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Confirmed: Norwegian Youth to Join United Academy

The rumors swirling round the 16-year-old Norwegian attacker seem to be confirmed by the youngsters twitter account

By Logan Plant / @plantlounited / June 4, 2021, 1:30 AM EST

Confirmed - The young Norwegian forward, Daniel Hanssen, announced his move to the Manchester United Academy with a tweet last night, marking the start of a new chapter in his football career. The 16-year-old has been honing his skills at the Lillestrøm SK Youth Academy for the past three years, where he has established himself as one of the most exciting prospects in the Norwegian Youth Leagues.

Standing at 6-foot, Hanssen has already demonstrated his ability to be a prolific scorer, particularly during the Norse Invitational Under-20 tournament in June. He displayed his clinical finishing abilities, scoring four goals in the tournament, including a hat-trick against Lithuania. He followed up this performance with another goal and an assist against Denmark in a match for the Norwegian Under-20 team.

Hanssen has a close relationship with new United coach, Thomas Walker, dating back to his time at LOSC Lille. It is believed that if it wasn't for Walker's move to Old Trafford, Hanssen would have joined the Lille Academy. This is the first player that Walker has recruited for United since his arrival, and it is clear that he has high hopes for the young Norwegian.

Described as a classic goal scorer, Hanssen has a good touch and is capable of playing either as a center forward or out wide on the wing. Despite being left-footed, Hanssen has shown that he can unleash rockets with either foot, making him a versatile and dangerous threat in front of goal.

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Manchester United Introduce Thomas Walker

Thomas Walker officially became the 27th manager in team history following a ceremony at Old Trafford

By Felix Short | July 1, 2021, 7:30 AM EST

Thomas Walker is the first black coach in Manchester United history, and only the tenth in Premier League history. (Michael Bradley/Manchester Guardian)

Manchester, England – United's new head man was introduced to the media today as the twenty-seventh manager in club history, following a brief ceremony at Old Trafford. Walker, 33, then spent roughly thirty minutes talking to the media to discuss his big move, the team, and what his expectations are for Manchester United moving forward.

"We're here to win," Walker said to begin his press conference, “We're going to run this club with the highest level of ethical behavior, the greatest level of professional excellence, and the standard of footballing excellence that this fan base has come to expect."

Walker is a landmark hire for United. He was born in Ontario, Canada, and spent much of his youth inside the United States. He holds dual Canadian and American citizenships and will be the first United manager to be born outside of Europe. In fact, he becomes only the fourth United boss that was born outside the British Isles.

More consequentially, he will be the first black coach in United’s history, and only the tenth in Premier League history.

Walker was born in Canada, then moved to Columbus, Ohio during his teenage years. While living in the United States, Walker became a standout athlete in soccer, basketball, and American football. He played university soccer at Ohio State, where he was a standout for the 2006-07 team that reached the national final. After that experience, he played sparingly for two years with the Los Angeles Galaxy alongside David Beckham, before retiring due to injury.

His journey from retiring at age twenty-one, to becoming the manager of the Shamrock Rovers at age 29, helped pave the way for him to succeed in Ireland, then in France, which prepared him to become the head man at Manchester United.

“I think my experiences have really played a big part in my developing as a manager,” Walker said, “I didn’t play at the highest levels, I didn’t get the best coaching. But I did get a lot of different experiences that have given me a fuller picture of what it means to have success.”

Walker credits some of the tactics he employs to strategies he learned while playing his other sports, basketball and American football. He also credits growing up in the American sporting landscape for giving him a better picture of what needs to happen off the pitch, for a team to have success on the pitch.

“I don’t think we’re going to do things the same way anymore,” he said, “If we do the same things as the other clubs, we’ll be behind. We have to do more, be faster, be better. We need to find our shortcomings, and shore them up. Then we need to find the cutting edge, and cut further.”

The last United manager to be cutting edge was the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson, who retired in 2013 after 27 seasons and thirteen Premier League titles with the club. Since then, a laundry list of other managers have come through, and have failed to make their mark. Ole Gunnar Solskjær, who starred for Ferguson for twelve seasons, was the latest manager to end his United tenure without a Premier League title.

