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75 minMan Utd have been poor on the ball since Liverpool switched to 4-2-4 in the 62nd minute; at the moment an equaliser looks more likely than a second for United. Jones surges into the area and drives a speculative left-foot shot that is held to his left by Lammens. Comfortable save.

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Updated at 13.06 EDT

74 minJones nicks the ball off Fernandes and pushes it into the area towards Chiesa. His touch is slightly heavy – it wasnâ€t an easy ball to take – and Shaw makes a crucial, if desperate challenge.

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72 min: Liverpool substitutionFederico Chiesa replaces Alexander Isak, who had a relatively quiet game. His one big chance was a low shot across goal that Lammens kicked away with his right foot; Isak may feel he should have scored. If the bugger ever answers my WhatsApps, Iâ€ll let you know.

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71 minA nervy moment for Lammens. Dalot heads a cross up in the air and back towards his own goal. Lammens almost runs past the ball and has to jump backwards to grab it. Allâ€s well that ends well.

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70 minYou have to admire Arne Slot for taking this much risk so early in the game. Federico Chiesa is about to come on as well. “He might play centre-back…†chirps Jamie Carragher on commentary.

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69 min Ekitike leads a Liverpool break, cutting inside from the left before rifling wide from the edge of the area. That wasnâ€t a bad chance either.

This game is so open; thereâ€s no chance it will end 1-0.

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Updated at 12.59 EDT

68 min“I think Slotâ€s smart to take Alexis Mac Allister off,†writes Kári Tulinius. “Heâ€s been poor this season and Liverpool play better when heâ€s off the field. He doesnâ€t get on the ball as much as he did last season, and when he does, it slows the team down. Last season he was crucial at controlling games once Liverpool had taken the lead, but now he seems indecisive.â€

Before the game, Jamie Carragher said he hadnâ€t been the same since an injury in the second half of last season.

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66 minVan Dijk volleys a United cross into the face of Kerkez and over the bar. That could have gone anywhere too.

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65 min: Great chance for Salah!

Kerkezâ€s cross from the left evades everyone in the middle – and there were an army of Liverpool players in there – before reaching the unmarked Salah beyond the far post. He controls it deftly but then thrashes wide from six yards as Lammens flies towards him. Salah mishit that completely with his left foot; in his defence there might have been a slightly strange bounce. Thereâ€s no time to check because this is now a basketball game.

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah reacts after a missed opportunity. Photograph: Peter Byrne/PAShare

Updated at 13.03 EDT

64 minEkitike fires over from distance after a fine run infield from the left, the kind that gets a home crowd going.

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63 minDorgu plays a sharp square pass into the area for Fernandes, whose left-foot shot is well blocked by Konate. These are the revised line-ups.

Liverpool (4-2-4)Mamardashvili; Szoboszlai, Konate, van Dijk, Kerkez; Wirtz, Jones; Salah, Isak, Ekitike, Gakpo.

Man Utd (3-4-2-1) Lammens; De Ligt, Maguire, Shaw; Dalot, Ugarte, Fernandes, Dorgu; Mbeumo, Cunha; Sesko.

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62 min: Triple substitution for LiverpoolFlorian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and Curtis Jones replace Conor Bradley, Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister.

Liverpool are going for it – Szoboszlai has moved to right-back, Wirtz is playing in centre midfield.

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Updated at 12.54 EDT

61 min: Man Utd substitutionBenjamin Sesko replaces Mason Mount, so Cunha will move to No10.

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60 minSalah beats Dorgu to a loose ball just outside the area and pokes it to Mac Allister, who drives over the bar under pressure. Pretty good effort but never troubling Lammens.

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60 minThese are the revised line-ups.

Liverpool (4-2-3-1)Mamardashvili; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Isak.

Man Utd (3-4-2-1) Lammens; De Ligt, Maguire, Shaw; Dalot, Ugarte, Fernandes, Dorgu; Mbeumo, Mount; Cunha.

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59 min: Man Utd substitutionsIn fact itâ€s a double change. Manuel Ugarte and Patrick Dorgu replace Casemiro and Amad Diallo, who was excellent on the ball but became vulnerable after that yellow card.

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57 minCasemiro is booked for a brazen but necessary tactical foul on Salah. Heâ€s struggling with cramp as well and is about to be replaced.

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56 minI said Gakpo hit the post three times. Thatâ€s essentially true but strictly speaking I think the second time – the deflected cross – would have been a Bruno Fernandes goal had the ball gone in.

