Chelsea&#39;s processional march towards the Premier League title continued at Swansea City&#39;s expense on Saturday as last season&#39;s champions Leicester City dropped into the bottom three.

Antonio Conte&#39;s side were not firing on all cylinders against a resolute Swansea side managed by their former assistant manager Paul Clement but second-half goals by Pedro and Diego Costa made sure of a 3-1 victory.

They are now 11 points ahead of Manchester City who have 13 games left to play and while Italian Conte is too cagey to start proclaiming his side winners already, only a monumental loss of form can deny them the title.

Chelsea&#39;s victory made it mathematically impossible for Leicester to catch them as they are 42 points behind the leaders going into their home clash with Liverpool on Monday - their first fixture since the sacking of manager Claudio Ranieri.

Leicester will start that game third bottom after Crystal Palace&#39;s 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough at Selhurst Park on Saturday took them out of the relegation zone.

Patrick van Aanholt&#39;s 34th-minute goal was enough to take Palace to 17th place with 22 points, one ahead of Leicester and Hull City who drew 1-1 at home with Burnley.

Boro also have 22 points but are sliding towards the drop zone after nine league games without a win.

Bournemouth are another side being sucked into the relegation battle after a 2-1 defeat at West Bromwich Albion despite taking a fourth-minute lead through Josh King&#39;s penalty. Craig Dawson and Gareth McAuley replied for West Brom who are clear in eighth place.

In-form Everton continue to harbour hopes of catching the top four and beat bottom club Sunderland 2-0 to move within six points of fourth-placed Arsenal.

Romelu Lukaku made the points safe for Everton with 10 minutes remaining, taking his tally for the season 17, level at the top of the scoring charts with Arsenal&#39;s Alexis Sanchez.

Sunderland&#39;s fourth defeat in six games left them on 19 points.

Watford host West Ham United in the day&#39;s late kickoff while on Sunday Tottenham Hotspur can trim Chelsea&#39;s lead by a point if they win at home to Stoke City.

(Reuters)

Antonio Conte is too cagey to start proclaiming his side winners already, but only a monumental loss of form can deny them the title

Chelsea's processional march towards the Premier League title continued at Swansea City's expense on Saturday as last season's champions Leicester City dropped into the bottom three. Antonio Conte's side were not firing on all cylinders against a resolute Swansea side managed by their former assistant manager Paul Clement but second-half goals by Pedro and Diego Costa made sure of a 3-1 victory. They are now 11 points ahead of Manchester City who have 13 games left to play and while Italian Conte is too cagey to start proclaiming his side winners already, only a monumental loss of form can deny them the title. Chelsea's victory made it mathematically impossible for Leicester to catch them as they are 42 points behind the leaders going into their home clash with Liverpool on Monday - their first fixture since the sacking of manager Claudio Ranieri. Leicester will start that game third bottom after Crystal Palace's 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough at Selhurst Park on Saturday took them out of the relegation zone. Patrick van Aanholt's 34th-minute goal was enough to take Palace to 17th place with 22 points, one ahead of Leicester and Hull City who drew 1-1 at home with Burnley. Boro also have 22 points but are sliding towards the drop zone after nine league games without a win. Bournemouth are another side being sucked into the relegation battle after a 2-1 defeat at West Bromwich Albion despite taking a fourth-minute lead through Josh King's penalty. Craig Dawson and Gareth McAuley replied for West Brom who are clear in eighth place. In-form Everton continue to harbour hopes of catching the top four and beat bottom club Sunderland 2-0 to move within six points of fourth-placed Arsenal. Romelu Lukaku made the points safe for Everton with 10 minutes remaining, taking his tally for the season 17, level at the top of the scoring charts with Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez. Sunderland's fourth defeat in six games left them on 19 points. Watford host West Ham United in the day's late kickoff while on Sunday Tottenham Hotspur can trim Chelsea's lead by a point if they win at home to Stoke City. (Reuters)

Chelsea surge 11 points clear, Leicester drop into bottom three

England captain Wayne Rooney is unlikely to leave Manchester United next week and is surprised by boss Jos&eacute; Mourinho&rsquo;s claim he could do so, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/feb/22/wayne-rooney-set-to-leave-manchester-united-summer-if-first-team-absence-continues">The Guardian</a> reported today (February 23).

Rooney, who was still not fit enough to join his team for their Europa League clash with Saint-Etienne yesterday, is determined to see the season out, the Guardian report claimed. The rumours come even as his agent, Paul Stretford, has flown to China to see if he can negotiate a deal for his client to leave United, most likely at the end of the season.

The 31-year-old is unlikely to remain at Old Trafford unless United actively tell him he can depart or there is a lucrative last-minute offer from China&rsquo;s Super League before its window closes on Tuesday.

There has been speculation that Rooney, who is no longer an integral part of the United side under Mourinho, could eventually leave for the mega-rich Chinese Super League.

Asked if Rooney would leave for the Chinese Super League before the transfer window closes next week, Mourinho had said, &quot;&ldquo;You have to ask him. Of course I can&rsquo;t guarantee he will still be here next season. I cannot guarantee that I&rsquo;m here next week, how can I guarantee that a player is here next season? What I can guarantee is that, if one day Wayne leaves the club, it is not because I want him to leave the club.

&ldquo;I would never push a legend of this club to another destiny. You have to ask him if he sees himself staying in the club for the rest of his career or sees himself moving. I was very open with you in the answer. I don&rsquo;t want him to leave.&rdquo;

Mourinho&rsquo;s comment caught the player unawares as he has no wish to move on, The Guardian reported, adding that the skipper is unhappy at his lack of regular starts and unless this situation vastly improves before the season ends he will depart in the summer.&nbsp; 
 
Guangzhou Evergrande, Beijing Guoan, Jiangsu Suning and Tianjin Quanjian are said to be among those interested in hiring Rooney.

Meanwhile, asked if he would be fit for Sunday&#39;s English Football League Cup final against Southampton, Mourinho was non-committal, AFP reported.

&quot;I don&#39;t know. This morning was the first time he trained and didn&#39;t even train 100 per cent with the group,&quot; the Portuguese boss told reporters at Saint-Etienne&#39;s Stade Geoffroy-Guichard.

&quot;He is injured, I cannot do miracles at that level,&quot; he said. &quot;Rooney is injured, he (has been) injured for two or three weeks.

&quot;When you don&#39;t have a player, you have others. The team is in a good moment. In the past few months we&#39;ve lost only one game and it was one we could lose as it was a two-legged match,&quot; added Mourinho.

(WION with inputs from Guardian, AFP)

Rumours have been rife that Rooney could eventually leave for the mega-rich Chinese Super League

England captain Wayne Rooney is unlikely to leave Manchester United next week and is surprised by boss José Mourinho’s claim he could do so, The Guardian reported today (February 23). Rooney, who was still not fit enough to join his team for their Europa League clash with Saint-Etienne yesterday, is determined to see the season out, the Guardian report claimed. The rumours come even as his agent, Paul Stretford, has flown to China to see if he can negotiate a deal for his client to leave United, most likely at the end of the season. The 31-year-old is unlikely to remain at Old Trafford unless United actively tell him he can depart or there is a lucrative last-minute offer from China’s Super League before its window closes on Tuesday. There has been speculation that Rooney, who is no longer an integral part of the United side under Mourinho, could eventually leave for the mega-rich Chinese Super League. Asked if Rooney would leave for the Chinese Super League before the transfer window closes next week, Mourinho had said, "“You have to ask him. Of course I can’t guarantee he will still be here next season. I cannot guarantee that I’m here next week, how can I guarantee that a player is here next season? What I can guarantee is that, if one day Wayne leaves the club, it is not because I want him to leave the club. “I would never push a legend of this club to another destiny. You have to ask him if he sees himself staying in the club for the rest of his career or sees himself moving. I was very open with you in the answer. I don’t want him to leave.” Mourinho’s comment caught the player unawares as he has no wish to move on, The Guardian reported, adding that the skipper is unhappy at his lack of regular starts and unless this situation vastly improves before the season ends he will depart in the summer. Guangzhou Evergrande, Beijing Guoan, Jiangsu Suning and Tianjin Quanjian are said to be among those interested in hiring Rooney. Meanwhile, asked if he would be fit for Sunday's English Football League Cup final against Southampton, Mourinho was non-committal, AFP reported. "I don't know. This morning was the first time he trained and didn't even train 100 per cent with the group," the Portuguese boss told reporters at Saint-Etienne's Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. "He is injured, I cannot do miracles at that level," he said. "Rooney is injured, he (has been) injured for two or three weeks. "When you don't have a player, you have others. The team is in a good moment. In the past few months we've lost only one game and it was one we could lose as it was a two-legged match," added Mourinho. (WION with inputs from Guardian, AFP)

Wayne Rooney's Manchester United exit gathers steam, Mourinho adds to rumours

Manchester United&#39;s Wayne Rooney intends to stay at the club, ending speculation that he could move to China.&nbsp;

&ldquo;Despite the interest which has been shown from other clubs, for which I&rsquo;m grateful, I want to end recent speculation and say that I am staying at Manchester United,&quot; Rooney said in a statement on Thursday.&nbsp;

British media had reported that Rooney&#39;s agent, Paul Stretford, was in China to see if he could negotiate a deal for the England forward to leave United.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Rooney, 31, has been unable to command a regular starting place under manager Jose Mourinho and faces a race to be fit for a likely substitute&#39;s role in the League Cup final against Southampton at Wembley on Sunday.

In January he broke Bobby Charlton&#39;s club goal-scoring record but has fallen behind the likes of Paul Pogba, Ander Herrera, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Marcus Rashford in the competition for a first-team place.

In the statement, on United`s website, he said: &quot;I hope I will play a full part in helping the team in its fight for success on four fronts.&quot;

His current Manchester United contract expires after the 2017-2018 season.

(Reuters)

&nbsp;

There were speculations that Rooney could move to China

Manchester United's Wayne Rooney intends to stay at the club, ending speculation that he could move to China. “Despite the interest which has been shown from other clubs, for which I’m grateful, I want to end recent speculation and say that I am staying at Manchester United," Rooney said in a statement on Thursday. British media had reported that Rooney's agent, Paul Stretford, was in China to see if he could negotiate a deal for the England forward to leave United. Rooney, 31, has been unable to command a regular starting place under manager Jose Mourinho and faces a race to be fit for a likely substitute's role in the League Cup final against Southampton at Wembley on Sunday. In January he broke Bobby Charlton's club goal-scoring record but has fallen behind the likes of Paul Pogba, Ander Herrera, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Marcus Rashford in the competition for a first-team place. In the statement, on United`s website, he said: "I hope I will play a full part in helping the team in its fight for success on four fronts." His current Manchester United contract expires after the 2017-2018 season. (Reuters)

Football: Wayne Rooney says he will stay at Manchester United

The jet-heeled Sadio Mane scored a quick-fire brace as Liverpool revitalised their Premier League campaign with an impressive 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on Saturday.

Senegalese flier Mane netted twice in three first-half minutes as Jurgen Klopp&#39;s team claimed a first league win of 2017 at the sixth attempt and ended Spurs&#39; nine-game unbeaten run.

Liverpool moved back into the top four, above Manchester City, who visit Bournemouth on Monday, and Manchester United, who briefly climbed above them after beating Watford 2-0.

Tottenham remain second, but they are now level on points with Arsenal after Alexis Sanchez scored twice to earn Arsene Wenger&#39;s side a much-needed 2-0 victory over Hull City.

Spurs&#39; setback means Chelsea can move 12 points clear at the summit if they win at Burnley on Sunday.

While the title seems destined for Stamford Bridge, the battle for positions below Chelsea could not be more tight, with two points separating Spurs in second and United in sixth.

Liverpool badly missed Mane during his time at the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal and he gave a dazzling display of his qualities with two goals in the first 18 minutes at Anfield.

For the first goal, in the 16th minute, he raced onto Georginio Wijnaldum&#39;s pass before lifting a shot past Hugo Lloris.

Two minutes later he made it 2-0 with his 11th goal of the season, sparking a raid on the Spurs box by robbing Eric Dier and then slamming in after Lloris had saved from Adam Lallana and Roberto Firmino.

At the Emirates Stadium, Sanchez brought the under-fire Wenger some breathing space as Arsenal overcame third-bottom Hull.

The Chilean forward contentiously scored with his hand in the 34th minute and netted a stoppage-time penalty after Sam Clucas had been sent off for handball to take his tally for the campaign to 17 goals.

It got Arsenal back to winning ways following successive defeats by Watford and Chelsea and left them in third place, nine points behind Chelsea.

Wenger dismissed a claim by former Arsenal striker Ian Wright that he had admitted his time at the club was coming to an end.

Gabbiadini double&nbsp;

&quot;I didn&#39;t give any indication about my future,&quot; Wenger told reporters.

&quot;You know I appreciate very much that you want me to rest, absolutely. But I am not ready for that yet.&quot;

United closed to within a point of the Champions League places by beating Watford, Anthony Martial marking his return to the starting XI by scoring and setting up the opener for Juan Mata.

Jose Mourinho&#39;s side have now gone 16 league games unbeaten and while they remain sixth, they are just a point below both Liverpool and City.

&quot;Martial deserves the chance,&quot; Mourinho told the BBC. &quot;He has worked harder than ever in the last two weeks in the way I like: silence, but hard.&quot;

He added: &quot;In the first half the football was fabulous. When I got the job, they were saying at Manchester United you need to play football in a certain way and I agree.&quot;

Seventh-place Everton squandered a chance to close on the teams above them after being held to a 0-0 draw at sixth-bottom Middlesbrough.