It is always hard following a legend, and those that were in Solskjær’s corner are unlikely to be warm to Thomas Walker. The fan base is hungry for glory, and Walker has precious little of that on his resume, even if you include his Ligue Un title last season with Lille. Walker’s success in continental football leaves a lot to be desired, and many fans wanted more accomplished coaches such as Zinedine Zidane, Diego Simeone, or Mauricio Pochettino.

United fans may rightly look at Thomas Teuchel, Pep Guardiola and Jurgën Klopp and think that Thomas Walker’s resume pales in comparison.

“There are some phenomenal, all-time great managers in the Premier League,” said Walker, “but our goal is not to be like them. Our goal is to be better than them. We’ll look at what they do, what they do different, what they do best. We’ll look at that and take from it what we find useful, but Manchester United is not Manchester City. We have different people. We’ll have a better culture, and we’ll be ahead of them on the finer things soon enough.”

Walker knows that United have the talent and the backing to compete with Manchester City, Chelsea, and Liverpool, the three current favorites to win the Premier League this season.

"I've been evaluating the team's film over the past few weeks, and I can tell you that there are a lot of really talented players on this club, and I’m looking forward to working with them.”

Walker will be tasked with weaving Jadon Sancho, Cristiano Ronaldo and Raphaël Varane into the team after they were signed by the club in recent weeks.

Walker also spoke about his plans for the team tactically, spending several minutes explaining his
philosophy. "We want to play fast, aggressive, with high tempo, high work rate, and enthusiasm, and fun, but most importantly, we want to think about our opponents. We’re going to think about what they want us to do least and do it. Expose it. Over run them.”

Walker's Lille teams were renowned for their precision counter-attacks, their work ethic, the overall athleticism displayed, and a unique high press-low block defense that is designed to force turnovers and prevent easy goal scoring opportunities for the other team.

“We’re not going to be that juggernaut overnight,” said Walker, “we’ll need to instill some of those characteristics. Work ethic, effort, discipline, physicality. And we’re going to teach that to our youngsters so that when they are ready for the first team, there will be no drop off.”

One of the unique characteristics of Thomas Walker’s time at LOSC Lille, and perhaps the characteristic that made him stand out to the United higher-ups, was his focus on getting the most out of the youngest players in the program. The time and effort Walker spent with the young kids in France, getting them acclimated to his style, then giving them the opportunity to grow in that, is virtually unheard of among high-level managers these days.

“The kids will get attention,” Walker laughed when he was asked about the Academy, “We’re going to get to know them better than the first team squad. If we have a 25-man squad, I want ten-to-fifteen to come from our academy. We don’t need to spend £40 million on a left back if we develop a star-quality left back. Plus, I think the fans will really enjoy getting the opportunity to watch these kids grow up and become a part of the Manchester community. That’s what I expect and that’s what will happen.”

Along those line, United has agreed to hire a number of Walker’s close associates to positions at United aimed at helping the club’s long-term outlook.

Nick Cox has been the Head of the Academy since 2019, but United hired Jack Adams to become the Assistant Head of the Academy. Adams has been with Walker since his days at Shamrock Rovers. Similarly, Jay Banks and Dylan Jackson have been recruited by Walker to run the Under-23 and Under-18 squads. Both Banks and Jackson worked with Walker in Ireland. Joey Johnson, who was Lille’s Head of Youth Scouting with Walker, will now take the same job at United. Walter King-Assistant Head of Scouting, Nathan Moore-Head of Player Development, and David White-Head of Player Recruitment, are all new, hired on the recommendation of Walker.

Walker, who seems to have a flair for the gentlemanly nature that English fans hope for in their managers, left the press conference with a promise.

“You'll be proud of this team on the pitch and in the community," he said, "but most especially, you'll be proud of this team in 112 days at Anfield." That's the day United is scheduled to face off against arch-rivals Liverpool at Anfield.


