Ruben Neves rose highest to nod in a late winner for Portugal to beat a resilient Irish defence 1-0 in Lisbon. The Portuguese midfielder was the hero for the hosts who had looked as if they would never beat the superb Caoimhin Kelleher in the Irish goal, particularly after their captain Cristiano Ronaldo had his penalty saved by the Brentford shot-stopper.
Heimir Hallgrimsson's side quickly had all 11 men behind the ball as their plan to soak up pressure and hit Portugal on the break was made clear. The Irish defence held strong throughout much of the opening stages, confining Roberto Martinez’s men to swing in hopeful crosses and pot shots from distance.
One of those long-range efforts nearly made the difference as Cristiano Ronaldo came closest to opening the scoring after 16 minutes. His low effort from distance hit the upright, before Bernardo Silva scuffed wide the rebound with the goal gaping, angering his captain.
The hosts kept probing and the visitors kept firm, thanks in part to some solid shot stopping from Brentford’s Kelleher. The goalkeeper produced a strong hand to stop Goncalo Inacio’s header from a Bruno Fernandes corner before Nathan Collins blocked from Bernardo Silva just before the break.
Portugal stepped up the intensity in the second-half, feeding Ronaldo a fair few more half chances, but the veteran striker could only snatch at them. The Portuguese midfielders kept knocking on the door, firing efforts from distance, before eventually one paid off.
After 73 minutes, Francisco Trincao, looking to curl an effort into the top corner, had his shot blocked by Dara O’Shea, and the referee judged the ball to have struck the Ipswich defender’s arm. Ronaldo, making his 50th appearance in World Cup qualifiers, stepped up and hit his effort straight down the middle – saved by the outstretched leg of Kelleher.
Just when Portugal looked all out of luck, Trincao was again at the heart of the drama. His 91st minute cross from deep was swung into the middle and was met by Ruben Neves’ head, nicking the ball just ahead of the desperate Kelleher punch. It was fitting that Neves, the midfielder wearing 21 in honour of his late friend and team-mate Diogo Jota, scored the winner on Portugal's first home game since Jota's death in July.
GOAL rates Portugal's players from Estadio Jose Alvalade…
AFP
Goalkeeper & Defence
Diogo Costa (6/10):
Costa had nothing to do all game aside from watching the one Irish shot fly well over his crossbar.
Diogo Dalot (7/10):
Was tasked with handling the tricky Chiedozie Ogbene and managed well.
Ruben Dias (7/10):
Was impressive at the back and maintained concentration when Ireland sprang on the break.
Goncalo Inacio (6/10):
Did not have an awful lot of defending to do, but was a threat in the Irish box. His header was saved well by Kelleher.
Nuno Mendes (7/10):
A constant threat down the Portuguese left-flank, but could not make the all-important difference.
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Midfield
Ruben Neves (9/10):
At the heart of the Portuguese midfield and dictated much of the attacking play. He would turn out to be the hero with a late header.
Vitinha (8/10):
Tidy on the ball and helped control the tempo alongside Neves in the middle of the park.
Bruno Fernandes (6/10):
Threatened with a few efforts from distance, but lacked that final perfect pass.
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Attack
Bernardo Silva (5/10):
The Irish defence were not troubled by the Manchester City man who missed a first half sitter.
Cristiano Ronaldo (5/10):
Fashioned himself a number of good opportunities, but snatched at the chances that did land his way. His weak penalty down the middle was stopped brilliantly by Kelleher.
Pedro Neto (6/10):
Was bright throughout, but his crosses never quite found their target. Neto was eventually outshone by his replacements.
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Subs & Manager
Renato Veiga (6/10):
Took over Inacio's role at the heart of defence and offered pace at the back when Ireland came forward.
Nelson Semedo (6/10):
Did not offer too much difference to Dalot and had little impact.
Francisco Trincao (8/10):
A brilliant cameo off of the bench from the former Barcelona man. He won the penalty and then set up the winner.
Goncalo Ramos (N/A):
Offered an extra body in the box for the final ten minutes.
Roberto Martinez (7/10):
It looked as if Martinez's side would be dropping two points, but his introduction of Trincao changed the game.
Chelsea now hold a concrete interest in signing a “spectacular” Barcelona player, who has the same agent as Liam Delap, it has been revealed.
Blues making plans for 2026 after busy summer window
The Blues have spent extremely heavily under BlueCo ownership, with Football FanCast recently detailing some of their most expensive signings, which includes the likes of Moises Caicedo, who cost £115m, while Enzo Fernandez set them back £107m.