Sunderland remain bottom of the table after Southampton&#39;s new Italian striker Manolo Gabbiadini scored a slick brace in a 4-0 win at the Stadium of Light.

Jason Denayer also put through his own goal before Shane Long completed the scoring in added time.

Second-bottom Crystal Palace were also beaten, Joe Allen scoring in the second half to give Stoke City a 1-0 win that saw Mark Hughes&#39;s team climb to ninth.

Gareth McAuley was credited with a stoppage-time equaliser for West Bromwich Albion in a 2-2 draw at West Ham United.

After Nacer Chadli put West Brom ahead in the fifth minute, West Ham hit back through Sofiane Feghouli and Manuel Lanzini, only for McAuley to get a decisive touch to Jonny Evans&#39;s header at the death. 
 
(AFP)

Liverpool moved back into the top four, above Manchester City, who visit Bournemouth on Monday, and Manchester United

The jet-heeled Sadio Mane scored a quick-fire brace as Liverpool revitalised their Premier League campaign with an impressive 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on Saturday. Senegalese flier Mane netted twice in three first-half minutes as Jurgen Klopp's team claimed a first league win of 2017 at the sixth attempt and ended Spurs' nine-game unbeaten run. Liverpool moved back into the top four, above Manchester City, who visit Bournemouth on Monday, and Manchester United, who briefly climbed above them after beating Watford 2-0. Tottenham remain second, but they are now level on points with Arsenal after Alexis Sanchez scored twice to earn Arsene Wenger's side a much-needed 2-0 victory over Hull City. Spurs' setback means Chelsea can move 12 points clear at the summit if they win at Burnley on Sunday. While the title seems destined for Stamford Bridge, the battle for positions below Chelsea could not be more tight, with two points separating Spurs in second and United in sixth. Liverpool badly missed Mane during his time at the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal and he gave a dazzling display of his qualities with two goals in the first 18 minutes at Anfield. For the first goal, in the 16th minute, he raced onto Georginio Wijnaldum's pass before lifting a shot past Hugo Lloris. Two minutes later he made it 2-0 with his 11th goal of the season, sparking a raid on the Spurs box by robbing Eric Dier and then slamming in after Lloris had saved from Adam Lallana and Roberto Firmino. At the Emirates Stadium, Sanchez brought the under-fire Wenger some breathing space as Arsenal overcame third-bottom Hull. The Chilean forward contentiously scored with his hand in the 34th minute and netted a stoppage-time penalty after Sam Clucas had been sent off for handball to take his tally for the campaign to 17 goals. It got Arsenal back to winning ways following successive defeats by Watford and Chelsea and left them in third place, nine points behind Chelsea. Wenger dismissed a claim by former Arsenal striker Ian Wright that he had admitted his time at the club was coming to an end. Gabbiadini double "I didn't give any indication about my future," Wenger told reporters. "You know I appreciate very much that you want me to rest, absolutely. But I am not ready for that yet." United closed to within a point of the Champions League places by beating Watford, Anthony Martial marking his return to the starting XI by scoring and setting up the opener for Juan Mata. Jose Mourinho's side have now gone 16 league games unbeaten and while they remain sixth, they are just a point below both Liverpool and City. "Martial deserves the chance," Mourinho told the BBC. "He has worked harder than ever in the last two weeks in the way I like: silence, but hard." He added: "In the first half the football was fabulous. When I got the job, they were saying at Manchester United you need to play football in a certain way and I agree." Seventh-place Everton squandered a chance to close on the teams above them after being held to a 0-0 draw at sixth-bottom Middlesbrough. Sunderland remain bottom of the table after Southampton's new Italian striker Manolo Gabbiadini scored a slick brace in a 4-0 win at the Stadium of Light. Jason Denayer also put through his own goal before Shane Long completed the scoring in added time. Second-bottom Crystal Palace were also beaten, Joe Allen scoring in the second half to give Stoke City a 1-0 win that saw Mark Hughes's team climb to ninth. Gareth McAuley was credited with a stoppage-time equaliser for West Bromwich Albion in a 2-2 draw at West Ham United. After Nacer Chadli put West Brom ahead in the fifth minute, West Ham hit back through Sofiane Feghouli and Manuel Lanzini, only for McAuley to get a decisive touch to Jonny Evans's header at the death. (AFP)

Liverpool 2-0 Tottenham;  Arsenal, Manchester United rise

Manchester United`s push for the Champions League places was frustrated by Hull City as Jose Mourinho`s men were held to a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

With Manchester City winning handsomely at West Ham United, their cross-city rivals lost ground in the race for a top-four finish as Hull`s stubborn defending kept them at bay.

The visitors, who showed further signs of improvement under new manager Marco Silva, restricted Mourinho`s side to few clear chances.

And when United did get a sight of goal they were thwarted by Hull goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic, who made some smart saves either side of half-time.

Two dropped points left United four points adrift of fifth-place Manchester City and fourth-place Liverpool.

There was more bad news for Mourinho when defender Phil Jones limped off injured in the second half.

It might have got even worse, but Lazar Markovic struck the United woodwork late on with the best chance of the game.

United sniffed a chance early on when David Meyler presented possession to Paul Pogba and the midfielder angled a clever pass into the path of Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

But the winger`s chances of finding a shot were halted by full-back Andrew Robertson, who covered around to make an important challenge.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic almost put United ahead in the 15th minute with a moment of characteristic confidence, brushing off Tom Huddlestone and hitting a curling shot that was tipped around the post by Jakupovic.

But despite dominating possession, United were finding it difficult to break down the stubborn resistance of Hull, with Mkhitaryan in particular having little success in running at defenders.

Another chance arrived for United 10 minutes before half-time when Pogba helped a pass by Daley Blind into the feet of Ibrahimovic.

However, the Swede was closed down quickly and he snatched at a left-foot shot that flew harmlessly wide.

After lacking the magic to change the game for much of the first half, the home side nearly opened the scoring with a goal of real inspiration three minutes before half-time.Michael Carrick`s pass was flicked on superbly by Ibrahimovic for Pogba, whose powerful effort was saved well by Jakupovic.

Pogba and Ibrahimovic combined again nine minutes into the second half when the former lofted a clever pass into the latter`s path inside the 18-yard box.

But it was a difficult ball for Ibrahimovic to control and his attempted shot was easy for Jakupovic to claim.

Another raking, diagonal ball by Pogba released Marcus Rashford moments later and this time it was brought under control. 
The young forward managed to get a shot away but it went just wide of the target.

Then a cross from the right by Antonio Valencia was helped back across goal by Rashford, but substitute Wayne Rooney failed to connect with a shot on the turn and when Ibrahimovic did make contact, he fired wide.

Hull striker Oumar Niasse was fortunate to stay on the field with 25 minutes remaining when, having already been booked, he committed a high challenge on Blind but escaped without another caution.

The home side ought to have led with 13 minutes remaining, but Jakupovic again came to Hull`s rescue.

He made a superb block on the line to deny substitute Juan Mata from close range after Chris Smalling had headed Ander&nbsp; 
Herrera`s cross into the Spaniard`s feet.

With 10 minutes remaining Hull`s players were furious with Ibrahimovic when he hung out a leg in the penalty area and waited for contact from Huddlestone before going to ground.

Referee Mike Jones was unimpressed and awarded a free-kick to the visitors.

With three minutes to go, Markovic sidestepped Smalling and saw his cheeky shot strike David De Gea`s right-hand post and rebound to safety.

United were frustrated again in stoppage time when Jakupovic saved a header by Marcos Rojo and then turned away a curling shot from Pogba.

(AFP)

Hull City, which showed further signs of improvement under new manager Marco Silva, restricted Mourinho's side to few clear chances

Manchester United`s push for the Champions League places was frustrated by Hull City as Jose Mourinho`s men were held to a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford on Wednesday. With Manchester City winning handsomely at West Ham United, their cross-city rivals lost ground in the race for a top-four finish as Hull`s stubborn defending kept them at bay. The visitors, who showed further signs of improvement under new manager Marco Silva, restricted Mourinho`s side to few clear chances. And when United did get a sight of goal they were thwarted by Hull goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic, who made some smart saves either side of half-time. Two dropped points left United four points adrift of fifth-place Manchester City and fourth-place Liverpool. There was more bad news for Mourinho when defender Phil Jones limped off injured in the second half. It might have got even worse, but Lazar Markovic struck the United woodwork late on with the best chance of the game. United sniffed a chance early on when David Meyler presented possession to Paul Pogba and the midfielder angled a clever pass into the path of Henrikh Mkhitaryan. But the winger`s chances of finding a shot were halted by full-back Andrew Robertson, who covered around to make an important challenge. Zlatan Ibrahimovic almost put United ahead in the 15th minute with a moment of characteristic confidence, brushing off Tom Huddlestone and hitting a curling shot that was tipped around the post by Jakupovic. But despite dominating possession, United were finding it difficult to break down the stubborn resistance of Hull, with Mkhitaryan in particular having little success in running at defenders. Another chance arrived for United 10 minutes before half-time when Pogba helped a pass by Daley Blind into the feet of Ibrahimovic. However, the Swede was closed down quickly and he snatched at a left-foot shot that flew harmlessly wide. After lacking the magic to change the game for much of the first half, the home side nearly opened the scoring with a goal of real inspiration three minutes before half-time.Michael Carrick`s pass was flicked on superbly by Ibrahimovic for Pogba, whose powerful effort was saved well by Jakupovic. Pogba and Ibrahimovic combined again nine minutes into the second half when the former lofted a clever pass into the latter`s path inside the 18-yard box. But it was a difficult ball for Ibrahimovic to control and his attempted shot was easy for Jakupovic to claim. Another raking, diagonal ball by Pogba released Marcus Rashford moments later and this time it was brought under control. The young forward managed to get a shot away but it went just wide of the target. Then a cross from the right by Antonio Valencia was helped back across goal by Rashford, but substitute Wayne Rooney failed to connect with a shot on the turn and when Ibrahimovic did make contact, he fired wide. Hull striker Oumar Niasse was fortunate to stay on the field with 25 minutes remaining when, having already been booked, he committed a high challenge on Blind but escaped without another caution. The home side ought to have led with 13 minutes remaining, but Jakupovic again came to Hull`s rescue. He made a superb block on the line to deny substitute Juan Mata from close range after Chris Smalling had headed Ander Herrera`s cross into the Spaniard`s feet. With 10 minutes remaining Hull`s players were furious with Ibrahimovic when he hung out a leg in the penalty area and waited for contact from Huddlestone before going to ground. Referee Mike Jones was unimpressed and awarded a free-kick to the visitors. With three minutes to go, Markovic sidestepped Smalling and saw his cheeky shot strike David De Gea`s right-hand post and rebound to safety. United were frustrated again in stoppage time when Jakupovic saved a header by Marcos Rojo and then turned away a curling shot from Pogba. (AFP)

Manchester United fails to notch win against Hull as match ends in 0-0 draw

Manchester United survived a scare to reach the League Cup final after Oumar Niasse&#39;s late goal earned Hull City a 2-1 victory in Thursday&#39;s semi-final second leg.

Leading 2-0 from the first leg, United saw their advantage at an ice-cold KCOM Stadium halved by Tom Huddlestone&#39;s 35th-minute penalty and then restored by Paul Pogba&#39;s second-half strike.

Niasse&#39;s goal set up a nervy finish for Jose Mourinho&#39;s men, but they survived to complete a 3-2 aggregate win that sets up a date with Southampton in the final at Wembley on February 26.

It will be United&#39;s first League Cup final since 2010, when they beat Aston Villa 2-1, and with Southampton having cleared Liverpool from their path, they will go into the game as favourites.

Hull once again showed signs of stiffened resolve under new coach Marco Silva and could console themselves with a first win over United since a 2-0 success at the old Boothferry Park in November 1974.

The club also used the occasion to show their support for Ryan Mason, recovering in hospital after fracturing his skull at Chelsea on Sunday, with T-shirts bearing his name and a minute&#39;s applause.

A paltry home crowd reflected both the significant edge that Marouane Fellaini&#39;s late header had given United in the first leg and ongoing dissent towards Hull&#39;s owner Assem Allam.

Silva&#39;s decision to make seven changes to his starting XI, meanwhile, did not seem to indicate a desperate desire to turn the tie around.

But almost from the off the cohesive football all came from Hull and it was United who looked a team of strangers, with centre-backs Phil Jones and Chris Smalling conspicuously unconvincing.

Hull had the first serious attempt of the match, David de Gea boxing away a free-kick from Sam Clucas, and the United goalkeeper was soon involved again.

Smalling penalty shout

After allowing Huddlestone&#39;s up-and-under to drift over his head, Smalling had to make a last-ditch block to thwart Michael Dawson and Niasse&#39;s follow-up was fisted away by De Gea.

The hosts duly took the lead on the night in the 35th minute, Huddlestone planting his spot-kick low to De Gea&#39;s right after Marcos Rojo was penalised for tugging Harry Maguire&#39;s shirt.

It took United until the 38th minute to register a shot on target, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic&#39;s side-foot effort palmed behind by David Marshall.

United had three penalty appeals early in the second half and while the first and third centred on Pogba and Marcus Rashford going to ground too easily, the second was more compelling.

After seizing on a loose ball inside the Hull box, Smalling appeared to be pushed in the chest by Huddlestone, sending him down, but referee Jon Mess shook his head.

If Huddlestone got away with one there, fortune deserted him in the 66th minute.

Having tracking Rashford&#39;s run towards the byline on the United left, he managed to toe the ball away, but could only send it into the path of Pogba, who stabbed a low shot past Marshall.

