Jim Ratcliffe spotted in conversation with Avram Glass to SACK Eric Ten Hag during Manchester United vs Sheffield United match today

Jim Ratcliffe spotted in conversation with Avram Glass to SACK Eric Ten Hag during Manchester United vs Sheffield United match today

Man Utd will play Sheffield United in the Premier League on Wednesday and we’ll bring you live updates from the match.

BySamuel LuckhurstChief Manchester United writerTyrone MarshallSenior Football WriterSteven Railston

Bookmark

(Image: 2024 Getty Images)

Manchester United will welcome Sheffield United to Old Trafford in the Premier League on Wednesday night.

United progressed to the FA Cup final against Coventry City last Sunday, but they surrendered a 3-0 lead in the final 20 minutes and penalties were required.

It’s likely Erik ten Hag will be sacked at the end of the season and all eyes will be on tonight’s clash as Sheffield United, who are bottom of the league, visit Manchester.

The Reds are 16 points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa and have just six games remaining to close the gap to secure Champions League football next term.

Many fans have already given up hope of qualifying for the Champions League and United must respond to last weekend’s display with an improved showing tonight.

Regarding the team news, Scott McTominay and Marcus Rashford are doubts for the clash, but Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes are expected to be fit after picking up knocks at the weekend.

Follow below for live updates from Old Trafford.

KEY EVENTS

41′ – MUN 1-1 SHU – GOAL! 1-1 UNITED! (Maguire)

33′ – MUN 0-1 SHU – GOAL! 1-0 SHEFF UNITED! (Bogle)

TEAM NEWS | UNITED STARTING XI

Some early squad news

20:45SAMUEL LUCKHURST

43′ – MUN 1-1 SHU – Maguire responds

That was excellent from Maguire. His positioning was that of a striker and so was the header. United have probably avoided booing at half-time with that goal and Maguire, not needed by Ten Hag in the summer, has been in recent weeks. He is one of the few in-form players out there.

20:43KEY EVENT

41′ – MUN 1-1 SHU – GOAL! 1-1 UNITED! (Maguire)

United strike back with an almost immediate response thanks to a Maguire header.

Maguire has been brilliant this season and that was a great goal.

20:43STEVEN RAILSTON

39′ – MUN 0-1 SHU – ‘Sacked in the morning’

Now it’s “You’re getting sacked in the morning” from the away end. If they hold on, that may be possible.

United have got plenty of time to salvage this. They’ve created decent openings and had a glorious chance to go 1-0 up through Garnacho. Sheffield United had the odd sighter before Bogle struck clinically, though.

20:39TYRONE MARSHALL

37′ – MUN 0-1 SHU – How are United losing?

United have had 11 shots to three and 83% possession but find themselves behind to a team with three league wins all season. They have actually played well in this game but that is just a basic error and a bad case of miscommunication. Onana’s pass to Dalot doesn’t have enough on it and once Bogle gets there first they are in trouble. United have dominated this game, however, and should still go on to win it.

20:38SAMUEL LUCKHURST

34′ – MUN 0-1 SHU – Embarassing

Is it fair to say it is “embarrassing” for United to be 1-0 down at home to one of the worst teams of the Premier League era? Plenty of fans got up and headed for the exits when Bogle scored. They’ll have gone to the concourse for an early drink and it might have to be a stiff one on this chilly evening.

20:35KEY EVENT

33′ – MUN 0-1 SHU – GOAL! 1-0 SHEFF UNITED! (Bogle)

Sheff United take the lead through Bogle – Old Trafford has been stunned into silence.

Onana played a hospital pass to Dalot and the opposition read it perfectly.

20:33SAMUEL LUCKHURST

31′ – MUN 0-0 SHU – The counter-attack threat

Sheffield United have impressive backing from the away end tonight and they have performed creditably so far. Hojlund has just had a sighter but his first touches made the angle tighter. That might be the first time he’s had a shot all month.

20:32STEVEN RAILSTON

29′ – MUN 0-0 SHU – The floodgates could open

You get the feeling that when (not if) United take the lead, the floodgates could open and they could put Sheffield United to the sword. United rarely win by large margins, but the Blades have an awful defensive record and that should be taken advantage of.

