Man Utd must ‘get rid’ of four non-pressers as Mikel Arteta defended
We’re back to focusing on Man Utd in the Mailbox, although there is plenty of Arsenal and Liverpool too.
Send your mails to theeditor@football365.com
What is a Zirkzee?
People keep asking the question “what is Joshua Zirkzee?”. I think I have the answer sussed…
“Shit at football”.
Lewis, Busby Way
Amorim in trouble already
Amorim is starting at Utd on Nov 11th and TBH I already fear for him with the players he has to work with. His game is apparently high energy, high line, possession and pressing.
Can you imagine the likes of Rashford adhering to that, can you imagine that defence pushing up on a high line? One thing is certain, if he wants to play that way he needs to get rid of Rashford, Dalot, Shaw and probably Fernandes. They just won’t run or put in that effort required. They have shown that already across a 3 or 4 managers.
Ken, Cork, Ireland
Man Utd must not sign Amorim XI
We are reading this morning that Amorim is looking at signing four players from his former club. United should learn from mistakes in the recent past under Erik ten Hag.
Ten Hag’s greatest mistake was his persistence with signing Ajax, Dutch and his past players while his top two coaches were both Dutch. That was an epitomic recipe for disaster and we are all witnesses to what happened at United.
Football is called the world game not only because it is played all over the world but, more so, because most clubs have a plethora of players, coaching and administrative staff as well as fans from all over the world. United will benefit from signing the best available and affordable player for the position irrespective of their club, nationality, allegiance to and/or previous relationship with the Manager.
I am via Footballe365 suggesting to INEOS to consider stopping this ineffective practice. We cannot keep changing Managers so United’s senior management team should take the necessary actions to ensure that clear past mistakes are not repeated. That will create a clear path to success for our beloved Man United. We have to get back to where we used to be and do so soonest with strategic signings.
Professor (Dr) David Achanfuo Yeboah
MORE ON MAN UTD FROM F365:
👉 16 Conclusions on Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea: Garnacho, Caicedo, pathetic Martinez and more
👉 Ruben Amorim ‘rinsed’ Bruno Fernandes as Man Utd urged to sack off eight
👉 Man Utd staff ‘can’t wait to leave every day’ as ‘poisonous’ mood sweeps the club
Er, buy a striker or two?
Just a quick letter to say it is not possible for the big teams to be good all the time and ultimately it is good for the league when the lesser big teams win.
Strikers win you football games. Bournemouth have not missed Domo. Liverpool and City have good pools of attacking talent Julian Alvarez has not been missed at all. But look across the attacks of United, Arsenal & Chelsea and it doesn’t scream elite or even numerous. All three of those teams could do with a couple more good or very good strikers.
That is pretty straightforward.
Peter ( Valencia & its area is very flat & at sea level nearly) Andalucia
Chill the f*** out, Will
Reading Will Ford’s article today made me think this: can Will please chill the f*** out? Anything Will writes regarding Arsenal seems to be over the top and borders on hysteria. It’s almost like he’s actually Stewie Griffin himself (he is, isn’t he?). I’m not suggesting that Will cannot write what he wants to but my God now it makes me throw up just seeing his name under the article.
Anyway, Arsenal’s title challenge seems to have imploded but I implore that fans remain level headed. It’s not the end of the world. Teams can have bad games/seasons and not too long ago even this site had contributors saying it would be almost impossible to challenge Man City 3 years in a row.
Arsenal obviously miss Odegaard a lot and it looks like the team need time to work a few issues out and yes Arsenal have been quite bad in the last 2-3 games. But! Please don’t ignore the progress that Arsenal and Arteta have made throughout his tenure.
It takes more than planning, strategy and consistent effort to win the league. A certain amount of luck is always a requirement to become a champion and Arsenal certainly haven’t seen much luck in clutch events this season, much the opposite.
Stanley Hudson
A (hopefully) measured Arsenal response
In response to Mat (and no doubt others will similarly take up arms) on what a ‘reasonable’ Arsenal fan’s response is, the answer is ‘Get rid of Arteta, are you mad?’.
I feel there has been a lot of push to anoint Arteta some arch-villain/Mourinho-lite/hubris monster on the decline recently because the papers/media cycle love a narrative and everything is now and loud. We even had articles from the Guardian asking if we were ‘too entitled’.
But if you take a bit of a step back, what Arteta has achieved in the last 5 years at Arsenal has been exceptional. From an afterthought to the main event. A still relatively young team punching at a level we’ve not had since 2004. Genuine heavyweights, losing on fine margins to a City team that gave easily the second best club side of the PL era (I rate Klopp’s Liverpool team that highly) almost nothing (thanks to the egregious off-field cheating combined with an exceptional manager).
Arteta has in the past two years given us the two best seasons of football since 2004 (and let’s not call it unexciting, some of the stuff we played at the end of last season was peerless in the league). When we’re on, we can blow any team out of the water.
Looking past the media hysteria, if you actually watch him in an interview, he’s no sourpuss or arsehole, he’s perfectly nice and engaged. Yeh, he’s an oddball, with a slightly unsettling intensity, but let’s be clear, you cannot be at the top level without this (unless you have charisma off the charts like Ancelotti). Nothing he says or does that is controversial wasn’t said or done a million times by other coaches. But the media and frothing ‘engagement’ fan accounts want a bogeyman and have settled on him.
He has an unbelievable amount of rope left, especially as the start to this season has a million mitigations (really tough fixtures, three games down to 10 men, losing our talismanic captain and creator).
