Manchester United are now preparing for the start of their Europa League campaign after a victory over Leicester City on Saturday.
Marcus Rashford's penalty proved to be enough to arrest United's slump that had seen them drop points against Wolves, Southampton and Crystal Palace, as Leicester were beaten 1-0.
United's next Premier League clash is against West Ham United at the London Stadium on Sunday, but they must first welcome Astana to Old Trafford on Thursday night.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could introduce young stars like Mason Greenwood, Tahith Chong and Angel Gomes from the start.
On the transfer front, United have been linked with Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos, while Paul Pogba — who United will hope to have back from injury this week — remains on Los Blancos' radar, having been consistently linked with a move.
Follow all the latest Man United news, transfer gossip and more on the live blog below.
Key Events
Four clubs reportedly keen on Matic
Nemanja Matic is certainly one of the players you could feasibly see leaving Manchester United in the summer.
And a report from Italian news outlet Calcio Mercato claims that AC Milan, Inter and Juventus are all considering moving for the Serbian in the summer when his United contract expires.
They also claim German media believe that Borussia Dortmund are thinking about Matic too.
A new contract looks unlikely, but it remains to be seen where Matic will go if he departs Old Trafford.
United's injury worries
OIe Gunnar Solskjaer may not risk these first team Manchester United stars, but below are the players’ whose fitness fans will be sweating on.
Solskjaer holds a pre-match press conference on Wednesday, where he’ll give official updates on:
- Diogo Dalot (hip)
- Luke Shaw (hamstring)
- Paul Pogba (ankle)
- Anthony Martial (thigh)
- Jesse Lingard (illness)
Eric Bailly and Tim Fosu-Mensah are longer-term injury absentees.
Two United legends together
You have to love these two.
Ronaldo x Piers Morgan
Whatever you think about these two, this will probably be worth watching.
Rashford explains his penalty technique
Marcus Rashford has revealed the process he goes through when taking a penalty, after breaking Manchester United’s hoodoo from the spot against Leicester City.
United’s penalty woes had seen efforts from Rashford and Paul Pogba missed in games against Crystal Palace and Wolves and questions asked of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer about who should take them.
But with Pogba missing through injury, Rashford stepped up himself after being fouled by Caglar Soyuncu inside the first eight minutes against Leicester at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Rashford first took a penalty for United in last season’s dramatic Champions League tie against Paris Saint-Germain, when his last-gasp spot-kick sealed a famous win for Solskjaer’s side.
And he’s explained to MUTV how he goes about stepping up from 12 yards in high-pressure environments:
“There has been a lot of talk (about penalties) but it is all about clearing that out of your head and just getting back down to basics.
“When it comes down to it, that is all you know, to get to the first team, it is by doing the basics and working hard.
“I just try to look at the keeper, especially a keeper like him because he has a good jump and likes to go early. If it is not hard and in the corner, then he has a chance of saving it. But it was a nice feeling to score.”
Contrast in styles
Harry Maguire and Scott McTominay go about their business slightly differently, but both were effective and impressive versus Leicester.
Crooks on Maguire
Hard to disagree with this, either:
“Some players actually look forward to playing against their former clubs - I don’t know why because I hated it. Maguire not only seemed to enjoy playing against the players he once called his team-mates but hardly gave them a kick.
Why Leicester fans felt the need to boo their former player having given them wonderful service and made them a vast sum of money by agreeing to be sold to Manchester United makes you wonder what was it about the move that actually upset them!”
'De Gea contract will be best bit of business'
BBC Sport pundit Garth Crooks sometimes takes some flak for his choices for a team of the week, but he’s said this about David de Gea while including the United goalkeeper - and Harry Maguire - in this week’s iteration.
“The save from Leicester’s James Maddison with only a few moments gone was superb and the tip over from a Ben Chilwell strike that was dipping viciously under the bar was also hugely impressive.
De Gea took some ferocious stick towards the end of last season from people who should have known better. The suggestion that the Spain keeper should have been left out of the Manchester United line-up was as hysterical as it gets.
Reports that De Gea is close to signing a new contract put some of those comments in their proper perspective and it will be the best bit of business United have done for some considerable time.”
Sancho and Maddison 'top United transfer list'
Jadon Sancho and James Maddison as United top transfer targets ahead of next summer, according to ESPN.
They report the young English duo are at the top of United’s list as they look to recruit top British talent.
De Gea's improved defensive record
David de Gea has already kept as many Premier League clean sheets at Old Trafford this season (2) as he did in the entirety of the 2018-19 campaign.