Their nerves eased, United threatened to move out of sight, Ibrahimovic seeing a shot blocked by Dawson after dancing past Huddlestone and Rojo clipping the bar with a header.

But Niasse then headed against the bar at the other end and with five minutes remaining he gave Hull victory in the game -- if not the tie -- by tucking away David Meyler&#39;s volleyed cross.

(AFP)

Manchester United beat Hull City 3-2 on aggregate and will meet Southampton in Wembley

Manchester United survived a scare to reach the League Cup final after Oumar Niasse's late goal earned Hull City a 2-1 victory in Thursday's semi-final second leg. Leading 2-0 from the first leg, United saw their advantage at an ice-cold KCOM Stadium halved by Tom Huddlestone's 35th-minute penalty and then restored by Paul Pogba's second-half strike. Niasse's goal set up a nervy finish for Jose Mourinho's men, but they survived to complete a 3-2 aggregate win that sets up a date with Southampton in the final at Wembley on February 26. It will be United's first League Cup final since 2010, when they beat Aston Villa 2-1, and with Southampton having cleared Liverpool from their path, they will go into the game as favourites. Hull once again showed signs of stiffened resolve under new coach Marco Silva and could console themselves with a first win over United since a 2-0 success at the old Boothferry Park in November 1974. The club also used the occasion to show their support for Ryan Mason, recovering in hospital after fracturing his skull at Chelsea on Sunday, with T-shirts bearing his name and a minute's applause. A paltry home crowd reflected both the significant edge that Marouane Fellaini's late header had given United in the first leg and ongoing dissent towards Hull's owner Assem Allam. Silva's decision to make seven changes to his starting XI, meanwhile, did not seem to indicate a desperate desire to turn the tie around. But almost from the off the cohesive football all came from Hull and it was United who looked a team of strangers, with centre-backs Phil Jones and Chris Smalling conspicuously unconvincing. Hull had the first serious attempt of the match, David de Gea boxing away a free-kick from Sam Clucas, and the United goalkeeper was soon involved again. Smalling penalty shout After allowing Huddlestone's up-and-under to drift over his head, Smalling had to make a last-ditch block to thwart Michael Dawson and Niasse's follow-up was fisted away by De Gea. The hosts duly took the lead on the night in the 35th minute, Huddlestone planting his spot-kick low to De Gea's right after Marcos Rojo was penalised for tugging Harry Maguire's shirt. It took United until the 38th minute to register a shot on target, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic's side-foot effort palmed behind by David Marshall. United had three penalty appeals early in the second half and while the first and third centred on Pogba and Marcus Rashford going to ground too easily, the second was more compelling. After seizing on a loose ball inside the Hull box, Smalling appeared to be pushed in the chest by Huddlestone, sending him down, but referee Jon Mess shook his head. If Huddlestone got away with one there, fortune deserted him in the 66th minute. Having tracking Rashford's run towards the byline on the United left, he managed to toe the ball away, but could only send it into the path of Pogba, who stabbed a low shot past Marshall. Their nerves eased, United threatened to move out of sight, Ibrahimovic seeing a shot blocked by Dawson after dancing past Huddlestone and Rojo clipping the bar with a header. But Niasse then headed against the bar at the other end and with five minutes remaining he gave Hull victory in the game -- if not the tie -- by tucking away David Meyler's volleyed cross. (AFP)

League Cup: Manchester United lose at Hull but progress to final

Manchester United will reduce its stadium capacity to create 300 seats for the specially-abled supporters.

The club, dubbed by Deloitte as the richest club in the world, will pare down its seating capacity from&nbsp;75,635 to about 73,000.

The accommodation of the specially-abled supporters means 2,600 season-ticket holders will be moved from their current positions over the next three years.

&quot;Old Trafford is a home for all United fans and these changes will help many more of our loyal disabled supporters to attend games to watch their heroes,&quot; said United&#39;s group managing director Richard Arnold.

Arnold added: &quot;We know that many of the affected season-ticket holders have held their seats for decades and it will be a sacrifice to give them up.

&quot;But we also know that the vast majority will understand and support this expansion.&quot;

United hope the change will be completed by August.

The decision has been giving a ringing endorsement by the&nbsp;Premier League club&#39;s disabled fans. &nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP)

Old Trafford's seating capacity will be cut from?75,635 to about 73,000

Manchester United will reduce its stadium capacity to create 300 seats for the specially-abled supporters. The club, dubbed by Deloitte as the richest club in the world, will pare down its seating capacity from 75,635 to about 73,000. The accommodation of the specially-abled supporters means 2,600 season-ticket holders will be moved from their current positions over the next three years. "Old Trafford is a home for all United fans and these changes will help many more of our loyal disabled supporters to attend games to watch their heroes," said United's group managing director Richard Arnold. Arnold added: "We know that many of the affected season-ticket holders have held their seats for decades and it will be a sacrifice to give them up. "But we also know that the vast majority will understand and support this expansion." United hope the change will be completed by August. The decision has been giving a ringing endorsement by the Premier League club's disabled fans. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Manchester United to pare down stadium capacity to accommodate more specially-abled fans

Former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson believes no one will ever beat Wayne Rooney&#39;s record of 250 goals for the club.

Ferguson, who signed Rooney as an 18-year-old in 2004, said surpassing Bobby Charlton&#39;s 249-goal mark by scoring against Stoke City last Saturday was &quot;an achievement par excellence&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;In the present-day game, it is difficult to see any club having players who can stay with them for 10 years,&quot; he told the BBC on Tuesday.

&quot;Jose (Mourinho) has mentioned Marcus Rashford and there is an opportunity for that young lad, if he stays at United, and develops his potential the way that Wayne has. But it is a very big target to hit.&quot;

Ferguson also saluted the way Mourinho has turned round the club&#39;s season after an uncertain start.

&quot;I think he has done a great job,&quot; said Ferguson of the third manager to be tried by the club since the Scot&#39;s retirement in 2013.

&quot;The first team weren&#39;t doing great and you have to find solutions to correct that. I think Jose is finding solutions now. There was a period earlier in the season when he wasn&#39;t getting the decisions and his emotions boiled over. You see him now -- he is calm and in control.

&quot;You can see he has got to grips with the club. The team is playing really well and he has been very unlucky. He has had six 1-1 draws and in every game he has battered the opposition.

&quot;If they hadn&#39;t had all these draws, they would be there challenging Chelsea. That is the unfortunate part but he is going to have to live with that.&quot;

United, sixth in the Premier League, have the chance to reach Wembley under Mourinho for the first time on Thursday when they take a 2-0 lead into the League Cup semi-final second leg against Hull City.

(Reuters)

Former Manchester United Alex Ferguson also saluted the way Mourinho has turned round the club's season after an uncertain start

Former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson believes no one will ever beat Wayne Rooney's record of 250 goals for the club. Ferguson, who signed Rooney as an 18-year-old in 2004, said surpassing Bobby Charlton's 249-goal mark by scoring against Stoke City last Saturday was "an achievement par excellence". "In the present-day game, it is difficult to see any club having players who can stay with them for 10 years," he told the BBC on Tuesday. "Jose (Mourinho) has mentioned Marcus Rashford and there is an opportunity for that young lad, if he stays at United, and develops his potential the way that Wayne has. But it is a very big target to hit." Ferguson also saluted the way Mourinho has turned round the club's season after an uncertain start. "I think he has done a great job," said Ferguson of the third manager to be tried by the club since the Scot's retirement in 2013. "The first team weren't doing great and you have to find solutions to correct that. I think Jose is finding solutions now. There was a period earlier in the season when he wasn't getting the decisions and his emotions boiled over. You see him now -- he is calm and in control. "You can see he has got to grips with the club. The team is playing really well and he has been very unlucky. He has had six 1-1 draws and in every game he has battered the opposition. "If they hadn't had all these draws, they would be there challenging Chelsea. That is the unfortunate part but he is going to have to live with that." United, sixth in the Premier League, have the chance to reach Wembley under Mourinho for the first time on Thursday when they take a 2-0 lead into the League Cup semi-final second leg against Hull City. (Reuters)

No one will beat Rooney's United goals record: Ferguson

Wayne&nbsp;Rooney&nbsp;became Manchester United&#39;s record scorer when he netted his 250th goal for the English giants in a 1-1 draw away to Stoke City in the Premier League on Saturday.&nbsp;

Rooney&nbsp;equalised in the fourth minute of stoppage time to break fellow England great Bobby Charlton&#39;s United record of 249 goals.

The 31-year-old forward, making his 546th United appearance, surpassed 1966 World Cup-winner Charlton&#39;s record in style when he bent a free-kick past Stoke goalkeeper Lee Grant into the top corner of the net at the Britannia Stadium.

His latest United goal came a fortnight after&nbsp;Rooney, who succeeded Charlton as England&#39;s record goal-scorer in 2015, equalled the former midfielder&#39;s United mark during an FA Cup tie against second-tier Reading&nbsp;

(AFP)

Wayne Rooney's stunning last-gasp free kick broke Bobby Charlton's record of 249 goals

Wayne Rooney became Manchester United's record scorer when he netted his 250th goal for the English giants in a 1-1 draw away to Stoke City in the Premier League on Saturday. Rooney equalised in the fourth minute of stoppage time to break fellow England great Bobby Charlton's United record of 249 goals. The 31-year-old forward, making his 546th United appearance, surpassed 1966 World Cup-winner Charlton's record in style when he bent a free-kick past Stoke goalkeeper Lee Grant into the top corner of the net at the Britannia Stadium. His latest United goal came a fortnight after Rooney, who succeeded Charlton as England's record goal-scorer in 2015, equalled the former midfielder's United mark during an FA Cup tie against second-tier Reading (AFP)

Rooney scores club record goal to help Man United pinch point at Stoke

Manchester&nbsp;United&nbsp;have deposed Real Madrid as the world&#39;s richest football club after revenue grew to a record $735 million in 2015-16, according to Deloitte&#39;s annual Money League published on Thursday.

The 20-times English champions knocked Madrid off the perch they had occupied for 11 years with a return to the Champions League and increased commercial revenue key to their rise.

Real dropped to third behind Barcelona with Bayern Munich fourth and&nbsp;Manchester&nbsp;City into the top five for the first time after a run to the Champions League semi-finals.

Eight of the top 20 (including five of the top 10) revenue generators are from the Premier League, reflecting the greater financial clout England&#39;s top-flight clubs enjoy compared with their European counterparts.

Surprise champions Leicester City made the list for the first time in 20th place and Tim Bridge, senior manager at Deloitte, said it is likely every Premier League club will be in the top 30 next year thanks to an eye-watering 5.1 billion pounds television rights deal that kicked in this season.

&quot;The Money League continues to demonstrate the Premier League&#39;s financial strength in depth,&quot; Bridge, senior manager at Deloitte, said. &quot;The appearance of Leicester shows that on-pitch success gives any Premier League club a chance of a place in the top 20.

&quot;There is a strong chance that almost all Premier League clubs will be in the top 30 clubs next year.&quot;

Only one other Spanish club, Atletico Madrid, made the top 20 while there were three from Germany and four from Italy led by Juventus in 10th place. Paris St Germain, the only French club in the list, dropped to sixth from fourth. Russian club Zenit St Petersburg completed the top 20.

Combined revenues, which excludes player transfer fees, VAT and other sales related taxes, of the top 20 clubs went up 12 percent to 7.4 billion euros.

United, who have returned to the top for the first time since 2003-04, Barcelona and Real all broke the 600 million euros ($639.96 million) revenue barrier in 2015-16 - the first clubs to do so.

&quot;It has taken phenomenal commercial revenue growth to help them (United) achieve this,&quot; Dan Jones, partner in the Sports Business Group at Deloitte, said, referring to a 71 million increase in commercial revenue.

&quot;In recent years, their ability to secure commercial partnerships with value in excess of that achievable by their peers has been the crucial factor in enabling the club to regain their place at the top of the Money League.&quot;

Despite&nbsp;United&#39;s woeful group stage exit from the Champions League last season and a fifth-placed finish in the Premier League under ex manager Louis van Gaal, commercial partners continued to be drawn to Old Trafford like moths to a flame.

Gulf Oil International signed a three-year commercial partnership last season taking the total of company logos lurking down the bottom of the club&#39;s website homepage to 24.

United&#39;s kit deal with Adidas, now in it&#39;s second season, is worth 750 million pounds ($923.18 million) and their other partners include car firm Chevrolet and financial services giant Aon who sponsor the club&#39;s state-of-the-art training ground.

