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I never beg players to sign – Mourinho won’t persuade Ibrahimovic to stay

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Manchester United coach, Jose Mourinho, has said he will not persuade Zlatan Ibrahimovic to sign a new deal, as he “never begs players to sign”.

Ibrahimovic moved to Old Trafford as a free agent last summer and has scored 26 goals already for the Red Devils.

The Swedish striker scored twice at Wembley on Sunday, as United overcame a resilient Southampton team 3-2 to win their first trophy of the season.

The 35-year-old signed a one-year deal with an option for a further 12 months, but that clause has not been activated yet.

Speaking after the EFL Cup final, Mourinho said: “I never beg for players to sign. But if need be, Manchester United fans can go to his house and stay all night.”

There are doubts Ibrahimovic may extend his stay in England, if United don’t qualify for the Champions League next season.

Manchester United should be winning more games under Mourinho – Yorke

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Manchester United Treble winner Dwight Yorke says that while the Red Devils have improved under Jose Mourinho this season, they have paid the price for their failure to convert draws into victories.

United have gone 15 games unbeaten in the Premier League yet three of their last four matches have ended in draws and they have been stuck in sixth position in the table for the past 65 days, despite a big summer spending spree.

“This team under Jose have improved, they have brought in exceptional players like Zlatan [Ibrahimovic] and [Paul] Pogba to add quality and some personality,” Yorke told ESPN.

“But they haven’t been able to convert enough wins. This was different under my time [at United]. When we played under Sir Alex Ferguson, even though we weren’t dominating games at times, the resilience and belief kept coming back.”

In cup competitions, Mourinho’s men have reached the EFL Cup final against Southampton on Feb. 26, while they also remain in the FA Cup and Europa League.

But with United having drawn three of their last four Premier League matches, including a 0-0 stalemate at home to Hull on Feb. 2, they are now 14 points behind leaders Chelsea and two points outside of the top four.

“The United of now should be able to win games against Hull,” Yorke said. “Despite dominating games, they haven’t found a way to win them.”

Yorke won the Premier League three times during his four seasons at Old Trafford, scoring 65 goals in 147 games in all competitions. The former Trinidad and Tobago captain was also part of the side that won the Treble of the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup in the 1998-99 season.

In the same campaign, he was the Premier League’s joint-top scorer after netting 18 league goals in 32 matches.

Yorke, who captained Sydney FC to the inaugural A-League title in 2006, retired from professional football at the age of 37 in 2009. He earned 89 caps for Trinidad and Tobago between 1989 and 2009.

Jose Mourinho Cancels Christmas for United Players, Staff

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Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho, has reportedly ordered his players to report for training at 4.30pm on Christmas Day and has also instructed staff to come to work.

In past seasons, United trained at Carrington on Christmas morning like other clubs, before spending the rest of the day with their families and friends.

Even Mourinho’s predecessor, Louis van Gaal, gave the players and staff the day off.

“Everyone is seriously pissed off. They’ve never heard anything like it – not even under Fergie,” a source told SunSports said.

“All the staff are used to coming in and sorting training out at Carrington but having it at Old Trafford adds a whole new level of organisation and brings more staff in.

“Jose’s had a face like thunder at the training ground for most of the season and is clearly not happy with results.

“Some staff will even have to stay later on to sort out the pitch and stadium for the next day’s home game. He’s effectively cancelled Christmas.”

United welcome Sunderland in the Premier League on Boxing Day.

Ibrahimovic: United Not as Strong As PSG

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The Red Devils striker remains confident he made the right choice to move to Old Trafford in the summer and wants to win trophies

Zlatan Ibrahimovic believes Manchester United are not as strong as former club Paris Saint-Germain, but the Sweden great says the lure of reuniting with Jose Mourinho made the decision to sign an easy one.

 

The superstar striker moved to Old Trafford on a free transfer after four trophy-laden years in the French capital with PSG and etched his name in the club’s folklore by becoming their all-time record goalscorer.

United have not won the Premier League since the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson retired at the end of the 2012-13 season and last season’s FA Cup victory is their only major trophy since the Scot’s departure.

Ibrahimovic, though, says the challenge of helping to restore United to their past glories, coupled with working alongside his former Inter boss Mourinho, made the switch to Manchester such an inviting one.

“The presence of Mourinho was very much decisive. The team I signed for this summer is not as strong as the one I left, but when Mourinho called the decision was easy,” Ibrahimovic told Aftonbladet.

 

“When he calls I have no problem coming, all we had to decide was when I was to be presented as a United player. The rest, the financial deal, was not the difficult part.

“It was about the challenge really, and I will never say no to a challenge. This is what I wanted, coming to one of the world’s biggest clubs, that has had troubles and not won much of late, and try the Premier League. That is the challenge.”

United have endured a difficult start to the season and are already trailing Premier League leaders Chelsea by nine points, but Ibrahimovic is not surprised by their indifferent form.

 

“I said from the start that we are underdogs, we are not favourites to win the title this season,” he added.

“With all the new signings this summer, people were getting all excited. But it has been four or five years that the club has not won the league or been in the top of the table. That is something we work on.

“We started off well with a few wins in a row. Then we started losing, and we lost playing badly, by several goals. We had a week when we lost three games, that has never happened to me in 15 years.”

Ibrahimovic has scored six goals in 11 Premier League appearances for the Red Devils this season.

Marriner to Referee Manchester United’s Clash Against Arsenal

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Andre Marriner has been appointed to referee Manchester United’s clash against Arsenal at Old Trafford on Saturday.
The two sides will clash this weekend for the first time this season, with Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger set to renew hostilities.
Marriner has officiated 21 United games in the Premier League in his career, with the club winning 13, drawing one and losing seven. In that time he has shown 33 yellow cards and one red card.
The 45-year-old also famously mistook Kieran Gibbs for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain during Arsenal’s 6-0 defeat to Mourinho’s Chelsea in 2014, a mistake for which he was dropped from the Premier League’s referee list.
United and Arsenal’s clash this weekend is arguably one of the biggest games of the season thus far, with Mourinho’s side desperate to move up the table – they currently languish in sixth – while the Gunners will hope to maintain their pressure on leaders Liverpool.
Arsenal drew 1-1 with Tottenham in a spiky north London derby last time out, while United defeated Swansea City 3-1 in Wales.

