![Erik ten Hag ‘not happy’ with Marcus Rashford’s form at Manchester United](/i/c/af085a26-9c86-8fe6-0483-d9f051b704be.webp)
Erik ten Hag ‘not happy’ with Marcus Rashford’s form at Manchester United
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has admitted he is “not happy” with Marcus Rashford’s form but he remains convinced the England forward will get back to his best this season. Rashford’s disputed red card in Copenhagen on Wednesday night contributed to a dramatic United collapse as they blew a 2-0 lead and conceded two goals in the final 10 minutes to lose 4-3, dropping to the bottom of Group A in the Champions League with two games left. Gareth Southgate kept faith with Rashford by naming him in his England squad on Thursday, but a player who scored 30 goals for United in all competitions last season has only one from 15 appearances this term. “I think he’s not happy, we are not happy,” Ten Hag said of Rashford’s performances. “We have an expectation. He has high expectations from himself. In this moment he is not in the best form but I know he will be back. “I know when the team is playing better he will play better. He will go and score goals. I am confident of that. This season he will improve and score goals. He is totally in the team, he is aware of everything so I think he will be back on track. “It can happen very quickly and sometimes you only need one game. I’m sure he will get there.” The defeat in Copenhagen was United’s ninth from 17 games in all competitions so far, and they go into Saturday’s match at home to Luton eighth in the Premier League. Asked if results had been acceptable this term, Ten Hag said: “It is about the end result and we have to win every game, so we are very disappointed to lose any game but finally it is about the end result. “It is always about being in a process, thinking about a process and then it’s about managing the process. That’s the only thing I focus on. “I think we have often proved we can, like at Fulham, like Brentford, that we can overcome big setbacks.” United’s midweek defeat came at a cost too as Jonny Evans limped off early after pulling up off the ball. The 35-year-old, who has been a regular starter in recent weeks, has been ruled out of the Luton match and may now also miss next week’s Euro 2024 qualifiers for Northern Ireland in what would be another blow for Michael O’Neill’s injury-hit squad. “So we don’t have in this moment the full assessment and all the details but tomorrow he is out,” Ten Hag said. “I can’t say (if he can go away with Northern Ireland) as we don’t have the finished assessment.” Mason Mount has been another player in the spotlight, with the 24-year-old struggling to make an impression since his £55million summer switch from Chelsea. Mount made his first start since early October in the 3-0 Carabao Cup defeat to Newcastle on November 1 but was back on the bench against Fulham and Copenhagen, with questions being asked about his role in the side. However, Ten Hag said there had been no change in his expectations of the player. “It hasn’t changed at all,” Ten Hag said. “He started the season and then he got injured. It’s the worst moment for a new player to get injured because it stops the integration process. That was definitely a setback for us all and for him now he has to fight to get his place back.” Read More Dawid Malan: I want to play on but I don’t know what my England future holds Evan Ferguson signs new Brighton contract until 2029 Football rumours: Tottenham identify Lloyd Kelly as January transfer target On this day in 2014: David Moyes appointed Real Sociedad head coach Chicago Bears edge out Carolina Panthers in three-point win Unai Emery acknowledges good fortune opened the door for Villa’s victory
2023-11-10 22:55
![UAW workers at GM's Flint plant narrowly vote against new labor deal](/i/c/6fbbf1f5-3469-a6d3-9ba5-f34e1d1bed74.webp)
UAW workers at GM's Flint plant narrowly vote against new labor deal
(Reuters) -United Auto Workers (UAW) union members at General Motors' Flint assembly plant in Michigan have narrowly voted against a
2023-11-10 22:54
![McDonald's new Christmas advert features a riff on Love Actually](/i/c/cb81e7db-49cc-4ec3-fd67-2615dc682f5d.webp)
McDonald's new Christmas advert features a riff on Love Actually
