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Manchester United ace Alejandro Garnacho has given a glimpse into the future of what he and striker Rasmus Hojlund can team up to offer at the Red Devils, in a message that will surely excite United fans.

What's the latest news involving Manchester United?

The Red Devils were on the end of a controversial 3-1 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium last weekend, with late goals from Declan Rice and Gabriel Jesus sealing three points for the Gunners on home turf, as per BBC Sport.

Manchester United encountered their fair share of controversy during the fixture and saw a goal from Garnacho adjudged to be offside that would've given them a 2-1 lead in the final embers of the game – the video assistant referee chalked off the strike and the Red Devils couldn't take a result from the affair, leaving them 11th in the Premier League table after four games, having taken six points from an available 12.

Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof were both withdrawn during the match and Jonny Evans and Harry Maguire finished the game as Ten Hag's central defensive pairing – the Dutchman has now explained why he had to take off both players, stating to Manchester United's official website: "Victor was ill, so he had to come off. And Licha said he had a problem on his foot. But I'm not sure if it's an injury.

We have to wait, we have to see, we have to make the diagnosis."

TyC Sports journalist Gaston Edul has taken to X to confirm that Martinez has joined up with the Argentina squad for matches against Ecuador and Bolivia in the coming week, stating: "Licha Martinez is fine. The studies gave that he does not have an injury."

What has Garnacho said about Hojlund?

Writing on Instagram, via The Manchester Evening News, Hojlund took to the social media platform to post about his debut in Manchester United colours, stating: "So proud to make my debut. The dream became a reality. Unlucky with the result today… but we will bounce back after the international break."

Argentina international Garnacho replied to Hojlund's post on Instagram and simply said "we will be back, together", also adding both players' numbers as a pairing.

Of course, their debut match as a duo ended in defeat. However, Manchester United fans will be encouraged by what the future may hold with Hojlund and Garnacho being at the forefront of their play in the final third for many years to come.

What next for Manchester United?

New signing Sofyan Amrabat has arrived in the building at Old Trafford and will bear the number four shirt on his back as he gets to work as a Manchester United player.

As per The Guardian, tensions are rising between Manchester United boss Ten Hag and winger Jadon Sancho, who has issued a statement on social media outlet X claiming that he has become a "scapegoat" figure amid comments from his manager criticising his level of performance in training.

Manchester United have not commented on the matter publicly and instead, a meeting looks likely to occur between both Ten Hag and Sancho to try and find a way forward for both parties.

The Daily Mail have revealed that Chelsea considered making a move for Sancho in the summer before opting to bring in Cole Palmer from Manchester City in light of concerns over the 23-year-old's mindset.

The captain’s unbeaten 88 against Nepal led Scotland into the Super Sixes stage of the World Cup Qualifier and one step closer to the showpiece event in England in 2019

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Mar-2018
ScorecardScotland celebrate progress into Super Sixes•IDI via Getty ImagesKyle Coetzer might well remember his 27th List A fifty with a great amount of fondness. His unbeaten 88 against Nepal led Scotland into the Super Sixes stage of the World Cup Qualifier and one step closer to the showpiece event in England in 2019.Considering he only had to chase 150, the bowlers deserve a lot of credit as well. Stuart Whittingham and Safyaan Sharif ran through Nepal’s top order with the new ball, taking four wickets in the first five overs. With Nepal struggling at 14 for 4, captain Paras Khadka (63) did his best to keep the scoreboard ticking along. He helped Nepal reach 100 in the 29th over, but fell soon after and the tail was left with too much to do.Opening batsmen Matthew Cross (14) and the captain Coetzer were watchful at the start of Scotland’s chase. They added 33 at the top before Cross fell to Sandeep Lamichhane’s legspin. Basant Regmi, too, took two wickets as Scotland’s middle order wobbled just a bit, but Coetzer’s half-century ensured they could overcome it and seal victory with four wickets and 51 balls to spare.