Are there areas of improvement? Sure, he has always gone pragmatic a bit too quickly, we’d like to see a bit more ambition with substitutions and our dependence on key players is always a risk.
But you’re talking still about someone 5 years into his career. No-one comes out fully formed.
And who would replace him? I can’t see anyone who can offer as much (ok, maybe if Pep wanted to ditch City as they hopefully go down in deserved PGMOL flames).
Ask any Arsenal fan at the beginning of the season and they’d say ‘Challenge for the league and get to the last 4 in Champions League’ is a requirement and ‘Win league or CL’ and we’ll be dancing in the streets.
Maybe if we’re 15pts back in February and knocked out the CL we might start asking bigger questions, but 7pts back so early, with everything that has happened? With CL going swimmingly? No chance.
As for ‘focus on the FA cup’? Come on now.
Tom, Leyton
What has Arteta actually done?
I don’t really care about Arsenal, but I’ve been fascinated by the Arteta fanboying on this site.
They’ve been good for a couple of years but the David vs Goliath narrative is a bit much considering just how many squillions they have (Man City vs Arsenal = Elon Musk vs Bill Gates of the footy world).
In terms of their genius…really?
They’ve spent a huge amount of money – and clearly, a decent chunk of it (mainly the big amounts) has not been spent wisely. Havertz, Jesus, Zinchenko, and Pepe to name a few.
In fact, out of their top ten transfers ever, only Rice looks great…but at £100m, is surely not “great” value. Ben White as a centre-back for £50m…to then be converted to England’s 4-5th best right back – good player, but again, good value?
Arsenal have always done well at finding the diamonds in the rough (Bergkamp, Henry, Vieira, etc), and that continues to this day (Saliba, Odegaard, etc) complementing the homegrown lads. Plus ça change as a certain Frenchman might say.
In terms of tactics, I can’t be the only one who feels it’s all a bit Pep-light. Possession out the back, inverted wing backs, converting centre-backs to wing-backs, buying Jesus as a centre forward and then playing him as a winger…all a year or two after Pep first did it.
Ultimately, Arsenal have spent a sh#t tonne of money and are competitive. Congrats!!
Win something and then maybe the plaudits will follow…in the meantime, St Totteringham’s Day should again be a great day in the calendar.
Matthew (ITFC – just one win…it’s not too much to ask)
In defence of managers
*Sigh*
When will I ever learn to just *not* click into the John Nicholson articles?
I’m an adult now. A mature one, I think. I should know by now that John Nicholson’s articles are written to drive the average football fan bonkers, generating delicious clicks through his patented style of writing that’s half doom-mongering telling you that football only exists to make you sad, (like everything else in the world), and half patronising, telling you how pathetic it is that you’re emotionally invested in it anyway.
His latest rant, which is a re-hash of a very similar rant from earlier in the year, when Klopp resigned, is his eye-roll at how much importance fans put on managers.
“They’re just millionaires who don’t care one bit about you or your club, they’re just passing through and picking up a pay cheque… why do you even care?”
It’s the classic John Nicholson ‘too cool’ argument. The bully in a schoolyard who makes fun of people for having the audacity to care about something.
Yes, many of these managers are ‘passing through’, and yes, they’re largely doing it for the nice pay cheque that comes with it, but the reasons for the attachment are simple: People admire leaders.
People all over the world have institutions and communities that they are part of and they are passionate about. That could be a football team, it could be a social club, it could be a big company or a small family. In any of these communities people are passionate about their success. When you’re part of something bigger than yourself (even as a fan) it’s one of the great delights of life. When things go badly, it’s awful… but when things are going well, there’s nothing better.
When someone comes along, who makes the promise of making those good times last, or making them better than they’ve ever been… how could that not be attractive? When that someone delivers on that promise, like Klopp at Liverpool, how could they not be treated as a hero? How could that not generate such a strong connection? What does it matter if they’re only passing through or if they’re picking up a big pay-cheque – that doesn’t mean they can’t be passionate about the job they are trying to do.
As a Spurs fan, having Ange come in has reinvigorated my Spurs fandom. Is he perfect? No. But does he have a vision and a plan to bring good times back to Spurs after years of dreariness? Yes he has. He’s made watching Spurs fun again. How could Spurs fans, who love following the club, not be attached to that?
So, against JN’s better judgement, i’ll happily continue to admire managers who make an impact, and if I’ve any sense, next time… I won’t bother clicking the article!
Andy, THFC, Eire
DEY DO DOH DON’T DEY DOH?
In a playful nod to the scouse accent and its unique expressions, the fictional trio in Harry Enfield and Chums, Barry, Gary and Terry (or Bazza, Gazza and Tezza as they’d likely be known between friends and family) came up with a classic phrase that resonates with Liverpool fans today.
Calm down calm down or “Eh? Eh? Eh? Nope…
LIVERPOOL STAR TO LEAVE screams the headline, and the eternal question predictably arises media-wide: ‘How are they going to cope without him next season?’
Well, the answer is simple. They do though don’t they though!
Rewind the clock, and between 2018 and 2024 some major departures tested Liverpool’s ability to keep up the momentum (and with the City juggernaut) that was building throughout the club.
Philippe Coutinho (2018)
Sold to Barcelona for a record £142 million, Coutinho’s departure marked a turning point.
Liverpool relied more on a front three of Sadio Mané, Roberto Firmino, and Mohamed Salah. This allowed the attack to be less dependent on one playmaker and instead operate as a more cohesive unit with dynamic movement and high pressing.
The investment and tactical adjustment paid off. Liverpool went on to reach the 2018 Champions League final and won it the following year, also claiming their first Premier League title in 30 years in the 2019-2020 season. Their defence became a strength, conceding the fewest goals in the 2018-2019 Premier League season and setting the foundation for an all-around, dominant team.
