All posts by n8rngtd.top

Tottenham Hotspur are absolutely flying at the moment.

Ange Postecoglou’s side may have slipped up against Brighton & Hove Albion earlier this month, but across all competitions, they have won seven of their last eight games and are currently scoring for fun.

However, while the North Londoners look seriously potent going forward, they could do with another option off the bench, a more physical presence akin to Arsenal’s Kai Havertz.

Fortunately, should Postecoglou want to bring such a profile into his squad down the line, the club already have the perfect youngster ready to come in and fulfill that role, someone other than Dominic Solanke.

Spurs' exciting youngsters

Okay, so before we get to the striker in question, let’s look at one of the other most exciting youngsters in the academy, and it’s not Mikey Moore. The name fans should look out for is 16-year-old midfielder Lucá Williams-Barnett, who made the permanent move up to the under-18s squad in July after making a handful of impressive performances last year, and to say he’s looking good so far would be a significant understatement.

For example, in seven games this season, the Luton-born gem has scored eight goals and provided two assists, meaning he’s averaging 1.42 goal involvements every game, which is frankly ridiculous for someone his age.

Now, it’s probably too soon to see him make it into the first team this year, but given Moore’s rapid rise up the ranks and Williams-Barnett’s sensational form in the academy, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him given a chance next season.

That said, the midfield maestro isn’t the only exciting youngster who could see some more senior minutes in the near future, as the promising Will Lankshear could develop into Postecoglou’s Havertz.

Why Lankshear could be Spurs' own Havertz

Okay, so before the pitchforks come out, we are sure that Lankshear has the potential to develop his own style under the tutelage of Postecoglou, but should the Australian want a forward in the mould of Havertz, then the 19-year-old could also provide that.

For example, while the 6 foot 2 Welwyn Garden City-born poacher is a bit shorter than the 6 foot 4 Arsenal ace, he is slightly taller than the 6 foot 1 Solanke and could, therefore, become something of a target man to bounce balls off of down the line.

Moreover, the Englishman has already shown at the youth level that he can provide a serious physical presence in attack, with Spurs expert Jon Wenham describing him as “an absolute unit for his age,” suggesting he already knows how to use his stature to his advantage.

Lastly, while the Lilywhites’ faithful might not want to admit it, the former Chelsea ace has become a reliable goalscorer for the Gunners since moving up top, and based on Lankshear’s youth record, he could be as well.

For example, in his 34 games for the U21 side, the promising striker has scored 26 goals and provided three assists, which equates to an average of a goal involvement every 1.17 games.

Ultimately, Havertz is an interesting player to compare Lankshear to and potentially someone to measure him against in the future, but the youngster looks talented enough to develop in various ways in the coming years, and fans should be excited about seeing him do so.

Outshone by Moore: Ange must axe 5/10 Spurs dud who lost the ball 11 times

Spurs have a serious talent on their hands and a player whose future may well be elsewhere.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Oct 25, 2024

Pep Guardiola hits new low after Manchester City's defeat to Real Madrid as dismal stat emerges following Champions League exit.

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• Real thrashed Man City 3-1
• European dream ends for the English side
• Guardiola suffers record 13th defeat of the season

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  City’s hopes of being crowned European champions for the second time in their history were crushed in devastating fashion as Real Madrid eased past them with a 6-3 aggregate victory. Despite their dominance in recent years under Pep Guardiola, the reigning European champions were thoroughly outplayed in the second leg at the Santiago Bernabéu, suffering a 3-1 defeat on the night.

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• Getty/GOAL
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Kylian Mbappé was the star of the show, scoring a remarkable hat-trick to seal City's fate. This result not only ended their European campaign but also marked a historic low for Guardiola, as he was eliminated before the Round of 16 for the first time in his managerial career.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  For a manager known for setting high standards, this season has seen Guardiola experience several unwanted firsts. In addition to his earliest-ever Champions League exit, City’s defeat in Madrid also meant that he has now suffered 13 defeats in official competitions in a single season something he had never experienced before in his managerial career.

  Since taking charge at the Etihad Stadium in 2016, Guardiola has led Manchester City to an era of dominance, securing six Premier League titles and clinching their first-ever Champions League trophy in 2023. However, the 2023-24 campaign has been far from smooth sailing for the Spanish tactician. A series of injuries to key players have derailed City's domestic title challenge, leaving them off the pace in the Premier League. Now, their European ambitions have suffered the same fate!

