Erik ten Hag has called media coverage of Manchester United's win over Coventry in the FA Cup semi-final a 'disgrace'. Having a 3-0 lead at Wembley with 20 minutes to go and then won on penalties, United were criticised by pundits and fans. Asked if he understood the response, Ten Hag said: 'No, absolutely not ... is it [the result] embarrassing? No, the reaction from you [the media] was embarrassing ... For me as a manager, four cup finals in four years. The comments are a disgrace.'
Continue reading...Ten Hag insists United have more to learn as Coventry manager ‘really proud’ despite loss – video
Mark Robins, the Coventry City manager, was full of praise for his side after they fought back from three goals down to almost knock Manchester Untied out of the FA Cup. Coventry narrowly missed out on a place in the FA Cup final after losing on penalties following a dramatic game. Robins' side thought they had won right at the end of extra time when Victor Torp had put them 4-3 up but his goal was disallowed for a marginal offside against Haji Wright, sending the game to penalties. Despite walking away as victors, Ten Hag insisted that United 'got away with it' and have a lot to learn.
Manchester Utd survive epic Coventry comeback to reach FA Cup final
Erik ten Hag bemoans Manchester United’s ‘very low levels’ in FA Cup scare
Victor Torp’s torment: the greatest ever FA Cup moment that wasn’t
Coventry City 3-3 Man United (2-4 pens): FA Cup semi-final – as it happened
Manchester United surrendered a 3-0 lead but prevailed in a nervy shootout to set up an FA Cup final with Manchester City
An email! “A minor point, I know,” says Jason Jawando, “but Coventry beat United in the fourth round of the FA Cup in 1987. Alex Fergusson only lost once in the third round, against Leeds in 2010. Ah thanks, you’re quite right – in the third round, United had beaten Manchester City, as they surely won’t if they win today. I’ll make a correction.
Meanwhile, in the relegation six-pointer at Goodison … Everton have got a second against Forest, which should make them safe-ish. It’s good news for Burnley, who, as things stand, are breathing down Forest’s necks, only three points adrift. Daniel Harris is on the case here.
Continue reading...‘They are in the fridge for two days’: Pep Guardiola orders his players to rest
- Manager wants Manchester City fresh for clash with Brighton
- Bernardo Silva says he lost sleep after miss in shootout
Pep Guardiola has said Manchester City’s players are in the “fridge for two days” as they attempt to recover from an exhausting 72 hoursbefore focusing on claiming a fourth consecutive Premier League title and a historic double-double.
City’s 1-0 FA Cup semi-final win over Chelsea on Saturday at Wembley took them to a second successive final and keeps them on course to be the first English club to win two doubles in a row. Yet it came three days after playing 120 minutes and losing a penalty shootout in the Champions League quarter-final to Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium.
Continue reading...Manchester City 1-0 Chelsea: FA Cup semi-final – as it happened
The Blues wasted a host of chances at Wembley and were made to pay late on as City reached the final
3 min: Palmer, who has a leg strapped up already, isn’t moving freely, having been clipped accidentally by Stones. Hopefully for Chelsea he’ll be able to run the impact off.
2 min: … but now they nearly go ahead, Cucurella playing a careless backpass that nearly lets Alvarez in. Silva slides across to avert disaster.
Continue reading...‘Real deal’ Robins relies on Sky Blues thinking for reunion with United
Coventry fans will travel in numbers for their FA Cup semi-final on Sunday – a reflection of their long-serving manager’s impact
When Jürgen Klopp announced in January he would leave Liverpool at the end of the season, it was not just the news itself that seemed strange. The shock, the communal widening of the eyes, was in part because, with the shelf life of managers shorter than ever, rarely does anyone go on their own terms.
Since Klopp informed the Liverpool hierarchy last November of his intention to step down, 27 managers in the top four divisions – almost one third of those employed – have been dismissed. At eight and a half years Klopp has worked unbroken in the Premier League or EFL for longer than any other current manager and the heir to that throne, Pep Guardiola, reached a similar untouchable point some time ago.
Continue reading...Ten Hag calms talk of divided squad as Wilcox appointed technical director
- Manager forgives Garnacho and says: ‘We move on’
- Wilcox leaves role as Southampton’s director of football
Erik ten Hag has denied claims of factions within his Manchester United squad, while attempting to put a line under a string of recent controversies.
On a day when Jason Wilcox was confirmed as United’s technical director, joining from Southampton, Ten Hag sought to further cool waters after Alejandro Garnacho apologised for the faux-pas of liking a social media post critical of his manager.
