Elated Paul Mullin swears on live TV as out-of-favor Wrexham striker celebrates 'unbelievable' promotion to Championship

Despite falling out of favour, Wrexham's all-time top goalscorer Paul Mullin was elated at the club's promotion to the Championship.

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Wrexham earn promotion to the ChampionshipMullin does not hold back celebrationsRed Dragons to undergo summer revampFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Wrexham stormed to the Championship with a 3-0 thrashing of promotion rivals Charlton Athletic on Saturday evening. Celebrating their third promotion in as many seasons, Mullin could not hold back his emotion and argued his controversial move to the club in 2021 has been justified by their meteoric rise up the English divisions. While his future may lie away from the Red Dragons, Mullin's role in propelling Phil Parkinson's side up the leagues will not be forgotten anytime soon at the Racecourse Ground.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT MULLIN SAID

Speaking to after the game, Mullin said: "It's not just about me. It's a real team effort. When I first joined, Rob McElhenney told me: 'Championship in five years'. We've done it a year early. It's been some journey, unbelievable. These fans f*cking deserve it. Sorry for the language. [It's an] unbelievable feeling. I'm so happy for everyone involved. Phenomenal.

"I've found it hard not being involved as much this season, but I will enjoy this one just as much. The question I got asked when I signed here was: 'Why Wrexham? Why Wrexham?' Here's your answer for the third time in a row. It has been phenomenal; we've created history yet again. Back-to-back-to-back, never been done, it has now and it belongs to Wrexham. I'm so happy for all the fans."

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Mullin has not featured in a match-day squad in League One since being an unused substitute against Mansfield in February. His last minutes in the league came in a 3-2 defeat to Stevenage at the end of January. He has been all-but-frozen out of the squad, but still takes pride in the role he has played in helping the Red Dragons get to where they are now – and the Championship.

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MULLIN?

With Wrexham adding Jay Rodriguez and Sam Smith to their striking options in January, Mullin saw his game time drop massively. With the club's promotion to the Championship now sealed, rumours linking the club with other top forwards, including Jamie Vardy, have already started flying and Mullin appears destined for the exit door. However how unceremonious his departure may be, Mullin will leave a Wrexham legend.

Romano: Aston Villa now submit proposal to sign "superb" 27 y/o for Emery

Aston Villa and NSWE have submitted a proposal to sign a “superb” star who Unai Emery knows well, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Aston Villa transfer news

The Villans have already brought in two new players this month in the form of Donyell Malen and Andres Garcia, and in the process, they have also said goodbye to Diego Carlos, who has joined Turkish giants Fenerbahce on a permanent basis.

As Carlos has now left, Villa have been linked with a move for Loic Bade, but while a potential deal has hit a snag in recent days, reports have emerged that they could be about to make a new offer.

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Before the transfer window closes, there could be a big departure from Villa Park.

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Carlos may not be the only departure from Villa Park this month, as Jhon Duran is continuing to be linked with a move away. Paris Saint-Germain are the latest team to show a significant interest in the forward, and given they are only willing to offer as much as £59 million, they are now willing to throw Marco Asensio in the mix to sweeten the deal.

The exit talk doesn’t stop there for the Premier League side, as Florian Plettenberg has reported that Bayer Leverkusen are working on a deal to sign Emiliano Buendia. The Argentine has fallen down the pecking order at Villa Park, and Xabi Alonso is keen to bring him to Germany.

However, David Ornstein has reported that Buendia has reached an agreement with Villa to extend his contract by one year, as the Villans are not willing to sanction a permanent exit this month.

Aston Villa submit proposal to sign "superb" star

Bade is not the only defender on Villa’s radar, as according to Fabrizio Romano, Aston Villa are in talks to sign a new defender, and Juan Foyth is one of their main targets.

Romano reports that Villa have sent their initial proposal to La Liga side Villarreal already, and he is someone who knows the Premier League, as he played for Tottenham Hotspur between 2017 and 2021. It is unclear how much Foyth would cost the Midlands side, but he is under contract until 2026, so the Spanish side could be open to a possible sale this month.

Foyth, who has been dubbed “superb” by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, is someone Emery knows very well, as the defender and manager worked together during Emery’s time at Villarreal. The 27-year-old’s arrival at Villa Park would see him join a side that already has a wealth of options in the heart of defence, as Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings, and Pau Torres fight for a regular starting spot in Emery’s team.