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54 minGakpoâ€s deep, inswinging corner from the left is volleyed into the ground and over the bar by Salah. He saw it late because Van Dijk was jumping in front of him; it was still a decent chance for a player of his etc.

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Updated at 12.46 EDT

52 minDalot is booked for a foul on Gakpo. He took the ball with a sliding tackle but was punished for a studs-up follow-through. The Sky co-commentators Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville both think heâ€s very unfortunate.

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Updated at 12.44 EDT

51 minGravenberch needs treatment after twisting his ankle when fouled by Mbeumo. Gravenberchâ€s grimace suggests his afternoon could be over.

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50 min: Gakpo hits the post for the third time!

This is getting silly. Salahâ€s long cross from the right reaches Gakpo on the far side of the area. He controls the ball on his thigh, moves onto his right foot – Shaw inexplicably showed him inside – and hits a sizzling rising drive back across goal. Lammens doesnâ€t move and the ball thumps off the right-hand post.

Cody Gakpo (obscured) hits the post again. Photograph: Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA/Getty ImagesShare

Updated at 12.50 EDT

47 min“The dreamer in me knows how this game will end: two sublime pearlers from Florian Wirtz followed by a Rio Ngumoha volley off the crossbar and in. The realist in me knows a Bruno Fernandes penalty in the 89th minute will make it 2-0 to the Ref Devils.â€

It depends which band youâ€ve been listening to: Livin†Joy or The Cribs?

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46 minLiverpool get the second half under way.

No substitutions yet.

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“Greetings from sunny and breezy California!†says Peter Oh. “My biggest concern is that this match, so far, has been a huge step backwards in terms of computing technology. Generative Al (Alexander Isak) hasnâ€t delivered on its promise, and Man United have got their tails up like itâ€s Y2K!â€

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Half-time reading

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Man Utd through a startlingly early goal from Bryan Mbeumo.Both teams came close in a scruffy but compelling half. Cody Gakpo and Bruno Fernandes hit the post at either end, then combined in advertently to do so again when Gakpoâ€s cross deflected off Fernandes, over Senne Lammens and off the far post.

Lammens saved well from Alexander Isak; at the other Giorgi Mamardashvili made an old-school centre-halfâ€s challenge to deny Mbeumo a second.

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Updated at 12.24 EDT

Half time: Liverpool 0-1 Man Utd

Peep peep!

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45+2 minMbeumoâ€s goal was timed at 62 seconds, which makes it the fastest in this fixture in the Premier League era.

The previous fastest was lost in the exploits of two fellas called Cantona and Fowler.

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Updated at 12.20 EDT

45+1 minFour minutes of added time.

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45 minBruno Fernandes curls a long pass towards Mbeumo, forcing Van Dijk to come across and clear. He shakes his head as he walks back to his position, presumably in disgust at how open Liverpool are defensively.

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43 minCunha curls well wide from distance – pretty similar, in fact, to the position from which he scored on this ground for Wolves last season.

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40 minA free-kick from Fernandes, deep on the right, bounces up awkwardly and is sliced onto the roof of own net by Gakpo. He could have had a hat-trick!

The resulting corner is missed by Mamardashvili, who looks surprisingly uncomfortable, and headed clear by Konate on the line. I donâ€t know whether it was going in or not but Mamardashvili was certainly out of the game.

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38 min“That penalty appeal for the Amad ‘handball†would have stopped the game for at least five minutes up here,†writes Simon McMahon. “Then, depending on the eventual outcome, there would have been a weekâ€s worth of media coverage about ‘agendas†and how thereâ€s a conspiracy against Celtic Rangers whoever.

“Honestly, all I want from football is to see Dundee United win the Scottish Cup again in my lifetime with my daughter, Evie. That seems realistic and not too much to ask, right? Though Dundee havenâ€t won the Scottish since 1910, so, you know. But they did beat Celtic today, leaving Hearts five points clear at the top. I really hope the Jam Tarts donâ€t have to go to Dens on the last day needing just a point…â€

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37 minThis is a good spell for Liverpool, probably their best in terms of sustained pressure.

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35 min: Chance for Isak!Konate shapes a fantastic long pass around Shaw and into the path of Isak, whose shot on the run is kicked away at the near post by Lammens. Thereâ€s an argument he should have come off his line to beat Isak to the ball, but having stayed at home he made a really good save and is being congratulated by his teammates.

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34 min“Hey, guys,†writes Matt Dony, “have I ever told you how much I hate football? Like, really hate it! This is not fun. Iâ€m watching the match while playing pool with my son, who is currently (and unprecedentedly) 3-0 up. This is looking like a bad day. I regret allowing a drunk AI to write an email on my behalf.â€

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32 min: Gakpo hits the post again!

