Europa League
United grind their way to success as Europa League final – and a tough May schedule – awaits
Manchester United progressed through into the final of the Europa League with an 8-5 aggregate win over A.S. Roma, though Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side did lose out 3-2 to the Italians in the second leg at the Stadio Olimpico. A brace by Edinson Cavani was bettered on the night by goals from Edin Džeko, Bryan Cristante and the debuting Nicola Zalewski. United were fresh going into the clash as their scheduled fixture on Sunday with Liverpool was postponed due to fan protests against the Glazers’ ownership of the club. That said, Solskjaer’s side now face four games in seven days (including the second leg against Roma), so squad rotation will be key. Accordingly, the manager named his starting 11 and there were three changes from last week’s first leg of the semi-final at Old Trafford: Manche...
Martin Keown slams Arsenal star who lost possession 15 times vs Villarreal
Former Arsenal star Martin Keown was critical of the performance of midfielder Thomas Partey following the club’s Europa League semi-final exit at the hands of Villarreal. The Gunners suffered a 2-1 defeat in the first leg at El Madrigal, and they needed to score at least once at the Emirates Stadium to have any chance of progressing to the final. However, the north London club failed to find the back of the net, and it was another frustrating display, where they misfired with the limited chances on goal. Mikel Arteta opted to play with a single defensive midfielder in Thomas Partey for the game, and the Ghanaian was guilty of squandering possession regularly. He lost possession 15 times over the course of 90 minutes, and most of those occasions were in the defensive third, but Villarreal ...
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer praises two Manchester United stars after 3-2 Roma defeat
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer levied special praise on David de Gea and Edinson Cavani following the club’s progress to the Europa League final. The Red Devils had a handy 6-2 lead over Roma after the first leg at Old Trafford, but they were far from their best at Stadio Olimpico as they lost 3-2. They were guilty of squandering possession on numerous occasions in the defensive third, and De Gea produced a superb display in goal. The Spaniard has lost his place in the league, but showed his quality between the sticks with 10 saves. He was quite often at the right place to block shots. Meanwhile, Cavani continued his fine scoring form with a goal in either half in Rome, which helped United maintain a healthy aggregate lead. Speaking after the game, Solskjaer was impressed w...
Arsenal eliminated from Europa League after being held to goalless draw by Villarreal
Arsenal were knocked out of the Europa League by Villarreal after playing out a 0-0 draw in the second leg, with the tie ending 2-1 on aggregate. The first half was seriously flat, with neither side able to create anything clear cut. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had the best chance of the opening 45, doing well to strike a volley against the outside of the post. As for the visitors, the closest they came to changing the scoreline was through Dani Parejo. The former Queens Park Rangers loanee took a free kick from just outside the box, but put it marginally over the crossbar. It was a first half that will have satisfied Unai Emery more than Mikel Arteta. On his return to the Emirates Stadium, his side were limiting Arsenal to half-chances while also providing a bit of threat. The second half b...
Bailly and Greenwood start | Expected Manchester United line-up (4-2-3-1) vs Roma
Manchester United travel to the Stadio Olimpico for the second leg of their Europa League semi-final tie against Roma on Thursday. The Red Devils registered a stunning 6-2 triumph over the Giallorossi in the first leg at Old Trafford, and they are in pole position to reach the final. Despite this, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has insisted that the tie is far from over, and he may only make a few changes to the line-up from the reverse fixture. Formation: 4-2-3-1 Predicted Line-up: David de Gea has dropped down the pecking order with Dean Henderson preferred ahead of him in goal for the league games. However, he has started the last three knockout matches in Europe and is expected to feature between the sticks tomorrow. The backline could see a solitary change with Eric Bailly featuring ahead of Vi...
Mikel Arteta on Arsenal team news, Daniel Ek and the Kroenkes
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was asked several questions ahead of the second leg of the Europa League semi-final tie against Villarreal. The Gunners are trailing 2-1 after the first leg at El Madrigal, but they are very much in the tie after scoring a late away goal from the penalty spot. Alexandre Lacazette and Kieran Tierney have recently handed a boost by returning to training, but Arteta did not confirm whether they are fit to feature. Instead, the Spaniard said that the players will be assessed today. There could be an update this evening confirming whether the duo are available for selection. Meanwhile, when asked about the takeover talk involving Daniel Ek, Arteta said he would prefer to ignore the speculation and focus on winning games. He told football.london: “We have to try...