As expected, the west Londoners were once again extremely active in the summer transfer window, spending a whopping €328.15m (£285m), although they balanced the books with a number of big sales.
New signing
Cost
Joao Pedro
£55m
Jamie Gittens
£49m
Alejandro Garnacho
£40m
Jorrel Hato
£38m
Liam Delap
£30m
Estevao
£29m
Dario Essugo
£19m
Mamadou Sarr
£12m
Kendry Paez
£9m
Facundo Buonanotte
£2m (loan fee)
However, despite making several key additions to the squad, Enzo Maresca may feel more arrivals will be required in January, given that a new centre-back was not brought in following the injury blow to Levi Colwill.
Not only that, but it has now been revealed that Chelsea missed out on another target in the final stages of the January transfer window, with Fabrizio Romano telling GiveMeSport they made a late approach to sign Barcelona midfielder Femin Lopez.
A €40m (£35m) offer was made for Lopez, which was knocked back by the Spanish club, but the 22-year-old could still end up at Stamford Bridge in the future, with Romano detailing the Blues hold a concrete interest.
FC Barcelona'sFerminLopezis presented with the MVP trophy after the match
That said, it could be difficult to get a deal over the line, given that the Spaniard wants to stay at the Camp Nou, as Barca are his boyhood club, and he is held in very high regard by his current employers.
"Spectacular" Lopez could be Buonanotte upgrade
The signing of Buonanotte can perhaps be viewed as a little strange, with the 20-year-old arriving on loan from Premier League rivals Brighton & Hove Albion, and he has since been omitted from Chelsea’s Champions League squad.
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It feels like Chelsea have made a mistake signing Buonanotte.
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That is despite the fact the youngster stated playing in Europe’s elite competition was a factor behind choosing to move to Stamford Bridge, saying: “Of course, I’ll get the opportunity to play in the Champions League for the first time, which will be a great challenge.
“I’m really looking forward to this season and hopefully I can help the club to achieve its goals.”
Unlike Buonanotte, who is yet to establish himself at the top level, having been relegated with Leicester City last season, Lopez has already proven himself at Barcelona, chipping in with eight goals and ten assists in all competitions in the 2024-25 campaign.
Not only that, but the Barca academy graduate, who is represented by the same agent as Delap, has also received high praise from former manager Xavi in the past, who lauded him for his “spectacular mentality”, which suggests he could be an instant upgrade on Buonanotte in attacking midfield.
Whilst Thomas Frank managed to win his first Premier League game as Tottenham Hotspur manager, the club still have work to do before the end of the summer transfer window.
He’s already been backed by the board, landing a £55m deal for Mohammed Kudus, but ultimately, further big-money reinforcements are needed to avoid a repeat of the 2024/25 campaign.
The Lilywhites ended the previous year in 17th place, still managing to win the Europa League, with the Dane the man to lead them into the Champions League this season.
However, if the 51-year-old is to be successful in either of the competitions in the near future, he will need added quality in depth within key areas of the pitch.
Big money will likely need to be spent if added success is to be achieved, but one of the club’s key dealings may have already taken place over the last couple of days.
Tottenham Hotspur managerThomasFrankcelebrates after the match
Cristian Romero’s new contract at Tottenham Hotspur
Back in the summer of 2021, Spurs completed the loan signing of Cristian Romero from Italian outfit Atalanta, making the centre-back’s move permanent 12 months later – costing around £42.5m in the process.
Whilst his disciplinary record has often been brought into question, he’s been a key component of the Lilywhites’ backline, making 126 appearances over the last four years.
The 27-year-old was named the club’s captain last week, highlighting the trust new boss Frank has placed in him – understandably so given his Man of the Match showing in the European final against Manchester United.
The good news has continued for the Argentine, penning a new four-year deal until the summer of 2029, with such a move arguably one of the best pieces of business conducted by the club this window, amid interest from Spanish giants Atlético Madrid.
However, despite Romero’s new contract, the hierarchy are looking to add further quality into the club’s backline, handing Frank the added depth he needs to help the side challenge at the top of England’s top-flight.
Spurs targeting move for a new Romero partner
Over recent days, Spurs have entered talks with Manchester City over a potential deal for 20-year-old right-back Rico Lewis – potentially providing competition for Pedro Porro.
The Englishman has also been subject to interest from Nottingham Forest, but it’s been confirmed that the youngster wants to remain at the Etihad beyond the summer window.