This time it was a deflected cross from the left that looped over the helpless Lammens and hit the inside of the far post. Liverpool keep the ball alive undtil Salahâ€s header from Kerkezâ€s cross is saved comfortably by Lammens.

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29 minDalotâ€s poor clearance goes straight to Isak on the edge of the area; he controls it smartly only to mishit his shot well wide.

This is a flawed but fascinating game.

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More chances for Man Utd

27 minMount shoots over from close range after Mamardashvili pushes Cunhaâ€s cross into a dangerous area; it was a tough chance because the ball bounced almost behind him.

Moments later, Mamardashvili is forced into a desperate lunging tackle on Mbeumo eight yards out when Kerkez makes an interception and inadvertently knocks the ball across the face of his own goal.

Finally, after that Mamardashvili tackle, the ball runs to Mount 25 yards from goal. He whistles a left-foot shot that is pushed away to his left by the diving Mamaradashvili.

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Updated at 12.01 EDT

26 minMac Allisterâ€s low shot from 20 yards is comfortably saved by Lammens. Thatâ€s the first shot on target at either end apart from the goal, though both teams have hit the post.

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24 min: Fernandes hits the post!

Oof, and now it should be 2-0 to Manchester United. Cunha sprayed a superb crossfield pass out to Amad, who ran at the backpedalling Kerkez and into the Liverpool area. Eventually Amad flicked an inviting pass back towards Fernandes, who was charging onto the scene as if world peace depended on it. Fernandes slammed a first-time shot from 15 yards that clipped the outside of the post and flew wide. For a player of his quality, thatâ€s a glorious chance.

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20 min: Gakpo hits the post!

A thrilling break from Liverpool almost leads to the equaliser. Szoboszlai feeds a pass into the centre circle for the unmarked Salah, who turns and curls an excellent pass to Gakpo in the inside-left channel. Gakpo veers to the right, uses the last United defender as a screen and flashes a curling shot towards goal from 20 yards. It beats Lammens and bounces off the face of the right-hand post. That would have been a lovely goal.

Cody Gakpo of Liverpool reacts after missing a chance. Photograph: Carl Recine/Getty ImagesShare

Updated at 12.05 EDT

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Frank Lampardâ€s Coventry, to give them their legal name, are flying. The thought of them back in the top division is rather stirring to those of a certain age.

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Fair points made here from the comments section below.

“Postecoglou could be the least effective Premier League manager everâ€
Well looking at the stats that may be true, but the damage was done before AP turned-up at Forest. The problem at Forest is
the players shattered morale, last season those same players proved they could beat anyone. For me the problem at Forest is a overbearing interfering owner who rewarded those players who gave everything last season and who missed CL football by a single point in their first PL season by sacking their inspirational manager Nuno Espírito Santo in the most humiliating way possible. People talk about managers, tactics, playerâ€s effort and abilities but once a teams morale is broken, any manager will tell you, itâ€s extremely difficult repairing it especially when the person who broke it is still there every week crushing it even further.

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Getafe v Real Madrid is Sundayâ€s late game in La Liga, a local derby. Sid Lowe spoke to Abu Kamara, once of Hull.

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A couple of important pieces on talent development.

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Letâ€s look ahead to Liverpool v Manchester United, where Florian Wirtz and Mohamed Salah are due a performance. Jonathan Wilson previews the game.

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Saturdayâ€s match reports are here.

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Letâ€s hope Jack Wilshere lasts a bit longer at Luton, though he had a tough start on Saturday.

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Our reaction to that Postecoglou news.

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Preamble

Good morning, football. Saturday was a red letter day in Premier League history, Ange Postecoglou biting the dust in record time. Things move pretty fast at Nottingham Forest so we await news of Evangelos Maranakis†next move.

Weâ€ll also build up to Tottenham v Aston Villa, the 2pm kick-off, and Liverpool v Manchester United at 4.30pm.

Join us. And do let us know your thoughts and plans. Perhaps fears in the case of Forest fans.

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Updated at 03.06 EDT

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Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim thinks it is important Sir Jim Ratcliffe went public with his long-term thoughts – but says nothing is certain about tomorrow in football, let alone three years.

In an interview with The Times last week, Ratcliffe said it could take Amorim three years to make a significant impact at Old Trafford.

Coming in a period when Amorim’s future has been under scrutiny following an extended sequence of disappointing results, the comments helped quell some of the immediate pressure.

