Erik ten Hag told to drop special Manchester United player from first team
Discussing Manchester United’s Premier League fixture against Brentford on Saturday, Merson told Sportskeeda: ‘Brentford can score again in the first minute this weekend!
‘If that happens, you never know what’s next for Erik ten Hag and Manchester United. Brentford are free flowing, they will score at Old Trafford, that’s for sure.
Struggling Old Trafford summer signing Joshua Zirzkee
Struggling Old Trafford summer signing Joshua Zirzkee (Picture: Getty)
‘But the problem is that whenever they take the lead, they just can’t seem to hold on to it and win.
‘Manchester United can’t win a game for a toffee anyway, so I’m going for a 2-2 draw in this one.
‘I expect Brentford to cause them problems throughout this game. In terms of Ten Hag’s future, I think he’s alright now. Thomas Tuchel has joined England so that’s another top manager unavailable now.
‘If Manchester United get beat by Brentford and they sack him, that’s not the right way to run the club in my opinion. Now that they’ve decided to back him beyond the international break, I’d be shocked if that happens too.
Erik ten Hag sanctioned United’s move for Zirkzee
Erik ten Hag sanctioned United’s move for Zirkzee (Picture: Getty)
‘A club like Manchester United should not be worried about teams like Brentford, it should be their rivals at the top. It being the opposite now is the harsh reality of where they are as a club.
‘Joshua Zirkzee did well at Bologna, but it’s a different game here in England and especially at Manchester United.
‘You’re always under the microscope at this club, if you miss a chance or not get a chance, it’s always a talking point.
‘What’s his best position? Where do they play him? You’ve also got Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund, so that’s four players fighting to be in that front-three.
Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund
Merson believes Rasmus Hojlund has the edge over Zirzkee (Picture: Getty)
‘And no matter who among them Ten Hag decides to drop, he always gets stick, which is a bit unfortunate.
‘Against Brentford, I’d choose Hojlund over Zirkzee. He’s a better finisher in my opinion and Manchester United will need goals to win this one because Brentford are definitely scoring.’
‘I’d ask Manchester United for Zirkzee’s loan. After all, Manchester United have been making crazy decisions for years,’ Di Canio told Italian publication Tuttosport.
United face Thomas Frank’s Brentford this weekend
United face Thomas Frank’s Brentford this weekend (Picture: Getty)
‘Nothing works there, not even Zirkzee. He’s too slow for the Premier League.
‘Maybe he’ll prove me wrong with goals and big performances, but in the Premier League, defenders are aggressive, and there are 30 per cent fewer fouls [than in Serie A].’
Despite his reservations over Zirzkee, Di Canio believes Juventus should try to sign him on loan.
‘There is so much confusion at Manchester United that they could even give him away on loan. They already have [Rasmus] Hojlund and [Marcus] Rashford, who play in that position,’ Di Canio added.
‘He would be an ideal profile and give Thiago Motta a player with a different skill set to [Dusan] Vlahovic.
‘I’d start negotiations now – a loan with an option to buy. Zikrzee is not a deadly finisher; he won’t score 25 goals, but he makes his team-mates play well.’
Manchester United are just 14th in the Premier League table ahead of Saturday’s home match against Brentford, who have blown hot and cold this season but are still three places and two points above the Red Devils.
Manchester United appear to have an incredible talent in their ranks.
Alejandro Garnacho and JJ Gabriel.
JJ Gabriel (right) has copied the Alejandro Garnacho celebrartion. (Image: Getty / MUTV)
Manchester United may have found a solution to their lavish spending after elevating their ‘mini Lionel Messi’ through the club ranks. United’s transfer policy has been much maligned since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013, blowing millions on big-name stars who have subsequently under-performed at Old Trafford.
But now Sir Jim Ratcliffe may have the perfect solution to solve the club’s failing transfer policy, even if it means waiting for him to shine at senior level.
JJ Gabriel has again gone viral on social media this week following a stunning hat-trick in the Floodlit Cup.
Despite being just 14, the forward has long been touted as a future professional star. And he again underlined his potential against Blackburn Rovers Under-15s this week, scoring three times to underline his growing reputation.
The tournament was introduced in order to give young players the experience of performing under floodlights, as opposed to Saturday morning affairs which are often lacking in intensity and atmosphere. And Gabriel certainly appears to relishing the big occasions.
It’s not the first time Gabriel has been asked to excel above his actual age-grade level either. He’s already been elevated to train and travel with the U18s, and participated in the summer tour of Hong Kong with the U16 squad.
FBL-WC-2026-SAMERICA-QUALIFIERS-ARG-BOL
The youngster has been compared to the legendary Lionel Messi. (Image: Getty)
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In one game, he showed close control before cutting onto his left foot and firing home from just inside the area. Showing his awareness of what goes on with the senior side at United, he then mimicked Alejandro Garnacho by running to the crowd and sitting on the advertising hoarding, arms folded.
After being awarded the MVP in the second of the two matches in the Far East, he received the award on the pitch from United icon Dimitar Berbatov. The Bulgarian was later full of praise for what he saw from the youngster.
The clips of his play online have led to him receiving numerous comparisons to the legendary Messi, and the Barcelona links don’t end there. Last summer he spent time at the Nou Camp, touring the stadium and even meeting the first-team squad.
Given his dribbling and finishing prowess, and ability to play anywhere across the front line, that trip inevitably had United fans worried about the Catalan giants making a move. But if the Manchester club can keep hold of him, Gabriel could potentially save them a huge fee in the transfer market.
The profile of ‘mini Messi’ is already growing online, with his Instagram account now followed by more than 83,000 users. All of his posts thus far relate to playing football and his time at United.
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