Three things Erik ten Hag got horribly wrong as Man United recover to beat Nottingham Forest
A shell-shocked Manchester United came back from two goals down to beat Nottingham Forest 3-2.
Erik ten Hag’s side found themselves 1-0 down after just 90 seconds, with striker Taiwo Awoniyi sprinting clear of the trailing United defenders before slotting it past Andre Onana. Forest doubled their lead just two minutes later as centre-back Willy Boly found the net from a Brennan Johnson free-kick.
The disastrous start meant ‘Ten Hag out’ was trending on social media early on, as Christian Eriksen’s close-range finish clinched one back. United finally made all the offensive pressure count in the second half as Bruno Fernandes set-up Casemiro for a tap-in.
And a dubious penalty awarded to the home side spared their blushes at Old Trafford, with Fernandes sealing a 3-2 comeback win in the 76th minute. Yet despite claiming all three points, there were several things Ten Hag’s side got horribly wrong to go behind to Forest in the first place.
Defensive set-up.
There were more defensive calamities for United following the 2-0 defeat at Tottenham last week. A questionable defensive set-up from their own corner allowed Awoniyi to rampage through the centre of the field without anyone to close him down for the opener.
Forest’s second marked another poor instance of United defending, in this case for an opposition corner. The ball was allowed to go through three Red Devils defenders, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka shying away from the header before Boly made it 2-0.
Still relying on deadwood
Anthony Martial should not be starting for Manchester United in 2023/24. The Frenchman’s time at Old Trafford should have come to an end several seasons ago – yet Ten Hag still finds himself relying on Martial as his primary goal threat.
That is almost unforgivable considering the manager has been given close to £400million to splurge on players since arriving at the club in the summer of 2022. Which leads us to our next Ten Hag blunder…
Poor finishing
It may seem odd to criticise United for their shooting considering the scoreline. But the poor finishing was on full display against Forest, especially throughout the first half. United held 70% of possession and created nine chances, but were unable to make it count for long durations.
With each game-week that passes, the decision becomes even more baffling to spend £72m on injured striker Rasmus Hojlund, who is yet to play for the Red Devils.
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Not just Amrabat, Man Utd schedule two more medicals for $120 players before the deadline
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Man Utd’s £34m star deal on brink and medical completed as Liverpool make signing in late-night announcement
Before the transfer deadline, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Arsenal all have work to do.
Here are the most current transfer rumours from the Premier League and other parts of the world as of Thursday, August 24.
The United Agreement is nearly finished, and the medical is finished.
Manchester United is close to signing Nice center-back Jean-Clair Todibo, according to L’Equipe.
Erik ten Hag, the manager of United, has been desperate to improve his defensive options, and the club’s poor Premier League start has only heightened that need.
After a trade to West Ham United fell through, Harry Maguire is staying, but Ten Hag needs more depth at center-back.
Todibo, who is rated at £34.1 million, has come to United’s attention as a potential Benjamin Pavard replacement.
Todibo has played for clubs like Barcelona, Schalke, and Benfica in the past, but Nice is where he is most comfortable.
Altay Bayindir, the custodian for Fenerbahce, underwent a physical in Greece after United agreed to pay him almost €7 million for him.
He will soon complete his migration in England.
Yesterday evening, late-night update from transfer analyst Fabrizio Romano revealed that Liverpool have signed highly-regarded teenager Trey Nyoni from Leicester City.
The 16-year-old recently signed with the Reds after a drawn-out search.
Romano validated the information last night. “Done, completed,” he tweeted. Talented midfielder Trey Nyoni, who was born in 2006, moves from Leicester to Liverpool.
Nyoni will play for the club’s youth squad.
Ben Doak, Kaide Gordon, and Harvey Elliott all joined the club at the same age as him and went on to succeed in and around Jurgen Klopp’s first team. He follows in their footsteps.
Chelsea no longer owns a stake in Johnson.
Brennan Johnson of Wales and Nottingham Forest is a target for Chelsea no more due of his desire to join Tottenham Hotspur.
The attacker is sought after by both London teams, with the Reds willing to spend £50 million for his services.
The youngster has drawn interest from Brentford and Aston Villa as well; the Bees previously had a £30 million offer rejected.
The New York Times reports that the Blues gave up trying to sign Johnson after learning of his desire to join the Spurs.
Johnson’s decision-making process is thought to be heavily influenced by regular game time.
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Manchester United says top target Sofyan Amrabat signing is facing a delay and currently at Fiorentina as he awaits a move
Manchester United top target Sofyan Amrabat is training alone at Fiorentina as he awaits a move due to the fact that the Reds need to sell players first to be able to afford his services. Liverpool have ruled out a move for the Moroccan midfielder, valued at £30mUnited need to sell players first before they can make further acquisitions WATCH: ‘It’s All Kicking Off’ – Episode 3 – Mail Sport’s brand new football show
The Red Devils target Sofyan Amrabat is training alone at Fiorentina as he awaits a move away so fans have to be patient.
Liverpool have ruled out a move for the Morocco midfielder, 27, leaving United in pole position to sign him.
However, the Old Trafford club need to sell players to raise funds first with time running out before the transfer deadline.
Amrabat has been excluded from Fiorentina’s 24-man squad for Thursday’s Europa Conference League play-off, first leg fixture away to Rapid Vienna.
Although Amrabat was an unused substitute in their 4-1 Serie A win at Genoa on Saturday, he has been made to train away from the rest of Vincenzo Italiano’s squad.
