Football
“He’s the only good player Man United have and the best in the Premier League, all my teammates are afraid of facing him…But he’s just wasting his time at the club, he must join us if he really want to win trophies”: Man City superstar praises Man United player and urged him to leave the club immediately
The Man City ace knows from experience that, whenever one of Manchester United’s most experienced players takes to the pitch, rabbit-out-of-the-hat moments are always possible.
Take Sunday afternoon, for instance. Darting in behind after a quick throw-in caught the opposition out, running onto a brilliant backheel flick from his centre-forward, Manchester United‘s Christian Eriksen controlled the ball beautifully on his chest and fizzed a volley into the bottom corner.
It might not have been enough to secure an opening win for Denmark in their Euro 2024 group-stage clash with Slovenia. But it certainly will have had Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate sitting up and taking notice ahead of England’s matchday two match-up with the Scandinavian’s on Thursday night.
Kyle Walker played alongside Eriksen at Tottenham Hotspur, a reunion expected in Frankfurt this evening. And while the 32-year-old playmaker may not be quite the same creative force of his Spurs days, you won’t find the Man City right-back taking the threat Eriksen poses lightly.
Manchester United’s Christian Eriksen shines at Euro 2024
“I think that you have to give (Denmark) the level of respect that they deserve,” Walker tells The Independent. “Obviously, they’ve got a number of players in the Premier League.
“I played a number of years with Christian Eriksen at Tottenham. And, in some moments, he can produce magic on the drop of the hat.
“We go into the game fully focused and wanting the three points as we did the other night and hopefully we can play a little bit better in the second-half (vs Serbia) and hopefully the nerves have gone a little bit.”
Three years on from the cardiac arrest which had the whole of Europe praying for his good health, Eriksen returned to the tournament stage with a goal which epitomised his enduring class and quality.
There. is areason why Rasmus Hojlund – his United and Denmark team-mate – labels Eriksen ‘world-class’.
And Walker is delighted to see the former Ajax, Brentford and Inter Milan man playing at the very top level again, not long after his career – not to mention his life – was in serious danger.
“He’s fantastic. It is a testament to him,” adds Walker, who was part of the Man City side beaten by Eriken’s United in last month’s FA Cup final.
“Obviously, us both playing in Manchester for the different clubs, we do bump into each other from time to time and have a catch up.
“But for what he’s done and what he’s achieved after the sad incident that happened, it just shows what a character he is and what he possesses really.”
Denmark face England in Frankfurt
Eriksen’s future remains uncertain at club level this summer. But, mustering the most key passes at Euro 2024 so far with seven already, there will be a lot of teams on the continent feeling they can still make very good use of Eriksen’s vast experience and nous.
“The goal he scored for Denmark shows that his form for Manchester United was dragged down by those around him and by the state the club was in,” former Red Devils right-back Paul Parker argues, in conversation with Danish publication Tipsbladet.
“His first touch with the chest gave him the opportunity to finish immediately. It was like watching a centre-forward.
“If Ten Hag is allowed to move the team forward and bring in the players he wants, I think he will say goodbye to Christian Eriksen,” adds Parker, a two-time Premier League champion under Sir Alex Ferguson in the 1990s.
“He will not be able to offer Christian Eriksen the regular playing time that he needs. Eriksen would, of course, like to play as much as possible before his time as a player is over. He needs to play regularly and he is one of those players who needs to be looked after as he gets older.
“If United want to move forward, they shouldn’t say; ‘We need Christian Eriksen’.
“And that’s not to be disrespectful to him because he is, without a shadow, of a doubt a great player. It’s not a label I throw around.
“But he’s been an excellent player.”
Football
“Call it a Day”: Manchester United Midfielder Slammed Over ‘Disastrous’ Liverpool Performance
Old Trafford witnessed a revealing scene during the pre-game festivities as Manuel Ugarte was introduced to the Manchester United faithful. The Uruguayan’s debut couldn’t have come at a more poignant time.
As the 23-year-old midfielder took his introductory bows, his predecessor, Casemiro, was gearing up for what would become a fateful encounter against Liverpool—a match that would underline the vast gulf the Brazilian now needs to bridge.
