After playing for nearly an hour with 10 men, Manchester City will hope it takes a toll on Madrid on Wednesday when the sides meet at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Manchester United beat Newcastle 4-1, thanks to goals from Harry Maguire, Bruno Fernandes, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Marcus Rashford on Saturday, but it was Juan Mata who made the difference for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side.
Solskjaer, under pressure after United’s joint-worst defeat of the Premier League era, made five changes from the side thrashed by Spurs and most of the focus ahead of kick-off fell on the players left out. Paul Pogba was the most high-profile to lose his spot. There was no place in the side for Donny van de Beek or Alex Telles either.
But it was one of the players who came into the side who made the biggest impact on the game. Mata had not played a single minute of Manchester United’s first three Premier League fixtures this season. In fact, he had not made a single start in the competition since February.
On this evidence, however, the 32-year-old still has plenty to offer, according to a Sky Sport report.
Mata was not among the scorers at St James’ Park – those were Harry Maguire, Bruno Fernandes, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Marcus Rashford – but United’s best attacking performance in months owed more to him than anyone else. The Spaniard was outstanding from start to finish.
Mata lined up on the right-hand side of United’s attack, the position occupied by Mason Greenwood against Spurs, but his interpretation of the role was very different. What he lacks in pace and power, he makes up for in vision and imagination.
Mata popped up everywhere, drifting into pockets of space wherever he saw them, creating space for Wan-Bissaka to bomb forward on the overlap, and linking up with Fernandes at every opportunity.
By the end, the pair had exchanged passes 31 times. Their combination play resulted in a goal after 19 minutes, only for VAR to rule it out for offside, and there were plenty more examples. Shortly after half-time, there was another mesmerising one-two to manufacture an opening for Fred.
Mata provided Fernandes with the service he has lacked for much of this season and the Portuguese was not the only one to benefit for his presence. Over the course of the 90 minutes, there were also superb passes for Wan-Bissaka and Rashford, one of which released the latter in the build-up to Fernandes’ goal.
Mata knitted everything together, his touch-map underlining his influence all over the pitch, and it was exactly what United needed.
Their biggest issue under Solskjaer has been an inability to break down opponents who sit deep and prevent them from playing on the break. It was for precisely that reason that the trip to St James’ Park looked like an awkward one. But with Mata orchestrating proceedings, it was not a problem.
Instead, Solskjaer’s side were slick in possession and created scoring chances with ease. Indeed, it was only thanks to Newcastle goalkeeper Karl Darlow’s sharp reflexes that the game was not dead and buried long before the late flurry of goals that sealed the victory.
The statistics underlined their effectiveness. United’s total of 28 shots, including 14 on target, was the highest by any Premier League side in a single game so far this season. It was also more than United managed in any game in the whole of the last campaign.
Mata only registered one assist, the corner from which Maguire headed home United’s equaliser, but his influence was far greater than that and Solskjaer acknowledged as much in his post-match press conference, praising him for grasping his opportunity after his spell out of the side.
“He played fantastic,” said Solskjaer. “He’s such a professional and everyone in the team knows his quality. He’s been so patient waiting for his chance.
“I get a lot of questions, ‘Why doesn’t he play? Why doesn’t he play?’ But it’s because we have many good players, and it’s about taking your chances when you do. Juan has definitely done so.”
Mata walked off the pitch with a grin on his face when he made way for Nemanja Matic in the final few minutes of the game and Solskjaer looked similarly elated after the final whistle.
The manager’s credentials had been questioned during United’s poor start to the season and the scrutiny won’t end with this victory – especially with games against Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, RB Leipzig and Arsenal to come in the weeks ahead.
But the pressure on his shoulders ahead of that testing run of fixtures is at least a little lighter than it was before kick-off at St James’ Park, and that’s largely thanks to his decision to turn to Mata.
