
For football fans, Sky had bought into the game and, in a move that would surely never take off, the old football league would be erased from memory. In its place? Something called the Premier League, which had a slightly OTT trophy to hammer home the fact that things had changed forever.
The Premier League was, of course, a huge success. Driven by the Fergie-inspired rebirth of Manchester United, Sky subscribers witnessed a golden period in the club’s history, made all the more pleasurable by the erosion of Liverpool as a leading side and the emergence of major rivalries against the likes of Leeds United, Newcastle and – the big one – Arsenal.
United fans who lived through that era have got their own favourite memories of games against those clubs. Be it Eric Cantona’s winner at St. James’s in ’95, the 4-0 at Elland Rd in ’96 or the magical month in ’99 that saw the club pipping Arsenal to a league and cup double before sealing the treble in the Camp Nou. It was a glorious chapter in United folklore, taken to even greater heights by the quality of opposition. In fact, the quality of opposition made the club’s achievements even more satisfying. Winning trophies was great and all, but winning trophies AND making Kevin Keegan or Arsene Wenger sad was just *chef’s kiss*
Looking at the current Premier League table might lead some 90s kids to wonder if those white hot rivalries are about to be rekindled. At the time of writing, Arsenal are top of the table and the only club with a 100% record. Meanwhile Leeds have exorcised the squat, frowning, ghost of Marcelo Bielsa and sit in a heady 5th place. Further North, Eddie Howe’s Newcastle are unbeaten after 4 games and have the unbridled petro-funding to threaten a title bid within a couple of seasons. All 3 clubs are connected with United’s halcyon days and all seem well placed for a changing of the guard.
Obviously any excitement about the start of a new cycle has to be tempered by a couple of disclaimers. Firstly, much will depend upon Erik ten Hag’s ability to turn his current selection of base metals into gold. There’s no point looking forward to monumental battles against historical enemies if your own side isn’t ready for the fight.
Secondly, talk of a power shift hinges upon a Pep-less Man City dropping their levels enough to make the battle competitive. Similarly, Liverpool’s fortunes appear to rest upon Jürgen Klopp’s ability to keep his side fresh, hungry and energised. It will be fascinating to see how the two best teams of the past 5 years react to the emergence of new challengers.
United fans will be hoping their club is well-placed to capitalise on turbulence at The Etihad or Anfield. It won’t be easy. The Premier League is the strongest it’s ever been and, with signs of progress among our big (old) rivals, it appears to have become even stronger. The old adage about ‘no easy games’ has never been truer. Making top 4 in such a high quality league is now such an achievement that even the illustrious likes of Antonio Conte, Thomas Tuchel and Ten Hag could miss out.
But Manchester United have never shied away from a challenge. In fact, the biggest club in the world should be viewing the exceptional strength of their domestic league as a blessing. If United can make it here, they can make it anywhere. And doing it against old enemies would definitely make it even sweeter. No maybes.
newton heath
Classic United matches from yesteryear
25th May, 1963, Wembley Stadium: Manchester United 3-1 Leicester City
With Wembley being fully roofed for the first time and the match being televised live to the country, United went into the 82nd FA cup final as underdogs.
Despite United fielding nine internationals, Leicester had done the league double over them, and finished 4th in the First Division.
United’s fortunes had been somewhat grim, struggling to end the season in 19th place and finishing only one point above relegation. A good cup run was the only positive.
As the captains tossed for colours, United won and forced Leicester to wear their white away strip.
Despite the teams usually playing in red and blue, this was deemed a necessary step for viewers at home, so they could tell which team was which on their black and white television sets.
True to form, United made a terrible start. Three individual goalkeeping mistakes by David Gaskell meant that Leicester should have been 3-0 up within 15 minutes, but the Foxes squandered them all.
This wake up call was enough for United to turn the tide, firing shot after shot at England’s number one, Gordon Banks.
Finally the breakthrough came for the Reds. Bobby Charlton saw Banks save his shot from distance, only to roll the ball out to Leicester’s Gibson. Paddy Crerrand was alive to it though, comfortably intercepting the pass, passing to Law, who slotted home on 30 minutes.
United went in at half time 1-0 up, but started the second half nervously again. The clumsy Gaskell dropped the ball at Leicester striker Cross’s feet, only to be saved by his defenders yet again.
