By Nathan Salt and Chris Wheeler and Liam Morgan and Dan Cancian and Joe Bernstein and Kathryn Batte For Mailonline
14:57 20 Feb 2024, updated 16:05 20 Feb 2024
- Harry Styles’ security pushed away recording phones after the Luton encounter
- PLUS: Erik ten Hag’s team lacks control – and United stars need a tour break
- If you were calling Rasmus Hojlund a dud, you don’t know what you are talking about. He hasn’t cracked it but the signs are strong – It’s All Kicking Off podcast
Despite Harry Styles getting top billing during Sky Sports’ coverage of United’s trip to Luton, it appears he was in no mood to be captured on camera on the way out of Kenilworth Road.
Reporters in the mixed zone area soon learned the hard way that the former One Direction star wasn’t keen on being recorded when his security began pushing away the phones in their hands, leaving multiple journalists bemused given how much screen time Styles got during United’s 2-1 win.
Styles wasn’t the only one to leave a sour taste after the game either. Although Luton boss Rob Edwards was largely magnanimous in defeat, one answer in his post-match press conference quickly went viral.
Edwards suggested that four minutes being added on was a low number because ‘Man United are winning 2-1’. But he was wrong to suggest United are being favoured when it comes to added time.
There were six minutes when Erik ten Hag’s side led 2-1 at Aston Villa; it ended up being 14 minutes added on in the 4-3 win over Wolves where United were 3-2 up going into stoppage time; and there were nine extra minutes when leading Villa 3-2 at Old Trafford on Boxing Day.
Even in the reverse leg against Luton when United were 1-0 up and struggling, there were eight additional minutes. United have been made to sweat plenty of times this season in added time, Rob.
Kobbie keeping it real
No danger of Kobbie Mainoo getting carried away with all the excitement surrounding his breakthrough season at United and the possibility of a senior England call-up ahead of the Euros.
The teenage midfielder turned up at an Under-8s training session on Monday after completing his recovery work with the senior squad following the win at Luton. Mainoo, who is United’s current young player of the year, spent the next hour chatting with the kids.
The pre-academy group also got to watch first-team training in the morning before the players posed for photos with them and signed autographs.
Mainoo has become a regular under Erik ten Hag this season, making 15 appearances and 13 starts. The 18-year-old has been tipped for an England call-up with Gareth Southgate said to be considering naming Mainoo in his squad for the games against Brazil and Belgium next month.
Harry Maguire will get the chance to clear his name over allegations of assault and bribery despite suggestions the case may never go back to court in Greece.
Maguire’s retrial was delayed again earlier this month due to a Greek lawyers’ strike. It is now due to take place on March 25, 2025, four-and-a-half years after he was arrested in Mykonos on suspicion of assaulting police officers and attempted bribery following an alleged brawl on a family holiday.
The 30-year-old United defender was found guilty and handed a 21-month suspended sentence, but the verdict was automatically quashed on appeal.
Announcing the latest delay, a court official in Syros suggested that time may run out to hold the trial before the cut-off date in August 2028, saying: ‘At this rate Maguire may have retired from professional football when he receives a summons. After eight years the statute of limitations kicks in. If the case hasn’t been heard by then it will be written off.’
However, prosecuting lawyer Yannis Paradisis told Confidential there is no chance of that happening.
‘It will come to court,’ said Paradisis. ‘There is an eight-year statute of limitation from the date of the crime but we still have time for that.
‘They (the Maguire camp) are waiting for their day in court. Hopefully there are no other strikes, but you never know. There is no way it isn’t coming to court.’
Dalot joins Nike exodus
Last week, we confirmed that Casemiro had ended his career-long partnership with Nike to become the latest footballer to leave the American sportswear giant.
Well, a week on, fans were quick to notice Diogo Dalot lining up at Luton in a bright pink pair of Puma boots. Sources have indicated a desire at Nike to go big in women’s football as they cut their cloth, and there will be more footballers that follow Casemiro and Dalot before the season is out.
United stars need tour break
United are heading back to the US for their pre-season tour this summer, but players will be hoping for a less demanding schedule this time around.
The club raised eyebrows with their itinerary for their tour in 2023 as they racked up the air miles. United began on the east coast with a match against Arsenal in New Jersey, and ended by taking on Borussia Dortmund in Las Vegas, with trips to San Diego and Houston in between.
Christian Eriksen went on record to express his frustration as he said there had been ‘too much travelling’, while Erik ten Hag is believed to have tried to make adjustments to the schedule internally.
Many fans pointed out how it would have been easier for United to start on the west coast and gradually make their way back to the UK. Critics added that the extensive programme – which also included games in Oslo, Edinburgh and Dublin – may have contributed to the team’s lethargic start to the season.
While such tours are often organised to appease commercial partners and to ensure United fans from further afield get to watch their team in action, the club will surely be looking to learn from the mistakes of last year when they return to the US this summer when San Diego is expected to be on the itinerary once again.
