Sports

Man Utd Vs Liverpool Is A Fascinating Contest

Published

4 years ago

August 20, 2022

Manchester United’s fascinating home game on Monday night pits them against a Liverpool side where manager Jurgen Klopp has problems which almost match those of Erik Ten Hag.

Both sides are looking for their first win of the season. Training has been difficult for Liverpool this week with injuries mounting up.

Klopp said, “The week was crazy. It was like we had a witch in the building. Every day somebody else pulled out for the craziest reasons.”

We were all surprised when Klopp introduced Nat Phillips to play alongside Virgil van Dijk against Palace. He did well after Joe Gomez picked up an injury in training and could only play off the bench in the second half. Joel Matip will be out for another couple of weeks and Ibrahima Konate is likely to be out for a while longer. Trent Alexander-Arnold is not in particularly good form but I understand both he and Andy Robertson will play against United with Kostas Tsimikas coming off the bench. Klopp is aware that Cristiano Ronaldo will likely play for United despite all the problems surrounding him and Van Dijk will be given the job of containing the Portugese, particularly in the air. In midfield Harvey Elliott was very good against Palace and he will retain his place however Naby Keita is pressing for a starting role and he is likely to replace James Milner for either the whole match or at least part of it. Klopp, like Ten Hag, has problems in attack. Salah and Diaz will certainly start but Jota’s hamstring injury rules him out and Nunez’s red card means he misses the next three matches. That is a positive for United and Liverpool’s medical team have been working hard this week to get Bobby Firmino fit so they have a strong attacking three against United’s fragile defence.

The toxic atmosphere spilled over to Manchester United’s training camp again this week. After the disastrous thrashing by Brentford Ten Hag called the players in early each day and started by playing videos of Liverpool, picking apart their strategies and player positions during each match they have played so far. Ten Hag’s problem is that he does not know and cannot guess accurately how Liverpool will line up because of the injuries at Anfield. One thing is sure, Ten Hag was horrified at how new Ajax £50million signing Lisandro Martinez was turned inside out by Brentford and his 5ft 9in frame was bullied by the opposition forwards. Ten Hag knows that playing him against Diaz could be disastrous and it is his biggest problem after his weak attacking line. That is one reason Ten Hag is thankful Nunez will not be on the pitch however Raphael Verane is being pencilled in to bring stability to the backline. Verane is viewed as the best defender at the club and despite his injury problems this season he could answer some of United’s defensive problems. United have a far better record with him in the team. Despite Verane’s lack of fitness and Martinez’s poor performance, Ten Hag is considering dropping Harry Maguire and making Verane and Martinez his two central defenders however I know for sure that Ten Hag is an admirer of Maguire and is considering this option very carefully.

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With the towering presence of Van Dijk in the Liverpool defence, Ten Hag has to improve his midfield and the quality of balls fed into the Liverpool penalty area. Bruno Fernandes and Christian Eriksen, who will be moved forward in a more attacking role, will be crucial in placing precise balls from deep play into the Liverpool backline which Ronaldo thrives on. Fred is fast but constantly being outplayed and McTominay is below form. Sancho will be important for United and he needs to feed balls to Rashford and Ronaldo and this is the way they have trained this week…United are strong on the counter-attack. They need to be patient and organized which has been another main aspect of training. They must defend as a unit and not play as individuals which often happens. Without doubt United’s best chance is to drive at pace from the counter-attack…they are very good at it and Liverpool will be vulnerable.

Gerrard has big problems in defence

I contacted Aston Villa regarding the injury to Diego Carlos and the news is not good. Carlos, who joined Villa from Sevilla for £26million has ruptured his achilles tendon. He left Villa Park on crutches and on Monday had an MRI scan which revealed the damage. Surgery is inevitable and Carlos could be out of action for six months. Manager Steven Gerrard has a problem at the back with Kortney Hause also on the injury list which means he has only three senior centre halves in contention for a place: Tyrone Mings, Ezri Konsa and Calum Chambers. Gerrard has expressed that he is “extremely worried” about the injuries at the club.

Manchester City have come up with the perfect way of keeping their star players. Barcelona have been trying to unsettle Bernardo Silva so they can bid for him. Knowing that Barca have financial problems, City have placed a value of £80million on the midfielder which the Spanish giants could not possibly afford to pay. City travel to Barcelona to play a charity friendly this coming week and Silva will play to demonstrate that he is very much are part of Pep Guardiola’s starting eleven.

Chelsea still want Everton’s Anthony Gordon

Chelsea are going to review their offer for Everton midfielder Anthony Gordon despite being rejected twice by The Toffees management. Everton manager Frank Lampard admits he must not lose Gordon who is essential to his plans and with the season just beginning results are not going their way. I understand that the only way Gordon could end up at Stamford Bridge is through a possible deal which would involve bringing in two Chelsea players: Billy Gilmour and Armando Broja. Newcastle and Tottenham made approaches for Gordon a month ago but Everton offered him a new improved contract which has not been signed as yet.

