Man Utd 'look a different team'
Rasmus Hojlund, Patrick Dorgu, Amad Diallo and youngster Ethan Williams were all on the scoresheet, as the Red Devils moved one point from winning the tournament.
"I think we played a good game," Amorim said post-match. "We played with intensity and we were aggressive - two things we needed to improve on from last season. I think we also had better possession compared to the last game, so they are listening.
"The same players are playing and we look like a different team, so that is a good sign. I think they are playing better because they are also connecting with each other, not just on the pitch but off the pitch.
"They are stronger and faster - the intensity is completely different."
Amorim also explained Harry Maguire's absence was because the club is "being careful" with the centre-back's fitness.
"He had an issue during the holidays and he came back a little bit late, so we are having to be careful with him," Amorim said.
"It is just a little bit of fatigue with all the training, so we are just trying to control everything."
Listen in full on BBC Sounds
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 minutes ago
- Yahoo
The Buff presents: Stockport County, expectations an what striker is next....
HERE, we, go... It's the start of a new League One season and The Buff is ready for the big kick-off. There is a chance for vengeance at Stockport County this weekend, with the Sky Sports TV cameras watching on, but can Steven Schumacher's new=look team take it? Marc Iles and Henry Hewitt look through a week of big headlines in The Bolton News and present s a bumped load of listener emails on the eve of the new campaign. We don't know what is going to happen between now and next Monday - but we do encourage you all to join our brand new EFL Fantasy League - details below - and revel in how many points Aaron Collins is going to score for us at MK Dons. Press play on the graphic below to listen to the Buff Podcast on the Bolton News website. Alternatively, download this - and nearly 300 other episodes - via Spotify, Google, Apple, Omny and all other leading platforms for free. The Buff is also available on , or wherever you get your podcasts if you wish to have the episode download straight to your phone or tablet every single week. We have some NEW advertising opportunities on The Buff, The Last Word AND our Matchday Live coverage. If you are interested in getting your business associated with the highest-rated longest-running Bolton Wanderers podcast, which attracts thousands of listeners and streams every single week, then please contact our advertising department on Do you want to join our Buff Fantasy League this season? If so CLICK HERE Remember, it isn't just a podcast, it's The Buff Podcast. And we're here every Friday. If you want to get in contact with the show, please email thebuffmail@ or tweet Marc on @MarcIles and @Henry__Hewitt And please, please leave a review. We work hard to put these episodes out every single week, in-season and out, and the more feedback we get, the better the product. Having said all that, we are currently only accepting five-star ratings, as all the other ratings are broken.
New York Times
10 minutes ago
- New York Times
Is one of Manchester United's proudest records about to end?
It is one of the great achievements in Manchester United's history and the kind of record that even supporters of rival clubs begrudgingly have to admire. How else can you describe United's feat of naming a player who has come through their academy in every first-team squad since October 1937? To put it into context, that's a run of 4,321 games, and counting, with 44 major trophies accumulated in the process, including three European Cups and 18 of their 20 league titles. Advertisement Suddenly, though, the run is looking unusually vulnerable and, without wishing to be alarmist, it feels legitimate to ask whether the 2025-26 season might be when it finally comes to an end. Marcus Rashford has gone to Barcelona. Alejandro Garnacho is out of manager Ruben Amorim's plans. Jonny Evans, another player brought up in United's academy, has called time on his playing career. Scott McTominay and Mason Greenwood have both been moved out of Old Trafford over the past year or so in very different circumstances. Brandon Williams, too. Kobbie Mainoo is still on the scene, but what if the 20-year-old picks up an injury? Or a suspension? Mainoo missed 17 matches last season and 21 the year before that. So what happens if, or when, he misses out again? 'Selling McTominay was an error,' Tony Park, the United fan, historian and author, states matter-of-factly. 