United’s class soon started to shine through, and Bobby Charlton raced through to shoot at Banks. The keeper only parried the shot and David Herd doubled United’s lead on 57 minutes to cheers from the crowd.
“When the Reds go marching in” rang around Wembley stadium and United looked to be on their way to a victory that could well save Matt Busby’s men’s season.
But with 10 minutes to go, Leicester nicked a goal back. An impressive diving header by Ken Keyworth made it 2-1.
But United remained composed and wrapped things up with another goal by Herd in the 85th minute.
99,604 people watched Manchester United captain Noel Cantwell lead his men in red up the famous Wembley steps, lifting the old trophy for the third time in the club’s history.
United line up: David Gaskell, Tony Dunne, Noel Cantwell (c), Pat Crerand, Bill Foulkes, Maurice Setters, Johnny Giles, Albert Quixall, David Herd, Denis Law, Bobby Charlton
Paul Speller
when harry met the bench
With the World Cup just weeks away, how can Harry Maguire rescue his faltering career?
A year can feel like a lifetime in football. Exactly 12 months ago Harry Maguire had just captained Manchester United to a hard-fought win at Molineux. He was an integral part of an England team who reached their first final since 1966, selected in the team of the tournament in the process. A month before that his injury was a key factor in United’s Europa League final defeat. His club manager described him as his ‘number one target’ prior to Maguire’s world-record transfer, assigning him the captaincy just 5 months later, while his international manager stated he was ‘capable of playing at the highest level’. Put succinctly, Maguire was considered vital for both club and country.
Fast forward 12 months and Maguire has been relegated to the bench at Old Trafford following a year of mistake-laden performances. His new manager, Erik Ten Hag, asserted he wants defensive ‘mobility and agility’ while explaining the decision to drop Maguire, before going onto stress that the captaincy ‘doesn’t mean…you are established to play always.’ This decision is seemingly based off United’s opening two games – a 2-1 loss to Brighton and, particularly, a 4-0 capitulation at Brentford – but in reality it is one that has been building over months.
Maguire’s performances were abject at times during a 2021/22 campaign in which Manchester United sunk to lows even the most ardent opposition fans couldn’t have dreamed possible. A catalogue of embarrassing errors, and pained expression after conceding, became synonymous with Maguire. InStat details how the centre-half was responsible for ’16 errors leading to opposition goals’ last season as the captain lost the faith of his manager (Ralf Rangnick at the time) and his fellow players.
The only thing leakier than the defence marshalled by Maguire was the dressing room he captained; Old Trafford became a journalistic goldmine such was the candour with the players were willing to stick the knife into each other’s back. Maguire was branded by sources as ‘not good enough’, while one player chose the lead up to the Manchester Derby as the correct time to brief journalists that Maguire’s performances ‘have not met club standards’.
Internationally, Maguire found little respite. He suffered the indignity of being booed at Wembley which Southgate angrily called ‘an absolute joke’. England’s manager, however, also conceded that it was a ‘complicated decision’ for Maguire to maintain his place in the team with a lack of alternative options.
This sequence of relentless negativity has left Maguire in a state of limbo. He has maintained the United captaincy but seemingly been relegated to the bench by new signing, Lisandro Martinez, and Raphael Varane. The Argentinian and Frenchman have turned into two excellent performances – against Liverpool and Southampton – which has provided a defensive bedrock for the rest of the team. Bruno Fernandes, selected as captain instead, wears the armband with a confidence and magnetism that feels more befitting of the Theatre of Dreams than the mixed messages exuded by Maguire.
As such, Maguire feels like a man without a clearly defined role. A captain of a club whose players seem to doubt him more than anyone else. The most expensive centre-back in history but only third choice for his club manager. A starter for England because of a lack of alternatives, rather than merit. Maguire’s professionalism and attitude remains excellent so we are unlikely to hear complaints about his current predicament, but something will have to give for a player approaching 30 years old in a World Cup year. The bench will only keep Harry Maguire comfortable for so long.
