Key events
Rob Hisnay asks: “How long does Ruben Amorim have at United? After last season’s horrible campaign, topped off by him losing to Ange/Spurs 3 times, the first 10 games of this season are brutal. If they lose most of them, as I expect them to, what does Ratcliffe and co. do next?”
JJ: “This is THE question, sir. In a nutshell, if Utd lose most of their opening 10 Premier League games, as you ask, then Ratcliffe will be close to pulling the trigger on Amorim. The WHY is simple: because in this scenario a £200m-plus summer investment in the squad on 3 players that are Amorim signed-off signings (he and Jason Wilcox, the director of football, have to agree on all acquisitions) – Mbeumo/Sesko/Cunha – will have failed under him and if a No 6 is signed between now and 1 September the run of form will be even more miserable.”
First question comes from garythenotrashcougar
Q: “Given that United have done next to nothing to address myriad other issues in the rest of the team behind the new front three; what does Jamie think is the realistic ceiling for this side, and how fair is it to expect the new front three to do all the heavy lifting to cover for all the deficiencies elsewhere?”
JJ: “We will know a little more at the end of today’s game but I would not be surprised if this is another torrid season for Manchester United – “deficiencies” is an apt characterisation of the gaping hole in Ruben Amorim’s midfield, the unreliability of his goalkeeper – André Onana – and of the head coach’s 3-4-3 which is yet to flame. I took my son to the Fiorentina friendly (he’s a fan), their last warm-up, and Utd were tepid I’m being polite) and Bryan Mbeumo looked miles off it. Matheus Cunha, though: decent.
“If Amorim signs a No 6 – Sporting’s Morten Hjulmand, maybe – this glass near all-empty picture I paint may change but I think top 10 is the height of ambitions, and if this does seem where his team heading by mid/late autumn then Amorim is heading only one way: for the exit.
“And, no: unrealistic for the Mbeumo/Benjamin Sesko/Cunhu front three to save the team.”
Q&A with Manchester correspondent Jamie Jackson
Matchday.live@theguardian.com or in the comments below the line.
Kicking off at midday, we have Ipswich v Southampton:
Ipswich: Palmer, Johnson, O’Shea (C), Greaves, Davis, Matusiwa, Taylor, Clarke, Szmodics, Philogene, Hirst. Subs: Walton, Woolfenden, Kipre, Cajuste, Humphreys, Young, Ayinde, Ogbene, Chaplin.
Southampton: Bazunu, Harwood-Bellis, Stephens, Quarshie, Fraser, Downes, Charles, Welington, Fernandes, Robinson, Armstrong. Subs: McCarthy, Wood-Gordon, Edwards, Manning, Sugawara, Matsuki, Dibling, Brereton Diaz, Archer.
Fernandes and Dibbling, the Saints transfer targets, are in the starting lineup and on the bench respectively. Leif Davis, another played linked with a move, starts for Ipswich.
Jeremy Boyce gets in touch: “Very much looking forward to the first Super Sunday, although I won’t be joining the congregation for the Man U – Arse part of the service, I’ll be busy playing darts with my mate Simon (an Arse fan), we play the darts version of cricket and I’m the current holder of our Ashes, hopefully still the case after close of play this evening. As it goes I’m just back from a great bike ride around the lovely but hot country roads here in the Piedmont Cevenole.”
“The main interest for me is the lunchtime Championship match. I fear for the Tractors this time round. Under McKenna they came up from the depths way too fast and got a nasty dose of the Bends. They desperately need the oxygen of some early points on the board, but with their most effective players having left and confidence low after relegation, an underwhelming opener at Birmingham and a surprise Carabao defeat the pressure is already on for McKenna to magic up some performances.”
Eze transfer update
Jacob Steinberg
The word yesterday was that Eberechi Eze would not feature for Crystal Palace in their game against Chelsea this afternoon. That no longer appears to be the case. Tottenham remain in talks over a deal for the Palace playmaker but with no agreement in place Eze is expected to be available for selection at Stamford Bridge.
Peter Robinson is a brilliant snapper of football, and he has an exhibition running at OOf Gallery for contemporary art focused on football located in Warmington House at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London N17.
Here’s a selection of what you might be able to see.
Before Sunday’s kick-off, here we go, one last call for our Premier League previews:
A note of sadness from that Brighton game, where a 72-year-old died in the East Stand, emergency staff unable to revive him.
A quote from club CEO Paul Barber: “Seagulls chief executive Paul Barber said: “This was an incredibly sad end to the match this afternoon, and our deepest sympathies and condolences go out to the family and friends of the gentleman who lost his life.