Continue reading...Nicolas Jackson’s promise hindered by tyranny of expectations at Chelsea | Jonathan Liew
Forward, who faces Manchester City in the FA Cup on Saturday, has managed a debut season goal tally up there with big names
The pure poacher’s instinct. The understanding of timing and angles, the striker’s sixth sense for exactly where the ball is going to be, and exactly what he’s going to do with it. The ball is loose in the penalty area, and as Nicolas Jackson swoops in with the late run his eyes are fixed firmly on the target. Which, alas, is wedged under the arm of his teammate Cole Palmer.
“Next time they’re all out,” Mauricio Pochettino fumed after the penalty fracas on Monday night that somehow managed – in true Chelsea fashion – to snatch a PR disaster from the jaws of a thumping 6-0 victory. As for Jackson, the incident with Palmer and Noni Madueke hardened the views of many Chelsea fans against him, which is some considerable achievement in a game where you have also managed a goal and an assist.
Continue reading...Arteta backs scrapping of FA Cup replays as Accrington posit boycott
- Arsenal manager says change needed to ‘protect our players’
- Accrington chairman open to boycott if ‘enough clubs’ want it
Mikel Arteta insisted that the scrapping of FA Cup replays was necessary to “protect our players” as Accrington Stanley’s chairman said he would support a boycott of the tournament if there was widespread backing.
As the backlash against the abandonment of replays continued, the EFL said clubs lower down the pyramid were being marginalised. Accrington’s Andy Holt tweeted that it was important to fight the change “with all our might” and said: “I would support a boycott if enough clubs feel the same.”
Continue reading...‘That goal kickstarted an era’: how Mark Robins saved Alex Ferguson
As the Coventry manager prepares to meet his old club, his former United teammates discuss that goal in 1990
Legend has it that Mark Robins saved the career of an ailing Manchester United manager in 1990. On Sunday at Wembley he could influence the future of another. When Robins was 20, amid a United run of 11 matches without a league win, Alex Ferguson hoped his young striker could provide a much-needed spark in a January FA Cup tie at Nottingham Forest – and it worked.
United went on to beat Crystal Palace in an FA Cup final replay and 34 years later Robins will lead Coventry against his former club in the semi-finals. Winning the competition arguably rescued Ferguson’s job in a season when United finished 13th in the First Division. The then chairman, Martin Edwards, always denied Ferguson was on the brink but the results were grim. A loss at the City Ground could have proven fatal but local boy Robins ensured United marched on.
Continue reading...Premier League and FA Cup semis: 10 things to look out for this weekend
Two big Wembley meetings await in the Cup, while a desperation derby looks to be in store at Goodison Park
There was a distinct end-of-season vibe at the Gtech Community Stadium following Brentford’s recent win over Sheffield United, with Thomas Frank and his players performing what amounted to a lap of honour as they took plaudits from fans relieved that the spectre of relegation had finally been banished from their small corner of west London. Of course only time will tell if the Bees become the first Premier League team to decamp to the metaphorical beach this season and this weekend’s match against Luton at Kenilworth Road will provide a fair indication. Ravaged by injury with up to 11 players likely to be unavailable, Luton were on a hiding to nothing in their game against Manchester City but still emerged from the rout with their heads held high having restricted the champions to a one-goal lead until their capitulation after the hour mark. It is increasingly difficult to compliment Rob Edwards’ side without sounding condescending, but if it transpires that the Brentford side that turns up in Bedfordshire has mentally tapped out, the Premier League’s most dashing manager, his players and their fans are unlikely to have any complaints whatsoever. Barry Glendenning
Luton v Brentford, Premier League, Saturday 3pm (all times BST)
Sheffield United v Burnley, Premier League, Saturday 3pm
Manchester City v Chelsea, FA Cup semi-final, Saturday 5.15pm
Continue reading...Kyle Walker urges Manchester City to channel the pain after ‘cruellest’ defeat
- Domestic double the target after Champions League exit
- FA Cup tie against Chelsea a chance to ‘do something special’
Kyle Walker says Manchester City must channel the anguish of their Champions League exit at the hands of Real Madrid into the pursuit of a domestic double. The 33-year-old spoke of the cruelty of Wednesday night’s penalty shootout defeat by Madrid, which followed a second leg at the Etihad Stadium that City dominated from the start of the second half of normal time.
The Premier League champions face Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on Saturday and are two points clear of Arsenal and Liverpool at the top of the league with six matches to play.
Continue reading...