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2

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48

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0.8

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1.3

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3.8

But Foyth’s ability to play as a right-back as well as a centre-back means he would give the Villa boss more of an option when it comes to putting him into his team. Furthermore, his versatility could be a key reason why Villa are pushing to land his signature in this transfer window, as they continue to fight in the Premier League and the Champions League.

Now worth more than Mudryk: Boehly will regret selling Chelsea ace for £3m

Chelsea’s academy has been up there with one of the very best in the country over the last few years, helping the club win nine FA Youth Cup trophies – the most in the competition’s history.

Endless players have made the jump from Cobham into the first-team setup, having a huge impact on the club and cementing their place as a regular under various different managers.

Enzo Maresca’s current side possesses multiple academy graduates, including the likes of Reece James, Levi Colwill and Trevoh Chalobah as the trio look to fire the Blues back to Premier League success.

Chelsea manager EnzoMarescalooks dejected after the match

Numerous others have been sacrificed to raise funds for the managers to make their own stamp on the squad, including Mason Mount who moved to Manchester United for £60m last summer – a great deal considering his tally of 33 games in the last 18 months.

Such a move undoubtedly softens the blow of the big money spent by owner Todd Boehly, with the American forking out huge money to secure the services of one star back in January 2023.

Mykhailo Mudyrk’s time at Chelsea so far

After a bidding war with London rivals Arsenal, Chelsea secured a huge £88.5m move for Ukrainian winger Mykhailo Mudryk in January 2023, joining the Blues from Shakhtar Donetsk.

His first appearance came as a substitute against Liverpool at Anfield, making an immediate impression with his pace and direct nature with the ball at his feet.

However, it would be an audition that sold the supporters a dream, with the 24-year-old unable to sustain such a level of performance, only registering 10 goals in his 73 appearances to date.

The winger hasn’t featured since the end of November due to a provisional suspension after he tested positive for a banned substance, with his return date or outcome of the decision yet to be announced.

Chelsea winger Mykhaylo Mudryk

His lack of form, coupled with his current absence, has seen a drastic decrease in market value, with one former first-team star massively overtaking him in value after his form away from Stamford Bridge.

The former Chelsea player now worth more than Mudryk

English attacker Callum Hudson-Odoi emerged out of the club’s academy as a teenager, looking to be the next big thing to make his mark on the first team in West London.

The now 24-year-old first showcased his talents on a consistent basis in 2018/19, making 24 appearances, scoring five times and registering five assists – looking way beyond his tender age.

Such a run of form would see interest from European giants Bayern Munich, but the Blues would stand firm, rejecting a loan with an option to buy for £70m – highlighting his importance to the club, with the hierarchy showing faith in his development.

However, an achilles injury in April 2019 would halt his progress at his boyhood side, sidelining him for an extended period and dropping him down the pecking order as a result.

Hudson-Odoi would move on loan to Bayer Leverkusen in 2022/23 to try and resurrect his promising career, before ending his spell with the Blues and joining Nottingham Forest for just £3m two years ago.

The move would allow the winger to thrive in the Premier League once again, registering eight goals and two assists in his debut campaign in the East Midlands – leading to talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbing him as “superb”.

He’s once again continued his stellar form during this campaign, scoring the only goal in the Reds’ victory against Liverpool at Anfield, remaining as the only side to defeat Arne Slot’s side in the league.

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As a result of his displays, Forest have valued the forward at £40m, an increase of 1235% from the fee the Blues sold him for less than two years ago, subsequently seeing him worth more than Mudryk, who’s now valued at just £25m by Transfermarkt.

Given the re-emergence of Hudson-Odoi, the decision to allow him to leave for such a minimal fee is now one that looks to be a huge mistake, potentially offloading a player who could have played a vital role under Maresca.

Mudyrk has ultimately failed to match the expectations of his big-money transfer fee, with the hierarchy now facing a similar situation in taking the risk of offloading the Ukrainian and suffering a repeat of Hudson-Odoi.

Chelsea already have their next Kante in "magnificent" 20-year-old prodigy

The new N’Golo Kante could be set to emerge at Chelsea.

