Friday 23 June 2017

Harrop Joins Preston




United midfielder Harrop to join Preston

Josh Harrop is to join Preston North End when his Manchester United contract expires at the end of this month.

The creative midfielder enjoyed a first-team debut to remember when scoring the opening goal in the 2-0 win over Crystal Palace on the final day of the Premier League season.

It capped a fine week for the 21-year-old, who hit a hat-trick in the Reserves' 3-2 triumph over Tottenham in front of Jose Mourinho, also at Old Trafford, on the previous Monday night.

Harrop made 25 appearances for the Reserves last term and was the side's top scorer with 10 goals. The youngster will link up with former team-mates Marnick Vermijl, Ben Pearson and Liam Grimshaw at Deepdale after agreeing terms on a permanent transfer to the Championship club.

United Sign Lindelof




United complete signing of Victor Lindelof

Manchester United is delighted to announce the signing of Victor Lindelof from Benfica on a four-year contract from 1 July 2017, with an option for a further year.

The 22-year-old Swedish international centre-back is a versatile defender and will make his debut on the summer tour of the USA in July.
Jose Mourinho said:
"Victor is a very talented young player, who has a great future ahead of him at United. Our season last year showed us that we need options and quality to add depth to the squad and Victor is the first to join us this summer. I know that our fantastic group of players will welcome him as one of us."

Victor Lindelof said:
"I am thrilled to be joining Manchester United. I have enjoyed my time at Benfica enormously and I have learned a lot there. But I’m looking forward to playing in the Premier League at Old Trafford and for Jose Mourinho. I’m keen to get started and make my contribution to the team’s efforts to win more trophies."

Tuesday 16 May 2017

Southampton Vs Manchester United

MATCH REPORT: SOUTHAMPTON 0 UNITED 0

17 May 2017 | Premier League | St Mary’s | Attendance: 31,425
Manchester United played out a goalless draw against Southampton in the Reds' final Premier League away game of the 2016/17 season.
Sergio Romero proved to be the hero in goal with several brilliant saves, including a fine stop to deny Manolo Gabbiadini from the penalty spot early on.   
Anthony Martial hit a post in the second half for the Reds, who are now winless in five league games but, with hopes of finishing in the top four already over, the main focus remains on the Europa League final in order to secure qualification for next season's Champions League.  
With next Wednesday's showpiece against Ajax in Stockholm firmly in mind, Jose Mourinho rotated his squad again with four changes from Sunday's 2-1 defeat at Tottenham, as Sergio Romero, Matteo Darmian, Marouane Fellaini and Henrikh Mkhitaryan came into the side.
After starting the season at Bournemouth, United's final away trip of the league campaign was also on the South Coast to take on the Saints for the first time since the thrilling win in the EFL Cup final at Wembley in February.
Backed by a strong support from 5,000 vocal fans on a wet evening at St Mary's, the Reds were given an early let-off when the hosts were awarded a penalty after just five minutes when Eric Bailly was adjudged to have handled a crossfield pass inside the box by referee Mike Dean.
But Romero, making only his second Premier League appearance of the season, got down to his right to tip Gabbiadini's low effort around the post superbly.
The Ivorian almost made amends immediately when he seized on a loose pass from Matt Targett and charged towards the Southampton penalty area, making room for a shot from the edge of the box which was beaten away by Fraser Forster.
Martial, who was lively at White Hart Lane last weekend, then fired a shot wide after being played in by captain Wayne Rooney before Mkhitaryan, operating in the no.10 role, saw his low effort from 25 yards tipped behind by Forster.  
As the Reds continued to grow into the game, Axel Tuanzebe, starting for the third successive Premier League match for the Reds, thundered in a shot which cannoned behind for a corner off Maya Yoshida.
At the other end, James Ward-Prowse threatened for the hosts with a free-kick which curled wide from 20 yards before Nathan Redmond tested Romero with a drilled shot from distance as neither side could make the breakthrough in a closely-contested first half.
HALF-TIME MATCH STATS
Possession: Southampton 51% United 49%
Shots: Southampton 7 United 7
Shots on target: Southampton 3 United 1
Corners: Southampton 3 United 3
Southampton started the second half with the same urgency as they begun the first and Romero almost single-handedly kept the Reds level with a series of impressive saves.  
The Argentine beat away a fierce 20-yard effort from Dusan Tadic, tipped behind Oriol Romeu's shot inside the box behind and acrobatically clawed away a curler from Ward-Prowse before the hour mark as United were forced to withstand heavy pressure from the energetic hosts.
When the Reds finally gained some respite, Rooney tried his luck with an ambitious shot from distance but did not trouble his England team-mate Forster in the Saints goal before the onrushing Juan Mata curled off target from Rooney's lay-off at the end of a swift move.  
Seeing the need for additional experience in midfield, Mourinho introduced Michael Carrick, who made his 700th club career appearance, in place of Tuanzebe before injecting extra pace in the shape of Marcus Rashford as Mata was withdrawn.
Soon after, the Reds were agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock when Martial carried the ball forward before unleashing a fine curling shot which was unfortunate to come back off the inside of the right-hand post before Mkhitaryan blazed the rebound over the crossbar.
Rodriguez fired wide and substitute Sofiane Boufal rifled off target for the Saints late on as United held on resiliently for a point, with the chance to sign off the league campaign with three points against Crystal Palace to come on Sunday at Old Trafford.
FULL-TIME MATCH STATS
Possession: Southampton 53% United 47%
Shots: Southampton 17 United 11
Shots on target: Southampton 6 United 1
Corners: Southampton 7 United 3
THE TEAMS:
Southampton: Forster; Cedric (Pied 69), Stephens, Yoshida, Targett; Romeu, Davis (c), Ward-Prowse (Boufal 77); Tadic, Gabbiadini (Rodriguez 62), Redmond.
Subs not used: Hassen, Caceres, Clasie, Austin.
Booked: Romeu, Cedric.
Manchester United: Romero; Bailly, Jones, Smalling, Darmian; Tuanzebe (Carrick 64), Fellaini (Herrera 75); Mata (Rashford 69), Rooney (c), Mkhitaryan; Martial.
Subs not used: Pereira, Mitchell, Lingard, McTominay.
Booked: Jones.

