Latest news with #PeterSchmeichel
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'So much at stake' for Man Utd in final
Manchester United legends Denis Irwin, Andrew Cole and Peter Schmeichel have been speaking to the BBC about Wednesday's Europa League final against Tottenham Republic of Ireland full-back Irwin told BBC Radio Manchester: "The result won't cloud the fact it's been a poor season for us domestically, but we've got an opportunity to not just win a cup but get into the Champions League, and actually go into next season on a huge high on the back of this."Ex-England striker Cole said: "People need to understand to play for a club like Manchester United, you've got to be a special individual. You're going to have ups and downs, you're not going to win every game, but you've got to understand what it means to these fans."They would give their right arm to play for Manchester United, so you wear the shirt with pride and give everything you've got."Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, former Denmark goalkeeper Schmeichel added: "They find themselves in this game with a chance to win a trophy and make the season look good, but it's also access to the Champions League."In Ruben Amorim's words, a win will change the summer but it won't solve the problems - but it would be a lot easier to sign better players. For Manchester United, there's so much at stake."I just can't call it, I honestly don't know. I'd say it's a 50-50 game, you could make an argument for either side."
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'The most important in that team' - Schmeichel on Man Utd's building blocks
Captain Bruno Fernandes and defender Harry Maguire are the "most important" players in the Manchester United team, says former goalkeeper Peter players will be hoping they can help lead the side to Europa League glory on Wednesday night when they face Tottenham in on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast, Schmeichel said: "You have got Harry Maguire and you have got Bruno Fernandes, and they are the two leaders of that team."Bruno is probably the one player who can take some personal pride from his performance this year. He has been trying his very, very best. It has been really difficult for him, his brain works on a different frequency than most other players and he has not had a lot of players who have been on that wavelength with him."He gets criticised for some of his body language and the way he reacts on the pitch, but for me it just shows you that he really, really cares. For a Manchester United fan and former player, that really means something. It is not just somebody sat there going through the motions, earning a wage and just being happy playing for Manchester United, he truly cares."He wants to win and I'm so happy he is there because he is someone you can start building the new Manchester United around. The same goes for Harry. He has earned a new contract. Only a year ago he was told by the coach he was number five in line, but he has always been for me the absolute best defender in that squad. "He might not be the prettiest player on the planet, but he is clever, he defends, he does it in style. As a goalkeeper behind, you don't have to worry about him. He has always been a leader and those two players are the most important in that team."Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'It has been a mess for a very, very long time'
Whether he wins the Europa League or not, Ruben Amorim will always have an "uphill battle" until wider issues at Manchester United are resolved, says former goalkeeper Peter on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast, he said: "He [Amorim] has come into a really difficult place and situation."The club is not in a great place. There is so much unrest, so many people being laid-off, so much negativity around the club, and he is not in a position – other than winning games and winning trophies – to change that narrative around the club. That has got nothing to do with him."Unless he wins the Premier League, unless he gets into the Champions league winning this game against Tottenham, that would change a little bit, but that [changing the club] is completely beyond his control."It has been a mess for a very, very long time and until that is not a mess anymore, regardless of who is in charge of Manchester United's football team, they will always have a really, really uphill battle and tough job."ESPN's Mark Ogden added: "He is really struggling, but he has got this amazing chance to save his season and save United's season by winning the Europa League, winning a trophy and getting back in the Champions League."It is almost like snakes and ladders – you can go down a snake and then climb a ladder and end up in the Champions League, so that is what is at stake. He has found it really tough and the jury is still out."The United fans think he's great because he is honest, he is talking about the problems that they have identified over a long period of time and this has been a free-hit this season because he inherited such a mess, but as soon as next season starts, when he has got his own players in, then football is football and he won't last long."Listen to the full discussion on BBC Sounds
Daily Mail