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Hathurusingha returns as Bangladesh men's team head coach

It’s not clear which formats he would be in charge of, with S Sriram understood to be at the helm of the T20I side

Mohammad Isam31-Jan-2023Chandika Hathurusingha has returned to the Bangladesh men’s national team as its head coach.Not long after Cricket New South Wales confirmed that Hathurusingha had parted ways with them, the BCB announced a two-year deal starting next month. It has, however, not been confirmed which formats Hathurusingha would be in charge of, with S Sriram also around and at the helm of the T20I side.ESPNcricinfo understands that discussions about the roadmap between Sriram and the BCB in Dhaka earlier this month didn’t provide clear answers. But the board had said in December last year that it wants Sriram to be the long-term T20I head coach. If that remains true, Hathurusingha might only be connected with the Test and ODI sides.Related

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“It’s an honour to have been given this opportunity to coach the Bangladesh national team once again,” Hathurusingha said in a statement. “I really loved the warmth of the people and the culture of Bangladesh. I’m looking forward to working with the players once again and enjoying their successes.”This is 54-year-old Hathurusingha’s second stint with Bangladesh after he had served as the head coach from 2014 to 2017. That included Bangladesh’s famous ODI series-winning streak at home, that included beating Pakistan, India and South Africa in consecutive months. Under Hathurusingha, the team also made the knockout stages of ICC events at the ODI World Cup in 2015 and the Champions Trophy in 2017, and also recorded their first Test wins against England, Australia and Sri Lanka.BCB: Hathurusingha ‘a proven tactician’During Hathurusingha’s time with the team, Bangladesh had a 40.20% success rate in 102 matches across formats. For the record, that’s lower than what his successors – and now predecessors – Steve Rhodes (51.11) and Russell Domingo (42.34) achieved.”Chandika’s experience and knowledge of Bangladesh cricket will be an advantage for him and will benefit the players,” BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury said. “He is a proven tactician and we have seen his impact on the national team during his first assignment.”Following his time with Bangladesh, Hathurusingha went back to Sri Lanka, his home country, and took charge as the head coach of the national men’s team there, before moving to New South Wales in July 2020.

Lax Mumbai collapse for season's lowest total

08-May-2016Shikhar Dhawan at the other end made a sedate start and was happy to just rotate the strike•BCCIHarbhajan Singh broke through for Mumbai Indians, getting Warner to skew a drive to Kieron Pollard at long-off•BCCIHarbhajan sent Kane Williamson back in his next over to leave Sunrisers 91 for 2 in 11.3 overs•BCCIYuvraj Singh put behind a forgettable Sunrisers debut and biffed 39 off 23 balls, adding 85 for the third wicket with Dhawan•BCCIThe duo blasted 68 runs between overs 15 and 19 as Mumbai struggled to stem the run flow•BCCIThat was until Yuvraj, stuck deep in his crease, unwittingly chopped his own stumps off Mitchell McClenaghan in the final over•BCCIDhawan, meanwhile, had grown in confidence and unfurled his range of strokes to finish unbeaten on 82 off 57 balls•BCCIMumbai’s fielders were sharp and saved quite a few runs, but Sunrisers raced away to 177 for 3 nonetheless•BCCIMumbai received an early jolt when Bhuvneshwar Kumar trapped Parthiv Patel lbw in the first over of the chase•BCCIAshish Nehra struck off his first ball, getting Rohit Sharma to chop an inswinger onto his stumps•BCCINehra got Ambati Rayudu to hole out to Kane Williamson at backward point, before sending Jos Buttler back two deliveries later to flatten Mumbai•BCCIWhen Kieron Pollard was caught by Barinder Sran at long-on, Mumbai were 49 for 6 in the ninth over•BCCIThe stage was set for Mustafizur Rahman to weave his magic and he sent Hardik Pandya packing with his first ball•BCCIHarbhajan resisted with an unbeaten 21, but it was scant compensation as Mumbai were shot out for 92 and lost by 85 runs•BCCISunrisers’ bowlers hunted in a pack, but it was Nehra who finished as the pick of the lot with 3 for 15 in three overs that earned him the Man-of-the-Match award•BCCI

'Nowhere more difficult to have a tough time' – Manchester United legend has sympathy for struggling Andre Onana as Red Devils prepare for Europa League quarter-final second leg with Lyon

Former Manchester United defender Steve Bruce has sympathy for Andre Onana amid his woeful form for the club.

