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Fernandes, Mbeumo score as Man United win 10-man Tottenham

Manchester United continued their perfect start under Michael Carrick with a 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford, extending the interim head coach’s record to four wins from four matches.

Goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes ensured United capitalised on Tottenham being reduced to 10 men, while the result further lifted confidence around Carrick’s short-term tenure following Ruben Amorim’s departure.

United started with energy and control, moving the ball fluently in midfield and pressing Spurs high up the pitch. Tottenham initially settled into the contest, but their task became significantly harder after Cristian Romero was dismissed midway through the first half.

Romero dismissal turns the game

The decisive moment arrived in the 29th minute when Romero received a straight red card for a reckless challenge on Casemiro.

The Argentine defender caught the Brazilian on the ankle while attempting to dribble out of pressure, leaving referee Michael Oliver with little hesitation.

Fernandes, Mbeumo score as Man United win 10-man Tottenham
Mbeumo scored the opening goal for Manchester United – Getty image

The sending-off shifted the game in United’s favour. With the numerical advantage, Carrick’s side increased the tempo and began to pin Spurs back inside their own half.

United made the breakthrough in the 38th minute from a well-worked corner. Fernandes played a low delivery to Kobbie Mainoo, who intelligently flicked the ball into the path of Mbeumo. The winger kept his composure to stroke the ball home for his 10th goal of the season.

Fernandes caps dominant display

United remained on the front foot after the interval, although two further goals were ruled out for offside as Spurs attempted to limit the damage. Fernandes, operating with freedom across midfield, dictated play and repeatedly tested Tottenham’s defensive structure.

The Portuguese captain sealed the win nine minutes from time, finishing from close range after connecting with a Diogo Dalot cross to make it 2-0.

The goal underlined United’s control and removed any lingering doubt about the outcome.

Meanwhile, Tottenham struggled to mount a response with 10 men and offered little attacking threat in the closing stages.

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Mikel Obi Reveals How Premier League Rule Prevented Manchester United From Signing Him (Video)

Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has revealed that a Premier League regulation prevented Manchester United from finalizing his signing, even though a pre-contract agreement had been agreed.

Mikel had been expected to join the Red Devils after turning 18, but the move failed to materialise due to a league rule requiring foreign players to have featured in at least 75 per cent of their country’s senior national team matches.

Speaking to Sky Sports, the former Chelsea midfielder said then-manager Sir Alex Ferguson was fully committed to bringing him to Old Trafford.

“Fergie loved me. He would always pair me with Roy Keane because he thought Keane would protect me from the likes of Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt, who were always tackling people in training,” Mikel said.

He explained that the Premier League rule ultimately blocked the transfer.

“At the time, the rule required players to have represented their national team in at least 75 per cent of matches before being eligible to sign,” he stated.

Mikel added that United explored alternative strategies to secure his services before his 18th birthday, but those plans failed.

“The strategy was to get me in and out before I turned 18, but that wasn’t possible in my case,” he explained.

The midfielder eventually joined Chelsea in 2006 at the age of 19, where he went on to enjoy a highly successful spell at Stamford Bridge. During nearly 11 years with the Blues, Mikel made 372 appearances and scored six goals, becoming one of the club’s most dependable midfielders.

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Man United 1 Wolves 1: Zirkzee scores, but familiar flaws cost United again

Manchester United’s inability to manage games resurfaced at Old Trafford as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Wolves, gifting the visitors only their third point of the season and squandering a clear opportunity to climb the Premier League table.

Joshua Zirkzee marked a year since his lowest moment at the club by scoring the opener, but his goal – deflected and unconvincing, did little to mask another disjointed United performance that showed lingering structural issues under Ruben Amorim.

Zirkzee moment fails to change narrative

Zirkzee’s opener in the 27th minute came after sustained pressure, with the striker benefiting from a deflection following Ayden Heaven’s driving run into the box.

It was a rare positive moment, but not a transformative one.

Despite the goal, United remained laboured and predictable in possession. Zirkzee, starting more through seniority than form, struggled to impose himself and was eventually substituted.

This drew a reaction from the crowd that underlined his uncertain standing at the club after a modest return since arriving.

Man United 1 Wolves 1: Zirkzee scores, but familiar flaws cost United again

Zirkzee scored Manchester United only goal – Getty image

Tactical choices hand Wolves control

Amorim’s decision to revert to a back three against Wolves’ matching system played directly into the visitors’ hands. Wolves were comfortable without the ball and repeatedly exposed United’s inability to break down compact shapes.

Wolves grew in confidence as the half progressed and were rewarded just before the break when Ladislav Krejci guided a header home from a corner, punishing United’s poor defensive organisation yet again.

Another missed opportunity compounds concerns

United improved marginally after switching shape in the second half, but Wolves continued to create the clearer chances.

Late pressure failed to yield a winner for United, with a disallowed goal in stoppage time summing up a frustrating night.

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EPL: Rogers fires Aston Villa to historic win over depleted Manchester United

Aston Villa extended their remarkable winning run to 10 matches in all competitions with a hard-fought victory over Manchester United at Villa Park, their longest top-flight streak since 1914.