But, speaking before the 100th meeting with old rivals Liverpool at Anfield, the United boss stressed that the future is hard to predict in football.

“It is really good to hear it but he tells me all the time, sometimes with a message after games – but you know, I know and Jim knows, that football is not like that,” he said.

“The most important thing is the next game. Even with owners, you cannot control the next day in football.”

Chief executive Omar Berrada has admitted it has taken far longer for Amorim to adapt to the Premier League following his move from Sporting last November than anyone imagined.

United have won 10 times in 34 Premier League matches under the 40-year-old. They are yet to win two league games in a row and have not ended a round of league games this season higher than ninth.

The dire statistics are stretching belief in the manager among the United fanbase heading into a sequence of matches their club has been awful in for the past two seasons.

Amorim said he does not feel the uncertainty internally at the club’s Carrington training ground and is adamant nothing can match the pressure he puts on his players – and in some senses, he would prefer Ratcliffe not to be trying to bring a sense of calm because he fears the impact it could have on the team.

“It’s not just a thing that people talk about, I feel it every day,” he said. “It’s really good to hear it because it helps our fans to understand the leadership know it is going to take a while.

“But at the same moment, I don’t like it because it gives a feeling that we have time to work things out. I don’t want that feeling in our club.

“The pressure I put on the team or on myself is so much bigger [than that from outside]. In football, especially in big clubs, you need to prove yourself every weekend.”

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Red card for Janssen after VAR review

The other angle that we have just seen shows that Gio is clipped quite harshly on her ankle. And here comes the referee … she takes away the yellow card and out comes the red. United were well on top and now the game has been flipped on its head.

Gio is now being stretchered off. Portales comes on in her place.

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39 min: Gio is still down and receiving treatment. Her face is covered by her hands. Meanwhile, the referee has now been sent to the screen. Is this going to be changed to a red card?!

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37 min: Gio almost gets past Janssen and the latter sticks out a leg out to prevent her from coming across. The United defender gets a yellow and the hosts have a free-kick in a dangerous area on the right side of the box.

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34 min: How is it not 2-0?! Malard and Zigiotti Olme link up for a quick give-and-go. The former, right in front of goal, tries to hit it with the outside of her boot and the ball dribbles just wide. So close!

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33 min: The referee blows her whistle after Medina tries to jump for the ball and falls on Riviere in the process. It has been an intriguing battle between the two so far.

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28 min: It is a deserved lead for United, who have had four attempts on goal compared with Atléticoâ€s one despite having less of the ball. They have found their rhythm and their tactic of pressing and crowding the opposition box has worked well so far.

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GOAL! Atlético Madrid 0-1 Manchester United (Rolfö 24)

It has been coming! From the right Zigiotti Olmeâ€s curls it in and Toone attempt to head it down. It falls to Rolfö invitingly and from the volley, she hammers it into the roof of the net to score her first goal for Manchester United.

Manchester United’s Fridolina Rolfö fires home to open the scoring at Atlético Madrid. Photograph: Susana Vera/ReutersRolfö celebrates. Photograph: Diego Souto/Getty ImagesShare

Updated at 13.28 EDT

24 min: Just the final passing missing from United at the moment. After some good play in midfield the ball dribbles out for a goal-kick after some miscommunication on the left flank.

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19 min: Riviere gets the first yellow of the game for a foul on Medina. She cannot complain really, the Canadian completely mistimed the tackle and wiped out her opponent.

Manchester United’s Jayde Riviere fouls Atletico Madrid’s Andrea Medina and goes into the refâ€s book. Photograph: Susana Vera/ReutersShare

Updated at 13.11 EDT

16 min: Fiamma denied! She arrives into the box with plenty of space but her shot is blocked by Le Tissier.

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14 min: Jensen thinks she gets the better of Le Tissier as the United captain falls but the referee blows the whistle for a foul.

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10 min: Atlético get forward but Le Tissier is able to clear the danger.

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7 min: After some patient buildup play from United Terland shrugs off her defender before laying it off to Rolfö. The Swede takes a touch and curls it wide at the far post.

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4 min: Terland tries to get on the end of a great through ball from Toone but Lola Gallardo gets there first. Riviere then intercepts the ball and finds space to hit a cross but it is cleared away.

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2 min: We get confirmation just now that concussion protocol has led to Jess Park not being in the matchday squad. Rolfö is her replacement up top in Skinnerâ€s sole XI change.

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1 min: 18sec on the clock and Malard flicks it off to Toone whose shot is just wide! A quick start from the visitors.

