Ten Hag ‘bust-up’: Man Utd star holds ‘clear-the-air talks’ with boss amid ‘tense situation’
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aphael Varane has held talks with Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag in an effort to clear the air after a ‘bust-up’, according to reports.
The Red Devils have struggled defensively at times this season with Varane, Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire spending spells of the season on the sidelines injured.
Varane and Martinez appeared to be Ten Hag’s preferred centre-back partnership at the end of last season but injuries and form have seen Man Utd use a number of different combinations.
The Frenchman, who signed for Man Utd from Real Madrid in the summer of 2021, came off the bench in the Red Devils’ 3-0 victory over West Ham on Sunday with Maguire and Martinez starting at centre-back.
Jonny Evans, who signed in the summer on a free transfer, was expected to play an emergency back-up role but the former West Brom defender has started more Premier League matches than Varane this season.
And Football Insider claim that Varane was ‘unhappy’ that Evans ‘had been selected ahead of him on multiple occasions throughout the season’ while the Man Utd defender also ‘took umbrage with the fact that the boss left him out of the Manchester derby in October for tactical reasons’.
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But those issues now appear to be behind them as the report adds that Ten Hag and Varane ‘have set aside their differences’ after they ‘held clear-the-air talks’ after a ‘bust-up’.
It is understood that the ‘tense situation between them seems to have been resolved’ as Varane waits to resolve his Man Utd future with the France international out of contract at the end of the season.
Man Utd allowed talented youngster Isak Hansen-Aaroen to leave for Werder Bremen on a permanent transfer on deadline day last week and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has explained their decision.
Romano wrote in his Caught Offside column: “Manchester United also enjoyed a good win yesterday as their talented young attacking players shone in the win over West Ham, but what about another top young talent who left the club in January?
“Some Man United fans were a bit surprised to see Isak Hansen-Aaroen leave without getting more of a chance in the first-team, but I wasn’t really surprised as we saw that United, like other clubs, were ready to cash in on young players.
“Also, it’s important to clarify that Man United have matching rights for the future potential move of Hansen-Aaroen, so they can keep some kind of control on the player.
“I’ve also been asked about stories involving Bruno Fernandes rejecting Saudi interest in January, however I’m not aware of this, it was never a possibility. Bruno was always very clear, he always wanted to stay at Manchester United last summer and it was the same in January.”
Chelsea players too dumb, too sensitive and too young as ‘moral’ ‘noticeably low’ under Pochettino
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helsea players are finding it difficult to ‘receive analytical information’ and to ‘accept critical feedback’ from Mauricio Pochettino as ‘squad moral’ is ‘noticeably low’ at the Cobham training ground.
The Blues conceded four goals for the second game on the bounce on Sunday, losing 4-2 to Wolves on the back of a thumping 4-1 defeat to Liverpool on Wednesday.
It’s led to a significant increase in pressure on Pochettino, and despite reports suggesting the club may not be able to afford to sack him even if they wanted to, the Daily Mail claim plans to review his position at the end of the season ‘could be brought forward if the club’s season continues to deteriorate’.
But the report claims ‘the spotlight is shifting towards those in charge of player recruitment’, namely co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, along with director of recruitment Joe Shields.
‘There is a feeling behind the scenes that the team lacks leadership and experience’ as a result of a recruitment drive so heavily focused on young players.
The three different recruitment voices has ‘led to difficulties in implementing clear transfer strategy’ and the policy of signing young players ‘has led to complications in the team adapting to different tactics and patterns of play, particularly when they have arrived from teams with defined tactical structures’.
‘Squad moral’ (not morale, apparently) is ‘noticeably low’ at the Cobham training ground with ‘players leaving as soon as they can after training is finished’ and ‘rarely staying behind to complete extra work’.
The report also reveals that the Chelsea players are both too dumb and too thin-skinned:
‘There are also concerns over players’ ability to receive analytical information. Certain players are also said to have shown difficulty in an accepting critical feedback.’