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Manchester United 2021-22 Roster

Attackers



Midfielders



Defenders



Goalkeepers



On Loan

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Manchester United loan out ten youngsters for the season

Three United players will be playing top flight soccer at new clubs as the team comes to terms with nine teams over the loan moves of ten players

By Felix Short | August 1, 2021, 4:21 PM EST

Axel Tuanzebe and Napoli have come to terms on a loan move for 2021-22. (Michael Bradley/Manchester Guardian)

Manchester, United Kingdom – As United enter the season, they’ve elected to send a number of their young prospects out on loan for the season. Many of these kids are too good for the Under-23 side and are desperately in need of minutes against adult competition, as they transition their way toward a meaningful role with United’s first team. Here is a breakdown of who is leaving and where they’re going.

Facundo Pellistri – United bought this 19-year-old (Pictured Right) for £9 million pounds last summer, and they’re eager to see him earn first team minutes. But the club has decided to keep Amad and Anthony Elanga as young wingers, so it was important for Pellistri to make a move. He made a good one, moving to La Liga side Deportivo Alavés where he will earn good minutes against world class competition.

Axel Tuanzebe – Tuanzebe also made a top class move, going to Serie A to move into the Napoli depth chart. Napoli’s defense is surprisingly thin, and while Tuanzebe could have competed with Eric Bailly, Victor Lindelöf and Phil Jones for minutes at United, he’s certainly going to get a lot more with Napoli.
Brandon Williams – Williams will keep his talent in the Premier League, joining a Norwich side that will be looking to stay in the at the top level after winning the English Championship last season.

Brandon Williams – Williams will keep his talent in the Premier League, joining a Norwich side that will be looking to stay in the top flight after winning the English Championship last season.

Tahith Chong – Another young winger that needs more minutes than United can provide, Chong will be making the move to the English Championship and joining Birmingham City. Chong has a chance to earn a starting role with the club and should earn valuable experience at the senior level.

Teden Mengi – Mengi will be joining Chong at Birmingham and will get the opportunity to join the defensive depth that Birmingham has collected.

Jimmy Garner – Garner, who Thomas Walker spoke about glowing after watching him practice, will make the move to Nottingham Forest. Forest seems poised to compete for promotion, and Garner will gain a lot from having gone through that experience.

Di’Shon Bernard – Bernard is joining ECL-side Hull City, who are fresh off their promotion from EFL1.

Ethan Laird – Laird will be joining ECL-side AFC Bournemouth as they attempt to climb their way back into the Premier League.

Dylan Levitt – This Welsh holding midfielder is heading north to the Scottish Premiership where he’ll earn plenty of minutes for Dundee United.

Nathan Bishop – Bishop is at the point in his career where he needs to be a starter, and EFL2 side Mansfield Town is where he’ll get that opportunity.

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Previewing the Under-23 Squad

Fans should get excited about the potential of a young German goalkeeper in United's Academy

By Logan Plant / @plantlounited / July 15, 2021, 7:30 AM EST

Hannibal Mejbri looks poised to take on the lead attacking role for the United Under-23 squad (Michael Bradley/Manchester Guardian)

Manchester, United Kingdom – In the weeks since Thomas Walker arrived at Old Trafford, he's spent most of his time with the senior squad. Sources tell RedDevilUnited that he's found a 'shocking' number of hours to work with the Youth program, the youth coaches, and the kids. Bringing in his developmental philosophy was one of the major selling points that convinced United that Walker was the right guy, and it may, in time, prove to be where he leaves his most significant impact.

Walker's focus on work rate, versatility, precision, and athleticism will be the most substantial emphasis for the Youth Squad and Academy in order to produce players that can play in his suffocating and quick-paced style.

"Youth development is the lifeblood of any program," Walker said in his introductory press conference, "We're going to build a foundationally solid youth program that continually delivers top talents to the first team. They'll be fast, aggressive, and will play with an edge. We're going to build that mentality and physicality at the youth level."

The roster looks primed to compete in the Premier League 2 with several prospects with futures with the first team. The biggest stand out stands out because he is the biggest, and that is goalkeeper Bruno Schmitt. The German youngster, 17, already towers over his teammates at 6'7" and has an even longer reach. Despite his size, he remains agile and quick and has proven to be an excellent shot-stopper. He will need to continue progressing with his ability on the ball, but few doubt that Schmitt has a big future as a first-teamer. Many consider him to be the top prospect in the United Academy at the moment.

