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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Sport
Harry Latham-Coyle

Manchester United vs Bodo/Glimt LIVE: Result and reaction as Hojlund double secures Ruben Amorim’s first win

Manchester United secured their first win under Ruben Amorim as Rasmus Hojlund struck twice in a seesaw 3-2 victory over Bodo/Glimt at Old Trafford.

While the Portuguese coach’s opening fixture against Ipswich brought a new system and new approach, many of the same failings that led to the sacking of Erik ten Hag remained apparent as Manchester United ceded an early lead to be held at Portman Road. There would have been fears of something similar here when, having gone ahead inside 60 seconds through Alejandro Garnacho, the hosts fell behind as their Norwegian visitors struck twice in quick succession.

But Hojlund levelled with a fine finish just before half time, before putting Amorim’s side back in front by turning the lively Mason Mount’s cross into the far corner to secure three points in the Europa League.

Re-live all of the action from Old Trafford in our live blog below:

Manchester United vs Bodo/Glimt LIVE

  • Manchester United beat Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League to secure Ruben Amorim’s first win
  • KICK OFF!
  • GOAL! MANCHESTER UNITED 1-0 Bodo/Glimt (Alejandro Garnacho, 1 minutes)
  • GOAL! Manchester United 1-1 BODO/GLIMT (Hakon Evjen, 20 minutes)
  • GOAL! Manchester United 1-2 BODO/GLIMT (Philip Zinckernagel, 23 minutes)
  • GOAL! MANCHESTER UNITED 2-2 Bodo/Glimt (Rasmus Hojlund, 45 minutes)
  • GOAL! MANCHESTER UNITED 3-2 Bodo/Glimt (Rasmus Hojlund, 51 minutes)
  • FULL TIME: Manchester United 3-2 Bodo/Glimt

And here’s Ruben Amorim

22:15 , Harry Latham-Coyle

“I see good moments, difficult moments, some confusion at the end,” Amorim reflects on TNT Sports. “But they did a great job. They tried to do the things we’ve worked on. And we won!

“Half of the stadium doesn’t really know me. I’ve come from Portugal. I’ve done nothing for this club yet. So the way they’ve made me feel welcome is special. I’ll keep this until the end of my career.

“It was a real ride. We started really well, then we suffered two goals in two transitions. I could feel the crowd when it was 2-1. The mindset now is to keep the ball. I think we deserved to win.”

(Getty Images)

Rasmus Hojlund speaks to TNT Sports after firing Manchester United to victory

22:00 , Harry Latham-Coyle

“I think it was a bit of a bad start. We showed character, but we want to make sure these games don’t get too exciting. But obviously it is about the three points.

“He told me today not to think too much about the guys behind me, just try and go for what I can see in front of me. We saw that on the first goal.

“Obviously it is going to take time, but you could see today the patterns are getting pressure. Now it is for us to build on it. This system reminds me a bit of how I played in Atalanta. I think it suits me well.”

FULL TIME: Manchester United 3-2 Bodo/Glimt

21:53 , Harry Latham-Coyle
(Getty Images)

Manchester United 3-2 Bodo/Glimt, 90 + 2 minutes

21:52 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Pounded away by Andre Onana! Crisp and clean from Patrick Berg, bending it over the wall, but Onana leaps across to save.

A brief check for a subsequent handball is cleared.

Manchester United 3-2 Bodo/Glimt, 90 + 1 minutes

21:51 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Handball! Casemiro is just, just outside the area as a chipped pass strikes his outstretched arm - but this is a chance for Bodo/Glimt to fire freely on Andre Onana’s goal from left of centre.

Manchester United 3-2 Bodo/Glimt, 90 minutes

21:50 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Three additional minutes for Manchester United to see out.

Manchester United 3-2 Bodo/Glimt, 88 minutes

21:49 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The offside flag is already being hoisted as Andre Onana acrobatically palms away a header from Kasper Hogh. The striker didn’t look particularly offside, it must be said - but Onana was equal to it, anyway.

The goalkeeper is then shown a yellow card for timewasting.