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Updated at 12.51 EDT

Kick-off: Atlético Madrid 0-0 Manchester United

Here we go! The referee blows the whistle and we are underway. Atlético in their traditional red and white tops with blue shorts while United don their all-black third kit.

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Some pre-match post bag from all of you.

Marc (Skinner?) sends his prediction:

United have been a lot of fun to watch this season, in my very biased opinion. I have been so pleased with our defensive structure. Tonight is probably our biggest challenge though. Up the reds!

And Amy checks in from Madrid:

I am at the Centro Deportivo Wanda Alcalá de Henares (what a mouthful) as a neutral – tickets were quite affordable – and it might be a small stadium but the Spanish fans I have seen are loud! Hopefully they keep up the tempo throughout the 90.

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Here is what Marc Skinner had to say in yesterdayâ€s pre-match press conference.

Weâ€re excited. Weâ€re looking forward to playing Atléti, fantastic team, fantastic club. Weâ€re really looking forward to it. We know how good we are, we believe in ourselves, we also know weâ€re facing a really tough challenge. Tomorrow night will be a really good challenge for us – everyone is raring to go.

[Atlético Madrid] have an incredible attack. They have flair, they have aggression, they are very evasive. They have got Vilde Bøe Risa, who used to play for Manchester United and is a wonderful footballer. They defend very well as well, so they have quite a good balance. I think we have to defend well tomorrow night because of the threats they have. Also, with the ball, I think they have to be aware of us. Weâ€ve spoken about it, we have to be focused and defensively alert because Atléti can spring counterattacks quickly and have the ability to beat you one v one. Also, in front of their fans, I think it will be a good atmosphere. We see a lot threats, but also hopefully we can give them our threats too.

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Tonightâ€s broadcast of Atlético Madrid v Manchester Unitedis available to watch on Disney+ after they acquired rights across multiple European territories. Tom Garryâ€s verdict? An intriguing collaboration but room for growth.

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Chelsea were in WCL action last night, cruising to a 4-0 win against Paris FC. Sophie Downey was at the Bridge to watch it unfold.

Their pressure eventually told, however, when Nüsken went down in the box with half an hour played. The offence from Le Moguédec was not initially spotted by the referee, Michalina Diakow, but after a brief trip to the VAR monitor, she duly pointed to the spot. Baltimore stepped up to convert for the second week in a row.

Chelsea consolidated their advantage just before the break when Thompson broke forward at pace. A clever turn gave her space to stand up a cross for Rytting Kaneryd to loop a header home. The winger looked slightly bemused that it had ended up in the back of the net, celebrating with an expression that said she is not accustomed to scoring with her head.

Read the full report below.

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Team news

Atlético Madrid XI:Lola Gallardo; Fernández, Lauren, Silvia Lloris, Medina; García, Bøe Risa, Fiamma; Luany, Glo Garbelini, Jensen

Subs:Patricia Larqué, Bucero, Pérez, Guijarro, Vitória, Bartel, Portales, Sarriegi, Gomez, Rodríguez, Miñambres

Manchester United XI:Tullis-Joyce; Riviere, Le Tissier, Janssen, Sandberg; Miyazawa, Zigiotti Olme, Toone; Malard, Terland, Rolfö

Subs:Rendell, Middleton-Patel, George, Blundell, Galton, Awujo, Naalsund, Williams

Referee:Eleni Antoniou (Greece)

Unitedâ€s injury issues means they are unable to name an entire substitute list, with only eight players out of a possible 11 on the bench.

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Updated at 13.07 EDT

Atlético Madrid will be hoping to put their 6-0 home loss to the Liga F leaders, Barcelona, on Sunday. They now sit third in the league, seven points away from top.

Víctor Martínâ€s side will be looking to right the weekendâ€s wrongs against United in their first meeting against an English team in Europe since losing to Chelsea in the last 16 in 2021-22. That loss was Madridâ€s only one of their previous six contests against English sides.

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Preamble

It has been a good week for Manchester United. Last Wednesday Marc Skinnerâ€s side made their debut in the Womenâ€s Champions League after qualifying for the main phase of the tournament for the first time in their history. It was not particularly thrilling but a Maya Le Tissier penalty was enough for the hosts to earn the win against VÃ¥lerenga.

Four days later a Jess Park double saw out a commanding 4-1 away victory against Everton, the hosts†first beside the docks at Hill Dickinson Stadium, to preserve their unbeaten start to the league season.

Now United are back in Champions League action and face a huge test against Atlético Madrid on matchday two. The Spanish side won their first league phase match 6-0 at St Pölten in which they were three up within 22 minutes.

