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Telegraph
6 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Bruno Fernandes blames laziness for Manchester United draw with Everton
Bruno Fernandes accused Manchester United of being 'lazy' off the ball against Everton as the club's captain called for more signings before the close of the transfer window. Bryan Mbeumo made his first appearance for United since signing from Brentford in a £71 million deal and looked lively during a 45-minute run-out. But United twice threw ahead the lead, as Everton claimed a 2-2 draw in the teams' final match of the Premier League Summer Series and Fernandes was unhappy with elements of their display. 'Our performance wasn't the best off the ball, we were a little bit lazy, and we have to avoid that because the laziness you can pay at any moment,' the Portugal midfielder told NBC. United manager Ruben Amorim backed Fernandes' criticism by saying he was happy to see his players call out any drop in standards. 'I think I'm happy for the players to have that feeling,' said Amorim, whose side beat West Ham and Bournemouth in their first two games of their US pre-season tour. 'It's saying that they understand the situation. So it's a good feeling. I think the momentum of the tour was perfect. 'We had the weeks to work with a good environment, good feeling and then we go back to Carrington and we are near to start the season. We are going with the feeling that we need to do a lot of things [better].' Omar Berrada, the United chief executive, said the director of football Jason Wilcox and his recruitment team were working 'around the clock' to make further additions to the squad. United are competing with Newcastle for RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko although Amorim would also like reinforcements in central midfielder and goalkeeper. 'We have a team back home led by Jason - the recruitment team - that is working around the clock to ensure that we continue to find opportunities to strengthen our squad. There are lots of late calls and early morning meetings to make sure that we stay on top of it.' United have spent £140m this summer on Mbeumo, fellow forward Matheus Cunha and left back Diego Leon, but Fernandes believes more arrivals are needed. 'It's improving, it's not where we want it to be,' he said. 'I don't want to have a dig at anyone but I think the club is doing the best they can in terms of all the financial situations they talk about. 'I don't know about it, I'm not involved in that, but obviously it was crystal clear we needed more competition for the players that were here. 'We needed more quality to get everyone to step up a bit more to have more to do to get into the starting XI and I think that's what the club and the manager are trying to do and hopefully we can get one or two players more to help with that.' Fernandes said United's players had a duty to atone for last season, when they finished 15th in the Premier League, and that the standards had to be higher. 'It's every detail, every small detail matters,' said the Portuguese, who is one of a new six-strong leadership group. 'At this football club you can't do anything wrong on the pitch and off the pitch because it's too big worldwide and you get punished by that. 'You get the attention of the media and your fans and you have to be aware of that. At this club the culture here was winning and we need to bring that back. 'Not only the winning mentality that we need, and I think that's always been there, but obviously if you don't win you don't show it. 'The club is trying to improve other things, the facilities have improved, we tried to improve the team, the staff, a lot of things. 'A lot of people have suffered from this, a lot of people who had been working at the club for many many years had to go. The fans are paying more for tickets and we appreciate all the effort they put in for us so now it's up to us to pay it back on the pitch.' United in urgent need of defensive midfielder United may be competing with Newcastle to sign Benjamin Sesko, but the need to recruit a mobile defensive midfielder is arguably as pressing, if not more pressing, than a new centre-forward. The Everton game merely reaffirmed that. Mbeumo impressed on his first appearance for United and dovetailed well with Cunha, Fernandes and Amad Diallo before the Cameroon international was substituted at half-time. Yet this was a bruising run-out for Manuel Ugarte, who was responsible for losing the ball cheaply in the lead up to Everton's first equaliser and generally looked short of what United require. The Uruguay midfielder was excellent in the 2-1 win over West Ham in New Jersey a week earlier, but many of his familiar flaws were back on show against Everton in Atlanta. Amorim's 3-4-2-1 system demands his two holding midfielders to cover a lot of ground, but Kobbie Mainoo, for all his talent on the ball, is not the quickest of players and Ugarte has struggled with the pace and physicality of the Premier League as well as being error prone and sometimes careless in possession. Fernandes' criticism of United's work-rate off the ball told its own story. Ugarte was at fault for Everton's first goal trying to run out with the ball only to be dispossessed by Vitalii Mykolenko, before Idrissa Gueye whipped a delicious inswinging ball to the far post that was coolly dispatched by Iliman Ndiaye. A poor headed clearance in the second half almost resulted in another Everton goal, but Michael Keane was offside as he received the ball from James Tarkowski after Ugarte's fumble. When Ugarte slipped and lost possession in another moment, he briefly paused on the ground before realising he had better get up and run back. No one needed a repeat of that scene against West Ham in May when Ugarte fell weakly to the ground after losing possession cheaply under nominal pressure from Aaron Wan-Bissaka and then made no attempt to race back to atone. Fernandes dropped from No. 10 into a deeper midfield role in the second half against Everton, and Amorim may find he has no choice but to play the Portuguese there if United fail to strengthen in the position.