McDonald’s has become the latest big brand to unveil its annual Christmas advert, and it involves Van Halen, nativities and Love Actually. The ad, set to Van Halen’s 80s hit Jump, shows families across the UK heading towards the golden arches, ranging from a school nativity play to a work Christmas party. It also features a nod to the iconic Richard Curtis film from 2003. In one scene of the McDonald’s ad, a character stands outside another person’s front door holding up messages on cue cards, pulling each one away to reveal a new word. The cards read: “Fancy… A…” The shot is reminiscent of the scene from the movie, where Andrew Lincoln’s character does a similar trick to profess his love for Keira Knightley’s character. The Iconic Keira Knightley & Andrew Lincoln "Say It's Carol Singers" Scene | Love Actually www.youtube.com Of course, McDonald’s advert doesn’t quite have the romance of Love Actually, with all the characters eventually ending up at the fast food joint for a burger. The advert will make its TV debut tomorrow on ITV, where customers can watch the 90 second advert in full. It comes after John Lewis launched its hotly anticipated Christmas ad yesterday. This year, the retailer switched out its famed tear-jerker style for something much more light-hearted and wholesome. It focuses on a young boy named Alfie, who spots a 'Grow Your Own Perfect Christmas Tree' kit and asks his grandma if he can have it. He opens the box to find a seed inside that he plants and nurtures as it grows into a giant Venus flytrap called Snapper. The family are wary of the plant, especially when it spots their pet pomeranian. They move Snapper outside and replace it with a generic Christmas tree, but when they see how much it means to Alfie, they all proceed to open Christmas gifts in the garden. How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel Sign up to our free indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-11-10 22:53
![Fans push Fisher-Price Corn Popper into toy HOF, with NERF, Cabbage Patch Kids, baseball cards](/i/c/d7358a70-d544-9768-ef93-5e68de1573bd.webp)
Fans push Fisher-Price Corn Popper into toy HOF, with NERF, Cabbage Patch Kids, baseball cards
Fans have pushed the Fisher-Price Corn Popper into the National Toy Hall of Fame
2023-11-10 22:52
![Upbeat Bill Belichick hopes trip to Frankfurt can spur Patriots to improve against Colts](/i/c/d7bff63e-f3df-6c9c-95be-6067a4693a25.webp)
Upbeat Bill Belichick hopes trip to Frankfurt can spur Patriots to improve against Colts
Bill Belichick was in an unusually upbeat mood as he hoped his New England Patriots team could enjoy the experience of playing against the Indianapolis Colts in Germany
2023-11-10 22:51
![Zambia Says IMF Questions $3 Billion Bond Revamp Deal](/i/c/408fdafa-d9c1-1421-a5a0-f38404131032.webp)
Zambia Says IMF Questions $3 Billion Bond Revamp Deal
Zambia’s official creditors and the International Monetary Fund expressed reservations about a deal in principle the government announced
2023-11-10 22:48
![Spain's Sanchez wins support for PM bid amid anger over Catalan amnesty vow](/i/c/db67ffbc-41db-b214-917a-537e053bcc59.webp)
Spain's Sanchez wins support for PM bid amid anger over Catalan amnesty vow
MADRID (Reuters) -Spain's acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez looked assured of another term in office on Friday after securing the
2023-11-10 22:29
![Alphonse Areola wins October Castrol Save of the Month award](/i/c/2cf205e7-2c30-d75d-2164-22ac05af039c.webp)
Alphonse Areola wins October Castrol Save of the Month award
Alphonse Areola has won the Castrol Save of the Month award for October thanks to his fantastic save to deny Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz.
2023-11-10 22:28
![Scholz Promises Long-Term Boost to German Military Spending](/i/c/493c96eb-f1d1-da96-ccfe-d4eb55da3efb.webp)
Scholz Promises Long-Term Boost to German Military Spending
Chancellor Olaf Scholz pledged that Germany will forge ahead with a significant expansion of its military capabilities even
2023-11-10 22:28
![Germany approves global minimum corporate tax](/i/c/2db9671d-18c3-01a2-2643-443eeb969c23.webp)
Germany approves global minimum corporate tax
BERLIN The German parliament on Friday approved the implementation of a global minimum corporate tax, as part of
2023-11-10 22:26
![How Girona shocked Spain to climb to the top of LaLiga](/i/c/375d3b5d-770a-dd3b-f174-980e6ff8cedf.webp)
How Girona shocked Spain to climb to the top of LaLiga
In one of Europe’s biggest three-horse races, an unexpected fourth leads the way. Where usually Barcelona, Real Madrid and, on sporadic occasions, Atletico Madrid reside, there’s an altogether less-expected club sitting top of LaLiga after a third of the campaign – a free-scoring, attack-minded team who spent a net of barely £4m in the summer, have a stadium capacity of under 15,000 and whose best-ever season in LaLiga to date saw them finish 10th. Welcome to Girona FC. The story of their rise is a tale in itself, but their opening 12 games of this campaign might yet make for the stuff of local legend. As recently as 1999 the club was playing in the Catalan regional leagues, the fifth tier of Spanish football, but after achieving their first-ever top-flight campaign in 2017-18 and surviving for a second, they returned to LaLiga for 2022-23 and ended 10th last year – just as they did five years earlier, in fact. There appears to be no danger of season four emulating season two, though. Where then they were relegated, this term they top the table, two points ahead of Real Madrid, four clear of champions Barcelona and a full six ahead of Atletico. Between Girona and fifth is a massive 10 points, after just a dozen matches. Masterminding this unexpected rise is head coach Michel Sanchez Munoz, better known