Category Sports News

Life moves fast at Manchester United.

When Brighton last visited Old Trafford 11 weeks ago, a third successive win seemed to be a clear sign of a corner being turned under Ruben Amorim.

Wind forward to the present day.

The grey clouds enveloped Old Trafford and the rain fell during Sunday’s FA Cup third-round defeat by Brighton. It was a fitting metaphor.

Amorim is gone, United have fallen at the first hurdle in both domestic cup competitions for the first time since 1981-82. They are condemned to a 40-game season, the fewest they have played since 1914-15.

The world’s oldest person, 116-year-old Ethel Caterham, was five at the time, so even she probably doesn’t remember it.

After a two-game trip to Asia at the end of last season to plug a financial hole, now the mooted mid-season trip to Saudi Arabia has to become more likely – as there is a 10-day window in United’s season in February and March, given the FA Cup fourth and fifth round weekends are, for them, blank.

Before that, United host Manchester City next Saturday with no manager in place to lift their “fragile” confidence.

They have one win in seven games, a fortunate triumph against Newcastle on 26 December.

Out of 13 matches since the previous Brighton visit, they have enjoyed three victories.

For context, Bradford Park Avenue and The Wednesday were two of the teams United played in that 1914-15 season.

It was 1948 before they won the FA Cup again and 1952 before they won the league, doing so for the first time under Sir Matt Busby.

The 41-year gap between titles was by far the longest in their history.

By the end of this season, it will be 13 years since United last won the league – half the gap between Busby’s final success in 1967 and Sir Alex Ferguson’s first in 1993.

Yet there is no sense United are on the right track.

Interim boss Darren Fletcher tried to say the right things as he summed up United’s FA Cup exit. But there is no certainty what he wants for the club will come to fruition.

“Don’t waste the season,” he added. “That would be the challenge I would set.

“It’s not a great moment, let’s be honest. We are out of the cups early.

“But true character shows itself at difficult times.

“There’s still a Champions League place to fight for – and I still think that can be achieved this season.

“It’s probably not what fans want to hear about Manchester United because we should be winning cups and challenging for the Premier League. But it is probably the object of this season.

“All the players’ focus and energy should go into improving as a team – and improving quickly.

The problem at Manchester United is that the noise is huge.

There is no shortage of opinion on the club from within the game, including a host of legendary ex-United players – from Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand, Wayne Rooney: from Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes, who sat alongside Sir Alex Ferguson watching this sorry mess unfold.

Whoever replaces Fletcher must be able to deal with that reality.

Amorim said he felt United’s ownership was influenced too much by external noise. Failure to win, an inevitability for United in their current guise, just increases the pressure.

Former United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his one-time coach Michael Carrick are the frontrunners.

Both have played for United. Both know the pressures that come with the job.

Fletcher says he has no idea what happens now, beyond his own meeting with club officials on Monday.

“I have to report tomorrow morning to Carrington, that is all I know,” he said.

“I will find out tomorrow morning. I have had zero indications.”

There was a theory Fletcher might put himself into contention with positive results against Burnley and Brighton.

That did not happen.

Instead, Fletcher is set to discover whether he will remain within the first-team set-up or drop back to his substantive role with the Under-18 squad.

Fletcher genuinely hopes for the best. You could tell from the emotion in his final answer as interim boss.

“It is a massive responsibility to lead this club,” he said.

“I have given it my best and I am disappointed not to win a game.

“I think there are some good things there but ultimately it wasn’t enough. I am more disappointed about that than anyone.

“I care for the club, I want the club to do well and I want the players to do well. I mean that.

“I have had my time as a player and loved every minute of it.

Life moves fast at Manchester United.

When Brighton last visited Old Trafford 11 weeks ago, a third successive win seemed to be a clear sign of a corner being turned under Ruben Amorim.

Wind forward to the present day.

The grey clouds enveloped Old Trafford and the rain fell during Sunday’s FA Cup third-round defeat by Brighton. It was a fitting metaphor.

Amorim is gone, United have fallen at the first hurdle in both domestic cup competitions for the first time since 1981-82. They are condemned to a 40-game season, the fewest they have played since 1914-15.

