MANCHESTER, UK: Manchester United’s air of optimism was punctured as Alex Iwobi’s 97th minute winner handed Fulham their first win at Old Trafford since 2003, while Aston Villa surged clear in fourth by beating Nottingham Forest 4-2 on Saturday.
The completion of Jim Ratcliffe’s minority stake in United this week and a spell of good form had brought hope of a fresh start for the Red Devils.
United had won their previous four Premier League games to rekindle hope of qualifying for next season’s Champions League, but a 2-1 defeat leaves them eight points adrift of Villa.
Ratcliffe revealed his ambition to topple Manchester City and Liverpool at the top of the English game within three years.
But the work that lies ahead of the British billionaire on and off the field was exposed as Fulham dominated a ragged United for long spells.
Rodrigo Muniz came closest to opening the scoring before half-time when he hit the post.
Fulham finally took one of their chances midway through the second half when Calvin Bassey lashed home his first goal for the Cottagers from a corner.
United looked to have snatched a point against the run of play late on when Harry Maguire tapped in after Bernd Leno spilled Bruno Fernandes’ effort.
But there was another twist in the tale as Fulham secured their first away win since the opening day of the season.
Adama Traore left Maguire trailing in his wake before teeing up Iwobi to curl inside Andre Onana’s near post.
Villa opened up a five-point lead over Tottenham in the battle for a top-four finish despite a wobble either side of half-time against Forest.
Unai Emery’s men were coasting toward a first home win of 2024 as they led 3-0 inside 39 minutes.
Ollie Watkins tapped in Leon Bailey’s cross to open the scoring after just four minutes.
Douglas Luiz then struck twice to take his tally for the season to nine Premier League goals, all of which have come at Villa Park.
Forest remain just four points above the relegation zone and reacted too late to help their survival hopes.
Moussa Niakhate pulled a goal back deep into first-half stoppage time before Morgan Gibbs-White’s delightful dink cut Forest’s deficit to one just three minutes into the second period.
However, Villa quickly restored their two-goal cushion when Bailey tapped in after Watkins’ initial effort was saved.
Oliver Glasner got off to a dream start as Crystal Palace manager with a 3-0 win over 10-man Burnley.
Palace had won just three times in 20 games stretching back to September to bring Roy Hodgson’s second spell in charge to an end.
Former Eintracht Frankfurt boss Glasner could not have wished for a kinder fixture to start against a Burnley side seemingly destined for an immediate return to the Championship.
Any hope of a first win this year for Vincent Kompany’s men disappeared with a first-half red card for Josh Brownhill.
Chris Richards opened the floodgates 22 minutes from time as Palace moved eight points clear of the relegation zone.
Jordan Ayew made it 2-0 before Jean Philppe-Mateta’s penalty rounded off the scoring.
Everton were denied a huge win in their battle to beat the drop by Lewis Dunk’s 95th minute equalizer for Brighton in a 1-1 draw at the Amex.
Jarrad Brainthwaite’s thumping finish on 73 minutes opened the scoring before Brighton were reduced to 10 men when Billy Gilmour saw red.
But Everton could not hold on as Dunk headed in Pascal Gross’ corner.
A point edges Sean Dyche’s men one point clear of the relegation zone.
Manchester City and Arsenal are in action later on Saturday as they look to close the gap on Liverpool in the title race.
City can move to within one point of the leaders with victory at Bournemouth.
Arsenal then host Newcastle aiming to extend their five-game winning streak in the Premier League.
Fulham puncture Man Utd’s feel-good factor, Villa hit Forest for four
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Fulham puncture Man Utd’s feel-good factor, Villa hit Forest for four
- United had won their previous four Premier League games to rekindle hope of qualifying for next season’s Champions League
- A 2-1 defeat leaves them eight points adrift of Villa
PSG Club World Cup reunion with Messi recalls unhappier times
- PSG achieved their crowning glory in their first season after definitively shifting their focus away from signing superstar players to instead allow a brilliant coach to work with a hungry, dynamic young team
ATLANTA: Paris Saint-Germain have come to the Club World Cup as newly crowned champions of Europe, but a meeting with the Inter Miami of Lionel Messi in the last 16 this Sunday brings back memories of unhappier times for the French club.
PSG’s stunning 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan in Munich at the end of last month which allowed them to win the UEFA Champions League for the first time completed an incredible season for the Qatar-backed side under the coaching of Luis Enrique.
It is no coincidence that PSG achieved their crowning glory in their first season after definitively shifting their focus away from signing superstar players to instead allow a brilliant coach to work with a hungry, dynamic young team.
Kylian Mbappe’s move a year ago to Real Madrid followed the departures in 2023 of Neymar, the world’s most expensive signing when he joined in 2017, and Messi, in the same summer Luis Enrique was appointed.