20:27STEVEN RAILSTON

26′ – MUN 0-0 SHU – United have been dominant

United have been absolutely dominant and the only negative is they haven’t scored.

20:24SAMUEL LUCKHURST

24′ – MUN 0-0 SHU – How didn’t Garnacho score?

That was a splendid run by Garnacho and he really had to score. Foderingham shouldn’t have had a prayer but he anticipated which way the ball would go and it was within reach. Garnacho had a look of disbelief that he didn’t put the ball in. That’s been by far and away the best chance of the game.

The contest has played out as expected: United have had plenty of the ball and created some openings. Even by their standards, if they get in front this half then this should be a routine evening.

20:23TYRONE MARSHALL

21′ – MUN 0-0 SHU – Sheff United are deep

United have been the better team so far but are struggling to carve out any clear chances. Sheffield United are defending deep and space is very much at a premium. It’s clear Eriksen is playing as the holding midfielder, with Dalot for support every now and again. He’s not been overly tested in that role so far and when United are in possession it’s working. There have been a couple of warning signs when the visitors have found that space around Eriksen, but the game is being played to United’s beat at the moment.

(Image: 2024 Getty Images)

20:21STEVEN RAILSTON

18′ – MUN 0-0 SHU – It’s one-way traffic

Sheffield United have hardly touched the ball so far and it’s all one-way traffic, which makes you believe United should be capable of leading at half-time.

20:15SAMUEL LUCKHURST

14′ – MUN 0-0 SHU – Sheff United harmless

Ten Hag and Antony have already had a conflab. Sheffield United have embarked on a couple of attacks and they have got more space than some in the directors’ box. Both shots were harmless.

(Image: 2024 Manchester United FC)

20:13SAMUEL LUCKHURST

11′ – MUN 0-0 SHU – Dalot playing advanced role

Dalot has been more of a midfielder than a left back so far. He picked the ball up there when his shot was tipped over by Foderingham and we all know he has a good shot on him.

Antony is getting booed by the Sheffield United fans. He has an unlikely alliance with Wan-Bissaka and that may have had a bearing on Ten Hag’s decision to switch the full backs.

(Image: 2024 Getty Images)

20:12STEVEN RAILSTON

9′ – MUN 0-0 SHU – Another chance

Hojlund lets the ball run to Garnacho and his shot is blocked, although the move was flagged offside anyway and wouldn’t have counted if the ball had gone in.

20:09STEVEN RAILSTON

7′ – MUN 0-0 SHU – Old Trafford is flat

Old Trafford feels flat and that’s understandable given last weekend’s performance and who the opponent is. Sheffield United’s fans are making most of the noise.

20:04TYRONE MARSHALL

4′ – MUN 0-0 SHU – Tactical observation

United are playing a back three in possession and when Dalot does go back to the left he is leaving it late to do so. As soon as United are on the ball he is coming inside next to Eriksen, with Mainoo and Fernandes slightly ahead of them. It’s a box midfield but there’s plenty of rotation there. It’s interesting that the full-backs have been switched, however, and Dalot is a lot more central from the left than he was the right.

(Image: Getty)

20:02SAMUEL LUCKHURST

2′ – MUN 0-0 SHU – Early chance for United

Dalot is an excellent ball-striker and that was an excellent save from Foderingham, who’s not had a convincing season. Dalot is at left back but collected the ball in midfield there.

20:01STEVEN RAILSTON

1′ – MUN 0-0 SHU – KICK-OFF!

We’re under way at Old Trafford. United must improve an improved showing on Sunday’s performance against Coventry and we’ll provide you live updates throughout.

19:56SAMUEL LUCKHURST

The teams are out here

Andy O’Boyle used to be sat close to the press box. He’s now switched to the other side of the entrance to sit with Jason Wilcox and Sir Dave Brailsford. There is a spare seat now John Murtough is gone.

The directors’ box is sparse and there are specs of empty seats around the ground. It’s a rearranged fixture against the bottom team but some aren’t here as they can’t be bothered with United at the moment.

It is nowhere near as bad as it was against Crystal Palace in May 2016. Fans were voting with their feet that night and thousands were threatening not to renew their season tickets if Van Gaal remained in charge.