How much United would need to bid for Maddison 'revealed'
No real surprises about this piece of gossip. The Times report United would need to bid at least £60m for the Leicester midfielder next year. Hardly surprising.
United will make English football history this week
United begin their Europa League campaign against Astana this week, and in doing do so will make history.
This will be the first ever competitive meeting between an English side and a Kazakhstan side.
Maddison reminds Rodgers of Coutinho
The Leicester manager said of the midfielder.
“He’s got big potential,” he said. “I think he’s going to improve in his game, the management of his game, but he’s a big talent and we’re just trying to prepare him in order for him to play at the highest level for as long as he can.
“He has to be consistent, [but is] a really humble boy, has a lovely swagger, a lovely arrogance, and he is a good kid who will get better. He loves his football.
“He’s got a really strong belief in his ability; it’s not misplaced. He’s a very good player, fantastic talent but is constantly working to be better which is what you want.
“He’s the type of player who will drift from position to position. I remember working with Coutinho at Liverpool, sometimes he’d play inside, sometimes he’d drift off the side. James is a little bit like that in terms of positioning. He will continue to work.
“His job was to create and score goals, he’ll keep working on that. He has a threat to get in behind, he was unlucky when the keeper makes a save with his ankle, I think it was. He was unfortunate there.
“That’s what it’s about for him: numbers, creating goals, scoring goals. It’s only his second season at this level and he’s already showing great talent.
“It does help. It’s having that confidence. He certainly has that, but he’s a humble boy behind it. People look at it, will think it’s misplaced at times, but it’s not.
“He’s a really, really talented player who is learning that to get to the top you have to work and you have to work hard.”
Solskjaer arrives for training
BREAKING.
Man turns up for work.
Steve Bruce compares Liverpool star to United legend Cantona
Steve Bruce believes Roberto Firmino reminds him of Eric Cantona.
“He’s one that drifts into that little area and he naturally does it, where it’s so difficult for defenders to go,” said Bruce. “And his attitude and work-rate, it’s so important.
“Of course, their front three are as good as you are going to play against as a threat to you. The way they play with the intensity, the full-backs are only young and the delivery and presence they bring to the box you can see why they are champions of Europe.
“Cantona is as good a player as I’ve ever seen. I haven’t seen Firmino week in week out like that, but just when you see him here and what he gives them, it’s a perfect balance. And Cantona gave us that.
“Back in the day, we had Giggs and Kanchelskis who had frightening pace and stretched sides so much like Liverpool’s two, and Cantona dropped into that hole and people couldn’t get anywhere near them. That’s what you see with Firmino.
“Firmino is the one that drops in, but the pace of the other two is frightening, he drops in and the other two are running over your shoulder.
“It is… look they are a very, very good team, as good as you get. At this moment in time is there anyone better? The one down the road I suppose is there at the minute, but they are certainly as good as you get.
“When you work against them, and try to negate them, then you see why they haven’t lost for two years here.”
Tammy Abraham's stats are a damning reflection on Marcus Rashford
It was another weekend to remember for Tammy Abraham as he netted a clinical hat-trick against Wolves in the Premier League.
The Chelsea forward’s exploits mean he now has seven goals already this season, and is just three goals away from matching Marcus Rashford’s record total in a single season.
Cristiano Ronaldo in tears during emotional TV interview
Cristiano Ronaldo broke down in tears after he was shown a video of his late father for the first time.
The former Manchester United forward was reduced to tears by the clip during part of a revealing interview with Piers Morgan.
You can read the full story here
Neville slams Raiola and tells United to stop working with him
Gary Neville told Norwegian media outlet TV2:
“He wants to leave. He has made it clear.
“His agent is a disgrace and has been a disgrace all over Europe - not just for Manchester United. They must stop working with him.”
“He doesn’t have the values you want in your club.
“My opinion is that Manchester United need not negotiate with him. He will try to fix a transfer for his player, and will try to take part of the transfer sum himself. That’s how he operates.
“For Manchester United, it’s devastating. He [Pogba] is one of the best and most famous players in the world, but every week there are new issues.
“There is always controversy. It’s probably not his own fault, but the fact is that it is devastating for a club.
“That’s why Sir Alex Ferguson was at times clinical when he got rid of players. They were devastating.
“In a football club, everyone has to go in the same direction.”
Dalot reveals Europa League ambition
Diogo Dalot knows United need to taste success in the Europa League this season.
“It’s a big competition, but not as big for this club,” Dalot told the United App.
“This club needs to be in the Champions League every day, every year, winning the Champions League and in Portugal it’s a little but different, Of course it’s a big competition that if any team wins it’ll be a great achievement, but for this club when we are in it we just need to win it.”