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER CITY?

  With their Champions League campaign now over, Guardiola and his squad must regroup quickly as they return to domestic action. City currently sit fourth in the Premier League standings and will need a strong finish to the season to secure a place in next year’s Champions League.

  A crucial test awaits them on Sunday as they face leaders Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium in a high-stakes encounter. With qualification for Europe’s elite competition now the top priority, Guardiola will be desperate for a response from his players after their disappointing exit on the continental stage.

Nottingham Forest are set to secure the first piece of business under Edu by offering a key figure a new bumper contract, according to a new report. The Reds’ very impressive start to the Premier League season continued over the weekend as they brushed West Ham aside 3-0 to put them in third place, six points off the top spot.

Edu and Nottingham Forest make contact to sign "machine" versatile attacker

Evangelos Marinakis is set to triple Edu’s salary.

By
Charlie Smith

Nov 5, 2024

Nottingham Forest transfer news

Despite making a great start to the season, losing just one of their opening 10 league games, Nuno Espirito Santo has his eyes on improving his squad when January does arrive. The Reds have begun contract talks with Chris Wood, and they are hoping to wrap that up fairly quickly as the striker’s deal does expire at the end of this campaign.

But while Wood looks to commit his future to the City Ground, Forest also have their eye on adding another striker to their ranks. They are interested in signing Corinthians striker Yuri Alberto on loan in January. Forest are not the only side interested in the young forward, as West Ham, Everton, and Newcastle United are also keen.

It has since been confirmed that signing a new striker in January is a priority for Forest. Nuno was keen to add another forward to his side in the summer, but for whatever reason, they couldn’t get a deal over the line. Now they are looking to do that when January arrives.

Nottingham Forest set to hand Nuno bumper new deal

According to TalkSPORT’s Alex Crook, Nottingham Forest are set to offer Nuno Santo a new bumper contract in recognition of their excellent start to the season. The 50-year-old took over at the City Ground in December 2023 from Steve Cooper, and he steered the Reds away from relegation trouble.

Nuno has now improved Forest significantly, as they have five wins from 10 league games and already have 19 points to their name, a staggering 14 clear of the bottom three. The Midlands side are in the top flight’s top three for the first time in 26 years, and with Edu expected to join Forest’s multi-club group, his first piece of business looks set to be handing Nuno a new deal.

The club’s owner, Evangelos Marinakis, has been “so impressed” that he wants to extend Nuno’s contract beyond June 2026, which is when it currently expires. The Portuguese has taken charge of 35 games as Forest manager in all competitions, and his 36th sees him come up against Newcastle United. A win against the Magpies and they will cement their place in the top three during the November international break.

The Three Lions' new boss is already facing plenty of problems as he prepares to name his first-ever squad for World Cup qualifying action

Thomas Tuchel hasn't even overseen his first game as England manager yet, but there is already a sense that he is working under something of a cloud. As the German tactician prepares to name his first-ever Three Lions squad for upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia, his problems are beginning to mount.

Unwarranted media attention, a raft of untimely injuries and a plethora of out-of-sorts stars – all part and parcel of being England manager, no doubt, but there is the unshakeable feeling that this has been, and will continue to be, a baptism of fire for the man appointed as Sir Gareth Southgate's successor.

It's clear that Tuchel will have his work cut out right from the get-go, both on and off the pitch. His first international camp will go some way to proving that his is up to the task.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Welcome to England

  Tuchel might not have managed his first England game, but already there is a sense that some sections of the media have turned on him or are attempting to incite some sort of movement against him. More than a month short of his debut on the touchline at Wembley, the 51-year-old recently came under scrutiny for returning to Germany to visit his children and therefore 'missing' games where he might usually be in attendance to assess his options.

  The word at the time was that he had missed three Premier League game weeks, as well as Carabao Cup and FA Cup ties, having already been allowed to delay his start date until January 1 – disregarding the near-certainty that the meticulous tactician would have been watching on from afar, and the fact that he was showing up at matches in December.

  The role of England manager has long been labelled 'the toughest job in football', and the reasons for that transcend lofty on-field expectations.

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  'Working full-time to assess players'

  Such has been the extent of the criticism, with various outlets and pundits joining the pile-on and fuelling the furore, the Football Association (FA) has even been forced to step in to defend their new manager – pointing to the fact he still attended 17 matches in 47 days and has a base in London as well as in Germany. The point is made even more moot by the fact that European Championship-winning Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman has achieved unprecedented success despite commuting from her family home in the Netherlands.