Manchester United 3-2 Bodo/Glimt, 86 minutes

21:46 , Harry Latham-Coyle

New man Auklend gets on the ball as Bodo/Glimt find some passing fluency. Manchester United reform in time to snuff out the danger.

Here come the Norwegian side again, venturing as far as the edge of the area yet no further - strong stuff from Casemiro, showing his experience with a well-judged intervention.

Manchester United 3-2 Bodo/Glimt, 83 minutes

21:43 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Change five of five for the visitors: off trots opening goalscorer Hakon Evjen as Sondre Auklend joins proceedings.

Manchester United 3-2 Bodo/Glimt, 81 minutes

21:41 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A glimpse for Marcus Rashford, his shot off-line having shown real purpose in driving at goal.

ANALYSIS: A mixed bag for Manchester United

21:38 , Richard Jolly at Old Trafford

It is turning into another entertaining, eventful night at Old Trafford. Alejandro Garnacho is relentless, if not clinical when chances come his way. Mason Mount offered encouragement. It may be instructive that Marcus Rashford has come on as the right-sided No 10 and Luke Shaw again as one of the back three, rather than a wing-back. Neither Tyrell Malacia nor Antony impressed in their new roles.

(Getty Images)

Manchester United 3-2 Bodo/Glimt, 76 minutes

21:37 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Almost a nightmare moment for Andre Onana, whose feet get him in and out of trouble. The goalkeeper dilly dallies some distance from his own goal and is robbed of the ball, but a sliding tackle (and a inadvertent use of his hand as he hits the deck) ensure that Bodo/Glimt can’t fire on his deserted goal.

Manchester United break with speed. Alejandro Garnacho’s finish is not as desired. Into the stands.

Manchester United 3-2 Bodo/Glimt, 73 minutes

21:33 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Dragged wide! Manchester United cut their visitors to ribbon with Rasmus Hojlund letting the quicker Alejandro Garnacho scamper on, but the winger rather scuffs his eventual attempt and fails to trouble the goal.

Manchester United 3-2 Bodo/Glimt, 70 minutes

21:32 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Ulrik Saltnes and Isak Dybvik Maata are the next Bodo/Glimt reinforcements released from the bench. Sondre Brunstad Fet and Patrick Zinckernagel take leave.

Manchester United 3-2 Bodo/Glimt, 70 minutes

21:30 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Three shots in nine seconds from Manchester United as Amad Diallo (twice) and a teammate try their luck, to no avail. Diallo’s first effort is the best of them yet Nikita Khaikin’s parry is comfortable enough.

Manchester United 3-2 Bodo/Glimt, 68 minutes

21:29 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A relatively rare forward foray from Bodo/Glimt in this half forces a very sharp bit of defensive backtracking from Alejandro Garnacho, hurrying and sliding to cut out Fredrik Sjovold’s cross from level with the six-yard box. Manchester United have played well since half time but they can’t get complacent.

Manchester United 3-2 Bodo/Glimt, 67 minutes

21:27 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Another change from Ruben Amorim, who really is keen to look at some different combinations. Casemiro takes Matthijs de Ligt’s spot in the heart of the defence.

(Getty Images)

Manchester United 3-2 Bodo/Glimt, 66 minutes

21:25 , Harry Latham-Coyle

An untimely slip from Bruno Fernandes, who times his run immaculately and looks to have been found by Amad Diallo’s diagonal. Fernandes tries to slow as the ball floats towards him but his feet go out from under him, leaving it to skip tamely through to Nikita Khaikin.

Manchester United 3-2 Bodo/Glimt, 64 minutes

21:24 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A couple of changes for Bodo/Glimt, who send for striker Kasper Hogh as they chase another equaliser, as well as the versatile Fredrik Sjovold, who has gone to right back.

Manchester United 3-2 Bodo/Glimt, 59 minutes

21:20 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Changes for Manchester United - three of them, in fact. Amad Diallo, Marcus Rashford and (in welcome news after another injury-hit period) Luke Shaw are arriving; Mason Mount, Antony and Lisandro Martinez are departing.