Werner and Lukaku make winning starts

Timo Werner scored on his return to RB Leipzig in his first game in the Bundesliga. Romelu Lukaku had a good game and scored for Inter Milan during his first game back in Italy in Serie A. It is interesting that they couldn’t score in the Premier League with any certainty and yet they hit the ground running in returning to their roots. What this proves conclusively is that the Premier League is a far tougher test than other European Leagues. Opinion: Managers should be able to comment on refs It always amazes me that players and managers are not allowed to comment on the conduct and quality of referees after a match. Thomas Tuchel is the latest to face possible financial penalties and a touchline ban for saying he believes Anthony Taylor should not be allowed to referee any more Chelsea matches after some highly controversial decisions. The FA takes a very dim view of a manager expressing his thoughts. Two things come to mind in my view…firstly in the UK we have a constitution which champions freedom of speech so who are the FA to overrule a basic right and secondly isn’t it interesting that Tuchel’s view has been supported by more than a hundred thousand people who have signed a petition which carries the same message as Tuchel?

Daily Trust

Sports

Tragedy: Spanish Footballer Jesús de Miguel Dies at 30 After On-Field Collision

Published

12 hours ago

November 3, 2026

Trends Admin

Tragedy: Spanish Footballer Jesús de Miguel Dies at 30 After On-Field Collision

Spanish footballer Jesús de Miguel has died at the age of 30 after suffering a cardiac arrest following a collision with an opposing goalkeeper during a league match involving his club, CD Tenerife.

The striker died on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at a hospital in Tenerife, Spain, a day after he collapsed during his team’s encounter against FC Andorra in the Spanish second division.

The incident occurred in the closing stages of Monday’s match at the Heliodoro Rodríguez López Stadium, with both teams level at 2-2.

De Miguel was chasing a long ball towards the middle of the pitch when FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono rushed out of his penalty area to intercept it. The goalkeeper collided with the forward, striking him in the chest with his knee.

De Miguel immediately fell to the ground, prompting players from both teams to call for urgent medical assistance. Owono was shown a straight red card following the collision.

Medical personnel rushed onto the pitch and administered emergency treatment to the injured footballer before he was transported to hospital by ambulance.

During the journey, De Miguel suffered a cardiac arrest, but medical personnel reportedly managed to restore his pulse through emergency resuscitation.

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He was subsequently admitted to the intensive care unit of Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

CD Tenerife initially described his condition as stable despite the seriousness of his injuries. However, a subsequent medical update indicated that his neurological condition had deteriorated.

He died at approximately 8:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday.

Announcing his death, CD Tenerife expressed profound sorrow over the loss of the striker and extended condolences to his family, friends, teammates and supporters.

The club also appealed for respect for the privacy of his family during the difficult period.

The tragedy has prompted a police investigation into the circumstances surrounding the footballer’s death, including possible involuntary manslaughter under Spanish law.

Authorities explained that such proceedings are routinely initiated when a death is considered non-natural. The investigation does not, in itself, establish criminal responsibility on the part of anyone involved in the collision.

Meanwhile, the incident has triggered an outpouring of condolences across the football community.

Spanish football giants, including Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, expressed sympathy to Tenerife and De Miguel’s family.

FC Andorra also paid tribute to the deceased player, while the club’s president and former Barcelona defender, Gerard Piqué, expressed his condolences.

The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) postponed matches scheduled for Tuesday in the Copa del Rey and Copa de la Reina as a mark of respect.

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) also announced that matches across its competitions would observe a minute of silence in memory of the late footballer.

De Miguel joined Tenerife from Castellón ahead of the 2025–2026 season.

Born in Madrid in 1996, he built his career across several Spanish clubs, including Leganés B, Fuenlabrada, Unionistas de Salamanca and Castellón.

He scored 11 goals during the previous season and helped Castellón secure promotion to Spain’s second division.

His death has left teammates, supporters and members of the Spanish football community mourning the loss of a player whose career was cut short by the tragic incident.

Tragedy: Spanish Footballer Jesús de Miguel Dies at 30 After On-Field Collision

Sports

Super Falcons Receive $100,000 Each as Tinubu Finally Fulfils WAFCON Pledge

Published

19 hours ago

November 3, 2026

Trends Admin

Super Falcons Receive $100,000 Each as Tinubu Finally Fulfils WAFCON Pledge

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has fulfilled his financial reward promise to Nigeria’s Super Falcons, with each player receiving the naira equivalent of $100,000 following the team’s historic triumph at the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).

Members of the coaching crew and other team officials have also received the naira equivalent of $50,000 each, completing the cash component of the presidential reward package announced after Nigeria won its record-extending 10th continental title.

The National Sports Commission (NSC) confirmed the payments on Monday, November 2, 2026, describing the development as the fulfilment of the President’s financial commitment to the national women’s football team.

The payment brings an end to the outstanding cash component of the reward package, which Tinubu announced during a presidential reception held in honour of the team on July 28, 2025.