'Rashford hasn't been managed right, Williams the same. I think Garnacho just wants to play attacking football and the manager is quite defensive in his approach. There's no one really standing out in the academy right now and the whole system is very vanilla.' It was Park's research and number-crunching in 2013, while co-authoring his Sons of United book, that established the details of a long, unbroken sequence that now stretches to almost 88 years. Does it really matter? Well, yes, it does to many people connected with the club, given what it says about United's traditions and their dedication, year after year, to bringing through players who could qualify for the chant of 'one of our own'. As Nick Cox, United's academy director, told The Athletic last year: 'It was youth development that helped us survive the Second World War. Youth was there to help us recover from the Munich disaster. And youth has been at the heart of our best days as well, winning league titles and European Cups with a core of young players.' Advertisement Exhibit A: the FA Cup final in 2024, when Garnacho and Mainoo scored the goals to defeat Manchester City in arguably United's finest moment since Alex Ferguson's retirement 11 years earlier. 'It's never been forced, it's not a gimmick, it's not a PR stunt,' Cox added. 'It's just a byproduct of the way we do things here. The club is incredibly proud of its traditions of youth development. The fans expect to see young, local players in the first team because youth has been a consistent part of our history, including our darkest days.' What, though, of the club's current position now that the choices have been dramatically reduced? Park's analysis shows that, last season, the average number of youth players in each first-team squad was 4.51, down from 6.65 the previous year. This season, it might be the slimmest pickings for three decades. 'In the 1990s, we regularly only had one player on the substitutes' bench keeping the record alive,' he says. Park, like many United fans, would like to believe the record can be extended. 'Losing so many youth players doesn't help from several perspectives, and we shouldn't be losing certain players. Something is wrong somewhere. However, if the likes of Tyler Fredricson, Jack Fletcher, and one or two others can get regular bench time, things should be OK.' It is going to be a close-run thing, though, and that, in turn, raises the question about how seriously the record is viewed at the top of the club. Do the Glazers care? Does Sir Jim Ratcliffe view it as a source of pride? Is it ever discussed? 'I'm not convinced how important it is to the club,' is Park's verdict. 'A lot of people in charge don't seem to 'get it' from a number of aspects.' That would be a shame, particularly given the importance previous United managers have placed on promoting the club's own. Advertisement 'Using youth players so consistently, and winning trophies along the way, is definitely something to be proud of,' says Park. 'We have been doing it since the 1930s. Walter Crickmer believed in it during the Second World War and then we had two managers, Matt Busby and Alex Ferguson, who really made it part of the United DNA.' So what of Amorim? This is a big season for the current United manager, desperate to show that his tactics can work in the Premier League, and he is probably entitled to have other priorities given last season's 15th-placed finish. But does he really want to be the manager who breaks such a proud record? One idea that has been floated by some fans (though not by the club) is to make it an official stipulation. Would United become the first club to make it a mandatory rule? Would they even write it into the managers' contracts? 'I'm not a fan of that personally, although it wouldn't be hard to do,' Park counters. 'Every manager should strive to give youth its chance as a matter of course. But at the end of the day, every player has to earn their place in the squad. 'It's a meritocracy. If our youth players aren't good enough, don't pick them. However, if it gets to that point, we have got things terribly wrong somewhere.' (Top photos: Getty Images)
New York Times
10 minutes ago
- New York Times
Lucas Paqueta's two years in limbo: Missed Man City move, West Ham backing and a pastor's prayers
Lucas Paqueta did not wait to let his feelings be known after an independent commission found four alleged breaches of the English Football Association's betting rules could not be proven. 