Tag: Ruben Amorim

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Man United crashes out of FA Cup as club weighs up candidates for interim coach

Managerless Manchester United crashed out of the FA Cup with a 2-1 defeat to Brighton on Sunday.

At the end of a week that saw the storied Premier League team fire head coach Ruben Amorim, the loss at Old Trafford has likely consigned United to another trophyless season and was greeted with loud jeers from the home crowd.

Interim coach Darren Fletcher admitted the 20-time English champion was “not in a good moment,” but said it was too soon to write the season off with Champions League qualification still achievable.

“It’s probably not what fans want to hear about Manchester United because they’ve been winning cups and challenging for the Premier League,” he said. “Don’t waste the season. That would be the challenge that I would set. That’s the challenge that probably the players feel like they need to achieve this year.”

Former United striker Danny Welbeck scored what proved the decisive goal in the 64th minute, and Benjamin Sesko’s late header was only a consolation for the hosts in the third-round match.

United has exited both domestic knockout competitions at the earliest possible stage this season, following the humbling loss to fourth-tier Grimsby in the English League Cup. The latest defeat means United will play the bare minimum of 40 competitive games for a top division team this season.

Its only chance of silverware this term is the Premier League, which would require a remarkable turnaround with United currently seventh in the standings and 17 points behind leader Arsenal with 17 games left.

A trophyless campaign would be back-to-back seasons in which United has ended up empty-handed.

The club’s hierarchy hope an interim coach will be able to salvage the season by securing Champions League qualification. United has spoken to former players Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick about taking on the role until the summer. Fletcher, who has taken charge of the two games since Amorim’s departure, is also a contender, as well as former United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.

The loss to Brighton underlined the challenge facing the interim coach.

“Any time you come in at Manchester United, it’s a massive job,” Fletcher said. “It’s not about a manager, it’s not about directors. It’s about everyone and the players have to group together, take responsibility, find a way of improving quickly and taking on the challenge for the rest of the season.”

Brajan Gruda fired Brighton ahead in the 12th, with Welbeck doubling the advantage after the break. Sesko scored his third goal in two games in the 85th, but substitute Shea Lacey was sent off four minutes later and United could not force an equalizer to take the game to extra time.

“I gave it my best and ultimately I’m disappointed to not be able to win a game or to get a result today,” said Fletcher, who drew his other game in charge 2-2 with relegation-fighting Burnley.

Arsenal advanced earlier Sunday with Gabriel Martinelli scoring a hat trick in a 4-1 win at Portsmouth.

Martinelli’s treble helped the Premier League leader come back from going a goal down to the second-tier Championship team inside three minutes.

Colby Bishop stunned Arsenal with the opening goal at Fratton Park, but the lead only lasted five minutes after Andre Dozzell scored an own-goal.

Martinelli put the visitors ahead with a flicked header in the 25th. He slid in for his second six minutes after the break and headed in his hat-trick goal in the 72nd. It was the first time the Brazilian had scored a hat trick for Arsenal.

Victory could have been even more emphatic if Noni Madueke had converted from the penalty spot in the first half.

“It’s always tough to go into these places, especially in the manner that we started the game, conceding the early goal, but we managed to turn things around so I’m very happy,” said manager Mikel Arteta.

Record 14-time FA Cup winner Arsenal last lifted the trophy in Arteta’s first season in charge in 2020. It was the last major honor the London club won, but victory against Portsmouth maintains its four-pronged trophy pursuit along with the Premier League title, the Champions League and the English League Cup.

“I think we are very privileged to be where we are, and the games that we have to play, which means that we are in every competition,” Arteta said.

Top-flight Leeds was also behind to Championship opposition, but recovered from 1-0 down to beat Derby 3-1 at Pride Park.

Third-tier Mansfield pulled off an upset to beat Championship side Sheffield United 4-3 and Norwich routed Walsall 5-1, with Jovon Makama scoring a hat trick. Norwich head coach Philippe Clement later said that U.S. international Josh Sargent refused to play in the game.