In the more immediate term, Shola Shoretire and Hannibal Mejbri are two attacking players on which United fans should keep an eye. Both seem poised to make the jump to first-team football this season, and both have built quite a reputation as players with a legitimate Premier League future.

Long term, fans should take note of Norwegian international Daniel Hanssen. Walker lured the youngster away from the Lillestrøm SK Academy this summer. Hanssen proved to be among the top prospects in Norway on the youth circuit last season before leading the Norwegian U-20 team in goals scored at a recent youth international tournament. Landing Hanssen was a significant coup and one that may foreshadow Walker's ability to recruit young talent. The 16-year-old attacker has all the potential one could want from someone so young. He's still a few years away from impacting the first team, but there's no doubt he will be a significant contributor to the youth squad during the 2021-2022 campaign.

Other names worth monitoring include center-back Björn Hardley and midfielders Charlie Savage and Zidane Iqbal. All three are guys who could provide depth to the first team if needed.

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Re: United.

August Storylines: Manchester United

Manchester United opens the season with talent and potential, but can they put it all together?

By Felix Short | August 1, 2021, 5:47 AM EST

Raphaël Varane will look to sure up a shaky United defense. (Michael Bradley/Manchester Guardian)

Manchester, United Kingdom – Manchester United enters the new season with intrigue galore, after making three big name signings in the summer transfer window and tabbing a new and unproven coach to run the show. This month, they will look to get the season off on the right foot with three Premier League games. Here are some of the headlines, pressing questions and important thoughts for United fans heading into August.

Who starts next to Varane?

United spent £34 million this summer to bring in Raphaël Varane to be an anchor in the back, but who will be his running mate? Team captain Harry Maguire seems to be the obvious choice given his status with the team and hefty fee it took to pry him to United. Yet, Maguire’s game lacks a certain flash, and pace, that United want in their defense. Maguire was brought to United to fix the defense. Evidenced by the fact they had to bring Varane in this summer, it’s clear that Maguire hasn’t done that. Does that make Eric Bailly the most likely choice aside Varane? His athleticism must be intriguing to Thomas Walker, but Bailly has been in the Premier League since 2016 and has yet to make a significant impact. Last year, it was Victor Lindelöf who got the nod next to Harry Maguire. He brings more athleticism, but less size compared to Maguire, and the more size, less athleticism compared to Bailly. Perhaps he is the perfect middle? Then there is the injury-prone Phil Jones. He was once considered one of the most promising young center backs in the game. Perhaps new eyes will find a new take on the former budding star?

Can United resign Paul Pogba?

Paul Pogba has been fickle in his musings about resigning with Manchester United beyond this season. He’s repeatedly been linked to Real Madrid and could finally be done with United when his contract runs out after the season. But this has been the song and dance with Pogba since returning to United from Juventus in 2016. There’s no doubt that Pogba is a world class player, so United will certainly give their best efforts to resign him. Can new coach Thomas Walker make Manchester the place for Paul Pogba? Can they make progress in contract negotiations? Only time will tell.

How do Ronaldo, Varane and Sancho fit in?

United made no secret of their intention to win big this year after signing Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho to go with Varane. United has needed better defense and more dynamism on the wing for years and Sancho and Varane should solve those issues. That’s assuming Walker can get them on the same page with the rest of the team and properly integrate them. Then, of course, there is Cristiano Ronaldo, who forces whichever team he is on to adapt to him. Is Walker up to the task? That will be the main question everyone will have in mind every time United takes the pitch.

Who will United draw in the Champions league?

United are once again in the Champions league after finishing second in the Premier League last year. In the next week, the Champions League Draw will occur, giving United roughly six weeks to prepare for their first opponent.