(Reuters)

The Mancunian club's revenue grew to a record $735 million to leapfrog Real Madrid from the top spot

Manchester United have deposed Real Madrid as the world's richest football club after revenue grew to a record $735 million in 2015-16, according to Deloitte's annual Money League published on Thursday. The 20-times English champions knocked Madrid off the perch they had occupied for 11 years with a return to the Champions League and increased commercial revenue key to their rise. Real dropped to third behind Barcelona with Bayern Munich fourth and Manchester City into the top five for the first time after a run to the Champions League semi-finals. Eight of the top 20 (including five of the top 10) revenue generators are from the Premier League, reflecting the greater financial clout England's top-flight clubs enjoy compared with their European counterparts. Surprise champions Leicester City made the list for the first time in 20th place and Tim Bridge, senior manager at Deloitte, said it is likely every Premier League club will be in the top 30 next year thanks to an eye-watering 5.1 billion pounds television rights deal that kicked in this season. "The Money League continues to demonstrate the Premier League's financial strength in depth," Bridge, senior manager at Deloitte, said. "The appearance of Leicester shows that on-pitch success gives any Premier League club a chance of a place in the top 20. "There is a strong chance that almost all Premier League clubs will be in the top 30 clubs next year." Only one other Spanish club, Atletico Madrid, made the top 20 while there were three from Germany and four from Italy led by Juventus in 10th place. Paris St Germain, the only French club in the list, dropped to sixth from fourth. Russian club Zenit St Petersburg completed the top 20. Combined revenues, which excludes player transfer fees, VAT and other sales related taxes, of the top 20 clubs went up 12 percent to 7.4 billion euros. United, who have returned to the top for the first time since 2003-04, Barcelona and Real all broke the 600 million euros ($639.96 million) revenue barrier in 2015-16 - the first clubs to do so. "It has taken phenomenal commercial revenue growth to help them (United) achieve this," Dan Jones, partner in the Sports Business Group at Deloitte, said, referring to a 71 million increase in commercial revenue. "In recent years, their ability to secure commercial partnerships with value in excess of that achievable by their peers has been the crucial factor in enabling the club to regain their place at the top of the Money League." Despite United's woeful group stage exit from the Champions League last season and a fifth-placed finish in the Premier League under ex manager Louis van Gaal, commercial partners continued to be drawn to Old Trafford like moths to a flame. Gulf Oil International signed a three-year commercial partnership last season taking the total of company logos lurking down the bottom of the club's website homepage to 24. United's kit deal with Adidas, now in it's second season, is worth 750 million pounds ($923.18 million) and their other partners include car firm Chevrolet and financial services giant Aon who sponsor the club's state-of-the-art training ground. (Reuters)

Manchester United is world's richest football club: Deloitte

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho played down the touchline confrontation that flared up between him and Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp near the end of Sunday&#39;s Premier League draw. As both teams looked for a late winner in an increasingly tense match at Old Trafford, the rival managers squared up to each other but Mourinho reckoned after shaking Klopp&#39;s hand at the end of the game that there was no problem between them.

The incident occurred when United midfielder Ander Herrera pulled the shirt of Liverpool&#39;s Roberto Firmino, then fell to the floor holding his face after actually being pushed by the Brazilian in the chest. Klopp seemed to feel Mourinho was calling for Firmino to be sent off and the German evidently felt Herrera was feigning injury. The two managers then had a heated argument, Klopp getting particularly animated, as the fourth official separated them.

Asked if there had been a problem with Klopp, Mourinho told reporters: &quot;No. He thought I was asking for his player to be sent off. I wasn&#39;t. No problem at all. I think the game was correct, I think the players gave everything in an emotional way, professional way. I think the referee Michael Oliver managed very well that part of the game,&quot; Mourinho felt. &quot;I think the game was great publicity for the Premier League all around the world,&quot; he gushed.

The game ended in a tense 1-1 draw.

(Reuters)

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho had a heated touchline row with Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp during the premier league clash

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho played down the touchline confrontation that flared up between him and Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp near the end of Sunday's Premier League draw. As both teams looked for a late winner in an increasingly tense match at Old Trafford, the rival managers squared up to each other but Mourinho reckoned after shaking Klopp's hand at the end of the game that there was no problem between them. The incident occurred when United midfielder Ander Herrera pulled the shirt of Liverpool's Roberto Firmino, then fell to the floor holding his face after actually being pushed by the Brazilian in the chest. Klopp seemed to feel Mourinho was calling for Firmino to be sent off and the German evidently felt Herrera was feigning injury. The two managers then had a heated argument, Klopp getting particularly animated, as the fourth official separated them. Asked if there had been a problem with Klopp, Mourinho told reporters: "No. He thought I was asking for his player to be sent off. I wasn't. No problem at all. I think the game was correct, I think the players gave everything in an emotional way, professional way. I think the referee Michael Oliver managed very well that part of the game," Mourinho felt. "I think the game was great publicity for the Premier League all around the world," he gushed. The game ended in a tense 1-1 draw. (Reuters)

Mourinho downplays Klopp confrontation

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is looking forward to working with Zlatan Ibrahimovic again next season after declaring the striker&#39;s contract extension will be a formality.

Ibrahimovic 35, arrived from Paris Saint-Germain in July on a one-year deal with an option for a further year, which Mourinho in November indicated United would look to take up.

After Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored once and made two goals in United&#39;s 3-1 Boxing Day win over Sunderland, Mourinho said the clause had not been activated yet, but would be.

&quot;It is activated in his brain and it is activated also in my decisions and in the owners&#39; and the board&#39;s. So it is no problem,&quot; said Mourinho.

Ibrahimovic&#39;s goal against Sunderland means that he has scored 50 times across all competitions for club and country during 2016, the year he retired from international football with Sweden.

&quot;I am not really surprised because he is a very intelligent guy and a very proud man,&quot; Mourinho said.

&quot;He decided to come to Manchester United and to the Premier League, to a club with the level of expectation of Manchester United, in the most difficult league in the world for a striker.

&quot;When he decides to come here, it is because he knows he can do it.

&quot;When we contacted him and he said, yes, he will come, I was sure that he was not coming here to leave the Premier League without proving himself.

&quot;To leave the Premier League having failed at Manchester United? No way.

&quot;When such a guy decided to come, I was completely clear that he would be ready and he is ready for more next season. He will be here again.&quot;

Ibrahimovic set up Daley Blind to put United ahead in the 39th minute and then ran through to score from Paul Pogba&#39;s pass before setting up Henrikh Mkhitaryan for a spectacular &#39;scorpion kick&#39; volley.

United secured a fourth successive Premier League win, and extended their unbeaten record in all competitions to 11 matches, in the absence of captain Wayne Rooney.

The United captain was withdrawn from the squad after suffering a thigh muscle injury in training.

&nbsp;Relegation tussle&nbsp; 
Mourinho said the England captain was a doubt for United&#39;s home match against Middlesbrough on New Year&#39;s Eve.

Asked if Rooney would be fit, Mourinho said: &quot;I don&#39;t think so. I hope so. I would like him to be.

&quot;He is always a player I would like to be available. Let&#39;s see. It is not a big deal, but in four days, I have my doubts.&quot;

Sunderland manager David Moyes suffered defeat on his first return to Old Trafford since United sacked him in April 2014.

Moyes, whose team remain in the Premier League relegation zone, said he enjoyed his return, despite the publicity that surrounded him in the days before the fixture.

&quot;When you are in football, what comes around goes around,&quot; said the Scot, whose team replied through Fabio Borini&#39;s long-range effort.

&quot;I knew that some day I would come up against the Manchester United players or work with some of them.

&quot;I think that&#39;s what happens when you&#39;re in football. I enjoyed coming back. I have always enjoyed coming here. It&#39;s a hard place to come, a hard place to get a result, and that showed today.&quot;

From chasing titles at Old Trafford, Moyes now finds himself locked in a relegation tussle with Sunderland, who lie two points from safety.

&quot;We are going to have to try to galvanise from within,&quot; said the former Preston North End, Everton and Real Sociedad manager.

&quot;It is not a situation I am necessarily used to, but some of the players are used to it here.

&quot;I hope together we can find a way of being good enough and strong enough in the games that really matter.

&quot;Did this game matter? It definitely mattered. But there will be games maybe more so that will be important for us.&quot;

(AFP)

Jose Mourinho said he looked forward to working with Zlatan Ibrahimovic again next season and extending the contract is just a formality

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is looking forward to working with Zlatan Ibrahimovic again next season after declaring the striker's contract extension will be a formality. Ibrahimovic 35, arrived from Paris Saint-Germain in July on a one-year deal with an option for a further year, which Mourinho in November indicated United would look to take up. After Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored once and made two goals in United's 3-1 Boxing Day win over Sunderland, Mourinho said the clause had not been activated yet, but would be. "It is activated in his brain and it is activated also in my decisions and in the owners' and the board's. So it is no problem," said Mourinho. Ibrahimovic's goal against Sunderland means that he has scored 50 times across all competitions for club and country during 2016, the year he retired from international football with Sweden. "I am not really surprised because he is a very intelligent guy and a very proud man," Mourinho said. "He decided to come to Manchester United and to the Premier League, to a club with the level of expectation of Manchester United, in the most difficult league in the world for a striker. "When he decides to come here, it is because he knows he can do it. "When we contacted him and he said, yes, he will come, I was sure that he was not coming here to leave the Premier League without proving himself. "To leave the Premier League having failed at Manchester United? No way. "When such a guy decided to come, I was completely clear that he would be ready and he is ready for more next season. He will be here again." Ibrahimovic set up Daley Blind to put United ahead in the 39th minute and then ran through to score from Paul Pogba's pass before setting up Henrikh Mkhitaryan for a spectacular 'scorpion kick' volley. United secured a fourth successive Premier League win, and extended their unbeaten record in all competitions to 11 matches, in the absence of captain Wayne Rooney. The United captain was withdrawn from the squad after suffering a thigh muscle injury in training. Relegation tussle Mourinho said the England captain was a doubt for United's home match against Middlesbrough on New Year's Eve. Asked if Rooney would be fit, Mourinho said: "I don't think so. I hope so. I would like him to be. "He is always a player I would like to be available. Let's see. It is not a big deal, but in four days, I have my doubts." Sunderland manager David Moyes suffered defeat on his first return to Old Trafford since United sacked him in April 2014. Moyes, whose team remain in the Premier League relegation zone, said he enjoyed his return, despite the publicity that surrounded him in the days before the fixture. "When you are in football, what comes around goes around," said the Scot, whose team replied through Fabio Borini's long-range effort. "I knew that some day I would come up against the Manchester United players or work with some of them. "I think that's what happens when you're in football. I enjoyed coming back. I have always enjoyed coming here. It's a hard place to come, a hard place to get a result, and that showed today." From chasing titles at Old Trafford, Moyes now finds himself locked in a relegation tussle with Sunderland, who lie two points from safety. "We are going to have to try to galvanise from within," said the former Preston North End, Everton and Real Sociedad manager. "It is not a situation I am necessarily used to, but some of the players are used to it here. "I hope together we can find a way of being good enough and strong enough in the games that really matter. "Did this game matter? It definitely mattered. But there will be games maybe more so that will be important for us." (AFP)

Football: Ibra won't leave Man Utd a failure, vows Mourinho

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho says he has started to feel &quot;really at home&quot; at Old Trafford and believes foundations are in place to bring success back to the club.

Mourinho endured a difficult start to life in Manchester after succeeding Louis van Gaal, but the Portuguese&#39;s impact has started to be felt in recent weeks.

United head into their Boxing Day fixture against Sunderland on the back of three consecutive Premier League victories and with the Champions League places almost within reach.

&quot;What I can say is that in here I felt people with open arms. A very calm, and intelligent, board and owners. They know what they want,&quot; Mourinho said.

&quot;They have big experience already. Very calm, very pragmatic, giving me good conditions to work and the players and people that surround me.

&quot;I felt (aware of) some sadness because people that love football, they want to be successful and everybody tries to help to go in the same direction.

&quot;For me it was easy to come. A difficult job, but easy now to feel at home.

&quot;Easy to feel good in the club, easy to feel that the club wants to progress, the people want to be happy again and I felt good immediately.

&quot;So five, six months here, but really feeling at home. For me it was quite easy.

&quot;Obviously expectations are high, results up and down, we are in a position that is not the position where we want to be.

&quot;But in terms of passion for my work, passion for my new club, feeling really happy here, yes.&quot;

Mourinho is again set to start with striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic against Sunderland, the 35-year-old having taken his United tally to 16 goals with a brace in last weekend&#39;s 2-0 win at West Bromwich Albion.

He paid tribute to the endurance of the former Sweden international and his ability to cope with the rigours of English football despite his advancing years.

&nbsp;Moyes return&nbsp; 
&quot;I think 35 for him is the same as 25,&quot; Mourinho said.

&quot;He scores goals, plays well, I&#39;m really happy for him because he will end his career on high, not in America or China. He&#39;s ending his career at the top.

&quot;His record is good. He can improve. With no penalties, that is amazing too. Normally other guys that are top scorers have a lot of penalties.&nbsp;

&quot;He had one penalty in 17 matches. I couldn&#39;t be happier with him.&quot;

Mourinho is still without Luke Shaw (groin), but otherwise has a full complement of defenders to choose from with Marcos Rojo, Daley Blind, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Eric Bailly all available.

Sunderland manager David Moyes goes back to Old Trafford in charge of a team for the first time since he was sacked by United in April 2014.

Moyes was given only 10 months to make an impact after he was chosen to replace Alex Ferguson, but has no regrets about leaving Everton to take the job.

&quot;My time there was too short, but as I have said many times, you have to win games and I didn&#39;t win enough games,&quot; said the Scot.

&quot;I would do it again, 100 per cent. Very few people are offered the job at Manchester United and I was honoured to be offered the job.

&quot;It was a great experience and one I wouldn&#39;t change because of the quality of the players and professionalism I found.&quot;

Former United players Donald Love and John O&#39;Shea could be in the Sunderland side, but Adnan Januzaj, who is on loan from Old Trafford, is not eligible to face his parent club.

&quot;I will feel that I&#39;m going into a difficult game and for us to get a result we will have to play really well,&quot; said Moyes.

