Richard Martin

Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has been found guilty of non-serious assault and handed a suspended 15-month jail sentence, reduced from an original sentence of 21 months following the retrial into a violent incident in Greece in 2020. Maguire was arrested six years ago while holidaying with eight other people, including his sister, brother and wife.

Manchester United midfielder Jack Fletcher has been hit with a long ban for using homophobic language while playing for the club's under-21 side. Fletcher, the son of former United midfielder and recent caretaker coach Darren, has admitted to using a discriminatory term during an EFL Trophy match at Barnsley in October, which led to him being sent off. He has apologised for the offence caused by his words.

Pep Guardiola has claimed that he is not a "big, big fan" of the January transfer window, but Manchester City's recent winter business suggests otherwise. City have signed six players in the last two January windows, spending a total of £264 million ($353m) in the process. But whereas last year's purchases smacked of desperation, the recent acquisitions of Marc Guehi and Antoine Semenyo are looking like masterstrokes.

Michael Carrick has taken a thinly-veiled pop at Premier League leaders Arsenal by saying there is now too much contact in the penalty area from set pieces. Mikel Arteta's side have scored a league-high 22 goals from set pieces this season, with their strategy to prioritise dead-ball situations fuelling their bid to win a first league title since 2004.

Pep Guardiola has given an update on Erling Haaland's injury as Manchester City sweat on their top scorer's fitness before their Premier League clash at home to Nottingham Forest on Wednesday. Haaland sustained a minor issue in training last Thursday, missing the 1-0 win at Leeds United. Haaland's availability was naturally the main talking point ahead of the game against struggling Forest.

Manchester United made a special pitch to Benjamin Sesko which convinced him to join the Red Devils over Newcastle despite the Magpies offering him a higher salary. Sesko was the subject of interest from Arsenal and Newcastle last summer before opting to move to Old Trafford in a £74 million ($99m) signing and after a slow start he is beginning to pay off the fee with a spate of goals since January.

When Roy Keane claimed in January that Michael Carrick should not get the Manchester United job permanently even if he wins every game until the end of the season, it was easy to think that the hypothetical scenario he painted would never be tested. But the man who inherited the famous No.16 shirt from the polemical Irishman at Old Trafford and thus unwillingly became his sworn enemy is holding Keane to his word.

Manchester City were dealt a fresh injury blow after their 1-0 at Leeds United in addition to losing Erling Haaland, who missed the trip to Elland Road with a minor knee problem. City's top scorer sustained the injury in Thursday's training session although Pep Guardiola insisted it was "not a big issue". City's injury problems deepened during the match as another key player was forced off.

Pep Guardiola has criticised the Leeds United supporters who booed the Muslim Manchester City players observing Ramadan when they broke their fast during Saturday's Premier League match. The City coach called for more tolerance and said that respecting other religions was part of living in the modern world, while Leeds' assistant boss Edmund Riemer said he was also disappointed with the reaction.

Just five months ago Oliver Glasner was looking like a serious candidate to be the next Manchester United manager. On the day serious doubts about Ruben Amorim's future began to emerge following the limp defeat at Brentford in late September, Glasner's Crystal Palace beat Liverpool, halting the Red's seven-game winning streak and leaving the Eagles as the only unbeaten team in the Premier League.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka has lifted the lid on his complicated relationship with former Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag and explained what led to him leaving the Red Devils to join West Ham in 2024. Wan-Bissaka joined United in 2019 from Crystal Palace for £50m but he has revealed how difficult it was for him to settle in at the club despite him getting on with then coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Manchester United boss Michael Carrick has given an update on Matthijs de Ligt as the Dutchman continues his recovery from a back injury. The coach also had positive news about another stricken United player as his side prepare to welcome Crystal Palace to Old Trafford on Sunday, when the Red Devils will be looking for their fourth consecutive home victory.

Angel di Maria has lifted the lid on why his time at Manchester United was such a disappointment. The winger joined United for a then club record fee of £60m just after helping Real Madrid win their first Champions League in 12 years and reaching the World Cup final with Argentina. But after a promising start he began to struggle at the Red Devils and sought an exit after his first season.

They say you should never meet your heroes, but Brazilian teenage prodigy Dell probably wouldn't agree. The Bahia and Brazil Under-17s striker has idolised Erling Haaland since he was a child, so imagine the excitement he got when, one day in training, he received a video message from the Manchester City hitman.

Pep Guardiola said one should always be careful when criticising strikers like Erling Haaland. All it takes, the Manchester City boss explained, is for them to score again and "shut your mouth". Lately, however, Haaland has been shutting mouths without scoring. Over the last year he has turned into the complete forward, an even more frightening prospect to opponents than he was before, and an even greater asset to City's hopes of winning a quadruple.

Manchester United chief executive Omar Berrada hailed the club's off-pitch transformation after squad costs fell due to a summer clearout of players. Despite bringing in Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Senne Lammens for a total of £225.5m, United were able to shave £14m ($18.9m) off their total wage bill due to player sales and sending others out on loan.

Matheus Cunha has highlighted Michael Carrick's role in Manchester United's win at Arsenal last month and claimed he 'will never forget' how his side brushed off conceding twice to become the first team this season to beat the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium. The Brazilian scored the decisive goal in the 3-2 win by curling into the top corner in the 87th minute.

Manchester United's 1-0 win at Everton was the perfect showcase for the recruitment team. The goal was the work of the three summer signings: started by Matheus Cunha, packaged by Bryan Mbeumo and clinically dispatched by Benjamin Sesko. The lead was then protected by the man who is proving to be United's best signing of the last year and looks like their best hire for many years: Senne Lammens.