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Manchester United will welcome Arsenal to Old Trafford on Saturday, where they will seek to extend their three-game winning run in the Premier League. New manager Erik ten Hag is beginning to turn things around after losing the first two games.
Meanwhile, former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore believes Cristiano Ronaldo must leave Old Trafford for the benefit of all parties. Elsewhere, former Scotland manager Alex McLeish has backed Antony to succeed at Old Trafford.
On that note, here's a look at the key Manchester United transfer stories as on September 2, 2022:
Stan Collymore advises Cristiano Ronaldo to leave Old Trafford
Stan Collymore is convinced that Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure from Manchester United could suit both club and player. The Portuguese failed in his desperate attempts to leave Old Trafford this summer and has started from the bench in the last three games.
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Speaking to Caught Offside, Collymore said that Ronaldo’s presence is adding to the pressure on Ten Hag.
“I watched the Leicester game and how many times did they pan to Cristiano Ronaldo? It’s pretty much like every manager that has managed Manchester United in recent years having to sit there at two or three-nil down at Old Trafford, and the camera keeps panning to Sir Alex Ferguson,” said Collymore.
Collymore added that the Red Devils have to move forward, and Ronaldo cannot be a part of the future.
“People will say ‘well, does that really make a difference?’ – yes it does because it constantly brings the narratives back to a former great, a current great, a legend. … Manchester United need to move forward. … In terms of where Manchester United need to be, it needs to be without Cristiano Ronaldo,” said Collymore.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is yet to score in five games this season. He has only started one of those games and has been used as a substitute on four occasions.
Alex McLeish backs Antony to succeed with Manchester United
Alex McLeish has backed Antony to succeed at Manchester United. The Red Devils broke the bank to sign the Brazilian from Ajax this summer, and the exorbitant transfer fee (£85 million as per Sky Sports) has raised quite a few eyebrows.
Speaking to Football Insider, McLeish said that Ten Hag sanctioned the high-profile move as he believes in Antony.
“The price tag can be heavy around the neck. That’s where you absolutely must be confident about the type of player you are bringing in. Ten Hag knows this guy; he would not have pursued this deal without knowing that (the) player would make an impact,” said McLeish.
The former Scotland manager also said that the Red Devils now need Antony to be at his absolute best.
“This is what we know about world-renowned players. Antony isn’t renowned yet, but we know his name from watching Dutch football. Back when I was a manager, I knew every household name, but we were not in a position to go out and buy them. That’s where you need shrewd recruitment, but Man United need the absolute best, so now it is up to Antony to prove he is the absolute best,” said McLeish.
Antony could make his United debut against Arsenal this weekend.
Stan Collymore heaps praise on Lisandro Martinez
Stan Collymore believes Lisandro Martinez has all the attributes of a top-class defender.
The Argentinean joined Manchester United from Ajax this season but split opinion after a shaky start to the campaign. However, the defender has been flawless in recent games, helping his team to back-to-back clean sheets.
Speaking to Caught Offside, Collymore said that Martinez will have to deal with more criticism than any other defender in the league.
“One of the very best. … He is going to have perhaps more people attacking him at Old Trafford than for example Virgil van Dijk at Anfield, or the likes of Cancelo, John Stones and Co. at the Etihad. … But from everything I have seen from him so far, he has every single attribute of a top-class defender,” said Collymore.
The Argentinean has won two Man of the Match Awards this season.