Unai Emery’s side were not at peak performance, but Morgan Rogers once again delivered decisively, underlining Villa’s growing credibility in the title conversation as they closed to within three points of leaders Arsenal.

Rogers delivers when it matters

Villa broke the deadlock just before half-time when Rogers curled a composed finish into the corner, rewarding sustained pressure rather than dominance.

United briefly restored parity just before the break when Matheus Cunha capitalised on a costly error from Matty Cash.

However, Rogers responded again in the second half, cutting inside Leny Yoro and bending a near-identical strike beyond Senne Lammens for his sixth league goal in as many games.

Emery’s animated reaction on the touchline reflected both relief and significance, as Villa secured only their second home league win over United in 27 attempts.

EPL: Rogers fires Aston Villa to historic win over depleted Manchester United
Rogers scores double to hand Aston Villa win over Manchester United – Getty image

United woes deepen amid mounting injuries

It was a damaging afternoon for United head coach Ruben Amorim, whose squad arrived heavily compromised and left even thinner.

Already missing six senior players due to injury, suspension and Africa Cup of Nations commitments, United were forced into further disruption when Bruno Fernandes suffered what appeared to be a hamstring injury late in the first half.

The captain failed to return after the interval and was seen walking cautiously to the bench, raising concerns over a prolonged absence at a time when United can least afford it.

The situation was compounded by a pre-match withdrawal for Kobbie Mainoo and debuts for teenagers Jack Fletcher and Shea Lacey, underlining the depth of the crisis.

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EPL: Manchester United rally from behind to end Selhurst Park struggles

Manchester United produced a fine second-half turnaround to defeat Crystal Palace 2-1 at Selhurst Park, breaking a four-year winless run at the ground and climbing back into the Premier League’s top six.

United had not scored at the venue since Bruno Fernandes’ strike in January 2023 and had not won there since July 2020, when Anthony Martial was among the scorers.

When Palace went into half-time ahead after a dominant display, few expected Ruben Amorim’s side to flip the script.

New penalty retake rule takes centre stage

Palace’s opener came from Jean-Philippe Mateta, who benefitted from a newly enforced Premier League rule.

The striker initially converted a penalty nine minutes before the break, only for VAR to alert referee Rob Jones that Mateta had kicked the ball twice before it crossed the line, now an automatic retake.

The law, in effect from this season, had its first real application, triggering confusion among both sets of players and supporters.

Mateta showed no nerves, sending Senne Lammens the wrong way a second time to give Palace the lead.

Zirkzee answers critics with fierce equaliser

United entered the clash on the back of three winless games and a damaging defeat to 10-man Everton. Their response required character, and it came from an unlikely source.

Joshua Zirkzee, heavily criticized since joining the club and largely written off after a string of off-colour performances, vindicated Amorim’s decision to keep faith with him.

The Dutchman lashed a swerving strike from a tight angle nine minutes into the second half, beating former United goalkeeper Dean Henderson for his first Premier League goal in almost a year.

The finish may prove crucial for Zirkzee, whose minutes have dried up and whose international prospects with the Netherlands have stalled

Mount completes the comeback

United’s momentum surged, and just nine minutes later, Mason Mount struck the decisive blow. A quick, smart free-kick from Fernandes caught Palace unprepared, allowing Mount to drill a low shot into the bottom corner.

From that point, United shifted into game-management mode, exploiting Palace’s fatigue after their European fixture less than three days earlier.

The home side, who would have moved into the top four with a win, ran out of energy and ideas.

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EPL: De Ligt snatches late equaliser for Man United after Spurs’ dramatic turnaround

Matthijs de Ligt scored deep into stoppage time to salvage a point for Manchester United in a tense Premier League clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The Red Devils looked set to suffer another painful defeat to Spurs under Ruben Amorim after late goals from Mathys Tel and Richarlison overturned Bryan Mbeumo’s first-half header.

But De Ligt’s 96th-minute header from a Bruno Fernandes corner ensured United stretched their unbeaten run to five matches.

Drab first half sees Mbeumo break the deadlock

The match began with chaos as United goalkeeper Senne Lammens miscontrolled a backpass, conceding a corner within the opening minute.

That early scare set the tone for a sluggish first half dominated by misplaced passes and wasted chances.

Both sides struggled for possession, and despite Spurs’ electric midweek win over FC Copenhagen, Thomas Frank’s men looked uninspired.

His decision to bench Destiny Udogie and Wilson Odobert in favour of Djed Spence and Richarlison raised eyebrows, and it showed.

United capitalised on Spurs’ hesitancy in the 32nd minute. Pape Sarr failed to clear his lines, allowing Amad Diallo to recycle possession and find Bryan Mbeumo, who headed home to give United the lead.

Spurs fans responded with boos at halftime as their side registered just 0.07 expected goals in the opening 45 minutes.

Frank’s substitutions shift things

Spurs returned from the break with renewed intensity after Frank introduced Odobert for Randal Kolo Muani. The change paid immediate dividends as the home side pressed relentlessly.