However, he’s not the only defender in their sights, with the club also strongly considering a move to land Brentford star Nathan Collins, according to the Daily Mail.
Their report claims that the Lilywhites have been closely monitoring the Irish international, who featured in every single minute of the previous Premier League campaign.
It also states that Manchester United and Liverpool are also plotting a move for the 24-year-old, but Spurs could hold the key to any move, given the centre-back’s previous time playing under Frank at the GTEC.
Why Spurs’ latest target could be perfect for Romero
Whilst Frank has only overseen two competitive games as Spurs boss, he’s already showcased his versatility in the role, operating with various different systems.
In the UEFA Super Cup final against PSG, the Dane utilised a back-five, whilst switching back to a more familiar back four in the win against Burnley on Saturday.
However, if the club are to be a success, adapting the side based upon the opposition is vital, something which was hugely lacking during Ange Postecoglou’s tenure.
A move for Collins could offer the new boss the depth he craves, adding another option to the heart of the defence, which could allow for a centre-back trio of Micky van de Ven, Romero and the Irishman.
It’s unclear how much a deal for the Bees star would set the hierarchy back before the September 1st deadline, but it would be a transfer that would add the needed quality to the defensive unit.
Brentford'sNathanCollinsapplauds
When comparing his stats to those of Romero from 2024/25, the 24-year-old managed to outperform the Argentine in key areas, even ranking highly among other defenders in the division.
Collins, who’s been labelled “one of the best defenders in the Premier League” by journalist Mario Marra, ranked in the 97th percentile for blocks made (2.1) whilst ranking in the 89th percentile for aerials won (3.1), according to FBref.
Games played
38
18
Goals & assists
5
1
Progressive carries
0.9
0.7
Progressive passes
4.8
4.5
Blocks made
2.1
1.1
Clearances made
5.9
3.6
Aerials won
3.1
2.6
Aerial success rate
63%
60%
Such figures are both higher than those produced by Romero, which would subsequently hand Frank the quality at the back to improve the record of 65 league goals conceded last season.
The Irishman also achieved a better aerial success rate last season, whilst making nearly two times more clearances per 90 – further highlighting the quality he possesses without the ball.
Nathan Collins
However, despite Collins’ ability without the ball, he’s also showcased his talent in possession, something which has been vital in Frank’s system – as seen by the Bees’ average possession of 48% in the Premier League during 2024/25.
He managed to achieve more progressive passes and carries per 90 last season, able to seamlessly fit into the manager’s plans given his previous stint under his guidance.
Whilst it’s unclear how much the Bees will be demanding to part ways with their captain, it’s a deal that could transform the Lilywhites’ fortunes within the defensive third.
If he can replicate such numbers from 2024/25, he could prove to be the perfect partner for Romero, which could provide added success for the club in the not-too-distant future.
Not just Richarlison: 8/10 Spurs ace must be a regular starter under Frank
Tottenham Hotspur secured the perfect start to life under Thomas Frank with a 3-0 win over Burnley.
Manchester United and Chelsea played out one of the wildest and most exhilarating halves of football in Premier League history at the Old Trafford on Saturday, with both teams having a man sent off in the first 45 minutes. In the process, the English rivals became responsible for setting an unbelievably bizarre Premier League record.
First half ends in 10v10
Fans witnessed a blockbuster clash on Saturday evening as an under-fire Manchester United welcomed world champions Chelsea at the Old Trafford. The two rivals were always going to deliver an entertaining game, but it all became more interesting after Sanchez was given the marching orders in the fifth minute following a mistimed tackle on Bryan Mbeumo. Amorim's men took full advantage of having an extra man, as they breezed to a two-goal cushion thanks to Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro, before the Brazilian received his second yellow and thus, a red card in the fifth minute of first half stoppage time.
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United and Chelsea join hands for a bizarre record
Chelsea's response to going a man, and eventually a goal, down was to make three substitutions within the first 21 minutes, which also saw Cole Palmer come off due to an injury relapse. Enzo Maresca’s side made Premier League history by making the earliest three substitutions ever recorded in a match.
However, more records were set to be created, as the clash between United and Chelsea became the first game in Premier League history to record at least two goals, two red cards, and two substitutions in the first half, according to .
Old Trafford, Chelsea's kryptonite
Trevor Chalobah's late strike was not enough to save the Blues from their first league defeat of the season. Saturday's loss stretches Chelsea's streak without a win at the Old Trafford to 13 games, the most they have ever gone without a win on the road against any team in the top-flight.
