Monday Briefing: Nine Key Points For Reds

Here are nine things every Manchester United fan should know following the weekend…

1: TOP FOUR IS ‘IMPOSSIBLE’
That’s what Jose Mourinho told reporters following Sunday’s 2-0 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, where second-half goals from Granit Xhaka and Danny Welbeck proved to be decisive. The Reds are now four points shy of fourth-placed Manchester City with three matches left to play against Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton and Crystal Palace. The Europa League is now the manager’s priority.

2: UNBEATEN LEAGUE RUN IS OVER
The result in North London brought an end to the club’s record unbeaten run in a single league campaign. The 25-match sequence stretched all the way back to the fixture against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in October. “Sometimes good things come to an end,” said Juan Mata.

3: FULL DEBUT FOR TUANZEBE
Mourinho made eight changes to the starting XI and handed a full United debut to Reserves captain Axel Tuanzebe, who had previously only appeared as a substitute in the Emirates FA Cup tie against Wigan Athletic. While the defeat was hugely disappointing, the youngster earned great credit for an impressive performance at right-back against Chilean powerhouse Alexis Sanchez. “He did an amazing job and I think Alexis knows his name because the kid played very well,” said Jose.

4: MCTOMINAY ALSO TOOK HIS BOW
Young midfielder Scott McTominay was named on the bench for the second successive league fixture at Arsenal following last Sunday’s draw with Swansea City. The 20-year-old was thrust into the action on 85 minutes to make his senior debut, replacing Juan Mata and producing an admirable display in the closing stages, even testing Petr Cech with a driven shot from around 20 yards.

5: THREE REDS RETURNED
Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Juan Mata all returned to the starting XI at the Emirates following troublesome bouts of injury. It’s a much-welcomed boost for the manager, who said: “I liked very much the individual performances and I also liked them collectively. I think Jones, Smalling and Mata they were amazing in the way they performed after seven weeks of being out.”

6: CELTA VIGO LOST
United’s Europa League semi-final opponents were beaten 3-0 by Malaga in La Liga, as boss Eduardo Berizzo once again rested several players, such as star man Iago Aspas, with the continental competition in mind. The Spanish side have now lost their last five matches in all competitions, last winning a game on 16 April. Celta visit Old Trafford on Thursday, trailing 1-0 to Marcus Rashford’s first-leg goal.

7: MIXED RESULTS FOR LOAN STARS
Sam Johnstone and his temporary team-mates at loan club Aston Villa had a hand in the fate of the Championship title on Saturday, when their 1-1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion allowed Newcastle United to win the trophy. Meanwhile, Andreas Pereira endured a difficult outing as Granada, managed by ex-Arsenal defender Tony Adams, were soundly beaten 4-0 at home to Real Madrid. It means little, however, because the club has already been relegated to the second tier.

8: COLEY’S POSITIVE UPDATE
Club ambassador Andy Cole underwent a kidney transplant operation last month and, on Saturday, he used his personal Instagram account to provide a positive update for fans. “It’s now been over four weeks post op,” he wrote. “Just want to thank everyone for their continued support! Slow progress as expected but feeling better and stronger. The next three months will be key.”

9: YOUR VOTES ARE NEEDED
The club’s awards night will be held on Thursday 18 May and the supporters alone will decide who wins the senior, Reserve and Youth Player of the Year prizes, as well as the Goal of the Season gong. Visit ManUtd.com/awards to watch some exclusive videos and, of course, cast your all-important votes.

Credit: Manutd.com