&quot;Nevertheless we are in pretty good shape as well. We have had a pretty good run, so we want to go there and do well.&quot;

(AFP) 
&nbsp;

Mourinho endured a difficult start to life at Manchester but his impact has started to be felt in recent weeks

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho says he has started to feel "really at home" at Old Trafford and believes foundations are in place to bring success back to the club. Mourinho endured a difficult start to life in Manchester after succeeding Louis van Gaal, but the Portuguese's impact has started to be felt in recent weeks. United head into their Boxing Day fixture against Sunderland on the back of three consecutive Premier League victories and with the Champions League places almost within reach. "What I can say is that in here I felt people with open arms. A very calm, and intelligent, board and owners. They know what they want," Mourinho said. "They have big experience already. Very calm, very pragmatic, giving me good conditions to work and the players and people that surround me. "I felt (aware of) some sadness because people that love football, they want to be successful and everybody tries to help to go in the same direction. "For me it was easy to come. A difficult job, but easy now to feel at home. "Easy to feel good in the club, easy to feel that the club wants to progress, the people want to be happy again and I felt good immediately. "So five, six months here, but really feeling at home. For me it was quite easy. "Obviously expectations are high, results up and down, we are in a position that is not the position where we want to be. "But in terms of passion for my work, passion for my new club, feeling really happy here, yes." Mourinho is again set to start with striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic against Sunderland, the 35-year-old having taken his United tally to 16 goals with a brace in last weekend's 2-0 win at West Bromwich Albion. He paid tribute to the endurance of the former Sweden international and his ability to cope with the rigours of English football despite his advancing years. Moyes return "I think 35 for him is the same as 25," Mourinho said. "He scores goals, plays well, I'm really happy for him because he will end his career on high, not in America or China. He's ending his career at the top. "His record is good. He can improve. With no penalties, that is amazing too. Normally other guys that are top scorers have a lot of penalties. "He had one penalty in 17 matches. I couldn't be happier with him." Mourinho is still without Luke Shaw (groin), but otherwise has a full complement of defenders to choose from with Marcos Rojo, Daley Blind, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Eric Bailly all available. Sunderland manager David Moyes goes back to Old Trafford in charge of a team for the first time since he was sacked by United in April 2014. Moyes was given only 10 months to make an impact after he was chosen to replace Alex Ferguson, but has no regrets about leaving Everton to take the job. "My time there was too short, but as I have said many times, you have to win games and I didn't win enough games," said the Scot. "I would do it again, 100 per cent. Very few people are offered the job at Manchester United and I was honoured to be offered the job. "It was a great experience and one I wouldn't change because of the quality of the players and professionalism I found." Former United players Donald Love and John O'Shea could be in the Sunderland side, but Adnan Januzaj, who is on loan from Old Trafford, is not eligible to face his parent club. "I will feel that I'm going into a difficult game and for us to get a result we will have to play really well," said Moyes. "Nevertheless we are in pretty good shape as well. We have had a pretty good run, so we want to go there and do well." (AFP)

As Man U does better, Mourinho feels better

Former Manchester United manager David Moyes says the club have abandoned their traditions ahead of his return to Old Trafford with Sunderland on Boxing Day.

Moyes, 53, lasted just 10 months as United manager after succeeding his Scottish compatriot Alex Ferguson at the helm in May 2013.

His two successors, Louis van Gaal and current manager Jose Mourinho, have invested heavily on new players and Moyes believes the present-day United are a different club to the one he joined.

&quot;Manchester United was a club with great traditions that they tended to pick British managers. That tradition has now gone,&quot; Moyes said, in comments published by British media on Saturday.

&quot;They are a football club who had traditions with the way they spent. They didn&#39;t try to compete with all the others clubs.

&quot;They tried to do what they thought was the right thing to do and spend in the right way.

&quot;I could say that&#39;s gone, so I think there have been a few changes at United, but that&#39;s the way they have chosen to go.&quot;

Moyes repeated a claim that he was &quot;definitely unfairly treated&quot; by United and revealed he had missed out on a string of high-profile transfer targets.

&quot;When I first went in my real target was Gareth Bale,&quot; said Moyes. &quot;I felt all along that Gareth Bale was a Manchester United player.

&quot;I fought right until the last minute. We actually offered a bigger deal than Real Madrid.

&quot;But Gareth had his mind made up on going to Real Madrid. That was, in my mind, the player I really wanted to bring to Manchester United.

&quot;The other one was Cesc Fabregas, who we thought we would get right up until the last minute.

&quot;I remember when I first met Sir Alex and he always said there was a chance (Cristiano) Ronaldo might come back.

&quot;So that was the level we were targeting. I was not going out to bring in seven, eight players, because we had a squad which had just won the league.

&quot;Toni Kroos was agreed to come in the summer. I had agreed it with Toni himself and his agent. Sometimes you don&#39;t get deals done.

&quot;A lot of players come into Manchester United and have not necessarily made the difference.

&quot;But I think that, given time and having got to this period, I would have hoped I would be working with a successful team now.&quot;

United are sixth in the Premier League table ahead of Sunday&#39;s game and chasing a fourth successive league win, with Sunderland in the relegation zone.

(AFP)

The ex-gaffer said lavish spending in transfer market and appointment of non-British managers has altered the club's virtues

Former Manchester United manager David Moyes says the club have abandoned their traditions ahead of his return to Old Trafford with Sunderland on Boxing Day. Moyes, 53, lasted just 10 months as United manager after succeeding his Scottish compatriot Alex Ferguson at the helm in May 2013. His two successors, Louis van Gaal and current manager Jose Mourinho, have invested heavily on new players and Moyes believes the present-day United are a different club to the one he joined. "Manchester United was a club with great traditions that they tended to pick British managers. That tradition has now gone," Moyes said, in comments published by British media on Saturday. "They are a football club who had traditions with the way they spent. They didn't try to compete with all the others clubs. "They tried to do what they thought was the right thing to do and spend in the right way. "I could say that's gone, so I think there have been a few changes at United, but that's the way they have chosen to go." Moyes repeated a claim that he was "definitely unfairly treated" by United and revealed he had missed out on a string of high-profile transfer targets. "When I first went in my real target was Gareth Bale," said Moyes. "I felt all along that Gareth Bale was a Manchester United player. "I fought right until the last minute. We actually offered a bigger deal than Real Madrid. "But Gareth had his mind made up on going to Real Madrid. That was, in my mind, the player I really wanted to bring to Manchester United. "The other one was Cesc Fabregas, who we thought we would get right up until the last minute. "I remember when I first met Sir Alex and he always said there was a chance (Cristiano) Ronaldo might come back. "So that was the level we were targeting. I was not going out to bring in seven, eight players, because we had a squad which had just won the league. "Toni Kroos was agreed to come in the summer. I had agreed it with Toni himself and his agent. Sometimes you don't get deals done. "A lot of players come into Manchester United and have not necessarily made the difference. "But I think that, given time and having got to this period, I would have hoped I would be working with a successful team now." United are sixth in the Premier League table ahead of Sunday's game and chasing a fourth successive league win, with Sunderland in the relegation zone. (AFP)

Manchester United have departed from its traditions: David Moyes

Cesc Fabregas&#39;s goal earned Chelsea a 1-0 victory at Sunderland on Wednesday -- their 10th in succession -- as Antonio Conte&#39;s side surged six points clear at the Premier League summit.

Fabregas, who came in for Nemanja Matic, curled in from Willian&#39;s 40th-minute cut-back to establish Chelsea&#39;s longest winning run within the same league campaign since 2005-06.

There were also wins for Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic&#39;s 88th-minute strike earned Manchester United a 2-1 win at Crystal Palace.

Chelsea, for whom Eden Hazard missed out due to a knock, have won all 10 league games they gave played since losing 3-0 at Arsenal on September 24, keeping eight clean sheets.

But it took a flying save from goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to prevent Patrick van Aanholt snatching a point for bottom club Sunderland at the death.

Conte&#39;s men are six points clear of Liverpool, who stole above Arsenal into second place courtesy of a 3-0 win at Middlesbrough in which Adam Lallana scored twice.

Having seen his side beaten 4-3 at Bournemouth and then held to a 2-2 draw by West Ham United, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp dropped goalkeeper Lorus Karius for Simon Mignolet.

His team went ahead in the 29th minute when Lallana headed in from England team-mate Nathaniel Clyne&#39;s right-wing cross.

Lallana teed up Divock Origi to add a second on the hour and eight minutes later the Belgian returned the favour as Lallana claimed his second goal.

Liverpool moved above Arsenal on goal difference, Arsene Wenger&#39;s side having lost 2-1 at Everton on Tuesday.

In further bad news for Arsenal, City, Tottenham and United all closed in on them.

Rondon&#39;s headed hat-trick

Pep Guardiola&#39;s City hit back after successive defeats against Chelsea and champions Leicester City by winning 2-0 at home to Watford.

Guardiola, who dropped John Stones and reverted to a back four, saw his side prevail thanks to goals in each half by Pablo Zabaleta and David Silva.

City remain fourth, seven points adrift of Chelsea, but only a point below Liverpool and Arsenal.

Tottenham are three points back in fifth place after Christian Eriksen scored twice in a 3-0 home win over Hull City, with Victor Wanyama also on target.

Having beaten Spurs 1-0 on Sunday, United recorded back-to-back league wins for the first time since August by edging Palace to remain three points below Mauricio Pochettino&#39;s men in sixth place.

Jose Mourinho&#39;s side went ahead in first-half stoppage time at Selhurst Park when Ibrahimovic chested down Juan Mata&#39;s free-kick for Paul Pogba to score from close range.

United were pegged back in the 66th minute when James McArthur beat David de Gea at his near post, but with full-time beckoning Pogba freed Ibrahimovic to dink home his 14th goal of the season.

West Bromwich Albion climbed to the heady heights of seventh place after a hat-trick of headers by Salomon Rondon gave Tony Pulis&#39;s men a 3-1 home win over third-bottom Swansea City.

The Venezuelan striker became the first player to score a headed Premier League hat-trick since Everton&#39;s Duncan Ferguson in December 1997. Wayne Routledge replied for Swansea.

West Ham pulled clear of the relegation zone after Mark Noble tucked away the rebound from his own penalty to secure a 1-0 home win over Burnley.

Stoke City survived the 22nd-minute dismissal of Marko Arnautovic for a studs-up lunge at Sofiane Boufal to secure a 0-0 draw at home to Southampton.

(AFP)

Chelsea have won all 10 league games they gave played since losing 3-0 at Arsenal on September 24

Cesc Fabregas's goal earned Chelsea a 1-0 victory at Sunderland on Wednesday -- their 10th in succession -- as Antonio Conte's side surged six points clear at the Premier League summit. Fabregas, who came in for Nemanja Matic, curled in from Willian's 40th-minute cut-back to establish Chelsea's longest winning run within the same league campaign since 2005-06. There were also wins for Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic's 88th-minute strike earned Manchester United a 2-1 win at Crystal Palace. Chelsea, for whom Eden Hazard missed out due to a knock, have won all 10 league games they gave played since losing 3-0 at Arsenal on September 24, keeping eight clean sheets. But it took a flying save from goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to prevent Patrick van Aanholt snatching a point for bottom club Sunderland at the death. Conte's men are six points clear of Liverpool, who stole above Arsenal into second place courtesy of a 3-0 win at Middlesbrough in which Adam Lallana scored twice. Having seen his side beaten 4-3 at Bournemouth and then held to a 2-2 draw by West Ham United, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp dropped goalkeeper Lorus Karius for Simon Mignolet. His team went ahead in the 29th minute when Lallana headed in from England team-mate Nathaniel Clyne's right-wing cross. Lallana teed up Divock Origi to add a second on the hour and eight minutes later the Belgian returned the favour as Lallana claimed his second goal. Liverpool moved above Arsenal on goal difference, Arsene Wenger's side having lost 2-1 at Everton on Tuesday. In further bad news for Arsenal, City, Tottenham and United all closed in on them. Rondon's headed hat-trick Pep Guardiola's City hit back after successive defeats against Chelsea and champions Leicester City by winning 2-0 at home to Watford. Guardiola, who dropped John Stones and reverted to a back four, saw his side prevail thanks to goals in each half by Pablo Zabaleta and David Silva. City remain fourth, seven points adrift of Chelsea, but only a point below Liverpool and Arsenal. Tottenham are three points back in fifth place after Christian Eriksen scored twice in a 3-0 home win over Hull City, with Victor Wanyama also on target. Having beaten Spurs 1-0 on Sunday, United recorded back-to-back league wins for the first time since August by edging Palace to remain three points below Mauricio Pochettino's men in sixth place. Jose Mourinho's side went ahead in first-half stoppage time at Selhurst Park when Ibrahimovic chested down Juan Mata's free-kick for Paul Pogba to score from close range. United were pegged back in the 66th minute when James McArthur beat David de Gea at his near post, but with full-time beckoning Pogba freed Ibrahimovic to dink home his 14th goal of the season. West Bromwich Albion climbed to the heady heights of seventh place after a hat-trick of headers by Salomon Rondon gave Tony Pulis's men a 3-1 home win over third-bottom Swansea City. The Venezuelan striker became the first player to score a headed Premier League hat-trick since Everton's Duncan Ferguson in December 1997. Wayne Routledge replied for Swansea. West Ham pulled clear of the relegation zone after Mark Noble tucked away the rebound from his own penalty to secure a 1-0 home win over Burnley. Stoke City survived the 22nd-minute dismissal of Marko Arnautovic for a studs-up lunge at Sofiane Boufal to secure a 0-0 draw at home to Southampton. (AFP)

Premier League: Chelsea 1-0 Sunderland, Ibra rescues Man Utd

&nbsp;Pep Guardiola apologised for Manchester City&#39;s part in the ugly mass brawl that disfigured the end of their 3-1 defeat by Chelsea on Saturday as he contemplated his most problematic day in the Premier League.