(Image: 2024 Manchester United FC)

19:52SAMUEL LUCKHURST

Fernandes plays through pain

When I spoke to Fernandes at Wembley on Saturday, he shook hands delicately with his left hand as there was strapping on his right hand. However fragile he looked or felt, you knew he would start tonight.

If United had 11 players with his mentality and talent they’d be challenging for the title every season.

19:48TYRONE MARSHALL

A flat atmosphere

It feels incredibly flat at Old Trafford with just over 10 minutes until kick-off. The away end is barely half full at the moment and the rest of the ground is pretty sparse as well. If United lose tonight they will be out of the running for top four. Even if they win everyone seems to have accepted it’s going to be almost impossible. The pressure from Chelsea coming up on the rails faded last night as well, so there isn’t an awful lot to get the juices flowing.

(Image: 2024 Manchester United FC)

19:43STEVEN RAILSTON

Wilcox is at Old Trafford

The newly appointed technical director was at Leigh Sports Village last night.

19:41STEVEN RAILSTON

United injury update ahead of Sheffield United fixture

Erik ten Hag has claimed every player in United’s squad to play Sheffield United is fully fit.

“It was an easy team choice. We played 120 minutes [against Coventry],” Ten Hag said while laughing when asked about the limited options due to injury.

“But the players we have available, they are fit and well recovered, ready for the next game, but in an ideal situation, you’d want to rotate in a week where we have three games in six days.

“It’s still creative to construct this back four, but don’t complain about this, we have to make the best out of it and we have shown that already in games or during games, and now we have to do it consistently.

“There are no easy games, they [Sheffield United] are in a relegation battle and this is one of their last opportunities to get out of it, so they will go for every chance they have.

“We have to be ready, it will be tough, intense and we have to perform. We want to see good on the ball, play from the back, be composed, find moments when we can speed up.

“Have good rest defence, good counter pressure, good pressing, so we want to make an intense game and that’s important because we have to move them.”

(Image: MUTV)

19:18TYRONE MARSHALL

Eriksen’s first start in three months

This is Eriksen’s first start in three months. He has become the forgotten man in the United midfield but gets his chance tonight. It’s been a problematic area recently and the Dane will want to step up and bring some control to the chaos that so often engulfs United. Amad is unlikely to still only be on the bench, having offered far more than Antony as a sub at Wembley on Sunday.

19:14SAMUEL LUCKHURST

U18s have enjoyed a wonderful season

United need a pick-me-up and if there is going to be a 250th academy graduate then there is a good chance it will be tonight. Harry Amass should probably be starting ahead of Wan-Bissaka, who is a danger to his own team.

The Under-18s were excellent last night and they’ve had a marvellous season. The academy is the best thing about United and they deserve to crown their campaign with number 250.

19:11STEVEN RAILSTON

Could we see academy graduate #250?

If United are winning comfortably, a landmark debut could be given.

19:07SAMUEL LUCKHURST

Antony gets the nod

United line up as predicted. No way was Ten Hag starting Amad ahead of Antony, particularly given how defensive he was of him yesterday. It’s seemingly irrelevant that Amad was decent at Wembley and Antony was only noticeable when he was goading Coventry players.

That Sheffield United team is a Premier League team in name only. It belongs in the Championship.

Antony cupped his ears in celebration against Coventry

19:01STEVEN RAILSTON

TEAM NEWS | SHEFFIELD UNITED XI

19:00KEY EVENT

TEAM NEWS | UNITED STARTING XI

XI | Onana, Dalot, Casemiro, Maguire, Wan-Bissaka, Mainoo, Eriksen, Fernandes, Antony, Hojlund, Garnacho.

Subs | Bayindir, Amass, Jackson, Ogunneye, Amad, Amrabat, Forson, McTominay, Wheatley.

itopsoccer

itopsoccer is the best website for football news and update

Jim Ratcliffe spotted in conversation with Avram Glass to SACK Eric Ten Hag during Manchester United vs Sheffield United match today

Jim Ratcliffe spotted in conversation with Avram Glass to SACK Eric Ten Hag during Manchester United vs Sheffield United match today

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply