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Tag: Manchester United

  • Carrick to start final Man Utd game before retiring

    Carrick to start final Man Utd game before retiring

    Michael Carrick will start for Manchester United against Watford on Sunday at Old Trafford in his final match before he retires.

    The 36-year-old, who has made 463 appearances for the side, announced his decision to retire in March.

    Manager Jose Mourinho said the midfielder has qualities “we believe can make him a good coach”.

    “Now his body says enough, the club and myself want to keep the man,” the Portugese said.

    Carrick has won five Premier League titles and the Champions League with United since joining them in 2006.

    He replaced Wayne Rooney as club captain following the latter’s departure to Everton, but his playing time has been restricted due to an irregular heart rhythm.

    “He will start the last match at Old Trafford and he will captain in front of the fans,” Mourinho said on Wednesday.

    “The most important quality is to be a man and football is not full of them. Society is not full of them.

    “So when you find one of them, you have to value and you have to keep.”

    Mourinho also confirmed that striker Romelu Lukaku would miss the final two league games of the season as he recovers from an ankle injury.

    He added that they would attempt to play Lukaku in the FA Cup final against Chelsea on 19 May.

    Manchester United travel to West Ham on Thursday, before hosting Watford at the weekend.

    BBC

  • Former Man Utd defender Rio Ferdinand denied boxing licence

    Former Man Utd defender Rio Ferdinand denied boxing licence

    Former Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand says he is “disappointed” after being refused a professional boxing licence.

    The 39-year-old, who retired from football in 2015, launched his new career in September.

    The British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) said they would not be reviewing his application, Ferdinand said.

    “It is with a heavy heart that I am hanging up my gloves,” he said.

    In his statement, published on Facebook, Ferdinand added: “To not be given the chance to demonstrate my ability to the BBBofC through the standard assessment afforded to others is hard to take.”

    Ferdinand’s move into the ring was being backed by betting company Betfair, as part of the ‘Defender to Contender’ challenge.

    Coached by former WBC super-middleweight champion Richie Woodhall, the six-time Premier League champion aimed “to win a belt”.

    “Boxing is a physically tough, demanding and dangerous sport. I always gave it my utmost respect and never underestimated how difficult it would be,” he said.

    “It’s important to approach everything with success in mind, and to give it your all, but sometimes things work against you.”

    He joined Manchester United in July 2002 for around £30 million, breaking the transfer fee record once more.

     

  • Man City reach 100 Premier League goals by thrashing West Ham

    Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola hailed the “incredible” numbers produced by his side as they reached 100 Premier League goals for the season with a 4-1 win at struggling West Ham.

    The champions’ emphatic victory at London Stadium left the Hammers in a precarious position above the relegation zone.

    “The numbers are a consequence of what we have done,” Guardiola said.

    “We are so happy to be getting close to history. We will try to surpass the number of goals and points.

    “We wanted to win today so that we can get the record of 96 points at home when we get the trophy in front of our people next week.”

    City – who are now on 93 points – took the lead when Leroy Sane’s shot deflected off the head of Patrice Evra and wrong-footed Hammers goalkeeper Adrian.

    A series of West Ham defensive mishaps culminated in a Pablo Zabaleta own goal which gave City a two-goal advantage and saw them reach the landmark century.

    Aaron Cresswell gave the Hammers a foothold in the game shortly before the break when he curled home a free-kick inside Ederson’s near post.

    However, inspired by a brilliant performance from Raheem Sterling, City reasserted their control of the contest early in the second half.

    Having earlier teed up Sane, Sterling claimed a hat-trick of assists after the break when he set up Gabriel Jesus and Fernandinho to finish clinically from inside the box.

    West Ham are three points clear of 18th-placed Southampton, who occupy the final relegation place.

    BBC

  • Breaking: Wenger sees defeat in last encounter with Manchester United

    Outgoing Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger witnessed another defeat in his last encounter with arch rivals Manchester United, with a last minute header from substitute Marouane Fellaini to secure the Reds 2-1 victory at Old Trafford.

