Liverpool owner John Henry has denied the English giants are up for sale despite seeking fresh investment in the club. Henry’s Fenway Sports Group (FSG) said in November it would “consider new shareholders if it was in the best interests of Liverpool as a club.” That sparked speculation that the 19-time English champions were on the market alongside rivals Manchester United.
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“I know there has been a lot of conversation and quotes about LFC (Liverpool Football Club), but I keep to the facts,” Henry told the Boston Sports Journal in a rare interview published online Tuesday (AEDT).
“We merely formalised an ongoing process. Will we be in England forever? No. Are we selling LFC? No. Are we talking with investors about LFC? Yes.
“Will something happen there? I believe so, but it won’t be a sale. Have we sold anything in the past 20-plus years?”
Liverpool owner John W. Henry. (Photo by Michael Regan)Source: Getty Images
FSG – who also own baseball giants the Boston Red Sox – paid £300 million ($A523m) for Liverpool 13 years ago, after fellow Americans Tom Hicks and George Gillett left the club on the brink of administration.
Under their ownership, Liverpool have been restored to the top of the English and European game – winning the 2019 Champions League and lifting the club’s first Premier League crown for 30 years in 2020.
Forbes now values Liverpool at around $4.45 billion ($A6.5bn).
However, FSG have been criticised by fans for a lack of investment in new players this season.
Liverpool sit eighth in the Premier League, 19 points adrift of leaders Arsenal, and are already out of both domestic cup competitions.
Despite that slump in form, manager Jurgen Klopp has publicly backed the club’s owners.
“We are here in a good position. I know that sounds strange because we didn’t play our best football but in general we are in good hands,” said Klopp last month.
“So we don’t get crazy or whatever. We really know about the responsibility we have and we really try absolutely everything to try to bring us back on track and not worry too much.” Manchester United are expected to fetch a world record price for a football club should a sale of the Red Devils be completed in the coming months.
Lifelong Man United fans Ratcliffe and HBJ have both submitted bids to buy the Red Devils.Source: Getty Images
Chelsea currently hold the record sale for a football club after a consortium led by LA Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly and private equity group Clearlake Capital won a bidding war by paying £4.25 billion ($A7.5bn) for the Blues in May.
Two moments of stoppage-time madness helped Arsenal return to the Premier League summit, although they were certainly aided by a misfiring Manchester City.
An England star’s absurd goalscoring return since the World Cup continues to help Manchester United’s top four surge while two wins in two for Liverpool has their fans believing once again.
Catch up on the weekend that was in the latest edition of Premier League Talking Points!
GUNNERS SHOW CHAMPION MENTALITY IN FIVE-MINUTE MADNESS
As if losing to Manchester City just 63 hours earlier wasn’t bad enough, Arsenal found themselves on the ropes again at Aston Villa on Saturday.
Mikel Arteta’s side trailed to Ollie Watkins’ opener, equalised through Bukayo Saka, then fell behind again to Philippe Coutinho’s strike.
With their title dreams starting to fade, Arsenal proved they have the character needed to cope with the strain of slugging it out with serial winners City.
Oleksandr Zinchenko, lured from City in the close-season, blasted Arsenal level before an incredible denouement.
Deep into stoppage-time, Jorginho’s shot hit the bar and cannoned back into play before striking Villa’s former Arsenal keeper Emiliano Martinez on the head and rebounding into the net for an own goal.
Arteta and his players celebrated with abandon and Gabriel Martinelli wrapped up a crucial victory with virtually the last kick.
Arsenal’s first win in five games in all competitions gave them renewed belief that a first title since 2004 is still on the cards.
“I think the last five minutes tell me how much we want it and that we have the quality, the unity and the belief that we can do it,” Arteta said.
“When we have clarity and intentions and we raise the level we can beat anybody and they’ve done it.”
Arsenal back on top after downing Villa | 00:58
LIVERPOOL STAR BECOMING ‘UNDROPPABLE’ AMID TOP FOUR CHARGE
After failing to register a win in 2023, it was all doom and gloom at Anfield.
But now, the mood has certainly lifted at Liverpool after two wins in two games.
Critics may have pointed out that a Merseyside Derby triumph over Everton came against a side mired in a fight for survival, but there was nothing to dispute about the win over Newcastle.
Two goals in seven minutes was all it took for Jurgen Klopp’s side to take the advantage over Newcastle at St. James Park, although the hosts did themselves no favours when Nick Pope was sent off for handling the ball outside the box.
With the 2-0 win, Liverpool handed Newcastle their first loss at home and just their second league defeat all season long.
Ironically, it was the Reds who gave the Magpies their only two league defeats although they had a late, late winner from Fabio Carvalho to thank for the first win.
This time around, it was the Darwin Nunez show.
Has Darwin Nunez finally turned a corner for Liverpool? (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
The Uruguayan has struggled at various times this season, whether that be the various missed chances or a red card in one of his very first games since moving in a $A112m deal from Benfica in the summer.
His goal return in the Premier League also hasn’t quite been what Liverpool had hoped for given the large fee, with just six goals to his name so far.