“While the gentleman concerned is foremost in our minds, we are also aware that it was an emotional and distressing situation for staff and supporters in the direct vicinity. Over the coming days we will ensure those affected are properly supported.”
The match was not stopped, for these reasons, according to the BBC: “Sussex Police and the Premier League felt that may have impacted on resuscitation attempts and created possible further complications had the patient responded and required rapid transportation to hospital.”
On sale now! Max and Barry back in tandem with special guests. See you there or be square. The Troxy is a fine venue, too. Proper old East End.
Transfer speculation on Sunday includes David de Gea returning to Manchester United, Jadon Sancho to Roma and Everton giving up on Tyler Dibbling. The major news is Eberechi Eze to Tottenham, and whether he plays for Crystal Palace today. He has travelled with the squad to Chelsea.
Of course, track all the deals here for both men and women.
Having been at the Brighton-Fulham game, these were the words of Fabian Hurzeler on Carlos Baleba, who had a good game, and any move for Manchester United looks to be nixed.
We are very pleased that he is a Brighton player and that’s why he stays with us because he knows that he still has a lot of potential. Together, we want to go with him and make with him the next step and give him the help he needs to improve as a player. And then I’m sure he will get more and more important for us during the season.
Transfer news via PA Media: “Omari Hutchinson has signed a five-year deal with Nottingham Forest. Nuno Espirito Santo secured his fifth and sixth signings of the summer transfer window on Saturday after both Hutchinson and James McAtee committed to long-term contracts at the City Ground.
The 21-year-old said: “It’s been a long and difficult few weeks. I’m really excited to be here and just can’t wait to get started.
“I know a lot of players here. They told me how good it is and how well I’ll progress as a player. It’s just the perfect place to be. I was just doing pre-season with my brother. I get a message from him (Anderson) and he’s telling me to come and I said, ‘Listen, I’ll try my best’, but yeah, he convinced me to come.”
Paul MacInnes grabs the remote and reviews the all-new – well, sort of – Match of the Day.
European corner, starting with Spain.
Today in the Championship, a 12pm kick-off sees Ipswich take on Southampton, two relegated clubs trying to bounce back, and at 3pm it’s Hull v Oxford, the Steve McClaren derby.
The Championship had a lively Saturday.
Another defeat for Wrexham? Good streaming content?
Q&A with Jamie Jackson at 11.30
Our man in Manchester, Jamie Jackson, is here to answer your questions on United, as he prepares for Manchester United against Arsenal. City questions welcome, too. And whatever else you fancy. JJ is an expert on house music, too.
Email in at Matchday.live@theguardian.com
Jonathan Wilson is writing from Old Trafford today but here’s his Sunday column on Jack Grealish, loaned to Everton, who we will see on Monday against Leeds.
Looked at coldly, Grealish’s career has mapped an almost perfect arc. A kid shows talent, joins his local club, prospers, leaves them for a giant, wins trophies, has one outstanding season, and then, as he approaches 30, he drops down again joining another of England’s slumbering giants. How else should a career look? You would probably want that third phase to start two or three years later but that aside, this is pretty much the model. Had he stayed at Villa, there would have been corners of the internet mocking him for his lack of ambition and lack of medals, as happened with Harry Kane before he left Tottenham for Bayern.
Reaction from Friday, from Jonathan Wilson.
And news, to follow up that racist incident in the first half as Liverpool beat Bournemouth.
Late goal woes for Brighton once more – and me, actually, as our reporter at the game. Fulham showed spirit, Carlos Baleba was very good, but he’s not going anywhere. We think. Rodrigo Muniz may be a different story.
Pretty poor fare at Villa Park. Newcastle need a good striker…
Thomas Frank is off to an impressive start as Tottenham manager. Scott Parker’s famed defence struggled to go up a division.
Sunderland were excellent, West Ham were woeful. Was this a relegation six-pointer?
Manchester City looked highly impressive on Saturday but Pep isn’t happy.
So, what are you doing on this first Super Sunday? Travel plans? Off to the Bridge, to the City Ground, to OT? Riding the road to hell? Watching on an iPad as you cruise down the Limpopo river? Braving Avanti? Do let us know.
Preamble
The Premier League is back, and pre-season predictions are already out of the window. Liverpool can’t defend, Manchester City are champions, West Ham and Wolves are relegated, Regis Le Bris is the new Bob Stokoe. So why not do it all over again on Super Sunday?
Today’s matches: Chelsea v Crystal Palace at 2pm, Nottingham Forest v Brentford at 2pm, and Manchester United v Arsenal at 4.3opm. All the buildup plus some reaction to Saturday and Friday’s matches.
Join us.
