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Richard Martin

Northern Football Writer

📝 Bio: I'm a football writer covering Manchester United and Manchester City. I am a regular at Old Trafford and The Etihad Stadium and am often found at the City Football Academy or United's Carrington Training Ground for press conferences. I covered Spanish football for 10 years at the height of the Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi era, witnessing Real Madrid win three consecutive Champions Leagues while Barca scooped multiple La Liga crowns. I moved back to my former home of Manchester in 2023, in time to cover City swooping to the treble and a record-breaking fourth successive Premier League crown, plus the never-ending melodrama unfolding at United. Highlights while working for GOAL include interviewing Julian Alvarez, Harry Maguire and Diogo Dalot.

⚽ My Football Story: My first game was seeing Manchester United getting destroyed 4-1 by Tottenham in 1996, aged eight. It did not put me off and I have since been to over 700 matches across 16 countries and three continents, from standing on the terraces at River Plate and Napoli to filing match reports from the World Cup final in Moscow or the Europa League final in Bilbao. I live and breathe terrace culture but I equally enjoy analysing the game's top players and coaches.

🎯 Areas of Expertise:

  • Manchester United & Manchester City
  • La Liga
  • Fan culture

🌟 Favourite Footballing Memory:

Reporting from the Copa Libertadores final between River Plate and Boca Juniors in Madrid, a once-in-a-lifetime event and a privilege to experience live.

 

 

 

Articles by Richard Martin
  1. Not League Two anymore! How Haaland elevated all-round game

    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.

  2. Man Utd cut wages due to Amorim-led clearout

    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.

  3. Cunha 'will never forget' how Carrick planned Arsenal win

    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.

  4. Lammens proving to be one of EPL's best recent bargains

    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.

  5. Sesko reveals truth about Berbatov shooting advice

    Benjamin Sesko has revealed the truth about rumours he has been taking shooting advice from Dimitar Berbatov amid his scoring hot streak for Manchester United. Sesko fired the Red Devils to a priceless 1-0 win at Everton on Monday, scoring his sixth goal in seven appearances and his eighth in total as he continues to pay off his £74m ($100m) transfer fee since arriving from RB Leipzig last summer.

  6. Unsung O'Reilly becoming a key figure for City & England

    Manchester City hoped, and may even have expected that a midfielder called Nico would transform their fortunes during the second half of last season. The man that has become key to Pep Guardiola’s side’s mid-season surge and made them contenders to pull off the quadruple is not, however, the gangly Nico Gonzalez, who was recruited from Porto for £50 million last January, but rather academy graduate Nico O’Reilly, who cost nothing at all.

  1. 'What slump?!' - Aguero blasts Haaland critics

    Sergio Aguero has rubbished claims that Erling Haaland has been on a goalscoring slump, saying the Manchester City superstar has spoiled all football fans due to his ridiculous strike rate. Haaland struck 14 times in the opening 11 Premier League games of the season but has slowed down since, going eight matches without scoring in open play between December and February.

  2. Aguero aims brutal jibe at Man Utd on Fergie and Pep comparison

    Legendary Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has rubbished suggestions that Pep Guardiola's eventual departure could lead to the club suffering a similar decline to the one Manchester United experienced when Sir Alex Ferguson retired. According to reports, there is an expectation that Guardiola could step down from his role at the end of this season after 10 years as City coach.

  3. Former footballer charged with attempted murder

    A former professional footballer who spent time at the youth academies of Manchester United and Liverpool has been charged with attempted murder following the shooting of a man in Merseyside. Paddy Lacey, who became a professional boxer after retiring from football in 2023, is among four people charged after a man in his 20s was left in a critical condition in November.

  4. 'You have responsibility at Man Utd' - Carrick gives Sir Jim a reminder

    Michael Carrick has said that Manchester United players and staff must understand the responsibility they have as representatives of one of the biggest clubs in the world, in light of co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe's controversial recent remarks about immigration in Britain. The billionaire has apologised for his language but his comments are still generating a lot of reaction more than a week later.

  5. Marmoush needs to start easing the goal burden on Haaland

    If Manchester City want to stand the very best chance of beating Newcastle on Saturday, there is a very simple step Pep Guardiola can take: Start Omar Marmoush. The Egypt forward has scored five times in his two starts against the Magpies, with his goals against Eddie Howe's side accounting for 41 percent of his total output since he arrived at the Etihad Stadium last January.

  6. Can Ratcliffe turn Man Utd around after two years to forget?

    "To become co-owner of Manchester United is a great honour and comes with great responsibility." Those the words of Sir Jim Ratcliffe upon purchasing his 27.7 percent stake in the Red Devils in February 2024. "This marks the completion of the transaction, but just the beginning of our journey to take Manchester United back to the top of English, European and world football, with world-class facilities for our fans."

  7. Madrid warned Rodri would prefer another club if he leaves City

    Real Madrid have been warned to not expect Rodri to join them if he chooses to leave Manchester City due to his preference for another Spanish club. Rodri is on the road back to his best after missing almost all of last season due to tearing his ACL and having repeated injury setbacks this campaign, boosting City's bid to win the Premier League and go deep in the Champions League.