United lost at Parken by four goals to three.

The Red Devils seemed to be comfortably in control after Rasmus Hojlund gave his side a commanding two-goal lead.

However, Rashford was given a dubious red card in the 42nd minute that turned the game on its head.

Copenhagen scored two goals before the interval to restore parity.

United momentarily took the lead in the second half when Bruno Fernandes converted his shot from the penalty spot, but Jacob Neestrup’s men once again scored twice in the space of five minutes to hand United a devastating loss.

After the final whistle, Hojlund spoke to the media and blamed Rashford’s sending-off for the Red Devils’ defeat.

According to The Telegraph’s James Ducker, there is a chance Rashford could miss United’s upcoming crucial Champions League fixtures against Galatasaray and Bayern Munich in Turkey and Old Trafford respectively.

The 20-time English champions almost certainly need to get a result in both games if they are to get out of their group and advance to the next round of the competition.

According to Ducker, “Ten Hag faces anxious wait to discover if Rashford could face two-match ban for red card.”

“Manchester United cannot appeal the red under UEFA rules.”

“UEFA disciplinary body will meet before Galatasaray game to determine whether it’s a one-match ban or whether it should be a two-game ban.”

Ten Hag faces anxious wait to discover if Rashford could face two match ban for red card. #MUFC cannot appeal the red under UEFA rules. UEFA disciplinary body will meet before Galatasaray game to determine whether it’s a one match ban or whether it should be a two game ban

— James Ducker (@TelegraphDucker) November 9, 2023

United will face Galatasaray on November 29.

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Gareth Southgate has named his England squad for November's Euro qualifiers

Raheem Sterling once again misses out on the squad with Southgate making no major changes to the England team that won back-to-back matches last month, with Callum Wilson the only player to be… pic.twitter.com/6uXwTRyzE0

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) November 9, 2023

The two games are England’s last in their qualifying campaign.

The Three Lions secured their qualification for the competition after beating Italy in a 3-1 victory last month. Rashford scored a stunning goal in that clash at Wembley Stadium.

Since Southgate’s side have also secured top spot in Group C, the players will be looking to use their two remaining fixtures to prepare for the Euros and keep fit until club football returns after the upcoming international break.

Southgate spoke to the media and gave his reasons for selecting Rashford, who is currently undergoing a tough time at United.

The forward has only managed one goal across 15 appearances in all competitions this season.

He was the subject of a controversial red card decision during United’s most recent defeat against FC Copenhagen at Parken.

Courtesy of his sending-off in the first half, the Red Devils played a large part of the game a man down and could not manage to get a result vs. Jacob Neestrup’s men.

Southgate said about Rashford being called up, “I’ve not spoken to him. He knows we love him.”

“He’s been exceptional in his last three starts with us so we’re really happy with him. He enjoys his football with us so, for me, there’s nothing to discuss. What happens at his club is nothing to do with me.”

On whether Rashford deserved to be given his marching orders against Copenhagen, Southgate remarked, “He’s unlucky. I think it’s a red card, in the end the action takes him into a player. But everyone knows he’s trying to protect the ball and get his body across it. It’s just really unfortunate in that respect.”

The England boss expressed his pleasure at Maguire’s change in fortunes at Old Trafford.

At the moment, Maguire seems to be back in Erik ten Hag’s plans and even appears to be above Raphael Varane in the pecking order.

Southgate stated, “It’s great. I thought it might mean this was the first time I wouldn’t get a question about him! You want your players to be enjoying their club football and he’s battling for the team. I’m really pleased for him.”

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Manchester United’s damaging defeat in the Champions League last night has left their hopes of qualifying for the knockout phase of the competition hanging by a thread.

On a night of high drama in Denmark, United ended up on the losing side of controversial encounter, with FC Copenhagen eventually winning by four goals to three.

United took a commanding two goal lead in the opening exchanges and looked likely to add to their advantage before Marcus Rashford saw red on the 42nd minute.

Copenhagen equalised shortly after and were then awarded a debatable penalty kick deep into the 13 minutes of added on time in the first half.

As reported by Danish media, Alejandro Garnacho attempted to scuff the penalty spot before Diogo Gonçalves converted to restore parity in the game and swing the momentum toward the home side.

Copenhagen defender Dennis Vavro, who was lucky not to be sent off in the second half, told the written press he spotted the misdemeanour, labelling Garnacho “a clown”.

“I saw he was trying to do something about the penalty, but Kevin Diks was in front and blocked. This is the second time. And then on our trajectory? To me, he’s a clown,” said Vavro.

It was not the first time Garnacho has tampered with a penalty spot after dragging his studs over the Old Trafford turf before Copenhagen took their last gasp penalty in the reverse fixture, two weeks ago.