We get underway in Madrid at 5.45pm BST. In the meantime feel free to get in touch with any thoughts or predictions via email.

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Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United are seeking back-to-back league wins for the first time in the Portuguese head coach’s Old Trafford tenure.

Tasks don’t come much harder than the one before the Red Devils this weekend as they make the short journey to Merseyside where they will meet Arne Slot’s Liverpool.

The Premier League champions have hit a bit of a rough patch of late, relinquishing their grip on top spot to Arsenal, who have taken 16 points from their opening seven games.

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Manchester United skipper absent from training before Liverpool game

Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Manchester United (Image credit: Getty Images)

Liverpool’s early season form has waned in recent weeks, losing 2-1 to Crystal Palace and Chelsea in the Premier League, either side of a 1-0 defeat on the road to Galatasaray.

Man United, on the other hand, have registered the highest Expected Goals (xG) total in the entirety of English football’s top flight and looked much better than recent showings in their 2-0 win versus Sunderland before the international break.

Casemiro is expected to start on the bench against Liverpool (Image credit: Getty Images)

However, due to the international fixtures, any momentum Amorim had generated with his team’s win over the Black Cats risks dissipating before this weekend’s game at Anfield.

This is because several of the head coach’s key players have not been able to train with the rest of the squad, instead participating in matches for their respective countries.

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In many cases, significant travel obligations go hand-in-hand with international participation and Man United are not immune.

Matheus Cunha, Amad Diallo and Casemiro were all missing from Amorim’s main training session on Thursday morning, while Lisandro Martinez and Noussair Mazraoui, each returning from injury, are also anticipated to miss out.

Perhaps the biggest potential miss for Man United is Bruno Fernandes who was also granted additional leave by the club following Portugal’s international fixtures.

The Old Trafford skipper started both Portugal matches during October’s domestic break, latterly against Hungary on Tuesday.

In the absentees’ places, Amorim padded out his core training group with a select number of youngsters, including Shea Lacey who was invited to train with England’s senior group last week.

Liverpool vs Manchester United kicks off at 4:30pm on Sunday afternoon.

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Andre Onana’s Cameroon have not been able to qualify for the 2026 World Cup via the CAF group stage and now face a series of make-or-break fixtures if they are to make the tournament.

The Manchester United goalkeeper is currently out on loan at Turkish club Trabzonspor after losing his place as Old Trafford No.1 to Altay Bayindir.

Onana featured in Man United’s somewhat embarrassing Carabao Cup exit to League Two side Grimsby Town back in August and was culpable for the team’s concessions in normal time, before being eliminated on penalties.

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Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana in World Cup blow

Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana (Image credit: Getty Images)

The fixture at Blundell Park could prove to be Onana’s last in a Man United shirt but it has proven not to be his final disappointment at such an early stage of the 2025/26 campaign.

Cameroon finished second in their qualifying group, four points behind winners Cape Verde. The island nation of approximately 500,000 people booked their place at a first-ever FIFA World Cup Finals with a 3-0 win over Eswatini while Cameroon drew versus Angola on Monday evening.

The goalkeeper now faces a play-off system contested by the four best-performing second-place teams from the CAF qualifying stage.

The highest ranking team of the four plays the lowest-ranked nation, while the second and third-ranked sides face each other. The winner of each semi-final will then play one another to determine who becomes the sole CAF representative in the inter-confederation play-off.

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If Cameroon are successful in the CAF play-offs during November, FIFA’s inter-confederation play-off will pit them against teams from CONMEBOL (South America), CONCACAF (North America), OFC (Oceania) and AFC (Asia).

This qualifying tournament will be hosted in Mexico during March 2026, in which two of the six competing countries will progress to the 2026 World Cup. The two highest ranking countries at the beginning of the play-off tournament will be seeded and automatically progress to one of the two finals, which decide who qualifies.

Andre Onana is currently on loan at Trabzonspor (Image credit: Getty Images)

In all, Cameroon could face up to four more high-stakes matches (2 x CAF; 2 x inter-confederation) to book their place at next year’s World Cup. CAF group-mates Cape Verde, meanwhile, have already begun celebrating an historic qualification campaign and achievement. Cape Verde’s population is approximately 58 times smaller than that of Cameroon.

If the Indomitable Lions do not qualify for the 48-team tournament, it will be only their third such failing since 1986, having participated at Italia ‘90, USA ‘94, France ‘98, Korea-Japan 2002, South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014 and Qatar 2022.

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Gareth Taylor said his Liverpool team just need more time together to implement his style, after they lost a fifth game out of five to remain without a point in the Womenâ€s Super League this season.