While Guardiola talked of his regret about the melee that saw City pair Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho sent off in stoppage time, rival manager Antonio Conte praised his team&#39;s character.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Chelsea came from 1-0 down to record an eighth straight win and move four points clear at the top</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Chelsea came from 1-0 down to record an eighth straight win and move four points clear at the top" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

&nbsp;

Chelsea came from 1-0 down to record an eighth straight win and move four points clear at the top but City&#39;s failure to capitalise when they were dominating the game led to their players losing their heads at the Etihad Stadium.

Aguero was sent off for a wild knee-high tackle on David Luiz, prompting widespread anger on the touchline.

With players and staff from both teams wading in to scuffle and referee Anthony Taylor in danger of losing control, Fernandinho also saw red for pushing Cesc Fabregas over an advertising hoarding.

&quot;It is a pity the game finished like this,&quot; Guardiola told the BBC. &quot;I don&#39;t like that and I apologise for what happened.

&quot;I don&#39;t think Aguero&#39;s challenge is intentional. Both players were strong, that is all. Then Fernandinho went over to defend his team mate.&quot;

Fernandinho is now suspended for three matches and Aguero faces a possible four-match ban.

&quot;We didn&#39;t win because we missed a lot of chances, not because of the referee&#39;s decisions,&quot; Spaniard Guardiola said, frustrated at how his side had missed excellent opportunities to seal the win when they led 1-0 through a Gary Cahill own goal.

&quot;In the boxes we are not strong enough. It is a problem we have had all season. It is difficult for us to score goals and we concede them very easily.&quot;

Italian Conte was thrilled with Chelsea&#39;s discipline and character amid the chaos, with even the hot-headed Diego Costa, who equalised with his 11th league goal of the season, trying to act as an unlikely peacemaker during the scuffle.

&quot;Diego is showing he is using his passion in the right way and I&#39;m very happy about that,&quot; Conte said.

&quot;I saw lots of character from my team and that&#39;s very important to grow. But we must continue to work and improve.&quot;

(Reuters)

While Guardiola talked of his regret, rival manager Antonio Conte praised his team's character

Pep Guardiola apologised for Manchester City's part in the ugly mass brawl that disfigured the end of their 3-1 defeat by Chelsea on Saturday as he contemplated his most problematic day in the Premier League. While Guardiola talked of his regret about the melee that saw City pair Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho sent off in stoppage time, rival manager Antonio Conte praised his team's character. Chelsea came from 1-0 down to record an eighth straight win and move four points clear at the top × Chelsea came from 1-0 down to record an eighth straight win and move four points clear at the top but City's failure to capitalise when they were dominating the game led to their players losing their heads at the Etihad Stadium. Aguero was sent off for a wild knee-high tackle on David Luiz, prompting widespread anger on the touchline. With players and staff from both teams wading in to scuffle and referee Anthony Taylor in danger of losing control, Fernandinho also saw red for pushing Cesc Fabregas over an advertising hoarding. "It is a pity the game finished like this," Guardiola told the BBC. "I don't like that and I apologise for what happened. "I don't think Aguero's challenge is intentional. Both players were strong, that is all. Then Fernandinho went over to defend his team mate." Fernandinho is now suspended for three matches and Aguero faces a possible four-match ban. "We didn't win because we missed a lot of chances, not because of the referee's decisions," Spaniard Guardiola said, frustrated at how his side had missed excellent opportunities to seal the win when they led 1-0 through a Gary Cahill own goal. "In the boxes we are not strong enough. It is a problem we have had all season. It is difficult for us to score goals and we concede them very easily." Italian Conte was thrilled with Chelsea's discipline and character amid the chaos, with even the hot-headed Diego Costa, who equalised with his 11th league goal of the season, trying to act as an unlikely peacemaker during the scuffle. "Diego is showing he is using his passion in the right way and I'm very happy about that," Conte said. "I saw lots of character from my team and that's very important to grow. But we must continue to work and improve." (Reuters)

Guardiola apologises for Man City's part in brawl

Manchester United beat Dutch side Feyenoord 4-0, courtesy a record-breaking goal and an assist by captain Wayne Rooney.

Rooney opened the scoring&nbsp;in the 35th minute to become United&#39;s top-scorer in European football history, passing&nbsp;Ruud van Nistelrooy&#39;s 38. Rooney&#39;s opener also means he is a goal shy of&nbsp;Bobby Charlton&#39;s all-time club scoring record of 249.

The first-half saw United dominating possession and laying siege to Feyenoord&#39;s last third but the best chance before Rooney&#39;s goal had fallen to Feyenoord forward Dirk Kuyt.

United started the second-half in the same vein and increased the attacking tempo as the match went along. The second goal was a team effort, capped by Juan Mata&#39;s run into the six-yeard box to tap in a Rooney cross.&nbsp;

The third goal came by&nbsp;when&nbsp;United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovich&#39;s cross clipped the inside of Feyenoord goalkeepr Brad Jones&#39; heel from close distance. Jesse Lingaard scored the fourth in the dying stages in the game following a raft of short, sharp passes in the final third.

The win leaves&nbsp;United a point below Group A leaders Fenerbahce in second place ahead of their final game at Zorya Luhansk.&nbsp;United will go into that game knowing a draw will take them into the last 32.

Mkhitaryan goes close

Mkhitaryan, who was playing just his second game for United, looked lively in the match.

The former Borussia Dortmund player sped past five Feyenoord players, only to be denied a free-kick after being clipped by Jens Toornstra, while Mata&#39;s elegant chip drew a finger-tip save from the backpedalling Jones.

Mkhitaryan was soon on the scene again, exchanging passes with Ibrahimovic, stealing past Kuyt -- another Liverpool old boy -- and thrashing a left-foot shot into the side-netting.

Mkhitaryan has had a slow start in England. The former Bundesliga player of the year was starting just the second match for his new team, following a poor performance in the Manchester derby earlier in the season.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

Wayne Rooney opened the scoring in the 39th minute and then helped his teammate Juan Mata score in the second half

Manchester United beat Dutch side Feyenoord 4-0, courtesy a record-breaking goal and an assist by captain Wayne Rooney. Rooney opened the scoring in the 35th minute to become United's top-scorer in European football history, passing Ruud van Nistelrooy's 38. Rooney's opener also means he is a goal shy of Bobby Charlton's all-time club scoring record of 249. The first-half saw United dominating possession and laying siege to Feyenoord's last third but the best chance before Rooney's goal had fallen to Feyenoord forward Dirk Kuyt. United started the second-half in the same vein and increased the attacking tempo as the match went along. The second goal was a team effort, capped by Juan Mata's run into the six-yeard box to tap in a Rooney cross. The third goal came by when United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovich's cross clipped the inside of Feyenoord goalkeepr Brad Jones' heel from close distance. Jesse Lingaard scored the fourth in the dying stages in the game following a raft of short, sharp passes in the final third. The win leaves United a point below Group A leaders Fenerbahce in second place ahead of their final game at Zorya Luhansk. United will go into that game knowing a draw will take them into the last 32. Mkhitaryan goes close Mkhitaryan, who was playing just his second game for United, looked lively in the match. The former Borussia Dortmund player sped past five Feyenoord players, only to be denied a free-kick after being clipped by Jens Toornstra, while Mata's elegant chip drew a finger-tip save from the backpedalling Jones. Mkhitaryan was soon on the scene again, exchanging passes with Ibrahimovic, stealing past Kuyt -- another Liverpool old boy -- and thrashing a left-foot shot into the side-netting. Mkhitaryan has had a slow start in England. The former Bundesliga player of the year was starting just the second match for his new team, following a poor performance in the Manchester derby earlier in the season. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Europa League: Rooney helps Man United breeze past Feyenoord

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho is still unsure of his best team and of the right formula to get the most out of players like world record signing Paul Pogba, according to the club&#39;s former defender Phil Neville.

As United prepared to host Arsenal at Old Trafford on Saturday, Neville said Mourinho, while not having given up hope of winning the title, seemed still in the dark about how to get the best from his under-performing squad.

&quot;Jose will still believe he can win the title, I am sure of that,&quot; Neville, who played 263 times for United, told Reuters in an interview.

&quot;There are signs that they&#39;re playing a better style and quality of football but I don&#39;t think Jose knows what his best team is or what his best system is to get the best out of those players, Pogba in particular.&quot;

Arsenal have failed to beat United in their last nine Premier League games at Old Trafford (losing seven) and Mourinho is yet to suffer a league defeat against their manager Arsene Wenger after 11 previous meetings when he was at Chelsea.

Their rivalry has occasionally bubbled over with the pair becoming involved in a pushing match on the touchline at Stamford Bridge two years ago.

Neville, currently assistant coach at Spanish club Valencia, believes United&#39;s good record against Arsenal will give them a psychological advantage while the London club&#39;s &quot;lack of steel&quot; on big occasions could secure all three points for Mourinho.

&quot;I am sure both managers will try and play down the rivalry but ultimately the last time they played each other they were fighting on the touchline at Stamford Bridge so there is an intense rivalry there.

&quot;I actually enjoy it because I think it&#39;s good for football. They&#39;ve got one thing in common -- they both want to win. United need to win this game because if they don&#39;t they&#39;ll slip further away from the top four. It&#39;s a really intriguing encounter.

&quot;Arsenal are a fantastic football club and they play fantastic football but I always think that over the last 10 years, at the most important moments in seasons or in games, they&#39;ve always failed,&quot; said Neville who was speaking to promote his new book &#39;Class of 92: Out of our league -- our journey back to the heart of the game&#39;.

&quot;Coming to Old Trafford has been one of those moments over the last decade.

&quot;I think this is the biggest test for Arsenal so far this season,&quot; added Neville who is one of the co-owners of minor league club Salford City along with United team mates from the &#39;Class of 92&#39;, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and brother Gary Neville.

&quot;It will show where they actually are. If they come here on Saturday and get rolled over, then for me it will be same old Arsenal.&quot;

(Reuters)

He said Mourinho is still unsure of the right formula to get the most out of players like world record signing Paul Pogba

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho is still unsure of his best team and of the right formula to get the most out of players like world record signing Paul Pogba, according to the club's former defender Phil Neville. As United prepared to host Arsenal at Old Trafford on Saturday, Neville said Mourinho, while not having given up hope of winning the title, seemed still in the dark about how to get the best from his under-performing squad. "Jose will still believe he can win the title, I am sure of that," Neville, who played 263 times for United, told Reuters in an interview. "There are signs that they're playing a better style and quality of football but I don't think Jose knows what his best team is or what his best system is to get the best out of those players, Pogba in particular." Arsenal have failed to beat United in their last nine Premier League games at Old Trafford (losing seven) and Mourinho is yet to suffer a league defeat against their manager Arsene Wenger after 11 previous meetings when he was at Chelsea. Their rivalry has occasionally bubbled over with the pair becoming involved in a pushing match on the touchline at Stamford Bridge two years ago. Neville, currently assistant coach at Spanish club Valencia, believes United's good record against Arsenal will give them a psychological advantage while the London club's "lack of steel" on big occasions could secure all three points for Mourinho. "I am sure both managers will try and play down the rivalry but ultimately the last time they played each other they were fighting on the touchline at Stamford Bridge so there is an intense rivalry there. "I actually enjoy it because I think it's good for football. They've got one thing in common -- they both want to win. United need to win this game because if they don't they'll slip further away from the top four. It's a really intriguing encounter. "Arsenal are a fantastic football club and they play fantastic football but I always think that over the last 10 years, at the most important moments in seasons or in games, they've always failed," said Neville who was speaking to promote his new book 'Class of 92: Out of our league -- our journey back to the heart of the game'. "Coming to Old Trafford has been one of those moments over the last decade. "I think this is the biggest test for Arsenal so far this season," added Neville who is one of the co-owners of minor league club Salford City along with United team mates from the 'Class of 92', Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and brother Gary Neville. "It will show where they actually are. If they come here on Saturday and get rolled over, then for me it will be same old Arsenal." (Reuters)

Mourinho doesn't know best team: Phil Neville

Jose Mourinho&#39;s sombre countenance on the touchline and failure to win the &quot;hearts and minds&quot; of his players since arriving at Manchester United could prove his downfall, believes a leading British sports psychologist.

The United manager has repeatedly criticised his team in public this season and the 53-year-old should think carefully about changing his approach, according to Steven Sylvester who works with Premier League players as well as world champions from other sports.

&quot;It&#39;s very strange. In my experience, I haven&#39;t seen him [Jose Mourinho] constantly criticise players in the media, this is a new style from him,&quot; Sylvester, who is also psychologist to the cricket county championship winners Middlesex, said in an interview with Reuters.

&quot;Although they must have done something to make him question if these players are at standard he wants, I think it is a way to mask his frustration that he can&#39;t get the team delivering according to his mandate.

&quot;The whole point of good leadership is to win the hearts and minds and if you criticise players in the press you&#39;re going against that.

&quot;The players will sit there in the dressing room thinking, &#39;who&#39;s next, what happens if this goes wrong today?&#39; It creates more fear within the culture than joy.&quot;

Mourinho, who has made an underwhelming start at United, recently said his living arrangements in Manchester have been a &quot;bit of a disaster&quot;.

He painted a miserable picture of himself holed up in his hotel, alone without his family and unable to venture out to local restaurants because of the prospect of being hassled by fans and photographers.

&quot;There&#39;s a lot going on there and if you listen to the content you can be distracted from the main theme,&quot; explained Sylvester, author of the book &#39;Detox Your Ego&#39; (www.withoutego.com).

&quot;For me, Mourinho is in major transition as how to build a new culture at Manchester United.