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The awkward moment Man United legend Peter Schmeichel questions ex-Liverpool star David James' Hillsborough remembrance badge
Peter Schmeichel and David James were involved in an awkward exchange while covering Liverpool 's Premier League clash with Arsenal on Sunday. The two former goalkeepers were on punditry duties for Viaplay as the Premier League's top two went head-to-head at Anfield and initially appeared in good spirits as the panel shared a laugh. However, the mood suddenly changed when Manchester United legend Schmeichel leaned across his former team-mate Jaap Stam to point at a badge on James' jacket. The badge had the number '97' on it, and Schmeichel interrupted the pre-match chat to question it as he said to James: 'Can I just ask, what does that stand for?' The ex-Liverpool shot-stopper appeared unimpressed by Schmeichel's question, replying bluntly: '97? Hillsborough.' Presenter Jules Breach quickly stepped in, telling James it was a 'nice touch' to see him wearing the badge before she changed the subject. You want to talk about disrespect Imagine asking Keane or Neville at Old Trafford what 58 meant — Jimmy the Moonlight (@James_LFC6) May 12, 2025 Peter Schmeichel asked David James why he was wearing a badge with the number 97 on it James was referring to the Hillsborough Disaster, where 97 fans lost their lives following a crowd crush during the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest on April 15, 1989. Ninety-four people died on the day, before another supporter passed away in hospital days later. Tony Bland and Andrew Devine died in 1993 and 2021, respectively, after suffering irreversible brain damage following the crush to take the number of fatalities to 97. It was the 36th anniversary of the tragedy last month, and James, who played for Liverpool between 1992 and 1999, was paying his respects to those who sadly lost their lives on that fatal day. Yet Schmeichel seemed unaware of the significance of the number 97 to the people of Liverpool, leading to an awkward moment with James. Schmeichel also made a big claim during the pre-match coverage when he branded Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta a 'control freak'. Addressing the Gunners' Champions League exit at the hands of PSG that confirmed they will finish another season trophyless, Schmeichel hit out at Arteta for not giving his players enough freedom as he insisted the Spanish coach would have made him a 'worse player' if he had ever played under him. Liverpool went on to dominate the first half as they opened up a two-goal lead thanks to strikes from Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz. Arsenal fought back after the break, though, and rescued a point through goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Mikel Merino. They remain 15 points behind Liverpool, and still have work to do in their final two games to seal second place.
The Sun
12-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
‘Control freak' Arteta is ‘confusing the hell' out of his Arsenal stars and making them ‘worse', slams Schmeichel
PETER SCHMEICHEL has slammed Mikel Arteta as a "control freak" who is making Arsenal players "worse". The Manchester United icon ripped into the Gunners boss before yesterday's 2-2 draw with Liverpool. 3 3 3 Schmeichel, who was on punditry duty for ViaPlay at Anfield, blamed Arteta for Arsenal once again falling short of winning something this season. The legendary goalkeeper argued that failures on the pitch and in the transfer market are down to the manager. And despite spending £650million on transfer, Arteta's only piece of silverware is the 2020 FA Cup that he won with his predecessor Unai Emery's squad. Schmeichel said: "It's all on Arteta, all. What I'm saying is that he was employed as head coach. He inherited the team and that team is the only team that he has won a trophy with. "Then it's his own team now and in the process he's changed job description so he's now the manager. "Everything is on him. It's not recruitment, it's not the board. "I would urge the viewer whenever they get the opportunity to watch him in the technical area. Arteta is a control freak, he wants his players to play the ball that he wants. He's directing everything. 'You look across to Arne Slot who is so calm. He's instructed his players in training, instructed the players in the team talk. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS "Arteta is still playing the game for the players and that would confuse the hell out of me as a football player that you had a coach that wants to direct me for everything I do. "It would confuse me and make me a worse player.' 'Those doubts maybe kick in' - Jamie Carragher hints when Declan Rice will start considering his Arsenal future Arteta cut a frustrated figure on the sidelines yesterday and was seen booting the air in anger while his side trailed 2-0. He then launched a rant after the game when asked what things upset him about Arsenal's performance. Arteta raged: "A lot of parts, especially defending, the standards that we have and the errors after we gave the ball away. "Very far off it. Really upset, yeah we had a reaction. I hate reaction I like action.I was really, really upset. "What I saw in the first 25 minutes, 35 minutes. Some of the actions... I was killing myself."