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Onana dropped at the weekendDropped two howlers against LyonBruce has sympathyFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Speaking on talkSPORT, former United defender Bruce suggested that the club’s goalkeepers would always struggle given the defensive issues at Old Trafford, and has claimed that he has sympathy for the Cameroon international, who made two high-profile mistakes against Lyon last week.

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Manager Ruben Amorim dropped Onana for their clash with Newcastle at the weekend. Without him, the Red Devils lost 4-1. Now, Onana is set to be restored to the starting XI for their encounter with the Ligue 1 side.

WHAT BRUCE SAID

Bruce told talkSPORT: "You would hope it's going to be a quiet night but I think we've watched United for a while now and you think 'can the lad have a quiet night'? Are they defensively good enough? Not just the goalkeeper, we're talking about them defensively now, are they good enough to go and keep a clean sheet to give yourself the platform that everybody wants to see?

"It was a big call to leave him out, obviously he's brought him back in, let's hope it's freshened him up and brought a bit of an edge to him. Undoubtedly he's a talented goalkeeper but he's like all the rest of them at the minute, they're all having a tough time, and there's nowhere more difficult to have a tough time than playing at Man United."

GettyWHAT NEXT?

Onana will hope to avoid any splashy, negative headlines with his performance against Lyon on Thursday evening.

Anderson reclaims No. 1 spot in Test bowling rankings; Hasaranga at top in T20Is

The England veteran is the oldest man to top the charts since Clarrie Grimmett in 1936

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Feb-2023James Anderson has overhauled Australia’s captain Pat Cummins to become the No.1 Test bowler in the ICC rankings, off the back of his role in England’s 267-run win against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui last week.At the age of 40 years and 207 days, Anderson is also the oldest player to top the rankings since Clarrie Grimmett, the Australian legspinner, in 1936, having played an integral part in the recent success of England’s Test team, which has now won ten of its past 11 matches.It is the sixth time that Anderson has gone to the top of the rankings in a career that began against Zimbabwe at Lord’s in May 2003, and has now spanned 178 Test appearances and 682 wickets, placing him third on the all-time list behind the spin duo of Muthiah Muralidaran (800) and Shane Warne (708).Full rankings tables

Click here for the full team rankings

Click here for the full player rankings

In May 2016, Anderson went past his long-time team-mate Stuart Broad, as well as India’s R Ashwin, to top the rankings for the first time, and most recently he held the top spot for five months in 2018 before being displaced by South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada.It has the potential to be a short return to the top, however. With a total of 866 ranking points, Anderson is just two points ahead of Ashwin in second place, who also delivered a strong showing in India’s most recent Test win over Australia in Delhi last week. Cummins is now third on 858, but could himself regain top billing with two Tests to come against India in the next fortnight, despite flying home this week to address a health issue in the family.Wanindu Hasaranga overtook Rashid Khan to become the No. 1 T20I bowler•ICC via GettyNevertheless, the achievement is further proof of Anderson’s remarkable longevity. In the course of his seven wickets at Mount Maunganui, he brought his overall Test average down below 26 for the first time since his maiden series in 2003, but the sense that he is improving with age is backed up by his form in the last five years of his career.Since turning 35 in July 2017, Anderson has now taken 202 wickets in 56 subsequent games, at an average of 20.56. At Mount Maunganui, he and Broad also overhauled the Test record for most wickets taken as a bowling partnership, which previously stood at 1001 between Australia’s Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne.”They’re the GOATs, aren’t they? I can’t see that record being broken for a very long time,” Ben Stokes, England’s captain, said after the first Test win. “Warne and McGrath were an unbelievable combination, but I think the way in which Test cricket is going now with everything else to players, I can’t see that record being broken any time soon. I can’t ever see it being broken.”Related

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Elsewhere in the rankings, New Zealand’s pairing Tom Blundell (11th) and Devon Conway (17th) have risen to career-high positions, as have England’s trio of Ollie Pope (23rd), Harry Brook (31st) and Ben Duckett (38th).India’s players also received a boost following their emphatic victory over Australia, with Ravindra Jadeja moving up seven places to ninth following his seven-wicket haul in the second innings, and Axar Patel – who is the second leading run-scorer for the series so far with 158 runs – moving up two places to fifth on the latest Test all-rounder rankings.In the T20I bowling rankings, Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga has leapfrogged Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan to the top, as a consequence of Rashid taking only four wickets in three matches against UAE last week.For UAE, Muhammad Waseem rose six places to seventh in the T20I batting list, after scoring 199 runs at an average of 66.33 in the three games.