Relegation-fighting West Ham needed extra time to beat QPR 2-1. Valentin ‘Taty’ Castellanos’ goal saw Nuno Espirito Santo’s team end a 10-match winless run.

West Bromwich Albion beat Swansea 6-5 on penalties following a 2-2 draw after extra time. Hull won 4-3 against Blackburn on penalties after a 0-0 draw. (JapanToday)

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Arsenal manager Arteta ‘sad’ to see Amorim sacked by Man Utd

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said on Wednesday that he was “sad” to see rival boss Ruben Amorim sacked by Manchester United as he reflected on the brutal nature of their trade.

Amorim was dismissed by the Premier League giants on Monday after just 14 months in charge.

The Portuguese coach’s exit followed growing tensions with senior Old Trafford officials, including director of football Jason Wilcox, over recent days.

United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe had previously suggested that Amorim would be given at least three years in charge, comparing his position with that of Arteta.

The Spaniard, appointed in 2019. endured a rocky start to his time in charge of Arsenal, but they now head into Thursday’s match at home to reigning champions Liverpool six points clear at the top of the Premier League table as they chase a first English title in over 20 years.

United, by contrast, are sixth — a huge 17 points adrift of the Gunners.

Amorim won just 25 of his 63 games at United in all competitions during the shortest reign for a permanent manager since David Moyes was sacked just eight months into his tenure in 2014.

“I can only talk about what I have experienced, and it’s always sad to see a colleague losing his job, obviously,” Arteta told reporters in a pre-match press conference.

“We know where we are, and I think you need support from the ownership, from your staff, from players.

“At the end of the day, you need to win a lot of football matches if you want to stay in the job, and that’s the reality and the nature of our job.” (Punch)

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Ruben Amorim sacked as Man United head coach after 14 months

Manchester United have sacked boss Ruben Amorim, the club has confirmed.

The announcement was made on Monday morning less than 24 hours after Amorim held a stunning news conference following the 1-1 draw with Leeds United in which he urged United bosses to “do your jobs.”

Under-18s coach Darrren Fletcher is set to take charge of United’s trip to Burnley on Wednesday.

Sources have told ESPN that the club are still mapping out a succession plan, but are leaning towards naming an interim boss until the end of the season before making a permanent appointment in the summer.

Amorim was informed in person at Carrington on Monday by director of football Jason Wilcox and CEO Omar Berrada.

Club sources have denied that the decision was prompted by a breakdown in Amorim’s relationship with Wilcox, but rather because the hierarchy “have not seen enough signs of evolution of progress.”

But sources said Amorim was sacked in the aftermath of an explosive meeting with Wilcox on Friday.

Amorim, according to sources, did not take kindly to the conversation moving on to the subject of his preferred 3-4-3 system and the potential evolution of the team’s style of play.

Following the meeting, Amorim took part in a tense news conference with reporters before quickly leaving the club’s Carrington training ground.

He pulled out of a scheduled broadcast interview citing “personal reasons” and defender Lisandro Martínez had to take his place.

Sources have told ESPN that Wilcox intended the meeting to focus on feedback following the 1-1 draw with Wolves three days earlier.

Amorim’s volatile response to the advice was seen by club bosses as “too emotional” and signalled that his relationship with Wilcox had broken down.

It was followed by a fraught news conference after the 1-1 draw with Leeds on Monday during which the Portuguese coach demanded to be “manager, not the coach” and called on Wilcox to “do his job.”

United sources are insisting that the decision to dismiss Amorim was not made purely because of tensions behind the scenes and was taken because the club “had not seen enough signs of evolution or progress” on the pitch.

However, it’s hard to escape the sense that the timing of the move has much to do with Amorim’s news conference at Elland Road and particularly the barbs aimed at the club and Wilcox.

Speaking at a news conference on Friday ahead of the trip to Leeds, the Portuguese coach revealed his frustration at a lack of movement in the January transfer window.