When PSG pounced in August 2021 to sign Messi after a cash-strapped Barcelona were unable to keep him, the French side logically thought the Argentinian could be the man to deliver elusive Champions League glory.
Messi, who was 34 at the time, thought the same thing.
“My dream is to win another Champions League and I think I am in the ideal place to have that chance and to do it,” he said at his unveiling.
Alas, it did not work out that way, either in Messi’s first season in Paris, under compatriot Mauricio Pochettino in 2021/22, or in the next campaign under Christophe Galtier.
PSG had got to the Champions League final and then semifinals in the two seasons prior to Messi’s arrival, so he looked like the final piece in the jigsaw.
Instead they went backwards with him in the side, going out of Europe’s elite club competition in the last 16 two years running.
Having to fit in Messi — with his estimated annual salary of 30 million euros ($35.2 million) after tax — as well as Neymar and Mbappe may have increased the star appeal, but it weakened them as a team.
Towards the end the Barcelona legend was even being jeered by some sections of the PSG support who felt Messi’s commitment to the cause was not what it should have been.
Messi was a PSG player when he inspired Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar in late 2022, but there were only flashes of his genius at club level in France.
His statistics stand up to any scrutiny, with 32 goals and 35 assists in 75 appearances, and he did win two Ligue 1 titles while helping increase PSG’s value as a brand.
But one memorable quote by a columnist in French sports daily L’Equipe rather summed things up.
“PSG have not been better than they were before because of him...and he seemed to have as much desire to play in Ligue 1 as he did to go to the dentist,” wrote Vincent Duluc.
Fast forward two years and Messi is enjoying the twilight of his career in Major League Soccer with Inter Miami, the team he has helped to qualify for the knockout stage of this Club World Cup.
Fate has therefore thrown up a last-16 showdown with PSG on Sunday in Atlanta, at the same stadium where he scored a marvellous free-kick to secure a 2-1 win over Porto last week.
“All is not forgiven,” said the front page of L’Equipe in France on Friday as it described the feelings of “failure and bitterness” left behind from the Argentine’s spell there.
Miami coach Javier Mascherano, meanwhile, believes the unhappy memory of his time in Paris could spur Messi on.
“It’s clear that for us it’s better if he plays angry, because he’s one of those players who, when he has something on his mind, gives an extra effort,” Mascherano told ESPN.
With Luis Enrique and PSG boasting big ambitions of adding a world title to their European crown, there would be even more bitterness felt if Messi — days after his 38th birthday — managed to knock them out on Sunday.
Palmeiras edge Brazilian rivals Botafogo in extra time at Club World Cup
- Winners of the Copa Libertadores in 2020 and 2021, Palmeiras will now stay in Philadelphia
- All eyes were on Estevao, the 18-year-old winger who will join Chelsea once the tournament is over
PHILADELPHIA: Substitute Paulinho scored an extra-time winner to settle a Brazilian battle of attrition as Palmeiras edged Botafogo 1-0 on Saturday to win through to the Club World Cup quarter-finals.
The winger came on at the same time in the second half as Palmeiras coach Abel Ferreira withdrew teenage sensation Estevao Willian, a move that appeared baffling at the time but ultimately proved inspired.
The tie had reached the 100th minute when Paulinho collected a pass by Richard Rios on the right flank and was afforded the time and space to come inside into the box before slotting a low shot into the far corner.
That sparked wild celebrations among the Palmeiras fans who made up the vast majority of the 33,657 crowd inside Lincoln Financial Field, and the side from Sao Paulo held on to win the last-16 showdown despite having captain Gustavo Gomez sent off late on.
Winners of the Copa Libertadores in 2020 and 2021, Palmeiras will now stay in Philadelphia for a last-eight tie next Friday against either Benfica or Chelsea, who meet later Saturday in Charlotte.
They had been the more dangerous side throughout in this meeting of the top two in last year’s Brazilian league, with almost all of the chances falling the way of the men in green.
Rio de Janeiro side Botafogo pipped Palmeiras to the domestic title and also won the Copa Libertadores for the first time in their history in 2024.
They then lost their coach and several key players, but still managed to beat European champions Paris Saint-Germain during the group stage of the Club World Cup as they qualified for the knockout phase ahead of Atletico Madrid.
Nevertheless Palmeiras were the more lively of the two teams in a game played in warm midday conditions in Philadelphia.
All eyes were on Estevao, the 18-year-old winger who will join Chelsea once the tournament is over and is seen as Brazil’s next big thing.
He found it hard to make an impact in what was for long spells a disappointing game pockmarked by moments of quality.
Colombian midfielder Rios came close to scoring in first-half stoppage time with a thunderous shot from the edge of the box that was deflected onto the roof of the net.