August Games

vs Leeds United at Old Trafford Premier League
at Southampton at Saint Mary’s Stadium Premier League
at Wolves at Molineux Stadium Premier League

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Premier League brought to you by Barclays

Manchester United
Starting IX

Starting IX
1 David De Gea
3 Eric Bailly
6 Paul Pogba
7 Cristiano Ronaldo
10 Marcus Rashford
18 Bruno Fernandes
19 Raphaël Varane
27 Alex Telles
29 Aaron Wan-Bissaka
36 Anthony Elanga
39 Scott McTominay

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Leeds Spoil United Debut with Late Equalizer

Manchester United looked good in their season opener, but the football gods had other plans

By Felix Short | August 14, 2021, 4:21 PM EST

Leeds midfielder Mateusz Klich celebrating his 92nd minute equalizer. (Michael Bradley/Manchester Guardian)

Manchester, United Kingdom – The Thomas Walker era officially kicked off today with a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford in which United dominated possession but couldn’t come up with the win following late heroics from the visitors. Leeds midfielder Mateusz Klich came away with the game tying goal in the 92nd minute to earn one point.

“Of course, we’re all disappointed in the way the game ended,” said United boss Thomas Walker after the game, “We felt we really controlled the game for the majority and felt good about coming away with the win toward the end. But that’s what makes this great game so great.”

The last second equalizer tarnished what had been a great day for United fans. United allowed the first goal on a counterattacking opportunity that gave Patrick Bamford the first chance to dent the scoreboard. Still, despite going into halftime down 1-0, United always felt like they were in control of the game. The payoff came in the 49th minute when Marcus Rashford notched his first goal of the campaign. Cristiano Ronaldo put his own mark on the scoresheet in the 63rd giving United the 2-1 lead they took to injury time. Unfortunately for United fans, fate had other plans and a late surge from Leeds led to a game-tying goal for the visitors.

The tie opens the season for the Red Devils with one point, but more important were the contributions of their three big summer signings. Ronaldo was involved in both goals, Raphaël Varane played well defensively, and Jadon Sancho came on in the 69th minute to log his first game action with United. And of course, Thomas Walker notched the first draw of his United career.

“It felt good to get out there again in front of these fans,” said Cristiano Ronaldo after thunderous applause came his way all game, “we’re upset with the result, but not with how we played. We’re going to be a good team.”

The make-up of the team surprised many by lining up in the 4-2-2-2 formation and including several surprise inclusions. Perhaps most surprising was the inclusion of 19-year-old Anthony Elanga over Jadon Sancho or Anthony Martial. The 19-year-old made his first Premier League start in what was a non-descript performance. Walker also included Alex Telles and Eric Bailly, as he favored stronger defense and more athleticism against a counterattacking Leeds squad. Still, one must wonder where Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire are on the Thomas Walker depth chart.

With that lineup, United controlled the run of play, with 65% possession.

18-year-old Amad Diallo also made his season debut, coming on for Paul Pogba in the 86th minute. Diallo’s minutes, as well as Elanga’s start, are the first indications that new manager Thomas Walker intends to give plenty of game time to the youngsters.

“Anthony and Amad did well today,” Walker mentioned in his press conference, “We’re really excited about what they can bring to our team. I don’t really think inexperience is an excuse for poor play, and I’m not afraid to let talented players go out and earn their minutes.

Walker will have to turn his focus quickly as United next travel to Southampton.

Leeds United: 2
Goal Scorers: Patrick Bamford (17’), Mateusz Klich (92’); Assists: Rodrigo, Jack Harrison

Man United: 2
Goal Scorers: (49’), (63’); Assists: ,

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Thoughts: Will any Lille Stars follow Walker to United?

United have remained quiet on the transfer front, but there are several Lille stars who would look great in Red

By Logan Plant / @plantlounited / August 17, 2021, 7:30 AM EST

Renato Sanches could be a wonderful replacement for Paul Pogba (Michael Bradley/Manchester Guardian)

Latest Transfer Buzz – New United boss Thomas Walker has now managed his first game for United. He’s played his hand as to who he may or may not favor, and he’s spent six weeks practicing with the team, and getting a sense of what he has. United have always maintained that the £122 million pounds they spent on Jadon Sancho, Raphaël Varane, and Cristiano Ronaldo, was all that they planned on spending this summer, but has anything changed now that Walker is on the job and has seen the team? With two weeks left before the transfer window closes, who could United look at?