The defensive midfield role at Manchester United has been a subject of intense scrutiny and Casemiro, once a stalwart at Real Madrid, found himself overwhelmed in a game that laid bare many of United’s deeper systemic issues.
The match ended in a 3-0 defeat, with Casemiro’s disastrous performance a glaring weak spot. As Jamie Carragher insightfully remarked earlier, it might be time for Casemiro to step away from the top echelons of football, suggesting, “Football has left him at this top level. He needs to call it a day at this level and move.”
Despite the immediate criticisms, it’s crucial to remember Casemiro’s significant contributions to football, underscored by his wife’s poignant social media post showcasing his extensive trophy haul.
Such a decorated career deserves recognition, even as discussions about his current form persist. As Gary Neville empathetically noted, even the best can falter under pressure, reflecting on his own career’s twilight years.
For Manchester United, the challenge is not just about replacing a player but about realigning their entire midfield setup to compete effectively against top-tier teams like Liverpool.
Casemiro’s situation serves as a stark reminder of the relentless pace and physicality of the Premier League, where even the most experienced players can find themselves outpaced and outplayed
Football
“Biggest mistake of his life”: Real Madrid star told he has made the biggest mistake of his life for joining the Los Blacos
Kylian Mbappé joined Real Madrid as a free agent this past summer transfer window. While this is a significant step in his career, one person believes it’s the wrong decision.
Moreover, he notes that it’s an easy route to securing his football glory as winning the Ballon d’Or and UEFA Champions League at PSG would have had a different meaning than winning these honors at Real Madrid.
As a result, Cyril Hanouna stated in his interview with Europe 1 that the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner made a mistake leaving his hometown club.
“For me, Kylian Mbappé made the mistake of his life,” Hanouna stated (h/t Le10Sport). “I didn’t elaborate last time, but I’ll do it now. Winning the Champions League with Real Madrid is normal. Of course, winning the Champions League with Real Madrid, everyone does it. All the players who are at Real Madrid, at some point, will win the Champions League.
“Being Ballon d’Or at Real Madrid is rather easy. Benzema won it at Real Madrid. Mbappé should have stayed at PSG, won the Champions League with PSG, and won the Ballon d’Or with PSG. The club was giving him everything; it would have been his club. He would have been the main man at PSG.”
PSG are a young but exciting team, and perhaps they might not have the expectations of winning the Champions League this season. However, Real Madrid has the pressure of winning the competition this campaign with the Frenchman; if they don’t, then many will consider Year 1 of Mbappé a failure.
It will be interesting to see how this tournament plays out this season as Real Madrid know who they’ll be facing in the league phase. Mbappé won’t win the Ballon d’Or this year, but winning the Champions League and playing a key role could help his chances in 2025.
Football
“A really good signing”: Alan Shearer gives his verdict on Arsenal’s unexpected signing as he backs the player become a valuable star in the team
The term ‘baptism of fire’ is often overused in football, but it rings true for Raheem Sterling when considering he could make his Arsenal debut away to Tottenham Hotspur.
For a different player, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta might decide against deploying his new signing on such an occasion, but Sterling certainly has the mental resolve to handle it.
Sterling has endured some tough times in the past for England, criticised for his performances, and he’s been subject to similar at Chelsea too.
But in north London, the 29-year-old now has a new home, and the majority of Arsenal fans are excited to see if Arteta can recapture Sterling’s best, in a similar vein to Kai Havertz.
The two are at very different stages of their career, but like just Havertz, Sterling may find his confidence once again, a player who is still in his prime years.
Alan Shearer explains why Raheem Sterling could be really ‘valuable’ to Arsenal
Speaking on ‘The Rest Is Football’ podcast, Alan Shearer was very happy that Sterling had managed to get away from a ‘horrible’ situation at Stamford Bridge, which could have become even more messy.
And the pundit then went on to explain what Sterling can offer Arsenal, a move that suits both parties.
Shearer said: “Yeah I think it’s a really good move for him. I think it was important that he got out and played.
“It would have been horrible for him to sit there and rot in the stiffs, not even maybe, not even see first team football, never mind train or whatever with them.
“So I think it was really important for him to get out with his experience and know-how, he could be valuable to Arsenal.”
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