Sun May 9, 2021 1:50 p.m. BST
First published on May 9, 2021, 1:05 p.m. CET
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« I can imagine the game with Leicester on Tuesday if Ole’s B-Squad is deployed. » says Mary Waltz. It definitely looks like this; I’m not sure this will really help Leicester, who seem to be improving their game against tougher opponents.
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The women’s Super League title is out today and Chelsea are set to hold up Manchester City. Manchester United host Everton while Villa visits Arsenal and may need a favor from Brighton to prevent Bristol City from climbing over them in the race for the fall. Follow along with John Ashdown:
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Here is Jonathan Wilson at the protests last Sunday at Old Trafford and where we are going from here in the post-Super League.
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Wolves are! It’s Adama Traoré with the equalizer at home against Brighton, which ends sweetly after a complicated one-two with Fabio Silva. Elsewhere, it is the last day of the first division on which only the last play-off spot is available. Portsmouth started the day sixth but lost at home to Accrington. It looks like Oxford will work with Blackpool, Sunderland and Lincoln in the play-offs.
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Some quotes from Solskjör, who runs the Manchester United website: « We got a very bad hand … the intensity of the Premier League is so, so high and the quality is so. » high. We just have to make sure we tick off one game at a time. But the players are ready for it, I’m ready for it.
« It’s a challenge that we are going to face. » It’s not like we just throw the toys out of the stroller and feel sorry for ourselves. We are not like that. But I had to express how dissatisfied I am with the way they can risk injuries for the players. I have to take care of her.
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At the early kick-off on Sunday, Lewis Dunk gave Brighton a 1-0 lead at Molineux before being sent off for a professional foul. About half an hour to get there and it’s live on BBC One. As Paul Doyle mentioned here, Brighton is a curious bogey team for wolves they have never beaten in a top game.
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In the end there is no drastic reshuffle for Solskjör with four changes since Thursday’s game in Rome. Dean Henderson replaces David de Gea in goal, Victor Lindelöf returns to defense, while Scott McTominay and Marcus Rashford replace Donny van de Beek and Edinson Cavani.
Villa goes with the same XI that won at Goodison , despite an emerging structure of its own. Dean Smith’s team ended the season with four games in 10 days, starting Thursday with the second leg against Everton.
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Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett; Douglas Luiz, McGinn; Traore, Barkley, El Ghazi; Watkins.Subs: Heaton, Wesley, Nakamba, Elmohamady, home, Davis, Ramsey, Philogene-Bidace, Chukwuemeka.
Man Utd (4-2-3-1): Henderson; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelf, Maguire, Shaw; McTominay, Fred; Greenwood, Bruno Fernandes, Pogba; Rashford. Under: De Gea, Bailly, Cavani, Mata, Alex Telles, Matic, Williams, van de Beek, Tuanzebe.
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Manchester United love to play at Villa Park. The last game they lost at Aston Villa was in the Worthington Cup in 1999 when Ole Gunnar Solskjör was on the United team. They have to travel back another four years to score their final loss in the league. An embarrassment on the opening day that led Alan Hansen to say, « You can’t win anything with kids ». Solskjör might be tempted to test that theory today as United start three league games in five days. The manager is expected to at least switch his team with the upcoming home games against Leicester and Liverpool. Villa’s win at Goodison Park held up the end of the season and the hosts could appreciate their chances of ending the historic top-flight drought in a single game. Losing United that afternoon would secure the title for Manchester City, while even a draw will leave the Reds in need of snooker. In reality, United is all about securing second place and keeping various hamstrings running with a European final on the horizon. Another win here would open a 12-point gap in fifth place and make qualifying for the Champions League a formality.
Had you told Fergie in 1995 that one day, almost 26 years in the future, United would even have one would have put up a slightly weakened team to let City win the title, he would have lit the hairdryer faster than you can say European Super League. Modern football, damn it. Kick-off: 2:55 p.m., BST.
Ref: https://www.theguardian.com
