Tag: Football

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vraSir Alex Ferguson had a truly incredible run as manager for Manchester United.

Across his 27 years at Old Trafford, Ferguson made United an absolute force to be reckoned with, winning 13 Premier League titles, two Champions League trophies, five FA Cups, four English League Cups, ten Community Shields, a FIFA Club World Cup and a UEFA Supercup.

It’s fair to say that the Scottish manager was a true legend leading United and no manager has been able to live up to his legacy since.

Since Ferguson retired in 2013, Erik ten Hag is the eighth manager to step up to the plate and attempt to get United back to their winning ways experienced with the 82-year-old.

Unfortunately for the club, it looks as though a ninth may be on the cards, with ten Hag being given two games to save his job at Old Trafford.

The Dutchman was reassured at the start of the summer that he has the full backing of the United hierarchy, with it being reaffirmed recently despite the rocky start. However, ten Hag needs to start getting results to ensure he retains the support of the likes of Dan Ashworth, Omar Berrada and Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

This summer has seen Erik ten Hag reunite with some of his former players, Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui, making his transfer dreams come true.

However, claims from a former United star suggest that Ferguson wasn’t always as lucky as ten Hag has recently been, as, despite his success at the club, not all of his requests were backed up by the United bosses.

Patrice Evra discusses the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson

Former left-back Patrice Evra has recently revealed that before Ferguson’s retirement, the Scottish manager requested £200 million to secure an incredible double signing of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale.

Ronaldo had supposedly agreed to return to United from Real Madrid, however, Ferguson was just as keen to sign Bale alongside him, but the Glazers refused to release the funds for the deal.

Speaking on the Obi One Podcast about Ferguson’s retirement, Evra commented: “It was one of the most sad days. I didn’t cry but I was in shock,”

Evra continued: “The reason why is that two weeks before, he brought me to his office and said, ‘Look at those people, they think I’m going to retire, I’m going to be here another 10 years but we need to win more Champions Leagues.’

“He said, ‘Patrice, Cristiano Ronaldo has agreed 99% to come back and Gareth Bale’. He needed £200 million and the club refused. Now they have spent a billion or whatever.

“That was in 2013, I remember when I came out of his office I was like Cristiano is back, Gareth Bale… we’re back in business after winning the title.”

| Patrice Evra reveals that in 2013, both Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale had agreed to join Manchester United.

However, the club declined to pay the combined fee of £200m, and soon after, Sir Alex Ferguson decided to retire.

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— CentreGoals. (@centregoals) September 30, 2024

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Erik ten Hag’s job is once more under scrutiny after a poor start to the season, with a 3-0 loss to Spurs at Old Trafford dropping The Red Devils to twelfth place.

Whilst the United bosses are continuing to stand by ten Hag for the time being, it’s understood that the Dutchman has the next two games which lead to the international break next week to redeem himself.

Already reports have emerged of potential replacements for ten Hag, with Inter Milan’s Simone Inzaghi being considered a strong candidate to take over.

The club have also been looking at their previous shortlist before deciding to stick with ten Hag over the summer.

The main contenders at the time were Thomas Tuchel, Thomas Frank, Kieran McKenna and Mauricio Pochettino.

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However, another name that was floating around was that of Graham Potter. The ex-Chelsea and Brighton boss is currently without a club since leaving Stamford Bridge in 2023.

Graham Potter speaks about Manchester United

Speaking to Monday Night Football, Potter commented: “I am the only coach in world football to be linked with Stoke City and Napoli in the same week.”

He continued: “A lot of what I’ve read in the media is untrue and false. I take what the media say with a pinch of salt. I’ve had lots of conversations with lots of people.

“For the respect of everybody, it’s best I keep it private.

“I don’t think anything is impossible but jobs are difficult. That’s the reality of like in the Premier League as if you’re a big club Manchester United and you’re not in the top six, then there’s always going to be scrutiny.

“Sometimes you have to look beyond the results and look at the performances.

“They’ve missed a lot of chances and sometimes teams go through that where you don’t starting reflecting your xG and then a bad day comes along [like on Sunday] and the clouds come over pretty quickly – that’s what they’re facing.

“The challenge is to have some perspective and to try to rationalise what’s happening and speak logically. After any game, people are emotional as football is about emotions and feelings. The fans want to blame somebody and sometimes it is the manager.

“We make mistakes and aren’t perfect but it’s what we sign up to when we take the job. Whoever lost the game felt they would be under pressure. Ange was under pressure and all of a sudden he’s won four on the trot. You can’t win unless you win.”

