Manchester United in danger of ‘LOSING’ key man with crisis back on; Sky Sports ‘forced to apologise’

Manchester United are still in dire straits, even if Rasmus Hojlund is giving them exactly what they wanted. And ‘dreaming’ Spurs have received an apology.

Beer boggles
‘YOU can see why Tottenham fans are rubbing their eyes with complete disbelief each time they look at the Premier League table,’ writes Charlie Wyett in The Sun.

Two points clear after nine games. If they win at Crystal Palace on Friday night, the gap, maybe only for a day or so – will be five points.

What a mind-boggling turnaround from a year ago when after nine games, it was north London rivals Arsenal on top of the table and feeling pretty pleased with themselves.

The Premier League top three after nine games in 2022/23: 1) Arsenal, 2) Manchester City, 3) Spurs.

The Premier League top three after nine games in 2023/24: 1) Spurs, 2) Manchester City, 3) Arsenal.

‘A mind-boggling turnaround’ indeed.

‘Although we are not even a quarter of the way through the season, Spurs fans are already dreaming – and you can hardly blame them,’ Wyett concludes, at which point Mediawatch is happy to speculate that he knows no actual Spurs fans.

READ MORE: Spurs win with ‘anti-Ange’ offers omen for when Postecoglou luck runs out

Dream on
The same stands for:

‘Devastating Spurs are still dreaming as they return to the top of the Premier League table with Son Heung-min and James Maddison finishing superbly in 2-0 win over Fulham’ – MailOnline.

‘Why Spurs can dream about the title’ – official Premier League website.

This is Spurs. They know not to dream about such things, for they are Spurs.

Arguments? Sake…
‘Jamie Carragher has argued Tottenham fans will be ‘delighted’ should their side finish in the Champions League spots at the end of the season,’ reads the opening paragraph to a story in the MailOnline.

Doesn’t someone need to suggest otherwise for something to be ‘argued’? Is anyone seriously saying Spurs fans – those ‘dreaming’ about the title aside – would be devastated to only qualify for the Champions League by May because they were top by a couple of points in late October?

Sorry seems to be the hardest word
On the subject of Carragher and Tottenham…

‘Sky Sports forced to apologise to James Maddison after interference in interview and Spurs star has the perfect response’ – The Sun website, who handily provide footage of this presumably salacious incident.

"I think he was saying Maddison's goal was excellent I think" 😅

James Maddison, never change 😂 pic.twitter.com/zMoYcj4W00

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 23, 2023

A funny enough clip, for sure. But Mediawatch cannot help noting that the ‘apology’ Sky Sports were ‘forced’ to make at no stage includes anyone actually apologising.

Maddison avenue
And on the subject of Carragher and Maddison…

‘Jamie Carragher names Premier League player of the season so far – with Mohamed Salah snubbed’ – Daily Mirror website.

Translation: Jamie Carragher names Premier League player of the season so far – and it isn’t someone who has been very good but probably not the player of the season so far.

Gaag reel
Manchester United winning consecutive Premier League games is obviously anathema to those who like crisis-based clicks, but The Sun website is not about to lose out on traffic because of such a minor technicality.

‘Erik ten Hag faces LOSING key man at Man Utd as former Red Devils manager ‘makes him top target” is great headline work which is only doubled-down on in this first paragraph:

ERIK TEN HAG could reportedly lose his assistant Mitchell van der Gaag to Ajax as the Dutch side want him as manager.

And that is pretty big news. No manager would want to lose his assistant and things are precarious enough at Manchester United to make the exit of their No. 2 quite damaging indeed.

This is not The Sun website’s own story, of course. Which is fine – rehashing the exclusive news of other outlets is part and parcel of the industry. But here is how this information was first presented by the original source: the Daily Mail‘s Sami Mokbel.

Headline: ‘Ajax are likely to fail with any approach for Mitchell van der Gaag as Louis van Gaal looks to lure Manchester United assistant coach back to Holland’

First paragraph: ‘Ajax are likely to fail with any approach to lure Manchester United assistant boss Mitchell van der Gaag back to the club.’

Elsewhere in Mokbel’s story, we are told that Ajax ‘face an uphill battle’ if they want Van der Gaag, who would have to push to leave in ‘a scenario that is rated as unlikely’, and who Erik ten Hag is ‘desperate to keep’.

Mokbel and the Mail make it pretty unequivocally clear that while Ajax might like Van der Gaag, it isn’t happening for a variety of reasons. If you somehow miss that in the headline then it’s in the first paragraph and littered throughout the rest of the story. How careless of The Sun website to not quite spot it because they were busy holding the Shift key.

The lund of the free
Does anyone else get the sense that the Manchester Evening News are desperately trying to convince themselves of something?

‘Why Manchester United won’t regret signing Rasmus Hojlund instead of Harry Kane’ – August 1.

‘Rasmus Hojlund could give Manchester United what Cristiano Ronaldo always wanted’ – August 22.

‘Rasmus Hojlund has just shown why Erik ten Hag wanted him at Manchester United’ – September 11

‘Rasmus Hojlund is already giving Manchester United what they wanted’ – September 18.

‘Marcus Rashford has been given exactly what he wanted at Manchester United’ – October 5 (yes, by Rasmus Hojlund).

‘Rasmus Hojlund is starting to give Manchester United the tactical change they wanted’ – October 24.

No, just us? Fair play if Cristiano Ronaldo, Erik ten Hag, Marcus Rashford and Manchester United as a whole wanted three goals in nine games so much they were willing to pay up to £72m for it. Hojlund has been decent and is certainly low down on the list of problems but this is silly now.

You’re my darling angel
‘Jack Grealish poses with unrecognisable Premier League cult hero ahead of Man City Champions League clash’ – The Sun website.

‘”MY FIRST HERO!” Grealish can’t hide his delight as Man City ace meets unrecognisable former Premier League star’ – Daily Mirror website.

‘Former Premier League star looks unrecognisable without long hair next to excited Jack Grealish in Instagram photo’ – talkSPORT.

It’s very obviously Juan Pablo Angel, just with short hair and a beard – otherwise known as the ultimate disguise.