'Preferred it to kamikaze past two years' - fans on Super Cup defeat
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The Independent
24 minutes ago
- The Independent
Rasmus Hojlund left out of Man United squad amid exit speculation
Rasmus Hojlund was omitted from the squad for Manchester United 's Premier League opener against Arsenal as speculation swirls about his future. The 22-year-old striker has failed to justify his price tag since joining Atalanta two years ago for £64million plus a potential £8m in add-ons. Hojlund has been linked with a return to Serie A this summer and was an unused substitute in United's final pre-season friendly against Fiorentina last weekend. New signing Benjamin Sesko was presented before that game and was included on the bench against the Gunners at Old Trafford, where the Denmark international was conspicuous by his absence. Ruben Amorim also left Andre Onana out of Sunday's squad, although the Cameroon international has only recently returned to training after a hamstring issue that disrupted his pre-season. Altay Bayindir lined up between the sticks for United, who handed debuts to summer acquisitions Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo. Viktor Gyokeres, who worked under Amorim at Sporting Lisbon, and Martin Zubimendi made their Arsenal debuts.
The Independent
24 minutes ago
- The Independent
Nottingham Forest ease Nuno Espirito Santo's fears by sweeping aside Brentford
Nottingham Forest made a mockery of Nuno Espirito Santo's pre-match worries as they beat Brentford 3-1 in their opening game of the Premier League season. Nuno expressed his 'concern' for the campaign ahead of the match, citing a lack of options in his squad, but he will feel better after a rampant display at the City Ground. After new signings Omari Hutchinson and James McAtee were unveiled before kick-off, their new team-mates put on a show as Chris Wood's double and a debut goal for Dan Ndoye put them 3-0 up at the break. With more signings to come and a Europa League journey to look forward to after last season's seventh-place finish, Forest fans may have more optimism than their manager after this opener. It was the start that new Brentford boss Keith Andrews would have dreaded. With Bryan Mbeumo and Christian Norgaard sold over the summer and Yoane Wissa effectively on strike trying to force a move away, Andrews has not been handed the easiest of tasks in his first managerial role. Igor Thiago got the Bees on the scoresheet with a second-half penalty, but life after Thomas Frank began poorly. Forest had only scored one goal in six excruciating pre-season friendlies, but they needed just six minutes to break the deadlock. Elliot Anderson's corner fell to Wood and the striker picked up where he left off last season by slamming home the loose ball from close range. Such was the novelty of scoring a goal, the celebrations on the touchline were wild, with goalkeeping coach Rui Barbosa needing medical treatment after hitting his head on the roof of the dugout and suffering a nasty cut. Forest were electric and almost scored a brilliant team goal as new signing Ndoye, Morgan Gibbs-White and Anderson all combined, with the latter seeing a goalbound shot well blocked by Sepp van den Berg. Brentford looked to establish themselves in the game and forced goalkeeper Matz Sels into a good save when Yehor Yarmolyuk fizzed in a low shot. But Forest continued to dominate and two goals in five minutes before half-time sent them into dreamland. In the 42nd minute Gibbs-White arced in a delicious cross for Ndoye to send a flying header into the top corner. Then in the second minute of time added on Wood doubled his tally when he latched on to Anderson's through ball and rounded Caoimhin Kelleher to put it in an empty net. Forest were irresistible after the break as they searched for more goals. Callum Hudson-Odoi, on the brink of signing a new contract, stung the palms of Kelleher before Gibbs-White hooked an acrobatic effort just over the crossbar. Brentford brought on Jordan Henderson in the 68th minute as they tried to stem the tide and 10 minutes later they had reduced their deficit. Forest midfielder Ibrahim Sangare handled the ball in the area and Thiago rolled home the resulting penalty. There was no grandstand finish, though, as Forest got their season off to a winning start.
The Independent
24 minutes ago
- The Independent
Disjointed Chelsea labour to goalless draw with Crystal Palace
Chelsea made an underwhelming start to the Premier League season as Crystal Palace ground out a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge. After a truncated pre-season following victory in the Club World Cup, everything pointed to a Chelsea side lacking both preparation and rest as Oliver Glasner's team coped relative easily with a new-look yet disjointed attack. Eberechi Eze started for Palace despite speculation he is about to leave and, if there were doubts about how supporters felt about the player whose goal won them the FA Cup in May, they were dispelled when he was substituted to a standing ovation late on. The England international provided the game with its only major talking point, lashing in a brilliant free-kick in the first half that was ruled out after Marc Guehi obstructed Chelsea's wall, drawing a furious response from Palace fans. As expected, Nicolas Jackson was not in Enzo Maresca's squad after being made surplus to requirements, with Newcastle considering a bid, while Joao Pedro was preferred at number nine to fellow new signing Liam Delap. Chelsea were playing 35 days after their win over Paris St Germain in the Club World Cup final in the United States and showed signs of mental fatigue in a first-half display low on creativity. Marc Cucurella had the first of their only two chances, his near-post header looping towards the far corner where it was nodded off the line by the leaping Ismaila Sarr. Eze looked to have obliged the headline writers after 15 minutes with an unstoppable free-kick that flew through the middle of the Chelsea wall and in, only for a VAR check to reveal Guehi had unfairly forced Moises Caicedo out of the ball's path. Moments later Jean-Philippe Mateta broke into the box but shot too close to Robert Sanchez, who bounced the effort to safety. There was little worthy of home fans' enthusiasm in attack in the first half, but they showed raucous appreciation for a wonderfully-timed, full-blooded tackle on Daniel Munoz by 19-year-old Josh Acheampong, making a third Premier League start in central defence, with Levi Colwill a long-term absentee and Wesley Fofana not risked. With Maresca having been told to seek internal solutions to his lack of defensive options, the academy graduate staked a convincing claim for regular game time with a display of maturity and fulsome grit that was warmly received by an otherwise subdued crowd. The best Chelsea chance of the half fell to Trevoh Chalobah, who fired high from eight yards after good work from debutant Jamie Gittens. Estevao Willian was sent on in the 53rd minute for a debut and, with his first action, annihilated Guehi in a foot race down the right before crossing brilliantly for Enzo Fernandez, who failed to make good contact. The Brazil international, still only 18 despite the hype surrounding his arrival from Palmeiras, betrayed his inexperience minutes later when striking wildly over the bar when off balance before being booked for lunging at Munoz. Eze was again almost the story when he drilled at goal and brought a two-handed save from Sanchez, then at the other end substitute Delap shot straight at Dean Henderson.