Potter’s history with Dan Ashworth

However, not all was doom and gloom, with Potter going on to praise Dan Ashworth after their time together at Brighton.

Speaking of his former colleague, Potter said: “I think Dan is part of a team there, as well.”

He continued: “He will want to support and he will want to help – that’s my experience of working with him. I don’t know anything about the context of Manchester United, but my experience of working with him at Brighton was that he was very supportive.

“He would challenge at the right time but would also want to help and be there for you. Football clubs have to create conditions for coaches to be successful as well, so that is what he’ll be trying to do.”

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Erik ten Hag is now under significant pressure at Manchester United.

After a poor start to the 2023/24 season and no wins in three games, fans are growing increasingly impatient.

Despite the club spending over £600 million during his tenure, there still appears to be a lack of defined style and clear patterns of play on the pitch.

This should now be apparent in what is meant to be ten Hag’s team.

Morale looks low, and a 3-0 home loss to Tottenham Hotspur has only intensified the scrutiny.

As Laurie Whitwell reported for The Athletic, “Privately, those in charge are echoing ten Hag’s sentiments – that altering the infrastructure and working practices at the club was the main priority when INEOS arrived, and patience is required to allow that to bed in and see results.”

However, if results don’t improve soon, it’s thought that INEOS may be forced to act.

With ten Hag’s contract extension over the summer, releasing him now would reportedly cost Manchester United £17.5 million.

This financial factor is likely weighing heavily on INEOS’s considerations, as they aim to avoid appearing like they’ve made their first major misstep.

Still, with Erik ten Hag struggling, INEOS will undoubtedly be assessing potential replacements.

Here are five managers from whom we believe the next manager will be if a change is made.

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This Sunday saw the weekend’s Premier League action finish with Tottenham Hotspur beating Manchester United 3-0 at Old Trafford.

Tottenham took an early lead after three minutes with United unable to draw level, ultimately running away with the match.

This loss was made worse as United lost their captain to a red card just before halftime.

Just before the referee called an end to the first half, Bruno Fernandes’ tackle on James Maddison saw the Portuguese international sent off, having to miss three games through suspension.

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After the game, Fernandes came to the press to discuss the match and the incident, saying: “It’s a clear foul, but never a red card.”

He continued saying: “Even James Maddison when he gets up he said it’s not a red card. If this is a red card we have to look at many other incidents. I don’t understand why VAR doesn’t call him [referee] to the screen.”

Speaking about The Red Devils’ performance, Fernandes said: “I think we struggled a bit. We tried to force it a little bit, to rush it and go too quick. When they have the high line we made mistakes on the ball and then we got punished and it didn’t go the way we wanted from there.”

He continued: “The red card makes it worse. I have to appreciate all the effort my teammates have done to try and return to the game but it wasn’t possible. They showed great effort and character and I was happy for that.

“The team showed a lot of character, a lot of resilience, a lot of fight. They tried. It wasn’t easy.”

However, after this interview, former Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has taken to his YouTube channel, Rio Ferdinand Presents, and said: “I’ve just seen Bruno came out and spoke and one of the quotes that came from there was that he said James Maddison said it was not a foul and not a red card.”

He continued: “Which is fine, but it’s a red card. And I think Bruno said ‘there’s many good things we can take away from today, I’m really proud of the team’.

“He’s going to have to watch that game back and then retract that statement. Because that isn’t right, he hasn’t seen it the way we’ve seen it on TV.”

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Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi and his family have already shared their thoughts on the prospect of him taking over at Manchester United.

Inzaghi has emerged as one of football’s leading coaches, steering the Italian giants to significant successes since his appointment in 2021.

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Under Inzaghi’s leadership, Inter secured last season’s Serie A title and achieved two Coppa Italia triumphs.

He has also proven his mettle on the European stage, guiding the team to the 2023 Champions League final and holding Manchester City to a draw at the Etihad Stadium earlier this month.

Earlier today, Centredevils relayed the information that Inzaghi is considered a serious contender to replace Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford.

It has been reported that United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe may assess Ten Hag’s future during the October international break, despite extending his contract by a year in the summer.

The focus on Ten Hag’s future has intensified after United’s 3-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

However, this isn’t the first time Simone Inzaghi has been linked with the Manchester United job.

Earlier this year, the Inter manager gave his views on the speculation.

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“Yes, I feel great here, with this club, with the boys and with the fans,” Inzaghi said in February, concentrating on securing the league title.

“There’s no point in talking about it, we still have three months to keep our concentration crazy.

“We don’t care about anything else, the club itself wants us to continue playing in the same way.”

Inzaghi Family’s Perspective on Premier League Links

Italian outlet Inter Live recently suggested that Inzaghi has admirers in the Premier League and would be “fascinated” by the United job.