Following their historic achievement, the President had promised each of the 24 players the naira equivalent of $100,000, while members of the 11-person technical team were to receive $50,000 each.

He also conferred the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) on the players and technical crew and approved the allocation of three-bedroom apartments in Abuja to members of the team.

The housing documents and national honours certificates had earlier been presented to the beneficiaries, leaving the cash payments as the outstanding component of the presidential pledge.

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Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, commended Tinubu for honouring his commitment, describing the fulfilment of the reward package as an important development for Nigerian sports.

Dikko said the Super Falcons had made the country proud and deserved recognition for their achievement, adding that the timely delivery of the promised rewards would strengthen confidence among Nigerian athletes.

He also acknowledged the cooperation between the NSC and the Ministries of Finance, Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, and Housing and Urban Development in ensuring the delivery of the presidential commitments.

According to him, the development represents a departure from previous experiences in which Nigerian athletes sometimes waited several years for government promises made after major international competitions to be fulfilled.

Dikko urged Nigerian athletes to draw encouragement from the development and remain committed to representing the country, assuring them that their sacrifices and achievements deserved recognition.

The Super Falcons earned the historic reward after producing a remarkable comeback against hosts Morocco in the final of the 2025 WAFCON.

Nigeria had fallen two goals behind but fought back to secure a dramatic 3-2 victory in Rabat in July 2025, reclaiming the continental crown and extending its record as the most successful country in the history of the women’s African football championship.

The victory marked Nigeria’s 10th WAFCON title and further cemented the Super Falcons’ dominance in African women’s football.

Tinubu’s fulfilment of the promise follows a similar development involving Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, whose players received the naira equivalent of $100,000 each in September 2026 after winning the 2025 Women’s AfroBasket championship.

The basketball players also received three-bedroom apartment allocation documents and OON national honours as part of their presidential reward package.

The latest development reinforces the Federal Government’s commitment to recognising sporting achievements and rewarding Nigerian athletes who bring international honours to the country.

Editorial note: The reports give different estimates of the naira equivalent of the $100,000 reward. The article therefore retains the officially stated dollar-equivalent amount without presenting an unconfirmed naira figure as the exact payment.

Super Falcons Receive $100,000 Each as Tinubu Finally Fulfils WAFCON Pledge

Sports

EPL: Chelsea Hand Manchester United 2-0 Defeat to Deepen Carrick’s Crisis

Published

3 days ago

October 31, 2026

Trends Admin

EPL: Chelsea Hand Manchester United 2-0 Defeat to Deepen Carrick’s Crisis

Chelsea compounded Manchester United’s difficult start to the season with a 2-0 victory at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, leaving manager Michael Carrick under mounting pressure as the Red Devils’ winless run stretched to nine matches in all competitions.

Goals from Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer secured the victory for Chelsea, who moved provisionally into fourth place on the Premier League table with 16 points from nine matches.

Manchester United, meanwhile, remained in 16th position with seven points, just one point above the relegation zone, after suffering another damaging defeat.

The result further intensified scrutiny of Carrick, whose side have now gone nine games without a victory, recording six defeats and three draws during the run. It is the club’s longest winless sequence in all competitions since the 1988-89 season.

Despite the final scoreline, Manchester United began the encounter with some attacking promise and created opportunities to take the lead.

The visitors thought they had broken the deadlock through Matheus Cunha, but the effort was ruled out for offside. Chelsea also had a first-half goal from young forward Estêvão Willian disallowed for the same reason.

United continued to threaten, with Bruno Fernandes, Amad Diallo and Cunha involved in promising attacking moves, but they failed to convert their opportunities.

Chelsea eventually took control shortly after the restart when Rogers produced an impressive individual effort to put the hosts ahead in the 50th minute.

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The forward collected a pass from Roméo Lavia, drove towards the United defence and worked his way past Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martínez before lifting the ball over goalkeeper Senne Lammens.

The goal shifted the momentum in Chelsea’s favour, while Manchester United’s task became considerably more difficult when Martínez was sent off in the 63rd minute.

The Argentine defender received a second yellow card following an incident in which he appeared to elbow Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana. The decision followed a review by the match officials.

Chelsea were awarded a penalty from the incident, and Palmer converted from the spot in the 64th minute to double the hosts’ advantage.

The goal effectively ended United’s hopes of mounting a comeback, particularly after they were reduced to 10 players.

Chelsea continued to search for more goals, with Estêvão having another effort ruled out for offside. Manchester United also threatened late in the encounter, but Bryan Mbeumo struck the crossbar during stoppage time.

The victory provided Chelsea with a much-needed boost after consecutive defeats in the league and cup, while strengthening their position among the early contenders for a top-four finish.

For Manchester United, however, the defeat raised further questions about the team’s direction and Carrick’s ability to halt the alarming decline.

With the club struggling to turn performances into victories, pressure is expected to increase on the manager as the season progresses.

Chelsea will next travel to face Sunderland on November 8, while Manchester United are scheduled to visit Aston Villa on the same day.