And after the game on Sunday, he went one step further by telling club bosses he wants to be “manager, not the coach” while also pointedly aiming a dig at Wilcox to “do his job.”

Club sources have told ESPN that, as far as they were concerned, Amorim was “fully aligned” with their transfer plan.

They insist the decision has been made to “give a capable and committed squad the best chance of being successful.”

Amorim has overseen a turbulent 14 months at United after succeeding Erik ten Hag as boss in November 2024.

He won 24 of his 63 matches in charge and oversaw just 15 victories in the Premier League.

He leaves United sixth in the Premier League table after eight wins from 20 games this season.

Current under-18s boss Darren Fletcher is set to take over ahead of the trip to Burnley on Wednesday. (ESPN)

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Man United wastes chance to reach Premier League top 5 in 1-1 draw with West Ham

Manchester United blew the chance to move up to fifth in the Premier League on Thursday when West Ham salvaged a late 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.

Soungoutou Magassa’s 83rd-minute equalizer canceled out Diogo Dalot’s opening goal that had put United on course to move level on points with fourth-place Chelsea.

Bruno Fernandes squandered two chances to score a winner in added time — blazing a shot wide from inside the box and then volleying another off target.

It was another setback for United, which has only won one of its last five games — drawing three.

Despite that run, Ruben Amorim’s team had the opportunity to move within reach of the Champions League places with a win. And that looked likely when in the 58th Casemiro’s long-range shot was controlled in the box by Dalot.

The United defender then spun and powered a shot past West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.

It was a game of few chances, with West Ham rarely threatening to find an equalizer. But a late corner saw Jarrod Bowen’s flicked header cleared off the line by Noussair Mazraoui.

Magassa reacted quickest in the box and side-footed his shot low into the corner to spark celebrations from the visiting fans.

The result leaves United in eighth and West Ham 18th. (JapanToday)

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Everton shrug off bizarre red card to beat Man Utd

Everton survived an astonishing moment of madness at Old Trafford on Monday when Idrissa Gueye was sent off for slapping teammate Michael Keane to beat Manchester United 1-0.

The Senegal midfielder was shown his marching orders by referee Tony Harrington in the 13th minute after putting his hand to Keane’s face following an angry altercation.

The home crowd anticipated waves of attack but United failed to take advantage of their numerical advantage, proving toothless against David Moyes’ battling team.

Instead it was 10-man Everton who found the net, taking the lead courtesy of a wonderful strike by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in the 29th minute.

Dewsbury-Hall received the ball and surged towards goal, beating Bruno Fernandes and Leny Yoro before bending the ball into the top corner.

United huffed and puffed for the rest of the half, with Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford clawing away a Fernandes shot from distance as the half-time approached.

Ruben Amorim, marking the first anniversary of his maiden game in charge of United, brought on Mason Mount for Noussair Mazraoui at half-time but his team created little despite dominating possession.

Amorim threw on midfielder Kobbie Mainoo and Diogo Dalot for Casemiro and Yoro in the 58th minute but still United looked blunt.

Pickford kept out a powerful Joshua Zirkzee header with just over 10 minutes of normal time to go and Everton hung on for a famous win.

United came into the match at Old Trafford on the back of a five-game unbeaten run.

Everton suffered a big blow in just the 10th minute when they lost captain Seamus Coleman.

But worse was to follow three minutes later with the scarcely believable bust-up between Gueye and Keane.

Gueye is the first Premier League player to be sent off for fighting with a teammate since 2008.

The Premier League Match Centre posted on X: “The referee’s call of red card to Gueye for violent conduct was checked and confirmed by VAR –- with the action deemed to be a clear strike to the face of Keane.” (JapanToday)

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Arsenal winning run ends in Sunderland draw; De Ligt rescues Man Utd

Arsenal’s 10-game winning run came to an end as Brian Brobbey’s last-gasp goal gave Sunderland a dramatic 2-2 draw against the Premier League leaders, while Manchester United rescued a 2-2 draw at Tottenham on Saturday.