Nevertheless, Inzaghi has remained committed to Inter, signing a new deal until 2026 in July. His father, Giancarlo Inzaghi, echoed similar sentiments when asked about his son’s managerial career.

“Future in the Premier League? From abroad, I witnessed a bombardment that lasted several days,” Giancarlo Inzaghi told Tuttomercatoweb in April.

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“But Inter remained in my mind. It is a club with serious people and there’s a good relationship (between Inzaghi and the bosses).

“There may have been a few clouds, but they are decent people and you couldn’t ask for anything better. And, in any case, (Inzaghi) costs dearly now!”

Ongoing Speculation Amid Manchester United’s Struggles

Despite the Inzaghi family’s assurances, the Inter boss continues to be discussed as a potential option as Manchester United’s struggles persist.

Erik ten Hag’s side currently sits 12th in the league table, having won two of their last seven games.

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With much speculation around Erik ten Hag’s future at Manchester United, a new name is now emerging in the race to become the new manager at Old Trafford.

This season has been an extremely poor start for The Red Devils, continuing on from a disappointing season last year. Erik ten Hag’s men currently sit in twelfth in the Premier League after a 3-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur which also featured their captain, Bruno Fernandes being sent off.

The Athletic have now reported that ten Hag is expected to have the next two games to show some improvement in order to save his position at United.

The next two games will see United face FC Porto away from home in the Europa League on 3rd October and a Premier League match up with Aston Villa at Villa Park on 6th October before the international break.

Whilst last season United’s performances arguably were hampered by the extent of the injuries faced, limiting squad selections, the same can’t be said now this season with most of the starting line up routinely available.

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However, ten Hag is currently calling for patience and time to allow for the new signings to fit into the squad and settle into the Dutchman’s style of play.

Whilst INEOS are reluctant to part ways with ten Hag after standing by him before the summer and extending his contract, the club are working proactively once more to identify potential replacements in case a drastic change is needed.

INEOS look to Inter Milan’s manager as a potential replacement

However, reports from Jeremy Cross have claimed that Inter Milan’s manager Simone Inzaghi is now a serious contender to replace ten Hag if INEOS decide to part ways with the Dutchman.

The United bosses are impressed with Inzaghi, with the Italian manager having won six trophies since taking on Inter in 2021, including the Serie A league title last season,  two Italy Cups and three Supercoppa Italiana.

Notably, Inzaghi has never lost the Supercoppa Italiana, having managed teams in the tournament on five occasions, with Inter for three seasons and Lazio for two, winning the tournament every time.

This consistency is something which is currently lacking at Old Trafford, with the Italian manager also leading Inter to reach the Champions league final for the first time in 13 years in 2023 where they lost 1-0 to Manchester City.

Whilst the 48-year-old has signed a new contract with Inter earlier this year, keeping him at San Siro until 2027, it remains to be seen if Sir Jim Ratcliffe could work his magic to convince the Italian to move to Old Trafford.

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This weekend, Manchester United took on Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford in a match-up that both teams needed to win.

The two English sides were tied in the league table with seven points each, with Spurs one place ahead in tenth thanks to a positive goal difference.

Unfortunately for The Red Devils, the match very quickly went against them with Brennan Johnson opening the scoring in the third minute.

Things went from bad to worse with United’s captain, Bruno Fernandes, being sent off in the 42nd minute after a tackle on James Maddison.

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Things went from bad to worse in the second half when Ange Postecoglou’s side grabbed two more goals through Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke to seal a 3-0 win.

Thanks to their victory, Spurs have now risen to eighth place in the league, with their next game away to ninth-place Brighton, whilst United have dropped to twelfth-place and are travelling to Villa Park next to take on Aston Villa, without their captain.

Unfortunately, the worries from the game don’t stop there though, with both Kobbie Mainoo and Mason Mount being taken off due to injury.

Mount came onto the pitch for an injured Mainoo at half-time. However, 40 minutes later at the 85-minute mark, Mount had to be taken back off, replaced by Amad Diallo with his injury.

Thankfully now Mount has taken to his Instagram, posting a story to confirm that he’s ok, captioning it: “I’m all good, just a scratch. Thanks for all the messages.”

Mason Mount on IG: “I’m all good, just a scratch. Thanks for all the messages” pic.twitter.com/mZ2q69m5uR

— centredevils. (@centredevils) September 29, 2024

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Erik ten Hag and Manchester United suffered a humiliating 3 – 0 loss at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur.