    Henrikh Mkhitaryan appeared to have this young Gunners side in line for a point as his equaliser against his former side cancelled out Paul Pogba’s opener, but it wasn’t meant to be in the end as Wenger’s 28th and final Old Trafford visit ends in an 18th defeat at this hallowed ground.

    Wenger, presented with a gift by old rival Alex Ferguson before kick-off, rested the likes of Mesut Ozil and Alexandre Lacazette with an eye on Thursday’s Europa League semi-final, naming his youngest league XI since 2011’s infamous 8-2 loss at United.

    But although United’s attack was depleted by an injury that forced Romelu Lukaku off early in the second half, Jose Mourinho’s men came up with a later winner.

    Ashley Young’s inswinging cross from the left was perfect for Fellaini to rise highest in the box to flick home the decisive goal in the second minute of added time.

    A sixth successive defeat away from home in the Premier League will be irrelevant if Wenger can inspire a tunraround away to Atletico Madrid as United tighten their grip on second place in the table.

    Pogba failed to take advantage of an early chance but he made amends with the opening goal in the 16th minute.

    Lukaku floated a cross to the back post and, although Hector Bellerin deflected Sanchez’s header on to the post, Pogba was well placed to cushion in the rebound with a cushioned volley.

    Like Sanchez, Mkhitaryan was facing the club he left in January, and the Armenia international almost levelled with a drilled strike that flew just wide.

    Mkhitaryan and Maitland-Niles had penalty appeals rejected as United’s intensity dropped, allowing Arsenal into the game, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang sent a poor header straight at David de Gea in the 36th minute.

    Ashley Young’s mishit cross rattled the post as United rallied at the end of the half, but the game had a strangely low-key feel, with little riding on the outcome.

    Lukaku limped off early in the second half after taking a knock to his ankle and Mkhitaryan – who refused to celebrate – promptly levelled the scores in the 51st minute.

    United allowed their former player too much space in midfield, Mkhitaryan finding the gap between Victor Lindelof’s legs to beat De Gea from the edge of the penalty area.

    A raft of second-half substitutions saw an already low tempo fall even further, although former United striker Danny Welbeck stung De Gea’s palms with an ambitious strike from range and Fellaini rifled a drive over the crossbar.

    United thought they had scored a late winner when Rashford bundled in on the line after Fellaini’s header rebounded off the post, but the offside flag cut short their celebrations.

    There was no stopping United in added time, though, Fellaini glancing in an excellent header from Young’s perfect centre to ensure Wenger would only leave Old Trafford with his present from Ferguson.

  • Man Utd: I have no problem with Mourinho – Paul Pogba

    Troubled Man Utd midfielder, Paul Pogba says he has “no problem” with his manager Jose Mourinho and “transfers” are not on his mind.

    Pogba, 25, was left out of the starting line-up for both legs of United’s Champions League last-16 defeat by Sevilla in February and March.

    “He is the coach, he makes the decisions,” Pogba, 25, told French TV channel Canal+. “Me, I am a player. I accept it and I have to respond on the pitch.”

    The French international joined United for a then world record £89m in August 2016 and helped them win the League Cup and Europa League last season.

    He was a regular in the team but has fallen out of favour at times in recent months, with France manager Didier Deschamps saying the midfielder “can’t be happy” with his situation.

    In February, Mourinho described reports that Pogba regretted joining United and wants to leave in the summer as “lies”.

    Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said this month he was offered the chance to buy Pogba in January.

    Pogba said: “Mourinho has made me captain. He gave me the keys, the responsibilities at a great club like Manchester United.

    “For the time being, I am at Manchester United and I am only thinking about the present. We are in the FA Cup final; I have a World Cup to come.

    “Transfers, all that sort of thing, are not on my mind.”

    BBC

  • Five City players, Salah, Da Gea makes PFA Premier League team of the year

    The newly-crowned league champions, Manchester City are the main force in the best Premier League XI this season, with Tottenham Hotspur well represented as well.
    Few people will be surprised to see Manchester City dominate the PFA Premier League Team of the Year by having five players named.