Sadio Mané (2022)
Well known for his relentless pressing and goal-scoring, Mané was sold for a paltry £35m and his exit saw Liverpool bring in Darwin Núñez and Luis Díaz as they evolved to a more dynamic attack. Liverpool had lost a versatile forward and a key figure in their pressing game. Mané’s partnership with Salah and Firmino had been instrumental in Liverpool’s successes, and his departure was a blow to both Liverpool’s attack and their team ethos.
The acquisitions of Diogo Jota, Darwin Núñez, and later Cody Gakpo brought in a younger and versatile forward line.
Without Mané’s high-intensity press and fluid movement, Klopp adjusted to using more combinations in attack. Liverpool’s form was mixed immediately following Mané’s departure, but the new forward line began to settle by late 2023 and Liverpool would go on to fight for trophies on all 4 fronts. Ultimately, the nearing of Klopp’s departure brought inconsistent results, and they only won the League Cup.
Fabinho (2023)
Sold to Al-Ittihad for £40 million, Fabinho’s exit ended his tenure as Liverpool’s primary defensive midfielder. His departure, alongside Jordan Henderson’s move, led Liverpool to revamp the midfield, bringing in Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai. This shift led to a more attacking and forward-thinking midfield structure and Liverpool’s approach to selling key players while reinvesting strategically has sustained their competitive edge, even after losing influential talents.
Jurgen Klopp (retired 2024)
Klopp’s intense, counter-pressing tactics and his ability to create strong team cohesion were pivotal to Liverpool’s successes, and without a manager who could deliver a similar impact, the club was forecast to struggle to retain its status as a top competitor in European football.
His departure was likened to the exit of the legendary Bill Shankly, leaving a legacy so significant that it would not just be challenging for successors to replicate, but nye on impossible. There was a flurry of articles, and rival fans ( along with many esteemed journos ) clambered on the bandwagon that has since teetered on rims and spectacularly flown off a cliff as it rounded a corner Wile E Coyote style!
And so, we end with the new gaffer. Arne Martijn Slot, who took over as manager of Feyenoord in 2021. Under his guidance, Feyenoord won the KNVB Cup and finished as runners-up in the Eredivisie in the 2021-2022 season. The following season, he led the team to victory in the league, showcasing his ability to develop players and implement an effective tactical system that emphasizes possession and high pressing.
No one outside Liverpool gave him a hope. ‘Who the heck are Feyenoord? ‘ or ‘It’s a farmer’s league… LFC will finish mid table ‘ they cried.
So far so good for the manager at the top of the Premier League, second in the Champions League and through to the fourth round of the fizzy drink cup. Yes it’s too early to make any substantial claims, but Slot is quietly going about his business of keeping LFC in the headlines, for all the right reasons.
But for the relentless pursuit of success from Manchester’s blue side (we can discount the red side for years to come) it’s quite conceivable that LFC would have several more titles in the bag.
But ask any scouser how they keep rebuilding and continuing on an upward trajectory since the dark days of Hodgson and Rogers, and you’ll get one reply.
DEY DO DOH DON’T DEY DOH !!
PaulieScribes, UTFR, Planet Earth
Reds under the radar
Seems (happily) that we (Liverpool) are still (thankfully) somewhat under the radar, in the greater scheme of things.
Mainly thanks to Manchester Utd in full breakdown and Arteta and City.
Absolutely fabulous news all over the place.
Nearly half way through this ‘toughest 12 games ever’ period (hopefully not jinxing tomorrow Leverkusen/Xabi welcome). And that’s without Alisson/Jota both pretty massive misses and 3 players who may or may not leave in Jan / June (there’s been far more talk of that than our title credentials)
Just wonderful to be an LFC fan right now
In truth I do’nt think we will win and maybe no one really does which is why the lack of title talk.. but as 1 pundit (maybe Merse was it..?) put it recently,
Is Arsenal’s title challenge over already…?
“At the start of the season you had 38 games and a level playing field and City were faves
Would you take a bet that said Arsenal to win the league ….but…… I give you only 28 games and I will give City a 5pt head start..
There are not many people taking that bet right?
But that is the reality of where things are right now
It’s all madness really.
However, no one is surely as happy as my 4 Forest supporting mates.. Hi Mitch, Pink, Clacky and Rob.
Some ride that is – am almost excited for them as I am for LFC.
Al – loving it so far (wondering what Wyness has to say…? !!! 😉 )
On Liverpool, Amorim, 3-4-3 and Trent
Quick response to Badwolf’s surprise that Liverpool weren’t keen on Amorim due to his 3-4-3 formation, due to it seeming to suit Trent perfectly. This was explained at the time: Liverpool’s youth academy and recruitment has all been done to mirror the first team squad. The club estimates to have several hundred million pounds’ worth of players in the pipeline. The logic was that hiring a coach who played a markedly different system would be both a risk at first-team level and also jeopardize the youth team approach.
As much as it would hurt to lose Trent on a free transfer, there is as much transfer profit to be lost through poor transition of the academy to a new coaching set-up. It’s also not guaranteed that Amorim’s 3-4-3 would have been successful at LFC and suited Trent perfectly, and worth remembering that things are going pretty well so far under Slot.