Schweinsteiger Set for £10m Man Utd Pay Off

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With the prospect of the 32-year-old getting a chance under Jose Mourinho looking distant, the Red Devils are ready to take a financial hit to offload him

 

Manchester United are so desperate to get Bastian Schweinsteiger off their books that they are ready to offer the German a £10 million pay off in January, according to The Sun.

The 32-year-old has no part in Jose Mourinho’s plans at Old Trafford and has spent much of the campaign with the reserve side. Although the ex-Bayern Munich midfielder has recently been welcomed back to the first team to train, there is apparently no prospect of him actually featuring for the Red Devils.

Commenting on the decision to bring him back to the fold, Mou said: “The way Bastian was working professionally, every day with the fitness coach, it’s a human decision, a professional decision to bring him back to the team.

“He’ll be in much better condition in case his future decision is to leave the club.”

Now United face the challenge of finding a side that is prepared to take the veteran off their hands, with his £180,000-per-week wage an impediment to them doing so. He still has more than 18 months to run on his deal with Mourinho’s men, and could cost them £18m if he remains for the duration of his contract.

 

The Premier League outfit have already written off his £6m transfer fee and are now hopeful that a club from the MLS or CSL approaches Schweinsteiger, but so far no suitors have been forthcoming.

Manchester United vs Man City to Be Refereed By Mike Dean

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Mike Dean has been appointed as the referee for the midweek EFL Cup fixture between Manchester United and Manchester City.

The 48-year-old will be overseeing his third Manchester derby, his last being in 2013 as City defeated United 2-1 at Old Trafford with goals from James Milner and Sergio Aguero.

Dean has shown 38 yellow cards thus far in the 2016-17 Premier League season, whilst the one red card he has dished out was to United loanee Adnan Januzaj in Sunderland’s defeat to Tottenham.

The Merseysider was the man in the middle as United defeated Leicester City 4-1 in the league back in September, while he awarded two penalties during City’s 4-1 victory over Stoke on August 20.

Conte Responds To Mourinho Outburst

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Antonio Conte felt he did nothing wrong by encouraging the Chelsea fans to cheer the players in the closing stages of the 4-0 win over Manchester United.

Conte Geered the Stamford Bridge faithful up after N’Golo Kante struck Chelsea’s fourth and was involved in an exchange of words with a seemingly irked Mourinho following the conclusion of the match.

The Italian claimed his antics were an attempt to try and drown out the noise from the incessant United faithful in the away end, suggesting his players deserved the full backing of the stadium.

“I was listening to the support of Manchester United, always supporting their team and after a great win like this I was asking my fans to do a clap for the players for the performance,” he told Sky Sports.

“I think this is normal. All the players deserve this clap

“When there is a private conversation it is right to remain private, I have great respect for Jose, he is a great manager and he won a lot here,” Conte also told the BBC.

Chelsea took just 30 seconds to move ahead through Pedro, with Gary Cahill and Eden Hazard adding to the tally before Kante’s goal.

After losing at home to Liverpool and away at Arsenal in recent weeks, Conte was delighted to see his team come out on top in a big match.

“I am pleased with a great performance. We started very well, with high intensity and moving the ball quickly, creating chances to score the goal. I see the commitment of the players in training every day and they deserve this,” he said.

“We are improving; we must continue to work, because only through the work we can improve. We know that we have a long way to go, but I’m satisfied.

“It is very important after the Arsenal and Liverpool defeats, it was important to understand our mission. We must look to Wednesday against West Ham [in the EFL Cup] and prepare for that.”

Manchester United Players Grant Dying Man his Final Wish

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A 73-year-old man died 45 minutes after his dying wish of meeting Manchester United players came true.

Paddy Lawler, a lifelong supporter of the Red Devils and a prostate cancer patient, had told his family he would love to meet with the United squad before his death.

Despite the request seeming like a long shot, Lawler’s granddaughter, Kayleigh, posted an appeal on Facebook for anyone to help get in touch with the club in order for his wish to be granted.

The post was seen by the cousin on United’s player, Jesse Lingard. The winger, alongside Marcus Rashford, Ashley Young and Timothy Fosu-Mensah, visited Lawler three days later and 45 minutes after the visit, he passed on.

Kayleigh’s original post had read, “Please, can everyone share? I’m trying to get a few of Manchester United players to come and visit my grand dad. We asked him the other day if he would like to do anything before his time comes and he said to meet the team. I’ve emailed the MUFC Foundation, but no reply yet!

“And not sure how long we have left with him, so I want to get this as a surprise. He’s a massive fan; even tried his hardest to keep his eyes open yesterday to watch the match, but, sadly, he missed it!

“I know he will be so gutted that he didn’t watch it. I’m sure he will be a very happy man if I can get his last wish

“Thank you to u all. Xxx”

Kayleigh, 27, later thanked the players on the same social media platform.

She described them as “incredibly selfless”.

She wrote, “Top lads, all four of them. Thanks so much to everyone who helped. Sure my grand dad’s over the moon.”

Pep Guardiola Is the Special One Rather Than Jose Mourinho – Roy Keane

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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is the “Special One” rather than his United counterpart Jose Mourinho, according to former Red Devils midfielder Roy Keane.

Mourinho famously said “I think I’m a Special One” upon his appointment as Chelsea boss during his first stint at Stamford Bridge in 2004.

However, Mourinho’s current side United were beaten 2-1 by rivals City on Saturday, and Keane, who made 480 appearances for United, has been impressed by Guardiola.

“He said he’s a challenging coach — doesn’t look like he messes about,” he Keane said on ITV, in quotes reported by the Daily Mirror. “I wouldn’t like to mess with him.

