Premier League
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag outlines plan for Cristiano Ronaldo return
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag was unable to provide a return date to training for Cristiano Ronaldo but clarified he would be “integrated” back into the squad.
Ronaldo has not reported for pre-season training due to a family issue and has missed the entirety of United’s pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia
The team returns to Manchester next week and face Atletico Madrid in Oslo on July 30 and Rayo Vallecano at Old Trafford the following day but it is unclear if Ronaldo will be available for selection.
It emerged two days before Ronaldo was expected to return to United’s Carrington training complex on July 4 that the 37-year-old wanted to leave the club but a realistic taker has not emerged.
When asked for an update on Ronaldo, Ten Hag replied: “No. It’s the same as last week. Of course, concerning is maybe not the right word (over his absence).
“I focus on the players who are there and they are doing really well. They are in good shape and I have further focus on that and develop that. I cannot wait for him to come in and then we will integrate him.”
One of Ten Hag’s predecessors, Louis van Gaal, repeatedly lamented the commercial interference of United’s pre-season tour of the United States in 2014 and complained about their four-match schedule.
Van Gaal advised Ten Hag not to join United as they were a “commercial club” but Ten Hag sees positives in United flying to two different continents to prepare for the upcoming campaign.
“I think it’s part of football nowadays and you have to accept it as a manager, as a team, and you have to get the best out of it and that’s what we did,” Ten Hag added.
“It’s great for the team spirit, for so long we are together and we can improve that and develop that. You have a lot of time to work on the team because you are so close together. It’s great to have the experience to come to nice cities, Bangkok, Melbourne, Perth, not every day we’re coming here.
“There are also disadvantages, it’s clear, but you’re a professional and you have to deal with certain tings that are decided where you don’t have an influence on. But you have influence on your game and that is our focus point.”
-MEN
Premier League
Arsenal defeat ‘accident waiting to happen’ after card – Arteta
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said his side’s defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday was “an accident waiting to happen” after William Saliba was sent off in the first half.
Bournemouth won 2-0 thanks to goals from Ryan Christie and Justin Kluivert after Saliba was shown a red card for a challenge on Evanilson after 30 minutes as Arsenal suffered their first defeat of the campaign.
It is the third time this season Arsenal have been forced to finish a match with 10 players, leaving Arteta frustrated that his side’s lack of discipline cost them points.
“We are obviously very disappointed with the result and gutted because we have to play again in that context,” he said. “This time was even more difficult than the previous two we faced this season.
“Playing for 65 or 68 minutes with 10 men at this level is just an impossible task. It’s an accident waiting to happen, not to get the points.
“I cannot fault the team for their effort, their commitment, how intelligent they are to play in the way that we have to do it.”
Declan Rice was sent off in Arsenal’s 1-1 draw at home to Brighton earlier in the season, while Leandro Trossard was also shown red in the 2-2 draw against title rivals Manchester City.
Arsenal host Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Tuesday.
-ESPN
Premier League
Joe Aribo’s goal not enough to Southampton’s suffering
Joe Aribo scored a goal for Southampton on Saturday,but it was not enough to curb the club’s miserable run as they succumbed to a last-minute defeat by Leicester who snatched victory by 3-2.
Leicester scored three second-half goals to come from behind and stun 10-player Southampton, denying them a first Premier League win of the season.
The result means Saints have set a club record for the longest winless run in their entire top-flight history, having failed to emerge victorious from any of their last 21 Premier League encounters.
Inside five minutes, Joe Aribo had crashed a header onto the crossbar and inside seven minutes, the hosts had taken the lead. Kyle Walker-Peters led the charge after a quick free-kick and dropped the ball off to Ryan Manning, who squared for Cameron Archer to coolly slot in and send a wave of both relief and belief around St Mary’s.
Premier League
Leicester fight back to clinch 3-2 win and extend Southampton’s suffering
Jordan Ayew scored in the 98th minute as Leicester staged a second-half comeback to earn a 3-2 win at Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday, with the 10-man hosts setting a club record of 21 matches without victory in the English top-flight.
Leicester moved up to 13th in the standings with nine points from eight matches, while Southampton fell to 20th – level on points with Wolverhampton Wanderers, who face champions Manchester City on Sunday
“It’s just unbelievable, that’s why we play football. We didn’t have a good first half,” Ayew told Sky Sports.
“Second half we got ourselves back together and attacked the game properly. It’s just an unbelievable feeling.
“It’s a good step forward to move up the table. We’re going to continue fighting and it’s not going to be easy so well done the lads and everyone.”
Having failed to win in their last 13 matches in the 2022-23 season when they were relegated, Southampton are without a win in the Premier League since they beat Leicester in the same fixture in March 2023.
Southampton shot out of the blocks and took the lead in the eighth minute when Ryan Manning squared for Cameron Archer to finish a sweeping counter-attack, before midfielder Joe Aribo added to their tally with a side-footed effort.
Leicester defender Wout Faes nearly scored a spectacular own-goal five minutes into the second half by sending a diving header straight at his own keeper Mads Hermansen, who spared the Belgian’s blushes with a deft save.
The visitors grew into the contest in the second half and created some half-chances before pulling one back in the 64th minute.
Buonanotte turned in a cross after a driving run from substitute Abdul Fatawu and the goal signalled the beginning of Southampton’s unravelling.
Minutes later, Vardy was denied on the line by an excellent Aaron Ramsdale save, but Leicester were awarded a penalty after a VAR review found that the forward was held back by Ryan Fraser.
Fraser was sent off and Vardy stepped up, blasting his effort past Ramsdale to equalise.
Leicester smelled blood and pushed forward in their quest for a winner, which came deep into stoppage time when Ayew’s low shot went through a sea of bodies and crept into the bottom corner, breaking the hearts of home fans at St Mary’s Stadium.
-Reuters
- AFCON5 days ago
Libya’s AFCON dreams go up in flames!
- AFCON3 days ago
CAF probes Libya over Nigeria match
- AFCON6 days ago
BREAKING! CAF wades into the Libya-Nigeria Airport episode
- AFCON6 days ago
Libya FA explains their inhumane treatment of Super Eagles delegation
- AFCON1 week ago
VIDEO: Hostile Libyan Authorities leave Super Eagles stranded at Airport
- AFCON1 week ago
NFF condoles with SuperSport and families of slain media men heading for AFCON match
- AFCON3 days ago
BREAKING! Libya Football Federation secretary doubts the integrity of CAF
- AFCON5 days ago
Rwanda breaks 12-year jinx in victory over Benin Republic