Former Arsenal defender Dan Ballard fired Sunderland ahead with a powerful finish in the 36th minute at the Stadium of Light.

That ended the Gunners’ run of eight consecutive clean sheets in all competitions.

Bukayo Saka levelled with a composed finish in the 54th minute before, Leandro Trossard smashed Arsenal into the lead from the edge of the Sunderland area in the 76th minute.

Arsenal were within touching distance of an 11th successive victory in all competitions, but Brobbey stabbed home from Ballard’s header to earn a point in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

It was the first time they had failed to win in any competition since a 1-1 draw with Manchester City in the top flight on September 21.

“We conceded two similar goals, which is not good enough for ourselves,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said.

“But it’s true that we showed an incredible resilience and courage to come back. Even at the end after we conceded the goal we had a massive chance to win it.”

As they chase a first English title since 2004, Arsenal hold a seven-point lead at the top.

But second-placed City would close the gap on Arsenal to four points if they beat champions Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

Liverpool can move within five points of Arsenal if they defeat City.

At the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Bryan Mbeumo fired United ahead in the 32nd minute amid mounting discontent among home fans.

Booed off at half-time, Tottenham hit back and looked to have secured a dramatic victory after Mathys Tel equalised in the 84th minute and Richarlison deflected in a shot from Wilson Odobert in the 91st minute.

But United defender Matthijs de Ligt powered in a 96th-minute header to extend his side’s unbeaten run to five games.

Tottenham’s failure to hold onto the lead was another blow to their dismal record in home league games in 2025, which includes only one win in six top-flight matches in north London this term.

Neither manager was satisfied with the outcome and United boss Ruben Amorim said: “We have so much to grow as a team because today was our day to win. If we have a little bit more bravery, we can kill this game.”

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank added: “A lot of things we could have done a bit better. The last goal is all about the urgency, maybe don’t give the cross away and defend better.”

Seventh-placed United have now failed to beat fourth-placed Tottenham in eight meetings, including a 1-0 defeat in the Europa League final in May.

West Ham boosted their bid to avoid relegation with a 3-2 win against fellow strugglers Burnley at the London Stadium.

Burnley took the lead in the 35th minute when Lesley Ugochukwu’s cross reached Zian Flemming and the Dutch forward headed home from close range.

Callum Wilson hauled West Ham level with a predatory finish from the rebound after Crysencio Summerville’s shot was saved in the 44th minute.

Tomas Soucek netted for West Ham in the 77th minute, the Czech midfielder bundling in from close range after Lucas Paqueta’s cross was parried into his path by Burnley keeper Martin Dubravka.

And, when Dubravka fumbled the ball towards Kyle Walker-Peters in the 87th minute, the defender’s clinical finish put the result beyond doubt.

Josh Cullen’s stoppage-time strike was no consolation for Burnley.

Third-bottom West Ham’s second successive win moved them level on points with fourth-bottom Burnley.

Everton ended a three-game winless run with a 2-0 victory over Fulham at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane were the scorers for David Moyes’ men.

Chelsea quelled criticism of Enzo Maresca’s rotation policy with a 3-0 win against Wolves featuring the first goal of Malo Gusto’s career on Saturday.

Former Manchester United star Wayne Rooney said Chelsea’s senior players should “question” Maresca’s selections after the Italian made seven changes for a 2-2 draw against Azerbaijani minnows Qarabag in the Champions League on Wednesday. (JapanToday)

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Man Utd beat Brighton, Sunderland stun Chelsea to go second in Premier League

Manchester United climbed into the Premier League’s top four with a 4-2 victory over Brighton, as Sunderland went second after stunning Chelsea 2-1 on Saturday.

United took nearly a year into Ruben Amorim’s reign to win back-to-back league games but have now won three-in-a-row after ending Brighton’s run of success at Old Trafford.

The Seagulls had won on their previous three visits amid a run of six wins in seven league games against United.

There are signs of the Red Devils’ £200 million trio ($266 million) of attacking additions in the transfer window, Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, beginning to click.