“Two coaches in Manchester. Mourinho reckons he’s the Special One, to me this guy is.”

City have won all four of their opening Premier League matches while they eased to a 4-0 victory in their Champions League match with Borussia Monchengladbach on Wednesday.

Keane said: “We’ve seen City have good starts before and they take their foot off the gas a little bit, but I don’t think it will happen under this guy.

Rooney Left Out of Man Utd Squad

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The United skipper is a surprise name to be missing from the travelling party for Thursday’s Europa League clash, with Jesse Lingard and Antonio Valencia also absent

Manchester United have announced their 20-man travelling squad for the Europa League clash with Feyenoord, with Wayne Rooney and Henrikh Mkhitaryan the stand-out names to have been left out.

Jesse Lingard, who, along with Mkhitaryan, was withdrawn at half-time of the Manchester derby defeat on Saturday is also absent, while Antonio Valencia is another to have not been included.

Jose Mourinho has already confirmed that Marcus Rashford is all set to start the meeting with the Eredivisie side, while the likes of Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Memphis Depay could also get the nod.

Mkhitaryan, who reportedly has become unhappy at life at Old Trafford due to his role in the team, did not take part in training prior to the squad flying to Rotterdam, while Phil Jones was another who didn’t take part.

United’s squad in full: De Gea, Romero, Johnstone; Darmian, Bailly, Blind, Fosu-Mensah, Rojo, Smalling; Carrick, Fellaini, Herrera, Mata, Memphis, Pogba, Schneiderlin, Young; Ibrahimovic, Martial, Rashford.

Mourinho Demands Europa Reaction After Derby Defeat

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Fresh from giving his players a rollicking Jose Mourinho’s focus turns from Manchester United’s derby defeat to European action with a tricky Europa League opener at in-form Feyenoord on Thursday.

It will be the Portuguese manager’s first game in the second-tier European competition since winning its predecessor the UEFA Cup with Porto in 2003 and he says he is taking it seriously.

Mourinho’s unbeaten start as United manager came to a stuttering stop Saturday as long-time nemesis Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City left Old Trafford with a 2-1 victory.

United can expect a tough Group A opener at Feyenoord, who are top of the Dutch league having won all five of their matches this season and have pedigree in the competition.

United’s Spanish attacking midfielder Juan Mata warned that after the disappointment of derby day there was “no time for mourning”.

“On Thursday we’re going to play the first game in the Europa League, away against Feyenoord, a classic in European football,” Mata said on his weekly blog.

“It’s going to be a very demanding debut in this competition,” he added of the road to the final in Stockholm next May.

Mourinho says that young attacking sensation Marcus Rashford will play after his impressive second-half cameo along with midfielder Ander Herrera on Saturday.

“He (Rashford) is going to play is the only thing I can say. I trust him completely and I know his future will be absolutely brilliant,” said the Portuguese, who was scathing of some of his players after the City defeat, particularly defender Eric Bailly.

English-Dutch clashes are always feisty affairs but United have beaten Feyenoord in both their previous meetings.

This time it will be more subdued — at least in the stands — with the capacity of the De Kuip stadium in Rotterdam halved to 26,000 following UEFA sanctions for crowd trouble against Roma earlier this year.

United fans, whose ticket allocation has been slashed to 1,400, have been advised by the club not to wear United colours and avoid areas of potential conflict.

Feyenoord manager Giovanni Van Bronckhorst said: “I’m confident that -– in spite of the measures the club has to take –- an atmosphere will be created again at De Kuip to ensure we, as a team, are able to perform at our very best in our home matches.”

Former United and Feyenoord striker Robin van Persie is set to play both clubs as his Fenerbahce side are also in Group A with the Turkish side taking on Zorya Luhansk of Ukraine in their opener.

Van Persie won the competition with boyhood club Feyenoord in 2002.

Wenger Hopes Arsenal Play Catch-Up in Title Race

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Arsenal’s meeting with Southampton on Saturday marks the start of important run of six games in 18 days as Arsene Wenger’s side play catch-up in the Premier League.

The new league campaign is only three games old but Arsenal already lie five points behind Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United, who have all made perfect starts to the campaign.

And while Gunners boss Wenger is far too experienced to be overly concerned by the early league table, he knows the value of developing momentum in the title race before turning his attention to the club’s opening Champions League game at Paris Saint Germain next week.

The visit of Southampton offers Arsenal the chance to get off the mark on home turf after they lost their opening league game at the Emirates Stadium against Liverpool.

And Wenger will have a much more comfortable afternoon if Chile forward Alexis Sanchez can live up to his claim he is now ready to be compared with Lionel Messi and, Cristiano Ronaldo.

“I have reached a level where I can compete with great players,” Sanchez said.

“I do not feel inferior to anybody. I liken my qualities to Messi and Ronaldo. I have the same abilities as them.”

Wenger is able to call on Shkodran Mustafi and Lucas Perez, who both arrived shortly before the end of last month’s transfer window.

But anything less than victory will turn the focus on Wenger’s failure to once again bring in more world-class recruits, as well as the Frenchman’s long-term future at the club, just days after Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe was linked as his successor.

Mustafi, the Germany defender signed from Valencia, is likely to come straight into the team, but Perez, a Spanish forward from Valencia, may start on the bench.

Nacho Monreal, the Arsenal left-back, believes Mustafi will have no problem settling in.

“He will find it easy to adapt to the club,” Monreal said. “He has already lived abroad, he speaks the language and he knows Mesut Ozil.

“All those elements will lessen the impact of changing environments. Luckily for him, he will feel at home from the very first day.

“Mustafi is a player I like. He is experienced and really tough to beat, which makes him very suitable for the Premier League’s style.

“We really needed to bring a centre back to the club considering Per Mertesacker and Gabriel’s injuries, as well as Calum Chambers’ departure on loan.

“I hope he feels happy here from the very beginning so he can do for us what he does best.”

Alex Iwobi is set to return after recovering from the hip injury he suffered against Liverpool, but Aaron Ramsey is expected to again miss out with a hamstring problem.