For a club that is as active in the transfer market as Manchester United traditionally is, it’s been remarkably inactive in rumor mill. Since there are no names being linked to United, we can only speculate who may have the interest of the new boss. Without rumors, we are forced to look at who he’s worked with in the past, so here are the Ligue Un winning stars that currently lead LOSC Lille.

The most impactful player for Lille is former Bayern Munich wonderkid Renato Sanches. Bringing in a Portuguese star would certainly fit Manchester United’s transfer history. Sanches is an athletic midfielder who could handle the role Paul Pogba has filled in recent years. Sanches becomes a particularly intriguing option if Manchester United cannot come to terms with Pogba on a contract extension. Sanches is quick on the ball, has the high work rate that Walker loves and has long-range scoring potential, but he comes with the same injury questions as Pogba. It’s also not clear how he would fit onto a roster that also included Donny van de Beek, as the two are similar ages and at a similar development stage. Still, the Lille midfielder is one to keep an eye on.

Perhaps the two most promising young breakout talents that Lille have are centerback Sven Botman and striker Jonathan David. Botman, 21, would bring a size that would be intriguing. At 6-foot-5, he’s a physical presence on both sides of the ball and would be an athleticism upgrade over Harry Maguire. He has the level of technical ability and physicality that would fit well in the Premier League.

The Canadian striker Jonathan David would be fun to pair with the Canadian Manager Thomas Walker and it could make a lot of sense. United’s only two true strikers are 34 and 36 years old, and one of them is out contract at the end of the season. Adding a young striker will be a priority over the next year and David could be an excellent option if they can’t persuade one of the big fish, Mbappé and Haaland, to come to Old Trafford.

Jonathan Bamba is also an intriguing option as a winger. United have Anthony Martial, Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford, but they would certainly be interested in adding the super speedy Bamba, who has really excelled under Walker in recent seasons. Full back Reinildo is another interest option if Walker is not thrilled with the production he’s getting from Alex Telles and Luke Shaw. Reinildo not only possesses tremendous pace for a fullback, but his contract expires at the end of the season, and he could be itching for a move.

The last two names worth thinking over are Tiago Djaló, a 21-year-old centerback, and Amadou Onana, a 19-year-old defensive midfielder. Neither player has had their breakout for Lille yet, but both were youngsters that Walker has spoken very highly of in the past. If he thinks they are talented enough to make an impact at the Premier League level, he may just go get them.

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Premier League brought to you by Barclays

Manchester United
Starting IX

Starting IX
1 David De Gea
5 Harry Maguire
6 Paul Pogba
7 Cristiano Ronaldo
10 Marcus Rashford
17 Fred
18 Bruno Fernandes
19 Raphaël Varane
23 Luke Shaw
25 Jadon Sancho
29 Aaron Wan-Bissaka

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Manchester United Dominate in Southampton

United looked dominant in a 5-1 win at Southampton in which they controlled every aspect

By Felix Short | August 22, 2021, 4:21 PM EST

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrating his 29th minute goal in his signature style. (Michael Bradley/Manchester Guardian)

Southampton, England – Manchester United made the trip south to compete in what can only be described as a trouncing. United came to take care of business, and that’s exactly what they did, earning an impressive 5-1 win at Saint Mary’s Stadium in Southampton.

United controlled the game from the get-go, powering home three first half goals, and pushing the lead to 4-0 in the early second half, before taking the foot off the gas. United controlled 70% possession, and it was only a soft breakaway goal from Southampton’s Adam Armstrong in the 58th minute that kept United from earning an A in all facets. It was clear from the jump that Southampton had no chance, and only managed a meager six shots on goal the entire game.

Paul Pogba opened the scoring in the 12th minute after Cristiano Ronaldo earned him free space in the box, which Pogba made good use of. The United attack added a second goal only four minutes later after Jadon Sancho’s blocked shot fell at the feet of Marcus Rashford for the tap in. Cristiano Ronaldo put all doubt to rest in the 29th minute with a magnificent display of world class control in tight spaces as he maneuvered a few defenders in the box to get himself an open shot. This gave United a 3-0 half time lead.