Darragh Fox
Meet the opposition: arsenal
The Gunners are off to a flyer with a 100% record this season
Meet the opposition: arsenal
The Gunners are off to a flyer with a 100% record this season
Manager: Mikel Arteta
Arteta has been in charge at The Emirates for three years, having spent the former three working as assistant coach to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. He has been credited with reinvigorating an Arsenal side that fell on hard times under Unai Emery, although the club arguably had far more pressing issues upstairs. Arteta officially signed for Arsenal as ‘First Team Coach,’ but impressed his bosses enough for them to make the unusual decision to rebrand his job title as ‘Manager’ – a sign of the influence he has gained in North London.
One to watch: william saliba
Saliba was signed for £28m back in 2019 by Arsenal, but the defender only made his Premier League debut three weeks ago. He has since been lauded as a defensive colossus and compared to United legend Rio Ferdinand. It may be early days, but the Frenchman genuinely does look the real deal, combining speed and strength with an astute reading of the game. In his time on loan at Marseille he became a key player, so much so that the French giants have turned to another Premier League loanee to replace him – Eric Bailly.
Last Time Around
United travelled to The Emirates in a woeful run of form last April. Any hope the Red Devils had of turning it around was put to bed inside of three minutes, with Nuno Tavares tapping in after the sort of shambolic defending Ralf Rangnick seemed to have gotten used to by this point. Buyako Saka converted a penalty, but despite a late first-half goal from Cristiano Ronaldo, a comeback never looked on. Any thought of one was soundly put to bed by a Granit Xhaka 25-yarder in the second half.
star man: Gabriel jesus
Jesus has begun in Arsenal career in sensational form, with two goals and three assists in his opening four matches. His all-round game has been a key factor in his club’s fine start to the campaign, with his link-up play and ability to create chances for his teammates reminding Arsenal fans just what a number nine can do for a team.
interesting stats
Arsenal and Manchester United first played a competitive match in October 1894. As of 23 April 2022, the two clubs have faced each other 237 times in total. United have won 98 to Arsenal's 86, and 53 matches have ended in a draw.
Despite being in the same division almost constantly since 1919, the rivalry between the two clubs only became a fierce one in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when the teams regularly competed against each other for the Premier League title and FA Cup.
FORM AND INJURIES
Four games in and Arsenal are the only Premier League side with a perfect record, having won maximum points. They have also kept two clean sheets, with only Leicester and Alexander Mitrovic managing to beat Aaron Ramsdale thus far. The Gunners have also scored two goals or more on every occasion, making them a tough prospect at both ends of the pitch. Arsenal are without a doubt the form side in the league at this stage. In terms of injuries Oleksandr Zinchenko and Thomas Partey are doubts – the former with a knee injury and the latter a quadricep strain, although it is unclear how long they will be out. Reiss Nelson is definitely unavailable.
match preview
All the latest information about the upcoming game.
Team News and Predicted XI
This section will be updated close to Sunday’s match, but from the outset it looks like United will opt for a similar set of players.
United will go into the Arsenal game as underdogs given the North Londoners’ strong start to the season, so a team similar to the one that bested Liverpool at Old Trafford would be likely, although there is room for some rotation.
We predict that the backline will remain unchanged as Ten Hag seems to have found a defensive unit he can trust.
The midfield ahead of them could see some tweaking, however.
Christian Eriksen may not yet be ready for the short turnaround and Arsenal may not be the best game for him, particularly in the left central midfield position.
Martin Odegaard has been crucial to Arsenal’s early season successes and using either Fred or Scott McTominay alongside Casemiro seems the wise move to negate the Norwegian.
At this stage, Anthony Martial is still under assessment over an Achilles problem, but we’ve opted for optimism and included him for Sunday’s line-up.
Tactical Analysis
Arsenal have largely kept to a 4-3-3 this season, although there has been plenty of tactical fluidity and positional switching within their framework.
Zinchenko has been positioned in an inverted role, stepping into central midfield from left back. But his injury prior to the Fulham game led to the use of Kieran Tierney as a touchline-hugging attacking fullback.
One constant has been Ben White’s use at right back. A natural centre half, the Englishman has often formed a back three with Saliba and Gabriel whenever Arsenal have the ball.
With Thomas Partey or Mohammed Elneny sitting in front of that foundation, Arsenal have often created space for Martin Odegaard to drift into the right channel, where he has license to act as a pseudo-winger/playmaker for The Gunners.