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A lift-off for Amorim & Co.?
The win against Chelsea could be just the psychological lift-off Ruben Amorim's men need in their bid to reverse their fortunes. After just one win from their opening four games, beating one of the title contenders can prove to be a huge boost for the Red Devils.
O Palmeiras se prepara para enfrentar o Corinthians, neste sábado, às 18h30, no Allianz Parque. Em meio a uma maratona de jogos e competições, o Verdão chega ao clássico com praticamente todo o time titular à disposição. Dessa forma, Abel Ferreira poderá escalar a formação de ataque que tanto projetou para esta temporada com Veiga, Dudu, Rony e Artur, recém-contratado pelo clube.
> Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui
Até o momento, levando em consideração os titulares, apenas Marcos Rocha estaria fora de combate para o Dérbi. O lateral-direito sofreu uma pancada contra o Tombense e teve detectada uma lesão na coxa esquerda. Seu substituto deve ser Mayke, que se recuperou recentemente de entorse no tornozelo direito. De resto, a comissão técnica deve poder contar com a equipe “ideal”.
+ Todos os jogos do Brasileirão você encontra no Prime Video. Assine já e acompanhe o seu time do coração!
continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasPalmeiras cobra valor milionário de receitas do Allianz Parque que não foram repassadas ao clubePalmeiras27/04/2023PalmeirasGiovani comemora atuação contra o Tombense e fala da ajuda de Abel no Palmeiras: ‘Me cobra bastante’Palmeiras27/04/2023PalmeirasPalmeiras x Corinthians: mais de 31 mil ingressos vendidos; saiba como comprarPalmeiras27/04/2023
Raphael Veiga e Rony, que são titulares absolutos e dois dos maiores pilares desse elenco, voltaram a ficar à disposição nesta semana. O atacante já até jogou diante do Tombense, enquanto o meia tem retorno previsto para este sábado, contra o Corinthians. Ou seja, a dupla deve se juntar a Dudu para formar o trio de intocáveis no setor ofensivo desta temporada. São eles aqueles que nunca renderam dúvidas para Abel, que ainda não havia encontrado um quarto elemento para atacar.
Endrick parecia ser aquele que abraçaria a vaga, mas acabou não se firmando na titularidade. O jovem Giovani também teve sua chance, porém oscilou. Depois foi a vez de Bruno Tabata, que se machucou e ainda não voltou. Mais recentemente Flaco López e Breno Lopes tiveram suas chances, mas de forma provisória, cumprindo uma situação de momento. Podemos até colocar nessa conta Rafael Navarro e Jhon Jhon, mesmo que tenha sido nas ausências de Rony e Veiga.
>Palmeiras tem baixa para o Dérbi, mas Veiga treina sem restrições com o elenco e deve voltar
Abel nunca escondeu que além do camisa 5, substituto de Danilo, seu desejo era pela contratação de um ponta canhoto que estivesse mais pronto e pudesse entrar para jogar. A diretoria demorou para atender ao pedido, mas conseguiu o reforço de Artur, do Bragantino. O atacante já fez quatro jogos em seu retorno ao Palmeiras, mas ainda sem poder atuar com o ataque totalmente titular, até porque estreou somente depois da final do Paulistão, período em que Rony e Veiga ficaram fora.
Diante dos pedidos de Abel e da sequência de Artur como titular neste início de passagem, é possível entender que o camisa 14 fará parte do 11 inicial ideal do Verdão para esta temporada. Ou seja, finalmente haverá o quarto elemento tão esperado para atuar com Dudu, Veiga e Rony neste ano. Vale lembrar que Gustavo Scarpa era esse “cara” em 2022, mas deixou o clube em dezembro.
>Palmeiras x Corinthians: mais de 32 mil ingressos vendidos; veja informações
Assim, contra o Corinthians, neste sábado, será a primeira vez que Abel Ferreira poderá escalar esses quatro jogadores com os quais ele parece ter projetado o ataque para 2023. Isso levando em conta que Endrick, Flaco, Giovani e afins seguem sendo peças essenciais para as variações do treinador. De qualquer forma, será em um Dérbi, diante do Allianz Parque lotado, que esses jogadores serão testados juntos. Teste mais do que ideal para os planos de uma temporada.
كسر هوجو إيكتيكي، نجم نادي ليفربول، صمته وتحدث عن الطرد الذي تعرض له خلال مواجهة الريدز يوم أمس الثلاثاء مع ساوثهامبتون، ضمن منافسات كأس رابطة الأندية الإنجليزية.