&quot;He is not going to go to the media and talk about what he is doing to get the culture changed and to get the performance right or how he is assessing the players, so he has to talk about something else.

&quot;He has been one of the best at being able to take people away from the scent of what he is really doing. I think it&#39;s probably tactical.

&quot;Having said that, he has looked really unhappy and I think being unhappy transmits to the players when you&#39;re in transition.

&quot;This means it is harder to get them to play with the rhythm that he wants. It takes time for a group of players to assimilate.&quot;

On the eve of United hosting Arsenal at Old Trafford, Mourinho claimed on Friday that rival manager Arsene Wenger received the respect that was not shown to him, even though &quot;my last title was 18 months ago, not 18 years ago.&quot;

Yet rather than opting for that typical swipe at Wenger, Sylvester felt it was about time Mourinho turned on his old &quot;charm&quot; instead.

&quot;I think he should go on the charm offensive, focus on what he can do to win the hearts and minds not only of his players and staff&nbsp;but of the fans, too,&quot; Sylvester said.

&quot;He needs the support of the media and the goodwill factor needs to come across in his leadership style.

&quot;Mourinho talks more about individual errors than collective errors. I believe in the collective. You win together and you lose together.&quot;

(Reuters)

Steven Sylvester said he has repeatedly criticised his team in public, should think carefully about changing his approach

Jose Mourinho's sombre countenance on the touchline and failure to win the "hearts and minds" of his players since arriving at Manchester United could prove his downfall, believes a leading British sports psychologist. The United manager has repeatedly criticised his team in public this season and the 53-year-old should think carefully about changing his approach, according to Steven Sylvester who works with Premier League players as well as world champions from other sports. "It's very strange. In my experience, I haven't seen him [Jose Mourinho] constantly criticise players in the media, this is a new style from him," Sylvester, who is also psychologist to the cricket county championship winners Middlesex, said in an interview with Reuters. "Although they must have done something to make him question if these players are at standard he wants, I think it is a way to mask his frustration that he can't get the team delivering according to his mandate. "The whole point of good leadership is to win the hearts and minds and if you criticise players in the press you're going against that. "The players will sit there in the dressing room thinking, 'who's next, what happens if this goes wrong today?' It creates more fear within the culture than joy." Mourinho, who has made an underwhelming start at United, recently said his living arrangements in Manchester have been a "bit of a disaster". He painted a miserable picture of himself holed up in his hotel, alone without his family and unable to venture out to local restaurants because of the prospect of being hassled by fans and photographers. "There's a lot going on there and if you listen to the content you can be distracted from the main theme," explained Sylvester, author of the book 'Detox Your Ego' (www.withoutego.com). "For me, Mourinho is in major transition as how to build a new culture at Manchester United. "He is not going to go to the media and talk about what he is doing to get the culture changed and to get the performance right or how he is assessing the players, so he has to talk about something else. "He has been one of the best at being able to take people away from the scent of what he is really doing. I think it's probably tactical. "Having said that, he has looked really unhappy and I think being unhappy transmits to the players when you're in transition. "This means it is harder to get them to play with the rhythm that he wants. It takes time for a group of players to assimilate." On the eve of United hosting Arsenal at Old Trafford, Mourinho claimed on Friday that rival manager Arsene Wenger received the respect that was not shown to him, even though "my last title was 18 months ago, not 18 years ago." Yet rather than opting for that typical swipe at Wenger, Sylvester felt it was about time Mourinho turned on his old "charm" instead. "I think he should go on the charm offensive, focus on what he can do to win the hearts and minds not only of his players and staff but of the fans, too," Sylvester said. "He needs the support of the media and the goodwill factor needs to come across in his leadership style. "Mourinho talks more about individual errors than collective errors. I believe in the collective. You win together and you lose together." (Reuters)

No way Jose: Top shrink says Mourinho should create joy, not fear

The Professional Footballers&#39; Association has voiced concerns over Jose Mourinho&#39;s criticism of Manchester United defenders Chris Smalling and Luke Shaw, urging the manager to show more empathy towards players with &quot;personal problems&quot;.

Mourinho condemned Shaw and Smalling over the pair&#39;s apparent unwillingness to play through the pain barrier in Sunday&#39;s Premier League win over Swansea City, saying they were not &quot;brave&quot; enough to feature.

&quot;I was disappointed by that because, knowing the individuals, they are both highly thought of. They&#39;ve got personal problems which I don&#39;t need to relay,&quot; PFA Chief Executive Gordon Taylor told Sky Sports.

&quot;Sometimes a manager needs to be a psychologist as well, and also to be a counsellor because you can&#39;t treat everybody in the team (the same), every manager must know that. Every player in a team is different.&quot;

Smalling has missed several United matches with a foot injury but took a pain-killing injection to play against Chelsea last month, according to British media reports.

Shaw, who recently returned following a 10-month injury layoff, has had a mixed start to the campaign and lost his place in the starting line-up after Mourinho publicly criticised the 21-year-old following United&#39;s loss at Watford in September.

&quot;It&#39;s a short-term career and we&#39;re all human beings. I think that&#39;s what management these days has to be,&quot; Taylor added.

&quot;I&#39;m not talking about being soft, I&#39;m talking about being understanding because to even get to the top in football you have got to succeed as not so many actually make it in the game.&quot;

(Reuters)

PFA urged Manchester United's manager to show more empathy towards players with 'personal problems'

The Professional Footballers' Association has voiced concerns over Jose Mourinho's criticism of Manchester United defenders Chris Smalling and Luke Shaw, urging the manager to show more empathy towards players with "personal problems". Mourinho condemned Shaw and Smalling over the pair's apparent unwillingness to play through the pain barrier in Sunday's Premier League win over Swansea City, saying they were not "brave" enough to feature. "I was disappointed by that because, knowing the individuals, they are both highly thought of. They've got personal problems which I don't need to relay," PFA Chief Executive Gordon Taylor told Sky Sports. "Sometimes a manager needs to be a psychologist as well, and also to be a counsellor because you can't treat everybody in the team (the same), every manager must know that. Every player in a team is different." Smalling has missed several United matches with a foot injury but took a pain-killing injection to play against Chelsea last month, according to British media reports. Shaw, who recently returned following a 10-month injury layoff, has had a mixed start to the campaign and lost his place in the starting line-up after Mourinho publicly criticised the 21-year-old following United's loss at Watford in September. "It's a short-term career and we're all human beings. I think that's what management these days has to be," Taylor added. "I'm not talking about being soft, I'm talking about being understanding because to even get to the top in football you have got to succeed as not so many actually make it in the game." (Reuters)

PFA chief Gordon Taylor voices concern over Mourinho's criticism of players

Eden Hazard scored twice as Chelsea exploited a slip-up by Manchester City to claim top spot in the Premier League by stylishly crushing Everton 5-0 on Saturday.

Marten de Roon&#39;s stoppage-time equaliser earned Middlesbrough a 1-1 draw at City and Antonio Conte&#39;s Chelsea took advantage to move a point clear of Pep Guardiola&#39;s side at the summit.

&quot;When you win in this way it&#39;s fantastic because we played good football with good intensity,&quot; Conte told BT Sport.

&quot;All the players played in the right way with and without the ball. We created many chances to score and also it&#39;s the fifth clean sheet in a row, which is fantastic.

&quot;It is fantastic to be top of the league.&quot;

Arsenal and Liverpool could also surpass City before the weekend is out, the former tackling Tottenham Hotspur in Sunday&#39;s North London derby and the latter entertaining Watford.

Elsewhere, bottom club Sunderland ended their wait for a first win of the season at the 11th attempt by coming from behind to win 2-1 at Bournemouth despite having Steven Pienaar sent off.

At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea produced one of their most scintillating performances in recent memory as the 2014-15 champions made it five straight wins without conceding a goal.

Hazard opened the scoring in the 19th minute, drifting in from the left to drill a shot into the bottom-right corner, and a minute later Pedro Rodriguez teed up Marcos Alonso for the hosts&#39; second.

Diego Costa made it 3-0 three minutes before half-time, slamming home at the back post after Nemanja Matic flicked on Hazard&#39;s corner to bring up his ninth goal of the campaign.

Chelsea&#39;s fourth goal was a jewel, Pedro returning Hazard&#39;s pass with a sweet back-heel and the Belgian dancing into the box from the right before lashing home with his left foot.

Pedro volleyed in the fifth, in the 65th minute, after Everton goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg parried a shot from Hazard.

City went into their game on the back of a stirring 3-1 Champions League win over Barcelona and Boro&#39;s former Barca goalkeeper Victor Valdes looked determined to restore Catalan pride at the Etihad Stadium.

He saved brilliantly from Sergio Aguero and David Silva, only for Aguero to put the hosts ahead in the 43rd minute by converting Kevin De Bruyne&#39;s sumptuous cross for his 150th goal in 223 City appearances.

Barnes late show&nbsp;

Boro showed more attacking intent in the second half, former City striker Alvaro Negredo almost catching out Claudio Bravo with an audacious lob from his own half before Bravo saved smartly from Adam Forshaw.

After Aguero had squandered a late chance, Dutch midfielder De Roon met George Friend&#39;s deep cross with a thumping header to earn Boro a dramatic point.

&quot;We did absolutely everything to win the game. It is a pity,&quot; said Guardiola, whose side have drawn their last three home league games 1-1 following previous stalemates against Everton and Southampton.

&quot;It is a miss because we have dropped six points in the last three home games, but we are still there. We have to move forward.&quot;

Sunderland remain bottom, below Swansea City on goal difference, but manager David Moyes belatedly has a victory to his name following a hard-fought success at Bournemouth&#39;s Vitality Stadium.

After Adam Smith had teed up Dan Gosling to bundle in an 11th-minute opener for Bournemouth, Victor Anichebe equalised with his first Sunderland goal.

Pienaar was sent off just before the hour after receiving a second yellow card for a lunge on Junior Stanislas, but Jermain Defoe netted a 74th-minute winner from the spot after Smith felled Anichebe.

&quot;It is a big relief,&quot; Moyes told Sky Sports. &quot;We owed the supporters the victory. They have kept with us.

&quot;We needed a win, but it is only one. We need a few more.&quot;

There was late drama at Turf Moor as Burnley withstood a Crystal Palace fightback to prevail 3-2 courtesy of Ashley Barnes&#39;s 94th-minute strike.

Sam Vokes and Johann Berg Gundmundsson put Burnley 2-0 up, only for Palace to hit back through second-half goals by substitute Connor Wickham and Christian Benteke.

But in the fourth minute of stoppage time, Gudmundsson crossed for Barnes to fire home and condemn Palace -- who later hit the post through Andros Townsend -- to a fourth straight defeat.

Stoke City drew 1-1 at West Ham United, Bojan Krkic exploiting an error by home goalkeeper Adrian to equalise in the 75th minute after a Glenn Whelan own goal had put the hosts ahead.

(AFP) 
&nbsp;

Man City slipped up, drawing 1-1 with Middlesbrough

Eden Hazard scored twice as Chelsea exploited a slip-up by Manchester City to claim top spot in the Premier League by stylishly crushing Everton 5-0 on Saturday. Marten de Roon's stoppage-time equaliser earned Middlesbrough a 1-1 draw at City and Antonio Conte's Chelsea took advantage to move a point clear of Pep Guardiola's side at the summit. "When you win in this way it's fantastic because we played good football with good intensity," Conte told BT Sport. "All the players played in the right way with and without the ball. We created many chances to score and also it's the fifth clean sheet in a row, which is fantastic. "It is fantastic to be top of the league." Arsenal and Liverpool could also surpass City before the weekend is out, the former tackling Tottenham Hotspur in Sunday's North London derby and the latter entertaining Watford. Elsewhere, bottom club Sunderland ended their wait for a first win of the season at the 11th attempt by coming from behind to win 2-1 at Bournemouth despite having Steven Pienaar sent off. At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea produced one of their most scintillating performances in recent memory as the 2014-15 champions made it five straight wins without conceding a goal. Hazard opened the scoring in the 19th minute, drifting in from the left to drill a shot into the bottom-right corner, and a minute later Pedro Rodriguez teed up Marcos Alonso for the hosts' second. Diego Costa made it 3-0 three minutes before half-time, slamming home at the back post after Nemanja Matic flicked on Hazard's corner to bring up his ninth goal of the campaign. Chelsea's fourth goal was a jewel, Pedro returning Hazard's pass with a sweet back-heel and the Belgian dancing into the box from the right before lashing home with his left foot. Pedro volleyed in the fifth, in the 65th minute, after Everton goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg parried a shot from Hazard. City went into their game on the back of a stirring 3-1 Champions League win over Barcelona and Boro's former Barca goalkeeper Victor Valdes looked determined to restore Catalan pride at the Etihad Stadium. He saved brilliantly from Sergio Aguero and David Silva, only for Aguero to put the hosts ahead in the 43rd minute by converting Kevin De Bruyne's sumptuous cross for his 150th goal in 223 City appearances. Barnes late show Boro showed more attacking intent in the second half, former City striker Alvaro Negredo almost catching out Claudio Bravo with an audacious lob from his own half before Bravo saved smartly from Adam Forshaw. After Aguero had squandered a late chance, Dutch midfielder De Roon met George Friend's deep cross with a thumping header to earn Boro a dramatic point. "We did absolutely everything to win the game. It is a pity," said Guardiola, whose side have drawn their last three home league games 1-1 following previous stalemates against Everton and Southampton. "It is a miss because we have dropped six points in the last three home games, but we are still there. We have to move forward." Sunderland remain bottom, below Swansea City on goal difference, but manager David Moyes belatedly has a victory to his name following a hard-fought success at Bournemouth's Vitality Stadium. After Adam Smith had teed up Dan Gosling to bundle in an 11th-minute opener for Bournemouth, Victor Anichebe equalised with his first Sunderland goal. Pienaar was sent off just before the hour after receiving a second yellow card for a lunge on Junior Stanislas, but Jermain Defoe netted a 74th-minute winner from the spot after Smith felled Anichebe. "It is a big relief," Moyes told Sky Sports. "We owed the supporters the victory. They have kept with us. "We needed a win, but it is only one. We need a few more." There was late drama at Turf Moor as Burnley withstood a Crystal Palace fightback to prevail 3-2 courtesy of Ashley Barnes's 94th-minute strike. Sam Vokes and Johann Berg Gundmundsson put Burnley 2-0 up, only for Palace to hit back through second-half goals by substitute Connor Wickham and Christian Benteke. But in the fourth minute of stoppage time, Gudmundsson crossed for Barnes to fire home and condemn Palace -- who later hit the post through Andros Townsend -- to a fourth straight defeat. Stoke City drew 1-1 at West Ham United, Bojan Krkic exploiting an error by home goalkeeper Adrian to equalise in the 75th minute after a Glenn Whelan own goal had put the hosts ahead. (AFP)

EPL: Chelsea crush Everton 5-0, storm to top of league standings

Jose Mourinho has taken a swipe at the Manchester United players he fears might not have the right attitude to guide his side back into the Premier League title race.