This was especially evident against Fulham and the Norwegian was a nightmare for The Cottagers throughout.
He created overloads by working with White, Saka and at times Jesus out wide, and used the resultant space to drive infield on the ball, launch switches, or split the defence with balls over the top.
Arsenal’s right-sided bias in that game was extreme, with everything about Arsenal’s build-up geared towards getting Odegaard time on the ball.
Shutting down that channel will be crucial to neutralising Arteta’s greatest attacking weapon, meaning that Tyrell Malacia (or Luke Shaw) will need support from the left-sided central midfielder if they are to cope.
This may be a good game for Fred to start, as he has the necessary energy to keep Odegaard irritated at the very least. Marshalled by his international teammate Casemiro, United could use their midfield to disrupt Arsenal’s attempts to funnel play into their favoured right channel.
David O’Neill
Tactical Analysis - BONUS MATERIAl
With another chance to observe our next opponent, there may be a couple of extra trends to watch out for as Manchester United look to end the Premier League’s last remaining perfect record.
Mohammed Elneny was ruled out of Arsenal’s midweek clash with Aston Villa, leaving Albert Sambi Lokonga as Arteta’a only option in holding midfield, with Thomas Partey also side-lined.
The Belgian put in a fine performance in his audition and his manager certainly won’t be losing any sleep over starting him at Old Trafford.
Aside from that Arsenal were unchanged from the team that beat Fulham at the weekend, although in this encounter Kieran Tierney was notably asked to sometimes play an inverted role similar to that of Oleksandr Zinchenko prior to his injury, rather than his natural touchline-hugging game.
The bulk of their chances in the first half came from quick transition, with the pace of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli a constant threat against a Villa side that tried to hold onto the ball in advanced positions.
Arsenal’s counterattacking threat led to Saka missing an empty net at the far post on one occasion, ending a move that looked straight out of the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Project Restart playbook.
When Arteta’s side did have settled possession, they were keen to invite the Aston Villa press in order to provoke space to play into – something Manchester United will have to watch out for on Sunday.
Erik ten Hag favours a man-oriented press that intentionally challenges opponents to attack spaces, and Raphael Varance and Lisandro Martinez will be tasked with tracking Arsenal’s lively attacking trio when they run in behind.
Against Villa Arsenal were also able to switch play at speed to disorganise their opponents with relative ease. The narrow shape Steven Gerrard set his team up in somewhat contributed to this and Ten Hag could perhaps look at that as a possible ‘what not to do’ guide.
It is unlikely that he would need to, given his own love of this particular weapon and with Arsenal’s centre backs – in particular Gabriel – tasked with covering a large amount of space, it is a weapon the Dutchman could look to on Sunday.
Since Tierney often makes adventurous forays up the pitch, Gabriel is often required to cover his fullback while still holding the centre of the Arsenal defence. William Saliba has earned most of the plaudits so far this season, but it has been the Brazilian with the lion’s share of the responsibility at the back.
The question of any individual defender asked to do so much is this: how much can you bend them before they break? Gabriel’s own goal against Fulham at the weekend may have been down to a number of unfortunate factors, but it may also be a sign that he is occasionally overworked by Arsenal’s defensive setup.
In our feature article, we discussed the value of Antony as an ‘isolator,’ in using his pace a trickery to face up to opponents in one-on-one situations. Should his international clearance go through in time for the match, the stage could be set for an ideal debut, even if only from the bench.
David O’Neill
Match officials - arsenal
Referee: Paul Tierney. Assistants: Lee Betts, Constantine Hatzidakis. Fourth official: Simon Hooper. VAR: Lee Mason. Assistant VAR: Neil Davies.
Photo of the week: in your face
Getty Images
The devil's advocate
“Bruno Fernandes should be made Manchester United club captain”
The case for ...
Bruno Fernandes’ drive and fighting spirit have been clear since he made his debut in a MOTM display against Wolves in 2020. That drive quickly established him as a cult hero and prompted talk of him being captain material. Where some players seemed dwarfed by the scale of Old Trafford, Bruno looked completely at home. He was built for England’s grandest stage.
