The £36m Frenchman seems to have bypassed the obstacle that is Alexis Sánchez and finally seems to be listening to the powers that be at Old TraffordWhether the comeback against Newcastle United turned around Manchester United’s season remains to be seen but it certainly woke up Anthony Martial. His goal in that game was the first in the league since January – since Alexis Sánchez joined the club. He followed it with two against Chelsea plus a match‑winning performance here that included winning a penalty and scoring a sumptuous goal. Related: Anthony Martial dazzles to help Manchester United edge past Everton Related: Everton’s Marco Silva accuses Anthony Martial of diving for penalty Continue reading...
Whether results are good or bad, we fixate on the idea that managers are accountable for what happens on the pitch. But how much can they really change after the whistle blows?This weekend, in keeping with most others, a much-scrutinised if seldom enlightening ritual will have been enacted once more: the post-match managerial interview. It’s a strange phenomenon, if you think about it, but coverage of a football match without quizzing the manager at the end would now seem as unnatural as the police not questioning the prime suspect in a crime.It has become an integral part of the mechanism that bestows upon managers a position somewhere between a god and a fool, depending on the result. But once a...
Mourinho has complained at lagging behind in recruitment, but how much bang have the club got for a spend of £360m?Following Manchester United’s defeat to Juventus in the Champions League, José Mourinho stated his side are below the Italian club and other continental heavyweights such as Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester City, because of a difference in recruitment. The Portuguese, though, has had five windows to build his squad since taking over in the summer of 2016, signed 11 players at a cost of £360m at a net outlay of £285m.Is his complaint that United have not backed him enough valid? Or is the issue too many dud buys from the 55-year-old? Here we go through them one by one...
Melissa Rudd is joined by Barry Glendenning, Jonathan Wilson and Paul MacInnes as they discuss Chelsea’s dramatic draw with Manchester United, Fulham’s shocking defence, five-star Luka Jovic and much moreJoin the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and email.Melissa Rudd is joined by Barry Glendenning, Jonathan Wilson and Paul MacInnes as they go through the weekend’s footballing action, starting at Stamford Bridge where Ross Barkley’s late equaliser sparked an almighty brouhaha, involving José Mourinho, Marco Ianni and co. Continue reading...
Woefully leaky Fulham are on course to concede 100 goals, and is it nearly time for Álvaro Morata and Chelsea to part ways?On the eve of the new season Slavisa Jokanovic said Fulham “don’t have to change much but we need to be intelligent. We need to grow up.” Two months down the line and either Jokanovic underestimated how much Fulham needed to adapt to be ready for the Premier League or his players are not being as smart as he had hoped. Whatever the answer, Fulham did not spend more than £100m in the summer to be languishing in the relegation zone with one win from nine games and a defensive record that is in danger of becoming an...