Claude Puel is still looking for his first league win since taking charge at Southampton and is hoping it comes against Wenger — his former manager at Monaco.

“It’s the first time that we can play one against one as I haven’t met him in an international game or Champions League game so far,” Puel said.

“It’s the first time we can compete against each other and it’s a pleasure of course because he was a very important person for me and he’s a great manager.

“Arsene is an example for all the coaches because for so many years he’s done really well in the Premier League, with Champions League secured every season.

“People don’t sometimes realise how good his work with Arsenal has been, and I really think he’s a good example for all the other trainers.”

Paul Pogba To Wear New Adidas Boots For The Manchester Derby

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Paul Pogba will be donning some brand spanking new boots for the Manchester derby this Saturday.

Both United and City have made a perfect start to the league and meet for the first time this season on the weekend.

And Adidas have marked the occasion by providing the Frenchman with a snake-skinned inspired boot, or for the purist ‘Adidas ACE16 + Purecontrol Viper Pack.’

Check out the images below courtesy of Adidas:


Adidas outlined the finer details of their newest boots. He hope you like technical jargon;

“The ACE 16+ PURECONTROL Viper Pack version offers a Primeknit upper and NON STOP GRIP (NSG) technology, delivering an unrivaled surface for close ball control, while the X 16+PURECHAOS Viper Pack version features a state-of- the-art PURECUT SOCK SYSTEM, covering the boot laces to give players the ultimate fit.”


Marcus Rashford Is Spending His New-Found Fortune in Exactly the Right Way

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He’s a great kid, isn’t he?

Marcus Rashford picked up where he left off from last season at the weekend with Manchester United’s late, late winning goal at Hull City, maintaining his side’s perfect record for the start of the season.

Hull City v Manchester United - Premier League

United know his value, and his talent. They tied him down to a new long-term contract earlier this summer, and the teenager has made a pretty penny from his new deal. Importantly, though, his money doesn’t seem to be going to his head. Instead, he’s spending his new found fortune in the exact right way.

Rashford is reported to have put a portion of his £25,000-a-week wage to himself, his mum and two brothers into a luxury £800,000 house – just three miles away from the house he grew up in.

The 18-year-old is renting the place at £5,000-a-week, but he’s having a luxury house built for a reported £1m at the same time. The family will then move into that new place once it’s completely built, but they’ll just have to make do with this place for now.

It’s got six bedrooms and a sauna, so things should be fine. Good lad, Marcus.

Source – 90 Mins

Allegri: Pogba Left Because I Beat Him At Basketball!

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Massimiliano Allegri has joked that Paul Pogba decided to leave Juventus because he lost to his head coach at football and basketball challenges.

Manchester United signed the France international in a world-record £89million deal this month and he is expected to make his second debut for the Premier League side when they face Southampton on Friday.

Allegri revealed he had not had the chance to speak to Pogba since his Juve exit, but spoke positively about their relationship and jested over the possible reasons for leaving.

“We had a very good relationship, like I do with all the players,” Allegri said. “Maybe he was still hurting because he lost to me in a challenge at football and basketball, so it was for that reason he decided to leave Juventus!”

“We didn’t speak because among other things he was in America until the day before he went to Manchester.”

Fiorentina are the visitors to Turin on Saturday as Juve begin the new Serie A campaign looking to win the Scudetto for the sixth year in succession, with Allegri wary over his side’s tough start to the campaign.

The head coach said: “This year, once again, we had five new players coming in and we’ve only had 17 days to work together, so we’ll certainly need a bit of time.

GOAL READ MORE    | Pogba eyes PL title 

“That’s why in the first few matches, over and beyond the question of playing well, we need an important approach in terms of character. These are difficult games, all the more so because we are at the beginning of the season.

“Fiorentina is just such a game. You can tell by looking at them last year, and by their statistics, that they always do well in the first half of the season.

“They’re a brilliant team and they changed nobody. They still have the same players they did last year, so they’ll have an advantage compared to us. It will be difficult.

“I won’t be talking about the transfer market, but the club is speaking with its actions and doing a great job to boot. We’ve brought in some great players, we’re a different team from last year.

“We have 15 days to complete the squad, then there are players on other teams who I don’t want to talk about at all.”

GOAL.COM

Nani Makes Shocking Claim About His Time At Manchester United

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Former Manchester United winger Nani has lifted the lid on David Moyes’ disastrous reign at the club and even called signing a new contract for the Scot the worst moment of his career.

The Portuguese midfielder joined Valencia earlier this summer, following an impressive showing for his country at Euro 2016, where he scored three goals. But as the 29-year-old prepares for his first-ever season in Spanish football, it appears he still isn’t over the cruel nature of his exit from Old Trafford.

Just three months after Moyes took over from Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013, Nani was handed the bumper five-year contract, thought to be worth £100,000 per week, but he would only manage to fulfil a little over 12 months of it.
He made just 13 appearances under Moyes and was loaned to Sporting Lisbon by his predecessor Louis van Gaal, who eventually sold Nani permanently to Turkish giants Fenerbahce.

In an interview with the Guardian, Nani said: “It could have been the best moment of my life but it turned into the worst.
“After you sign a contract like that, you think all the people will be behind you and help you. And you see the opposite.
“Then the stress comes. I was down and, when it’s like that, of course, the injuries come too. It was a bad moment. It was something that made me very down, very disappointed.”

Nani also revealed that van Gaal told him he’d be way down the pecking order at United if he chose to stay and fight for a starting berth.He added: “He told me that, if I wanted to stay to fight for a position, then good but I would not be his first option or maybe even the second.

“I said: ‘No. I have been here for many years, I have been very important to this club and I think it’s time to decide.’ I wanted to play every game in the starting XI.”

What do you make of Nani’s comments? Did United let him go too soon?

This story was first featured on talkingbaws.com

Pogba Will Play Against Southampton, Mourinho Confirms

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The France international was unavailable for the Red Devils’ first Premier League fixture because of a suspension carried over from Juventus but could feature against the Saints

Jose Mourinho has confirmed that Paul Pogba is ready to play ‘some minutes’ in Manchester United’s clash with Southampton on Friday.