Veteran batsman takes charge at Grace Road, with Tom Smith joining as second XI coach

George Dobell21-Feb-2018Leicestershire have confirmed the appointment of Michael Carberry as captain and Tom Smith as second XI coach.Carberry, who joined the club towards the end of the 2017 season, replaces Mark Cosgrove as captain and will lead in all three formats. Leicestershire failed to win a Championship match in 2017 and finished bottom of the division two table.While Carberry may feel he has some questions to answer about his own form – he averaged just 17.42 in the County Championship for Hampshire and Leicestershire in 2017 – he has vast experience from a career that has seen him represent England in all three formats and win four limited-overs trophies with Hampshire.Despite his own health problems and advancing years (he is 37), Carberry has also remained impressively fit and is seen as the sort of role-model cricketer than can inspire Leicestershire’s younger players.Cosgrove, who was easily the club’s highest run-scorer in the Championship in 2017, will continue at Leicestershire as a player.Smith, meanwhile, returns to a club he represented on-loan in 2008. Having seen an impressive career as an all-rounder curtailed by injury – Smith was part of the Lancashire side that won the County Championship in 2011 and was appointed the club captain ahead of the 2015 season – he has had coaching spells with Lancashire’s academy, Lancashire Thunder and England Women. He is 32.The appointment completes a transformation of the club’s coaching staff over recent months which has also seen Paul Nixon appointed as head coach, Matt Mason appointed as bowling coach and John Sadler appointed as assistant coach.”This is an exciting opportunity for me at Leicestershire and it is great to be working alongside Nico [Paul Nixon], John Sadler, Matt Mason and all of the coaching staff,” Smith said. “I enjoyed my time here as a player alongside Nico so it was an easy decision to make. I’m really looking forward to being part of a fresh coaching team at the Foxes and can’t wait to get started.””Tom is a brilliant bloke who I had the pleasure of playing alongside here,” Nixon said. “He was a top-class cricketer who was highly skilled across all formats. Tom was named as captain of Lancashire at a young age which shows his pedigree.”He has since upskilled his coaching CV with work at Lancashire both in the men’s and women’s game and has also been working with the England Women team. We’re delighted to have Tom on board with us.”

Things aren't going well for Newcastle United in terms of results this season, but they have also suffered a big injury "setback", according to an update from journalist Craig Hope.

What's going wrong at Newcastle?

The Magpies were flying when they won 5-1 at home to Aston Villa on the opening weekend of the Premier League campaign, looking like they had gone up another gear after last season's brilliance.

Instead, things have unravelled a little alarmingly for Eddie Howe's side, with three league defeats in a row coming their way, albeit a trio of difficult fixtures on paper.

A 1-0 defeat away to Manchester City was certainly nothing to be ashamed of, even if they didn't offer a huge amount at the Etihad, but last weekend's 2-1 loss at home to 10-man Liverpool was a poor performance, and a tough one to take. Newcastle were then beaten 3-1 at Brighton on Saturday evening, meaning it's just three points from a possible 12 to start the campaign.

Things appear to have gone a bit flat at St James' Park heading into the international break and it is vital that Howe and his players regroup upon their return, starting with a positive result when Brentford make the trip north on September 16th.

Not only are Newcastle struggling to kick on in 2023/24 when it comes to results, but a negative injury update has also emerged regarding one player who has already been absent of late, with things seemingly going from bad to worse.

Who is injured for Newcastle?

Taking to X, Hope confirmed that midfielder Joe Willock has suffered a "setback" in his recovery from a hamstring injury, with the midfielder now out for a further six weeks due to an Achilles issue.

"Joe Willock has suffered a setback in recovery from hamstring problem with a new Achilles injury & will be missing for another six weeks."

This is a massive blow for Newcastle, with Willock not necessarily someone who will consistently make headlines with match-winning brilliance, but a key cog in the machine who proved to be a very important player last season, helping his side qualify for the Champions League.