ليفربول نجح في التأهل إلى الدور المقبل من منافسات كأس رابطة الأندية الإنجليزية، عقب فوزه المثير على نظيره ساوثهامبتون بهدفين مقابل هدف على ملعب آنفيلد.
وكان لإيكتيكي الفضل في فوز ليفربول خلال لقاء الأمس والتأهل إلى الدور المقبل في كأس الرابطة، حيث سجل هدف الريدز الثاني في الدقائق الأخيرة من اللقاء.
أقرأ أيضًا.. إيكتيكي يدعم لاعب ليفربول بعد مباراة ساوثهامبتون
لكن إيكتيكي تم إشهار البطاقة الحمراء له، بعدما خلع اللاعب القميص محتفلًا بهدفه أمام ساوثهامبتون، حيث حصل الدولي الفرنسي على إنذار ثاني وخرج.
واعتذر إيكتيكي عن هذا التصرف عبر حسابه الرسمي في إنستجرام، حيث قال: “كنت متحمسًا للغاية الليلة لمساعدة الفريق على تحقيق فوز جديد هنا على أرضنا في أول مباراة لي في كأس كاراباو، لقد غلبتني المشاعر الليلة”.
واختتم إيكتيكي في حديثه: “أتقدم باعتذاري لجميع أفراد عائلة ليفربول. شكرًا للجماهير التي تدعمنا دائمًا ولزملائي في الفريق على تحقيق الفوز”.
وكان مدرب ليفربول ، آرني سلوت، قد أبدى غضبًا كبيرًا من تصرف إيكتيكي وطرده في لقاء الأمس، حيث وصف ما فعله اللاعب بأنه تصرف غبي.
Manchester United have been one of the absolute biggest clubs in the world now for over 30 years, largely thanks to their Premier League dominance under Sir Alex Ferguson. They are massive and boast arguably the largest overall fanbase in football.
That, of course, means there are quite a few famous names amongst the fans. We thought we’d pick out some of them – but this is far from an exhaustive list. Also worth mentioning that we’ve gone for actual fans here, not just famous people who wore a shirt once.
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ByCharlie Smith May 8, 2025 Justin Timberlake
We’ll start with an unusual one here – but we’re going back some way for the proof. Justin Timberlake publicly outed himself as a United fan back in 2007, largely thanks to former striker/midfielder Alan Smith.
"I'm a Red! I'm mates with Smithy so he' ..Read more at:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2148088.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst "I'm a Red! I'm mates with Smithy so he' ..Read more at:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2148088.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst "I'm a Red! I'm mates with Smithy so he' ..Read more at:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2148088.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst "I'm a Red! I'm mates with Smithy so he' ..Read more at:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2148088.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst"I'm a Red! I'm mates with Smithy so he' ..Read more at:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2148088.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst"I'm a Red! I'm mates with Smithy so he' ..Read more at:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2148088.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst"I'm a Red! I'm mates with Smithy so he' ..Read more at:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2148088.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
“I’m a Red!,” he said back then. “I’m mates with Smithy so he’s my favourite player but [Cristiano] Ronaldo isn’t bad either. I really like [Wayne] Rooney too.
“Smithy hooked me up with some tickets, so I went to watch the home game against West Ham.”
We won’t go as far as to say he’s a die-hard fan but there’s certainly a link there!
Eamonn Holmes
Sticking with celebrity glamour, TV presenter Eamonn Holmes is a long-time fan of United. In fact, he even started the eulogies at the funeral of United legend and fellow Northern Irishman George Best.
Holmes has been very openly a massive fan for decades now, from wanting to name his son after Sir Alex Ferguson, to just this month criticising the new third kit.
The presenter actually featured alongside Ferguson on “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” back in 2004. He’s the only person on this list to have done that.
Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy is another who has worn his United support proudly on his sleeve for some time now. The golfer even found the nerve to out himself as a fan in front of a Liverpool crowd back in 2014. It wasn’t received well.
But after winning the Open that year, McIlroy was invited to parade the Grey Jug around Old Trafford. It was an invitation he quickly accepted.
Just this week, too, McIlroy moved to offer support to under-fire defender Harry Maguire.
“Absolutely [I feel sorry for him],” he told Sky Sports.
“I am sure Harry wakes up every morning, goes to work and tries his best just like we all do and when your life and career are laid bare like that and everyone sees everything… you could make 20 great passes in a game and the one pass that doesn’t go quite right is the one that everyone is going to concentrate on.”