During his first 18 months at the club he established himself as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s talisman. He was the critical component in a flawed but entertaining side that finished 2nd in his first full Premier League season and reached a Europa League final. Averaging a goal involvement per game, he was the reference point – the difference maker. His workrate seemed to inspire those around him and, even when he wasn’t in great form, it was always likely that he’d pop up with a vital goal or assist. In short, he was the catalyst and defacto leader.
However, it was his off-field activity that displayed true credentials for the captaincy. When the European Super League proposals were announced, they were met with a wave of revulsion from football fans up and down the country. The fans needed allies within the game to spark a backlash against the breakaway clubs’ greed. And Bruno was one of the first to stick his neck out in criticism of the plans.
In just four grammatically incorrect – but nonetheless perfect – words, the midfielder cut to the heart of the debate with a simple “Dreams cannot be buy”. The same opposition supporters who derided the Reds’ ace every week for his play acting and in-your-face grift suddenly had vocal support from within the game. While nobody would suggest that Bruno alone changed the course of history, his remark certainly made a difference.
Like one of his trademark runs into the box, it was perfectly timed and utterly ruthless in its execution.
None of this would come as any surprise to the diminutive grafter’s legion of admirers. A Sporting Lisbon fan perhaps assumed him up best in a parting statement aimed at the Old Trafford faithful that soon went viral.
“You have no idea the deal you’re getting… He’s way more than just a great player, he attacks and defends constantly throughout the whole game, he does sprints at the end of the game to prevent a counter attack even though we’re winning by more than 1 goal, he’s the first guy to show his face when things are bad, the first to push his teammates to give 200% on the pitch, he attends the youngsters games regularly, welcomes new signings to the team and helps them in whatever way they need in their daily lives until they’re settled, he lives and breathes the club he’s in. A leader in every sense of the word.”
Unlike Harry Maguire, Bruno plays with a free spirit that seems unencumbered by expectation. Where Maguire plays with the composure of someone in winter clothing drowning in a whirlpool, Bruno cuts through the choppy waters with the single-mindedness of an Olympic swimmer. He’s not perfect, but at least he’s not scared. If the risky pass doesn’t come off the first five times it won’t stop him trying, and succeeding, for a sixth time. Anyone who steps out in front of 76,000 fans needs that self-belief. Maguire doesn’t have it. Very few members of United’s current squad have it. Bruno is the obvious choice.
Bruno might not be the perfect footballer – but he could be the perfect captain for Manchester United. In the two games since taking the armband , his side has won both games and the Portuguese has been a source of energy and inspiration. Charismatic, energetic, vocal with players and officials, he’s exactly what United fans who appreciate the lineage of Robson through to Keane demand from a leader.
It’s time to relieve Maguire of the burden. Bruno Fernandes is ready to be the next captain of Manchester United.
Scott Eckersley
The case against...
Look, I’m not going to lie — It’s incredibly difficult to argue against Bruno Fernandes being captain material for Manchester United. But I will try.
With this matter, something just feels off. Something difficult to describe. It’s not an obvious argument or one that even has facts to back it up. For some reason, Bruno being captain of United now doesn’t quite sit right as it did in the past.
This is particularly true when we’re talking about Erik ten Hag, his style of football, and what he expects from his players.
Bruno is a special type of footballer, a bit of a unique breed that some can’t seem to wrap their heads around. He’s not a number 10, nor is he a midfielder. Rather he’s a second striker — a shadow striker for those who play Football Manager.
Unfortunately he’s a shadow striker in a United team that’s missing the type of forward that likes to drop deep, hold up the ball and play the Portuguese maestro in. Or the type of United team that has a deep playmaker so he’s not forced into dropping deep and playing multiple risky balls forwards to try and move possession along.
But anyways, back to the topic at hand. It’s these factors that have seen his form slip. And it’s difficult to see him suiting a Ten Hag brand of football that encourages keeping possession, being fluid, and composed.
It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him eventually phased out too if he doesn’t adapt his game to the Dutch manager. Anthony Martial is essentially Bruno’s saviour but he can’t seem to stay fit.
If Bruno can’t regain his best form, nor prove capable of adapting, then his talismanic status will continue to fade. And if that’s the case, then how can he be captain? Christian Eriksen already almost looks more suited to the way the former Ajax boss likes to play. If United sign a capable midfielder, the Dane might find himself playing in the number 10 slot instead.