  An FA statement to read: "Thomas has attended 17 matches – in England and abroad – to watch English players since he joined in January, and is working full-time to assess players for his first squad announcement next month."

  Tuchel had even been open about his working pattern in his first press conference back in October: "I love to live in England and I’m looking forward to living again in England," he said. "I want to be close to the Premier League, I want to be close to the majority of the players. But of course, the schedule will allow me to be close to my family and my children in Germany. But yeah, I will be in England most of the time."

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  Injuries piling up

  It's not just off the field that Tuchel is facing early problems; in terms of personnel on it, his options are significantly depleted as he prepares to name the first England squad of his tenure.

  The new manager will be without senior centre-back John Stones after he suffered an awkward injury against Real Madrid which will keep him out for at least two months, while hapless Luke Shaw suffered a setback recently and surely won't be considered. Further up the pitch, Kobbie Mainoo – who is arguably the Three Lions' outstanding central-midfield option alongside Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham – has been ruled out until after the March international break, while recent call-up Angel Gomes is working his way back from a calf problem.

  In attack, star winger Bukayo Saka is sidelined after hamstring surgery, as is newly-established senior international Noni Madueke, while Dominic Solanke has not yet recovered from a knee issue that has kept him out since mid-January.

  Of course, England are still blessed with plenty more talent among this exciting generation, but Tuchel is going to need all his managerial nous to piece together the first line-ups of his time in charge.

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  Out of sorts

  Injuries won't be Tuchel's only concern, however; as he prepares to put pen to paper to draw up his first squad, he must surely have a sense that – other than usual suspects Harry Kane and Bellingham – a number of his key players are approaching the break somewhat out of sorts.

  There will be serious doubts over whether Kyle Walker keeps his place after a torrid half-season at Manchester City before he departed for AC Milan; his former team-mate Rico Lewis has struggled to maintain the high standards he set in his breakout campaign; Jack Grealish seems to have lost Pep Guardiola's faith entirely.

  Harry Maguire has allowed some errors to creep back into his game at Manchester United after a much-improved period; attacking midfielders Cole Palmer and Phil Foden have both toiled in recent weeks and look well short of their best; Conor Gallagher has been used strangely sparingly by Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid of late.

  This all contributes to sense that – aside from the new manager – this will not be the most compelling, exciting England squad as a host of big names scratch around for some form. Tuchel will have to find away to make them click across two games, as he will be expected to collect six points to avoid more negative press.

West Ham are struggling so far this season, sitting 14th in the Premier League after 11 games, winning three, drawing three, and losing five matches.

Julen Lopetegui was hired to take over from David Moyes, tasked with changing the Hammers playing style. However, things haven’t been plain sailing, with their change of identity proving tough to implement alongside getting results.

Their most recent 0-0 draw with Everton may have bought Lopetegui some time, but if their poor form continues, the Hammers could look to make a change in the managerial hot seat.

The key stats under Julen Lopetegui at West Ham

West Ham are currently averaging 45.3% possession this season, an increase from 40.5% possession under Moyes last season. This improvement is one West Ham wanted to see, hiring a more possession-based manager and looking to guide the team in that direction.

Lopetegui’s tactics have also seen an improvement in shots per game, taking 13.5 this season, compared to 11.8 per game last season. Again, this comes from a change in style, having more of the ball, and being able to assert more control in games to pin teams in and get shots off.

Lastly, West Ham have also improved with their shots conceded per 90, still conceding 16.3 shots – the fourth highest in the league. Comparatively, the Hammers conceded 17.2 shots per match under Moyes last term so there has even been a slight improvement in this aspect.

So why have all of these stats have increased, yet West Ham are performing worse, and struggling for results? Well, their pressing hasn’t improved enough. Lopetegui is not known for coaching his pressing structures, but the athleticism of the team and therefore their inability to cover ground is not great.

West Ham’s PPDA (passes per defensive action) last season was 16.3, the third-worst ranking in the Premier League, only ahead of Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest. This tells us West Ham wouldn’t put much pressure on the ball, and allowed teams to move through the thirds far more easily than other sides.