'The enemy will come against us one way, but they will flee seven ways,' read the first line of Paqueta's statement on Instagram, quoting a biblical passage from Deuteronomy 28:7. Advertisement Paqueta, who is in the United States on West Ham United's pre-season tour, was called by his legal team and informed of the verdict on July 25, so he has had plenty of time to prepare his response. You do not need to be a theologian to work out who he believes is the enemy. For Paqueta, 27, yesterday's news represented vindication. When news of the FA's investigation into Paqueta's alleged breaches broke in August 2023, West Ham's squad held a team meeting without then-manager David Moyes and his backroom staff. According to those with knowledge of the meeting, Paqueta was tearful and told his team-mates he was innocent and felt the FA was picking on him. Edson Alvarez was especially vocal, saying he would protect the Brazil international on the pitch if anyone tried to target him. Seven months later, in West Ham's 5-0 victory against Freiburg in the second leg of their round-of-16 Europa League tie, Paqueta ran to Alvarez to hug him after opening the scoring to show his appreciation. His close friend, Emerson Palmieri, an Italy international who was born in Brazil, was keen to arrange a night out to boost morale. In the event, it didn't happen — Paqueta was said to not want the attention — but it was indicative of the faith in their team-mate. An anxious two-year wait, which consisted of a hearing that lasted around 20 days, has led to the charges against Paqueta not being proven. He has, however, been charged with two counts of failing to comply with the FA's investigation. He was facing a lifetime ban if he had been found guilty of the most serious allegations but Paqueta can now continue his career unimpeded. Once the written reasons for the verdict are published in the coming weeks, the FA will have 14 days to lodge an appeal. Paqueta can also appeal the non-cooperation finding. Advertisement In a club statement released on Thursday, Karren Brady, West Ham's vice-chair, noted how the club had 'resolutely stood by him and supported him throughout the process'. 'Despite the incredible pressure on him, Lucas has performed week in and week out for the club, always giving everything', Brady added. In constructing this article, The Athletic has spoken to sources with knowledge of the last two years who were granted anonymity to protect relationships. This is the story of the case and Paqueta's difficult two years in limbo. In the summer of 2023, Paqueta was a footballer with the world at his feet. He was fresh from helping West Ham claim their first silverware in over four decades, having assisted Jarrod Bowen's winner in the Europa Conference League victory over Fiorentina. He was the team's creative hub, looking every inch the club record €60million (£52m; $69m) signing he had promised to be when he arrived from Lyon in August 2022. His future looked bright. An £85m ($107m) release clause was set to become active that June, with Manchester City favourites to secure his signature. West Ham rejected their opening offer of £70m, but the club's executives were anticipating a second bid. It never came. 'One day in August 2023, he's on the verge of a move to the reigning Premier League champions, who looked invincible. Then, the next day, he's being told he might never play football again,' Alastair Campbell, a partner at Level — the legal firm that represented Paqueta — and a member of his representation, told The Athletic. On August 16, the FA emailed West Ham to inform them it had opened an investigation into suspicious betting patterns surrounding bookings Paqueta received in three Premier League games in 2023, against Bournemouth (August 12), Leeds United (May 21) and Aston Villa (March 12), and one in 2022 against Leicester City (November 12). Advertisement It was the fixture at Bournemouth, when Paqueta committed four fouls, that accelerated the FA's investigation. The following day, the FA was informed of an anti-corruption alert by integrity officials. Betway, West Ham's shirt sponsor, a company that is not widely used in Brazil, first flagged the suspicious activity as the bets were made on its platform, but it was only when other betting firms, including several local Brazilian operators, started reporting similar concerns that the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) stepped in. The IBIA then notified FIFA, football's world governing body, and the FA. On May 23, 2024, the FA charged Paqueta with four separate counts of spot-fixing. Around 60 people placed bets on Paqueta to receive a yellow card in one or all of the aforementioned matches, with the stakes ranging from £7 to £400. The investigation into Paqueta's yellow cards centred on bets traced to accounts registered on Paqueta, an island off Rio de Janeiro where the midfielder — whose real name is Lucas Tolentino Coelho de Lima — grew up. Many of the bets under investigation are believed to have been made from new accounts. 'I am extremely surprised and upset that the FA has decided to charge me,' said Paqueta in response to the charge in May. 