There’s no doubting Bruno’s mentality, or even his ability. But if his status as an influential player on the field isn’t maintained, how can he have the armband permanently? For the time being, for me, there are simply too many question marks to hand the captaincy over to the former Sporting Lisbon man.
Obviously, Harry Maguire isn’t exactly the dream candidate either, but the armband is essentially up for grabs. And I’m not 100% convinced Bruno will be the first to grab it.
The man who will lead Ten Hag’s men into battle permanently over the long-term will be the man who personifies his ideals on the pitch, sets the standards, and is an influential member of the team. Is Bruno that man? I’m not so sure. Can Bruno be that man? I guess we’ll find out.
Red Moon
newton heath
Classic United matches from yesteryear
24th October 2004, Old Trafford: Manchester United 2-0 Arsenal
“The Invincibles”, or so Arsenal thought. That was the 49 game unbeaten run that came to a crashing, and controversial end on this memorable day.
The rivalry was already fierce, tempers flared and a huge baying crowd of 67,862 at Old Trafford witnessed United snatch victory from Arsenal, denying them a half century of matches without a loss.
The first half was fairly even throughout, although quite devoid of any quality football, with both sides creating chances, but neither able to make them count.
Wayne Rooney and Ryan Giggs both had early efforts blocked by defensive tackles, and Arsenal saw a good shot from Dennis Bergkamp saved by United’s Irish keeper Roy Carroll, who also denied Thierry Henry’s low shot just before the break.
Arsenal caused trouble for the United defence too. Both Neville brothers received yellow cards for fouls on Jose Antonio Reyes, and Rio Ferdinand was lucky to escape a red after what could have been deemed a professional foul on Freddie Ljungberg.
As the opening 45 came to a close, Arsenal began to dominate play and came out for the second half with the same energy, dominating possession.
United rode out the pressure from The Gunners though, and the controversy started in earnest.
As The Red Devils broke forward in numbers, Rooney entered the Arsenal box only to be flattened by Sol Campbell. Or so referee Mike Riley deemed.
Campbell, Arsenal and rival manager Arsene Wenger were furious with the decision. But a penalty was awarded.
Ruud Van Nistelrooy calmly put it away, sending keeper Jens Lehmann the wrong way, for a 1-0 lead to the home side, and the invincibles were rattled.
Arsenal committed more players forward but with little luck, and while they were short of numbers at the back, United’s forwards launched a devastating counter attack.
Substitutes Louis Saha and Alan Smith combined to set up Rooney, finishing the Londoners off with a 93rd minute goal to end the game 2-0 to United.
As the final whistle went, United players and fans celebrated. Some Arsenal players refused to shake hands and no customary shirt swapping was seen.
This is rumoured to be down to the fact the players wore “50 NOT OUT” T-shirts.
And as both teams left the pitch, the tunnel was filled with confrontation. Henry was incensed that Ferdinand was awarded man of the match, and Wenger showed his anger at Van Nistelrooy before Alex Ferguson intervened.
“Leave my players alone” the Scot shouted at Wenger. Only to be asked“what do you want to do about it?”, and so began pizzagate.
As the United boss was caught up in the melee, he was struck by a slice of pizza, later revealed to have been thrown by Cesc Fabregas.
The immense rivalry between the clubs, between the managers, and between the captains, Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira, would rumble on, and to this day Manchester United v Arsenal is always a game to watch.
United line up: Roy Carroll, Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand, Mikael Silvestre, Gabriel Heinze, Cristiano Ronaldo, Phil Neville, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Wayne Rooney
Paul Speller
RED billy
On schedules, transfers and corrupt politicians
Around sixty six and a half hours. That’s the length of time between full time at the end of the Leicester game and kick off for the Arsenal game. I don’t know what Leicester couldn’t be played on Wednesday, probably all to do with TV schedules and money, but 66 hours is a bit of a joke, especially for this stage of the season.
But if that wasn’t bad enough, it’s going to be an even worse story next week. United kick off their Europa League campaign against FC Sheriff Tiraspol in Moldova, near the Ukranian border, on the Thursday evening (OK, so the earlier 17.45 kick off, whoop whoop) and then face Crystal Palace away on the Sunday.