This does not seem to have improved this season under Lopetegui, meaning West Ham are often exploited and played through in their pressing scheme, and this is due to a multitude of reasons, one of which could be solved with a new managerial appointment.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast's Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

Ruud van Nistelrooy is the answer

Premier League legend, Ruud van Nistelrooy, recently left Manchester United, having spent the past four games in charge of the Red Devils on an interim basis. During those four games, the Dutchman managed three wins and a draw, averaging 2.50 points per match (PPM).

His other managerial experience in senior management comes from PSV (2022-2023), having taken charge of 50 games, averaging 2.20 PPM, and leading PSV to a double, winning the Dutch Cup, and Dutch Super Cup.

The 48-year-old – who coincidentally played 36 times under former Irons boss Manuel Pellegrini at Malaga and Real Madrid – has been known to deploy a 4-2-3-1, something West Ham had success with at times under Moyes.

However, the former United interim manager favours a slightly more aggressive out-of-possession system, looking to win the ball back quickly, whilst cutting off central penetration, often moving between a 4-2-4 and a 4-4-2 hybrid pressing system.

During the 2022/23 season for PSV, Van Nistelrooy’s side averaged 55.6% of the ball, which was the fourth highest in the Eredivisie, whilst averaging 18.2 shots per game – the third highest in the league and averaging just 10.7 shots against per game, this time the third lowest.

PSV also made 17.7 tackles per 90, the fifth-largest tally in the division, showing their intent to win the ball back, regain control, and hurt teams in transition. Thus, this appointment could help West Ham continue on their quest to control games, bringing in another possession-based coach, but also one who can help their out-of-possession work.

This isn’t just a coaching issue, though. West Ham lack athletes, especially in the middle of the park, so who could Van Nistelrooy bring through to help with this, and are there any internal problem solvers to get him through to January?

Who could benefit from Van Nistelrooy's appointment

In Van Nistelrooy’s 4-2-3-1 system, the two holding midfielder options would be between three players currently in the West Ham squad, with Edson Alvarez, Guido Rodriguez, and Tomas Soucek all familiar with the role.

When comparing the metrics of those midfield options above, Alvarez seems to offer the most overall, making the most progressive actions, the most passes, the highest pass completion, and still putting in high defensive actions (most interceptions, second most tackles + blocks behind Rodriguez).

To add athleticism in the middle of the park, 18-year-old midfielder, Lewis Orford could be introduced under Van Nistelrooy, who has been compared to Declan Rice in the past by journalist John Brewin. By adding a more mobile midfielder to the squad, West Ham would be able to better implement their press, especially when going man for man in central areas.

It would, of course, be a risk to appoint the former United striker having only really managed PSV, before taking the assistant manager role at Old Trafford, only to get four games as interim boss before leaving the club.

That said, the risk/reward could be worth it in order for West Ham to fully complete their identity rebrand under a new and exciting coach, who is already well respected in the league.

8 managers who could replace Julen Lopetegui at West Ham

Football FanCast takes a look at eight managerial options West Ham could turn to if Julen Lopetegui is sacked.

By
Ross Kilvington

Nov 12, 2024

Lalas discussed Richards’ U.S. national team prospects, questioned the defender’s consistency

• Lalas questions Richards’ readiness for the 2026 World Cup
• USMNT’s search for a reliable center-back pairing continues
• 2026 World Cup remains up in the air for Richards

• AFP
  

  WHAT HAPPENED

  Former U.S. men’s national team defender Alexi Lalas expressed doubts about Chris Richards’ future with the USMNT. Speaking on his podcast, Lalas didn’t hold back in his assessment of the 23-year-old’s performances and potential.

  Lalas said believes that Richard’s main problem is his struggle for consistency, both at Crystal Palace and for the USMNT, as he goes through periods in which he performs well – and then struggles.

  “I’m flummoxed a little bit… I’m flummoxed by Chris Richards,” Lalas said.

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• WHAT LALAS SAID

  “I’m flummoxed by Chris Richards because as we know, the US men’s national team needs a consistent and quality center-back pairing," Lalas said on his State of the Union podcast. "And it’s a rotating type of cast and at one point, Chris Richards was the future. And yet when I watch him, I want him to do well and he, over the years, has yet to really really solidify in my mind that he deserves that spot.

  “And he will have good games and not-OK games. You will have good moments in games and then head scratching type of moments, and so that consistency is ultimately what I’m looking for here. But so far, this is a really good run for him and I’m not saying everything that he has done has been good, I’m left scratching my head with some of the defending – and for a US team at a certain point, in order to beat the elites, you’re going to have to defend and you’re going to have to defend against the best in the world.