The Guardian
36 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Injured Wallaroos pair and 15 World Cup debutants included in Australia squad
Injured sevens star Charlotte Caslick has been included in the Wallaroos squad for the Women's Rugby World Cup in England, while Ashley Marsters and Trilleen Pomare have been named for their third campaign. The world No 8 Australians will open their tournament in Salford on 23 August (9pm AEST) as they look to improve on a quarter-final showing at the last tournament in 2021. Coach Jo Yapp named a 32-player squad on Monday, which includes 15 World Cup debutants. Defending Super Rugby Women's champions the NSW Waratahs will be represented by 13 players, while the ACT Brumbies have eight representatives, Queensland six, with five from Western Force. Olympic gold medal winner Caslick switched from sevens this year with the ambition of playing in her first 15-a-side World Cup, but suffered a syndesmosis injury last month that required surgery. However, she and fellow sevens convert Tia Hinds were included, along with captain Siokapesi Palu, who missed the recent two Test matches against Wales with a foot injury. It is unclear when the injured pair will be available to play. Teenage sensation Waiaria Ellis, 17, could become the youngest Wallaroo to play at a World Cup after being included in the youthful squad, which has an average age of 26. Veterans Marsters and Pomare, who both recently passed 40 Test appearances, will add some much-needed experience in their third tournament. Uncapped Reds winger Caitlin Urwin has been included after impressing for Australia A. However, there was no room for out-of-favour Waratahs playmaker Arabella McKenzie. Lock Annabelle Codey is set to follow in her father David Codey's footsteps in playing at a World Cup, while Katalina Amosa, the sister of Wallaby Brandon Paenga-Amosa, is one of three hookers named. 'We are very proud of the squad and the journey the players and staff have been on for the past two years to get to this point,' said Yapp, who will step away from the role after the tournament. Sign up to The Breakdown The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed after newsletter promotion 'We have a very special group of people within this squad, diverse in culture and a range of ages and levels of experience in the game. A World Cup is the pinnacle event in sport, and women's rugby will showcase that in England later this month. 'We are ready to perform on the global stage and thank everyone who is supporting us on and off the field.' The tournament is set to be the biggest-ever women's rugby event, with more than 300,000 tickets sold. Following Samoa, the Wallaroos take on USA on 31 August and top-ranked tournament hosts England on 6 September to complete their pool matches. Australia squad: Katalina Amosa, Bree-Anna Browne, Charlotte Caslick, Emily Chancellor, Annabelle Codey, Lori Cramer, Piper Duck, Waiaria Ellis, Ashley Fernandez, Georgina Friedrichs, Caitlyn Halse, Tia Hinds, Brianna Hoy, Asoiva Karpani, Lydia Kavoa, Kaitlan Leaney, Michaela Leonard, Ashley Marsters, Desiree Miller, Faitala Moleka, Layne Morgan, Tania Naden, Bridie O'Gorman, Siokapesi Palu, Faliki Pohiva, Trilleen Pomare, Cecilia Smith, Maya Stewart, Adiana Talakai, Tabua Tuinakauvadra, Caitlin Urwin, Samantha Wood
Reuters
36 minutes ago
- Reuters
Australia select Caslick for women's World Cup despite ankle injury
SYDNEY, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Olympic sevens champion Charlotte Caslick was named in Australia's squad for the 10th women's Rugby World Cup on Monday despite being under an injury cloud after having surgery on her ankle last month. The fullback is one of three players who will travel to England for the August 22 - September 27 tournament under an injury cloud along with Brianna Hoy and Siokapesi Palu. Prop Hoy is working her way back from knee surgery and has not played for Australia so far this year, while skipper Palu, who plays in the back row or centres, has been struggling with a foot injury. The eighth-ranked Wallaroos, whose best finish at the World Cup was a run to the semi-finals in 2010, completed their preparations for the tournament with a record 36-5 win over Wales last Friday. Nearly half of coach Jo Yapp's 32-woman squad will be competing at their first World Cup but 17 players are returning after taking part in the 2022 tournament in New Zealand, where they were knocked out in the quarter-finals by England. Among the World Cup debutants are 18-year-old fullback Caitlyn Halse and 17-year-old outside back Waiaria Ellis, who will be vying to become the youngest Wallaroo to play at a World Cup. "We have a very special group of people within this squad, diverse in culture and a range of ages and levels of experience in the game," Yapp said in a news release. "A World Cup is the pinnacle event in sport and women's rugby will showcase that in England later this month. We are ready to perform on the global stage and thank everyone who is supporting us on and off the field." Australia first offered part-time contracts to their women's players two years ago and have been working towards fulltime deals for regular internationals. The Wallaroos kick off their campaign against Samoa in Manchester on August 23 and also play the United States and top-ranked hosts England in a tough Pool A. Squad: Forwards - Katalina Amosa, Bree-Anna Browne, Adiana Talakai, Faliki Pohiva, Emily Chancellor, Annabelle Codey, Piper Duck, Ashley Fernandez, Brianna Hoy, Asoiva Karpani, Lydia Kavoa, Kaitlan Leaney, Michaela Leonard, Ashley Marsters, Tania Naden, Bridie O'Gorman, Siokapesi Palu, Tabua Tuinakauvadra. Backs - Charlotte Caslick, Desiree Miller, Faitala Moleka, Waiaria Ellis, Caitlin Urwin, Samantha Wood, Georgina Friedrichs, Caitlyn Halse, Tia Hinds, Layne Morgan, Trilleen Pomare, Cecilia Smith, Maya Stewart.