The following week, it’s away at Omonoia in Cyprus. Yes, Cyprus, on the Thursday and back for Leeds United at Old Trafford on the Sunday.
Then, a fortnight’s break for internationals before we start again with the Thursday-Sunday nonsense.
I know Europa has always meant Thursday-Sunday fixtures but these are being crammed in, alongside a Premier League one as well, three times in as many weeks, with two long-distance away games. It’s a joke. And all because of the bizarre decision to have the World Cup in the middle of the season.
Ten Hag has kept referring to the World Cup when asked about transfers this summer and this is clearly what he had in mind. Although United have signed four stars (at the time of writing), Juan Mata, Nemanja Matic, Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, Dean Henderson and Eric Bailly have left, so we are still two men down on last season, at a time when more strength in depth is needed. Who knows whether Ronaldo might be joining them too.
I think we should be keeping Jimmy Garner and probably a core of the academy stars on the cusp of a breakthrough for this purpose. Zidane Iqbal glittered in pre-season, Alejandro Garnacho is a must and perhaps Amad, too, could benefit from 10-15 appearances from the bench when some trickery and impudence could win us a game.
But we surely need two or three new signings in the last few days of this window as well to be able to survive this brutal schedule. These are the first few Europa fixtures, not the last ones, so we can’t afford to be playing an entire team of academy stars in a tournament we really should be trying to win, and really could and should win, this season. We need to be fielding two strong teams each week.
Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini might have been found not guilty of fraud recently over FIFA shenanigans, but somebody somewhere surely should be nailed for this Qatar abomination. The fact that one corrupt transaction should have to dictate United’s whole recruitment policy this year is a bitter pill to swallow.
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Darren's Diary
A week in the life of a technical director
Tuesday
Go a Harry Maguire sticker for ma Panini album so I thought it would be cool tae get him tae sign it. Couldney find him in training though. Asked if anyone had seen him. Jadon and Marcus said aye, he was at the Trafford Centre buying a cushion for the bench. So I went there but I couldney find him.
Wednesday
Didney have time to get Harry to sign ma sticker. John was oot of tea bags so I had tae go tae Lidl. But they didney have his Twinings Supreme Focus so I tried Asda and Tesco’s but they didney either. Ended up at Selfridges so I did. Was so chuffed I got it but when I took it to John he said he didney like it any more and he wanted the Twinings Lady Grey instead, so I had tae go back.
Thursday
Finally foond Harry. He was cryin in the dressing room. I asked him to sign ma sticker. He said “Do you know who I am?'”. I said that was a stupid question, I wouldney be askin ye tae sign the sticker if I didney ken. He told me tae fuck off or he’d give me a kickin, so he did. Was a wee bit scared of him if I’m honest.
Friday
Told John what Harry said but he didney believe me. He said Harry would never do anything like that. Got a phone call a wee while later from some ned sayin “Tell lies aboot Maguire again and I’ll slit ye throat.” Was probably Jadon and Marcus having a laugh.
Saturday
Missed the plane to Southampton. Mitchy had told me 10 o’clock and I got there at 9.30 but they’d already gone, so they had. Went roond tae Alec’s tae watch the game with him. Cathy made a lovely quiche. United won 1-0, they gave Licha man of the match but me and Alec both agreed it was Scotty by a country mile.
Sunday
John whatsapped me all excited and told me tae go in tae work. He said we were signing Anthony and he needed ma help. I didney answer. Had tae laugh. He must’ve been oot drinking with his golfin pals. Anthony already plays for us. I ken John kens noot aboot football but I thought even he’d ken that.
Monday
Had another letter waiting for me in my cubby hole saying “Darren Fletcher: Technical Director Job Specification”. Was so excited to finally find oot what it is, but when I opened the envelope there was just a bus ticket tae Edinburgh. Maybe that’s where I’ve got tae go tae get it?
twitter chatter
Some of the best United-related posts on Twitter since the last match
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ronaldo, be like demichellis
You can teach an old dog new tricks
Cristiano Ronaldo’s cameo against Southampton demonstrated why Manchester United can do without him.
The forward had two good chances to break beyond The Saints’ defensive line, but each time failed to even get a shot off, with Mohammed Salisu – hardly a defensive colossus this season – easily outmuscling him both times.
