Sir Jim Ratcliffe sends a warning message to Man United players despite Luton
Manchester United are now unbeaten in their last seven matches in all competitions as the Reds beat Luton Town 2-1 in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon
Gary Neville believes Manchester United’s squad are playing for their futures now Sir Jim Ratcliffe has all-but-completed his acquisition of the club.
Since the INEOS founder announced on Christmas Eve he was going to purchase a 25 per cent stake in United and gain control of the football project, the Reds have lost just once in all competitions. Erik ten Hag’s side extended their unbeaten run to seven matches on Sunday afternoon as they beat Luton Town 2-1 at Kenilworth Road.
Rasmus Hojlund’s early brace set the tone for the 90 minutes but the Reds were pegged back in the 14th minute by Carlton Morris’ header. This setback was only temporary though and United remained resilient to seal an important three points in the race for Champions League qualification.
Analysing the result on Sky Sports’ Super Sunday, Neville identified the pressure which is currently on this United team. He explained: “I think it might be a little bit of a coincidence that their fortunes begin to turn around as soon as Jim Ratcliffe actually comes in but you look back to their win over Aston Villa on Boxing Day and that was his ‘first game’ as it was given he was announced on Christmas Eve.
“He’s gone in there and said: ‘I’m watching every single one of you lot because you’re all playing for your futures.’ The more I think about it, the Glazers have just shown blind loyalty to people who have been really good to them over a long period of time.
“Ed Woodward, he was at the club for ten-12 years before he became CEO working on the commercial side and they believed everything he said. I said it about ten years ago but it was like they were playing Football Manager, just going around and picking out the best players in the world – [Angel] Di Maria, [Radamel] Falcao, [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic – and they basically played Football Manager for ten years with the club without having any serious people in there. It’s unbelievable.
“The mood has changed. What the fans wanted, what everyone connected with Manchester United have called for was just some interference into the complete and utter tosh we’ve seen at that club for the last ten years and actually what’s happened is the boardroom has been completely disrupted and there’s a new energy in there.”
Rasmus Hojlund scored both goals for United, including an exquisite chest finish
If you were calling Rasmus Hojlund a dud, you don’t know what you are talking about. He hasn’t cracked it but the signs are strong –
The plaudits keep coming in for red-hot Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund and Mail Sport columnist Chris Sutton has added to them after his stunning goal against Luton Town.
Hojlund was the Red Devils’ hero as they came away with a 2-1 win at Kenilworth Road – thanks to his brace inside the opening seven minutes.
After opening the scoring on 37 seconds, the Dane demonstrated his goalscoring nous with a brilliant chested finish after a wayward shot from Alejandro Garnacho.
The goal led to debate whether or not he actually meant it, but Sutton is under no illusion that ‘instinctive’ Hojlund knew what he was doing.
Rasmus Hojlund has been praised by Mail Sport’s Chris Sutton for his wonderful goal vs Luton
Rasmus Hojlund has been praised by Mail Sport’s Chris Sutton for his wonderful goal vs Luton
Hojlund showed his scoring nous by scoring with his chest for Manchester United on Sunday
Hojlund showed his scoring nous by scoring with his chest for Manchester United on Sunday
The Red Devils looks on as his chested effort goes into the bottom corner to put United 2-0 up
The Red Devils looks on as his chested effort goes into the bottom corner to put United 2-0 up
Sutton labelled the 21-year-old’s goal as ‘genius’ and ‘instinctive’ – adding that he meant it .
Sutton labelled the 21-year-old’s goal as ‘genius’ and ‘instinctive’ – adding that he meant it
‘You have a blueprint in your head and it’s because of hours and hours of training and being in situations, your peripheral vision, you’re just aware and in those moments it happens so fast, but you know what you want to do and try to do and it’s instinct. It’s impudence. That’s what it is.
‘I’ve mentioned on this pod before about the 10,000-hour rule, but it’s being in situations and just all of a sudden it happens.
‘He knew what he was trying to do. It’s the picture which he sees. He knows the goalposts don’t move. He knows what he’s trying to do.
‘I don’t even think that it’s because he’s now hit his straps in terms of the goals which he’s scoring that happened. I just think it’s an awareness in the in the moment.’
Mail Sport’s Dominic King was in agreement with Sutton’s assessment – acknowledging the way Hojlund positioned himself to score.
‘I agree with you entirely. I’d been at Bramall Lane [watching Sheffield United lose 5-0 at home to Brighton] and I hadn’t seen the goal until I got home.
‘When I watched it, it was clear exactly – the movement, the little step back, the twist of his shoulders to do it.’
Hojlund now has 14 goals in all competitions for Manchester United – with the 21-year-old scoring all seven of his Premier League goals in his last six outings for his boyhood club.
Mail Sport’s Dominic King agreed with Sutton that Hojlund’s chested effort was deliberate
Mail Sport’s Dominic King agreed with Sutton that Hojlund’s chested effort was deliberate
Hojlund now has 14 goals in all competitions for United – including this opener against Luton
Hojlund now has 14 goals in all competitions for United – including this opener against Luton
He endured a difficult start at Old Trafford, failing to score in his first 14 Premier League games
He endured a difficult start at Old Trafford, failing to score in his first 14 Premier League games
The Red Devils No 11 endured a difficult start at Old Trafford having failed to find the net in his opening 14 Premier League matches. And looking back, Sutton think it’s ridiculous that there was suggestions he would prove to be a dud.
‘Really? I don’t know who those people were,’ he quipped when the question was posed to him by King.
‘I think the balanced view on Hojlund at the start was strikers thrive on service and he was playing in a team with Antony, who essentially gives you the ball when he’s finished with it and Garnacho off the other side – so where was his service?
‘He wasn’t getting the opportunities and then when the opportunities did come along, maybe he snatched it a few but now he’s on a run we’re seeing what a good player that he is.
‘I still don’t think that Manchester United have cracked it. They’re on a good run but Luton could have got something out of the game, probably should have got something out of the game and so should have Aston Villa the week before.
‘I think they’re a devastating, still a devastating counter-attack team. But in terms of Hojlund, what is he? I think we’re still all trying to work out what type of player he is.
‘Hojlund looks to me like he has all the attributes. He can hold the ball up and link up with others nicely and he has the pace too to run in behind.
‘And before he signed, it wasn’t like if you looked at his track record that he had been overly prolific. He was always a development player, always a work in progress.
‘Temperament is everything. I think what he has shown is his strength of character. It’s a valid point that he is playing for arguably the biggest club in the world and in front of 75,000 people per week.
‘He came in with expectations so high and had a difficult start but he had a strength of character to not hide, to show for the ball, to be courageous and it’s eventually started to click.
‘Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. He hasn’t cracked it yet, but the signs really are encouraging. And more so because the fact that he’s come through a really difficult start, not necessarily for him, but because of the way the team have played.’
Hojlund will look to continue his sparkling goalscoring form on Saturday afternoon, when Erik ten Hag’s side host Fulham at Old Trafford.
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