Cunha curled in his first goal for the club from outside the box to open the scoring.

Casemiro’s deflected effort doubled United’s lead before half-time.

Sesko then teed up Mbeumo to fire in at the near post.

Danny Welbeck’s brilliant free-kick and Charalampos Kostoulas’ header set up a nervy finale.

But Mbeumo smashed home his second goal to seal the points in the 97th minute.

United surge ahead of Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham into the Champions League places and within three points of leaders Arsenal.

Sunderland’s dream return to the top flight after an eight-year absence goes on after Chemsdine Talbi’s stoppage time winner at Stamford Bridge.

The Black Cats already seem set to buck the trend of all promoted sides being relegated straight back to the Championship in the past two seasons.

Chelsea looked like they would be the side to go second in the table when Alejandro Garnacho drilled in his first goal for the club after just four minutes.

Sunderland levelled midway through the first half when Wilson Isidor bundled in from close range after Chelsea failed to clear a long throw-in.

The visitors comfortably held the Club World Cup winners at bay in the second period before landing the sucker punch on the counter-attack in the 93rd minute when Brian Brobbey teed up Talbi to curl perfectly into the bottom corner.

Defeat leaves Chelsea down in seventh and any hope of a title challenge fading fast.

“We were not good enough and in the Premier League the consequences can be bad,” said Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca.

“If you want to be there (challenging for the title), you need consistency.”

Newcastle beat Fulham 2-1 thanks to captain Bruno Guimaraes’ 90th minute strike at St. James’ Park.

Jacob Murphy pounced on an error by Calvin Bassey to give the Magpies a first-half lead.

Sasa Lukic headed in Fulham’s equaliser just before the hour mark.

But Marco Silva’s men fell to a fourth consecutive defeat that leaves them hovering just above the relegation zone.

Guimaraes swept home the rebound after Bernd Leno had saved William Osula’s initial effort to propel Newcastle up to 11th.

Liverpool slumped to a fourth consecutive Premier League defeat as Brentford bullied the defending champions in a 3-2 win.

Goals from Dango Ouattara, Kevin Schade and Igor Thiago secured victory for the Bees, who climb to 10th in the table.

Liverpool slip to sixth and could be seven points adrift of leaders Arsenal by Sunday as their title defence has collapsed in spectacular style over the past month. (JapanToday)

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EPL: Man United’s Ratcliffe gives Amorim three years to prove himself

Ruben Amorim has been given three years to prove himself at Manchester United after co-owner Jim Ratcliffe insisted he will not make a knee-jerk decision about the under-fire manager’s future.

Amorim has endured constant speculation that he faces the sack throughout this season as United lurched from one crisis to another.

The former Sporting Lisbon boss, who was hired by Ratcliffe in November 2024, admitted earlier this term that he had considered quitting during United’s darkest moments.

Amorim’s side finished 15th in the Premier League last season — their lowest final top-flight position since 1973-74 — and squandered a chance to qualify for the Champions League when they lost the Europa League final to fellow strugglers Tottenham.

Tenth-placed United have fared little better this season, losing three of their first seven league games and crashing to a shock League Cup defeat at fourth-tier Grimsby.

Amorim has yet to record successive Premier League wins since replacing the sacked Erik ten Hag, with a trip to champions Liverpool next up for United after the international break.

Despite the talk that Amorim, whose side beat promoted Sunderland in their last game, remains in danger of being axed, Ratcliffe said the 40-year-old would be given time to turn things around.

“He has not had the best of seasons. Ruben needs to demonstrate that he is a great coach over three years. That’s where I would be,” Ratcliffe told The Business podcast, produced by The Times and The Sunday Times.

“The press, sometimes I don’t understand. They want overnight success. They think it’s a light switch. You know, you flick a switch and it’s all going to be roses tomorrow.

“You can’t run a club like Manchester United on knee-jerk reactions to some journalist who goes off on one every week.”