Luke Littler
Darts sensation Luke Littler has helped transform the sport in recent years, but away from the oche, Littler is a die-hard Man Utd supporter.
After bursting onto the scene, Littler was left starstruck after receiving a message from Red Devils icon David Beckham. He won the World Championship in 2025 and even took the trophy to Old Trafford.
Olly Murs
Olly Murs is a loud United fan – he has a box at Old Trafford and recently gave a tour of the stadium for the club’s official website.
He can frequently be seen talking about the club over the years, too, and explained exactly why going to see the club means so much to him in an interview with the Guardian last year.
“Taking my dad to Manchester United matches. He’s a massive fan, but couldn’t take us when we were kids. It’s far from Essex; we couldn’t afford it. When I got into this industry, one of my first purchases was a box at Old Trafford. Being able to take him means a lot.”
A passionate fan of United, then – it’s what you love to see.
Conor McGregor
MMA star Conor McGregor.
Conor McGregor’s support for Man Utd really came into the public consciousness last year when there was talk he would front a bid to buy the club. Now, it quickly became evident that he lacked the funds to make that happen.
Still, McGregor certainly wasn’t just after the publicity. He’s talked about his support for the club before, including a lengthy interview with the official club site back in 2021.
“I was attracted to the success and winning mentality of the club and people surrounded by United. Irish legends like Denis Irwin and Roy Keane were dedicated to their craft and had that winning mentality.
“Roy Keane was one of the best midfielders European football has ever seen. Opponents would be mentally beaten before they’d even stepped on to the pitch to face him.”
It’s a good read and rare that you see this much talk about the club from a ‘celebrity’ fan. McGregor does also have allegiances with Celtic, we should say, but there’s no doubt that he has plenty of support for United.
Dave
Multi-award-winning rapper Dave is a big United fan – you only need listen to his music to find that out. His 2021 release “We’re All Alone in This Together” featured several shout-outs to the club.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Anthony Martial both got name-dropped. Even youngster Amad Diallo was mentioned in a track. Then if you go a touch further back, you’ll find Dave Tweeting like a typical fan back in 2019, primarily with Paul Pogba propaganda.
Angry Ginge
One of the most famous British YouTubers and Twitch streamers around today, Man Utd is part of Angry Ginge’s personality.
Known for his ‘Yanited’ outbursts, Angry Ginge, real name Morgan Burtwistle, is also a season ticket holder at Old Trafford. He even played at the stadium for Soccer Aid 2025, coming up against Carlos Tevez.
Richard Ashcroft
Sticking with the musician theme, Richard Ashcroft has been a United fan since childhood. He’s another to give an interview with the official club site where he explained how he got on board with United.
“I come from such a hybrid area. Skelmersdale, built near to where I was brought up, was a new town for Liverpool. So there was a real mixture of football supporters at school. There were United fans, and Liverpool and Everton fans whose families had moved from Liverpool to Skelmersdale.
“But essentially it was an old friend of mine. There was a family who lived across the road who used to go to watch United. They took me to my first match when I was about 10 or 11.”
The Verve frontman then talked about that first trip to Old Trafford – something that’s clearly stuck with him through it all.
“It is that cliche moment of seeing the stadium and the green of the pitch for the first time. When I first started going to Old Trafford it was when Ron Atkinson was the manager, and we would always be ‘nearly there’ in the league, but with amazing crowds.
“Everyone packed into the Stretford End – those were the days!”
Brian O’Driscoll
Rugby icon Brian O’Driscoll is another huge Red Devils supporter, with the Irishman admitting he went against the majority of Liverpool fans in Dublin growing up to follow Man Utd.
His first idol at Old Trafford was Mark Hughes, and he revealed his favourite ever goal was Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s winner against Bayern Munich in the Champions League final in 1999.
Usain Bolt
Usain Bolt has never hidden his allegiance to Man United, going all the way back to his heyday of 2012. The fastest man in history was a guest of honour at Old Trafford in Alex Ferguson’s final season, in fact.
Then, of course, there was that spell where Bolt attempted to break into top-level football, publicly admitting that while he had trials with Borussia Dortmund, his real dream was to play for United.
"One of my biggest dreams is to sign for Manchester United. If Dortmund say I'm good enough, I'll crack on and train hard."I've spoken to Alex Ferguson and I told him he needs to put in a good word. He told me if I get fit and ready, he will see what he can do."