Their latest defeat was inflicted by Taylorâ€s former side Manchester City, who – for the second season running – came from a goal down to win 2-1 at Anfield. Liverpool have a game in hand on the teams around them but sit joint-bottom of the table.

“Iâ€m disappointed for the group because they worked tremendously hard today and deserved more,†said Taylor, who was appointed in August.

“At this moment weâ€re not getting what we deserve, and itâ€s tough but itâ€s fine; I think itâ€s close to working, itâ€s close to coming. It takes time. There has been a lot of change but we [will] keep working in the same way.

“The results are tough at the moment because weâ€ve probably felt a little bit hard done by in a couple of games especially. But no one has consistently opened us up.

“We have changed a lot of things. We have been asked to come in and play a new way. Sometimes it takes time, and certainly with how late we came into the door [late in pre‑season], itâ€s been really tough. More time with the girls would be what every head coach wants, more time to implement your way and your style.â€

City created all of the first-half opportunities but were fairly wasteful in the final third. Kerstin Casparij did hit the target when the ball rolled to her after Khadija Shaw was tackled in the box, but her left-footed shot went straight at Rafaela Borggräfe – who produced a one-handed save to keep out an Aoba Fujino strike, after the winger had raced on to Vivianne Miedemaâ€s slick pass into the penalty area.

In contrast to their lack of adventure into the City area during almost the entire first half, Liverpool were more attack-minded at the start of the second and they went in front with an excellent team goal as Ceri Hollandâ€s right-wing cross found the back-post run of Cornelia Kapocs, who headed home in front of the Kop. Kapocs has scored both of Liverpoolâ€s league goals this season.

Liverpoolâ€s Cornelia Kapocs (centre) celebrates scoring against Manchester City. Photograph: George Wood/Getty Images

The hosts gifted the equaliser in unnecessary fashion through a mistake from Borggräfe; Shawâ€s header was bouncing comfortably wide of goal but the keeper still tried to save it, only diverting the ball into the path of Iman Beney, who gratefully tucked in the leveller.

Shaw did have a 79th-minute effort well saved, after shooting powerfully from the edge of the penalty area, as the City pressure began to intensify. It felt as though the winning goal was coming for the visitors, though, and it eventually did through Fujino. She was fed into space in the box and lashed in a clinical, low finish that had too much pace for Borggräfe.

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Liverpool thought they had snatched a stoppage-time equaliser when Gemma Bonner fired in on the rebound after Hollandâ€s free-kick had been spilled – Hollandâ€s effort was Liverpoolâ€s second at goal in the whole game – but Bonner was offside.

Andrée Jeglertz, Cityâ€s head coach, said: “We dominated the first half and created a couple of scoring chances but I missed a little bit of this desperation around the penalty area, [players saying] ‘Iâ€m going to be one that is going into the box, Iâ€m the one that really wants to scoreâ€, I missed that a little in the first half. Not until Liverpool scored. It was almost as if then we woke up and thought we need a little bit more, and thatâ€s why we turned the game around.â€

There was a worry for Liverpool earlier in the game, when Marie Höbinger limped off with an injury. The midfielder appeared to be in tears of pain as she was substituted after treatment on the pitch.

Jeglertz said: “Liverpool showed they are better than the position they have. They will definitely cause problems for other teams. They have good players and I think they showed in this game that they are very structured, organised and can make it difficult for us, so I am 100% sure they will soon climb the table.â€

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Tom Cleverley has spoken candidly about the anxiety issues that affected his playing career.

Manchester United academy graduate Cleverley rose through the ranks into the first team at Old Trafford and ended up winning 13 senior caps for England in a career that also saw him win the Premier League title in 2012-13.

But the following season was especially difficult for Cleverley, who admits to shortcomings in his form but was negatively affected by deeply unjustified by widespread public scapegoating as he should have been approaching his playing peak.

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Tom Cleverley opens up about mental health challenges

Tom Cleverley ended his playing career with Watford

Now in his second managerial role at Plymouth Argyle, the 36-year-old gave his club’s in-house media a revealing and heartfelt interview on matters of mental health.

“Stress is poor form. Stress is receiving abuse. And then anxiety is when that is a chronic problem, when that’s a problem that doesn’t go away and that’s what [2013-14] became,” revealed Cleverley.

Tom Cleverley (R) with Man United teammates Danny Welbeck and Jonny Evans in 2013 (Image credit: Getty Images)

“There was a petition to take me out of the England squad [and] that fed into it. Another thing that happened the following year… I got burgled at home and when my home then became not a place of escape it became very suffocating.”