Ronaldo again found the back of the net in the 49th minute after a beautiful long pass down the sideline from Fred gave Marcus Rashford the room to get in behind the defense. A simple cross to an open Ronaldo in front of net extended the United lead to 4-0. United switched to a back five after this in order to slow the tempo of the game but were still able to put up an extra goal in injury time. That became United’s first set piece goal of the year off a corner from Bruno Fernandes that found Edinson Cavani’s head, then the back of the net. (Pictured Right)

We finally got to witness the suffocating pressure that we’d seen from Thomas Walker’s Lille squad over the past few seasons, and it resulted in the new United man earning his first win in Red and three points on the season.

“We were really exceptional today,” said Walker after the game, “we controlled the tempo, our pressure was everywhere all the time. Our guys worked hard today, they got themselves some great opportunities and took advantage of them.”

Harry Maguire was the lone blemish on an otherwise tremendous day for the Red Devils. He was single handedly responsible for the poor defense that led to Southampton’s only goal in the 58th minute. He also earned a Yellow Card a few minutes later after a bad and unnecessary foul. There have been a lot of eyes on the United captain this summer as he’s clearly not a fit for Thomas Walker’s style of play.

After the goal from Maguire, United subbed on Victor Lindelöf for Jadon Sancho and switched to a back five to protect their lead. The move worked and Southampton didn’t get another clean shot on goal for the rest of the game.

Luke Shaw, despite missing last game in favor of Alex Telles, did get the start at left back against his old team, and played fine. It was his season debut.

Cristiano Ronaldo earned man of the match honors after dazzling the crowd with two goals and an assist, and he showed off the world class talent that he clearly still has. If Ronaldo is going to play like this, United are going to win a lot of games this season.

United next travel to Wolverhampton to take on the Wanderers on the 29th. As for Southampton, last week’s 2-1 loss to Everton, and this week’s blowout loss to United may point to them being early relegation favorites.

Southampton F.C.: 1
Goal Scorers: Adam Armstrong (58’)

Man United: 2
Goal Scorers: (12’), (16’), (29’), (49’), (92’);
Assists: , ,

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Rumor: United Interested in Signing Rüdiger

Sources inside the offices at Old Trafford have revealed that United would love to add Chelsea center-back Antonio Rüdiger to their defense next season

By Logan Plant / @plantlounited / August 24, 2021, 7:30 AM EST

Tony Rüdiger could be entering the final season of his Chelsea career (Michael Bradley/Manchester Guardian)

Latest Transfer Buzz – Manchester United have reportedly shown interest in bringing Chelsea defender Antonio Rüdiger to Old Trafford if he does not re-sign with Chelsea over the next four months. The German center-back’s contract expires at the end of this season.

At 28, the next contract will likely be the last big one for Rüdiger, who will be looking to cash in. Chelsea have a number of other defenders whose contracts expire at the conclusion of this season, and they may not be keen on spending £200,000 a week on Rüdiger’s wage.

Rüdiger’s career had something of a resurgence under manager Thomas Tuechel, who has helped Rüdiger become one of the most well-regarded defenders in the Premier League.

The interest from United clearly indicates that manager Thomas Walker isn’t completely thrilled with the center-backs currently on roster. With a demonstrated history of success in the Premier League and the athleticism and ball control that Thomas Walker loves, Rüdiger could be an ideal candidate to slot next to Raphaël Varane.

If Rüdiger does enter January without a new contract he will be a hot name for every team that can afford him, including Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

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Re: United.

Premier League brought to you by Barclays

Manchester United
Starting IX

Starting IX
1 David De Gea
3 Eric Bailly
6 Paul Pogba
7 Cristiano Ronaldo
10 Marcus Rashford
18 Bruno Fernandes
19 Raphaël Varane
20 Diogo Dalot
23 Luke Shaw
25 Jadon Sancho
36 Anthony Elanga

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Re: United.

Wolves Stun United with Walk Off Goal

Pedro Neto sent Wolves fans home happy after a 94th minute goal gave Wolves a 2-1 win against Manchester United

By Felix Short | August 29, 2021, 4:05 PM EST

Pedro Neto celebrating his game winning goal in the final seconds. (Michael Bradley/Manchester Guardian)

Southampton, England – Manchester United suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Wolverhampton at Molineux on Sunday, in what will go down as the first and most heartbreaking career loss for new head man Thomas Walker. A 94th minute tap in by Pedro Neto gave Wolverhampton the one goal lead that would send their fans home happy.

