Premier League
SOLSKJAER SEES MAN UTD OF OLD IN LATE WIN OVER WOLVES
Manchester United are recreating the habit of late winners that could lead to an unexpected Premier League title challenge, according to manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Marcus Rashford’s deflected strike deep into stoppage time moved United to within two points of Liverpool at the top of the table with a 1-0 win over Wolves on Tuesday (Dec 29).
United laboured for long spells against a youthful Wolves side, but got a huge slice of fortune in the 93rd minute when Rashford’s shot hit Romain Saiss to leave Rui Patricio helpless.
Victory takes Solskjaer’s men up to second and continues an excellent run of 23 points from the last possible 27 to mount an unlikely title challenge after a slow start to the season.
“It’s one of the points we brought up early in the season, that we didn’t win many points towards the end of games,” he said. “We have a tradition for it at this club. Obviously we’ve normally got many more supporters helping us to do that.
“Now we’ve won many more points towards the end of games and that’s both a mental aspect and a physical aspect.”
Despite enjoying one more day’s rest amid the packed festive schedule than their opponents, Solskjaer made six changes from the side that drew 2-2 at Leicester on Boxing Day.
Edinson Cavani made just his second Premier League start, while Paul Pogba returned in midfield, but United were fortunate to get away with a pedestrian performance.
Wolves were in action just 48 hours previously when they held Tottenham 1-1 at Molineux.
Nuno Espirito Santo brought in youngsters Max Kilman, Ki-Jana Hoever, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Vitinha to give the visitors’ energy and his plan so nearly earned a valuable point even though they just ran out of gas in the closing stages.
The last clash between the sides at Old Trafford in February was Bruno Fernandes’s debut for United.
The Portuguese has had a transformative impact on the United’s fortunes, but he could not beat international teammate Patricio with by far the hosts’ best chance of the first-half as he snuck in at the back post to meet Mason Greenwood’s cross.
On Sunday, Saiss flicked home Pedro Neto’s corner late on to earn Wolves a deserved point against Spurs and the same two players nearly combined to open the scoring when Saiss turned Neto’s free-kick goalwards forcing David de Gea into a smart save.
Solskjaer lauded Cavani’s predatory instincts on the eve of the game, suggesting the Uruguayan will be handed an extension to his contract for next season.
The 33-year-old did find the net with his only chance 20 minutes from time, but was offside as the ball broke his way from a corner.
United posed more attacking threat in the final 15 minutes than they did for the first 75 as Pogba then stung the palms of Patricio from long-range.
Anthony Martial also blazed over from the edge of the box before the breakthrough arrived in stoppage time.
Rashford raced onto Fernandes’s hopeful long ball over the top and the England international’s shot hit Saiss and flew in at Patricio’s near post.
Solskjaer’s men host Aston Villa on New Year’s Day before travelling to face Liverpool on January 17, in a match which could have huge ramifications on the title race.
“We didn’t perform as well as we want to do but we win a game against a very difficult side to play against,” he added. “We’ve struggled against them, this is the first win in the league. We’ve played them seven times (over the past three seasons) and there has never been many goals in the games.
“This is a big step forward that you don’t perform, but you still win.”
“We cannot get too far ahead of ourselves,” said Solskjaer. “We’ve got to a decent position at the moment but we are not even halfway, there is a long, long way to go.”
-AFP
Thomas Partey, who formerly played for English Premier League soccer club Arsenal, has been charged with rape and sexual assault, London’s Metropolitan Police said on Friday.
Partey, a Ghana international, was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, with the charges relating to three women and the offences reported to have taken place between 2021 and 2022, the statement said.
Partey’s management did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
He is due to appear at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Aug. 5.
Partey, 32, was signed by Arsenal from Atletico Madrid for 50 million euros ($59 million) in October 2020 and became a key member of Arsenal’s first team.
He was first arrested in July 2022, though he was not named at the time and continued to play for Arsenal while investigations were ongoing.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Five players including England forward Marcus Rashford and Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho have informed Manchester United that they wish to explore a future away from the Premier League side, a club source said on Friday.
Brazilian midfielder Antony, Dutch defender Tyrell Malacia and England international Jadon Sancho are also looking to leave the club, the source added.
Rashford, who has made more than 400 senior appearances for United, has fallen out of favour with manager Ruben Amorim, played for Aston Villa on loan while United had their worst-ever Premier League campaign, finishing 15th in the standings.
Amorim had called Rashford’s work rate into question, saying he would rather put a goalkeeper coach on the bench than a player not giving their all.
Rashford said he was feeling fitter and better since joining Villa, where he scored two goals in 10 league appearances.
United also failed to qualify for the Champions League as they lost the Europa League final 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur. Garnacho, who was a late substitute in the final, voiced his displeasure on social media after the loss.
“Up until the final, I played every round helping the team, and today I play 20 minutes, I don’t know,” he wrote in a post . “The final will influence (my decision), but the whole season, the situation of the club.”
Sancho was on loan at Chelsea, where he made 31 league appearances last season. Antony, who joined United from Ajax Amsterdam in 2022 for a reported initial transfer fee of more than $100 million, scored five goals in 17 LaLiga appearances on loan at Real Betis.
Malacia joined Dutch side PSV Eindhoven on loan in February.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes turned down the opportunity to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in order to keep playing “at the highest level”, he said on Tuesday.
The Portuguese midfielder admitted that he had considered the move, which media reports said was worth four times his current salary, after being contacted by Al-Hilal’s president.
“There was that possibility, the president of Al-Hilal called me a month ago to ask me about it,” Fernandes, who is preparing to face Germany with Portugal, told reporters on Tuesday.
“It was a big offer, very ambitious. There was a waiting period for me to think about the future.”
Fernandes ultimately decided to stay at United and said he was motivated by his desire to continue playing at the top level and encouraged by his family and the club’s coach Ruben Amorim.
“I would be willing to do it if Manchester United thought so,” Fernandes added. “I spoke to the coach Ruben Amorim who really tried to talk me out of it. The club said they would not be willing to sell me, only if I wanted to leave.
“I spoke to my wife and family, and she asked me what my personal goals were in my career.
“It would have been easy to move there but I want to keep myself at the highest level, playing in the big competitions and I feel capable of it. I am happy with my decision.”
The 30-year-old Fernandes scored 19 goals and provided 19 assists in 57 appearances across all competitions for United last season, winning the club’s Player of the Year award for the fourth time.
However, it was a season to forget for the team, as they finished 15th in the Premier League, their lowest league finish in half a century, and lost the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
- OBITUARY3 days ago
BREAKING: Nigerian Goalkeeping Legend Peter Rufai is dead
- Nigerian Football2 days ago
Football Agent John Shittu Demands Retraction and ₦250 Million Damages from Samson Siasia Over Bribery Allegation
- WAFCON1 week ago
Super Falcons Land in Morocco, Eye Historic ‘La Decima’ Women’s AFCON Title
- FEDERATION CUP1 week ago
Kwara United Clinch Historic First Title as President Federation Cup Final Goes to Penalties for the 18th time
- FEDERATION CUP1 week ago
Rivers Angels Crowned 2025 Female Federation Cup Champions After Penalty Shootout Thriller
- OBITUARY2 days ago
Peter Rufai looked lean when I last saw him, says mourning NFF President, Gusau
- OBITUARY2 days ago
Family issues statement on Peter Rufai
- IMMEMORIAL2 days ago
Peter Rufai’s Death Adds to Long List of July Tragedies in Nigerian Football