United’s Champions League thriller at Juventus was memorable and not just for another Cristiano Ronaldo specialA definite perk of living in Turin and playing for Juventus is being able to go and watch games at the Allianz Stadium. Champions League nights are extra special with the Champions League music and heightened atmosphere among the fans. Attending the Juventus against Manchester United game on Wednesday certainly lived up to a great night.I was expecting a Juventus win, with the team in very good form. Manchester United have had their problems this season but their surprise victory was the kind of performance you used to associate them with in the Champions League in terms of not playing very well but winning in...
This was poised to be a tribute to the great Cristiano before José Mourinho’s side produced a group-stage homage to 1999Well, that was a glorious little blast from the past. And no, Cristiano, not in the way you were hoping. Grit, pluck, a feverish belief in the plan: it seems odd now that just a few weeks back these were precisely the things this Manchester United team seemed to be lacking.Instead of which on a mild, still, occasionally fevered night in Turin United produced a moment of Barcelona-lite, a group stage homage to the triumphs of 1999, turning 1-0 down into 2-1 up in the final four minutes. Related: Own goal seals famous Manchester United comeback win at Juventus Ronaldo's...
The gap between the two Manchester clubs appears to be growing but that may be more down to City having a clear plan for the future rather than who is in the dugoutIf it is the Manchester derby on Sunday then it must be time to wheel out the arguments about which is the better squad, who would get into a composite team of the city and so on, except as there are several excellent players at the Etihad finding it hard to get into the Manchester City first XI that particular exercise may turn out a little one-sided.In its place comes a debate about the differing qualities and approaches of the two old rivals managing the Manchester squads. Would...
Liverpool to reveal how good Arsenal really are, Lukaku to be on the bench again and Hart has a point to prove at West HamAfter the Unai Emery era opened with defeats by Manchester City and Chelsea, it was hard not to wonder if Arsenal were going to endure another uncertain season. Yet a kind run of fixtures has allowed confidence to grow and Arsenal’s players are gaining a strong understanding of Emery’s demands. They are unbeaten in all competitions since losing to Chelsea on 18 August and find themselves four points off the top of the table, with optimism flowing thanks to the goals of Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Lucas Torreira’s snappy contributions in midfield. But just...
The 21-year-old has been a revelation since joining Bournemouth for £10m and proves to such clubs as Manchester United they do not have to spend big to succeedBournemouth have been one of the stories of the season and one of the stories behind the Cherries’ rise to sixth place in the table has been David Brooks’ almost instantly establishing himself as a Premier League performer.The Warrington-born midfielder is a big Manchester United fan, despite starting his football career in Manchester City’s academy, and when José Mourinho and his players pitch up at the Vitality Stadium for Saturday’s early kick-off, Brooks will get a bigger thrill than most from the fact Bournemouth are currently three points and two places better off...