On the subject of Trent, as much as I loathe Real Madrid and think it would be better/safer for him to continue at LFC, I wouldn’t hold it against him if he decided to go to Spain. That said, his “I want to win the Balon d’Or” comments would make his proposed Real Madrid move preposterous. If Trent thinks that he has a better chance of winning the Balon d’Or at Real Madrid despite the fact that he would be playing (checks squad list) ‘4th fiddle’ to Vinicius Mbappe and Bellingham, not to mention other superstars they’ll inevitably sign in summers to come, he is delusional.
I would be pointing out to Trent that LFC was a strong enough platform for Mané and Virgil to both finish second in the Balon d’Or voting. If you go further back, it was enough of a platform for Torres and Gerrard to finish third. Reminder: he wouldn’t even finish third among only Real Madrid players if he signed for them. Food for thought, I’d hope.
Oliver Dziggel, Geneva Switzerland
Time to come clean!
Is it possible for all F365 readers to vote as to whether there should be an amnesty for F365 to come clean and admit to who their fake contributors are.
We have all known for some time that Barry Fox and Stewie Griffin are not real, but who are the others? Does F365 have a pretend contributor for every team and perhaps two for the “big 6”? F365 showed their ManU hand today with Garey Vance and Badwolf. Garey swings tremendously between reasoned, if sometimes acceptably biased, opinion and batshit mental. However today’s attempt at “hilarious” banter, whereby he had Utd finishing 3rd in a top 4 minus Liverpool was pitiful.
I have been a little slow in replying as I’ve spent most of the day trawling through the hundreds of emails and comments in search of Badwolf’s, “Utd should play 3-4-3, they’re perfectly suited to it” by promoting a 17 year old left back, with zero appearances to date.
Either these people are fake or fantastic examples of how blind loyalty affects our judgement. Which is it?
Howard (am sure both were ETH in only a week ago) Jones
(The truth is that they are all real…at least as far as people under those names mail in. I cannot guarantee that they are actual fans of the clubs claimed but our hands are clean – Ed)
Who is the best goalkeeper in the Premier League in 24/25?
Courtesy of the wonderful FBREF we’ve used the PSxG minus goals allowed metric to rank the top-flight stoppers. ‘What the f*** is that?’ you might reasonably ask…
Post-shot expected goals is expected goals based on how likely the goalkeeper is to save the shot. When the number of goals they have conceded is subtracted, we are left with the figures below. FBREF explains that positive numbers suggest better luck or an above-average ability to stop shots.
Here’s how the Premier League keepers have performed this season, and at this early stage they must have started six Premier League games.
1) Nick Pope (Newcastle): +3.8
Ranks third for saves, while being singled out as “brilliant” by Pep Guardiola for his part in holding the champions. He did not have a single save to make v Arsenal, which is far more damning of the Gunners than Pope.
2) Mads Hermansen (Leicester City): +3.3
Only one keeper has ever made more saves in a Premier League game than the 13 Hermansen managed against Arsenal. That was David de Gea against the Gunners in December 2017; the Foxes’ No. 1 was unfortunate that Mikel Arteta’s side are slightly better now. He was a little less busy v Bournemouth, too busy again v Southampton and then actually uncharacteristically poor v Forest and Ipswich Town.
3) Andre Onana (Manchester United): +3.0
Saved a penalty v Southampton to boost his numbers, and then kept another clean sheet at Crystal Palace. And as bad as Manchester United were against Spurs, he prevented it from being even worse. He is far from United’s biggest problem, though his save percentage is sub-70%.
4) Alisson (Liverpool): +2.5
The best goalkeeper on this metric two years ago, and is in the mix again. He has the best save percentage in the Premier League at a smidge over 88%.
5) Ederson (Manchester City): +2.1
It’s rare that Ederson is forced into four saves in one Premier League game but a Rodri-less City means a much busier Ederson, and he hit that mark v Brentford and Bournemouth; it wasn’t enough against the latter.
6) Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace): +2.1
Very motivated to make a point v Manchester United after their ‘criminal’ decision, but when not fuelled by spite you get two Dwight McNeil goals conceded from a PSxG of 0.6 against Everton. But he was brilliant in almost keeping out Nottingham Forest, then bagged another clean sheet v Spurs.
7) Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham): +1.4
He struggles with set-pieces but his shot-stopping is pretty exemplary; he had under-conceded (is that a thing?) in all his Premier League games until that batsh*t game v Brighton. Made five saves v Crystal Palace and then none v Aston Villa.
8) Robert Sanchez (Chelsea): +1.0
Back-to-back clean sheets featuring a penalty save v Bournemouth, then partially culpable in a mad game against Brighton. Is behind only Alisson and Matz Sels in terms of save percentage but still gets pelters from pundits.
9) Matz Sels (Nottingham Forest): +1.0
One among many incompetent Forest keepers last season but has an 82.4% save percentage this season. He was excellent to safeguard a point v Chelsea and then a clean sheet v Crystal Palace. Was barely tested v Leicester City and West Ham.
10) Aaron Ramsdale (Southampton): +0.3
Made five saves to keep a first clean sheet of the season v Everton. He will need many more to keep the Saints in the Premier League.
11) Arjanet Muric (Ipswich Town): +0.1
A very, very busy boy in that Ipswich goal but just about emerges in credit.
12) Bart Verbruggen (Brighton): -0.1
Faced 6, 7 and 8 shots on target in his last three Premier League games so conceding five goals puts him just about on par. Definitely Brighton’s No. 1, which is an improvement on last season.
13) David Raya (Arsenal): -1.1
Conceded the same number of goals (11) as Guglielmo Vicario and Ederson, but the quality of the chances that Arsenal are conceding are significantly lower. Which is how he finds himself here.
14) Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa): -1.4
Not the sort of player you expect to see down here, but it took a rotten Manchester United for him to finally keep a clean sheet. Saved a penalty v Fulham to boost his numbers but was poor v Tottenham in 4-1 defeat.
15) Bernd Leno (Fulham): -1.4
Unusual to see Leno this far down the page, but conceding six goals in two games v Man City and Aston Villa put a big old dent in his numbers. Definitely better v Everton but had little to do v Brentford.
16) Mark Flekken (Brentford): -1.8
Consistently one of the worst goalkeepers on this metric last season, no keeper has made more saves than Flekken this season. Unfortunately, nobody has conceded more goals.
17) Jordan Pickford (Everton): -2.3
Back-to-back clean sheets as Everton have recovered their form nudged his numbers close to even, but then they somehow lost to Southampton.
18) Alphonse Areola (West Ham): -3.6
Worst save percentage in the Premier League.
The 10 worst finishers of the 24/25 Premier League season
Manchester United have issues at both ends of the pitch but finishing is clearly an issue, with two of the worst three finishers in the Premier League wearing red.
We use xG because that’s the most reliable measure over several games. And it’s not looking good for United.
10) Alejandro Garnacho (Man Utd)
Expected goals: 3.5
Actual goals: 2
Really poor v Chelsea and was lucky to stay on for 90 minutes in which he took four shots and under-hit at least three of them. Really, he should be dropped.
9) Cameron Archer (Southampton)
Expected goals: 3.5
Actual goals: 2
Scored in back-to-back Premier League games but still makes this list as his xG total for the season exceeds that of five-goal Liam Delap by a long way.
8) Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool)
Expected goals: 1.5
Actual goals: 0
No longer starting each week after Arne Slot was very vocal about the Hungarian’s lack of attacking output; he’s now had 12 shots and has hit the target only three times.
7) Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton)
Expected goals: 3.6
Actual goals: 2
The worst finisher of 2023/24 is here again; he’s getting better chances than Jamie Vardy and scoring half the number of goals.
6) Marcus Tavernier (Bournemouth)
Expected goals: 2.6
Actual goals: 1
Loves a long-range shot. Doesn’t score from a long-range shot very often.
5) Joshua Zirkzee (Manchester United)
Expected goals: 2.6
Actual goals: 1
Finished ahead of his xG for Bologna last season but has looked a little out of his depth for Manchester United this season. Often banished to the bench with Rasmus Hojlund fit, with Paul Scholes left asking ‘exactly what is a Joshua Zirkzee?’. He looks a little like a competition winner.
4) Nikola Milenkovic (Nottingham Forest)
Expected goals: 1.6
Actual goals: 0
The City Ground is going to erupt when the brilliant Serb defender scores his first goal for Forest. Unless it’s away, obviously.
3) Adama Traore (Fulham)
Expected goals: 2.8
Actual goals: 1
Three shots with an xG of 1.3 v Manchester City and he could not score. It got him in the worst XI of that Premier League weekend but Pep Guardiola basically said he was unplayable. Up to the point he took the shot, obviously.
2) Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace)
Expected goals: 3.0
Actual goals: 1
Opta have clocked him missing five Big Chances this season, which has become a factor in Crystal Palace’s unexpectedly poor start to the season. Has taken more shots from free-kicks than any other Premier League player this season, while only two players (Erling Haaland and Antoine Semenyo) have taken more shots in total.
1) Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
Expected goals: 3.8
Actual goals: 1
Only Erling Haaland, Antoine Semenyo and Eberechi Eze have taken more shots in the Premier League this season than Fernandes’ 31. He is level with Cole Palmer on that metric at least, though the Chelsea man has scored more than one penalty.
7 incredible Champions League and Europa League hospitality experiences you MUST experience
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Whether it’s Liverpool chasing a seventh Champions League title, Manchester United or Tottenham looking for success in the Europa League, or an overseas giant like Real Madrid whose story you’re most interested in, the two big European club tournaments are awash with star players and must-see matches.
And for fans looking to visit to some of Europe’s most famous stadiums, VIP Premium Ticket and Hospitality company Seat Unique offer an array of stunning packages to enhance your matchday experience and make memories that will last a lifetime.
Super Suite Hospitality – Tottenham Hotspur
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- Access to the box from three hours prior to kick-off and up to one hour after the final whistle
- three-course pre-match meal served in your suite by your own private chef and host/hostess
- Complimentary bar including beer, wine and soft drinks*
- Use of all Premium bar and lounge areas on West Levels 2 and 3
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The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is one of the most impressive sporting arenas in Europe, and with the Super Suite Hospitality package you’ll be able to marvel at the new-build ground while watching one of the Premier League’s most exciting teams in Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs.
With luxury padded seats in front of a private suite overlooking the 18-yard line, you’ll have the perfect vantage point. What’s more, you’ll enjoy a three-course meal prepared by your own private chef and a complimentary bar. Seat Unique’s exclusive Super Suite represents the height of football hospitality, ensuring an experience you won’t forget.
Spurs’ next Europa League game sees them host AZ Alkmaar on Thursday, October 24, and there are still spaces available in the Super Suite to buy via Seat Unique.
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- Tickets located in the lower tier of Anfield’s Main Stand, Lower Tier– Block L16
- Lounge opens three hours before and one hour after kick-off
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- Complimentary drink available at half-time
- Former Liverpool players in attendance
- Matchday programme
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- Food and drink available to purchase within the lounge (contactless payments only)
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- Includes a one-night hotel stay the night before the match (one room per two guests, must be requested via help@seatunique.com five days prior to the fixture)
Rub shoulders with a Liverpool legend, enjoy access to a licensed bar and toast the Reds with a free drink at half-time – it’s the perfect way to make those iconic Anfield matchdays even more special.