Andre Onana saved the kick in Manchester but unfortunately couldn’t do anything about Gonçalves cool finish this time around.

“He has the mentality of a kid when he tries something like that again. In an away game. One thing is at home in the 97th minute, but here in the first half. I do not understand why he is trying to do that.” Vavro added.

The United winger clearly irked the Copenhagen players throughout the encounter, with Lukas Lerager another to comment on Garancho’s attitude.

“Then there’s just a situation where I take the ball away from him inside the box, he throws himself, and then I tell him some things that aren’t so nice, but still with respect for him as a human being.”

Larager continued by saying he was happy to remind the young Argentine of the respect levels in the game, no matter who you play for.

“Sometimes people at the big clubs have to go down a little bit. Just know that they are human too. It just doesn’t suit a man like that. And then they need to be told,” he added.

Garnacho was a constant threat on the break for United and was enjoying a particularly good game before Rashford’s dismissal.

The combination of himself, Rashford and Hojlund was causing the hosts nightmares and would surely have put them to the sword had United not been reduced to 10.

However, defeat leaves United bottom of the group and needing to win both their final fixtures to qualify for the next round.

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Manchester United suffered a crushing defeat to FC Copenhagen in the Champions League last night, losing a back-and-forth encounter by four goals to three.

On a dramatic evening in the Danish capital, United were in control of proceedings until the 42nd minute when Marcus Rashford was shown a controversial red card.

The United man was dismissed with his side two goals to the good and looking likely to put their hosts to the sword.

However, a lengthy period of added on time at the end of the first period allowed Copenhagen to draw level before the break after Rashford’s red and completely change the momentum of the game.

A possible offside for Copenhagen’s opener and controversial penalty for the equalizer did nothing for United’s mood going into the break with lady luck well and truly deserting Erik ten Hag’s side.

Bruno Fernandes did put United back in front midway through the second half but it wasn’t enough as the Danes scored twice in the last seven minutes to win the game.

Speaking to MUTV, the captain opened up on the disappointment after the defeat and feels his side deserved something for their efforts.

“It’s disappointment, obviously, I think for everything we did in the game, we could, and should, have got something from the game,” he said.

Fernandes praised his teammates for the spirit showed with 10 men and bemoaned the decisions that went against them on the night.

“It’s difficult at the moment, obviously the mood is not the best because we’ve fought so hard with 10 men that even from then, it was playing against a team that plays really good on the ball and apart from that many decisions was against us,” said Bruno.

The Portuguese midfielder then issued a rallying cry to his teammates, urging them to keep believing they can get out of the group.

“Even before this game, that was still the belief; to win the last three games of the group stage. And now we have two, we have to win them if we want to keep in the Champions League and stay in the best competition, we have to win against the best,” he said.

Should United win the final two fixtures they will qualify for the knockout phase but the difficulty of the opponents does leave their backs against the wall.

Bruno acknowledged the size of the task head but insists United are looking no further than the weekend visit of Luton Town and says they will use that game to get back to winning ways.

“We have a very tough game away against Galatasaray, and after, we play against the top of the group.

We want to win both, but now we have to focus on Luton because it’s going to be a tough game again, we need three points in the league, we need to get back to the winning track after this defeat and keeping the winning track in the Premier League,” he added.

United entertain Luton in a 3pm (GMT) kick-off on Saturday.

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Manchester United’s hopes of qualifying for the knockout phase of the Champions League are left hanging by a thread after defeat to FC Copenhagen last night left them bottom of Group A.

It was all going to plan for Erik ten Hag and his troops, with the clock ticking towards half-time in Denmark.

Rasmus Hojlund’s impressive double had given United a commanding 2-0 lead and looking more likely to add a third than the home side reducing the arrears.

However, Marcus Rashford’s clash with Copenhagen defender Elias Jelert saw the United forward shown a straight red card and Copenhagen made use of the 13 minutes’ of stoppage time to get into the break on level pegging.

Rashford’s dismissal was no doubt the turning point in a game United were in full control of.

The nature of the decision added insult to injury with the VAR somehow concluding that Rashford had stamped on Jelert rather than getting his body in front of the defender to protect the ball.

It was one of many questionable decisions made on a dramatic night that saw the game see-saw back in United’s favour through Bruno Fernandes’ second-half penalty before Copenhagen scored twice in the final seven minutes to secure the invaluable three points.

As reported by Metro, Jelert was spotted with a bandaged ankle after the game and spoke on the match defining incident, admitting even he felt Rashford was unfortunate to see red.