The midfielder missed out on the Red Devils’ first Premier League match of the season due to a suspension carried over from his time at Juventus, while a lack of pre-season training had also cast doubts.

However, Mourinho revealed that the Frenchman is nearing full fitness and is likely to feature against the Saints.

“We played against Leicester with players with less training than him and we saw that match as a way to improve them and accelerate the process,” the Portuguese told MUTV.

“With Paul it’s a bit the same – he hasn’t played in one single minute of any pre-season matches but has done almost two weeks of work with us, sometimes with the group, sometimes separately, and he is okay now to play some minutes.”

FA Confirm Paul Pogba Will Be Suspended For Manchester United vs. Bournemouth

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The world’s most expensive player picked up two yellow cards during last season’s Coppa Italia, meaning the subsequent one-match ban has been transferred to the Premier League

Manchester United fans will have to wait to see Paul Pogba in action for the first time after the Football Association announced the world’s most expensive player is to serve a one-match ban.

The 23-year-old’s two bookings in last season’s Coppa Italia, in the win over Inter in March and the final against AC Milan on May 21 in his final outing for Juventus, has been transferred across to England.

Pogba was not expected to start against Bournemouth on Sunday, being tipped for a place on the bench having only recently returned from holiday, but will now miss the trip to Dean Court.

Pogba could now make his first appearance in a United shirt against Southampton at Old Trafford the following Friday.

United To Pay Pogba Transfer Fee In Two Years

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Manchester United bought Paul Pogba for a world-record €105m plus a potential bonus fee of €5m, Juventus confirmed Tuesday.

“Juventus Football Club can today confirm that Paul Pogba has completed a move to Manchester United for a fee of €105m to be paid in two financial years,” the Italian club said in a statement.

“The consideration may increase by €5m on achieving given conditions in the course of the duration of the contract.”

The sum beats the previous record set by the transfer of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur in 2013, “thus making Pogba the most valuable player in the sport’s history”, Juventus said.

United said earlier that Pogba had signed a five-year contract but did not reveal the cost. The British media had put it at £89m (€105m), not including agent’s fees.

The sum paid for the 23-year-old French superstar eclipses the £85m Real Madrid splashed out for Bale.

Wayne Rooney Chooses His Toughest Opponents in 12 Years at Man Utd

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Wayne Rooney is preparing to celebrate more than a decade at Manchester United by walking out at Old Trafford for his testimonial against Everton tomorrow night, 12 years since swapping the two clubs and signing for United.

And as the England skipper contemplates entering the final stages of his career, the 30-year-old has been taking a stroll down memory lane, and looking back on memorable moments.

Yesterday, we told you how Rooney had identified Cristiano Ronaldo and Paul Scholes as the two best players he’d played alongside at the Red Devils, choosing the pair ahead of the various different stars he’s lined-up alongside.

Now Rooney has picked out his toughest opponents, with several famous names entering the reckoning.

Speaking to his official website, Rooney said: “There’s been so many over the years but I’ll try and pick one for each position. The best goalkeeper I’ve come up against is Iker Casillas, he’s won everything you can in the game and is one of the best goalkeepers of all-time.”

“The best defender is probably John Terry, he reads the game well, he is physical and very tough to play against. For midfield I’d say Xavi, he’s got everything, brilliant passing, vision, creativity and leadership. The best striker has to be Lionel Messi, in my opinion he’s the best player ever and I’m honoured to have shared a pitch with him.”

“I Was Unfairly Treated At Manchester United” – Moyes

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The Scot, now Sunderland manager, insists that he was not given a fair crack of the whip at Old Trafford, but maintains that his spell at the club made him better

David Moyes believes he was harshly treated by former club Manchester United as he looks ahead to his tenure with Sunderland.

Fronting the media as Sunderland manager, Moyes opened up on his time at Old Trafford, where he was sacked less than a season into a six-year deal with the Premier League giants.

However, Moyes – who was ultimately replaced by Louis van Gaal ahead of the 2014-15 campaign – has now hit back at his former employers after his move to the Stadium of Light.

“I’ve said all along that I was (unfairly treated). When you sign a six-year contract and you end up there ten months, yeah, I believe I was,” said the Scot.

“But that is life in football. Ultimately the key is to win football matches. I didn’t win enough football matches.

“You must say there were mitigating circumstances. And I think you could say there are maybe things that have gone on since then, that would actually justify that even more so.”

Nevertheless, Moyes believes that his brief spell at United did wonders for his career.

“It gave me an unbelievable idea of what it is at the top,” he added.

“I believe that’s where I can work and that’s where I should be working, and my level is that, because that is what I saw in the time I was there.

“You don’t get offered those jobs, you don’t get offered big jobs, if you’ve not done something. You don’t get offered the Real Madrid job, the Barcelona job, the Manchester United job, if you’ve not had something to suggest that there’s a reason for that job.

“Yeah I am better [as a manager]. I have had several opportunities, big ones, but timing is so positive. The timing for this job at Sunderland was right. It feels good to me.”

After being fired from Old Trafford, Moyes went on to coach Real Sociedad in La Liga, where he was also sacked after a promising start.

Bastian Schweinsteiger Retires From International Football

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The midfielder brings an end to a 12-year spell with the Germany national team, during which he won the World Cup and picked up a silver medal from the European Championship

Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger has announced his retirement from international football after making 120 appearances for Germany.

The 31-year-old is one of his country’s most capped players and featured in five games for Die Mannschaft at Euro 2016 as they reached the semi-finals before losing out to hosts France.

Schweinsteiger, who made his debut for the national team in 2004, won one World Cup title as Joachim Low’s men beat Argentina in the final in 2014, after finishing third in 2006 and 2010. He also picked up a silver medal from Euro 2008.

And the Manchester United midfielder has published a statement declaring that his time with the German national team has come to an end.