The world’s oldest person, 116-year-old Ethel Caterham, was five at the time, so even she probably doesn’t remember it.

After a two-game trip to Asia at the end of last season to plug a financial hole, now the mooted mid-season trip to Saudi Arabia has to become more likely – as there is a 10-day window in United’s season in February and March, given the FA Cup fourth and fifth round weekends are, for them, blank.

Before that, United host Manchester City next Saturday with no manager in place to lift their “fragile” confidence.

They have one win in seven games, a fortunate triumph against Newcastle on 26 December.

Out of 13 matches since the previous Brighton visit, they have enjoyed three victories.

For context, Bradford Park Avenue and The Wednesday were two of the teams United played in that 1914-15 season.

It was 1948 before they won the FA Cup again and 1952 before they won the league, doing so for the first time under Sir Matt Busby.

The 41-year gap between titles was by far the longest in their history.

By the end of this season, it will be 13 years since United last won the league – half the gap between Busby’s final success in 1967 and Sir Alex Ferguson’s first in 1993.

Yet there is no sense United are on the right track.

Interim boss Darren Fletcher tried to say the right things as he summed up United’s FA Cup exit. But there is no certainty what he wants for the club will come to fruition.

“Don’t waste the season,” he added. “That would be the challenge I would set.

“It’s not a great moment, let’s be honest. We are out of the cups early.

“But true character shows itself at difficult times.

“There’s still a Champions League place to fight for – and I still think that can be achieved this season.

“It’s probably not what fans want to hear about Manchester United because we should be winning cups and challenging for the Premier League. But it is probably the object of this season.

“All the players’ focus and energy should go into improving as a team – and improving quickly.

The problem at Manchester United is that the noise is huge.

There is no shortage of opinion on the club from within the game, including a host of legendary ex-United players – from Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand, Wayne Rooney: from Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes, who sat alongside Sir Alex Ferguson watching this sorry mess unfold.

Whoever replaces Fletcher must be able to deal with that reality.

Amorim said he felt United’s ownership was influenced too much by external noise. Failure to win, an inevitability for United in their current guise, just increases the pressure.

Former United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his one-time coach Michael Carrick are the frontrunners.

Both have played for United. Both know the pressures that come with the job.

Fletcher says he has no idea what happens now, beyond his own meeting with club officials on Monday.

“I have to report tomorrow morning to Carrington, that is all I know,” he said.

“I will find out tomorrow morning. I have had zero indications.”

There was a theory Fletcher might put himself into contention with positive results against Burnley and Brighton.

That did not happen.

Instead, Fletcher is set to discover whether he will remain within the first-team set-up or drop back to his substantive role with the Under-18 squad.

Fletcher genuinely hopes for the best. You could tell from the emotion in his final answer as interim boss.

“It is a massive responsibility to lead this club,” he said.

“I have given it my best and I am disappointed not to win a game.

“I think there are some good things there but ultimately it wasn’t enough. I am more disappointed about that than anyone.

“I care for the club, I want the club to do well and I want the players to do well. I mean that.

“I have had my time as a player and loved every minute of it.

Investec Champions Cup Pool 1

Saracens (17) 20

Tries: Segun 2, T Willis Con: Burke Pen: Farrell

Toulouse (7) 14

Saracens produced an oustanding performance in testing conditions to beat Toulouse 20-14 and all but secure their place in the last 16 of the Champions Cup.

Saracens held a blunt review of their stuttering season after a poor defeat at Leicester last weekend, saying they had “confronted what was wrong” and were ready to “do the talking on the field” against the six-time European champions.

Mark McCall’s side did just that at a wet and windy StoneX, fronting up to the star-studded Toulouse side with their best display of the season.

Number eight Tom Willis, whose elder brother Jack was in Toulouse’s back row, gave another stellar performance to underline how much he will be missed when he moves to Bordeaux at the end of the season.

Rotimi Segun scored two of their tries while Willis bagged the other as Saracens scored 17 unanswered first-half points to take control of the match.