A must-experience for any Liverpool fan, access to the lounge three hours before kick-off means you’ll be able to build up to the big game in style, taking in the live entertainment and indulging in delicious street food. Then, you’ll get to watch the action on the pitch from a padded seat with a premium view.
Liverpool are next at home in the Champions League on Tuesday, November 5 when they welcome Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen to Anfield. At the time of writing there are just two tickets remaining in the Anfield Beat Lounge, available to buy through Seat Unique.
Treble Suite hospitality – Manchester United
From £299 per person
• Padded seats in Sir Bobby Charlton Stand Block S227
• Five-course fine-dining menu
• Complimentary bar, including champagne, sommelier-selected wines, premium spirits, beers and soft drinks
• Half-time refreshments
• Full-time classic pies
• Private tables (Subject to Availability)
• Match programme included
• Visits from a Manchester United former player (subject to availability)
• Exclusive Manchester United gift
• Car Parking included
• 10% Megastore discount
Named after one of the greatest triumphs in English football history – Manchester United’s legendary 1999 haul of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup – the Treble Suite hospitality package offers an unforgettable way to watch the Red Devils in action.
Located above the iconic Munich tunnel inside the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand, the Treble Suite is where you’ll experience a five-course fine-dining menu prior to kick-off, a free bar, half-time refreshments and a classic pie after the final whistle. And you’ll get to watch Marcus Rashford and co. from the comfort of a padded seat with a perfect view of the Old Trafford pitch.
Manchester United’s next Europa League game at Old Trafford is against PAOK on Thursday, November 7. You can browse hospitality experiences for that and all other games at Old Trafford on Seat Unique.
Premium Hospitality – Real Madrid
From £675 per person
- Premium seating at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium
- Premium ticket: Longside Tribune 1,2 and Lateral 1,2
Football clubs don’t come any bigger or more prestigious than Real Madrid. And there is no better way to watch the 15-time champions of Europe than with a Premium Hospitality package from Seat Unique.
You’ll be able to watch Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior fight to stock Los Blancos’ already-bursting trophy cabinet from a premium vantage point within the recently remodelled Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
Hospitality packages for Real Madrid’s Champions League game against Borussia Dortmund on October 22 are now sold out. But you can browse available hospitality experiences for all of Real’s games on Seat Unique.
VIP Panoramic Hospitality – Barcelona
From £449 per person
- VIP seats are located on Longside Tribune second ring
- Block 238 with a panoramic view of the stadium
- Seats together
- Cold and hot finger food is served
- Direct access to full hospitality at VIP Sala Cupra from 1:30pm before the match also at half-time and for 30 minutes after the game
- Covered and padded seats
- Dress code: smart-casual. No away colours, no football shirts, no flip flops or shorts in summer (you can wear football t-shirts in your seats, though)
- Wine, beer, cava, soft drinks, juices, water all available
- Alcoholic drinks are only served until 15 minutes before the kick-off, no alcohol available at half-time but back at the post hospitality after the match
While Barcelona play their home games at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium on Montjuic, the hill overlooking the city’s luxurious harbour, the VIP Panoramic hospitality package offers the ideal way to watch the 27-time La Liga champions.
Snack on a selection of finger food and refreshments in the VIP area before watching Barca in action from padded, covered seats with a panoramic view of the stadium that hosted the 1992 Barcelona Games.
All packages for Barcelona’s next Champions League game against Bayern Munich are sold out, but you can browse all hospitality experiences at the Nou Camp on Seat Unique.
VIP Trophies Space Block hospitality – Paris Saint-Germain
From £515 per person
- VIP Trophies Space 108
- Match ticket in neutral section of stadium with pre-hospitality and canapes from 1:30pm, before kick-off and half-time
- E-ticket
- Long side Ring 1
- Seats together
- Business/smart-casual dress code
It’s little wonder that when one of the most beautiful cities in the world hosts one of football’s most star-packed and electrifying teams, a game-changer of a hospitality package can emerge.
And that’s exactly what you’ll get with the VIP Trophies Space Block package at the Parc des Princes. Enjoy canapes pre-match and at half-time before watching Paris Saint-Germain look to reaffirm their status as the dominant force of French football.
Gordon Ramsay VIP Ibrox package hospitality – Rangers
From £349 per person
- A world-class catering experience with menus curated by Gordon Ramsay
- Access from two hours and 15 minutes prior to kick-off
- Three-course seasonal menu with a selection of wines
- House spirits and prosecco included within your package, with the option to purchase and upgrade to champagne and sommelier-selected wines for the ultimate VIP experience
- Executive match seating in Govan East Corner, GE2
- Half-time refreshments
- Post-match complimentary bar (one hour) accompanied by a selection of premium cheeses
- Shared table of 10
- Complimentary matchday programme
- Car park pass
Football and food – name a more iconic duo. And with the Gordon Ramsay VIP Ibrox package, those two elements combine for a truly exceptional experience.
With a three-course seasonal menu curated by the world-famous chef, who once played for Rangers before moving into the culinary craft, and executive seating at Ibrox to watch the Glasgow side play, this is a one-of-a-kind matchday package.
Rangers host Romania’s FCSB in the Europa League at Ibrox on Thursday, October 24. Browse all Rangers’ hospitality experiences at Seat Unique.
Each booking must be for a minimum of two tickets. Please note that due to TV scheduling, fixture dates and times are always subject to change. Your tickets cannot be refunded or cancelled if there is a change of date or time of the fixture.
