A response is required from Manchester United. Jose Mourinho's side return to Premier League action as they welcome Huddersfield to Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon.
United know victory is required as they look to strengthen their position in the table and aim to cut the gap on league leaders Manchester City.
Mourinho's side will be looking to protect a formidable home record when they welcome the Terriers tomorrow. United have lost just two of their last 39 Premier League home matches and both were against City.
Mourinho will be speaking to the press later today and is expected to provide injury updates as well as preview the upcoming clash.
In terms of early team news Eric Bailly, Marouane Fellaini and Zlatan Ibrahimovic are all out injured, while Daley Blind remains a doubt for the match.
Stick with us as we bring you all the transfer news LIVE from Old Trafford.
Juventus 'make Darmian transfer priority'
Many United fans were calling for Darmian to be sold in the January window and they could get their wish this summer.
According to CalcioMercato, Juventus are making Darmian their transfer priority ahead of next season.
Puigmal's United ambitions
Arnau Puigmal has signed a professional contract at United and has spoken about his motivations and joining the club.
“It’s just all about hard work and getting better as a player,” Puigmal told ManUtd.com.
“I think, in the next five years, it would be a dream if I can become a professional player in the Manchester United first team. That is my aim and obviously it would be a wish come true.
“My mum was the first person to tell me about United because they spoke with her and it was the best moment in my life to come here. It is a big club - it’s enormous!
“I knew that United is the biggest club in England - and has been big for the last 100 years or more! I know of Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs - there are too many players to name. Now I like Paul Pogba - I’m not that like him but we are midfielders and he is very good.”
Arsenal fans still bitter over Sanchez
Goodness me.
United's priority areas
Right wing surely has to be added to this list.
Arsenal fans not happy with Ozil story
Fair to say this story has riled a lot of Arsenal fans.
The most common response is about “taking the L”.
No mention of Alexis Sanchez choosing United over Arsenal in the replies, unsurprisingly.
Neville slams Chelsea transfer policy
After watching Chelsea sign Giroud, Emerson and Barkley this month, Gary Neville said on Sky Sports’ The Debate special :
“Chelsea, historically, they’re not in for the players City and United are in for now.
“You could move Chelsea into that next pack, because they’re not competing with the Manchester clubs at this moment in time.
“I look at these signings, and I look at that transfer window, and I think that could take a couple of years to undo.
“It’s so geared to a system, the five at the back.
“If something happens to Conte... it’s unlikely that he’ll be there [beyond the end of the season].
“A new manager has got to pick up that squad with that system.
“You look at those players, Giroud is there to play as a single striker, Zappacosta wing back, Marcos Alonso wing back, David Luiz one of a back three.
“You think, it’s tailored to that three as a back.
“You have to unravel quite a lot system-wise, there’s a lot of risk in those signings.”
Anthony Martial to become a Dad again
Congratulations are in order for the United man.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Beq0aeJF1rK/?hl=en
Ibrahimovic transfer update
Ibrahimovic is considering a move to America to play in MLS, according to his agent Mino Raiola.
“I’m relaxed. He’s in good shape and he has three or four months of time to decide what to do,” Raiola told Italy’s Mediaset.
And asked if he could move to the US, Raiola added:
“If he wants to.”
Fellaini update due later
Fellaini was due to be assessed yesterday and Mourinho faces the press this lunchtime.
Mourinho to face the press this afternoon
Some possible questions for him:
Any injury update on Fellaini? Will he need surgery?
Any injury updates on Blind, Bailly and Ibrahimovic after they missed Spurs?
What is Daley Blind’s transfer situation after the interest from Roma last month?
Ibrahimovic likely to leave before March?
What was said between you and Pogba at Wembley?
Former Liverpool director on Sanchez deal
Christian Purslow told Sky Sports:
“Rather than being in a unilateral discussion with City taking their best player nearly on a free they had a little auction going when Mourinho and [Chelsea head coach] Antonio Conte both spoke up in early January that actually getting Sanchez was a once in a generation opportunity to buy a top player for not much money down.
“I think Arsenal suddenly had a little auction going. I suspect when Sanchez’s agent said to Manchester City’s executive team you might have to improve my deal up a bit because United are here - that [would have] felt like a breach in trust.
“They thought they had a handshake deal at best. I bet they were very angry about that and I suspect they thought actually let’s walk away from this deal leaving Manchester United to sweep him up.
“Brilliant outcome for United, pretty good outcome for Arsenal on balance but I suspect not a very happy camp at City around the way that deal was conducted.”
How United can integrate Alexis Sanchez
Prior to the warm weather training trip to Dubai last month, Mourinho said United would ‘work on some tactical details I think would be good for the second part of the season’. Those details must have evaporated in the Middle Eastern heat. United tried to take on Spurs at their own game and were outfought and out-thought.
United have not used a back three since the captivating victory over Arsenal two months ago, when they had 27 per cent of the ball and De Gea had to make 13 saves.
Tony Cascarino talking nonense about Pogba
Tony Cascarino writes in the Times:
“An £89m, modern-day midfielder has to be able to play more than one role and, at the moment, Pogba doesn’t seem capable of doing so.
“I was hoping after his first season at United that we would see the real deal this campaign from Pogba, but against Tottenham he showed that he still has a way to go.
He was completely on the fringe of this game.
“Mousa Dembele is a good player but there’s no way that he should dominate a player of Pogba’s ability.
“The United man was so ill-disciplined, leaving Nemanja Matic (who had a bad game) isolated in his attempts to stop Tottenham’s midfield.
“Maybe he is caught up in his own hype?
“Maybe he needs a bit of a dressing down?
“He has got the perfect manager to do so and being taken off with half an hour to go in a big game will have hurt his ego.”
It was one game, Tony. He’s one of United’s best and most influential players.
Pogba breaks social media silence
The players have been noticeably quiet on social media since Wednesday but Pogba has now posted about his (first) United debut.
Super Sanchez
The Chilean Ace is hoping to showcase his talents when he makes his home debut tomorrow.
Jolly Jose
It’s always good to start your morning with a laugh.
We go again
Hello, and welcome to our United blog. Stick with us for all the build up as the Reds look to return to winning ways when they host Huddersfield tomorrow.