Sarries will bid for the top spot in Pool 1 when they face group leaders Glasgow Warriors away next Sunday, but a losing bonus point would be enough to secure their progress to the knockout stage.

Things looked ominous when Toulouse fly-half Blair Kinghorn scored the opening try following sustained pressure, but Saracens responded in style with three tries in 10 minutes.

The first came from a moment of Theo McFarland brilliance. The Samoan flanker charged down Antoine Dupont’s kick and raced forward to gather the ball. Jamie George and Willis took over the charge before the ball was moved left to Rotini Segun to finish.

Three-time champions Saracens almost doubled their lead immediately. Fly-half Fergus Burke broke the defensive line with a brilliant burst of speed and sent a perfect kick through only for Alex Lozowski to fumble the bouncing ball as he dived over the line.

Lozowski, making his comeback from an Achilles tendon injury, made amends with an outrageous dummy pass that released Segun, who raced past his marker to score his second.

Saracens forwards struggled early on against the huge Toulouse pack, but with the momentum now in their favour the hosts surged towards the line again. Willis stretched over the line, letting out a massive roar as he rose to his feet to salute his team-mates having helped his side secure a healthy 17-7 lead.

Toulouse scored early in the second half through wing Matthis Lebel but with conditions deteriorating rapidly, and their captain Dupont strangely quiet, that was their last score of the game.

Willis made a crucial turnover to prevent a possible try but otherwise the French league leaders lacked any sort of fluency in attack.

Owen Farrell and Ben Earl came on to lend their experience and former England captain Farrell stretched the lead to six points with a penalty.

Man of the match Tom Willis spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live about the challenge of facing his brother Jack and how Saracens responded to their defeat by Leicester:

“It was a brilliant game to be part of, but also a bit of a weird and emotional day playing against my brother. He banged me early on, I knew he was dialled in for it. He’s a brilliant player and caused us havoc at the breakdown as always.

“I saw him on Friday and Saturday but a few hours before kick-off he went a bit quiet. I tried to wind him up bit it didn’t work.

“I think beating an incredibly strong Toulouse side shows we stepped up. It’s just about finding the consistency for the rest of the season

“Mark challenged us to step up but not pick and choose our moments. He wanted us to be physical as a team, be energetic and work for each other. I think we did that.

Saracens: Daly; Caluori, Lozowski, Hartley, Segun; Burke,Van Zyl; Mawi, George, Street, Itoje (capt), Tizard, McFarland, Gonzalez, Willis.

Replacements: Hadfield, Carre, Riccioni, Onyeama-Christie,Earl, Bracken, Farrell, Malins.

Toulouse: Ramos; Delibes, Costes, Chocobares, Lebel; Kinghorn, Dupont (capt); Ainu’u, Marchand, Aldegheri, Flament, Meafou, Willis, Jelonch, Roumat.

Referee: Andrea Piardi (Ita)

Assistant referees: Ru Campbell (Sco), Federico Vedovelli (Ita)

Investec Champions Cup Pool 1

Saracens (17) 20

Tries: Segun 2, T Willis Con: Burke Pen: Farrell

Toulouse (7) 14

Saracens produced an oustanding performance in testing conditions to beat Toulouse 20-14 and all but secure their place in the last 16 of the Champions Cup.

Saracens held a blunt review of their stuttering season after a poor defeat at Leicester last weekend, saying they had “confronted what was wrong” and were ready to “do the talking on the field” against the six-time European champions.

Mark McCall’s side did just that at a wet and windy StoneX, fronting up to the star-studded Toulouse side with their best display of the season.

Number eight Tom Willis, whose elder brother Jack was in Toulouse’s back row, gave another stellar performance to underline how much he will be missed when he moves to Bordeaux at the end of the season.

Rotimi Segun scored two of their tries while Willis bagged the other as Saracens scored 17 unanswered first-half points to take control of the match.

Sarries will bid for the top spot in Pool 1 when they face group leaders Glasgow Warriors away next Sunday, but a losing bonus point would be enough to secure their progress to the knockout stage.