So, it would seem the hosts now look something like: Onana; Mazraoui, De Ligt, Shaw; Amad, Ugarte, Fernandes, Dalot; Rashford, Hojlund, Garnacho.

ANALYSIS: Rasmus Hojlund takes opportunity to impress

21:17 , Richard Jolly at Old Trafford

Rasmus Hojlund seems to be making the most of his opportunity to impress the new manager. The chances are that Amorim liked the closing down that led to Garnacho's first-minute opener. Hojlund's brace ended a seven-game goal drought. His first was particularly well taken and if there was a suspicion of offside to his second, it gave United the lead.

(Getty Images)

Manchester United 3-2 Bodo/Glimt, 54 minutes

21:13 , Harry Latham-Coyle

It’s nearly four! Alejandro Garnacho is sprung up the left and forces Nikita Khaikin into a sharp save after cutting in onto his right foot.

GOAL! MANCHESTER UNITED 3-2 Bodo/Glimt (Rasmus Hojlund, 51 minutes)

21:10 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A second for Rasmus Hojlund and Manchester United are back in front...assuming he’s onside...

It’s good play from the hosts up the right, the lively Mason Mount interchanging well and then scuttling a cross into the path of his centre forward. Hojlund’s finish is a good’un, turning pleasantly into the far corner, and VAR confirms that he hasn’t strayed too soon - it’s 3-2!

(Getty Images)

Manchester United 2-2 Bodo/Glimt, 48 minutes

21:08 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Off the woodwork! Alejandro Garnacho latches on to a lofted pass from Lisandro Martinez and then fires a pass back to Mason Mount, who clears his feet and clips the top of the crossbar with a firm planted shot.

Manchester United 2-2 Bodo/Glimt, 46 minutes

21:06 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Dalot has an immediate sight of goal as Bodo/Glimt start the second half as they began the first, shakily giving the ball away in their own final third. They recover to block the substitute’s drive.

Second half...

21:04 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A half-time switch from Ruben Amorim. Tyrell Malacia’s comeback is over, 45 minutes all the Dutchman lasts after such a long spell on the sidelines. Diogo Dalot replaces him.

HT: Manchester United 2-2 Bodo/Glimt

20:51 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Good fun, that. A couple of corking goals, a couple of defensive lapses, and a four-goal half split evenly in a manner that feels about fair. More to come in a little bit.

HALF TIME: Manchester United 2-2 Bodo/Glimt

20:49 , Harry Latham-Coyle
(Getty Images)

GOAL! MANCHESTER UNITED 2-2 Bodo/Glimt (Rasmus Hojlund, 45 minutes)

20:46 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Neatly finished and Manchester United equalise!

Deft and devastating from Rasmus Hojlund! It’s superb work from Noussair Mazraoui initially, stepping in as Bodo/Glimt try to play out of danger and then jinking past two defenders. His cross looks innocuous but Hojlund takes it delightfully, flicking up with the instep of his left foot and then thumping a mallet-like right boot at the ball. In it flies to square affairs just before half time.

Manchester United 1-2 Bodo/Glimt, 43 minutes

20:44 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Garnacho earns a corner with his next foray towards the thick white line, and another comes immediately after as a Bodo/Glimt head turns the Argentine’s delivery behind. There is nothing doing from the second set piece.

Manchester United 1-2 Bodo/Glimt, 41 minutes

20:43 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Manchester United are rather being forced into that sort of forced effort. Bruno Fernandes can’t beat the blocking bodies with a tame attempt from 25 yards, and though Alejandro Garnacho navigates successfully to the byline, the only danger to the Bodo/Glimt goal comes from an errant attempted clearance from a visiting defender. One comes, but Nikita Khaikin is able to deal with his teammate’s skew.

Manchester United 1-2 Bodo/Glimt, 38 minutes

20:40 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A cross-cum-shot from Tyrell Malacia’s left foot briefly has the Bodo/Glimt goalkeeper Nikita Khaikin fretting, though without swerve it’s never likely to curve inside the far post. Away for a goal kick it hops.