Getting started with a six (or a couple of blobs)

Also, who has the most international hat-tricks? And is Misbah the oldest Test captain ever?

Steven Lynch11-Apr-2017Has anyone hit his first ball in Test cricket for six? And how about his last ball? asked Julian Metcalfe from England
The only player so far to hit the first ball he received in Test cricket for six was the New Zealand offspinner Mark Craig, who cracked Sulieman Benn of West Indies over the long-off boundary in Kingston in June 2014. In the field that day, probably nodding approvingly, was Chris Gayle, who remains the only man to hit the very first ball of a Test match for six – from the debutant Sohag Gazi of Bangladesh in Mirpur in 2012. The only man known to have hit his last ball in Test cricket for six was another West Indian, Wayne Daniel, against Australia in Port-of-Spain in 1984.Lasith Malinga took a T20 hat-trick the other day, to go with three in ODIs. Does he hold the record for international hat-tricks? asked Mahinda Villarayan from Sri Lanka
Lasith Malinga’s hat-trick against Bangladesh in Colombo last week was only the fifth in T20 internationals so far. Malinga has also taken three hat-tricks in one-day internationals – against South Africa in Providence during the 2007 World Cup (when he uniquely claimed four wickets in four balls), against Kenya in Colombo during the 2011 World Cup, and against Australia in Colombo later in 2011. The only other man to take four international hat-tricks is Wasim Akram – two in Tests (in successive matches against Sri Lanka in 1998-99), and two in ODIs (both in Sharjah in 1989-90).I noticed that India’s openers Gavaskar and Srikkanth were both out for ducks against England in 1981-82. How often has this happened in ODIs? asked Harshad Patel from India
That match in Ahmedabad in 1981 was actually the first case of both openers being out for a duck in a one-day international innings. It happened again to Sunil Gavaskar and Kris Srikkanth not long afterwards, against Zimbabwe in Tunbridge Wells during the 1983 World Cup, in the match in which Kapil Dev’s stunning 175 not out rescued his side from 17 for 5. There have been a total of 38 such instances now, the most recent by Peter Moor and Chamu Chibhabha for Zimbabwe against Afghanistan in Sharjah in 2015-16.Hats off: Misbah-ul-Haq is poised to become the fifth-oldest Test captain of all time•AFPI was sorry to see that Misbah-ul-Haq is going to retire. Will he be the oldest Test captain of all? asked Khalid Iftikhar Ahmed from Pakistan
Assuming Misbah-ul-Haq leads Pakistan in the Tests in West Indies as planned, he will become – at almost 43 years of age – the fifth-oldest Test captain of all time, and the oldest for nearly 70 years. The top three are all English: WG Grace was 50 in 1899, Gubby Allen 45 in 1947-48, and Wally Hammond 43 in 1946-47, while Warren Bardsley was also 43 when he stood in as Australia’s captain in some of the Tests in England in 1926. Misbah also has the chance to move up from sixth to fourth on the list of oldest Test century-makers. He’s already the oldest captain to make a hundred, doing so against England at Lord’s last year.Has anyone umpired Tests in all ten possible countries, plus the UAE? asked James Armstrong from England
I think there are four men who fit the bill here. Steve Bucknor’s record 128 Tests included appearances in all ten Test-playing countries, plus two matches in Sharjah, while Billy Bowden (84 Tests), Asoka de Silva (49) and Daryl Harper (95) all stood in the ten traditional countries and the UAE as well. Note that for these purposes I’m considering the West Indies as one country: if you count the Caribbean nations separately, then Bowden stood in Tests in 17 different countries.Which Test player was nicknamed “Mystery”? asked Brian Hanagan from Australia
I think there may have been more than one player who acquired this nickname, but the one I first thought of was the former New Zealand batsman John Morrison, who later became a TV commentator. He played 17 Tests between 1973-74 and 1981-82, his 656 runs including 117 against Australia at the SCG in his second match, in 1973-74. Morrison had a mysterious grey streak in his hair when he was playing, but the nickname owed more to his slow left-arm bowling, which looked innocuous from the boundary but which nonetheless claimed a few victims – only two in Tests, but 51 in all first-class games. “There was also a bit of a mystery as to my whereabouts after play was over,” admitted Morrison with a smile.Post your questions in the comments below

Cristiano Ronaldo sends out defiant message after Portugal's surprise Nations League defeat to Denmark – with CR7 not about to give up on trophy bid

Cristiano Ronaldo is not about to give up on another trophy bid, with a defiant message being sent out after Portugal's shock defeat to Denmark.