The 24-year-old featured in 35 of his side's Premier League matches in 2022/23, starting 31 of them, and not only did he register six assists and score three times, but he also mucked in defensively, averaging 1.5 tackles per game in the competition. He has been lauded as a "pivotal" figure for the Magpies by Howe, who also said that he is a "very, very good" player.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

Willock's energy and versatility are such a key aspect of this Newcastle squad, allowing him to play either centrally or out wide, so he appears to be a big loss at the moment and will continue to be into the autumn.

In fairness to the Magpies, though, there shouldn't be too big an overreaction to this start to the season, considering the calibre of opponents they have faced. The performance against Villa was sensational, and while the last couple of displays have been lacking a spark, there is no reason why Howe's men can't recover and go on a good run when the upcoming break is over, but they'll have to do that without Willock.

Despite top-scoring for India with a 41-ball 67, the opener blamed herself rather than the misfiring middle order for Thursday’s defeat to Australia

Annesha Ghosh at the Brabourne Stadium22-Mar-2018It’s not hard to tell that Smriti Mandhana has evolved in her twin roles in the Indian side since her up-and-down World Cup last year. On the field, she has done what most of India’s other batsmen have failed to do since the start of the South Africa series last month: score runs consistently. Off it, she is approaching the T20I vice-captaincy head-on, by taking responsibility.On Thursday, following India’s fourth straight loss to Australia – a six-wicket thumping in the T20 tri-series opener after being whitewashed 3-0 in the ODIs – Mandhana took sole ownership of a collective failure, instead of sidestepping it. This despite top-scoring for India with an attractive 41-ball 67.”I am taking that blame on myself, that if I am set and middling the ball well, I should continue, like Mithali [Raj] does. We have to learn from seniors,” Mandhana reasoned, when asked if the repeated failures of the middle order to build on her starts have been a cause of personal disappointment.”It’s very easy to blame others and not put it on ourselves. As a player, it is easy to say that they didn’t perform, but the fact is that it is really hard for a new batsman to come and bat, and it is really [important] for a set batsman to play. So it is much easier for me to continue till the 20th over than for the other batsmen to come in and bat.”It is little surprise that while defending the batting line-up’s inconsistency, Mandhana invoked the example of Raj, who for much of her career has struggled to find support for her prolific returns at the top of the order.Since the end of the World Cup, Mandhana has scored more ODI runs – 350 – than any other India batsman, and at a better average – 58.33 – as well. In T20Is, she’s been second-best behind Raj in terms of runs and averages, though her strike rate of 148.72 has been far superior to Raj’s 109.94.After successive low scores in the last match of the South Africa tour and the first ODI against Australia, Mandhana has been in rollicking form, clobbering three consecutive half-centuries. After scoring 67 and 52 in the last two ODIs, she made the fastest T20I fifty by an India women player, on Thursday, even as her team-mates, barring Anuja Patil, failed to build on the platform she laid.”I would have been pleased if I would have continued for 20 overs, and we would have had a good total and eventually won the match,” Mandhana said. “I have been timing the ball well, and we [as a team] are not learning from our mistakes from what we had [made] in the one-dayers. Like, I am getting out after getting set. So, that is the takeaway from this match.”The upswing in Mandhana’s form this home season has largely coincided with the absence of Jhulan Goswami from India’s attack. Goswami is now back after recovering from a heel injury, however, and that could just be the spark India need to rebound from their series of losses to Australia.In the tri-series opener, Goswami picked up three wickets, and the nature of two of them – knocking back the middle stumps of Alyssa Healy and Ashleigh Gardner – particularly pleased Mandhana.”It was amazing to see some bowleds of some Australian players. [Goswami] coming back to the team has been a boost to all the bowlers, because they have someone like Jhulu to guide them.”We are doing the same mistakes in the bowling unit, one is performing and others are not supporting. As a bowling unit, if there is pressure from both ends then the batsmen will go and try something else. Our bowling unit has to step up and create the pressure which we haven’t done in the ODIs.”