Cristian Romero tested Lammens with a flicked header, while Joao Palhinha drew another fine save from the Belgian keeper. Brennan Johnson thought he had equalised soon after, but his strike was ruled offside following Richarlison’s mistimed pass.

United retreated deeper as Spurs pressed higher, and their resistance finally broke when substitute Mathys Tel controlled Udogie’s cross and fired home to make it 1–1.

Moments later, the stadium erupted when Richarlison flicked in Odobert’s effort to give Spurs a 2–1 lead in the 90th minute, seemingly sealing the win.

De Ligt rescues United at the death

Just when defeat appeared certain, United’s persistence paid off. In the sixth minute of stoppage time, Bruno Fernandes delivered a pinpoint corner, and De Ligt rose highest to head home and silence the home crowd.

The dramatic draw extends United’s unbeaten streak to five matches, while Spurs will rue their missed opportunity to claim a statement victory against their old rivals.

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Brentford 3-1 Man United: Fernandes penalty miss costly as Red Devils slump after Chelsea win

Manchester United failed once again to secure back-to-back Premier League victories after falling 3-1 to Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Bruno Fernandes’ missed penalty in the second half proved crucial as Ruben Amorim’s side slipped back into old habits just a week after defeating Chelsea.

 

United’s barren run of consecutive league wins now stretches back to May 2024.

 

Brentford capitalise on United’s frailties

Brentford’s Benjamin Sesko finally opened his account after earlier misses. Harry Maguire’s failed attempt to play Igor Thiago offside gifted the hosts their opener before Thiago struck again on 20 minutes, pouncing after Altay Bayindir parried into his path.

Mathias Jensen sealed the win in added time, leaving United’s defence and midfield exposed.

Despite Bayindir producing several key saves, United’s lack of urgency and poor pressing left them under constant pressure.

 

Fernandes and Dalot show frustration

 

Fernandes cut a frustrated figure throughout the game, arguing with teammates and officials.

He was booked for a rash challenge on Dango Ouattara after protesting referee Craig Pawson’s decisions.

Diogo Dalot, back from injury, endured a torrid afternoon, repeatedly beaten for pace and misplacing key passes.

His lapse of concentration contributed to Brentford’s dominance on the flanks, with United supporters voicing their anger from the stands.

Amorim under pressure again

Manager Ruben Amorim stuck to his 3-4-2-1 system despite United struggling for attacking fluency.

Mason Mount was deployed out wide, but the tactical shift failed to change the flow of the game.

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Man Utd Agree Deal For Andre Onana To Leave Club

Manchester United have reportedly reached a verbal agreement with Trabzonspor for a loan move involving Andre Onana.

However, the final decision now lies with the Cameroon goalkeeper.

Onana has only featured in the Carabao Cup second round exit at Grimsby Town this season.

United manager, Ruben Amorim, has so far preferred Altay Bayindir for the club’s Premier League fixtures.

The Red Devils also signed Senne Lammens in an £18 million deal from Royal Antwerp this summer.

Football transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano, wrote on X: “Trabzonspor reach verbal agreement with Manchester United to sign André Onana on loan.

“Club to club verbal agreement in place and final decision now up to Onana.

“It’s only up to the goalkeeper.”

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Carabao Cup: Why I Didn’t Watch Man Utd Penalties Against Grimsby Town – Amorim Opens Up

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has explained why he chose not to watch the team’s penalty shootout against Grimsby Town on Wednesday night.

The Red Devils were eliminated from the Carabao Cup second round by the League Two side.

After 90 minutes, the scores were level at 2-2, after Bryan Mbeumo and Harry Maguire scored in the second half to equalize for Amorim’s men.

A marathon shootout eventually saw the Mariners advance to the third round.

Overall, 26 penalties were taken over the course of a shootout, but Amorim appeared to have little interest in watching.

When asked about his apparent lack of interest, Amorim said: “The penalty shootout is not important.

“If I’m there trying to see if we win the game… it doesn’t matter.

“The signs, the beginning of the game, during the game, that is what matters.”

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EPL: Cunha, Mbeumo shine but defensive woes hand Man United first defeat vs Arsenal

Arsenal opened their Premier League account with a 1-0 win at Old Trafford, punishing Manchester United’s defensive frailties from a set piece.

The decisive moment came in the first half when Declan Rice delivered a corner that United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir failed to claim under pressure from William Saliba.

Riccardo Calafiori reacted quickest to nod the ball over the line, handing Mikel Arteta’s side the lead.

New signings Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha impressed on debut, with Cunha striking the post and testing goalkeeper David Raya, but the finishing touch remained elusive.

Benjamin Sesko’s introduction after the break also failed to alter the outcome.

Arsenal, who struggled for attacking fluency, relied on their defensive organisation and depth from the bench to protect the lead.

Viktor Gyökeres and Martin Zubimendi endured difficult debuts, while substitutes Kai Havertz and Noni Madueke were introduced to steady the performance in the second half.