Manchester United target Sofyan Amrabat, pictured during a pre-season friendly, is training alone with Fiorentina as he awaits a move away
Amrabat was left out of the Fiorentina squad for Thursday night’s game against Rapid Vienna
United are in urgent need of a defensive midfielder to help out Casemiro after they were exposed in that area of the pitch in their 1-0 win over Wolves and 2-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur.
Amrabat, valued at around £30million, has emerged as their top target ahead of Everton’s Amadou Onana.
United have already spent £72m on striker Rasmus Hojlund, £55m on midfielder Mason Mount and £43.8m on goalkeeper Andre Onana this summer to put their club in order and ready for the season ahead.
But Anthony Elanga, Fred and Alex Telles are the only senior players offloaded for a fee so far and further outgoings are needed to remain within Financial Fair Play [FFP] limits and enable further signings.
Amrabat notably rose to prominence during the Qatar World Cup, anchoring Morocco’s midfield as they went on a gutsy run to the semi-finals.
Earlier this month, ex-United man Louis Saha talked of his admiration for the midfielder with a rising stock.
He told Betfred: ‘Amrabat is a player that I really admire and he’s got a great intensity level that I don’t believe is matched. It would be exciting to see him at Manchester United and he would improve the overall level of the squad.’
Erik ten Hag needs another defensive midfielder after United’s sluggish start to the season has been seen.
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Manchester United have reportedly made a move for Ryan Gravenberch in their attempts to rejuvenate their midfield.
The Netherlands international is keen on leaving Thomas Tuchel’s side after failing to find his footing in Munich following his move from Ajax in the summer of 2022. The Bavarians have so far shown reluctance to let him go and even turned down an approach from AC Milan a few weeks ago.
However, the queue for Gravenberch’s services is getting bigger with every passing day, and United are the latest club to join the race.
Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla indicates in ‘the last few hours’ the Red Devils contacted Bayern and made an offer for Gravenberch.
The Dynamic midfielder, who’s on gross wages of around £200,000 a week before taxes in Munich, has also attracted an offer from Liverpool.
The 21-year-old would like to play under Erik ten Hag, the manager who got the best out of him at Ajax.
However, Pedulla suggests any move could depend on the future of Donny van de Beek or Scott McTominay, as United ideally want to sell at least one midfielder before moving in for a fresh face for their midfield.
This might also be the reason why the Red Devils are yet to submit a bid for Sofyan Amrabat despite being aware of Fiorentina’s valuation and finding a total agreement concerning the Moroccan’s salary.
It is understood Amrabat has patiently waited for United all summer, having said no to other approaches, but as we enter the dying embers of the summer transfer window, the Morocco international is hoping to wrap up his move swiftly, understandably.
The English outfit’s purported offer for Gravenberch might worry those who want Amrabat at Old Trafford. However, Pedulla adds that they could sign two midfielders depending on sales.
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Mason Greenwood has been confirmed to return to Manchester United, and Erik Ten Hag expects him to excel there
Despite claims that Richard Arnold, the club’s chief executive, “told senior staff he is returning to the club two weeks ago,” Man United maintains that a decision has NOT yet been made regarding Mason Greenwood’s future
Despite recent speculations that Mason Greenwood is likely to rejoin the team, Manchester United insists that a decision has not yet been made regarding his future.
Last week, Mail Sport reported that United’s decision to consult with their women’s team and sponsors was a blatant sign that the team is getting ready to lift Greenwood’s 18-month ban.
It appears that United is preparing the way for the 21-year-old’s return rather than nullifying his contract, which is valid until 2025, given the extent they are going to in order to explain their choice.
Now According to The Athletic, United Chief Executive Richard Arnold informed senior personnel a fortnight ago that Greenwood will be returning after a six-month internal probe. Arnold will have the last say regarding Greenwood’s destiny.
Arnold reportedly intended to film and distribute a video outlining Greenwood’s reintegration to colleagues and the wider public, according to the source.
There are rumors that Chief Executive Richard Arnold announced Greenwood’s return to top personnel a fortnight ago.
Arnold’s initial intention was for Greenwood to stay away from any appearances with the Manchester United Foundation despite his return to Erik ten Hag’s starting lineup.
In response, United issued a statement on Wednesday denying that a decision had been made and said that there was still “intensive internal deliberation” going on.
In February 2023, all accusations against Mason Greenwood were dropped, and the statement read: “Manchester United has thoroughly investigated the claims brought against him.
We heard from many persons who had a direct role in the case or knowledge of it, and we drew on a wealth of evidence and background information that was not in the public realm.
The club has placed a priority on the care and viewpoint of the alleged victim throughout this process, and we respect her right to lifelong anonymity.
We also owe Mason a duty of care because he works for the club, is a young person who has been a member since he was seven, and is a new father with a partner.
We have finished gathering information for our inquiry, and are currently deciding what will happen to Mason.
Contrary to what has been reported in the media, that decision has not yet been reached and is currently the focus of extensive internal discussion. The Chief Executive Officer is ultimately accountable.
Once decided, the internal and external stakeholders of the club will be informed and given an explanation.
“This has been a challenging case for everyone connected to Manchester United, and we appreciate the strong reactions it has sparked based on the limited information that is publicly available.” We kindly ask for your understanding as we complete the last steps of this methodical procedure.
Greenwood was detained in January 2022 on suspicion of attempted rape and assault, but the Crown Prosecution Service later dropped all charges against him after United opened their own inquiry.
The club can only terminate Greenwood’s contract if it is legally permissible, according to sources close to the organization, and the facts that are currently in the public domain do not fully explain the situation.
That explains why United have taken so long to conduct a long and thorough investigation that involved speaking to Greenwood and the victim, and the families of both parties. ‘It’s not clear-cut,’ said one insider.
The striker was charged with attempted rape, assault and coercive control in January 2022.