logo
Where will United finish this season?

Where will United finish this season?

BBC News4 days ago
BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty has offered up his annual predictions:7) Manchester UnitedLast season: 15thThis prediction may raise eyebrows even among some fervent Manchester United fans, but it is based on Ruben Amorim having had an entire summer to get his entrenched three-man central-defensive system firmly fixed in his players' minds and also because of some serious strengthening in attack.Amorim has spent in the region of £200m on Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers, Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford, and the capture of RB Leipzig's prized striker Benjamin Sesko in a deal that could be worth £74m. This will, or at least should, carry some serious threat.They surely cannot be as bad again. Can they?One rider, though - if they do not improve and United look as lost and hopeless as they did under Amorim at stages last season, he will swiftly be under a very unforgiving microscope. Read the full piece
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Arsenal transfer news: Crystal Palace boss gives Eberechi Eze update as Gunners eye Barcelona swoop
Arsenal transfer news: Crystal Palace boss gives Eberechi Eze update as Gunners eye Barcelona swoop

Daily Mirror

time23 minutes ago

  • Daily Mirror

Arsenal transfer news: Crystal Palace boss gives Eberechi Eze update as Gunners eye Barcelona swoop

Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal players are celebrating a winning start to the Premier League season but the final two weeks of the transfer window could bring fresh developments Arsenal made a winning start to their Premier League season on Sunday but there are still some questions left unanswered. Riccardo Calafiori's close-range effort made the difference against Manchester United, but Mikel Arteta's side weren't at their best in every area. ‌ New big-money signing Viktor Gyokeres was unconvincing on his first start in England's top flight, managing just an hour before making way for Kai Havertz. It may well be that Arteta decides the Swede needs more support before deadline day. ‌ Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze is one of those who has been linked all summer long, though Tottenham appear in pole position with Arsenal cooling their interest Whether Eze's impressive performance for Palace at Chelsea on Sunday could change things remains to be seen. ‌ Gyokeres wasn't the only new signing involved for Arsenal at Old Trafford, with Gyokeres joined by Martin Zubimendi in the starting XI and Noni Madueke coming off the bench. Kepa Arrizabalaga and Cristhian Mosquera were unused substitutes, while Christian Norgaard missed out with a minor injury. Arsenal have two weeks left to make any final additions to their squad for the first half of the season. Here, Mirror Football looks at how things are shaping up. Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has issued an update on Eberechi Eze's short-term future. The England star got more than 80 minutes on Sunday despite links with Arsenal and Tottenham during the window, and is expected to be available for Palace's Conference League play-off on Tursday. "The 15, 16 players who had the most minutes last year are still here," Glasner told Sky Sports after his team earned a goalless draw at Chelsea. "There are a lot of rumours about Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi but they were 100 per cent with this group in Crystal Palace and they have proved that in a big way. "Eb should have scored a goal today, he had one and it was disallowed. He will come tomorrow to the Crystal Palace training ground, Tuesday off, we take Wednesday and I expect him to be back playing for us against Fredrikstad." ‌ Arsenal's De Jong links Reports in Spain suggest Arsenal could be in the running to sign Frenkie de Jong from Barcelona. The move would likely not be until next summer, when the Dutch international's deal in Catalunya expires. Manchester United have long been linked with a swoop for De Jong, predominantly when his former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag was at the helm. With United dropping down the league and appointing Ruben Amorim, though, that chat has gone cold. ‌ We'd still probably take the Arsenal links with a pinch of salt. De Jong hasn't expressed any desire to leave his current club, even if the much-publicised financial situation affecting Barca could force them to make tweaks to their squad in 2026. Zinchenko breakthrough Arsenal utility man Oleksandr Zinchenko is set for Fenerbahce, according to reports in Turkey. The Ukraine international is expected to move on an initial loan with an option to buy, with the package worth a reported £11m. ‌ The 28-year-old has featured for Arsenal in pre-season but wasn't in the matchday squad on Sunday. The arrival of Calafiori and the emergence of Myles Lewis-Skelly saw his opportunities limited last term, though he did get some game time in midfield. ZInchenko's current Arsenal deal expires in 2026. It is unclear whether the Gunners would urge him to sign an extension before agreeing to a loan exit, having reportedly explored a permanent sale earlier this summer.

Chris Wood allays attacking concerns as Nottingham Forest overwhelm Brentford
Chris Wood allays attacking concerns as Nottingham Forest overwhelm Brentford