Manchester United 1-2 Bodo/Glimt, 34 minutes

20:36 , Harry Latham-Coyle

There’s a bit of spice and spite in this contest all of a sudden. Matthijs de Ligt and Jens Petter Hauge jaw with one another before referee Lawrence Visser comes charging over with intervening peeps of his whistle like a traffic cop.

Manchester United 1-2 Bodo/Glimt, 31 minutes

20:33 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Andreas Helmersen goes into the book after stepping awkwardly on the top of Bruno Fernandes’s foot. I’m not sure it merited a caution, it must be said, though Helmersen’s verbals at the referee perhaps don’t aid his case in avoiding a sanction.

ANALYSIS: Bodo/Glimt pounce on rusty Tyrell Malacia

20:31 , Richard Jolly at Old Trafford

New manager, same problems? Perhaps, though this feels spectacularly embarrassing, even by Manchester United's standards. But Bodo/Glimt's quickfire turnaround is a reward for the 6,700 fans who have come. The largest away following ever for a European game at Old Trafford have seen two brilliantly-taken goals. The second nevertheless reflected badly on the outpaced Tyrell Malacia, who looked rusty on his first United start for 550 days.

(Getty Images)

Manchester United 1-2 Bodo/Glimt, 28 minutes

20:30 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A crunching sliding tackle from Martinez draws rather more approval from the home fans.

Manchester United 1-2 Bodo/Glimt, 25 minutes

20:29 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Are a few kinks in Ruben Amorim’s system showing as it is still in the embryonic stages of installation? It felt like Lisandro Martinez went much too far upfield there, dragged out of position by the withdrawal of striker Andreas Helmersen.

GOAL! Manchester United 1-2 BODO/GLIMT (Philip Zinckernagel, 23 minutes)

20:24 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Bodo/Glimt lead! Two in quick succession and Manchester United are rocked!

Tyrell Malacia hasn’t played in more than 500 days and, sadly, it rather shows here as Philip Zinckernagel surges past him with pace, power and passion. Malacia is left explosed with Lisandro Martinez dragged out of the back five in a press, leaving space beyond the wing-back, and Zinckernagel bisects Andre Onana’s legs to give the visitors the lead.

Manchester United 1-1 Bodo/Glimt, 21 minutes

20:24 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Bodo/Glimt’s confidence seems to have swelled, the energy back in their legs after a somewhat sluggish start.

GOAL! Manchester United 1-1 BODO/GLIMT (Hakon Evjen, 20 minutes)

20:20 , Harry Latham-Coyle

What a way to level things up!

That is a pearler of a goal from Hakon Evjen! Sweet as syrup from the Bodo/Glimt midfielder, connecting dreamily from inside the ‘D’ after the ball was cut back to him. Andre Onana was favouring that side of his goal but hadn’t a hope, watching it rocket past him and through the postage stamp. Back to all square!

ANALYSIS: Another fast Manchester United start

20:18 , Richard Jolly at Old Trafford

Perhaps Ruben Amorim's games in charge of Manchester United should only last two minutes. United were ahead in the second at Ipswich, the first tonight. They could not sustain their early momentum on Sunday. It is a test if they can today. At least Amorim would seem to have more energy at his disposal after naming a younger team, with the veterans Casemiro, Christian Eriksen and Jonny Evans dropping out.

(Getty Images)

Manchester United 1-0 Bodo/Glimt, 16 minutes

20:17 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A flurry of chances. Mason Mount’s low skudder from 20 yards is blocked by a retreating Jostein Gundersen, before Fernandes curls into Khaikin’s arms from a similar range.

Manchester United 1-0 Bodo/Glimt, 15 minutes

20:16 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Bruno Fernandes contorts his right leg backward and up to scorpion kick a low cross in the vague direction of the goal. I say vague direction - that’s actually ended up in Row Q behind Nikita Khaikin’s goal.

Manchester United 1-0 Bodo/Glimt, 13 minutes

20:15 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The Bodo/Glimt fans are certainly vocal. Rasmus Hojlund slips as a defender gives him a timely nudge just as the Manchester United striker tries to take, getting a taunting cheer from the travelling fans. A little Nordic rivalry, all in good humour.