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Evergreen frontman still going strongHas work to do in Nations League tieAiming to replicate success from 2019Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱GettyWHAT HAPPENED?

CR7 played the full 90 minutes for his country as they took to the field in UEFA Nations League competition. The 40-year-old frontman found himself on the wrong end of a 1-0 scoreline, and the final outcome could have been worse had Manchester United midfielder Christian Eriksen not missed a first-half penalty.

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Another Red Devils star, Rasmus Hojlund, scored the only goal of the game. He broke out Ronaldo’s iconic ‘Siuuu’ celebration after hitting the net, but insists that was not intended to mock his sporting idol in any way. Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo has no complaints or excuses after a disappointing display from the Portuguese.

WHAT CRISTIANO RONALDO SAID

Instead, he is already looking ahead to the second leg of a crunch quarter-final contest on Sunday. Ronaldo will be raring to go in that fixture, with the all-time great posting on social media: "We have 90 minutes to turn things around. Let's go all out, Portugal!"

WHAT NEXT?

Ronaldo previously savoured Nations League glory with Portugal in 2019. He is, as captain of his country, determined to get his hands on that silverware again. He is also looking to add to a record-shattering haul of 135 goals at international level.

Man Utd now make fresh move to sign "explosive" new left-back for Amorim

Manchester United are now reportedly making a move to sign a new left-back for Ruben Amorim as the new Old Trafford head coach plots his path to success in Manchester.

Amorim's first games show problems and promise

A draw in his opening Premier League clash with Ipswich Town was followed up by a hard-fought 3-2 win over Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League, with both games showing how Amorim could improve the players at his disposal and how much work still needed to be done ahead of a tough fixture list.

Opponent

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Everton (Home)

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Arsenal (Away)

Premier League

Nottingham Forest (Home)

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Viktoria Plzen (Away)

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Manchester City (Away)

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The Red Devils scored early in both games before throwing leads away, and in the case of their clash with Bodo, fell behind in shock fashion. However, they resuced all three points against the Norwegian side to move up to nine points from their opening five games in the Europa League, with a strong chance of securing an automatic last-16 slot should their unbeaten campaign continue.

There were positives to take from the game, too; Rasmus Hojlund rediscovered his goalscoring touch with a quickfire brace, with his relentless pressing also contributing to the opening goal that Alejandro Garnacho scored.

Elsewhere, Tyrell Malacia returned to action for the first time in 18 months, and though he was understandably rusty, United fans will have been pleased to have seen him back in action. Equally, Luke Shaw managed another half-hour from the bench as he rebuilds his fitness, while Noussair Mazraoui looked more assured in his new role in central defence.

Tyrell Malacia

But new signings and departures are inevitable at Old Trafford, and now the club have been tipped to be advancing in a move to sign a rising star.

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ByHenry Jackson Nov 30, 2024 Manchester United "advance" for teenage defender

According to reports in Argentina, as relayed by Sport Witness, Manchester United and Liverpool have made “advances” to Lanus in a bid to sign promising full-back Julio Soler.

It is claimed that “both of the Premier League sides have made moves for the 19-year-old”, while Argentinian giants River Plate are also thought to be interested in the youngster.

The defender has just 18 months left on his contract with Lanus, but it is added that the club have “high demands” to part ways with him any time soon. For Manchester United, a left-back is a crucial addition.

Though both Shaw and Malacia are both fit now, history suggests that it will not be long before either player is sidelined for a significant period again, with Shaw managing just 12 Premier League games in Erik ten Hag’s final full season in charge.

Soler, who has been called up to the Argentina senior setup (but is yet to be capped), has been described as an “explosive” full-back who is “technically secure” and “one of the best LB prospects in South America” by football analyst Ben Mattinson on X.

Could he be the long-term solution to Manchester United’s left-back issues?

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