'For nine months, I have cooperated with every step of their investigation and provided all the information I can. I deny the charges in their entirety and will fight with every breath to clear my name.' Paqueta was interviewed in September 2023 and provided the FA with access to his phone the following month. Despite being charged, Paqueta was not provisionally suspended from playing for his club or country. He was recalled to the national team by then-head coach Dorival Junior in March 2024, having not played for Brazil since June 2023, and was also cleared to play in last summer's Copa America after the Brazil Football Confederation (CBF) sought clarity from the FA on his eligibility. West Ham had shielded Paqueta from external media interviews, but before his appearance in Brazil's game with England at Wembley in March 2024, he expressed his appreciation to Moyes in a pre-match press conference interview. 'My relationship with David Moyes is very good,' Paqueta said. 'We talked about this. He wanted me on the team because of what I did last season. The support he gave me to leave all this behind was essential. He was special for me and his support was important.' Given their bond, Moyes agreed to act as a witness in Paqueta's tribunal hearing. It was one of several instances of figures within football sticking with him: another was Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, who joined Paqueta on a family trip to America last summer, visiting Disneyland and Universal Studios. Paqueta and Moyes' close relationship was on show again on Thursday, with the pair embracing before West Ham's pre-season win against Everton at Soldier Field in Chicago. The Brazilian scored the first of his side's two goals that night. David Moyes and Lucas Paquetá shared an embrace before kick-off – with the former West Ham manager having testified for him during his hearing. 💙 That's loyalty. ⚒️ — Hammers Hub (@HammersHubWHUFC) July 30, 2025 Tim Steidten, who left his role as West Ham's technical director in February, also went out of his way to help the player. He visited him in Brazil before the Copa America to reassure him of his importance to West Ham amid interest from boyhood club Flamengo. 'I visited Lucas in Brazil because what he is going through does a lot to a player,' Steidten told The Athletic. 'Especially when you hear the kind of punishments he could face. This is his livelihood, his future. Lucas is Brazilian and, from my experience, they are very emotional people who need their family, their homeland, important things to take their mind off things. When I look at his performances, compared to before (the betting charges), it says it all. Although there was uncertainty surrounding Paqueta's future, West Ham were reluctant to engage in talks with Flamengo, who tried to sign him last summer. He finished the 2023-24 season with eight goals and seven assists across 43 appearances and was still regarded as an important player. According to a senior West Ham source, the Brazilian club attempted to test West Ham's resolve but made an offer they regarded as 'laughable'. Flamengo also explored signing the midfielder on loan, but that approach rebuffed too. It has been a challenging time for Paqueta and his family. Throughout it, his West Ham team-mates and close friends have kept a close eye on his mood. 'We've tried to help him as best as we can,' ex-West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski told The Athletic after the 3-1 win against Ipswich Town in May. 'We don't know the full details of the case, but as you can imagine, he's going through a very difficult period. During this whole time, we've always been there for him. On and off the pitch, at the training ground, we've tried our best to keep him smiling and happy.' Hours after West Ham United's 3-1 loss against Manchester City in May 2024, a result that confirmed City's Premier League title win, Paqueta, his wife Duda Fournier, and two sons, Benicio and Filippo, flew to Brazil. When they had arrived, Paqueta contacted pastor Andre Fernandes to pray for him and his family. Senior West Ham sources say he continued to receive support from staff behind the scenes, but grew frustrated with the reports concerning his case. In October 2024, he released a statement calling for the FA to launch a 'thorough investigation' into the disclosure of what he claimed to be 'false' information regarding his case in the media. Paqueta's form dipped before improving slightly after Graham Potter replaced Julen Lopetegui as manager in January. He scored and produced a man-of-the-match performance in Potter's first match in charge against Aston Villa, a 2-1 defeat in the FA Cup, and was serenaded by West Ham supporters as he came off the field. 'He's a tough guy and an unbelievable player,' West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek told The Athletic post-match. 