Manchester United 1-0 Bodo/Glimt, 11 minutes

20:13 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The Norwegian visitors have settled well since that horror start. Philip Zinckernagel ducks and weaves by two would-be tacklers but his off-balance effort is lacking in power, crawling through to Andre Onana.

Ruben Amorim looks relatively relaxed on the Old Trafford touchline.

(Getty Images)

Manchester United 1-0 Bodo/Glimt, 9 minutes

20:11 , Harry Latham-Coyle

We have mentioned at length tonight that Bodo/Glimt have rather more important battles to fight this week, this game perhaps non-consequential in a competition which seems harder to get out of than into in this revamped format and a league title to secure on Sunday. That was certainly a careless start - manager Kjetil Knutsen scribbles something on a piece of paper, looking like a schoolchild on a field trip who has lost his clipboard.

Manchester United 1-0 Bodo/Glimt, 7 minutes

20:08 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A poor delivery. So poor, in fact, that Mason Mount, the first man, virtually has to stoop to head away.

Manchester United 1-0 Bodo/Glimt, 6 minutes

20:08 , Harry Latham-Coyle

An enterprising run from Fredrik Andre Bjorkan takes him beyond Antony and forces Matthijs de Ligt to come across. A flick of legs sends the ball spinning behind - corner kick.

Manchester United 1-0 Bodo/Glimt, 4 minutes

20:06 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Malacia gets a first look at a cross but overweights his curling ball from the left. Out of reach of three teammates hoping to challenge in the box.

Manchester United 1-0 Bodo/Glimt, 3 minutes

20:05 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Wow. Neither side had even had time to settle into shape before that opener, but it is, as expected, a 3-4-2-1 from the hosts, with Antony at right wing-back and the returning Tyrell Malacia on the left.

GOAL! MANCHESTER UNITED 1-0 Bodo/Glimt (Alejandro Garnacho, 1 minutes)

20:02 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Another lightning-quick start and Manchester United lead within a minute!

What is Nikita Khaikin doing? The goalkeeper sashays over a back pass under pressure from Rasmus Hojlund, allowing the striker to close in further and pinch possession from him inside the Bodo/Glimt box. Hojlund is tugged back by the goalkeeper but Alejandro Garnacho is on hand to sweep up the pieces and knock home into the vacant net. Remarkable!

KICK OFF!

20:01 , Harry Latham-Coyle

The healthy contingent of travelling Bodo/Glimt fans provide the backing track as Manchester United get the action underway.

(Getty Images)

Manchester United vs Bodo/Glimt

20:00 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Out the players come, warming the legs as Ruben Amorim fixes his best blue steel for the considerable number of assembled snappers grabbing a shot of the new Manchester United manager.

Belgium’s Lawrence Visser is our referee this evening.

Manchester United vs Bodo/Glimt

19:55 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Ruben Amorim sought to downplay the impact of this being his first home game tonight, insisting that he was fully focussed on getting a win. But it is nonetheless an opportunity to take in the history and stature of the grand old club which he now leads.

(Manchester United via Getty Imag)

Manchester United vs Bodo/Glimt

19:45 , Harry Latham-Coyle

You can see from Ruben Amorim’s selection tonight that he doesn’t yet have the personnel that he will surely desire to operate his preferred system. Assuming it is a back three, all of Noussair Mazraoui, Antony, Mason Mount and Bruno Fernandes are probably in what one would describe as less-than-natural roles. But we’ve seen tactical ideologues turn makeshift options into genuine difference-makers before - can any Manchester United players stake a claim to their new boss tonight?

Manchester United vs Bodo/Glimt

19:35 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Bodo/Glimt would appear to have had no issues getting to and inside Old Trafford tonight, but the Norwegian club have already dealt with a bit of Uefa tomfoolery in the Europa League this year...

Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt forced to take 30-second bus journey due to odd Uefa rule

Ruben Amorim’s Old Trafford debut comes with burning Manchester United question

19:25 , Richard Jolly

A week has served as a crash course in managing Manchester United for Ruben Amorim. There was the hope and disappointment, the flying start at Ipswich and the underwhelming draw of a team held by one of lesser talent, acquired for lesser resources. There was the initial indication of how bright the spotlight shines, of the blend of football and celebrity that United tend to attract.

Before Amorim had got a win, he had an apology from Ed Sheeran after the pop star gatecrashed his post-match interview at Portman Road. It was not necessary. “Sometimes you overcomplicate things,” said the Portuguese, aware such artificial controversies did not come his way in his homeland. “It was nothing, a simple thing to say hello to one of the commentators. And I was with Roy Keane, who is a real star.”

Ruben Amorim’s Old Trafford debut comes with burning Manchester United question

Ruben Amorim expecting tough test against Bodo/Glimt

19:15 , Harry Latham-Coyle

“I’m expecting a very good team,” the Manchester United manager said of the Norwegian visitors on match eve. “They can win the league this week I think, they run a lot and that’s a very good thing for us at the moment. We need to improve that, so we know that in this game we have to run a lot. They have some special players in the wingers, they can play on the pockets very well and they have aura of winning games and this is also because they’re winning all the time. I’m expecting a very intense game, a very good game and I hope to see different things. Improve some things we didn’t do so well in the last game, so it will be a good game.”

Bodo/Glimt team news

19:05 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Perhaps with more than one eye on Sunday’s potentially title-securing league clash, Bodo/Glimt make five changes from their weekend win.

Bodo/Glimt: Haikin; Wembangomo, Gundersen, Bjortuft, Bjorkan; Evjen, Berg, Brunstad Fet; Zinchernagel, Helmersen, Hauge.

Manchester United team news

18:57 , Richard Jolly at Old Trafford

Ruben Amorim promised changes and he has made six of them for his first match at Old Trafford. Among the more intriguing is the use of Antony, an £85m failure of a winger, at wing-back, and the choice of Rasmus Hojlund, after Marcus Rashford was preferred in attack at Ipswich. It means Joshua Zirkzee is the third-choice striker, a damning indictment of a summer signing. Another thing to note is that Bodo/Glimt kick off above United in the Europa League table.

Antony has been given new duties by Ruben Amorim (PA Wire)

Team news - Manchester United

18:52 , Harry Latham-Coyle

As promised, Ruben Amorim rotates in places in his Manchester United side. Tyrell Malacia makes a long-awaited return from injury while it also appears that Antony is primed for a wing-back role.

Manchester United XI: Onana; Mazraoui, De Ligt, Martinez; Antony, Ugarte, Mount, Malacia; Garnacho, Hojlund, Fernandes.

Manchester United fans plan protest over ‘offensive’ ticket price hike

18:45 , Jamie Braidwood

Manchester United supporters are planning to stage a protest against ticket prices ahead of their Premier League match against Everton on Sunday after the club announced “offensive” plans to remove concession prices for the rest of this season.

The move will see ticket costs for members rise to £66 and has been criticised by supporters’ groups, with the Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) warning that it may lead to a “significant price rise” for next season and expressing its disappointment at not being consulted over the change.

United and Everton fans will join together outside of Old Trafford in support of the Football Supporters’ Association’s (FSA’s) ‘Stop Exploiting Loyalty campaign’. Liverpool and Manchester City supporters will also display the banner ahead of their match at Anfield later that day.

Manchester United fans plan protest over ‘offensive’ ticket price hike

Ruben Amorim to rotate Man Utd team to speed up implementation of new style

18:30 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Ruben Amorim feels rotation over the next month will help speed up the process of Manchester United’s players becoming accustomed to his style of football.

Amorim started his tenure with a 1-1 draw at Ipswich on Sunday where Marcus Rashford’s 81-second opener failed to inspire a triumphant debut for the former Sporting Lisbon boss.

Various principles of the 39-year-old were on display in Suffolk, with three centre-backs deployed alongside the use of wing-backs, but United were indebted to two excellent Andre Onana saves to claim a point.

Ruben Amorim to rotate Man Utd team to speed up implementation of new style

Ruud van Nistelrooy leading the race to become new Leicester manager

18:15 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy is the frontrunner to become Leicester’s new manager.