Ten Hag has won EFL Cup and FA Cup titles during his time at United so far, but came into the new campaign under immense pressure after finishing eighth in the Premier League last season.

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That pressure has done nothing but ramp up with this latest crushing defeat, with Spurs repeating the scoring Liverpool won by at Old Trafford just a few weeks ago.

Between those results, United have endured sub-par results such as a 0-0 draw away at Crystal Palace and a 1-1 stalemate at home to FC Twente in the Europa League.

But, Erik ten Hag maintains he is not worried about his future at Manchester United, stressing that the club’s leadership understands it will take “some time” to see the benefits of their decision to support him during the summer.

Following the conclusion of last season, United conducted a strategic review.

Despite exploring other managerial options, they chose to stick with the Dutchman, believing there were mitigating factors behind their worst-ever Premier League finish.

Throughout his second season, Ten Hag’s team grappled with inconsistency.

Injuries played a significant role in their struggles, affecting results and hindering the development of a clear identity on the pitch.

Many of the injury issues have now been resolved, placing greater scrutiny on Ten Hag following a summer transfer window where he received considerable backing from the board.

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Despite having an almost fully fit squad, United suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat to Tottenham over the weekend.

Bruno Fernandes’ red card was merely a distraction from the reality that they were comfortably beaten.

The team’s second successive 3-0 home loss in the Premier League has intensified questions about Ten Hag’s position.

However, speaking after the defeat, he affirmed that he still has the club’s support.

“No, I am not thinking about this,” he told a press conference.

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“We all made it together, this decision to stay together, as an ownership, as a leadership group in the summer.

“Also, we made the decision from a clear review of what we have to improve as an organisation and also how we want to construct a squad. All the decision making was in togetherness.

“Also, we knew it would take some time because how the window went, some players late in like Ugarte, we integrate him now.

“Also, we had to make some recruitment in the organisation, we still have to deal with some impact players.

“Also, impact players, we will get better there. We need some time and we are all on one page.

“The leadership group, staff, the players’ group as well. I don’t have that concern.”

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Erik ten Hag led Manchester United to a dismal 3-0 defeat at home to Tottenham Hotspur this afternoon.

Brennan Johnson gave Spurs the early lead, capitalising on United’s sluggishness in possession and lacklustre individual performances.

Things went from bad to worse when Bruno Fernandes received a controversial red card late in the first half for a tackle on James Maddison.

Any hopes of a second-half revival were dashed when Dejan Kulusevski doubled Spurs’ lead shortly after the break.

Despite a brief rally from United, Dominic Solanke added a third from a corner, sealing a miserable day at Old Trafford.

United conceded 4.67 xG and allowed nine big chances – alarming statistics that have raised serious questions about Erik ten Hag’s management.

With no wins in the last three games and a tough fixture run ahead, Erik ten Hag must make changes to improve Manchester United sooner rather than later.

Many fans are now calling for a new manager, with elite managers waiting in the wings, some of who Manchester United sounded in the summer whilst looking for a potential replacement.

As the pressure mounts and fan patience wears thin, is Erik ten Hag’s tenure at Manchester United reaching its end?

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This weekend, eleventh-place Manchester United took on tenth-place Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.

With both clubs facing a rocky start in the season, this fixture had a lot riding on it to kick-start a resurgence for either team.

Erik ten Hag has been under a lot of scrutiny recently due to the lack-lustre performances of the Red Devils, having suffered a 3-0 loss to rivals Liverpool, with Arne Slot expertly picking apart ten Hag’s tactics live on Sky Sports. Since then the Dutch manager managed to orchestrate a 3-0 win over Southampton and a 7-0 win over Barnsley.

However, this was followed by a 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace and a disappointing 1-1 draw with FC Twente in the opening fixture of the Europa League.

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Now, not only have United suffered another loss, with Spurs winning 3-0, having opened up the scoring in the third minute, but United’s captain Bruno Fernandes will be out of action after receiving a red card.

Bruno Fernandes handed a red card

The incident came in the 42nd minute after a challenge on James Maddison, with the Portuguese international being issued a straight red.

Speaking after the game, Fernandes commented: “It’s a clear foul, but never a red card.”

He continued saying: “Even James Maddison when he gets up he said it’s not a red card. If this is a red card we have to look at many other incidents. I don’t understand why VAR doesn’t call him [referee] to the screen.”

Now, Fernandes faces a three-match ban, set to miss playing Aston Villa at Villa Park, Brentford at Old Trafford, and West Ham United at the London Stadium.

Speaking in his post-match interview, Erik ten Hag also commented on the sending-off, saying: “I don’t think it was a red card. It was only 1-0. It had a big impact on the game.”

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