“Superstar in the future”: United vs City set for blockbuster transfer battle to sign Amorim favourite – report
Manchester United have obvious problems down the right flank with Erik ten Hag’s big-money signing struggling in his natural position while the remaining wingers prefer the opposite flank.
Antony was signed to fix the lack of a left-footed winger on the right but the Brazilian has struggled to justify the enormous £85 million outlay and seems destined to be on the way out despite Ruben Amorim willing to offer him a chance.
Both Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho prefer left wing while Amad Diallo is yet to cement himself in that position.
And with the Portuguese tactician’s system involving the use of wing-backs, perhaps the solution will come from the transfer market.
Quenda interest heating up
As reported by Teamtalk, the Red Devils are looking at Sporting Lisbon wonderkid Geovany Quenda with Amorim’s imminent arrival making the Old Trafford side favourites for his signature.
However, Manchester City “are very interested” and have been doing their homework for a while now while Liverpool and Juventus are also in the race.
As relayed by The Peoples Person earlier, the 17-year-old’s release clause of €100 million makes him unattainable for now but once the player turns 18, the race is expected to heat up.
“Manchester United hold genuine interest in Sporting CP winger Geovany Quenda and Ruben Amorim is keen to bring him to Old Trafford, but Manchester City could scupper his plans.
City vs United for Quenda
“Scouts from the Red Devils were in attendance to watch Quenda in Sporting’s recent games against Famalicao, when he scored, and Sturm Graz, although he only played six minutes.
“TEAMtalk can confirm that Man Utd, Man City, Liverpool and Juventus are keen on signing Quenda as they view him as a player who could become a superstar in the future.”
Despite his tender years, he is already a first-team regular, with 16 appearances already (two goals), and was even called up to the Portugal national team during the international break.
Sporting are insistent on holding on to the player but Amorim could play a key role if the 20-time English league champions are to acquire his signature.
Bernardo Silva is a huge fan, and he will have pushed his compatriot’s case at City. Quenda’s current contract is valid until 2027.
Feature image Diogo Cardoso via Getty Images
Ayantan Chowdhury
Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25
Teenage sensation’s long wait for United debut set to end as he’s “earmarked for minutes” vs. PAOK – report
Manchester United youngster Harry Amass is reportedly set to make his senior club debut during Thursday’s Europa League clash against Greek side PAOK FC.
Amass has yet to line up for United despite their struggles in the left-back position all season.
The Red Devils have yet to have a recognised left-back in the starting line-up at any point of the campaign so far, amidst injuries to Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia.
Shaw last played for United in February while Malacia missed the entirety of last term with an injury that required multiple surgeries.
In their respective absences, United have used the likes of Diogo Dalot, Noussair Mazraoui, Victor Lindelof and Lisandro Martinez as make-shift left-backs.
Mazraoui was exceptional on that part of the pitch over the weekend, as United were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by Chelsea.
A section of United fans have been clamouring for Amass to be thrust into the first team following his accomplished performances in pre-season.
The 17-year-old was part of the contingent that travelled to the United States for pre-season and he impressed in all three matches vs. Arsenal, Real Betis and Liverpool.
According to The Daily Mail, Amass’ wait for a debut is finallyy poised to come to an end on Thursday, when Ruud van Nistelrooy’s men host PAOK.
“After having two former youth team players starting – Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford – and five on the bench against Chelsea, it made it 4,276 consecutive first-team games since October 1937 with an academy graduate in the matchday squad.”
“The chatter this week among the youth players is that a debut could well be in store for one of them against PAOK in the Europa League, with sources suggesting to Confidential that 17-year-old Harry Amass has been earmarked for minutes, more likely off the bench, on Thursday night.”
The Mail adds that Amass is “pushing hard in training” to become the latest in a long line of United academy graduates to feature for the first team.
Derick Kinoti
Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the game extensively for many years. He is a keen analyst with expertise in SEO and journalism standards. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!
Amorim gets early psychological advantage over Guardiola as Sporting put Man City to the sword
Incoming Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim led Sporting Lisbon to a dominant 4-1 Champions League win over Manchester City on Tuesday evening.
In what was his final match at Estádio José Alvalade ahead of his official arrival at United, Amorim made a huge statement of intent by beating Guardiola, a manager he recently described as “the best in the world.”
United officially confirmed Amorim’s appointment on Friday as a replacement for the sacked Erik ten Hag. The club stated that Amorim will take over the reins at Old Trafford on November 11, after Sporting’s Liga Portugal meeting at Braga on Sunday.
A large number of United fans had their eyes on the Lions’ fixture with City and Amorim certainly didn’t disappoint.
The 39-year-old’s side suffered an early setback, as Phil Foden broke the deadlock just four minutes in. The England international took full advantage of some pitiful handling of the ball by Hidemasa Morita before firing past a helpless Franco Israel in the Sporting goal.
City dominated possession as they looked to extend their lead but Sporting had an answer for most of what was asked of them. Erling Haaland had chances to double the visitors’ advantage but he was thwarted by Israel and some poor finishing on his part.
Seven minutes before the break, red-hot striker Viktor Gyokeres restored parity. He got on the end of a brilliant ball from teenage winger Geovany Quenda, outpaced Jahmai Simpson-Pusey and expertly lifted his effort over Ederson.
Maximiliano Araujo put Sporting in the driving seat immediately after the restart as he combined well with the tricky Pedro Goncalves before rifling in a powerful shot that once again, evaded Ederson.
Gyokeres – who has been heavily linked to United – was at it again, this time converting from the spot-kick to put Sporting in the driving seat.
