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Alexis Sánchez embodies drift of a ghost ship of a sporting giant | Barney Ronay

The Chilean forward is the latest scapegoat at Manchester United but the real problems come from the very topWith 32 minutes gone at Old Trafford an unusual event took place. Alexis Sánchez did something. Not something to make the highlights reel. Or indeed to pay back any significant part of the £130,000 of actual human wealth Sánchez earned for being a Manchester United player on Tuesday .With the score 0-0 and the game drifting – unless specifically stated otherwise, this game was always drifting – United won a free-kick 30 yards from goal. Sánchez spotted it, paused, then punted the ball hard and flat on to the head of the nearest defender. Related: José Mourinho says he was happy with...

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José Mourinho’s plea for time shines light on scratchy big-money signings | Paul Wilson

The Manchester United manager’s track record at the top end of the market is under scrutiny given the struggles of Pogba and Sánchez and with City aiming to clinch the title in Saturday’s derbyRegular readers of the Jeeves and Wooster stories will be familiar with the plot device which involves Bertie’s favourite aunt having to keep her rich husband sweet because she will shortly be asking him for a substantial sum of money to prop up Milady’s Boudoir, the perennially unprofitable women’s fashion magazine of which she is proprietor.“I thought you said Milady’s Boudoir had turned the corner,” Bertie observes on one occasion. “Yes,” Aunt Dahlia replies. “Until you have tried running a women’s magazine you don’t know what corners...

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Alexis Sánchez could be the man to restore Manchester United’s glory | Jamie Jackson

The Chilean has similarities to Carlos Tevez, a key man in the 2007-08 side, and may give José Mourinho’s attack an edgeIn Alexis Sánchez, José Mourinho is about to acquire another world‑class player as he plots to make Manchester United an elite domestic and European force again. Manchester City hold a 12-point advantage over Mourinho’s team so a credible title challenge will have to wait until next season. Yet Sánchez’s arrival can help to propel United to a strong finish and light up the Champions League campaign that they will resume next month with a last-16 tie against Sevilla.This is why Mourinho was hired: to make United England’s dominant side once more and return them to the rank of continental...

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Arsenal front three give supporters a glimpse of better times ahead | Barney Roney

Sensational attacking force of Mesut Özil, Alexis Sánchez and Alexandre Lacazette make Tottenham toil in the north London derbyTen minutes into the second half at the Emirates Mesut Özil muscled Dele Alli off the ball on the edge of his own box, buffeted forward through the white shirts, played a perfect little combination with Aaron Ramsey and just missed out on the final scoring pass having sprinted 80 metres, carving his way across the lime green turf of a November afternoon like an elegantly high-spec German bulldozer. Related: Alexis Sánchez caps dominant derby win for Arsenal over Tottenham Continue reading...

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Arsenal’s Alexis Sánchez stuck in no man’s land in Manchester City defeat | Paul Wilson

The Chilean forward did his best to be diplomatic at the home of his possible future employers but was not happy as Manchester City eased to a 3-1 victoryThe chant went up almost as soon as the game kicked off: “Alexis Sánchez, he wants to be blue.” This much seems to be true, though here was an awkward situation for the Chilean forward. Not quite in the shop window, as some would have it, because Manchester City are already known to be admirers. They would have signed him up by now, had Arsenal allowed it, and to say the player was frustrated by the non-events of the summer would be understating the case by quite a distance.Sánchez has made his point on several...

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