    City Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva, Sergio Aguero, Nicolas Otamendi and Kyle Walker are the five newly-crowned English champions included in the XI due to their impressive performances for a side sitting 16 points clear at the top of the table with five games to go.

    Despite Pep Guardiola’s team’s dominance of the league, there are more star-studded names throughout the squad.

    Tottenham Hotspur are the next best represented side as star striker Harry Kane takes the centre-forward role, with Christian Eriksen and Jan Vertonghen also included.

    Although still sitting second and third in the league, Manchester United and Liverpool only have one star each in the squad, with David de Gea taking his place between the posts and 30-goal hero Mohamed Salah adding to a mouth-watering attack.

    Amid their poor title defence, Chelsea also saw one player named in the side, with Marcos Alonso earning praise for his impressive work on the left side.

    Goal.com

  • Jose Mourinho set to drop players for United’s FA Cup semi-final

    Jose Mourinho set to drop players for United’s FA Cup semi-final

    Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is ready to drop established players for the FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, after the Old Trafford club’s weekend defeat by Premier League bottom side West Bromwich Albion.

    United suffered a shock 1-0 home loss to West Brom on Sunday, handing the title to Manchester City, and Mourinho said his team were the “masters of complication”.

    They next visit Bournemouth on Wednesday before facing Spurs at Wembley.

    Mourinho indicated that some of those who played against West Brom would feature again at Bournemouth because they had lost their place for the semi-final.

    “Rotating is not the right word,” he was quoted as saying by The Independent. “If I play a player against Bournemouth and the player is phenomenal, he plays the semi-final.

    “So is not rotating, because rotating looks like a player plays against Bournemouth to give a rest to somebody that is going to play against Spurs in the semi-final.

    “So the word is not rotation, it is an opportunity for people, for some people, to play and to try to get a place in the team for Spurs.

    “Some of the guys that played (on Sunday) don’t have a place in that team.”

    Asked to clarify if he meant those who performed badly against West Brom would not play against Tottenham, Mourinho said: “Yeah.

    “What is the criteria for a manager to choose a team? I only know one criteria: (it) is the way you play.

    “Or do you want me to go for the price they cost, or their salary, or their beautiful face? The only way is to go with performance.”

    Ander Herrera was substituted at halftime against West Brom, while fellow midfielder Paul Pogba came off in the 58th minute, but Mourinho said that a yellow card had also been a factor in the Frenchman’s replacement.

    “It was not just him and he had a yellow card, so he was in a more difficult position than others,” Mourinho said.

    “And playing with only two midfield players, you cannot play with one player in risk of not being able to make a foul.

    “You can do it if your team is not losing the ball, but our team was losing the ball so easy with the complication, everything was complicated, so we were losing lots of balls.

    “Paul was out because of the yellow card, because in terms of the way he played, he was not worse than some others that were on the pitch for 90 minutes.”

  • Breaking: Manchester City win EPL as West Brom shock United

    Manchester City have been crowned winners of the 2017-2018 English Premier League following a shocking defeat rivals Manchester United suffered in the hands of West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.

    Jay Rodriguez scored a second-half winner to beat a woeful Manchester United and hand a third Premier League title to Manchester City.

    United had prevented City from winning the title last weekend with a stirring comeback, but an unlikely defeat to the Baggies inadvertently secured a third Premier League title for their cross-city rivals.

    Pep Guardiola’s men now hold an unassailable 16-point lead at the top of the table, meaning that with just five games to play nobody can catch the side which has led the league uninterruptedl since the fifth round of fixtures.

    With 33 games played City have won an impressive 28, with three draws and just two defeats.

    The champions have scored 93 times and conceded on 25 occasions.

    Now the title is in the bag, the club’s next challenge will be beating the record for most points in a single season.

    Chelsea currently hold that milestone, having picked up 95 points under Mourinho in 2004-5; in order to surpass the Special One, Pep and his team must take at least nine points from the 15 still up for grabs.