Things looked ominous when Toulouse fly-half Blair Kinghorn scored the opening try following sustained pressure, but Saracens responded in style with three tries in 10 minutes.

The first came from a moment of Theo McFarland brilliance. The Samoan flanker charged down Antoine Dupont’s kick and raced forward to gather the ball. Jamie George and Willis took over the charge before the ball was moved left to Rotini Segun to finish.

Three-time champions Saracens almost doubled their lead immediately. Fly-half Fergus Burke broke the defensive line with a brilliant burst of speed and sent a perfect kick through only for Alex Lozowski to fumble the bouncing ball as he dived over the line.

Lozowski, making his comeback from an Achilles tendon injury, made amends with an outrageous dummy pass that released Segun, who raced past his marker to score his second.

Saracens forwards struggled early on against the huge Toulouse pack, but with the momentum now in their favour the hosts surged towards the line again. Willis stretched over the line, letting out a massive roar as he rose to his feet to salute his team-mates having helped his side secure a healthy 17-7 lead.

Toulouse scored early in the second half through wing Matthis Lebel but with conditions deteriorating rapidly, and their captain Dupont strangely quiet, that was their last score of the game.

Willis made a crucial turnover to prevent a possible try but otherwise the French league leaders lacked any sort of fluency in attack.

Owen Farrell and Ben Earl came on to lend their experience and former England captain Farrell stretched the lead to six points with a penalty.

Man of the match Tom Willis spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live about the challenge of facing his brother Jack and how Saracens responded to their defeat by Leicester:

“It was a brilliant game to be part of, but also a bit of a weird and emotional day playing against my brother. He banged me early on, I knew he was dialled in for it. He’s a brilliant player and caused us havoc at the breakdown as always.

“I saw him on Friday and Saturday but a few hours before kick-off he went a bit quiet. I tried to wind him up bit it didn’t work.

“I think beating an incredibly strong Toulouse side shows we stepped up. It’s just about finding the consistency for the rest of the season

“Mark challenged us to step up but not pick and choose our moments. He wanted us to be physical as a team, be energetic and work for each other. I think we did that.

Saracens: Daly; Caluori, Lozowski, Hartley, Segun; Burke,Van Zyl; Mawi, George, Street, Itoje (capt), Tizard, McFarland, Gonzalez, Willis.

Replacements: Hadfield, Carre, Riccioni, Onyeama-Christie,Earl, Bracken, Farrell, Malins.

Toulouse: Ramos; Delibes, Costes, Chocobares, Lebel; Kinghorn, Dupont (capt); Ainu’u, Marchand, Aldegheri, Flament, Meafou, Willis, Jelonch, Roumat.

Referee: Andrea Piardi (Ita)

Assistant referees: Ru Campbell (Sco), Federico Vedovelli (Ita)

West Bromwich Albion have appointed former Manchester United coach Eric Ramsay as their new head coach.

The 34-year-old has signed a two-and-a-half year contract to replace Ryan Mason who was sacked on Tuesday after a 10th successive away defeat left them 18th in the Championship table, seven points above the relegation zone.

Ramsay, who was on Albion’s radar before Mason was appointed in the summer, arrives at The Hawthorns from his first senior managerial role with Major League Soccer side Minnesota United, where he led them to back-to-back Conference play-off semi-finals.

He also guided the team to their highest place league finish of fourth in the Western Conference last season.

“Throughout our recruitment process, Eric consistently exhibited the qualities to lead and succeed in the world’s most demanding football environment,” Albion chairman Shilan Patel told the club’s website.

Prior to his move to the United States, the Shrewsbury-born Welshman was a first-team coach at Manchester United under Erik ten Hag and took on an assistant coach role with the Wales men’s team.

He will be joined at West Brom by his assistant at Minnesota, Dennis Lawrence, who was part of Mark Robins’ backroom team at Coventry City.

In a league as competitive as the Championship, the Baggies have been impressed by their new man’s ability to compete against more moneyed teams in the USA.

“Eric’s leadership qualities and attention to detail are key traits that stuck out to us, and he has demonstrated an ability to adapt his playing style to get the best from players at his disposal without compromising his football philosophy,” said Albion’s president and sporting director Andrew Nestor.