Mourinho saw first half goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba help United to only a second league victory in eight games as his side cruised to a 3-1 success at Swansea on Sunday.

However, in the wake of the win, Mourinho spoke openly about the need for players to play through the injury pain barrier.

&quot;We have players with problems, but we also have players on the pitch who have problems,&quot; he said.

&quot;And that is what I mean, because in every sport, and I know that because I have friends from other sports, playing at the highest level. How many times do they play when they are not 100 per cent?

&quot;I have a friend who is a big tennis player and he tells me that he remembers more times when he has played with pain than the times he has played without any pain. To compete, you have to work to the limits.

&quot;It is a cultural thing, for some. That&#39;s not my culture.&quot;

Asked if players needed to change to play for him, Mourinho said; &quot;Exactly, but more than me, Man United. More than me, Man United.&quot;

Despite Mourinho&#39;s blast, he could have no complaints about the overall United performance on Sunday.

&quot;After the draw against Burnley we needed points,&quot; he said.

&quot;We put in a great performance against Burnley, but only came away with one point. We needed three points today, more than the performance. But we got both.

&quot;Zlatan does not lack confidence. I used to say that a striker who doesn&#39;t score goals and does nothing else, means you have one player less.

&quot;A striker who doesn&#39;t score goals, but does everything else, is a very important player for the team. When Zlatan was not scoring goals, he was doing everything else. He was working defensively, he was working in the build up, he was giving assists and he was contributing towards the fact that the goalkeepers who played against us were the man of the match.

&quot;So, he was doing so many things that I was not worried. Today we needed goals to win and we got them.&quot;

Calling the tune

While Ibrahimovic was calling the tune in the final third, it was veteran Michael Carrick who was dictating the pace of the game in front of his back four.&nbsp;

Mourinho added; &quot;I would love Michael to play every game, but that is not possible.&nbsp;

&quot;He can&#39;t play in every game for the same reason I can no longer go to the gym every day. But he started today and he played very, very well.&quot;

Not even a 69th minute headed goal from Mike van der Hoorn could bring a smile to the face of Swansea manager Bob Bradley, whose side are stuck in the relegation zone.

&quot;We are in a tough spot, there is no two ways about that. We understand very clearly where we are and there is no hiding from that. But we understand all the areas where we need to be better,&quot; Bradley said.

&quot;We kept giving the ball back too quickly. I don&#39;t think we showed enough commitment to close people down. We cannot take solace from playing a little better in the second half.

&quot;There is only one way to win the support of the fans and that is to play well and to win games.

&quot;We need to focus on the only part we control and that is how we play. If the fans are angry, I understand that.&nbsp;

&quot;We didn&#39;t do enough to win them over. They had every right to be angry.&quot;

(AFP)

Mourinho spoke openly about the need for players to play through the injury pain barrier

Jose Mourinho has taken a swipe at the Manchester United players he fears might not have the right attitude to guide his side back into the Premier League title race. Mourinho saw first half goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba help United to only a second league victory in eight games as his side cruised to a 3-1 success at Swansea on Sunday. However, in the wake of the win, Mourinho spoke openly about the need for players to play through the injury pain barrier. "We have players with problems, but we also have players on the pitch who have problems," he said. "And that is what I mean, because in every sport, and I know that because I have friends from other sports, playing at the highest level. How many times do they play when they are not 100 per cent? "I have a friend who is a big tennis player and he tells me that he remembers more times when he has played with pain than the times he has played without any pain. To compete, you have to work to the limits. "It is a cultural thing, for some. That's not my culture." Asked if players needed to change to play for him, Mourinho said; "Exactly, but more than me, Man United. More than me, Man United." Despite Mourinho's blast, he could have no complaints about the overall United performance on Sunday. "After the draw against Burnley we needed points," he said. "We put in a great performance against Burnley, but only came away with one point. We needed three points today, more than the performance. But we got both. "Zlatan does not lack confidence. I used to say that a striker who doesn't score goals and does nothing else, means you have one player less. "A striker who doesn't score goals, but does everything else, is a very important player for the team. When Zlatan was not scoring goals, he was doing everything else. He was working defensively, he was working in the build up, he was giving assists and he was contributing towards the fact that the goalkeepers who played against us were the man of the match. "So, he was doing so many things that I was not worried. Today we needed goals to win and we got them." Calling the tune While Ibrahimovic was calling the tune in the final third, it was veteran Michael Carrick who was dictating the pace of the game in front of his back four. Mourinho added; "I would love Michael to play every game, but that is not possible. "He can't play in every game for the same reason I can no longer go to the gym every day. But he started today and he played very, very well." Not even a 69th minute headed goal from Mike van der Hoorn could bring a smile to the face of Swansea manager Bob Bradley, whose side are stuck in the relegation zone. "We are in a tough spot, there is no two ways about that. We understand very clearly where we are and there is no hiding from that. But we understand all the areas where we need to be better," Bradley said. "We kept giving the ball back too quickly. I don't think we showed enough commitment to close people down. We cannot take solace from playing a little better in the second half. "There is only one way to win the support of the fans and that is to play well and to win games. "We need to focus on the only part we control and that is how we play. If the fans are angry, I understand that. "We didn't do enough to win them over. They had every right to be angry." (AFP)

Football: Mourinho hits out at United 'problem players'

Jose Mourinho&#39;s wretched week ended on a high note as Manchester United&#39;s big guns Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba finally began firing, both finding the target in a 3-1 win at dismal Swansea City on Sunday.

Mourinho watched from the stands at the Liberty Stadium following his touchline ban imposed by the Football Association on Wednesday and was buoyed to see Ibrahimovic score twice,&nbsp;his first league goals in eight weeks,&nbsp;and Pogba net a superb volley.

United, vastly improved after their midweek Europa League defeat at Fenerbahce, went ahead with a 15th minute strike from Pogba worthy of his 89 million Pounds price tag before Ibrahimovic ended his goal drought with a sharp first-half double in the space of 12 minutes.

Mike van der Hoorn offered winless Swansea manager Bob Bradley brief hope of an unlikely salvage job when he headed in Gylfi Sigurdsson&#39;s 69th minute free kick but his Swans remain mired in relegation trouble, on five points, the same as bottom club Sunderland.

(Reuters)

Ibrahimovic was overjoyed to end his goal drought with a sharp first-half double

Jose Mourinho's wretched week ended on a high note as Manchester United's big guns Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba finally began firing, both finding the target in a 3-1 win at dismal Swansea City on Sunday. Mourinho watched from the stands at the Liberty Stadium following his touchline ban imposed by the Football Association on Wednesday and was buoyed to see Ibrahimovic score twice, his first league goals in eight weeks, and Pogba net a superb volley. United, vastly improved after their midweek Europa League defeat at Fenerbahce, went ahead with a 15th minute strike from Pogba worthy of his 89 million Pounds price tag before Ibrahimovic ended his goal drought with a sharp first-half double in the space of 12 minutes. Mike van der Hoorn offered winless Swansea manager Bob Bradley brief hope of an unlikely salvage job when he headed in Gylfi Sigurdsson's 69th minute free kick but his Swans remain mired in relegation trouble, on five points, the same as bottom club Sunderland. (Reuters)

Manchester United's big guns Zlatan and Pogba fire at last

Manchester&nbsp;United&#39;s woes deepened as stunning goals by Moussa Sow and Jeremain Lens gave&nbsp;Fenerbahce&nbsp;a 2-1 Europa League win on Thursday that left Jose Mourinho&#39;s side facing a battle to reach the knockout stages.

Without a victory in four Premier League games,&nbsp;United&nbsp;desperately needed a morale-lifting result in Turkey but were undone by a brilliant second-minute overhead kick from Sow and a superb curling set piece by Lens before Wayne Rooney smashed home a consolation.

While Mourinho&#39;s men are third in Group A, Zenit St Petersburg have made it look easy in Group D and reached the knockout stages with two games to spare after a 2-1 win over Irish side Dundalk maintained their perfect record.

Athletic Bilbao&#39;s Aritz Aduriz became the first player to score five times in a Europa League match, his haul comprising three penalties in a 5-3 triumph over Racing Genk in Group F.

Anderlecht were also on the goal trail in Group C as Nicolae Stanciu and Lukasz Teodorczyk netted twice for the Belgians who brushed aside Mainz 05 6-1.

AS Roma&#39;s Edin Dzeko bagged a double as they moved top of Group E after a 4-2 win at Austria Vienna.

A gloomy pall has descended over Mourinho&#39;s reign at Old Trafford with the manager under scrutiny for his team&#39;s poor start and the disciplinary problems that have earned him a domestic one-match touch line ban.

After victories in their last two group games, Europe&#39;s second-tier competition had supplied United&nbsp;with some relief from their league struggles but they were sliced apart by&nbsp;Fenerbahce who exposed some glaring defensive weaknesses.

The two spectacular goals they conceded, however, were almost unstoppable.

The match had barely begun when Sow flung himself on the edge of the box into an overhead volley from a floated cross, smashing the ball past&nbsp;United&nbsp;keeper David De Gea and into the top corner.

Fenerbahce&nbsp;then took a stranglehold on the tie when Lens stepped up to nonchalantly curl a free kick around the wall and into the corner 14 minutes after the restart, leaving De Gea rooted to the spot as the ball bulged the net.

It should have got a lot worse for&nbsp;United&nbsp;when second-half substitute Emmanuel Emenike threatened three times to extend the lead before Rooney drove the ball home from 25 metres to set up a nervy finish.

United, who suffered an injury blow when the world&#39;s most expensive player Paul Pogba was forced off in the first half, are now a point behind group leaders Feyenoord and&nbsp;Fenerbahce&nbsp;with two games remaining.

(AFP)

United manager Jose Mourinho accused his side of playing with the intensity of a 'summer friendly'

Manchester United's woes deepened as stunning goals by Moussa Sow and Jeremain Lens gave Fenerbahce a 2-1 Europa League win on Thursday that left Jose Mourinho's side facing a battle to reach the knockout stages. Without a victory in four Premier League games, United desperately needed a morale-lifting result in Turkey but were undone by a brilliant second-minute overhead kick from Sow and a superb curling set piece by Lens before Wayne Rooney smashed home a consolation. While Mourinho's men are third in Group A, Zenit St Petersburg have made it look easy in Group D and reached the knockout stages with two games to spare after a 2-1 win over Irish side Dundalk maintained their perfect record. Athletic Bilbao's Aritz Aduriz became the first player to score five times in a Europa League match, his haul comprising three penalties in a 5-3 triumph over Racing Genk in Group F. Anderlecht were also on the goal trail in Group C as Nicolae Stanciu and Lukasz Teodorczyk netted twice for the Belgians who brushed aside Mainz 05 6-1. AS Roma's Edin Dzeko bagged a double as they moved top of Group E after a 4-2 win at Austria Vienna. A gloomy pall has descended over Mourinho's reign at Old Trafford with the manager under scrutiny for his team's poor start and the disciplinary problems that have earned him a domestic one-match touch line ban. After victories in their last two group games, Europe's second-tier competition had supplied United with some relief from their league struggles but they were sliced apart by Fenerbahce who exposed some glaring defensive weaknesses. The two spectacular goals they conceded, however, were almost unstoppable. The match had barely begun when Sow flung himself on the edge of the box into an overhead volley from a floated cross, smashing the ball past United keeper David De Gea and into the top corner. Fenerbahce then took a stranglehold on the tie when Lens stepped up to nonchalantly curl a free kick around the wall and into the corner 14 minutes after the restart, leaving De Gea rooted to the spot as the ball bulged the net. It should have got a lot worse for United when second-half substitute Emmanuel Emenike threatened three times to extend the lead before Rooney drove the ball home from 25 metres to set up a nervy finish. United, who suffered an injury blow when the world's most expensive player Paul Pogba was forced off in the first half, are now a point behind group leaders Feyenoord and Fenerbahce with two games remaining. (AFP)

Europa League: Fenerbahce beat Manchester United to heap misery on Mourinho

manchester-united

Manchester United, News on Manchester United, stories on Manchester United, articles on Manchester United, Manchester United stories at Wion, Manchester United news, Manchester United latest news

manchester united