Manchester United have now been provided with an update on Jadon Sancho's future at the club by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Is Jadon Sancho leaving Man United?

It would be fair to say Sancho's Man United career has not gone to plan, since joining from Borussia Dortmund in a £73m deal just over two years ago, and the winger has fallen down the pecking order since his public falling out with Erik ten Hag. The winger has not been selected for any of United's last three fixtures as a result of his ongoing dispute with his manager, which started when he took issue with the comments saying he had been axed from the matchday squad due to his performances in training.

After leaving the 23-year-old out for the 3-1 defeat against Brighton, Ten Hag admitted he "didn't know" whether he would play for the club again, but he is short on options on the wing, given that Antony has been on leave due to allegations regarding his private life.

The Daily Star reports the Red Devils are willing to sell the Englishman on the cheap to get him out of the club in January, with the hierarchy keen to get rid of him, although former club Borussia Dortmund have already ruled out bringing him back.

At the back end of the summer transfer window, the former Dortmund man was targeted for a move to Saudi Arabia, with Steven Gerrard's Al-Ettifaq being named as potential suitors, but it remains to be seen whether they reignite their interest this winter.

Although the London-born winger's career at Old Trafford appears to be over, there has now been a suggestion he could still end up staying, but he would have to be willing to make amends with Ten Hag.

Romano has now provided an update on the situation for CaughtOffside, saying: "As of today, Jadon Sancho has still not apologised and this is why the situation is still in limbo and why there is still no green light for him to return to the first-team squad. There’s a way back for Jadon Sancho if he says sorry and apologises to the coaching staff. Of course, it’s also about discussing problems together – but this is not the case yet."

Should Man United sell Jadon Sancho?

Although Romano makes it clear there is still a chance the England international remains at Man United, it is probably best for all parties if he moves on in the January transfer window. Despite impressing for the Red Devils on occasion, having been lauded as "fantastic" by Newcastle United's Kieran Trippier, the London-born winger's career has stalled ever since he left Borussia Dortmund.

In his first season at Old Trafford, the former Manchester City man recorded just six goal contributions in the Premier League and did not make much of an improvement last season, although he scored three more goals. Given that Sancho has now fallen out with Ten Hag on top of that, it is probably best for United to cash in on him, while they will still able to demand a decent fee.

Sheffield United will hope they can shore up their grip on second spot in the Championship this coming Monday night, but it won’t be easy for the promotion-chasing Blades.

After all, table-topping Leeds United come into town fresh off a last-gasp win over Sunderland to further cement their authority as the main dogs in the second tier, whilst Chris Wilder’s men lurk behind.

Wilder will just have to hope his strong Blades team can keep the visiting Whites at bay, with the South Yorkshire outfit taking great pride in their defensively resilient performances this season after a horror show Premier League relegation.

United's improved defensive displays

One brief look back at the 2023/24 Premier League table is enough to send shivers down the spines of many a United supporter, as the Blades sunk back down to the second-tier rock bottom of the division.

That’s before you even consider the alarming fact that the relegated side shipped a horrendous 104 goals across a largely dismal 38-game stretch, meaning things had to change big time back in the Championship.

Stat

Record (per 90)

Ranking

Goals against

0.68

Top 8%

Save percentage

80.6%

Top 5%

Save % (penalties)

33.3

Top 29%

Clean sheet %

54.8%

Top 8%

Clean sheets

0.55

Top 8%

Touches

41.39

Top 34%

Crosses stopped %

9.4%

Top 8%

Defensive actions outside area

0.87

Bottom 21%

Wilder has thankfully managed to turn his team into a far more solid defensive unit in the league below, helped by the £2m capture of ex-Plymouth shot-stopper Michael Cooper last summer now looking to be a masterstroke.

All of last campaign, the Blades only managed to collect a sorry one clean sheet in league action. Now, with a breath of fresh air in between the sticks, Cooper has picked up a stunning 18 clean sheets, with that total only bettered by automatic promotion rivals Leeds and Burnley.

