After a winter of discontent, the Premier League champions return from Seville with something to cling to in their Champions League last-16 tieMaybe there is another chapter left in the Leicester City fairytale after all. On a balmy evening in Seville, where Leicester welcomed the opportunity to dance to a different tune, the English champions rediscovered some of that courageous spirit from last season and also rode their luck.The Champions League anthem provided the soundtrack to a night that had threatened to turn into an exercise in damage limitation for Leicester yet somehow ended with the 3,000 or so travelling fans singing loudly and proudly in a stadium that had long since emptied. Rarely has losing a game felt so...
Manchester United’s attacking options were slightly limited and the Frenchman took the opportunity against St-Étienne to remind the manager of his valueThere may be trouble ahead, José Mourinho warned before this game, channelling Irving Berlin in an attempt to point out that Manchester United will inevitably face a fixture pile-up if they continue to fight on four fronts.There may be trouble if United fail to reach the Champions League next season, too; one season in four is not really good enough for a club of such stature and frequently exercised spending power, and Antoine Griezmann may not fancy joining a side with only Europa League football to offer. Related: Zlatan Ibrahimovic hat-trick drives Manchester United past St-Étienne Continue reading...
They used to be the main men at Manchester United but time is catching up as Fenerbahce’s Europa League visit to Old Trafford showedThe presence of Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie revived memories of when Manchester United were last a force. Those halcyon days occurred three long years ago when a record 20th championship was claimed at Old Trafford on an April night. Van Persie’s hat-trick sank Aston Villa and Sir Alex Ferguson lauded the Dutchman’s second strike as the “goal of the century”.It was a sweet over-the-shoulder volley that Van Persie hit on 13 minutes to give Brad Guzan no chance. The provider? Rooney, whose placing in midfield during that season began the quandary over his best position...
The former United forward has failed to establish himself as a starter in Turkey but his fortunes could change as the two sides meet in the Europa LeagueIn 2012 “the little boy inside” told Robin van Persie to leave north London and head north. Van Persie listened and swapped Arsenal for Manchester United, playing an instrumental role in the club winning the Premier League title for an unprecedented 20th time. Related: Wayne Rooney confident Manchester United can build on Anfield draw Continue reading...
Displaced Ukrainian club are delighted to be heading for their Europa League game at Old Trafford, a fixture they had scarcely imagined was possible“I’m very pleased with the fact that United sent their scout to watch our game against Vorskla,” the Zorya Luhansk coach, Yuriy Vernydub, said this week, which makes a change from those managers who try desperately to hide themselves away from future opponents. “Before, they used to say that no one knew about Zorya, whereas now scouts are watching our boys. It means that the players deserve that.”Zorya have particular reason to want to be known: their very existence in European competition feels like a triumph. In June 2014, the Ukrainian club were forced to flee Luhansk...