The club bosses have recognised that Pochettino ‘has had little or no influence over the club’s recruitment strategy’, with the number of injuries also offering mitigation for the Chelsea boss.
This all sounds awfully similar to the end of Graham Potter.
READ MORE: Pochettino sack? Jose Mourinho second in contenders to take over at Chelsea
Phil Foden condemned to life of quiet brilliance for Man City amid De Bruyne, Haaland noise
The Manchester City noise will always surround Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland, but just because Phil Foden is condemned to a life of *quiet* brilliance doesn’t make him any less brilliant.
No Premier League striker had a worse goals per shot record than Neal Maupay last season, who scored one from 32 efforts. He was – not to put too fine a point on it – a laughing stock, and had essentially become an ex-goalscorer having failed to find the net between September 2022 and November 2023. He’s now scored three in three Premier League games for Brentford, doing what Erling Haaland couldn’t on Monday, in calmly slipping the ball past an onrushing goalkeeper.
Signed with Ivan Toney’s ban in mind, though we can’t imagine for one second that Maupay would have been deemed a like-for-like replacement by Thomas Frank, the Everton loanee’s return to goalscoring form has coincided with the return of the large to his little. After each of them scored in the 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest and the 3-2 defeat to Tottenham, Toney turned provider for Maupay against City.
Mark Flekken has been credited with the assist, and does indeed deserve the credit that his manager made a literal point of giving him as his goal kick bounced through the City backline for Maupay, who finished clinically. But in a delightful example of the immeasurable impact of a footballer, Toney made the goal by actively trying not to touch the football.
He pinned Nathan Ake, blocking the City defender’s path to the ball, and steering clear of it himself so as not to risk Maupay being ruled offside. It was footballing IQ of the highest order.
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And one example of many in this game, and previously against Brentford – who did the double over Pep Guardiola’s side last season – of City not liking it up ’em. In fact, on near enough every occasion Brentford managed to get into City’s box, whether on the break or through set pieces, the defence wobbled and at least a half chance was created. Ederson was particularly shaken, scuffing a clearance to an opposition player when way out of his goal in the first half and rushing out of his penalty area to clatter into Ethan Pinnock in the second.
Toney volleyed over when he should have done better, while Christian Norgaard and Maupay both had shots well blocked. There was little doubt watching this game that City really don’t enjoy playing against Brentford, who will feel in many ways they gave as good as they got, as will their manager, who was by no means outclassed by a superior tactician.
It came down to quality; that of Phil Foden in particular.
At the end of a first half in which City had huffed and puffed and forced Mark Flekken into more saves (9) than in any other half of Premier League football since Opta starting recording such things, mainly from efforts from outside the box, Foden capitalised on a weak Pinnock header to chest the ball down and finish past the stubborn goalkeeper to bring the scores level.
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Mark Flekken was excellent for Brentford against Haaland and Man City.
Soon after the break he flicked a header beautifully into the corner from a perfect Kevin De Bruyne cross before completing his hat-trick with the best of the lot, allowing Rodri’s pass to roll by him into the feet of Haaland, before turning and collecting it from the striker, dribbling into the box and slotting it into the corner.
It wasn’t in doubt, because he’s a brilliant footballer having a quietly brilliant season. Quiet because the Manchester City noise is reserved for De Bruyne and Haaland, who will undoubtedly have a big hand in the title run-in, but have been given the platform to win it from by Foden, Julian Alvarez, Bernardo Silva and Jeremy Doku, who have all been excellent in the absence of their more illustrious teammates.
All the talk ahead of kick-off, not unreasonably, was about the first look at Haaland and De Bruyne together since the opening day, and that pair will inevitably grab plenty of headlines between now and the end of the season – they’re world class footballers.
But their quality shouldn’t diminish the acclaim afforded to the other world class footballers in this team, who have got them into the position of having one more point this season than at the same stage last, with Foden as important as any of them.