just as Michel, a former Rayo Vallecano and Real Murcia player who has been in the dugout at Estadi Montilivi since 2021. Michel has the team playing offensive football – they’ve not only won more games than anyone this term, they’ve also outscored everyone in LaLiga– and the manner of it is even more impressive given the turnover of the squad: 10 in, three out, another half a dozen loaned away. That new group has been quickly moulded into a cohesive unit with a very identifiable approach to matches, as one of those new arrivals, former Manchester United and Ajax defender Daley Blind, told The Independent. “It’s always difficult to compare managers, each one has his own ID and way of playing. But what stands out is the manager is really clear in how he wants to play football, he has a really clear idea about every game we play and having a real tactical plan,” Blind says on a call. “He tries to give that to the team and make sure we understand the gameplan. “The story he told me before I came to Girona was really intriguing and I can’t say anything other than he did not lie – I got excited and wanted to play here after speaking to him. “You can’t know it for sure beforehand but we’re really happy with how it’s going and it’s always important for a coach to be clear about that.” Blind is happily effusive about Michel’s man management as well as his tactical acumen. Having spent most of his career under the likes of Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, father Danny Blind and others, he’s well placed to talk about who is impressive or otherwise on the coaching ground. And while he won’t directly look at matching up Michel’s attributes to anyone else’s, he makes the point that there’s a real connection between coach and squad. “I don’t want to compare [to others] but, for me, he’s a manager who is human, who connects on a personal level as well. He joins in the rondo [training game of keep-ball] and is part of the guys; at the moment training really starts he’s then really on top of it and not holding back,” the centre-back explains. “He expects every training [session] to be the best but there’s always time for a joke here and there. He has a good connection with every player – that’s very special.” Blind freely admits that his spell in Spain came at the second time of asking. He got the call from Girona last year after leaving Ajax; while considering his next move, Bayern Munich swooped in and he felt he needed to go. This summer, though, he was confident Girona was the right move. While the Dutchman has been a mainstay at the back this term, central midfielder Aleix Garcia has caught the eye, while in attack young winger Savio has been impressive and new centre-forward Artem Dovbyk has not so much hit the ground running as thundering through defences, scoring six in eight starts or one every 109 minutes. Among LaLiga’s best goal-getters, only Gerard Moreno (105), Alvaro Morata (105) and top scorer Jude Bellingham (95) can beat the Ukrainian’s strike rate. So has the fast start by Girona altered their season aims, made them aim higher than might have been the objective at the start of the campaign? Not for Blind, who maintains the “one game at a time” mantra. “For me, it hasn’t changed, you want to finish as high as possible in the league and that’s what we aim for. We’ll see where that is at the end of the season,” he says. “You always be ambitious and have an aim but in the end, you look game by game because the next one is most important and you want the three points. But you see which games are in the next couple of weeks and be ambitious about it. It’s not for me to reveal what we say about [those runs] but it always comes back to the next game.” For Girona, the next game is away on Saturday to Rayo Vallecano, Michel’s oldest and most closely linked club. Beat them and the Catalan club will remain top across the international break, the envy of not just smaller clubs around Europe hoping to improve their own fortunes and challenge higher in the league but of every club in Spain – including the very biggest and the supposed best. Perhaps, just perhaps, they won’t be this year. Watch LaLiga on Viaplay, available in the UK on Sky, Virgin TV, Amazon Prime Video and via streaming Read More Jeremy Doku’s brilliance shows Man City’s edge and Chelsea’s key problem Ange Postecoglu gives injury update for Tottenham star James Maddison Football stadium plunged into darkness after rivals turn off lights during title win Jeremy Doku’s brilliance shows Man City’s edge and Chelsea’s key problem Ange Postecoglu gives injury update for Tottenham star James Maddison Football stadium plunged into darkness after rivals turn off lights during title win
2023-11-10 22:23
![ICBC ransomware attack triggers global regulator, trader scrutiny](/i/c/bd883675-e020-960b-bff9-a729ff2a73a7.webp)
ICBC ransomware attack triggers global regulator, trader scrutiny
By Harry Robertson and Yoruk Bahceli LONDON Global regulators and bond traders were on Friday trying to gauge
2023-11-10 22:22