Ratcliffe has owned just under 30 percent of United since February 2024, when he took control of football operations at the 20-time English champions.

That left the Glazer family, who have endured numerous fan protests since taking over in 2005, still in overall charge at Old Trafford.

United haven’t won the English title since 2013, while their last European trophy was the 2017 Europa League. (Punch)

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Chelsea beats Liverpool after late Estevao goal; Arsenal tops Premier League

Estevao struck in added time to inflict a third straight defeat on Premier League champion Liverpool.

The Brazilian teenager slid in at the far post to seal a 2-1 win for Chelsea in a breathless finish at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Estevao’s goal sparked wild celebrations that earned Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca a red card and ensured Liverpool goes into the international break knocked off the top of the standings.

“It is extra special to win like that because you win energy, trust and confidence in the process,” Chelsea assistant Willy Caballero said. “It is also something unforgettable for Estevao.”

Arsenal was in first place, a point ahead of Liverpool, after beating West Ham 2-0, while Manchester United picked up a crucial win against Sunderland to ease pressure on coach Ruben Amorim.

Liverpool is no stranger to late drama this season but the tide has turned on manager Arne Slot.

Late goals in six of the Merseyside club’s first seven games helped it maintain a 100% record and build an early lead in the standings.

But a first defeat of the campaign via Eddie Nketiah’s strike in the seventh minute of stoppage time for Crystal Palace last week was followed by Estevao’s strike in the fifth minute of stoppage time for Chelsea. In between, Liverpool lost to Galatasaray 1-0 in the Champions League.

Cody Gakpo looked like salvaging a point for Liverpool with his score in the second half after Moises Caicedo fired Chelsea in front with a thunderous long range strike in the first half.

But Chelsea, on the back of a three-game winless run in the league, mounted a late onslaught.

Enzo Fernandez headed against the post in added time and Estevao, the 18-year-old forward who joined from Palmeiras in the summer, converted Marc Cucurella’s cross.

“After we scored 1-1 it went our way and I was waiting for us to score the second,” Slot told the BBC. “Last week, same as this week, two difficult away games, the fine margins haven’t been in our favor.”

Ruben Amorim rang the changes and got the result he desperately needed.

Victory against Sunderland came at a crucial time for Amorim ahead of the international break, with speculation mounting over his position. He has still to lead United to back-to-back victories in the league after almost a year in charge but this was a step in the right direction.

“It’s really important to win games and have a better feeling but we need to forget this game and go for the next one,” he said.

Amorim showed his ruthless side by dropping $84 million summer signing Matheus Cunha and handing a first start to new goalkeeper Senne Lammens. Those decisions paid off with first half goals from Mason Mount and Benjamin Sesko at Old Trafford and a first clean sheet of the season.

This was only Amorim’s 10th win from 34 league games and going into Saturday’s match he accepted it would be “impossible” to continue in the job if results didn’t turn.

Which is why victory against Sunderland was crucial in a week when he was criticized by United greats Wayne Rooney and Gary Neville, and ahead of the international break, which has traditionally been a convenient time to make managerial changes.

After 300 games in charge, Arsenal Mikel Arteta is looking down on the rest of the Premier League after victory against West Ham.

“I wanted to celebrate it with a win, I’ve got it,” he said.

Goals from Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, from the penalty spot, inflicted a first defeat on new West Ham coach Nuno Espirito Santo.

That’s four wins in a row for Arsenal in all competitions and, after a daunting start to the campaign, Arteta’s team looks like a title contender again.

Saka, who scored on his 200th appearance for the club, is convinced Arteta will deliver trophies after finishing runner-up three years in a row.

“We’ve had some tough games, particularly away. We are in a strong place in the Premier League and looking forward to coming back and pushing on,” he told the BBC. “Mikel has very much improved my game. He will bring this club success and (I’m) looking forward to when that day comes.”

Victory, however, came at a cost after another injury to captain Martin Odegaard.

Mohammed Kudus scored his first Tottenham goal to keep Thomas Frank’s team riding high. Kudus’ second-half strike from the edge of the box secured a 2-1 win at Leeds to move Spurs up to third.