Ten Hag’s lack of control
United extended their winning run in the Premier League to four games on Sunday, but they seldom looked in control against Luton at Kenilworth Road.
The visitors lacked any composure from the moment the Hatters pulled one back through Carlton Morris 14 minutes into the game, and lived dangerously against Rob Edwards’ men.
It was not the first time this season United were left to hang on for dear life in a game they were seemingly in total control of, and Erik ten Hag admitted his team could have made our life easier for themselves.
The Dutchman arrived at Old Trafford with a reputation for developing teams capable of playing transition football and controlling games, but the numbers paint a different story.
United’s share of possession stood at 42 per cent on Sunday, far lower than their 51 per cent average in the Premier League this season.
The figure is only the 10th best in the Premier League and considerably lower than the benchmark Ten Hag set at Ajax. The Amsterdam club averaged 65 per cent of possession in all competitions in Ten Hag’s final season – when they won a third Eredivisie title in four years – and that figure never fell below 53 per cent over the course of 90 minutes. By comparison, United averaged 53.7 per cent of possession in the Premier League last season.
To put United’s lack of control into context, at 1.74 their allowed ‘expected goals’ against Luton was higher than Arsenal have allowed in their last five Premier League opponents combined (1.72).
The figure points to a wider trend under Ten Hag, which has seen United win games they have rarely controlled. This season alone, United have conceded 20 shots in eight Premier League games, while Liverpool have faced 20 shots just twice since Jurgen Klopp was appointed in 2015.
Huddlestone’s a class act
Confidential headed down to Leigh Sports Village on Monday night for a U21s Manchester derby… won by 37-year-old Tom Huddlestone.
The former Tottenham and Hull City midfielder anchored the midfield for Travis Binnion’s side for 90 minutes and it was a fascinating reminder of the value of the player-coach role.
When former Premier League stars such as James McClean and Steven Fletcher are plying their trades in League Two, Huddlestone has committed to a different path and it is immensely valuable to United’s next crop of youngsters.
Huddlestone appeared to be playing at half speed but with the intensity of the match – won 2-1 by United thanks to goals from Ethan Wheatley and Huddlestone – less than that of a first-team game, he was able to coach the teens around him through it right the way through.
It is a model others will likely continue to copy moving forward. Brighton used Andrew Crofts in a similar role with the U23s, while Liverpool have Jay Spearing filling a similar need.
Confidential asked Brian Barry Murphy, coach of City’s U21s, if a Huddlestone-type figure was of interest to him in future. While it isn’t, there is no denying the value of having a coach on the pitch and on the sidelines for these youngsters.
U21s blackout makes no sense
Speaking of the U21s derby, it is incredible that games like that, of interest to so many around the world who are eager to see the next crop of youngsters trying to break through, are banned from broadcasting due to rights rules.
As it stands, no Premier League 2 match is eligible to be broadcast live if there is a Premier League match being played on the same night – in this case Everton versus Crystal Palace.
Social media posts from United’s account about team news and the half-time score each generated more than 260,000 impressions on X.
The interest is there but for those not able to head down to Leigh there was no way to watch it. In this day and age, that seems archaic and needs changing.
Ro-Shaun shines at Larne
Marcus Rashford’s headline trip to Belfast to visit close pal and former United teammate Ro-Shaun Williams hasn’t caused any lasting damage to either party.
Rashford is back in a winning United team having been dropped for one game by Erik ten Hag for going to a nightclub and then missing training, while Williams has made an impressive start to his career in Northern Ireland with Larne.
The 25-year-old central defender is yet to concede a goal in three appearances having signed towards the end of last month, and was named man of the match in Saturday’s 1-0 win at Ballymena.
Williams spent 11 years on United’s books before forging a first-team career with Shrewsbury and Doncaster. ‘Ro and Rashy’ have remained good friends throughout, and Williams travelled to Scotland as Rashford’s guest earlier this season to watch England play there.
Ineos plan women’s team shake-up
The behind-the-scenes overhaul at United is not limited to Erik Ten Hag’s team. Confidential understands Ineos are also planning changes on the women’s side ahead of next season.
Polly Bancroft was appointed head of women’s football in October 2022, but sources have indicated it is unclear whether she will still be in post beyond the summer.
There has been talk of disorganisation behind the scenes and Ineos want to ensure a smoother process when it comes to transfers and contract negotiations.
Bancroft was originally handling these areas before Sam Barnett, who has now left the club, was drafted in from the men’s side to help during the summer. United’s transfer negotiator Matt Hargreaves and women’s player recruitment lead Harvey Bussell also became involved.
United published their accounts for the women’s team on Monday, with figures showing the club spent £517,000 on transfers in the 2022-2023 campaign and a further £817,000 before the year end. Marc Skinner’s side is now worth over £1million, more than 90 per cent of clubs in League Two.
However, Saturday’s defeat at Arsenal left United 10 points adrift of joint leaders Chelsea and Manchester City, and seven points outside the European places. Skinner, who is out of contract in the summer, is not under any immediate pressure, with the club insisting they still have confidence in the 40-year-old.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
