Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is optimistic he will be able to give Antonio Valencia the send-off the club captain deserves as he prepares for his final Manchester United appearance on Sunday.
Valencia has enjoyed a distinguished career at United, having joined from Wigan Athletic in 2009.
While some felt he was an underwhelming replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo after he left for Real Madrid, Valencia enjoyed a bright first season only for a broken ankle in his second campaign to set him back.
Although he never recaptured his best form as a winger after that injury, falling badly out of favour under Louis van Gaal, Valencia reinvented himself as a right-back in Jose Mourinho s first campaign.
But this term he has rarely featured due to various injuries and should …
Antoine Griezmann said he definitely wanted to return to Atletico Madrid after re-joining the LaLiga champions from Barcelona.
Griezmann is back in the Spanish capital with Atletico following his remarkable switch, initially on loan for the 2021-22 season with the option for either club to extend for a further year.
The France international scored 133 goals in 257 appearances during his first spell with Atletico between 2014 and 2019, before departing for Barca in a €120million deal.
Griezmann was part of Diego Simeone s side that won the 2018 Europa League, two years after helping them reach the Champions League final.
Every game I will give everything for the great effort they have made for me so that I could return, Griezmann said.
My part …
Preston to Liverpool may not be too far to travel in terms of miles, but it has been quite a footballing journey that has seen Ben Davies end up at Anfield.
The defender completed one of the more unlikely transfers of this mid-season window, or of any other year for that matter, when he signed a long-term contract to join the reigning Premier League champions on deadline day.
In need of defensive reinforcements with Joel Matip becoming the latest long-term casualty, the Reds turned to a player from the Championship few thought to be on their radar less than 48 hours earlier. Even the player himself admitted it was all a bit surreal, though this was the kind of career opportunity simply too good to turn down.
So, February 1, 2021, will now always live l…
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer dedicated Manchester United s victory over Leeds United to the absent home fans, wishing they had been inside Old Trafford to witness a fantastic display.
The Red Devils moved up to third in the Premier League, within five points of leaders Liverpool with a game in hand, thanks to an emphatic 6-2 triumph on Sunday.
Scott McTominay scored the competition s earliest ever brace in the first 170 seconds, while Bruno Fernandes and Victor Lindelof also netted before half-time.
Daniel James and Fernandes, this time from the penalty spot, were on target after the break, helping Manchester United score six in a league game for the first time since thrashing Arsenal 8-2 in August 2011.
That was fantastic, Solskjaer tol…
Ethan Pinnock has signed a new four-year contract at Brentford.
The defender, who turns 30 on Monday, will now stay with the Bees until the summer of 2027.
Pinnock joined Brentford from Barnsley in 2019 and has made 153 appearances for the club.
Bees boss Thomas Frank told the club’s official website: “This is great news for Brentford and I am incredibly pleased that we have Ethan with us for four more years, I am sure our fans are delighted.
“Ethan has been a mountain in defence for us for the last four years. He played a key role in our journey to the top half of the Premier League. He is a top, top player and a great person.
“He has stepped seamlessly in the Premier League and it is an amazing story for him, and for football, that he ca…
Jurgen Klopp believes massive talent Fabio Carvalho can dazzle in the Premier League with Liverpool ahead of the teenager s Fulham reunion.
The first Saturday of the English top-flight season sees Liverpool travel to tackle last season s Championship winners, who return to the elite after a traumatic 2020-21 relegation.
Fulham have yo-yoed between the Championship and Premier League over recent years, having two single-season spells among the big boys and three promotions.
Portuguese winger Carvalho scored 10 goals and had eight assists in 36 Championship games for Fulham last season, leading to a £5million switch to Anfield.
He s a top player. I really love it, said Klopp. He s a massive talent and a really good kid. I m really happy to have him, it s…
The jury in Ryan Giggs trial has been discharged after failing to reach verdicts in the former Manchester United winger s domestic violence trial.
Giggs had been on trial at Manchester Crown Court for four weeks after he was accused of assaulting his former girlfriend Kate Greville, causing actual bodily harm, and using controlling and coercive behaviour against her from August 2017 to November 2020.
The ex-Wales international and manager was also charged with the common assault of Ms Greville s younger sister, Emma.
Giggs, who resigned as Wales boss in June, denied all charges laid against him.
A jury of 12 was sent out to consider its verdicts last week, before one member was discharged due to illness.
Judge Hilary Manley on Tuesday state…
According to , Manchester United are believed to be at the head of the queue for the services of Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise.
The 22-year-old has been attracting attention for a while now. He was reportedly very close to joining Chelsea last summer, but the deal was delayed and Palace chairman Steve Parish used the time to broker a new contract for Olise, raising the release clause within from £35m to a region thought be between £50-60m. United would apparently be willing to allow Aaron Wan-Bissaka to return to his former club as part of the exchange, but the negotiations are yet to take place.
United face competition from the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool, who can both offer Olise a chance to play in the Champions League next turn. United cannot, and neither…
Chelsea and Arsenal were the leading producers of Premier League players in the 2022-23 season, research by the PA news agency has found.
The two clubs’ academy products each racked up just over 21,000 minutes of playing time but remarkably were separated by just 37 seconds, with Chelsea edging top spot.
Here, the PA news agency looks at the main stories to come out of the data.
Small margins
On August 6, 2022, Chelsea sent on Conor Gallagher to replace Jorginho in the ninth added minute of their season-opening 1-0 win over Everton.
It may have been a mere game management move by then-manager Thomas Tuchel but Gallagher’s two-and-a-half-minute appearance – Chelsea’s shortest all season – ended up deciding top spot in the academy study.
…
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says Manchester United s recent loss of form could be partly due to off-field issues but is hoping supporters can give his side a lift against Fulham on Tuesday.
The Red Devils lost back-to-back Premier League home games against Leicester City and Liverpool last week in a little over 48 hours amid a backdrop of fan protests against the club s ownership.
Supporters forced the initial clash with Liverpool two weeks ago to be postponed late on after demonstrating inside and outside Old Trafford.
United had to alter their pre-match plans for both the rearranged clash with Liverpool and the loss to Leicester to ensure their players were in the stadium well ahead of kick-off.
Solskjaer admits the disruption affected his squad and, ahead o…