Premier League
Optimism evaporates at Old Trafford as Amorim feels the heat
The cautious optimism that Manchester United took into the new season after marquee summer signings has evaporated even before the end of August and once again manager Ruben Amorim finds himself under an intense spotlight.
One point from their opening two Premier League games means that since taking over from Erik ten Hag, the Portuguese coach has earned 28 points from 29 top-flight matches in charge.
A rather unfortunate 1-0 home defeat by Arsenal followed by a 1-1 draw at Fulham would not ordinarily have put United back into the crisis mode they ended the last miserable campaign.
But on a stormy night in next to the Humber Estuary on Wednesday, defeat by fourth-tier Grimsby Town on penalties in the second round of the League Cup was arguably the lowest point of Amorim’s tenure.
Gone are the days when Manchester United could shrug off the League Cup as a low-key competition to rotate the squad.
With no European football for only the second season in 35 years following last season’s 15th-placed finish, United realistically had the FA Cup and League Cup as viable targets.
So Amorim’s decision to make eight changes to his starting line-up for the clash at Blundell Park was surprising.
That said, he still gave a first start to forward Benjamin Sesko alongside fellow new recruit Matheus Cunha who between them cost United 130 million pounds ($175.6 million) in the transfer window.
With United trailing 2-0 after a diabolical first half, Amorim also sent on 65 million-pound signing Bryan Mbeumo and captain Bruno Fernandes after the break.
Had Cunha not made a complete hash of United’s fifth penalty in the shootout when a successful conversion would have won the tie, Amorim would have been spared Thursday’s inquisition.
ANGST-RIDDEN AMORIM
Instead, Grimsby’s journeymen and youngsters held their nerve, Mbeumo missed his spot kick and the abiding image of the night was an angst-ridden Amorim alone in his dugout, suffering through the shootout.
His post-match comments were laced with intrigue.
“I think this is a little bit the limit. I think something has to change. I think the team and the players spoke really loud today,” he said.
Such was United’s owners enthusiasm to replace Ten Hag with Amorim last year that they gave him a “now or never” ultimatum to jump ship in November rather than at the end of the season.
After a draw in his first game, against Ipswich Town, United were 12th in the table. They ended 15th with 42 points, their lowest ever Premier league haul and worst season since 1974.
Even the consolation of winning the Europa League eluded them as they lost to Tottenham Hotspur in the final, a side who finished 17th in the Premier League.
Amorim’s win percentage in all competitions for United is 35.6% and it is a shocking 24.1% in the Premier League.
The much-maligned Ten Hag, who delivered two trophies to the cabinet but was deemed not good enough, won 51% of his Premier league games for the Old Trafford club.
United have the chance to lower the noise levels around their manager when they host Burnley on Saturday.
They have not lost any of their last 23 games against promoted clubs but should that run come to end against Burnley, Amorim would head into the international break in a precarious position.
Reuters
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England and Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has been handed a 15-month suspended prison sentence by a Greek court over a 2020 incident in Mykonos, Sky Sports reported on Wednesday.
In 2020, Maguire was found guilty of repeated bodily harm, attempted bribery and violence against public employees after his arrest in a brawl in which two police officers were assaulted.
Maguire, who was detained for two days following the incident and denied any wrongdoing, was handed a suspended prison sentence of 21 months and 10 days but was granted a full retrial after appealing against Greek court convictions on multiple charges.
In accordance with the Greek judicial process, the filing nullified Maguire’s conviction before a full retrial in a more senior court. His retrial was postponed many times.
Maguire faced allegations of non-serious assault, resisting arrest and attempted bribery. The 32-year-old was convicted on all three counts but will face no prison time. His legal team will appeal against the guilty verdict, Sky Sports reported.
Maguire’s brother Joe and friend Christopher Sharman were also found guilty of offences related to the incident and received suspended prison sentences in 2020. They also denied any wrongdoing.
-Reuters
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Arsenal maintained control of the Premier League title race as they chiselled out a nervy 2-1 win over London rivals Chelsea to open up a five-point lead at the top of the table on Sunday.
Jurrien Timber’s 66th-minute header from a Declan Rice corner ensured Arsenal took three precious points, but it was a nervy afternoon in north London.
Mikel Arteta’s side moved to 64 points from 29 games, with Manchester City, who have played a game fewer, on 59.
Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber celebrates scoring their second goal with Gabriel Magalhaes REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Defender William Saliba had given Arsenal the lead in the 21st minute from a trademark corner routine.
But it had looked as though an own goal by Piero Hincapie just before halftime would prove costly for the hosts until Timber came to their rescue.
Chelsea, whose six-match unbeaten league sequence under new manager Liam Rosenior was halted, ended the match with 10 men after Pedro Neto was sent off for a second yellow card.
-Reuters
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Premier League
Manchester United climb to third in Premier League table with come-from-behind win over Palace
Manchester United produced a stirring second-half comeback to defeat Crystal Palace 2–1 at Old Trafford on Sunday, with captain Bruno Fernandes inspiring the turnaround that lifted the hosts into third place in the Premier League standings.
Trailing inside four minutes after a dominant start by Palace, United responded through a Fernandes penalty before his pinpoint free-kick was headed home by Benjamin Sesko to seal victory against the 10-man visitors.
The win extended interim manager Michael Carrick’s unbeaten run to seven matches since taking charge in mid-January. United now have 51 points from 28 games and are unbeaten since the January 5 dismissal of Ruben Amorim, climbing into third for the first time since May 2023. Palace remain 14th on 35 points.
“It feels like a big result, we were behind and had to show some character,” Fernandes told Sky Sports. “There are a lot of games to go still, and it is important that we don’t feel that we are in the position that we need to be. We need to make as many points as we can.”
Palace, under Oliver Glasner, were electric in the opening half hour, capitalising on sluggish United play. Defender Maxence Lacroix powered home a header from a corner after muscling past Leny Yoro, scoring the earliest goal United have conceded this season.
The visitors nearly doubled their advantage when Daniel Munoz latched onto an Ismaila Sarr through ball, but goalkeeper Senne Lammens produced a crucial save.
United gradually found their rhythm before the break. Sesko forced Dean Henderson into action with a header from a Fernandes cross, and the Palace keeper also tipped a Fernandes free kick over the bar.
The turning point arrived in the 57th minute when Fernandes converted from the penalty spot after Matheus Cunha was dragged down by Lacroix. Following a lengthy VAR review, Lacroix was shown a red card, reducing Palace to 10 men.
Eight minutes later, Fernandes’ delivery again proved decisive as Sesko rose highest to nod home the winning goal.
United pushed for a third, with Casemiro’s volley drawing a diving save from Henderson and substitute Amad Diallo testing the keeper from distance in stoppage time. Joshua Zirkzee saw efforts blocked, while Kobbie Mainoo’s fierce strike drifted narrowly wide.
Carrick praised his team’s resilience. “The biggest thing for us to take from the game is really the first time that we have been in that situation going in at halftime,” he said. “Being in that position and how we react and showing that personality and belief… to then come back as we did in the second half is the biggest thing for me today.”
Palace pressed late but could not find an equaliser. Glasner admitted his side had let the game slip. “It feels like there was more possible today. A great first 30 minutes, but the red card changed it completely. The second goal just happened too quickly.”
For United, the victory reinforces growing belief under Carrick that a top-four finish—and a return to Europe’s elite competition—is firmly within reach.
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