“I have recently asked the coach to not nominate me for the national team anymore because I would like to retire,” he wrote.

“I was allowed to collect 120 caps for my country and I lived some moments which have been indescribably beautiful and successful.

“Jogi Low knew how much Euro 2016 in France meant to me because I really wanted to win that title we have not been able to win since 1996.

“It was not meant to be, I have to accept that.

“By winning the World Cup in 2014 we achieved something on a historic and emotional level that I cannot reproduce in my career.

“That’s why it is right and reasonable to finish it and to wish the team all the best for the qualifiication for the 2018 World Cup.

“With this decision I leave the national team that has always been a precious family for me. I hope that the connection will still remain strong in one way or the other.

“I would like to say to our fans: ‘It was an honour to play for you guys. Many thanks for everything that we have gone through together’.”

Manchester United Worth $1billion Less Than When Louis Van Gaal Took Over As Manager

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Manchester United has suffered a spectacular financial decline in the last one year. It’s been revealed that over $1billion has been wiped off the club’s share price value from July 2014 to March 2016.

Dutch coach Louis van Gaal took over management reins at the club in the summer of 2014, after leading Holland to third place at the World Cup. Since he joined Man U, the club’s share price has dropped by $6.25. It went from $19.58 to $13.33, on the close of the New York Stock Exchange on March 23 2016. Over the same period, the US stock market has risen by 3 percent.

“Football clubs typically don’t present a particularly attractive investment proposition because their revenues are lumpy, and their employees are rather expensive,” said stock market analyst Laith Khalaf.

“Mistakes on the pitch can be costly for shareholders too – in 2015 Manchester United’s broadcast revenues dropped by £30 million as it failed to qualify for the Champions League in that season. So far this year things seem to be picking up with a bounce in revenues, but if the club fails to qualify for the Champions League this season, next year could be a fallow one for investors.”

Lampard Backs Mourinho For Manchester United Job

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The Chelsea legend says the Portuguese has all the attributes to succeed at Old Trafford, and voiced his support for John Terry in the defender’s contract standoff with the Blues

Chelsea icon Frank Lampard believes that former coach Jose Mourinho would rise to the challenge at Manchester United should the club turn to him to revive their flagging fortunes.

The Portuguese has long been the front-runner to replace former mentor Louis van Gaal since ending his second spell at Stamford Bridge in December with the Blues languishing in the bottom half of the table.

Lampard, who won two leagues titles and three domestic trophies in Mourinho’s first spell in charge at Chelsea between 2004 and 2007, is convinced that the unemployed coach would be a success at Old Trafford should United decide to part company with Van Gaal at the end of the 2015-16 season.

“I think Mourinho can manage anywhere in the world,” the New York City FC midfielder, who was in attendance at the FIFA Interactive World Cup finals, told Goal when asked if Mourinho could return United to their former glory.

“I think he’s shown it with his record and whether it’s with Porto, a so-called smaller team in Europe; Chelsea, the success he had there; Inter, again taking a team that’s hardly won the Champions League to go and win it; Real Madrid.

“No job will be too much for him. [Manchester United is] not an easy job, similar with Antonio Conte with Chelsea [the Italian is expected to take over in the summer], but he certainly has the attributes to do it.”

Meanwhile, Lampard’s former Chelsea and England team-mate John Terry has been locked in a dispute over whether to extend his Blues contract, which is set to expire in June. The centre-back has been vocal in his desire to re-sign at Stamford Bridge, while the club appear to be reluctant to meet his demands.

However, Lampard thinks Terry’s talent and experience could be crucial in recovering from the disappointment of a season spent in mid-table obscurity.

“It’s a difficult one with John Terry,” he said. “I think, for me, he’s been probably the best defender at Chelsea again this year. I think he’s a leader, he has a huge presence with the club.

“For me, I would [give him another contract], but it’s a decision for the club to make. I know John wants to stay. I think he’s a help for the young players at the club, I think he’s a link with the fans at the club, but the decision will be made by the owners. Same as what happened with me, eventually your time comes. I’m not sure now is his time. I’ve seen him perform this year, and I think he’s done very well.”

Lampard left the Premier League behind in 2015 to join MLS franchise NYCFC midway through its debut season.

One of his team-mates at Yankee Stadium is Italy, Juventus and AC Milan legend Andrea Pirlo and the Englishman freely admits that he has been left in awe of his former World Cup and Champions League rival.

“Pirlo is great,” Lampard said. “I have huge respect from playing against him for many years, and playing with him is an absolute pleasure. His passing, his work ethic, which I didn’t know until I played with him, how hard he works in the week in training and in the gym. As a player, he’s a genius with the ball.”

Mata Angry With Chelsea Draw

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Diego Costa’s injury-time equaliser denied Manchester United a win on Sunday,leaving the midfielder annoyed at their inability to see the game out

Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata revealed his frustration after his side’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Jesse Lingard gave United the lead on 61 minutes but Diego Costa’s injury-time equaliser meant Louis van Gaal’s side had to settle for a point.

“We played very good football,” Mata told Sky Sports.

“Coming here to Chelsea isn’t easy, but particularly in the first 30 minutes and in the second half we played well – we had it so close. 

“But Chelsea were always pushing and they scored a late goal and we didn’t have any time to get another goal. It’s frustrating.”

Despite his annoyance, Mata said he was happy with United’s recent form.

“When you win and when you play good football, confidence grows,” he said. “I think we’re showing now that we can play a high level of football and can play attractive, offensive football.

“That’s what we’re trying to do – that’s what the fans want to see, so we try our best in every game. I think the last three or four games we’ve played really well.”

Victor Valdes Announces Man Utd Departure

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The Spanish keeper looks set to end his Premier League nightmare after a rocky year at Old Trafford, with a loan move to Belgian side Standard Liege widely expected

Victor Valdes has announced his imminent departure from Manchester United via Instagram.

Valdes had been linked with a loan move to Belgian side Standard Liege, with reports suggesting Man Utd would help supplement the Spaniard’s wages.