  “And I’m still not sold. I’m still not sold on Chris Richards. But if this is as good as it gets when it comes to Chris Richards, I still don’t think that that is good enough. But I hold out hope that he continues to progress and that maybe, whether through this summer and obviously in the 2026, he can get to that point where if this is as good as it gets, then it actually is good enough.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Richards, a 24-year-old American defender, currently plays for Crystal Palace in the Premier League. His career began with FC Dallas before joining Bayern Munich in 2018, where he made his professional debut.

  After loan spells at Hoffenheim, Richards signed with Crystal Palace in 2022 and has also become a regular for the USMNT, although he hasn’t locked down a permanent spot yet.

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  WHAT’S NEXT?

  The Eagles endured a tough start to the 2024-25 season but have persisted and are currently on a decent run of form. Oliver Glasner’s side is in 12th place on the Premier League table. The Selhurst Park side face Ipswich Town next in the league before a FA Cup quarter-finals clash against fellow London club Fulham.

Serie A frontrunners Napoli “will” try to sign a “sneakily good” Arsenal player in January, despite doubts over the transfer from manager Antonio Conte.

Arsenal prepare for West Ham clash in the Premier League on Saturday

Mikel Arteta’s side have enjoyed an excellent return to action this week, convincingly beating surprise package Nottingham Forest 3-0 in the Premier League last weekend before smashing Sporting Lisbon 5-1 in Europe.

Arsenal ready to attempt £80m offer for "Thierry Henry-esque" forward

He could be a hugely popular addition.

By
Emilio Galantini

Nov 28, 2024

West Ham await Arsenal at the London Stadium on Saturday afternoon, and it is a clash which many would fancy the Gunners to win comfortably, considering Julen Lopetegui’s side are seriously struggling for form overall.

However, they did beat Newcastle United 2-0 away in their last game, so the home side’s tails may also be up as they aim to upset the applecart and put another dent in Arsenal’s hopes of winning a first league title in 21 years.

Arsenal could also be without star defender Gabriel Magalhaes, who is a doubt for the clash after picking up a knock against Sporting. Meanwhile, injured Takehiro Tomiyasu is recovering away from Arsenal and Ben White looks set to be out until next year.

“There was a big difference between the end of last season and the previous one – availability,” said Arteta on Arsenal’s injury problems this season.

“You can tell that. We do research, not only when we have injuries but when we don’t as well because people tend to look deeper at things when there’s a problem, not when everything is going very good. Dig in there because maybe you are doing things that are actually impacting what is happening. We’ve done a lot. Not changing much, it’s true that certain players come from a position where they’ve played over 130 games in two seasons, but a lot of things have been impacts on joints, which are not related to muscle injuries which you can treat more. It’s more difficult to control, I think.”

If Gabriel is sidelined for their trip across London to West Ham, it is likely Jakub Kiwior will step into partner William Saliba at the heart of Arteta’s defence.

Napoli will try to sign Jakub Kiwior from Arsenal in January

Reports in the last few days have suggested that Arsenal are no longer open to the possibility of Kiwior leaving on loan, but Sky Sports reporter Gianluca Di Marzio has some further information to the contrary.

According to his sources, Napoli will try to sign Kiwior on loan from Arsenal, and the Gunners are “open” to it. However, it is also believed that Conte is wondering whether the “sneakily good” Poland international is good enough to come in and reinforce the Serie A leaders’ backline.

“Napoli have asked about Kiwior’s situation and now Arsenal are open to loaning him,” said Di Marzio to Goal.pl.

“Antonio Conte is wondering if he is good enough to play for Napoli because he is not playing for Arsenal, but they will definitely ask and try to loan him. Now is the time for him to go back to Italy because he has to play.”

Cole Palmer has been left out of Chelsea's matchday squad to take on Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.

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• Blues travel to Gunners
• Palmer unexpectedly absent
• Chelsea lost 5-0 at Emirates last year

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Palmer was expected to be involved for the Blues' trip across London to the Emirates Stadium this weekend, but his name was not on the team-sheet when the lineups were announced 75 minutes before their 13:30 GMT kick-off. Instead, head coach Enzo Maresca is expected to use Enzo Fernandez in an advanced midfield role, with Reece James and Moises Caicedo in deeper positions.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  This is the second-season running that Palmer has missed out on Chelsea's trip to Arsenal, having sat out last year's visit due to a cold. The Blues, then managed by current USMNT boss Mauricio Pochettino, were thrashed 5-0 on that occasion.