“It is after the tackle at the red card, which I also think is unfortunate. He just tries to screen, but I get hit high and wiggle my ankle violently. Now that it has cooled, I can feel it is stiff and swollen,” he said.

Jelert also revealed the United man apologised to him after the collision and confirmed his belief that there was no ill-intent behind the incident.

“Yes, when they checked on VAR, he was there to say sorry. So there was nothing malicious about it,” he added.

Rashford will now miss the must-win clash with Galatasaray on Matchday 5.

A defeat in Turkey would officially end United’s return to Europe’s top table and even a win would leave them needing something from the final group game against Bayern Munich.

Before then however, United must get back to winning ways by seeing off Luton Town who visit Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon.

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Christian Eriksen will return to familiar grounds as a Dane but unbelievably, it will be the first time in his entire career that he has played a competitive club game in his home country.

https://x.com/StatmanDave/status/1722327434941415628?s=20

Eriksen was discovered in Denmark when he was part of an OB youth squad.

However, such was his technical mastery at the time that he had already caught the attention of major European clubs.

Before he could break through at Denmark and make a senior club appearance there, he was already off to the Netherlands with Ajax.

He stayed there for six years, four of those being in the first team before moving to Tottenham Hotspur where he unlocked another level to his game.

In his professional career spanning nearly 14 years, it is remarkable to see that he has never stepped foot in Denmark for a senior club side.

Teams from Denmark don’t qualify for the Champions League regularly, while the sides he has played for have inevitably been in that competition more often than not.

Furthermore, the Danish football scene in Europe is not particularly strong.

Nordsjaelland, Brondby, Mdtyjlland, and Copenhagen are the strongest names in the league but are rarely seen in the latter stages of the competition.

In terms of other homecomings, Rasmus Hojlund will also be returning to familiar grounds.

The United striker came through the ranks of Copenhagen, making 19 appearances for the side before moving to Austria’s Sturm Graz.

He will meet his brother Oscar Hojlund, with another sibling of his, Emil Hojlund, also on the books at the Danish club.

United need a win to keep their Champions League alive and they will undoubtedly need their Danish duo to produce the goods and get United firing in attack.

The post Christian Eriksen achieves unbelievable record with Manchester United appearance against Copenhagen appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Former England and Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole claims that he knows how Jadon Sancho and Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag can overcome their dispute while also unlocking the winger’s potential.

The feud in question started when Ten Hag decided to exclude Sancho from the matchday squad set to face Arsenal on September 3rd.

While Ten Hag made it clear that the 23 year old was omitted due to his poor performances in training, Sancho refuted this claim, taking to social media to defend his performances while claiming to have been made a scapegoat at the club.

The former Borussia Dortmund player has since refused to apologise to the United manager or make amends, prompting Ten Hag to exclude Sancho from first team training and even barring him from accessing all first-team facilities.

Yesterday, Sancho was removed from United’s first-team WhatsApp Group which is used to send key updates to all first-team players.

With the player continuously refusing to make amends, the situation has become so severe that Sancho is expected to leave United in January.

United have reportedly approached several clubs in an effort to offload the player, including Real Madrid.

Even though Sancho’s England teammates including Marcus Rashford, Luke Shaw, and Harry Maguire allegedly failed in their reported attempts to convince him to apologise to Ten Hag, Cole believes that he could indeed remedy the situation.

Cole believes that in order to overcome the dispute, both Sancho and the club need to reach a compromise.

“Jadon Sancho needs nurturing,” Cole commented, adding, “Jadon is a fantastic footballer particularly with the talent and quality he’s got, but he needs a little bit of nurturing and he might need a bit more maturity.”

While Cole admitted that things likely won’t work out for Sancho at United, he went on to say that he would like to speak with the 23 year old and his camp in an effort to guide him through this rough patch and get him back to his best on the field.

Given the history of player fallouts at United, with that of Cristiano Ronaldo still lingering in recent memory, Sancho’s talent alone may not be enough to save his career at Old Trafford.

Ten Hag would do well to remain firm on his stance and send a clear message as to what happens to players who choose to step out of line at United.

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Brain injury charity Headway has expressed its worry and called for the introduction of temporary concussion substitutes in the sport.

This incident has ignited a debate about player safety and the prioritization of health over the outcome of the game.

Maguire, aged 30, suffered the injury early in the match following a collision with Fulham’s Rodrigo Muniz.

The contact resulted in Maguire’s shoulder striking his head.

Referee John Brooks stopped the game after 60 minutes to insist that Maguire leave the pitch for treatment, initially citing a hand injury. Maguire returned to the field and completed the match.

Speaking after the game, Maguire stated that he passed the Premier League concussion protocol and knew his whereabouts. However, Headway criticized the incident, emphasizing the sport’s reluctance to prioritize player health.

Luke Griggs, Chief Executive at Headway, said, “The incident with Harry Maguire is concerning for a number of reasons. Every time the ‘if in doubt, sit it out’ principle is seen to be ignored in elite-level football, our chances of educating younger players and better protecting future generations from short and long-term brain injury are diminished.”

“Temporary concussion substitutions would immediately help return some credibility to the process, but an evolution of attitude is urgently needed.”

While the International Football Advisory Board (IFAB) rejected a trial of temporary concussion substitutions, concerns continue to mount.

The English Football Association’s concussion guidelines stipulate immediate removal from the pitch for players with suspected concussion.

However, the implementation of temporary concussion substitutes remains a contentious issue.

The incident involving Maguire highlights the need for a more comprehensive approach to player safety, with the sport facing increasing pressure to prioritize health over the result of the game.

As debates continue, it is essential to consider the long-term well-being of footballers and the potential consequences of neglecting head injuries.

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Speaking to the club’s in-house social media team, Onana revealed how he would always “be thankful” to Van der Sar for his advice and guidance during the pair’s shared time at Ajax.

Onana was the goalkeeper in Amsterdam during the same period Van der Sar was the club’s Chief Executive (2015-2022), before the former’s switch to Milan last summer, and then Manchester this year.

The Cameroonian international stated:

“[Van der Sar] had a great impact. I was with him in Ajax back in the days. We had a great, great time. We were training sometimes together and he advised me a lot. He was happy when I joined Manchester United.”

“He advised me a lot during the game, after the game, especially if I was making mistakes! He was coming through all the way to the dressing room or to the training session to speak with me and he helped me to build that personality, you know?” 

Onana possesses the quintessential skillset of a ‘modern’ goalkeeper; a shotstopper who is as comfortable with the ball at his feet, as in his hands, while being proactive and capable of dominating their box.

When Van der Sar was in his prime, approaching two decades ago, the demands on a goalkeeper were radically different to the ones placed on them today.

Onana contends:

“To be honest, now football is so different. You know, I think the position has changed in the last 20 years. Now the goalkeeper is like [having] another player more, you know? And when you look at the way most of the teams want to play, now they use the goalkeeper as a plus one. “

I consider myself as a modern goalkeeper, so I’m not afraid to make mistakes. I’m not afraid to take risks and I would take risks because the way I play is what brought me to Manchester United, one of the best clubs in the world, and I will not drop. I will never drop. I will only go forward. I can make mistakes and mistakes are a part of life.”

This confidence will be vital to Onana establishing himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the league and trying to emulate the level of performance his tutor, Van der Sar, was able to reach in a United shirt.

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The 19-year-old winger took to Instagram to post a reaction picture following the crucial win in the Champions League at Old Trafford to keep United’s hopes in the competition alive.

Andre Onana saved a penalty in the last minute to secure the victory, after enduring a number of tough games between the posts for his new club. It was a significant moment for the goalkeeper; one which saw him earn plaudits from across the footballing world.

FA have been investigating into Garnacho’s social media post in which he used gorilla emojis over a picture of Andre Onana's penalty save.

Onana replies: “People can’t choose what I should be offended by. Garnacho meant power and strenght. This should go no further”. pic.twitter.com/k6kea9Iwgz

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 26, 2023

The use of the gorilla emoji by Garnacho, in reference to Onana, created understandable controversy, however.

The goalkeeper was quick to publicly defend his team-mate, stating he knew “exactly what [Garnacho] meant: power and strength” and implored that the matter “should go no further.”

Evidently, it was an unintentional decision by Garnacho who was simply attempting to praise his goalkeeper, but used a problematic emoji to do so.

The FA announced they were investigating the matter given the serious nature of the incident, rather than the reality of it. And it appears this discrepancy led to the footballing authority’s decision today to take no further action against Garnacho.

A spokesperson from the FA released this statement about the matter:

“We have concluded an investigation in relation to a recent post on Alejandro Garnacho’s social media. We sought the player’s observations as part of our investigation, and he explained that the use of two gorilla emojis was intended to highlight the strength and power of his teammates – specifically Andre Onana and Harry Maguire – following the pivotal roles they played in Manchester United’s win over FC Copenhagen. 

“We are satisfied with Alejandro Garnacho’s explanation and the context that it provides, so we will not be issuing disciplinary proceedings on this occassion. However, we have reminded the player of his responsibilities around social media posts and the use of emojis in particular, which can be interpreted in different ways. 

“We also intend to liaise with Kick It Out and the PFA to discuss other potential issues around the use of emojis and similar forms of messaging, and education that can be provided about them.”

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