Off the back of his excellence in goal, the 25-year-old’s value has already started to steadily rise, with Cooper’s dreams of entering into the top-flight with Wilder’s men potentially coming true.

This isn’t the only time United have struck gold on a promising ‘keeper, however, with this former England international rejoining the ranks in South Yorkshire back in 2020, which would set him up for a path to stardom down the line.

Wilder's "brilliant" former goalkeeper

Fresh off the back of a seriously impressive ninth place finish in the Premier League during the 2019/20 season, the mood around Bramall Lane would have been sky-high.

Market Movers

But, as has been seen in more recent campaigns, Wilder’s men love seesawing between the second tier and the promised land of the top flight, as the 2020/21 season then saw a gutting relegation occur.

The Blades weren’t helped by some disruptive business taking place the summer before the troubling campaign properly got underway, with reliable ‘keeper Dean Henderson moving back to then parent side Manchester United after collecting an encouraging 13 clean sheets in Premier League action.

To make up for this harsh blow, United took a punt on ex-shot stopper Aaron Ramsdale for a fee in and around the £18m mark, having previously shipped him out to AFC Bournemouth for a mere £1m fee.

Whilst Ramsdale’s arrival onto the scene couldn’t save his side from the doom of dropping down a league, the now 26-year-old would help the Bramall Lane faithful get over Henderson’s exit quicker, with this save just one golden moment from the 6 foot 3 ‘keeper’s formative time at the Blades.

In total, Ramsdale would notch up a hefty 147 saves during the 2020/21 season in the top flight, leading to many a higher-up onlooker watching the Stoke-on-Trent-born star with intrigue to see if he could fit into a less stressful environment.

Arsenal would eventually pick up the recently relegated ‘keeper for £30m, with Wilder and Co unbelievably making a £12m profit on their “brilliant” ex-number one – as he was labelled by his former manager in the wake of his exit – after just one season, even with Championship football hitting them in the face.

Whilst Ramsdale would initially go down as a resounding success at the Emirates Stadium, based on his gleaming highlights reel above, it’s fair to say his time with the Gunners unravelled pretty quickly, leaving him now submerged in another basement battle.

Ramsdale's declining value

Ramsdale was worth every bit of his £30m fee during his first few standout campaigns in North London, with the 26-year-old becoming a top Premier League performer further up the table, away from United’s relegation woes.

In total, the five-time Three Lions senior figure would go on to amass 89 appearances for the Gunners across three seasons, with the calm waters of his first two seasons then replaced with choppy seas by the abrupt time he was offloaded by Mikel Arteta.

Season

Games played

Goals conceded

Clean sheets

23/24

11

12

3

22/23

41

44

15

21/22

37

41

14

As can be seen looking at the table, Ramsdale effortlessly fit into the Arsenal first-team picture upon his arrival with 29 clean sheets picked up across 78 appearances, before everything turned sour.

By the close of the 2022/23 season, the 26-year-old’s value would even stand at a mammoth £33m, only to then be frozen out of Arteta’s XI for one too many error-strewn displays.

This would result in Ramsdale seeking a move away from the Emirates with lowly Southampton picking up the ego-bruised ‘keeper for around the £25m mark last August.

Already, his value has taken a slight decline at St. Mary’s – as per Transfermarkt – with his side’s disastrous nine-point haul not exactly helping matters, leading to Ramsdale now being worth around £18m.

That is a £12m decline from the amount the Blades sold him for, representing fantastic business on the end of Wilder’s men, as Ramsdale attempts to pick up the pieces of his career again.

He, of course, managed to bounce back at Bramall Lane when his side were destined for the drop, but with only three clean sheets next to his name on the South Coast, he could well be hurtling down to the Championship with Ivan Juric’s side, whilst United push back up to the top-flight.

Value has soared 190%: Wilder has hit gold on “class” Sheffield United star

Sheffield United are already reaping their rewards for this excellent purchase.

