Anthony Martial's not the sort of forward you’d associate with winning the ball back in the attacking third after a demonstration of single-minded counter pressing. He’s not a target man, but he’s also not going to thrive when shunted out wide and asked to perform industriously.
There are two arenas in which professional sports teams succeed: on the field and on social media. As Southampton showed earlier this season, it's possible to win online even after losing on the pitch. A master class Club Brugge tweet at Manchester United ahead of the two sides’ Europa League Round of 32 first leg bout once again showed the power of Twitter.
Harry Maguire of Manchester United decided to give Chelsea’s Michy Batshuayi the boot . . . literally. During the first half of the Red Devils-Blues showdown, Maguire kicked Batshuayi where it hurts most.
What did you make of the Harry Maguire/Michy Batshuayi incident earlier in the match? pic.twitter.com/QYg80N9mCQ
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) February 17, 2020
Since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013, Manchester United has looked like a completely different club. On the pitch as well as in the board room it has looked like a club without a plan. The Red Devils are enduring their worst campaign since the Premier League came into existence in 1992. There is a lack of long-term vision and at the moment the club is a shell of its former self and mired in mediocrity.
Not all of us have had to go under the knife for a serious surgery. But we all have seen and enjoyed the post-surgery videos that people post while the anesthesia is wearing off.
It is comforting to know that even the best athletes in the world also feel the effects of anesthesia.
Just watch this video that Paul Pogba posted after his recent ankle surgery.
Though they’re third and fifth in the Premier League, the gulf between Manchester City and Manchester United is vast. City is 15 points ahead of its rival in the league and now two goals ahead after a 3-1 victory over United in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semifinals on Tuesday at Old Trafford.
The Carabao Cup semifinals, usually an afterthought in England, has some unusual excitement with a two-legged Manchester Derby on the docket.
Unfortunately, some fans may find themselves ejected from Old Trafford even with a legally purchased ticket.
In the lead up to Tuesday’s Manchester Derby, United issued a statement saying anyone “visibly or audibly” supporting City outside of allocated visitor’s sections will be ejected from the grounds.
Manchester United punished Newcastle United 4-1 at Old Trafford on Thursday thanks to a devastating performance from the front three of Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood. Newcastle’s Matty Longstaff scored the game’s opening goal in the 17th minute, but the Red Devils replied with four unanswered (three of which were down to Newcastle errors) to climb to seventh in the table.
As it turns out, Son Heung-min did not bring about world peace with his brilliant solo goal on Saturday. He couldn’t even bring harmony Man City fans during a Manchester Derby that had no real title implications later in the day.
Manchester United frustrated City for a 2-1 win on Saturday at the Etihad. Pep Guardiola’s side was furious over not being given a penalty kick on two different hand-ball situations while Marcus Rashford converted a penalty thanks to a rare VAR reversal.