Tyson Fury
It’s pretty unusual to get this far through a list like this without finding a proper local fan but here’s one. Tyson Fury is from Greater Manchester and has been vocal about his support, particularly over the last few years.
But he’s clearly a fan who does know his stuff. Fury even went against the grain and predicted that United would potentially be a better side without Cristiano Ronaldo last year – months before Erik ten Hag moved the player on.
“When you have a superstar like Ronaldo, everybody relies on him to score goals and if he wasn’t there they’d be scoring the goals themselves, like they did the season before last.
“I’m not saying he’s a bad asset, he’s a great asset, but sometimes with a star player, he carries the team and the young people are overshadowed by it all, they don’t get their chance to shine because ‘the great Ronaldo’ is on the pitch.”
You’ll frequently find Fury’s support on social media, too, be it celebrating the EFL Cup or welcoming Mason Mount to the club.
Stormzy
Stormzy went viral last season after appearing on Sky Sports’ coverage during a United game where he admitted to being starstruck by the occasion. After all, here was a lifetime fan of the club, at Old Trafford, getting to talk about the team on Monday Night Football.
But how did Stormzy actually become a fan? He explained in an interview with Soccer AM a few years ago that it was simply a case of a stars aligning.
“I always get stick.
“There’s probably even people watching now saying ‘hear his accent what’s he doing supporting United?’ But that’s just how the stars aligned for me.
“When I was younger I didn’t have a big brother or like a dad who supported United so it all kinda came from me.
“Cockney Red what can you do?”
Stormzy also took part in Paul Pogba’s announcement video for the club back in 2016 but infamously spoiled the signing by posting the video too early. We can hardly blame him for being excited, mind.
كشف الإعلامي أحمد شوبير عن كواليس جديدة داخل النادي الأهلي، مؤكّدًا أن لاعبي الفريق عقدوا اجتماعًا داخليًا بينهم لمناقشة بعض الملفات المهمة وعلى رأسها ملف العقود، وذلك في ظل الظروف الصعبة التي يمر بها المارد الأحمر على مستوى النتائج في بطولة الدوري المصري.
وقال شوبير في تصريحات عبر برنامجه الإذاعي صباح اليوم الثلاثاء: “الخبر الذي قد لا يعرفه كثيرون أن لاعبي الأهلي اجتمعوا مع بعضهم بالأمس بمفردهم، أي دون وجود أي شخص آخر، لم أعرف تفاصيل الاجتماع، لكنني علمت أنه كان اجتماع مصارحة، حيث فتح اللاعبون قلوبهم وتحدثوا بصراحة حول الوضع الحالي”.
وتابع: “أهم النقاط التي تمت مناقشتها كانت مسألة العقود، فهناك من يقول: أنا أتقاضى مبلغًا معينًا، وآخر يقول: أنا أحصل على أكثر، وثالث يقارن نفسه بغيره. لكن الرأي العقلاني غلب في النهاية، وهو أن كل لاعب حين جاء في وقته كان يتقاضى أعلى عقد متاح، فإذا كان متبقٍ في عقدك سنتان وتتقاضى مبلغًا معينًا، فعندما تنتهي المدة اطلب ما تريد، سواء عشرة أضعاف أو أكثر”.
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وأضاف شوبير: “كما تقرر غلق باب التفاوض مع اللاعبين الذين ما زالت عقودهم ممتدة لعامين أو أكثر، وكان ذلك قرارًا صائبًا حتى يركز اللاعبون جيدًا، خصوصًا أن هناك من جدد مؤخرًا ثم طالب بزيادة جديدة لمجرد أن آخرين وقعوا بأرقام أكبر، وهذا أمر غير منطقي”.
وأردف: “على سبيل المثال، حسين الشحات لديه مشكلة، إذ تلقى عرضًا من نادي الاتحاد الليبي، وهو عرض يعجبه خاصة أنه لا يشارك بانتظام، لكن قيل له إن الموسم طويل، والإصابات كثيرة، وهو مرشح بقوة ليكون أساسيًا في المباراة المقبلة”.
وأشار: “كل ما يحدث هذا داخل النادي الأهلي، ولم تمر سوى ست مباريات فقط، ورغم ذلك تعرض الفريق لسلسلة طويلة من الإصابات: زيزو، إمام عاشور، ياسر، ياسين، كريم، شكري، وغيرهم. الغيابات كثيرة جدًا، وفي حراسة المرمى مثلًا شارك الشناوي، ثم شارك شوبير، وهكذا”.