Spurs have lost just once in the league under Frank, who took charge in the summer.

Kudus was one of Frank’s big signings, joining from West Ham.

Spurs led through Mathys Tel, whose deflected shot rocketed into the top corner.

Leeds, which was unbeaten at home since February, equalized through Noah Okafor from close range in the 34th. (JapanToday)

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Man Utd earns vital win against Chelsea as Liverpool stays perfect

Manchester United beat Chelsea 2-1 in a chaotic match at Old Trafford on Saturday to earn vital breathing space for beleaguered manager Ruben Amorim as Liverpool stayed perfect in the Premier League.

But Graham Potter’s future as West Ham boss appears bleak after a fourth defeat in five matches left the club firmly rooted in the relegation zone.

All eyes were on a rain-lashed Old Trafford for the early evening kick-off, with Amorim in desperate need of a win after a terrible start to the season.

The home side were given a huge helping hand when Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was sent off in the fifth minute of a stormy encounter.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca made frantic personnel changes to compensate for the loss of Sanchez but the match immediately became an exercise in attack versus defense.

United captain Bruno Fernandes made the breakthrough in the 14th minute, prodding home from close range in his 200th Premier League game.

Casemiro doubled the lead before the Brazilian midfielder was shown a second yellow card on the stroke of half-time for tugging back Andrey Santos.

Even though both teams were now down to 10 men, Chelsea struggled to create chances in sodden conditions until Trevoh Chalobah brought the visitors back into the match with a bullet header 10 minutes from time.

But United survived some nervy moments to record just their second win of the season, lifting them into the top half of the table.

It was a first league defeat for Chelsea.

“Every win especially in this moment is important, against a great opponent,” Amorim told the BBC.

“We started the game in the right way, really aggressive. The red card helped us dominate the game but we were already there.

“We scored two goals and then we tried to complicate our game again. It’s always complicated with us. It should have been different, this game.”

In the early kick-off, Arne Slot’s Liverpool were 2-0 up against Everton inside half an hour through Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike and seemingly coasting to a fifth straight league win.

But they had to withstand an impressive fightback from their Merseyside rivals, who have not won at Anfield in front of fans in the 21st century.

The champions took the lead in the 10th minute when Gravenberch collected Mohamed Salah’s lifted cross before hooking a rasping shot over Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

France international Ekitike finished off a silky move in the 29th minute, with Gravenberch turning provider.

Liverpool have not made things easy for themselves this season, relying on a series of late winners, and Everton made them sweat when Idrissa Gueye pulled a goal back in the 58th minute.

But Arne Slot’s men held on win 2-1 and make it six victories out of six in all competitions as they hunt down a record 21st English title.

“We needed mentality today in a different fashion than the few times before,” said Slot, who left Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak — costing a combined £225 million ($303 million) — on the bench.

“You can see how well we can play when we are fresh in the first 45 minutes. We ran out of energy a bit but we didn’t run out of mentality.”

West Ham boss Potter admitted that his side’s 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace was a “tough moment” as he fights to keep his job.

Former Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo and ex-Wolves manager Gary O’Neil have been linked with the position at the London Stadium.

Asked whether he felt he still had the support of the Hammers’ hierarchy, he replied: “I’ve no reason to think not.

“But I also understand the environment and the results. But I have no complaints about the support I have had.”

Tottenham came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Brighton, climbing to second in the table, five points behind leaders Liverpool.

Goals from Yankuba Minteh and Yasin Ayari gave the home side a cushion before Richarlison pulled one back shortly before half-time and Jan Paul van Hecke’s own goal made it all square.

Newly promoted Leeds recovered from conceding the first goal to beat Wolves 3-1, leaving the Midlands club without a single point from their five matches.

Burnley and Nottingham Forest shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw.

Arsenal host Manchester City on Sunday, seeking their third straight win against Pep Guardiola’s men at the Emirates. (JapanToday)