United 'will bid for Maddison next summer'
The latest transfer reports suggest United are already planning a move for James Maddison.
United 'scouted' Vedat Muriqi last week
United had scouts at England vs Kosovo last week in order to watch Vedat Muriqi, according to reports.
The Express suggest United are interested in the Fenerbache forward and will continue to monitor his progress ahead of the January window.
Maguire makes Lindelof prediction
Harry Maguire spoke about his partnership with Victor Lindelof after yesterday’s game.
“You have to realise partnerships are built on playing games and we have only had five games,“ Maguire told manutd.com. ”We will get better. I will understand him more and he will understand me more.
“There probably will be times when we can do better but we will continue to work hard on the training pitch and that is really important to build relationships around the pitch - not just me and Victor.
“It was important we all stuck at it. We knew it was going to be scrappy. As a team, we pressed really well and kept solid and, if we improve with the ball, we will improve as a team.”
United 'scouting' Sandro Tonali
United are scouting Sandro Tonali ahead of the January transfer window, according to reports.
Calcio Mercato suggest both United and Ajax had scouts at Brescia vs Bologna to watch the midfielder.
United fans mock Arsenal signing Pepe with transfer comparison
The stats don’t lie.
Hartson praises bargain James transfer fee
Welsh icon John Hartson believes United must be wondering how they managed to sign Daniel James for only £15m.
“There are some really good players in that Wales midfield,” he told the Football Fan Cast.
“With the likes of Harry Wilson, Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey, Tom Lawrence, David Brooks and Dan James in particular.
“He not only could have a massive impact for his country, but Manchester United too.
“United must be thinking oh my god, I can’t believe we got this boy for £15m. What’s he worth now?”
Juventus 'target' January move for Matic
Italian champions Juventus are reportedly interested in a move for Nemanja Matic ahead of the January window.
According to the Sun, the Serie A side could look to secure a bargain fee for the Serbian as he enters the final year of his contract at Old Trafford.
United 'want to make De Gea the Premier League's best-paid player'
United are planning to make David de Gea the Premier League’s best-paid footballer, according to reports.
The Times suggest United will offer the 28-year-old a record deal to keep him at the club.
How Patrice Evra is helping Manchester United's young players
Patrice Evra is having a “fantastic” effect on Manchester United’s young players, according to Under-23s boss Neil Wood.
The former United defender is back at the club as he aims to complete his coaching badges after retiring from playing in July.
Evra got to work at Carrington at the beginning of last week and MEN Sport understands he will spend one more week with the club as part of his coaching badge requirements.
The Frenchman spent time with United’s youth-team players last week and was on the touchline for both the Under-23s’ win over Fulham on Friday night and the Under-18s’ defeat by Derby on Saturday.
Speaking after his side’s 1-0 victory over Fulham, Wood told MEN Sport: “It’s great for the players. Patrice has been in and around the club all week and mixing through the age groups and speaking to the boys.
Harry Maguire assesses his Manchester United centre-back partnership with Victor Lindelof
Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has promised that his defensive partnership with Victor Lindelof ‘will get better’ following their second clean sheet as a pairing.
United hadn’t managed to keep a Premier League clean sheet since the first game of the season when Maguire and Lindelof played together for the first time in the 4-0 thrashing of Chelsea.
A series of disappointing results against Wolves, Crystal Palace and Southampton followed but United got back to winning ways with an important victory over Leicester City on Saturday.
Much had been made pre-match that the Foxes were the better team, but Maguire and Lindelof kept the likes of Jamie Vardy and James Madison at bay to secure the 1-0 victory.
The pairing came in for praise after the game but Maguire believes there’s plenty of room for improvement.
Manchester United 'interested in Toni Kroos' but Real Madrid want Paul Pogba in exchange and more transfer gossip
Manchester United are ‘interested’ in Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos but for a deal to happen Paul Pogba would have to go the other way, according to reports.
United are considering making a move for a new midfielder in January after their early season form showed the need to strengthen in the area following the loss of Ander Herrera in the summer.
United lack both consistent creativity and defensive solidity in the centre of midfield and the problem is made all the more obvious when Pogba misses out through injury.
Madrid, meanwhile, had been linked with a move for Pogba all summer as manager Zinedine Zidane was desperate to add his fellow Frenchman to his rebuild at the Bernabeu.
Los Blancos spent nearly £300million in the transfer window after an embarrassing season but didn’t appear to follow up on their interest for Pogba, which has already begun to fray Zidane’s relationship with president Florentino Perez just six months after returning to the club.