There was very little separating these teams on Sunday, as Wolverhampton rode the home crowd and went toe-to-toe with the Red Devils. United seemed to have a slight edge in the game in the first half. This was capped off just before the half as they earned a 1-0 lead behind the demonstrated class of Paul Pogba and his right foot. The second half was a different story after Wolverhampton striker Raúl Jiménez found the equalizer in the 51st minute. It would be misleading to say that Wolverhampton took control of the game at this point, as the two teams traded blows with neither able to come up with significant chances on goal for much of the second half. That was until deep into injury time when substitute Hwang Hee Chan (Pictured Left) got loose on a counterattack and found Pedro Neto in front of goal with a cross for the game winner.

Thomas Walker took the blame for United after the game.

“I’m devastated for the boys,” he said, “I didn’t put them in a position to get a result. That’s entirely on me and I own up to that. I’ll learn from this mistake, and we’ll improve moving forward.”

So, what happened on the final play? Pedro Neto broke loose behind right fullback Diogo Dalot, who is known more for his offensive output than his defensive quality. The reason Dalot was given the start was because Walker knew that he needed to play more defensively on the left flank because of the ever-present counterattacking threat of Adama Traoré. With left-back Luke Shaw forced into more defensive duties, Walker wanted a better attacking presence on the right side than starter Aaron Wan-Bissaka could provide. The plan worked to keep Traoré in check as he was subbed off for Hwang Hee Chan without having much impact. United didn’t counter by putting in Wan-Bissaka however, electing to leave Dalot out there even as Luke Shaw began to creep up more offensively. The mistake proved costly as it was Luke Shaw’s offensive position that freed up space on the right wing for Hwang Hee Chan, and Diogo Dalot failing to come back defensively that freed up Pedro Neto on the left wing to come in for a wide-open game winner in the final moments.

The loss must be tough for the United faithful to swallow, but there were several other talking points that are sure to light up the message boards tonight.

Harry Maguire was not only benched after his poor performance against Southampton, but he didn’t even make the roster. Maguire has been the source of consternation for a while for United fans, but his exclusion from the roster was still a surprise. The team captain was not available for comment, but it is clear he is playing second fiddle to Eric Bailly and Raphaël Varane at this point.

Another poor performance came from the likes of Donny van de Beek, who came on for Paul Pogba around the 65th minute. The move was surprising and really hampered the United offense in the last twenty minutes of the game as van de Beek failed to impress. It was his first action of the season, but after he failed to make an impact last season under Ole Gunnar Skolsjær, it is fair to wonder if he has what it takes at this level.

Another surprise inclusion in the roster was that of Anthony Elanga, the young winger on the outside of the 4-4-2 that United deployed today. Elanga felt invisible in this game, although so did Jadon Sancho on the opposite side so perhaps it was a matter of the game plan. He was in there to help Luke Shaw defensively on the left side, so his offensive output was necessarily lacking. Still, it is noteworthy that three games into the season, Thomas Walker has already elected to give two starts to the youngster.

Paul Pogba (Pictured Right) will go down as United’s best player in the loss, having scored in his second consecutive game. Despite the goal, Pogba was subbed off around the 65th minute of a tied game in favor of Donny van de Beek. Pogba’s absence was noticeable.

“It’s incredibly frustrating,” Pogba said after the game, “When you know you can impact the game. When you know you can help your team win. You want to be out there and to not be is frustrating.”

United are still in contract negotiations to extend Paul Pogba, who is a free agent at the end of this season.

The Premier League season will pause today for the international break. Manchester United next host Newcastle on September 11th. After three games, United sit tenth in the table with 4 points. Wolves sit in 11th, with the same.

Wolverhampton Wanderers: 2
Goal Scorers: Raúl Jiménez (51'), Pedro Neto (94'); Assists: Hwang Hee Chan

Manchester United F.C.: 1
Goal Scorers: (45’);
Assists: n/a