'If he continues to show this mentality, determination and character, he'll be considered one of the best players in the world. He's a good guy and very funny. He's always dancing — your typical Brazilian. He just needs to be more on it. I try to teach him discipline.' Paqueta scored his last league goal of the season in the following match, a 3-2 win against Fulham, after which he fell to the turf in exhaustion. He had benefited from a one-on-one conversation with Potter and looked eager to prove he had bought into the new manager's methods. When asked before the Nottingham Forest game in May, Potter was reluctant to reveal what he discussed with Paqueta, but it appeared to have the desired effect. His swashbuckling performance in the narrow 2-1 loss against Liverpool in April was a reminder of what West Ham stood to miss if the verdict went against him. 'Ability-wise, Lucas Paqueta, Mohammed Kudus (now at Tottenham Hotspur) and Jarrod Bowen were the three top players at West Ham,' former West Ham defender Thilo Kehrer, now at Monaco, told The Athletic. 'Paqueta made us laugh a lot in training. He would do crazy things that would make you think, 'How are you even human?'. Insanely gifted.' An investigation that had already lasted almost 18 months was beginning to take its toll. Paqueta was informed that his hearing, which started in March and was previously expected to finish in April, was being put on hold and would not conclude until June. The strain was evident during West Ham's home draw against Tottenham in May, when referee Michael Oliver gave him a yellow card for fouling Mikey Moore. It was the eighth time he had been booked in the 2024-25 Premier League season. Paqueta was seen wiping away tears as Bowen consoled him. 'I don't know fully what was making him emotional, but the main thing for me at that time was putting my arm around him,' Bowen told The Athletic after the 1-1 home draw. 'I didn't want him getting sent off or doing anything silly. I wanted to look after him, and I saw him again in the dressing room, and I gave him another hug. 'When we're on the pitch, sometimes our emotions get the better of us. You want to win and leave everything out there. He was on top form (in the dressing room). Things can happen in football and sometimes our emotions run high in games but Lucas is fine, which is the main thing.' After the game, Duda could not hide her frustration. 'I have never said anything on here, and maybe I shouldn't,' she wrote on Instagram. 'My husband has an attitude and a strength that I admire and am impressed by. We've been living through this nightmare for two years, and he is always strong. He always had it in his head that he would only defend himself at the right moment. 'There is nothing against him. Have you never realised that? Anyway, God knows all, and only he knows why we are going through this. It's down to him alone that we are well and living in happiness as a family. I just want people to respect (us). People are cruel and unjust without knowing anything.' West Ham granted Paqueta a few days off following the Spurs game. With the club's Premier League status already secured, Potter did not deem it necessary to start the Brazilian in their remaining fixtures against Manchester United, Forest and Ipswich. 'It has taken its toll on him,' said Potter before the 2-1 defeat to Forest, when Paqueta came on as a substitute for the final 30 minutes. 'The week he had was particularly tough for him. He was feeling under the weather on the day before the game and the day of the game, so I didn't want to risk him and make it worse. Sometimes stress, pressure, can manifest itself differently.' Paqueta and his family flew to Brazil after the season ended. He spent time with childhood friends during the downtime, bonding over a game of cards and reminiscing about old times. He brought his sons to Flamengo's 1-0 victory against Deportivo Tachira, which was their first time watching the Brazilian club. Faith and the outpouring of love from his family have helped Paqueta. He was baptised in June, with friend and Flamengo forward Pedro Guilherme also in attendance. Campbell described Paqueta as 'extremely emotional and extremely grateful' when he was informed that he had been cleared on July 25. While saying that he could not offer details about what their legal argument had been, Campbell mentioned that their case 'was based on circumstantial evidence and a number of strands of circumstantial evidence. We take each of those strands and examine it and question it and present our side of the story on each of those strands.' His form has fluctuated in the last two years, but West Ham sources note how Paqueta has not missed a single day's training without permission. For a player who was seemingly on his way to Manchester City, it is fair to speculate whether such a move may materialise again or if that opportunity has now passed. The Brazilian has not given much thought to transfers. Paqueta's focus for the last two years has been to clear his name. The future can wait as he adjusts to the threat of a potential lifetime ban being lifted from his shoulders.