ByKelan Sarson Feb 17, 2025

The bad weather which has plagued Middlesex’s home fixtures so far this season returned with a vengeance

ECB Reporters Network12-May-20181:59

County round-up: Clarke century rattles champions Essex

ScorecardThe bad weather which has plagued Middlesex’s home fixtures so far this season returned with a vengeance on day two against Gloucestershire at Lord’s.Only 26 overs were possible before rain arrived 10 minutes before the scheduled lunch interval and prevented any further play with Middlesex on 455 for 8.The morning session did produce drama, however, notably when the hosts missed out on a fifth batting point after failing to score the four runs required from the last 15 balls of the 110 overs allocated for bonus points.The near miss means the Lord’s tenants are now destined to go more than a year without collecting maximum batting points in the red-ball format.Such a scenario appeared unlikely for much of the first hour as overnight batsmen John Simpson and James Harris accumulated runs with few alarms.However, with the promised land of 400 in sight, they inexplicably spluttered to a halt.Harris was first to perish. Aiming a shot to leg off Craig Miles, the former Glamorgan quick instead got a leading edge and ballooned a catch to Daniel Worrall at mid-off.Angus Fraser’s side were still strongly placed, but following a tight over from Ryan Higgins, Simpson ratcheted up the tension another notch when he nicked a wide ball from Miles into the gloves of wicketkeeper GarethRoderick.New batsman Tom Helm’s efforts to score the three runs needed from the final five balls foundered and despite a scrambled single off the last delivery they came up two runs short.Relieved of the pressure of acquiring bonus points, Helm and Ollie Rayner found the freedom and fluency which had previously eluded them to share an unbroken ninth-wicket stand of 58.Rayner was especially forceful, pulling a short ball from spinner Graeme van Buuren into the lower tier of the grandstand, before driving the next ball for four.Helm joined in by clubbing two fours off what proved to be the final over of the day.

Roelof van der Merwe claimed four wickets and there was a maiden ton for Tom Moores as Nottinghamshire fought to avoid defeat

David Hopps11-Jun-2018
ScorecardLife may never be as uncomplicated again for Dom Bess as that magical day at Headingley little more than a week ago when he took his first Test wickets, England forced a victory against Pakistan to draw the series and everything he turned his hand to was an occasion to relish.As The Cure had it, at that moment there was nowhere else in the world he would rather be – it really couldn’t get any better than this. But the strawberry kiss of Headingley was nowhere to be seen as his beloved Taunton, no longer the spin bowler’s paradise of last season, blew him a raspberry.Now Bess’ cricketing life is demanding, pressurised even, as he comes to terms with his new-found status. Zestful and innocent one moment, he now carries the onus of responsibility the next. Initially at least, every ball says: “I Am An England Cricketer.” The shift in reputation must be difficult to block out of his mind. Things are not coming easily for him.Bess did not suffer alone. Somerset’s decision to enforce the follow-on after ousting Notts for 134 on first innings, a lead of 258, consigned all-comers to a slog in favourable batting conditions on the third day. There was no swing this time, as the sky turned pristine blue, and only gentle turn. By closing at 468 for 8, and making 356 runs in the day, Notts held a slightly disturbing lead of 210.In the first innings, there were five ducks in their top eight; this time there were four fifties and a maiden hundred for Tom Moores who overcome a sticky start to play with great freedom. His father, Peter, the Nottinghamshire coach, allowed himself a liberty of a paternal pat on the back at the close.Bess was into his fifth spell of the day when he finally found reward: two wickets which quietly shifted the match back towards Somerset, if not with certainty. His first over back had conceded ten, his figures distinctly unflattering: 0 for 113 in 25 overs. A possible Test against India in August must have been far from his thoughts; his priority was merely to get it to the other end, to create something positive to cling to.Then an innocuous delivery bowled Billy Root, perhaps off a slight bottom edge, as he tried to cut. He struck again with what became the last ball of the day: Moores, with 103 from 117 balls, covering up against a low full toss which in another situation he might have struck out of the ground, and falling lbw. Moores had gradually won his battle with Bess in the final session as the offspinner was heartened by the chance to bowl at two left-handers and would have been frustrated by his demise.Even then the Taunton scorecard, which gets a bit cramped, made it look as if he had taken 2 for 8,115.Another Somerset spinner fared rather better. Not Jack Leach, Bess’ normal spin bowling partner, whose injury presented him with his Test debut, and who hopes to return against Surrey later this month, but Roelof van der Merwe, who looks stocky and battle-hardened enough to be a bouncer who might refuse the young Bess entry to a nightclub.After 43 probing overs, delivered with sagacity at less than three an over, his exertions brought four wickets. Steven Mullaney, six short of a century, Samit Patel and Riki Wessels all fell lbw – Mullaney gesturing that he had hit it, Wessels defeated on the lap – and Ross Taylor was bowled as he searched for his favourite cut shot.He would have claimed his first five-wicket haul if Matt Renshaw, on his knees at first slip, had not dropped Chris Nash, on 40, who was the Notts batsman most in need of sustenance and who went on to his first Championship half-century of the season before Josh Davey bowled him with one that held its line. “I’ve never taken five wickets so that is something to aim for tomorrow,” he said. “Knowing Dom, I expect he will take the last two!”Moores, with a previous best first-class score of 43, understandably punched the air in delight upon reaching his hundred. Bess must have remembered when life seemed so straightforward. Then he thumped Moores on the pad and went into the pavilion reassured that things were still turning his way.