The Dutchman appears set to replace Steve Cooper at the King Power Stadium following the Welshman’s sacking last weekend.

Van Nistelrooy has only been out of work a couple of weeks after leaving United after a four-game spell as interim manager, taking the reins after Erik ten Hag’s exit having joined in the summer as a coach.

Two of those four games were wins over Leicester in the Carabao Cup and Premier League.

(Getty Images)

Man Utd will ‘suffer for a long period’ in bid to win games: Ruben Amorim

18:00 , Harry Latham-Coyle

True cost of Manchester United redundancies revealed as revenue drops

17:45 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Manchester United spent £8.6m restructuring and paying off the 250 members of staff who were sacked as Sir Jim Ratcliffe culled the number of employees at Old Trafford.

The costs – described in their first-quarter accounts as “restructuring of the group’s operations, including a redundancy scheme” – contributed to United making a £6.9m operating loss for the first three months of the financial year, though the club had a net profit of £1.4m.

United’s revenue was down £14m on the equivalent period last year, though the wage bill was also £10m lower.

True cost of Man Utd redundancies revealed as revenue drops

Ruben Amorim explains key to getting Marcus Rashford back to his best: ‘He has to want it’

17:30 , Richard Jolly

Ruben Amorim has vowed to help Marcus Rashford get back to his best – but said it is up to the Manchester United forward to take the lead and show he wants it.

Rashford scored the first goal of Amorim’s reign, and his 136th for the club, after just 81 seconds in Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Ipswich.

But after scoring a career-best 30 in 2022/23, the England international struck just eight times in 43 matches last season and only scored one Premier League goal under Erik ten Hag this year.

Amorim fielded Rashford as a striker at Portman Road and believes it was tough for him to compete with Ipswich’s tall centre-backs but thinks the 27-year-old’s attitude will be the key part if he is to return to his top levels.

Ruben Amorim explains key to getting Marcus Rashford back to his best

Ruben Amorim sings praises of ‘real star’ Roy Keane after Ed Sheeran incident

17:15 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Ruben Amorim laughed off pop star Ed Sheeran gatecrashing his interview at Ipswich as the Manchester United boss said Roy Keane was the “real star”.

The 39-year-old led the Red Devils to Portman Road on Sunday for his first match since succeeding Erik ten Hag as head coach.

Marcus Rashford’s early opener was cancelled out in the 1-1 draw at Ipswich, where Amorim’s live interview with Sky Sports after the game was interrupted by Sheeran.

Ruben Amorim sings praises of ‘real star’ Roy Keane after Ed Sheeran incident

Ruben Amorim’s Old Trafford debut comes with burning Manchester United question

17:00 , Richard Jolly

A week has served as a crash course in managing Manchester United for Ruben Amorim. There was the hope and disappointment, the flying start at Ipswich and the underwhelming draw of a team held by one of lesser talent, acquired for lesser resources. There was the initial indication of how bright the spotlight shines, of the blend of football and celebrity that United tend to attract.

Before Amorim had got a win, he had an apology from Ed Sheeran after the pop star gatecrashed his post-match interview at Portman Road. It was not necessary. “Sometimes you overcomplicate things,” said the Portuguese, aware such artificial controversies did not come his way in his homeland. “It was nothing, a simple thing to say hello to one of the commentators. And I was with Roy Keane, who is a real star.”

If that was a way of underlining that his focus remains on the football, there will be another novel experience for Amorim on Thursday: a first match at Old Trafford, with the visit of Bodo/Glimt

Ruben Amorim’s Old Trafford debut comes with burning Manchester United question

Manchester United vs Bodo/Glimt LIVE

15:36 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A very good evening and welcome to The Independent’s LIVE coverage of Manchester United vs Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League. Ruben Amorim takes to the Old Trafford touchline for the first time tonight since his appointment as Erik ten Hag’s permanent successor, and the Portuguese manager will be hoping to spark a stuttering campaign into life against Norwegian opposition.

Kick off is at 8pm GMT.

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