Premier League
Elanga haunts former club to fire Forest to victory over Man United
Anthony Elanga’s breakaway goal against his former club earned high-flying Nottingham Forest a 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the Premier League on Tuesday.
The Swede left Old Trafford to make way for big-money signing Antony two years ago and played like he had a point to prove at the City Ground, scoring what proved to be the winner, having run two thirds of the pitch, just five minutes in.
Diogo Dalot’s first-half header came out off the crossbar, while substitute Mason Mount fizzed a late strike wide, but otherwise the below-par visitors were again lacking the cutting edge they need to rectify their miserable season.
The victory helps Forest continue their remarkable campaign, with Nuno Espirito Santo’s third-placed side now eight points clear of Chelsea in fourth, while United’s first league loss in five leaves them 13th in the standings.
“We controlled the game, but we already knew this team can score goals out of nothing,” United boss Ruben Amorim told TNT Sports.
“When they scored we changed the game a little bit from what they want. We tried with good opportunities, but in the last third, the last pass, the last assist wasn’t there. Then if we don’t have that, we cannot score goals.”
Following their 3-2 win at Old Trafford in December, Forest came into the contest looking to complete their first league double over United since 1991-92 under Brian Clough.
They were soon on their way as Elanga made his former club pay for some slack defending, Forest scoring the opening goal of a Premier League match for the 23rd time this term – more than any other side.
In contrast, only Leicester City have conceded the opening goal in more matches among all Premier League sides than United in all competitions.
United continued to struggle to create any real openings of note. Amorim summoned Rasmus Hojlund, fresh from breaking his 22-hour goal drought against Leicester last time out, for a second-half reshuffle.
The visitors, however, remained toothless in attack. The introduction of Harry Maguire late on gave them an additional threat, with one effort in stoppage time cleared off the line by Forest defender Murillo.
Forest held on comfortably as they moved a step closer to returning to Europe’s elite club competition next season for the first time in 45 years.
“Suffer, hard work, believe, helping each other, clearance on the line,” Nuno said. “It was a very hard game for us.
“The records, the boys are breaking all of them and today the City Ground was part of the game.”
United fell to their 13th Premier League defeat, their second-most in a single campaign in the competition, one short of their record of 14 in 2023-24.
-Reuters
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
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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
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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
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