The 34-year-old has endured a rocky time at Old Trafford, with boss Louis van Gaal leaving the shot-stopper out of his squad following a refusal to represent the Red Devils’ U21 side.

Valdes has been told that he has no future in Manchester under Van Gaal’s reign, though now looks set end his nightmare with the club and continue his career elsewhere.

The former Barcelona keeper took to social media to post a message that reads: “Thank you all for your support during these months of hard work for me, I will never forget! See you soon!”

 

#Gracias @manchesterunited Family !

A photo posted by Victor Valdes (@vicvaldes1) onJan 21, 2016 at 2:30am PST

Rooney Slams Man Utd Defence After Conceding ‘Silly’ Goals Against Newcastle

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The Red Devils captain was in fine form at St James’s Park, scoring two goals and setting up another, but was disappointed to see his side twice throw away a lead in the 3-3 draw

Wayne Rooney expressed his frustration with the “silly” and “avoidable” goals Manchester United conceded in their 3-3 draw against Newcastle United.

Rooney turned in arguably his best performance of the season at St James’s Park, scoring two goals and creating another to twice put Louis van Gaal’s side ahead.

But Newcastle battled back from two goals down to level the score at 2-2 and then responded again when the England captain seemed to have won the game late on.

And Rooney feels his side made it easy for their hosts, insisting they should have held out for the three points.

“I think after going 2-0 up we were in control of the game, and then we’ve let them back into it,” Rooney told MUTV. “To then get our third goal and concede again was disappointing from us.

“I think they were silly goals to concede on our behalf and they were avoidable. They have cost us two points so we’re disappointed.

“We can’t keep going on conceding three goals every game so we have to work on that and create the chances without giving goals away.

Manchester United Going Backwards Under Van Gaal, Says Ferdinand

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The former defender says the next six months are crucial and finishing outside the top four may mean the club miss out on Pep Guardiola or Carlo Ancelotti

Manchester United players are too afraid to express themselves and are going backwards under manager Louis van Gaal, according to former defender Rio Ferdinand.

Van Gaal has been criticised for his defensive style of play but the under-pressure Dutchman has showed no signs of swaying from his rigid approach despite the club’s five-match winless run.

United lost 2-1 at Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday, adding to their Champions League group-stage exit midweek.

And Ferdinand said something has to change, sooner rather than later, with United fourth in the standings, four points adrift of leaders Arsenal.

“Players are playing it safe because they are afraid of the consequences if they try to take chances,” Ferdinand told The Sun.

“Manchester United are going backwards again and I don’t see that changing because the manager will not change.

“They have to be allowed to express themselves.” 

Van Gaal is under contract until 2017 but faces an uncertain future amid increasing fan frustration.

Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola and former Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti have been linked with a move to Old Trafford.

Ferdinand added: “Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti will be available this summer and the question is will they be able to do a better job than Van Gaal?

“The board and owners might want to be loyal to Van Gaal after investing so much in him but they also have to do what is best for United.

“And if United finish outside the top four, that will be catastrophic.

“It might rule out the chance of getting either Guardiola or Ancelotti.

Van Gaal: Man Utd Need Signings – But It won’t Be Easy!

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The Red Devils have been widely criticised for their style of play this season, and the Dutchman says that they will look to strengthen their squad in the “difficult” window

Louis van Gaal wants to add to his Manchester United squad in the upcoming transfer window but says January is a “more difficult” market than the summer.

United sit third in the Premier League table ahead of Saturday’s home game against West Ham but, despite being just one point adrift of leaders Manchester City, Van Gaal has faced criticism for his side’s functional and often underwhelming recent performances.

The club have scored just seven goals in their last nine matches in all competitions and are suffering with a raft of injury problems, leading to speculation that Van Gaal may attempt to bring in more firepower when the transfer window reopens next month.

However, speaking at his pre-West Ham media conference on Friday, Van Gaal sounded a warning about his chances of strengthening the squad before the end of the season.

“They are always contact injuries and you cannot afford that. We have a lot of contact injuries and also long-lasting injuries so that’s our problem,” the Dutchman explained.

“So we are looking [at players for January] but as you know it is not so easy to buy players and in January it is more difficult. We are looking but it is not for sure.”

Van Gaal also revealed that captain Wayne Rooney is out of Saturday’s match and may miss next week’s crucial Champions League trip to Wolfsburg due to a “nasty” ankle injury, while defender Marcos Rojo is facing a spell on the sidelines after dislocating his shoulder in training.

Rooney To Miss West Ham Game With ‘Nasty’ Injury

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The Manchester United captain was taken off in their previous match against Leicester City and manager Louis van Gaal reveals that the problem was more serious than first thought

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has confirmed that Wayne Rooney will miss the Red Devils’ game against West Ham due to a “nasty” ankle injury.

The England captain was forced off during Saturday’s match against Leicester City and Van Gaal says that the problem is worse than originally thought, meaning he is likely to miss their Champions League match with Wolfsburg.

“The injury of Wayne Rooney is more heavy than we thought,” he told MUTV.

“It’s a nasty injury. When we go on, it’s been getting worse. We have to let him train to make the ankle stronger; that’s very important. I cannot say [for how long he will be out] because the doctor shall decide that with Wayne, of course. He is training well in the rehabilitation.”

When asked in his subsequent media conference if Rooney is out of Tuesday’s crucial clash against Wolfsburg, Van Gaal replied: “Yes, I think so.”

The United boss also explained that defender Marcos Rojo is out of the match after injuring his shoulder in training, while Ander Herrera and Phil Jones remain sidelined.

Young forward Jesse Lingard, however, is fit to return to the side as he seeks to make his 10th appearance of what is becoming a breakthrough season at Old Trafford.

“It’s [Rojo’s] shoulder, the same as last year, in a training session. It’s very unfortunate, also in the positon of Luke Shaw so I have a great problem,” Van Gaal continued. “Lingard is coming back, which is good. Jones is still injured so we have six injuries.”