Manchester United are still stuck in the middle of a battle for control at Old Trafford at ownership level, and a new update has emerged regarding the potential destination of the club.

What's going wrong at Man Utd?

According to Football Insider, Manchester United will target bringing in a winger and a central midfielder in the January transfer window following their poor start to the Premier League campaign under Erik Ten Hag.

The report states that a shortlist of potential candidates to strengthen the wide areas at Old Trafford is being drawn up in the event that England international Jadon Sancho isn't re-integrated into the first-team squad. Strengthening his engine room is also a priority for Ten Hag despite the summer arrivals of Mason Mount and Sofyan Amrabat.

Brazilian attacker Antony has also been unavailable for the Red Devils recently; however, he has since returned to training and is now available for selection after featuring in their 3-2 defeat to Galatasaray in the Champions League, making a cameo appearance off the bench at Old Trafford, as per BBC Sport.

Manchester United now lie bottom of their Champions League group following consecutive defeats against Bayern Munich and Galatasaray and boss Ten Hag is now under fire due to his side's poor run of performances.

Nevertheless, a separate Football Insider piece claims that the Dutchman will be given time to turn things around at Old Trafford while also detailing that he has plenty of credit in the bank to spare following his positive exploits last term in charge.

Despite this, results will need to pick up sooner rather than later in order for the former Ajax manager to ensure his job is safe for the foreseeable future. Next up for the Red Devils is a home clash against Brentford at Old Trafford and only a win will do as they aim to make inroads towards the top four before they get cast adrift.

What's the Man Utd takeover news?

According to The Independent's Senior Football Correspondent Richard Jolly, United bidder Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani is still keen to buy 100% of the football club's assets despite reports that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is now contemplating a strategy of purchasing 25% of the Red Devils, which would afford the Glazers to stay on as majority shareholders.

Manchester United have been up for sale since last November; however, the much-maligned Glazer family are believed to want more than £5 billion to part ways with the club, despite widespread protests calling for them to relinquish control at Old Trafford.

Nevertheless, problems continue to mount on and off the field at Manchester United. In the Premier League, they have lost four of their opening seven matches and there seems to be next to no fear factor for away sides pitching up in the North West, with Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion already emerging from Old Trafford with maximum points this term.

Ten Hag has backed his squad to bounce back to winning ways against Brentford, stating via Manchester United's official website: "We have to settle down and look forward to Saturday, which is most important. We have to go again and have energy. The setback we have, has to be the fuel for Saturday."