Estevao then came to life after the restart, forcing a good save from Botafogo goalkeeper John Victor and then putting the ball in the net only to be denied by an offside flag.
There was surprise around the stadium when the starlet was taken off just after the hour mark alongside striker Vitor Roque, with Luighi and Paulinho sent into the attack.
A Mauricio header from a Joaquin Piquerez cross was tipped over and Paulinho then blazed high from a good position as normal time ended goalless.
Into the extra half-hour they went, and a Rios piledriver was parried behind before the goal finally arrived thanks to the once-capped Brazil winger who played in the Atletico Mineiro side beaten by Botafogo in last year’s Libertadores final.
The substitute was then promptly substituted, his job done for the day.
Botafogo pushed for an equalizer that would have led to a penalty shoot-out, but could not find it even after Paraguayan center-back Gomez walked for a second booking in the 116th minute for grappling off the ball with Alexander Barboza.
Chelsea's Club World Cup travel plan derailed by group-stage slip-up
- Chelsea will now face Benfica on Saturday at the Bank of America Stadium
- The detour means reorganising bookings and schedules at short notice
MIAMI: Chelsea are facing a logistical headache at the Club World Cup after finishing second in their group, forcing an unexpected trip to Charlotte for their last 16 match instead of staying in Miami, where the club thought they would be based for the knockout stage.
A club source told Reuters that travel, accommodation and training arrangements were all made with the assumption that the West Londoners would top Group D and play their round of 16 match at Hard Rock Stadium.
Instead, after a 3-1 loss to Brazil's Flamengo and only managing second place despite a 3-0 win over Esperance Tunis in their final group stage fixture in Philadelphia, Chelsea will now face Benfica on Saturday at the Bank of America Stadium.
The detour means reorganising bookings and schedules at short notice, but the club still intends to return to its Miami base after the match, adding more miles to an already hectic itinerary.
If Enzo Maresca's side reach the quarter-finals, they will return to Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia to face the winner of the all-Brazilian clash between Palmeiras and Botafogo.
Al-Hilal captain Al-Dawsari out of Club World Cup with hamstring injury
- This means Al-Dawsari will miss Monday’s round of 16 clash against Manchester City
- Al-Dawsari played a pivotal role in Al-Hilal’s campaign in the Club World Cup
Al-Hilal captain Salem Al-Dawsari will miss the remainder of the Club World Cup with a hamstring injury, the Saudi club said on Saturday.
“Medical tests have confirmed that Salem Al-Dawsari has suffered from a hamstring injury. He will be undergoing a treatment and rehabilitation program that will last between four to six weeks,” Al-Hilal said in a statement via X.
This means Al-Dawsari will miss Monday’s round of 16 clash against Manchester City.
Al-Dawsari played a pivotal role in Al-Hilal’s campaign in the Club World Cup, after scoring the opening goal in the team’s 2-0 victory over Pachuca on Friday in the third round of the group stage.
The win against Pachuca secured the four-times Asian champions qualification for the last 16 after they finished second in Group H behind Real Madrid.
Players forced to give up vacation to play Club World Cup, says Raphinha
- Raphinha said: “Marquinhos and Beraldo, from Paris St. Germain, won the Champions League and didn’t even get to celebrate properly”
- “If PSG reach the Club World Cup final, they will have the Super Cup right away. It doesn’t stop“
BARCELONA: Brazil’s Barcelona forward Raphinha regretted that the players were not consulted about extending their season to play at the Club World Cup, adding that nobody should be obliged to give up their vacation time.
The first expanded edition of the Club World Cup started on June 14 and will run until July 13. The competition followed the European league season which concluded in late May and an international window at the beginning of June.
“Speaking particularly as someone who plays for a European team, we would (currently) be on vacation,” Raphinha said.
“Marquinhos and Beraldo, from Paris St. Germain, won the Champions League and didn’t even get to celebrate properly. They came to the national team and then went to the Club World Cup. They still haven’t stopped.
“Many say that this is an excuse. It may or may not be, but having to give up our vacations out of obligation is very complicated. It’s our right. Everyone deserves at least a month of vacation. And many of them won’t get it.”
Most of the major European leagues will be back in action in mid to late August, with the pre-seasons starting early in the month.
“If PSG reach the Club World Cup final, they will have the Super Cup right away. It doesn’t stop,” Raphinha added.
“It depends on your point of view. From my point of view, it’s very bad to give up your vacation to play something that you are forced to do. At no point did they ask the players if they wanted to.
“It (should be) up to us to accept it. Having to give up your vacation to play in a new tournament is very complicated.”
PSG will face Tottenham Hotspur for the Super Cup on August 13.