The Guardian

timean hour ago

  • The Guardian

Chris Wood allays attacking concerns as Nottingham Forest overwhelm Brentford

If it is any consolation for Keith Andrews, things should only get better after Brentford were brushed aside by Nottingham Forest in his first game in charge. It was an eye-opening lesson for the new head coach, as Nuno Espírito Santo and his players showed they are ready to build on last season's success story. Chris Wood scored twice and Dan Ndoye netted on his debut to finish the match as a contest before 45 minutes had elapsed. Brentford could not cope with the hosts, who dictated the game from the start, while the visitors offered little indication of what style they plan to play under Andrews, who could take no enjoyment from Igor Thiago's late penalty. 'We will learn a lot from that 45 minutes, especially me,' Andrews said. '[It was] very disappointing in terms of your preparation, how you envisage it, looking from a tactical perspective, not too different really. I felt, I've kind of stressed this most of the week, I felt it would be a game of structure that was needed to be very respectful of what Forest have, how they play the game. Basics is a word in football and sport that is seen sometimes as a dirty word. I'm big on it – unless you do the basics, you don't give yourself an opportunity to play the game that you want to play.' Nuno complained in the buildup about the lack of summer transfer activity. He has since been appeased by the arrivals of Omari Hutchinson and James McAtee, who were paraded in front of the supporters before kick-off. Forest scored once in seven pre‑season matches, producing five goalless draws. Those statistics were rendered irrelevant within five minutes when Wood reacted quickest to a bouncing ball in the box from a corner, after Brentford failed to clear, to direct it home. Nuno looks poised to get a new striker in the coming days in the form of, Arnaud Kalimuendo from Rennes but the New Zealander Wood offered a reminder that his 20 Premier League goals last season were not a fluke. What Andrews would have done for the talismanic forwards of 2024-25 but Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo were not available. The latter is at Manchester United and the former has at least one foot out of the door. It was a less than ideal situation for his first game in senior management and his team sat too deep, ceding control to Forest. Considering Andrews' previous role as set-piece coach, the manner in which the goal was conceded will have greatly irritated him. Nuno wants his team to dominate possession more often and Brentford were willing to allow Forest to settle into this new style. Morgan Gibbs‑White was given space in which to receive the ball, further emphasising why Forest did everything in their power to stop him departing for Tottenham. Gibbs-White drifted into the areas he felt he could do most damage, picking up the ball and finding a forward pass to keep Brentford on the back foot. Andrews was constantly tested by Nuno, to see how quickly he could adapt his team. Forest's wingers swapped positions, Gibbs‑White moved out wide and Ndoye spent time playing as a second central striker. If Andrews was under pressure before the start, Nuno was putting his tactical acumen in a vice. Forest had their own new era with Ndoye giving their fans more than a glimpse of what to expect after a summer move from Bologna. The Swiss attacker showed trickery on the wing but provided more than anticipated with a smart run to meet a Gibbs‑White cross into the box and head beyond Caoimhín Kelleher. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion The debutant goalkeeper picked the ball out of the net for a third occasion in first-half injury-time when Wood latched on to a through-ball from the superb Elliot Anderson. The striker was not tracked and calmly rounded the goalkeeper before tapping into the empty net and wheeling away in front of an ecstatic home crowd. 'I just want to go home and celebrate, because it's a beautiful start,' said Nuno, who wants the club to be busy in the market this week. 'I'm delighted. I think the way we started the game was amazing. We dominated, controlled, [and had] good combinations.' Knowing the game was done, despite Thiago's calm penalty after Ibrahim Sangaré handballed, the tempo in the second half dropped, giving Andrews some time to ponder what he will need to change. Jordan Henderson was given a debut off the bench and his experience will be vital because it is apparent that Andrews is learning on the job, while Nuno's methods once again look assured. Life will become more difficult once the Europa League starts but Forest do not give the impression of being worried.

Jacob Ramsey delighted with £39m move from Aston Villa to Newcastle
Jacob Ramsey delighted with £39m move from Aston Villa to Newcastle

The Guardian

timean hour ago

  • The Guardian

Jacob Ramsey delighted with £39m move from Aston Villa to Newcastle

Newcastle have completed the signing of the Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey. The 24-year-old has signed a long-term contract with the club, who are understood to have paid an initial £39m for his services, with a further £4m due in add-ons. The Villa academy graduate, who made 167 appearances for their senior team, 10 of them in last season's Champions League, is the fourth acquisition of the summer for the Newcastle head coach, Eddie Howe. 'I'm delighted to be here. It's been a mad two or three days, but I'm really happy to be here and I can't wait to get started,' Ramsey said. 'This is a big move for me, but as soon as I knew the gaffer was interested and really liked me, it didn't take much time to decide. His track record of developing players, especially those who have gone on to become internationals here, speaks for itself. 'It was always a tough game playing for Villa against Newcastle – the team is full of energy, so athletic and the fans are so passionate. I feel my game will suit that and I'm excited to be on the other end of it now.' Newcastle began their Premier League campaign with a 0-0 draw at Villa on Saturday and Ramsey will join the squad on the training pitch as they begin preparations for the visit of the champions, Liverpool, a week on Monday. Howe said: 'Jacob is another fantastic addition to our squad. His qualities will bring us something different on the pitch and he fits the profile of being young and hungry to develop, but also with a wealth of Premier League football under his belt. 'Jacob offers versatility and his directness in attack has proven to be a real threat at this level in recent seasons. He performed very well in the Champions League last season too and we believe he'll be a major asset for us.' Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion Ramsey was part of England's European Under-21 Championship-winning squad in 2023 alongside his new teammate Anthony Gordon. He joins Anthony Elanga, Aaron Ramsdale and Malick Thiaw in heading for St James' Park this summer.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store