Real Madrid play draw with Osasuna, Bellingham sent off
La Liga leaders Real Madrid dropped two points in a 1-1 draw at Osasuna on Saturday in which Jude Bellingham was sent off.
The Spanish champions took the lead through Kylian Mbappe before the referee expelled England international Bellingham for dissent towards the end of the first half.
Ante Budimir levelled for hosts Osasuna from the penalty spot after 58 minutes as Carlo Ancelotti’s side endured a third consecutive league match without victory.
Atletico Madrid, second and two points behind the leaders, host Celta Vigo later Saturday, while third-place Barcelona welcome Rayo Vallecano on Monday.
Bellingham insisted he was expressing his frustration and not insulting the referee.
“It’s difficult when a referee isn’t sure, to determine that I’ve said something that I haven’t, and as a result it kind of hinders the team,” Bellingham told reporters.
“I think you can see clearly in the video, I remember the incident very well, it was an expression to myself.
“I’m not even directing myself towards the referee, but obviously there was a misunderstanding. He’s believed that I’ve said (something insulting) to him…
“There was no intent to insult him, there was no insult, and for that reason I think you can see there was a misunderstanding.”
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Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said he was happy with how Madrid played despite dropping points.
“In a footballing sense we started very well, and we finished well despite having one less player,” said Ancelotti.
Tennis number one, Jannik Sinner, receives three-month ban for doping
Tennis number one player (male), Jannik Sinner, has accepted a three-month ban after admitting team mistakes led to testing positive twice for traces of banned substance clostebol in March last year.
The suspension (February 9 to May 4) means Sinner will be free to play in the French Open, the second grand slam of the season, which begins on May 25 at Roland Garros.
In a statement, Sinner said that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accepted that he “had no intent and did not derive any competitive advantage from the two positive tests”.
Australian Open champion Sinner has always said that clostebol entered his system when his physiotherapist used a spray containing it to treat a cut, then provided massage and sports therapy.
“This case had been hanging over me now for nearly a year and the process still had a long time to run with a decision maybe only at the end of the year,” Sinner said.
“I have always accepted that I am responsible for my team and realise WADA’s strict rules are an important protection for the sport I love. On that basis, I have accepted WADA’s offer to resolve these proceedings on the basis of a 3- month sanction.”
WADA said separately that “Sinner did not intend to cheat” but that he would serve his suspension as he is responsible for the actions of his entourage.
AFP
Chelsea suffer humiliation as Brighton run riot with goals
Brighton delivered a crushing blow to Chelsea in a thrilling Premier League encounter on Friday night, securing a dominant 3-0 victory at the Amex Stadium.
The Seagulls outclassed their visitors with a display of electrifying football, leaving Enzo Maresca’s side in disarray.
The hosts made their intentions clear early in the game, pressing high and moving the ball swiftly.
Their efforts paid off in the 27th minute when Kaoru Mitoma unleashed a thunderous strike into the bottom right corner, leaving Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen rooted to the spot. It was a moment of sheer brilliance that set the tone for what was to come.
Brighton doubled their lead in the 38th minute, as the ever-lively Yankuba Minteh capitalized on a defensive lapse to stab the ball home from close range.
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The Blues were reeling, unable to muster a meaningful response despite occasional glimpses of attacking threat from Christopher Nkunku and Cole Palmer.
The final blow came in the 63rd minute when Minteh struck again, this time with a deflected shot that wrong-footed Jorgensen, making it 3-0. Chelsea’s defence was left in tatters, unable to contain Brighton’s relentless onslaught.
Despite a flurry of second-half substitutions, Chelsea failed to break through Brighton’s disciplined backline.
Nkunku came closest to reducing the deficit in the 88th minute, but his low shot was superbly saved by Bart Verbruggen.
Chelsea’s frustration was further compounded by multiple bookings, including Enzo Fernandez for dissent and Moises Caicedo for a reckless challenge.
The Blues’ lack of composure and creativity highlighted their ongoing struggles in the league
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