Manchester United have won three of their last four matches in all competitions after their FA Cup win over Leicester and Ruben Amorim will now be gearing up for a big clash against fellow strugglers Tottenham next weekend
Manchester United got back to winning ways again with a controversial last minute 2-1 win over Leicester City in the FA Cup, but they have another tough game coming up against Tottenham next week.
Harry Maguire netted a stoppage time winner against his former club on Friday to send them into the fifth round of the competition, despite appearing to be in an offside position.
United have won three of their last four matches in all competitions, even though there is still huge negativity surrounding the club, and Ruben Amorim will now be gearing up for a big clash against fellow strugglers Tottenham next weekend.
As United build up to a big week, Mirror Football has rounded up some of the biggest news and gossip around Old Trafford.
READ MORE: Ryan Giggs rips into Man Utd bosses for ‘poor decision after poor decision’READ MORE: Paul Pogba’s return to football blocked by ex-Arsenal man as transfer snub explained
Giggs slams United chiefs
There was hope the arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe as the head of United’s football operations would help revamp the club after years of decline under the Glazers, but there is still discontent over some of the decision-making.
A new hierarchy has been brought in with Omar Berrada, Jason Wilcox and Dave Brailsford involved in some crucial decisions, but there has still been discontent over new signings like Joshua Zirkzee, Andre Onana and Rasmus Hojlund.
Others have questioned why the board took so long to sack Erik ten Hag when his future looked doomed last summer before hiring Ruben Amorim mid-season – and ex-player Giggs has slammed chiefs for making “poor decision after poor decision”.
“Like any business, recruitment needs to be right and hasn’t been for the last ten years. We’ve just made poor decision after poor decision,” Giggs said at a Q&A alongside Nobby Stiles’ son, John.
“Now it’s whether Ruben gets the players he needs, the support he needs — the time. We’re in a bad place at the moment but, first of all, I have to say I actually really like the manager. Given a chance and given time, Amorim will bring success back.
“If we get the right players in and the manager gets time, we will be OK. But at the moment, we are miles off it. We’re nowhere near — a long, long way behind — but it can soon turn around.”
Schmeichel tips Eriksen for exit
Christian Eriksen’s contract expires this summer and club legend Peter Schmeichel doesn’t think he will get another one.
The Dane, 32, has only started seven games for United this season, with a further six off the bench and the likes of Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte are ahead of him in Amorim’s pecking order for midfielders.
Former goalkeeper Schmeichel, who played 398 times for the Red Devils, believes Eriksen lacks the “energy” to thrive in Amorim’s demanding system and says a return to boyhood club Ajax would be a logical step.
“That would be a great step for him,” he told Voetbal Primeur. “Of course, as we know, he is a midfielder. Nowadays in the Premier League you need players who can sprint up and down for 90 minutes.
“The way Ruben Amorim wants to play also doesn’t suit him, he wants to win the ball back quickly. At a very high pace. That’s not in his nature. Unfortunately, Eriksen no longer has that energy. “He’s a great player. Some of the things he does on the field… He’s still so good on the ball and technically. I think Ajax would be a fantastic move for him.”
Sancho names best ever team-mate
Jadon Sancho might not reflect on his Manchester United career with much fondness but if there’s one positive he can take, it’s the experience of working with Cristiano Ronaldo.
Sancho, who has joined Chelsea on loan for the season, arrived at Old Trafford for £72m in the 2021, the same summer that Ronaldo made his fairytale return to the club.
While Ronaldo was a big success by scoring 24 goals in his first season back, Sancho struggled to produce quality and justify his big price tag – but he did manage to soak in the experience of the Portuguese legend.
He said: “I’ve played with a lot of great players but, if I had to choose one, it was Cristiano Ronaldo,” he told Sky Sports.
“What he talks about in his interviews is all true, to play with him was a real honour. His mentality, how he trained and how he went into games was really inspirational.”
This is not the first time Sancho has raved about playing with Ronaldo after initially describing his experience when he joined Dortmund on loan last season.
“A great professional. He’s obviously one of my role models growing up,” Sancho told Dortmund’s YouTube channel. “I love his mentality and I think for every young player who was there at the time he was also there we learned that to be at the top, you have to train like you’re playing every day.
“Even in the gym, even in the recoveries. Sleep is important. Seeing him and playing with him, it was a dream come true because watching YouTube clips of him it’s definitely inspirational. I’m thankful for him and everything he’s taught me.”
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