Wednesday 26 April 2017

Manchester City VS Manchester United

MANCHESTER CITY 0 MANCHESTER UNITED 0

Premier League | 27 April 2017 | Etihad Stadium | Attendance: 54,176
It was honours even in Thursday night’s Manchester derby as United held firm to claim a vital point against City at the Etihad Stadium, despite being reduced to 10 men late on.

The Blues dominated what was, at times, a fiery game and the Reds were forced to play the final 10 minutes of normal and added time after Marouane Fellaini was dismissed for a clash with Sergio Aguero.

The result leaves the Manchester rivals still well-placed in the race for a top-four finish, with both sides hot on the heels of Liverpool having played a game less than the Merseysiders.
Mourinho made four changes to the side which won so comfortably away at Burnley four days earlier with Antonio Valencia, Michael Carrick, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Marcus Rashford coming in for Ashley Young, Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and Wayne Rooney.

United were on the attack from the off with the front three of Mkhitaryan, Rashford and Anthony Martial interchanging nicely, but it was City who had the first clear-cut chance when Kevin De Bruyne got in down the right on nine minutes. His low cross found the menacing Sergio Aguero who struck the outside of the post with his shot.

At the other end, the pace of Rashford and Martial kept the City defenders on their toes and a cross from Martial on 25 minutes almost led to the opener for the Reds. Claudio Bravo could only palm the centre into the path of Mkhitaryan, but the City goalkeeper recovered to block the Armenian’s shot.

Despite Eric Bailly being in imperious form at the heart of United’s backline, David De Gea was the busier of the two keepers in the first period and he dealt well with long-range efforts from Aguero and Aleksandar Kolarov as half-time drew closer.

Arguably the best opportunity of the half fell to the lively Ander Herrera when he rose unmarked to meet a Rashford free-kick at the back post, but the Spaniard found the wrong side of the post with his header.
HALF-TIME STATSPossession: City 63% United 37%
Shots: City 10 United 2
Shots on target: City 3 United 1
Corners: City 3 United 3
City were the brighter side after the break with Aguero and Sterling both having early sighters. The Blues’ possession count and shots from distance increased as the clock ticked towards the hour-mark, but the Reds held firm at the back.

A Nicolas Otamendi header from a corner deflected off Bailly and just over the bar as City continued to put United under pressure.

An injury to Bravo resulted in a change in goal for City as Willy Cabellero came on in the 79th minute. Jesus Navas also entered the fray and the Reds followed suit with a switch as Martial made way for Lingard.

There was another change to the on-pitch personnel five minutes from time, but it was of an unwanted kind for the Reds as Fellaini, a minute after being booked for a foul on Aguero, received his marching orders after squaring up to the same player.

Mkhitaryan was sacrificed from the attack as Mourinho’s men looked to shore up for a point by bringing on young defender Tim Fosu-Mensah. Six minutes of injury time followed as did a disallowed goal from Gabriel Jesus who headed home from an offside position much to United's relief.

The draw leaves the two sides a point apart in the table – City in fourth place and United in fifth - after playing the same number of matches. Both have a game in hand on third-placed Liverpool who lie a point above the Blues. It remains all to play for in the race for a top-four spot in the Premier League.
FULL-TIME STATS
Possession: City 69% United 31%
Shots: City 19 United 3
Shots on target: City 6 United 1
Corners: City 7 United 4
TEAMS
Manchester City: Bravo (Caballero 79), Zabaleta, Kompany (c), Otamendi, Kolarov, Fernandinho, Yaya Toure, Sterling (Jesus 86), De Bruyne, Sane (Navas 80), Aguero.
Subs not used: Sagna, Fernando, Clichy, A. Garcia.
Booked: Jesus
United: De Gea; Valencia, Bailly, Blind, Darmian; Carrick (c), Fellaini, Herrera; Mkhitaryan (Fosu-Mensah 85), Rashford (Young 90+3), Martial (Lingard 80).
Subs not used: Romero, Shaw, Tuanzebe, Rooney.
Sent off: Fellaini