• WHAT ENZO MARESCA SAID

  Explaining Palmer's absence, Blues boss Maresca said: "He's not in the toilet, for sure! He had, or as we know, last week some problems [with illness]. And unfortunately yesterday he had a very small problem. We think, after the international break, he will be back with us.

  "He had an injury yesterday during the session. It was a very light session. That's why we think it is nothing important. But we wait and the feeling is he will be back after the next international break."

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Palmer is currently on a run of 10 games without a goal and uncharacteristically missed a penalty in last week's win against Leicester City. However, he will have to wait a few more weeks to end that drought.

Lyon defender Moussa Niakhate has delivered a statement of intent ahead of their Europa League tie with Manchester United.

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• Niakhate sends warning
• Two sides to meet in quarter-finals
• Lyon aiming for major victory

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The French side will square off with Ruben Amorim's men in the quarter final. Speaking to RMC Sport, Niakhate spoke of United's glittering history, but reassured fans that he and his teammates wouldn't be cowed by their surroundings.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  United are the bookies' favourite for the tournament, and are unbeaten at home in the Europa League this season. They reached the last eight after beating Real Sociedad 5-2 over two legs. Lyon booked their quarter final berth with a resounding 7-1 aggregate victory over FCSB.

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  WHAT MOUSSA NIAKHATE SAID

  Moussa Niakhate told RMC Sport: "We play football to play matches like this, against United, they’re one of the best clubs in history.

  "But we're not going there to make videos or watch Old Trafford, but to qualify. We have the squad to cause them problems. We're here to go all the way."

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The two clubs have squared off four times in European competition. Lyon have never beaten United, securing two home draws and losing both fixtures at Old Trafford. Their most recent tie came in the 2007/08 edition of the Champions League. United won the round of 16 tie 2-1 on aggregate.

A European giant has now made an early move to try and sign a Manchester United star in January, with Ruben Amorim yet to be impressed by him, according to a fresh report.

Amorim takes first Manchester United game

Manchester United were held to a 1-1 draw by Ipswich Town on Amorim’s Premier League debut after he took charge in the November international break.

A new-look Red Devils side trialed a 3-4-3 system that saw Noussair Mazraoui form part of the back three, with Amad Diallo stationed at right wing-back and Diogo Dalot on the opposite flank.

They did not look comfortable for much of the game, and Amorim’s changes did little to inspire improvement, with the new Man Utd boss singling out summer signing Joshua Zirkzee as someone who needed to improve to continue getting game time under his management.

“I think that [decision-making] is a concern, you don’t need to coach them at this level,” Amorim said.

“You have to keep the ball and know the momentum to put the ball in front. Sometimes you feel that you can’t keep the ball and you [have to] put the ball in front.

“Then you have like we are in the end of the game, we were around the box with two strikers. Josh [Zirkzee] has to understand that he has to go to the box to have the crosses. So we are doing some things that were not at the right moment, so that is something we have to address.

“Sometimes people talk about the 3-4-3, that is not the concern, the system is the system but the understanding of the game is what we have to improve a lot in this area.”

Already under pressure after a poor start to his Old Trafford career, Zirkzee has been linked with a move away and now those comments have caught the eye of a European giant.

Motta wants Zirkzee reunion at Juventus

That comes as reports in Italy claim that Juventus are keen to sign the Dutch striker should Manchester United decide to cut their losses.

The Turin side are now coached by Thiago Motta, who worked with Zirkzee at Bologna last season, a campaign which saw the forward net 12 times in all competitions.

And now, it is claimed that he is eyeing a reunion, and “first contact has now been made between Juve and Motta’s former striker”, as they look to bring his Old Trafford nightmare to an end.

Man Utd ready to offer Serie A star £33m+ Old Trafford deal to join Amorim

He would be a massive statement of intent from the new Manchester United boss.

By
Ben Browning

Nov 27, 2024

It is added that “Juventus are in the front row” to sign the 23-year-old, who arrived for £36.5m just months ago and is on £105,000-a-week, though there is no suggestion that Manchester United have changed their stance on the youngster.

Nonetheless, with the Red Devils linked to several new forwards and Rasmus Hojlund already at the club, Zirkzee may only likely see his game time decrease in the months and years ahead, suggesting that perhaps a move away from Old Trafford is the best move for all parties.