“His recent work as head coach at Minnesota over the past two seasons has reinforced this, having led a squad to perform well beyond expectations against clubs with greater budgets.”

By Steve Hermon, West Brom commentator for BBC Radio WM

It has been a dramatic 2026 for West Bromwich Albion and there is a fitting sense of narrative that Eric Ramsay takes the reins just hours after the Baggies have finally ended their away woes at the football club where he earned his first professional coaching role in the game.

His route into coaching began at Swansea after he stopped playing in the Welsh Premier League for Welshpool, near to where he grew up.

That decision means that while he might be the same age as predecessor Ryan Mason, he has racked up some valuable experience at Swansea, Shrewsbury, Manchester United and Chelsea, which is where he became the youngest person to achieve their Uefa Pro License.

Despite interest from English clubs, he took the bold step of becoming a head coach in the MLS in 2024. He was tasked with coaching a Minnesota United squad that did not have the biggest budget, and he got them into the play-offs in his two seasons there.

He will be hoping to do exactly same at Albion, perhaps not this season, but certainly there will be the expectation to make a push for the top six in the next campaign.

Some fans will have reservations that the club has gone for another young head coach, but the cliché is that age is just a number and owners Bilkul have praised his “significant experience” and “deep understanding” of English football.

West Bromwich Albion have appointed former Manchester United coach Eric Ramsay as their new head coach.

The 34-year-old has signed a two-and-a-half year contract to replace Ryan Mason who was sacked on Tuesday after a 10th successive away defeat left them 18th in the Championship table, seven points above the relegation zone.

Ramsay, who was on Albion’s radar before Mason was appointed in the summer, arrives at The Hawthorns from his first senior managerial role with Major League Soccer side Minnesota United, where he led them to back-to-back Conference play-off semi-finals.

He also guided the team to their highest place league finish of fourth in the Western Conference last season.

“Throughout our recruitment process, Eric consistently exhibited the qualities to lead and succeed in the world’s most demanding football environment,” Albion chairman Shilan Patel told the club’s website.

Prior to his move to the United States, the Shrewsbury-born Welshman was a first-team coach at Manchester United under Erik ten Hag and took on an assistant coach role with the Wales men’s team.

He will be joined at West Brom by his assistant at Minnesota, Dennis Lawrence, who was part of Mark Robins’ backroom team at Coventry City.

In a league as competitive as the Championship, the Baggies have been impressed by their new man’s ability to compete against more moneyed teams in the USA.

“Eric’s leadership qualities and attention to detail are key traits that stuck out to us, and he has demonstrated an ability to adapt his playing style to get the best from players at his disposal without compromising his football philosophy,” said Albion’s president and sporting director Andrew Nestor.

“His recent work as head coach at Minnesota over the past two seasons has reinforced this, having led a squad to perform well beyond expectations against clubs with greater budgets.”

By Steve Hermon, West Brom commentator for BBC Radio WM

It has been a dramatic 2026 for West Bromwich Albion and there is a fitting sense of narrative that Eric Ramsay takes the reins just hours after the Baggies have finally ended their away woes at the football club where he earned his first professional coaching role in the game.

His route into coaching began at Swansea after he stopped playing in the Welsh Premier League for Welshpool, near to where he grew up.

That decision means that while he might be the same age as predecessor Ryan Mason, he has racked up some valuable experience at Swansea, Shrewsbury, Manchester United and Chelsea, which is where he became the youngest person to achieve their Uefa Pro License.

Despite interest from English clubs, he took the bold step of becoming a head coach in the MLS in 2024. He was tasked with coaching a Minnesota United squad that did not have the biggest budget, and he got them into the play-offs in his two seasons there.

He will be hoping to do exactly same at Albion, perhaps not this season, but certainly there will be the expectation to make a push for the top six in the next campaign.

Some fans will have reservations that the club has gone for another young head coach, but the cliché is that age is just a number and owners Bilkul have praised his “significant experience” and “deep understanding” of English football.