With absentees piling up, the Dutchman admits that he has been resting his players a lot in order to keep them fresh ahead of the busy Christmas period.

“The week after next, we have two weeks that we can have more recovery,” he noted. “I have already given the players two days off this week.

“I’m giving them a lot of rest because I think it’s necessary. Nevertheless, we have six injuries, most of which are contact injuries. You cannot avoid those because football is a sport with direct resistance. We are unlucky, I have to say.”

“I Thought Louis Van Gaal Was An Idiot” – Xavi

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The midfielder admits that it took a while for him to be convinced by the quality of the Manchester United coach and expressed sympathy for his old team-mate Victor Valdes

Barcelona icon Xavi has revealed that he thought Louis van Gaal was an “idiot” when he first took over at Barcelona.

The Dutch coach guided Barca to two league titles, a Copa del Rey and the Uefa Super Cup during his first spell at the Catalan side.

But while the midfielder admits he had initial reservations over his coaching methods, he is full of praise for the current Manchester United boss.

“After two days of training under him, I thought, ‘Who is this idiot?'” he told ESPN. 

“After one week, though, I thought, ‘He’s right.’ He’ll always be in my heart, Louis van Gaal.

“He is a good person, a very good trainer. He has a very strong character, but he’s calm in the Premier League because there’s less pressure. He’s much calmer than when he was at Barca or Bayern Munich.

“He’s honest, methodical and a real perfectionist. He’s very demanding, he’s strict and he wants to achieve the highest levels possible.”

Xavi’s former Barcelona and Spain team-mate Victor Valdes is currently going through a hard time under Van Gaal, having been dropped from the United squad and criticised by the coach.

Valdes has been told he could be fined if he attends the club’s training ground before the first team has left and Xavi hopes his friend can find a way out of the situation.

“[Van Gaal and Valdes] are two strong characters, but it’s a difficult situation for Victor. 

“Let’s hope he finds a solution soon. I’m sad for him. He’s a great professional, a good person. He’s training, he’s working hard. He’ll return to football. It’s better for Victor to be playing football.”

The 35-year-old, currently playing for Al Sadd, says he has been surprised by the playing style that Jose Mourinho has adopted throughout his coaching career as it is very different to the one he adhered to during his time as Van Gaal’s assistant at Barcelona. 

“He was the assistant coach, someone who understood the philosophy of Barca and who shared many of the same characteristics as Van Gaal. He was very respected by the players,” he added.

“He trained us sometimes alone at Barca B and he was excellent. I’m surprised that he became known for another type of football, more defensive, because he wasn’t like that with us.”

Van Gaal: “I’m To Be Blamed, Not The Man United Players”

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Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal feels supporters should blame him for the club’s inconsistent form rather than taking their frustrations out on the players.

“I think the fans have to support the players, otherwise they make it very difficult for the players to play at Old Trafford,” he told reporters.

“Until now they were fantastic, so I cannot complain about the fans. I can only advise the fans to criticize the manager and not the players.”

More to follow…

Carrick Defends Van Gaal: ‘I’ll Take Winning Over Tactics’

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Having been criticised for their pedestrian style of play, the midfielder says tactics are over-analysed in the present era of football when games are being won

Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick feels criticisms of Louis van Gaal‘s tactics are misguided and insisted they should not be a concern if his side are winning.

United have been criticised for their possession-based game under manager Van Gaal, who has showed no sign of moving away from his rigid and risk-free approach, despite growing frustration among supporters.

Chants of “attack, attack, attack” were sang during United’s 1-0 Champions League win over CSKA Moscow at Old Trafford on Tuesday, while the withdrawal of Anthony Martial for Marouane Fellaini was met by boos.

Carrick, however, feels complaints over tactics should not be made given they are winning games.

“It’s about winning, isn’t it?” said Carrick. “Winning games and trophies.

“Of course we want to play exciting football and score loads of goals, but it’s not always easy when teams are coming and putting 10 men behind the ball. It’s difficult.

“I think there’s an awful lot made of tactics these days. People like to talk about that a lot more now than they did in the past.

“Different managers have different systems and the way they set the teams up. That’s just the nature of the game.

“Obviously our game is based on possession and dominating teams with possession. But at the end of the day, you have to score. That’s the name of the game.

“I don’t think it’s more conservative [under Van Gaal]. I just think it’s slightly different, in some ways, but not all ways.

“I thought we were more dynamic and aggressive in terms of attacking and getting forward quickly and getting crosses in the box.

“If you win 1-0 then the tactics don’t get discussed that much. That’s the way of things. It’s fine lines isn’t it?

“Yes, there are things as a team that we do differently to how we did them in the past but to me, that’s just obvious when you have a new manager and he has different beliefs.

“There’s a lot made of tactics and things at the minute, but as players we can’t get too involved in that. We just do what the manager tells us.”

“Van Gaal Told Us To Ignore Frustrated Man United Fans” – Jesse Lingard

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Jesse Lingard say Louis van Gaal instructed Manchester United to shut out the chants from supporters unhappy with the performance against CSKA Moscow

Manchester United forward Jesse Lingard said manager Louis van Gaal told his players at half-time to “ignore the fans” in the 1-0 Champions League victory over CSKA Moscow at Old Trafford.

United supporters vocalised their frustration towards the Dutch boss throughout the European tie, chanting “attack, attack, attack” at Van Gaal, with his preferred possession-based style wearing thin with fans accustomed to a more direct approach.

The home side had failed to score in 404 minutes before Wayne Rooney’s headed winner with 11 minutes remaining, and Lingard – who supplied the assist – admitted he was trying to excite the fans.

“I was trying to be as direct as I could and get the crowd on their feet,” the 22-year-old attacker said.

“Obviously I had to be direct at the right time, so we had to be patient sometimes. I’m glad the goal came.”

When asked what advice Van Gaal had given the players during the interval, Lingard said: “Just to keep going and perform the same as the first half. Be patient, ignore the fans and keep playing your own game.”

United moved to the top of Group B with their victory and hold a one-point lead over PSV and Wolfsburg.