Roma vs Manchester United – Europa League Preview, Team News, Predicted Line-ups & Live Streaming
Manchester United head to the Stadio Olimpico to meet Roma for the concluding leg of their Europa League semi-final on Thursday, equipped with a massive 6-2 first-leg advantage. You can watch this and other Europa League games live online. United bounced back from a 2-1 first-half deficit to dismantle the Giallorossi at Old Trafford in the first leg last week and put one foot in the final. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men netted unprecedented five unanswered second-half goals to become the first team since Real Madrid in 1964 to score six times in UEFA semi-final fixtures. Roma Preview Roma have managed to pull off a second-leg comeback following a first-leg defeat on the road in 34.78% of their such UEFA two-legged ties (W8, L15), although it is worth noting this is the first time the...
Ex-West Ham striker claims Mikel Arteta could be sacked this week
Former Celtic and West Ham United striker Frank McAvennie believes Mikel Arteta will be sacked by Arsenal if the Gunners lose to Villarreal on Thursday. Arteta has come under immense pressure this season, with Arsenal currently ninth in the Premier League table. The Gunners are also facing a Europa League exit this week, following a 2-1 defeat against Villarreal in the first leg of their semi-final clash. Defeat on Thursday would essentially rule Arsenal’s season as a big failure, and McAvennie believes that would spell the end of Arteta’s tenure. When asked by Football Insider about whether Arteta would be sacked if Arsenal lost on Thursday, McAvennie replied: “I would think so.” “Arteta will have known – he knows the risk. He knew that when he took the job. That’s the nature of spor...
‘Not a chance’ – Peter Crouch comments of Arsenal’s winning chance vs Villarreal
Former Tottenham Hotspur striker turned popular football pundit Peter Crouch says it is difficult to back Arsenal to win the Europa League semi-final against Villarreal. Arsenal lost 2-1 against Villarreal in the first leg of the tie, but they were outplayed for large parts of the game in Spain. During a Q/A session with the Daily Mail, Crouch pointed out that the Gunners have plenty of problems but believes their victory in the Premier League over the weekend could give them a boost. Crouch wrote for the Daily Mail: “On one hand, I look and see a club where there is a lot of things wrong. On the other, I see a team who have the ability to get a win when they really need one. “Villarreal had enough chances to kill the first leg, but Arsenal being Arsenal, they could end up getting aw...
Manchester United edging closer to Erling Haaland transfer decision
Manchester United are edging increasingly closer to a decision on Erling Haaland. Though they’d love to sign the Borussia Dortmund striker, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer also have several other transfer targets in mind. And much will depend on Edinson Cavani, whose future will soon become clear. Manchester United wanted to sign Haaland in January 2020. And, though they ultimately missed out to Borussia Dortmund, they’ve retained a strong interest ever since. Haaland has been in sensational form for the Bundesliga giants this season, scoring 35 goals in the Bundesliga and Champions League combined. United, as a result, have put the 20-year-old on their shortlist of potential signings ahead of this summer’s transfer window. However, the Red Devils appear to be edging closer to a development when it c...
Villarreal vs Arsenal – Europa League Match Report
Arsenal suffered a 2-1 defeat to Villarreal at the Estadio de la Ceramica in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final tie on Thursday. A tense encounter in the province of Castellon saw both sides finish the match with ten men, as Villarreal boss Unai Emery managed to upset his former employers. Five minutes into the game, Manu Trigueros propelled his side to a flying start, latching onto a rebound to squeeze the ball under Bernd Leno and into the bottom right corner. Despite dominating possession, Arsenal struggled to create a single clear-cut chance as Villarreal dropped deep and tried to catch the visitors in transition. Former Real Madrid defender Raul Albion doubled the home side’s lead just before the half-hour mark. The experienced Spaniard was in the right place at the right...
Five star second-half performance puts Man Utd in control of Europa League semi-final tie with Roma
Manchester United will take a commanding 6-2 lead into the second leg of their Europa League semi-final tie against Roma. The Red Devils were 2-1 down at the break, but five unanswered second-half goals put them firmly in the driving seat ahead of next week’s trip to Rome. United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made three changes to his side from their 0-0 draw with Leeds United in the Premier League on Sunday. Goalkeeper David De Gea returned in goal, while Paul Pogba and Edinson Cavani also came into the starting XI: United: De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelöf, Maguire, Shaw, Fred, McTominay, Rashford, Fernandes, Pogba, Cavani. Roma arrived at Old Trafford on the back of a 3-2 defeat to Cagliari in Serie A, which sums up a poor season for the Italian side. Currently seventh in the league and...