واختتم: “الحقيقة أن الوضع يحتاج إلى مزيد من الصبر والهدوء حتى تسير الأمور بشكل أفضل”.
Wasting no time after being rejected by Juventus’ Timothy Weah, Nottingham Forest have now reportedly opened talks to sign another Serie A star this summer.
Weah rejects Nottingham Forest move
Looking to get their summer business officially underway, Nottingham Forest set their sights on Weah and would have been hoping to flex their European muscles for the first time. The American has since burst that bubble, however. As reported by Fabrizio Romano, the versatile winger has sent the Tricky Trees back to the drawing board after rejecting a move to the City Ground this summer.
His rejection comes at a time when Newcastle United have set their sights on Anthony Elanaga and that could yet deal Nottingham Forest a double blow. Whilst those at the City Ground have reportedly rejected a bid worth around £45m for the Swede, it can’t be ruled out that the Magpies return with a second offer before the end of the summer.
Although Elanga remains a Nottingham Forest player, the Midlands club would be wise to think about a potential replacement. Already, it looks as though Jair Cunha and Igor Jesus are on their way to add more firepower fresh from an impressive Club World Cup campaign with Botafofo, but Forest will not be done there.
With European action to balance alongside any domestic responsibilities, squad depth will be the key to any success at the City Ground. Weah would have helped on that front, but now that Forest are back to the drawing board they could welcome an option who is an even greater talent than the winger.
Nottingham Forest open talks to sign Musah
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Nottingham Forest have now opened talks to sign Yunus Musah from AC Milan this summer. The American international initially looked destined to be on his way to Napoli before a move ultimately broke down to open the door for Forest to make their move.
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At 22 years old, the American international, who came through Arsenal’s academy, already has some impressive experience under his belt in La Liga with Valencia and in Italy with Milan. Now, he could be on his way back to English football to offer Nuno Espirito Santo a versatile star who can play as a central midfielder, attacking midfielder and right midfielder.
Particularly standing out at the 2022 World Cup, Musah was described as a “hardworking” player with an “elite engine” by scout Jacek Kulig and those are just two traits that he could now bring to Nottingham Forest this summer.
Already seemingly closing in on Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz, Liverpool have now reportedly opened talks to sign another Bundesliga star and one that would instantly solve their striker problem.
Frimpong travels to complete Liverpool move
With Trent Alexander-Arnold on his way to join Real Madrid as a free agent this summer, Liverpool have acted swiftly and are reportedly closing in on signing Jeremie Frimpong. The flying fullback has already travelled to complete his move to Anfield in what looks set to be the first of a number of fresh faces making their way to the home of the Premier League champions in the coming months.
Whilst Alexander-Arnold’s goodbye tears are still drying, the Reds have acted in rapid fashion to find his replacement. But they’re not done there. Reports have also revealed that Liverpool are in pole position to sign Frimpong’s Leverkusen teammate, Florian Wirtz.
It initially looked set to be a battle between Manchester City and Bayern Munich for the German’s signature, only for Liverpool’s call to push Wirtz towards rejecting other interested parties. Now, with their first offer submitted, it could just be a matter of time before those at Anfield land one of the earliest and likely one of the biggest deals of the summer transfer window.
Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes has also confirmed Liverpool’s interest, recently telling reporters: “It’s currently an open subject with Florian. There is concrete interest from Liverpool, but there’s no more to say right now. Florian is our player.”
The Bundesliga seems to be where it’s at for Liverpool this summer too, amid rumours that they’re already lining up a move to sign what could be their third player of the summer from Germany’s top division.
Liverpool open talks to sign £84m Hugo Ekitike
According to Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg, Liverpool are also in talks to sign Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt this summer and are serious contenders to sign the Frenchman alongside rivals Chelsea.
Hugo Ekitike for Frankfurt.
Michael Edwards and Arne Slot are fans of the forward but, like Wirtz, the deal won’t come cheap with Frankfurt looking to receive around €100m (£84m) to sell their star.
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Liverpool’s interest should come as little surprise. Slot, despite securing the Premier League title at the first time of asking, lacked a natural No.9 all season, with Luiz Diaz often asked to play the role amid Darwin Nunez’s continued struggles. Now, with the latter likely to depart, the Reds could make their move to sign a replacement that analyst Sam McGuire dubbed a “shot monster”.
After ending the season with 22 goals to his name for Frankfurt, all signs are pointing towards a top European move for Ekitike this summer and a deserved one at that.