Cleverley was indeed taken out of the England squad and found himself back on the loan market, spending the 2014-15 season on loan at Aston Villa. He joined Everton in 2015 and, after another initial loan, finished his career with six years at Watford.

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“[I dealt with it] very poorly in the beginning,” says Cleverley of his early experiences with anxiety.

“It was home from training, dark rooms, sort of Netflix and, yeah, not wanting to leave the house before the next day’s training. [It was] a very unhealthy way of coping – a really uneducated way to deal with it.”

Cleverley spent a difficult season on loan at Aston Villa

Cleverley eventually sought help and credits education about breathing exercises and maintaining healthy sleep patterns with improving his ability to deal with anxiety, however it presents itself.

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“As a footballer I was always someone who judged how life was going by those 90 minutes a week,” says the former Man United midfielder. “I think a lot of people in professional football are guilty of that.

“We have to understand that there are times as a footballer you need to be strong, you need to be durable, you need to grit your teeth.

“But there are also times that it’s absolutely okay that those qualities can take a back seat and you can talk to someone.”

The Argyle manager’s account was part of the club’s support of World Mental Health Day and Mind, the mental health charity.

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Manchester United keep tabs on Adam Wharton, the Reds will not consider Thomas Tuchel as Ruben Amorim’s replacement, Vinicius Junior to make way for Erling Haaland at Real Madrid.

Adam Wharton, 21, is emerging as a target for Manchester United. The England international is admired at Old Trafford and the club might bid as much as £60m for the Crystal Palace midfielder. (Mirror), external

Meanwhile, United will not consider England manager Thomas Tuchel as a potential replacement should they sack Ruben Amorim. (Sun), external

Bayern Munich are determined to extend the contract of defender Dayot Upamecano, 26, amid interest from Liverpool, despite the German club not being able to agree an improved offer for the centre-back who could leave for free in June 2026. (Florian Plettenberg), external

Real Madrid are planning to sell forward Vinicius Junior, 25, for a world record fee in a bid to fund the signing of 25-year-old Manchester City striker Erling Haaland. (CaughtOffside), external

Nottingham Forest have a real interest in Rafael Benitez as a replacement for Ange Postecoglou should they decide to part ways with the Australian manager. (Football Insider) , external

Manchester United are facing a battle with Tottenham Hotspur for 26-year-old Sporting midfielder Morten Hjulmand. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external

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Arsenal have been found to have breached FA Cup rules when they hosted Manchester United in the third round of the competition in January.

Mikel Arteta’s side went out at the first hurdle despite Manchester United being reduced to ten men midway through the second half, with Gabriel cancelling out Bruno Fernandes’ opener just two minutes after Diogo Dalot was shown a second yellow card – only for the Gunners to lose on penalties.

However, the sanction has nothing to do with events on the pitch that day, but rather relates to how they sold their away tickets.

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Arsenal handed suspended fine over away ticketing for Manchester United clash

Manchester United did not receive the proper ticket allocation for their trip to the Emirates in January, the PGB found (Image credit: Getty Images)

An FA statement explained that they had referred Arsenal to the Professional Game Board (PGB) after they were alleged to have breached FA Cup rule 192, which required all home sides to comply with rule 191.

Rule 191 reads as follows: For competition matches other than a semi-final or the Final, the away club shall have the right to claim either:

• (a) up to 15% of the tickets issued (up to a maximum of 9,000);
• or (b) if the Ground is not all ticketed, up to 15% the Ground’s maximum capacity, provided that:
  • 191.1. the tickets are for admission to a fully segregated area; and
  • 191.2. the request for the tickets is made within four days of the relevant draw.

Manchester United fans were left celebrating after they won the tie on penalties (Image credit: Getty Images)

Arsenal were thus required to offer the full 9,000 tickets to Manchester United for the occasion.

However, Arsenal are reported to have only allocated 8,000 tickets to visiting fans, claiming the decision had been taken on safety grounds.

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The PGB found that Arsenal’s decision put them in breach of rule 192 and has hit them with a suspended £500,000 fine.

The penalty will remain suspended and won’t need to be paid as long as Arsenal confirm they are able to comply with the rules this season and follow through with any home games they face in the FA Cup this season.

Arsenal will now have to comply with the rules this season to avoid having to pay half a million quid (Image credit: Getty Images)

The FA Cup third round is set to get under way on the weekend of Saturday, January 10 2026.

Premier League and Championship clubs do not participate in the first or second rounds of the competition, which will be held on the first weekends of November and December, respectively.

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