Analysis: Marked man Martial must find place at Man United
“Thierry Henry, with whom Martial is often compared, was similarly raw when he left Monaco for Juventus in 1999, but he was two years older, had twice as many games behind him and had already won a...
View ArticleAnalysis: Waning Rooney on brink of England history
“Obliged to lead the line alone in manager Louis van Gaal’s single-striker system, he has looked isolated and off the pace, his touch betraying him, his famous explosiveness diminished. It has brought...
View ArticleProfile: Wayne Rooney at 30 – Man United’s talisman reappraised
“A recent BBC documentary about Rooney has helped to soften attitudes towards him in Britain. Renowned for his aggressive on-pitch demeanour, all angry scowls and expletive-strewn outbursts, the Rooney...
View ArticleReview: Premier League titans roar in boardroom, squeak on pitch
“Untold riches will rain down upon the English Premier League in 2016, but for all their resources, the country’s leading clubs currently seem incapable of staking claims to the title. The record £5.14...
View ArticleProfile: PSG’s Di María out to banish Manchester ghosts
Handed United’s fabled number seven shirt after a club-record £59.7 million ($84.3 million, 74 million euros) transfer from Real Madrid, Di María could scarcely have arrived at Old Trafford amid...
View ArticleAnalysis: Leicester change landscape as TV cash flood looms
While the feats of Jamie Vardy (£1 million), Riyad Mahrez (£400,000) and N’Golo Kanté (£5.6 million) demonstrated a new way of spending, Leicester’s football revealed a different way of winning. In an...
View ArticleProfile: Mocked Martial becomes Man United’s FA Cup charm
His nonchalant demeanour, dazzling footwork and ice-cold finishing have already earned him the adoration of United’s fans, who have immortalised their number nine in song. “Tony Marshall came from...
View ArticleAnalysis: ‘Iron Tulip’ Van Gaal wilts in Man United spotlight
Having influenced both José Mourinho, the man due to succeed him, and Pep Guardiola, who is set to alight at cross-town rivals Manchester City, Van Gaal, a former PE teacher, was seen as one of the...
View ArticleAnalysis: Mourinho and Man Utd go in search of Midas touch
Louis van Gaal, Mourinho’s sacked predecessor, ultimately paid the price for failing to secure Champions League qualification, but it was the pedestrian nature of the team’s football that provided a...
View ArticleAnalysis: Rooney reborn in England midfield role at Euro 2016
In England’s final pre-tournament friendly, an unconvincing 1-0 win over Portugal on June 2, Rooney led the line as a central striker in a 4-3-3 formation. Two weeks later, he is being picked in...
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