Welcome to Manchester United, Jim Ratcliffe.
In the space of 90 minutes, and in front of soon-to-be director Dave Brailsford, Old Trafford witnessed the best and worst of Erik ten Hag’s team.
Two days after confirmation that British billionaire Ratcliffe will buy a stake of up to 25 per cent in the club, United trailed by two goals inside 26 minutes against Aston Villa and was booed by the home crowd on Tuesday. Ten Hag’s players then produced a spectacular second-half comeback to win 3-2 and spark celebrations rarely seen at its famed stadium during a troubled season so far.
“We said ‘Keep going. Believe it, in ourselves.’ That is what I demand from the team,” Ten Hag said afterward. “We said it before the game and during halftime, ‘Keep believing and we will win this game.’ ”
Going into the game on the back of a run of four matches in all competitions without a win or a goal, United took to the field for the first time since Ratcliffe, one of Britain’s richest people, secured an agreement worth around US$1.6-billion to buy into the club he has supported from childhood.
Brailsford is the director of sport for INEOS Sport, which Ratcliffe owns, and on Tuesday it was confirmed he will be a director of United once the deal is completed.
He got a taste of the sense of frustration among the 20-time league champions’ fans – after more than 10 years since United last won the title – and the animosity toward U.S. owners the Glazer family, who put the club up for sale last year.
Ratcliffe will take charge of soccer operations as part of his investment and Brailsford is expected to play a big part in a new structure.
While it will take more than one win to turn a season around that has already seen United eliminated from the Champions League and the English League Cup, the atmosphere in the second half was a taste of what can be achieved by bringing the good times back to Old Trafford.
“We’re looking forward. I think it is positive for the club that they are stepping in. They have a lot of experience in sport at the highest level – F1, a cycling team, football clubs,” Ten Hag said. “They can only help us and support us to get our targets. We are looking forward. They want to work with us and we want to work with them.”
Liverpool leads
Liverpool is back at the top of the league and Darwin Núñez is again among the goals.
Núñez ended a 12-game scoring drought to set up Jürgen Klopp’s team for a 2-0 win against Burnley and overtake Arsenal in the standings.
Liverpool moved two points clear of second-place Arsenal, which has a game in hand against West Ham on Thursday.
Núñez curled a shot from distance beyond Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford in the sixth minute at Turf Moor, having failed to find the back of the net for his club since Nov. 1.
Substitute Diogo Jota eventually ended any concerns of a Burnley equalizer with a goal in the 90th.
Wood’s hat trick
Chris Wood came back to haunt Newcastle and hand Nuno Espírito Santo his first win as Nottingham Forest manager.
Wood, who joined Newcastle in January, 2022, and was sold to Forest 18 months later, struck a hat trick in his team’s 3-1 win in the Premier League at St. James’ Park on Tuesday.
“I’m just happy to stick them away. That’s what I’m here to do and I’m just happy I could,” the striker said.
Luton double
Back-to-back wins for Luton have boosted the relegation-fighting club’s chances of survival. But Rob Edwards’ team had Sheffield United to thank for the 3-2 win at Bramall Lane after the bottom-place team scored two own-goals in the space of four minutes.
Jack Robinson and Anis Ben Slimane put through their own net in the 77th and 81st minutes to hand 18th-place Luton the win that moved it to within a point of Everton in 17th.
Alfie Doughty had given Luton a first-half lead in the 17th. Oliver McBurnie leveled in the 61st and Anel Ahmedhodzic put Sheffield United 2-1 up in the 69th. But the own-goals turned the game around as Luton followed up its 1-0 victory over Newcastle with another win.
Iraola run
After a tough start at Bournemouth, Andoni Iraola is on a roll with six wins in seven games.
Goals from Justin Kluivert, Dominic Solanke and Luis Sinisterra secured the latest – a 3-0 win against Fulham.
The form of Solanke has been a big factor in that turnaround with eight goals in his last seven games.