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Suzanne Wrack
Manchester United’s fast WSL start can’t mask growing apathy and frustration
Manchester United sit top of the Women’s Super League, albeit two games in. A 3-1 aggregate win over the Norwegian side Brann on Thursday ensured they escaped the Champions League qualifying stage for the first time. The new signing Jess Park has hit the ground running. Elisabeth Terland has scored two hat-tricks.
This should be fuelling positivity and hope, but not even the impressive start can cut through the cloud of disillusionment and frustration felt by fans and those watching the club from further afield. Why does this growing apathy exist? Why, even if United beat the European champions, Arsenal, at Leigh Sports Village on Sunday, will it not go away?
In part, because of a feeling of missed opportunity. United have, arguably, overachieved, regularly challenging at the top of the WSL and reaching three FA Cup finals in the past three years, winning the competition in 2024. They are operating on a much smaller budget than Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City and their potential is being harmed by an ownership that appears not to care.
Read Suzanne Wrack’s full preview of Manchester United v Arsenal via the link below
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For the showpiece fixture in the WSL this afternoon between Manchester United and Arsenal, the excellent Emillia Hawkins will be bringing you full live coverage, we shall where you can find that blog as soon as it goes live.
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Updated at 09.16 BST
As noted earlier, there are three midday (BST) kick-offs in the WSL and you will be able to get updates on all the goals in this very blog with my esteemed colleague John Brewin, so don’t go anywhere. I will bring you team news from those as soon as it lands, hot and fresh off from the various inkjet printers across the country.
ShareEd Aarons
Arteta to stick with impressive Mosquera?
The praise has been flooding in for Cristhian Mosquera after his impressive performance against Athletic Bilbao on Tuesday. “He’s still so young,” said Jurriën Timber after Arsenal’s 2-0 win. “It looks so easy for him, winning his duels and on the ball as well. It’s great to have him next to me, and he has a bright future as well.” Signed from Valencia for an initial £13m, the Spain Under-21s international looks like one of best value summer deals having filled in admirably for the injured William Saliba. The Frenchman has been back in training this week after limping off at Liverpool with an ankle injury before the international break. The question is whether Mikel Arteta will bring Saliba back or stick with Mosquera for the meeting with Manchester City.
Arsenal v Manchester City, 4.30pm
ShareLouise Taylor
Roefs’ excellence bars Villa’s path
Will Sunday’s trip to the Stadium of Light prove to be the start of a positive reset for Aston Villa? Or could it signal the beginning of the biggest crisis of Unai Emery’s tenure? Emery’s cause would be aided appreciably if his side could score a first league goal of the season. The only problem is that Sunderland have collected seven points from their opening four league games and possess the outstanding Robin Roefs in goal. They say there are no steals in the European transfer market any more but the 22-year-old cost a modest initial £9m, potentially rising to £11.5m, when Sunderland signed him from NEC Nijmegen this summer. On the convincing evidence of his first four games it is no surprise that a keeper who has played for the Netherlands at every junior level and starred for the under-21s in the recent European Championship has now graduated to the Dutch senior squad.
Sunderland v Aston Villa, 2pm
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Michael Butler
Handling Woltemade is a tall order
Three-quarters of Bournemouth’s first-choice defence departed the club this summer in Milos Kerkez, Dean Huijsen and Illia Zabarnyi but, after three wins from four, the Cherries seem stronger than ever. The ease with which the 18-year-old centre-back Veljko Milosavljevic has slotted in alongside his partner Marcos Senesi has been striking; the new signing signed for the club on deadline day and made only 27 first-team appearances for Red Star Belgrade before his £13m move to the Premier League. Milosavljevic marshalled Danny Welbeck and Stefanos Tzimas expertly in the win against Brighton but if the Serb retains his place ahead of another of Bournemouth’s new additions, Bafodé Diakité, he faces a different prospect altogether in Nick Woltemade. The 6ft 6in Newcastle striker showed against Wolves he is an aerial threat and a nimble forward able to link the play, somewhere between a classic No 9 and a second striker. Containing the big German will be key in deciding if Bournemouth continue their excellent start.
Bournemouth v Newcastle, 2pm
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Updated at 09.02 BST
Here’s a few preview notes on today’s Premier League fixtures from our team of writers…
ShareJonathan Wilson
Andoni Iraola is a model modern manager. Could he save Manchester United?
You have to be patient with new players. You have to give a manager time to work with fresh signings, let them learn his methods. Rome wasn’t built in a day – Brian Clough quipped he wasn’t on that particular job, but it took until the third season at Derby and Nottingham Forest to win promotion. It makes sense; you have to wait. Football takes time. Or you could just turn to Andoni Iraola.
Iraola lost three of his back four in the summer and his goalkeeper. (No detail perhaps so encapsulates the financial landscape of modern European football better than the highest fees paid in the latest transfer window by a Spanish club and a French one were for Bournemouth centre-backs.
His third-highest non-penalty goalscorer from last season left as well. The expectation might have been of a season, at least a few weeks, of transition, but Bournemouth have, for the first time in the top flight, won three of their first four games.
Read Jonathan Wilson’s full ‘Inside football’ column via the link below
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After such tragic news, your regular football fodder feels rather trite, but there was action on the field yesterday, including a win for Liverpool’s men’s team in Merseyside derby against Everton. Here’s a quick recap:
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A number of high-profile figures paid tribute to Beard after news of his passing broke last night.
USWNT boss Emma Hayes, who took over from Beard as Chelsea manager in 2012, wrote on Instagram: ‘Can’t quite compute this. Absolutely one of the best humans. Always available for a chat, one of the good guys. A champion in the women’s game and a top bloke. So gutted for his family.’
Arsenal and Canada forward Olivia Smith, who Beard signed at Liverpool wrote that she ‘wouldn’t be where I am without you.’
Aston Villa forward Rachel Daly, who was managed by Beard at West Ham added: ‘Absolutely heartbreaking. A truly special man with a heart of gold. RIP Beardy.’
England striker Alessia Russo described Beard as the ‘Warmest guy with the biggest heart.’
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Matt Beard, former manager of Liverpool Women, dies aged 47
Matt Beard, who had two spells of managing Liverpool in the WSL, has died aged 47 Photograph: Andrew Boyers/Action Images/Reuters
Unfortunately I have to start the day with the tragic news of the death of Matt Beard, the manager who guided Liverpool to two Women’s Super League titles in his first spell at the club and took them back to the top flight after returning for a second term. The club confirmed the passing of the 47 year old in a statement on Saturday evening: “Liverpool Football Club is deeply shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of former LFC Women manager Matt Beard. The thoughts of everyone at the club are with Matt’s family and friends at this devastating time.
“Matt was not only an extremely committed and successful manager, he was also a person of real integrity and warmth, who will always be remembered with genuine fondness by everyone he worked with at the club.”
Beard’s wife, Deb, wrote on social media: “It is with great sadness that our beautiful Matthew Beard has passed away tonight [Saturday] at 7.28pm. He is a loving husband, father, son, brother and uncle. He was the most amazing, caring man who was loved by anyone who had the pleasure to meet him.
“All of our family kindly ask for time to grieve in peace at his loss. We will love you forever, you absolute legend.”
Our thoughts are with Beard’s family and friends at this incredibly sad time.
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Updated at 08.18 BST
Preamble
Good morning and welcome to Sunday’s Matchday live, where we will be building up to three matches in the Premier League today, including the heavyweight clash between Arsenal and Manchester City at 4.30pm (BST). Before then we have two fixtures in the early slot, Bournemouth v Newcastle and Sunderland v Aston Villa.
Manchester United v Arsenal is certainly the pick of the four games in the WSL today, that’s a 2.50pm (BST) kick-off. before then we also have Brighton v West Ham, Chelsea v Leicester and Aston Villa v Liverpool.
I shall be bringing you team news and buildup to all of those fixtures, plus other bits from the world of football, as well as taking your emails and comments, so get in touch via the link at the top of the page or below the line at the bottom.
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