José Mourinho needs to make drastic changes, Rafael Benítez is getting best out of his players and Jordan Ayew is on a missionHaving so meekly allowed Manchester City to claim the Premier League title, a process of rebuilding Manchester United into future champions starts now. The non-inclusion of Marouane Fellaini, Daley Blind, Matteo Darmian and Luke Shaw in José Mourinho’s match‑day 18 for this game at Old Trafford indicated where a long-awaited clear-out of David Moyes and Louis van Gaal recruits is likely to begin. But it will take more than that to revitalise United. The shapeless sludge of this performance against West Brom was no anomaly. Chief among the reasons United have been left in City’s wake is Mourinho’s...
Liam Rosenior knows the qualities he and his Brighton team-mates will need to beat Crystal Palace on Saturday – and insists it is far from ‘just another game’Selhurst Park is always a tricky place to go and we have been preparing for more of the same when we travel there for a crucial game on Saturday afternoon. It’s not the same as Manchester City’s “once in a lifetime” chance to win the Premier League title against their city rivals but if either we or Crystal Palace take three points from the match it will go a long way to keeping us up this season.Yes, bragging rights are important for both sets of fans but there is so much more than...
Danny Welbeck remains an enigma, Marko Arnautovic goes it alone and Rafael Benítez delivers a lesson to his bossDanny Welbeck stayed true to form by mixing the sublime with the ridiculous during Arsenal’s 3-2 victory over Southampton, producing a contender for miss of the season moments before nodding in the winner. The striker’s header was his second goal of the afternoon and proof, perhaps, that he is getting back to his best after an injury‑ravaged season. “Danny Welbeck is getting sharper,” Arsène Wenger said. “I am pleased for him. I have seen him behave when it was really hard. He had every reason to feel sorry for himself and feel the mountain was too big to climb – right knee,...
Arsène Wenger is given a striking decision, Hugo Lloris climbs the wrong table and Christian Benteke’s woes rumble onAlexandre Lacazette heard one of the loudest cheers when he came on for Danny Welbeck against Stoke City. Arsène Wenger said Welbeck had hurt his back and so Lacazette’s return from a knee injury seemed even more timely – given Arsenal play CSKA Moscow in the Europa League on Thursday, for which Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is cup-tied. Wenger loved the gesture Aubameyang made towards the end, passing up a possible hat-trick by allowing the Frenchman to take their second penalty – from which he scored. The manager said it showed the strikers had a good understanding. But can they prosper together in the...
José Mourinho could have Portuguese problem, Nathaniel Clyne might make return and will Arsenal rest their best?Poor José Mourinho! Once he was king but now he cannot even claim to be the Premier’s League best Portuguese manager. Carlos Carvalhal certainly has a stronger case for that accolade at the moment. It is hard to imagine that any other manager could have turned Swansea around as impressively as he has done since taking over in late December, when the Welsh club seemed doomed. Now they are out of the relegation zone and within reach of survival. Even Mourinho must admire the solidity that Carvalhal has introduced to Swansea, who will not give up chances easily at Old Trafford. Paul Pogba performed...