Ten years ago, Ronaldo would probably have turned Saturday’s gritty 1-0 win into a three-goal romp based off those chances, but that is no longer the player he is.
When judging strikers of a certain age, it is important to make a distinction between form and physical decline.
A mid-30s striker out of form looks a lot like Jamie Vardy right now – in a goal drought, sure, but they still get on the end of the chances you have come to expect them to.
In the case of Leicester’s talisman, you can bet that he will get goals as the season goes on, as the only question, really, is when his shots start to find the back of the net.
Conversely, Ronaldo is struggling to even get himself into shooting positions as the demands of playing against a Southampton centre back appear to be beyond him.
Now if that sounds alarmist, then fair enough. It was a cameo, maybe he’s still not sharp, he will still score goals, et cetera, et cetera – these are all valid points.
But the problem is that Ronaldo still thinks he can run onto a pass, win a shoulder-to-shoulder with a Premier League centre back, beat him for pace, turn around and beat him for trickery, and then wallop it into the top corner each and every time.
Even well-known egomaniac Zlatan Ibrahimovic has acknowledged that as he has found sprinting more difficult, he has had to change his game to get shots off earlier.
But for Cristiano Ronaldo, he could be 37 or 97 – he will always believe that he has every attribute that he needs, and the thought of changing his game to become more effective than his self-perceived perfection will always be laughable.
The legendary forward has always been a high-volume shooter and that ability to get himself into goalscoring positions in a number of ways has always been central to his utility.
But year on year, his shot count has declined, and it is not for want of trying.
Rather than aging gracefully into a less-domineering, but more complete forward, Ronaldo has doubled down on his own goalscoring capabilities, even at the expense of his own performance.
There are many examples of players ageing and adapting their style of play at United, but there is a particularly extreme one from the blue half of Manchester about a decade ago.
Martin Demichellis, “a geriatric in a young man’s game” according to one national journalist at the time. But Manuel Pelligrini kept picking him, simply because the Argentine knew what he could and could not do. He was aware of the limitations age had brought him, so he adapted to avoid encounters he knew he would lose.
Ronaldo may be nowhere near as sluggish as the former City defender, but, wherever he is when you read this, he could do with some of Demichellis’ self-awareness.
David O’Neill
play time: Quiz Crossword Puzzle Jigsaw
Matchday Quiz 9 – Transfers special
These 20 questions are about United's summer transfers. See how many you know!
TRANSFER WINDOW SPECIAL Crossword
1. Record signing, joined United for €105m from Juventus
2. Signed from Villareal in 2016
3. Signed from Torquay in 1988
4. Signed from MLS side Metrostars in 2003
5. Signed from Blackburn in 1996
6. Signed from Villa in 2011
7. Signed from Swansea in 2019
8. Signed from psg in 2004
9. Signed from Torino in 2015
10. Signed from Spurs in 2006
11. Signed from Ajax in 2014
12. Signed from West Ham in 2007
13. Signed from Feyenoord in this window
14. Signed from PSV in 2005
15. Signed from West Brom in 1981
16. Signed from Chelsea in 1979
17. Signed from Shakhtar in 2018
18. Signed from Monaco in 2015
19. Signed from Chelsea in 1966
20. Signed from Newcastle in 2009
21. signed from city in 1972
22. signed from forest in 1989
23. signed from QPR in 1991
24. Signed from Chivas in 2010
25. Signed from leeds in 2004
26. signed from Sporting in 2014
27. signed from monaco in 2000
28. signed from luton in 1989
29. signed from arsenal in 1969
X
Congratulations!
BUMPER 150 piece united jigsaw
Drag the pieces below to solve this United jigsaw. The default jigsaw has 150 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).
morphing Mancs
Which three United players make up this strange character? (We don’t mean Beckham).
HERO to ZERO
Who are we raving about this week?
Hero
diogo dalot
Still hasn’t convinced a lot of United fans but a sublime cross to Fernandes for United’s winning goal and a goal-line clearance against Southamptonearn him our vote this week.
ZERO
cristiano ronaldo
Pouting in the dugout and a pretty half-hearted stint on the pitch against the Saints, not to mention his ongoing desperation to leave, earns the megastar his second Zero award of the season.