    United, meanwhile, face a stiff test to hold on to the second place they have occupied for almost the entire campaign.

    Liverpool are just one point behind the Red Devils with 70 points, albeit having played one more game, while Tottenham lie three points further back on 67.

     

  • Man Utd fight back to secure three points at Etihad

    Man Utd fight back to secure three points at Etihad

    Manchester United staged an incredible second-half comeback to beat Manchester City and delay their rivals’ Premier League title celebrations at Etihad Stadium.

    Paul Pogba scored two goals in two minutes to overturn City’s first-half lead before Chris Smalling’s header completed the dramatic turnaround.

    Vincent Kompany had scored a thumping header before Ilkay Gundogan’s sublime skill and precise finish doubled City’s lead.

    But City, who would have been crowned champions with victory, will have to wait as second-placed United narrowed the gap to 13 points ensuring there were no celebrations on derby day.

    City will need to win at Tottenham next Saturday and hope United lose at home to bottom side West Brom the day after to be confirmed as league winners.

    They really should have had it wrapped up on Saturday after a blistering opening period saw them tear United apart and hold a comfortable lead going into the second half.

    They could have had a penalty within five minutes when Ashley Young slipped and appeared to touch the ball away from Raheem Sterling after David Silva had crossed in from the left.

    Bernardo Silva was inches away from poking home shortly afterwards but he failed to get enough on the ball to beat the outstretched leg of David de Gea.

    Kompany then made no mistake when he leapt highest and beat Smalling to head home from a corner and give City a deserved lead, before Gundogan turned away from Smalling in the box to make it 2-0.

    Sterling should have scored twice but he fired both efforts over the bar and Gundogan also had a free header from eight yards out which he squandered – all missed opportunities in the first half.

    City then started the second half in similar fashion as Gundogan clipped the post with a curling effort but Pogba’s quick double interrupted their rhythm and reversed the momentum.

    Smalling, who had been at fault for both goals in the first half, then directed his header past Ederson to round off a tremendous comeback in the 69th minute.

    That was not the end of the drama, though, as substitute Sergio Aguero had a strong claim for a penalty turned down after a challenge by Young – and moments later players from both sides clashed as tensions boiled over.

    De Gea then pulled off a sensational save in the 89th minute to deny Aguero a late equaliser, before Sterling saw the ball ricochet off his hip and almost squeeze in before the keeper palmed it away.

    BBC

  • Manchester City were offered £100m Pogba in January – Guardiola

    Manchester City were offered £100m Pogba in January – Guardiola

    Manchester City were offered the chance to sign Manchester United’s Paul Pogba during the January transfer window, according to Man City manager Pep Guardiola.

    “I said no. We don’t have the money to buy Pogba because he is so expensive,” Guardiola told reporters on Friday as he attacked the conduct of agent Mino Raiola.

    Victory for Pep Guardiola’s side fixture against Manchester United on Saturday, would seal the Spaniard’s first Premier League title after a season of dominance over their rivals

    Guardiola, who stressed he thought Pogba an “incredible player”, also suggested Raiola offered him then United midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan shortly before his move to Arsenal in part-exchange for Alexis Sanchez.

    Pogba has endured a troubled season at Old Trafford, and is by no means guaranteed to be in the starting line-up for the Manchester derby.

    He responded to Guardiola’s revelations by posting a picture of himself on his Twitter feed with a hand cupped to his ear during a United training session, captioned “Say what?”

    United manager Jose Mourinho indicated in late March that it was up to Pogba to explain why his form has been so inconsistent in recent months, declaring it was nothing to do with the France midfielder’s early-season injury problems.

    There is no suggestion that United had given their approval for Pogba, signed for a club-record fee of £89 million ($125 million, 102 million euros) from Juventus in 2016 to be offered to City.

    Guardiola’s anger was aimed solely at Raiola, with whom he has had a long-running feud dating back to the days when the Catalan coach was the manager of Barcelona.

    AFP