The Netherlands had every reason to step down a couple of gears but instead upped their pace thanks to a fine display by speedy forward Donyell Malen in Monday’s 3-0 win over North Macedonia, advancing their claims to be genuine Euro 2020 contenders. Frank de Boer’s side had already qualified for the knockouts as group winners but whereas Italy’s Roberto Mancini made sweeping changes for his side’s 1-0 win over Wales, the Dutchman fielded his strongest team in their final Group C game. One of the two changes he did make was to bring in 22-year-old Malen in place of Wout Weghorst, making the Netherlands even more potent in attack as they became the top scorers in the tournament with eight goals. Malen, who provided an assist less than three minutes after coming on in the 2-0 win over Austri...
Dennis Bergkamp is the latest former player to be inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame. The Dutchman joins ex-Arsenal team-mate Thierry Henry as well as Alan Shearer, Eric Cantona, Roy Keane and Frank Lampard in receiving the League’s highest individual honour. “It feels special to be part of a small group of players who got the recognition of playing in the strongest league in the world,” said Bergkamp. “I’m honoured.” His arrival at Arsenal in 1995 from Inter Milan was the catalyst for a transformation of the Premier League, the playmaker adding a new level of technical ability and skill that elevated the competition and attracted other stars from overseas. ‘THE PL MADE ME A BETTER PLAYER’ “I’m extremely proud if people say that I was one of the first foreign players who added s...
Tottenham Hotspur coach Jose Mourinho said the team are supporting Dutchman Steven Bergwijn who missed two clear chances in Wednesday’s top-of-the-table clash at Liverpool and received criticism on social media after the 2-1 defeat. “I don’t know what I can do apart from the player knowing in this club we are all together,” Mourinho told a news conference ahead of Sunday’s game at home to Leicester City. “We lose, we win and we draw all together. So he has us and we have him. In here we don’t feel any individual criticism, we never feel it that way, it is always about us, so no problem. “He’s one of my boys, period. There is no point to boo, to individualise. He’s a good professional, he works hard for the team, he gives everything he can.” Second-placed Spurs slipped three points behind L...
Manchester United will approach Saturday’s home English Premier League (EPL) clash with Chelsea in buoyant mood rather than in trepidation. This is after a week which has gone some way to banishing the gloom that was descending on Old Trafford. After going into this month’s international break with a 6-1 home defeat by Tottenham Hotspur, they have emerged from it with a couple of victories which have kick-started their campaign. Last weekend’s 4-1 win at Newcastle United was followed by a 2-1 victory away to Paris St-Germain (PSG) in the UEFA Champions League. For now at least, the critics have been silenced. Chelsea’s visit, however, presents a test of Manchester United’s upswing as they seek their first home league points of the season. This is in the wake of defeats by Crystal Palce and...
Getty Images Louis van Gaal blames Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward for his departure from the club in 2016, describing him as “the evil genius” behind his sacking. The Dutch head coach replaced David Moyes at Old Trafford in 2014 but lasted just two years in the job despite winning the FA Cup in his final game in charge. After guiding United to fourth place in the Premier League in his first season, Van Gaal saw his side slip down to fifth the following campaign as he failed to convince the club that he could turn their fortunes around. Jose Mourinho was named as Van Gaal’s successor just days after he was sacked and the Dutchman has stressed that he blames Woodward and not the Portuguese for his departure. “I blame Ed Woodward, my CEO at Manchester United, much more ...