Richard Martin

Manchester United dropped more valuable points at home as they squandered a second-half lead to draw 1-1 with West Ham, blowing the chance to move into the Premier League's top five. Diogo Dalot gave the underwhelming Red Devils the lead in the second half but they could not hold on to it, with Soungoutou Magassa levelling late in the game as United failed to properly defend a corner.

Ruben Amorim has explained why he dropped Leny Yoro from his starting line-up against West Ham United and revealed the reason for Matthijs de Ligt's absence from the squad. The coach hauled Yoro off in the 54th minute at Crystal Palace after he had given away a penalty and the French youngster was visibly distraught as he watched the remainder of the game from the bench.

December 2024 was a strange month for Joshua Zirkzee. It began with a two-goal salvo against Everton, but ended in humiliation as he was hauled off 33 minutes into United’s defeat by Newcastle, his substitution greeted with mocking applause from his own fans.

Ruben Amorim has challenged Matheus Cunha to raise his game after a slow start to his Manchester United career and to avoid being too affected by social media criticism over his lack of goals and assists. Cunha has scored only one goal for the Red Devils following his £62.5m move from Wolves in the summer but will have the chance to increase his account against West Ham on Thursday.

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim said he avoids using social media in order to protect himself after he was revealed to be the top target of online abuse in English football. An investigation by the BBC found that Amorim received more abuse than any other figure in the game during the weekend of United's 2-2 draw with Tottenham in November, followed by Liverpool manager Arne Slot.

Erling Haaland brought up a century of Premier League goals and Phil Foden continued his impressive scoring streak in a hugely entertaining 5-4 win for Manchester City over Fulham. But Pep Guardiola's side will be hugely concerned about his side's defending as they conceded three goals and almost threw away a victory for the second time in four days.

Erling Haaland became the fastest player ever to score 100 Premier League goals as he struck the opening goal in Manchester City's epic 5-4 win at Fulham on Tuesday. The Norwegian hitman reached a century of goals in 111 games, smashing Alan Shearer's previous record of 100 strikes in 124 matches.

Pep Guardiola once described Tottenham as 'the Harry Kane team', but amid Manchester City's ridiculous reliance on their own superstar striker this season, it has been suggested that his side could be renamed 'the Erling Haaland team'. But after Phil Foden pulled off a miraculous escape act against Leeds United on Saturday, a fairer description might be 'the Haaland AND Foden team'.

Phil Foden was in disbelief after he rescued all three points for Manchester City after a totally unexpected fightback from Leeds United. Foden, who had got the ball rolling by scoring in the first minute, fired in the winner in added time to grab a 3-2 victory for Pep Guardiola's side after the struggling visitors had come back from two goals down at the break to level the score.

Manchester United are falling behind their rivals at academy level due to poor facilities and trouble recruiting staff, according to a new report. The club is renowned for developing young talent but that reputation is at risk amid a lack of players pushing for places in Ruben Amorim's first-team squad at the moment, while there is concern among staff about the direction the academy is heading in.

Ruben Amorim complained earlier this season that his 3-4-3 formation is always to blame whenever Manchester United lose but on the rare occasion they win, his tactics are not credited. The coach's system has been the No. 1 talking point since he took charge of the Red Devils, with many believing it cannot work in the Premier League. But Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner is proving otherwise.

Manchester United will still be without Matheus Cunha, Harry Maguire and Benjamin Sesko for their next game against Crystal Palace as they look to respond to their chastening defeat against 10-man Everton. Cunha sustained a knock in training before the Everton game and Amorim has confirmed that while he will not be back to face Oliver Glasner's side, he could return to face West Ham on Thursday.

Pep Guardiola blasted his Manchester City players following their Champions League defeat by Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday. The Catalan has had three days to reflect on the 2-0 loss against the Bundesliga side at the Etihad Stadium, for which he made 10 changes to his starting line-up. And he has concluded that his players did not put in the required effort.

Kalvin Phillips left Leeds United for Manchester City to chase his dreams, but since penning an emotional, two-page letter to his boyhood club to mark his departure from Elland Road, his career has been a living nightmare. There have been multiple runs of bad luck, injuries and humiliation, and when his former club visit the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, the England international is highly unlikely to even be on the bench.

Pep Guardiola marked his 100th match in the Champions League with Manchester City by dishonouring the competition with an arrogant team selection and got what he deserved: a 2-0 defeat to a streetwise and slick Bayer Leverkusen. The three-time winner of Europe's top competition made 10 changes to his line-up, including leaving out Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Ruben Dias.

Manchester City fans joked that Pep Guardiola had named a starting line-up more befitting of a Carabao Cup tie than a Champions League match as the manager made 10 changes for his side's clash with Bayer Leverkusen. Erling Haaland was among those dropped for the game against the Bundesliga side, three days after City fell to a 2-1 defeat by Newcastle in the Premier League.

One year should be more than enough time to transmit your ideas to your squad and mould them to your way of playing. But Ruben Amorim's first anniversary as Manchester United coach against Everton felt like being back at square one, his players still no closer to working out how to beat mid-table Premier League opponents, even when playing against 10 men for more than 77 minutes.

Gary Neville thought taking the Valencia job in December 2015 would begin his route to eventually becoming England manager; instead, his four-month stint in Spain drained his confidence, made him ill and put him off coaching for life. Neville's was a shock appointment as the former Manchester United defender took over one of the biggest clubs in La Liga despite having no club coaching experience, little knowledge of Spanish football and no grasp of the language.