The hosts were awarded a penalty after Josko Gvardiol was judged to have illegally brought down Francisco Trincao inside the box.
Gyokeres would go on to seal his hat trick with another penalty, courtesy of Matheus Nunes pulling back Catamo.
Haaland also had a chance to get on the score sheet from the penalty spot but hit the woodwork with his attempt.
The result has left Sporting in second place in the 36-man Champions League standings, just two points below table leaders Liverpool.
On a night widely seen as an audition for Amorim, the Portuguese tactician excelled, offering United fans a promising preview of what his managerial tenure could bring.
Even sweeter was that his victory came at the expense of one of United’s cross-town rivals—a perfect way to win over the fans before even stepping into the hot seat.
Featured image Justin Setterfield via Getty Images
Derick Kinoti
Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the game extensively for many years. He is a keen analyst with expertise in SEO and journalism standards. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!
Ruben Amorim Judgement Day upstaged by Man City being utter toss
“The inferences that people will draw from this game are not important to me because they could be misleading,” said Ruben Amorim, between dodging a tantrum from Gary Cotterill and making a quip about Sir Alex Ferguson that too many people took too seriously.
What did we learn? That a Manchester City ranked as the very best in Europe – even when missing several key players through injury – can dominate a football match against a Sporting team ranked 34th? And still make an absolute bollocks of it.
That a Manchester City squad that cost the thick end of a billion quid to put together is capable of controlling the ball against one built for a sixth of the cost, but are also increasingly capable of shooting themselves squarely between the toes? And then reloading and doing it again.
Realistically, we also learned that turning a match into a memorial to a departing hero is not conducive to the mourners starting the game with any kind of pace; Sporting were 1-0 down within four minutes and City danced through them with ease during a first half in which Amorim’s now-famous back three was very much a five and often a seven.
For about 37 minutes we also thought we had learned that Viktor Gyokeres is really Not All That, despite being the top scorer in 2024 across Europe. He made an utter mess of a one-on-one chance by lobbing the ball kindly into the hands of a very grateful Ederson, before being dispossessed by a 19-year-old debutant.
But Gyokeres is clearly not a man to make the same mistake twice, and his second chance was driven awkwardly but effectively into the ground and over the head of the now-less-grateful Ederson. By the time he added a confident second from the penalty spot, Maximiliano Araújo had made it 2-1 within seconds of the start of the second half. Now it was 3-1 and City were reeling.
This is how we expected Amorim’s Sporting to play: with pace, with aggression, with intensity. And the inevitable inference will be that Amorim’s half-time team talk was the catalyst for a complete gear change. He invited the Sir Alex comparisons with a smile on his face, but the English media will pick up and run with that concept like Gyokeres charging down on the City goal.
Amorim could not possibly have dreamed that City would self-combust quite so spectacularly, giving away two ludicrous penalties either side of Manchester City missing their own through an out-of-sorts Erling Haaland.
How much of this remarkable result was down to the genius of Amorim and how much to the fallibility of a Rodri-less Manchester City will be lost in the giddiness of Sporting beating Manchester City by a barely believable scoreline. And it’s tricky not to get caught up in the compelling narrative.
It’s difficult to extrapolate any meaningful conclusions about Amorim as a Manchester United manager from this result because he will never be in this position again: As the departing manager of champions against a City side that were a defensive car crash. Emotion careered headlong into naivety and the explosion could be heard across Europe.
What we can comfortably conclude is that Amorim will not be in charge of a dull Manchester United team. He will have days when he will make teams as good as City look like complete muppets. He will give shape and purpose to a set of players who have looked lost for far, far too long. He might well turn Rasmus Hojlund into a proper striker.
F*** it, he’s definitely the new Sir Alex Ferguson.
Big name benched and superstar squeezed in – Owen predicts strongest Amorim XI
Michael Owen has given his verdict on the team incoming boss Ruben Amorim will pick when he arrives at Manchester United, and it’s not good news for Casemiro.
Like many others the former striker has seized upon Amorim’s record of playing a 3-4-3 system for his predicted XI, and believes the Portuguese will look to implement it straight away.
Talking to Premier League Productions, via Metro, his biggest call is in the centre of the park where he plumps for summer arrival Manuel Ugarte over waning midfield general Casemiro.
Despite it being a “a bit of a toss of a coin between the two”, Owen points to the Uruguayan’s time spent under Amorim at Sporting Lisbon as the deciding factor.
Ugarte has struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League so far, and it’s not a given that a change of manager will be able to combat this, but Owen feels that the pair’s history will give him the edge over Casemiro.
Owen also has strong views on the back three, opting to overlook Harry Maguire in favour of the unproven summer arrival Leny Yoro.
Given United’s defensive toils this season Yoro would certainly have made his debut by now had it not been for an injury picked up in the pre-season.
And with the 18-year-old nearing a return Owen suspects he will be the first choice, flanked by fellow summer signing Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez.
“De Ligt and Martinez either side are aggressive defenders, they like being up against strikers, so that middle player has got to be good on the ball and Yoro fits the bill,” he said.
“I think if everyone is fit that’s the back-three he would pick.”
Further forward, Owen makes the popular picks of Marcus Rashford on the left and Rasmus Hojlund up top, but tackles the thorny issue of including natural number 10 Bruno Fernandes by pushing him wide on the right.
This leaves United’s top scorer Alejandro Garnacho on the bench.
Featured Image Gualter Fatia via Getty Images
Joe Ponting
Joe has spent more than half his life writing about football and all of it following United. As a child he told a doctor his name was ‘Paul Scholes’, but could never pick a pass like him no matter how much he tried.
