Category: Sport News

LONDON: Manchester United and Manchester City met at Wembley Stadium last night for the second year in a row with the Red Devils emerging as champions of the English FA Cup.

Not only was the victory important for both teams to prove their prowess in Manchester, but the decision also determined which English club would play in Europe next season.

Erik ten Hag’s men produced the worst Premier League finish by a Manchester United team in the club’s history, finishing eighth and missing out on Europe for the first time in 10 years.

However, Bruno Fernandes and his teammates know that victory at Wembley could at least save their season and also play in Europe next season.

Both Newcastle and Chelsea will definitely support Manchester’s blue team to win the FA Cup because it will maintain their position playing in Europe.

By finishing sixth, Chelsea are guaranteed a place in Europe no matter what the result at Wembley.

If City wins it means they will play in the Europa League.

Because United pulled off one of the biggest upsets against their opponents, Chelsea will now be in action in next year’s Europa Conference League.

Newcastle are also too dependent on the hope that the four-time league champions in a row will lift the FA Cup trophy to ensure their place in Europe.

United’s success meant The Toons immediately missed their chances.

If Manchester City wins, everything will remain as before.

LISBON: 39-year-old Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo will make his sixth appearance at the Euros while defender Pepe is also on the 26-man list under Roberto Martinez.

Ronaldo, who has scored in every Euro edition since his first appearance in 2004, already has a collection of 14 goals in the tournament.

In fact, he also has a record of 10 goals in the qualifying campaign that took place last year.

“Cristiano? It’s better to talk to the data. He’s a player who scored 42 goals in 41 games with his club,” Martinez said of Ronaldo, who now joins Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.

“That shows his physicality and his ability to stay fit, including the quality he displays in front of goal… something we really like and need.”

However, in the list announced by Martinez, Ronaldo is not the most veteran player listed since Porto’s defender, Pepe, who is 41 years old, will also take on team duties.

“Pepe’s role in the dressing room is very important, the way he values ​​the national team jersey. I think about it during the training camp, football is a constant struggle,” said Martinez.

Nine players from the English Premier League are also listed including Ruben Dias, Diogo Dalot, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva and Diogo Jota.

LONDON: The supercomputer predicted the final position of the English Premier League this season after Arsenal’s victory at Spurs.

The Gunners remain at the top of the table with a one-point advantage over Manchester City after a 3-2 win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

However, Mikel Arteta’s squad is expected to once again miss the chance to win the first league title after 20 years because the defending champions, Manchester City, who have played one game less, are the champions.

The super computer, BETSiE, makes rival formulas based on data and match statistics throughout the season and Arsenal are once again predicted to be runners-up.

In third place, Liverpool while Aston Villa fill the fourth and final position for qualification for the European Champions League.

Tottenham were forced to be satisfied in fifth place, followed by Newcastle United in sixth place who managed to ask Manchester United for a slot in the Europa League.

If it comes true, Erik ten Hag’s United – or his successor – will play in the European Conference League.

It’s also unfortunate for Chelsea who are in eighth place without any European action next season.

In the relegation zone, Nottingham Forest is predicted to be safe with Luton and Burnley accompanying Sheffield United to the Championship League next season.

LONDON: Manchester United’s victory over Coventry City via penalty shoot-out in the FA Cup semi-final broke a 139-year-old record.

The Red Devils led 3-0 before the Champions League club came back to equalize and drag the match into extra time and penalties.

Erik ten Hag’s side made it to the final but football observers believe the United manager’s future is fading at Old Trafford.

Man United also broke the old record with the win.

It is shared with Manchester City, who will be United’s opponents after they beat Chelsea in the other semi-final.

For the first time in 139 years, two teams played in the FA Cup final for two consecutive years.

The Manchester derby will take place on May 25, a repeat of last season’s Wembley clash, which Pep Guardiola’s side won for the treble.

This is the second time this situation has happened in the history of the tournament.

The first time it happened was in 1884 and 1885 – a clash between Blackburn and Queen’s Park Rangers at Kennington Oval, London.

Blackburn won the first final 2–1, with goals from Joe Sowerbutts and Jimmy Forrest giving them their first FA Cup title.

Blackburn retained the championship with a 2–0 win over QPR the following year thanks to goals from Forrest and James Brown.

United, 12-time champions of the world’s oldest competition, have not lifted the FA Cup trophy since 2016 – when Louis van Gaal managed it.

Twice they reached the final after that – with Jose Mourinho in 2018 and losing to Chelsea 1-0, and with Ten Hag last year.

Man City won it seven times, three of them since 2011.

MANCHESTER: Alejandro Garnacho was reprimanded after upsetting Erik ten Hag and his teammates by belittling the manager on social media.

Garnacho simply pressed a thumbs-up sign on a pass that claimed the player was to blame for being sent off during the 2-2 draw at Bournemouth.

The United manager is said to have been angry with Garnacho’s actions, and other players were also disappointed with the Argentine winger.

Garnacho was called up by Ten Hag during Sunday’s training session, and United considers the issue resolved.

The club understands Garnacho’s actions were due to his disappointment at starting the game at the Vitality Stadium despite having only trained once due to health problems, and he was then replaced by Amad Diallo during the break.

Garnacho, however, quickly put a damper on the post, and United felt the situation was different from Jadon Sancho’s post on social media in September – which labeled Ten Hag a cheater.

Sancho, who was reluctant to apologize for his actions, was directed to train alone for four months and was then loaned to Borussia Dortmund in January.

Ten Hag is now increasingly under pressure after going four games without a win ahead of the FA Cup semi-final against Coventry City at Wembley, this Sunday.