“It was a composed finish from Nunez, who looks like he is coming into his best form so far this season, and his timing could not be better with a top four race now alive and Real Madrid to come in the Champions League,” O’Neill wrote.
O’Neill also described the Uruguayan sharpshooter as “becoming an undroppable figure in Liverpool’s attack.”
With Liverpool now back in the hunt for a top four spot and Nunez firing, we can’t discount Klopp’s side just yet.
Jurgen Klopp’s side are finding form at just the right time. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
CITY BROUGHT BACK TO EARTH AS WAYWARD ATTACK EXPOSED
Manchester City’s brief spell at the top came to a frustrating end as Chris Wood’s 84th minute equaliser punished the champions for a series of missed chances in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest.
Pep Guardiola’s side had knocked Arsenal off top spot with a 3-1 win in north London on Wednesday and, although the Gunners had reclaimed pole position with their win at Aston Villa, City would have finished the weekend in first place if they had beaten Forest.
They were on course to do just that when Bernardo Silva fired them ahead in the 40th minute.
But Erling Haaland hit the bar and blazed the rebound over before missing another golden opportunity as City stumbled.
Although they are now two points behind Arsenal, who have a game in hand, City defender Kyle Walker warned the Gunners that his team will not give up on a fifth title in six seasons.
“We’re not down and we’re not out, we’ll keep going and keep fighting until the very end and put this down as a blip,” he said.
“It’s not ideal trailing Arsenal. We just need to make sure that these performances don’t happen again, we finish our chances and defend well as a team, and we stick together.”
Forrest stun City with late equaliser | 01:05
ENGLAND STAR’S ABSURD FORM SPARKS RED DEVILS FORM
Marcus Rashford is spearheading Manchester United’s bid to win a first piece of silverware since 2017.
United forward Rashford scored twice in Sunday’s 3-0 win against Leicester at Old Trafford, lifting his third placed side to within five points of Arsenal.
Rashford has scored 24 times in all competitions for United this season, the highest goal tally he has ever managed in a single campaign.
Remarkably, 16 of those goals have come in 17 appearances since he returned from the World Cup in December.
“It’s a nice feeling to be scoring goals and ultimately winning games,” Rashford said.
“There’s always something to push for and look forward to. I don’t feel like slowing down, I’m just trying to improve.”
Rashford will be the key for United in a pivotal week featuring the League Cup final against Newcastle on Sunday and the second leg of the Europa League knockout play-off against Barcelona on Thursday, with the tie balanced at 2-2.
Graham Potter insisted he is not at fault for Chelsea’s woes as the struggling Blues hit a new low in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat against Southampton.
Potter’s side were beaten by the Premier League’s bottom club, who took the points home from Stamford Bridge thanks to a trademark free-kick from James Ward-Prowse late in the first half.
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Southampton won for just the second time in the league since October, leaving hapless Chelsea’s winless run in the league at four matches.
Chelsea struggled to create clear chances and were booed off by frustrated fans at the end of an eighth goalless effort in their last 13 games.
With the pressure mounting on Potter, who was only hired to replace the sacked Thomas Tuchel in September, the former Brighton boss launched a stout defence of his credentials.
“After a 1-0 defeat at home, any criticism you get is understandable,” Potter said.
“We’ve had a tough period, we’ve had lots of challenges, integrating young players into the Premier League. Whilst results don’t go your way, it can be tough.
“I’m sure there will be people out there who will think I’m the problem. I don’t think they’re right.
Potter cut a frustrated figure during Chelsea’s shock loss to Southampton. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“I’m not arrogant enough to say their opinion isn’t worth articulating. My job is to help the team keeping working through a tough period.”
Chelsea spent more than $AUD525 million on new signings in the January transfer window, but Potter is yet to turn that huge investment into an improvement in results.
Aware of the talk that he could be facing the sack, Potter conceded Chelsea’s latest loss, coming days after a 1-0 defeat at Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League last 16 first leg, was another blow.
“The truth is we took a step back in our performance in the first half. The response in the second half was good, but not good enough,” he said.
Potter’s Chelsea has won just two games from their last 15. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)Source: AFP
“When we’ve lost 1-0 at home to Southampton, with the greatest respect to them, it isn’t good enough. The first half was as much my responsibility as anybody’s. I thought the performance wasn’t good.”
Potter’s problems were compounded by a serious injury to captain Cesar Azpilicueta in the second half, with the defender leaving the pitch on a stretcher with an oxygen mask after being kicked in the head by Sekou Mara.
“He’s in hospital. He’s conscious, he was speaking to his wife. We are obviously really concerned. He’s in the best place and we’ll keep monitoring him,” Potter said.
“I think he was unconscious. We have to take all the precautions we need to take now. It was worrying. It was a horrible incident.”
The clock is ticking on Friday evening’s (UK time) soft deadline for interested parties to submit official bids for Manchester United, as the tumultuous reign of the Glazer family nears its end.
There have been several reports as to who is in the race for the English powerhouse as the prospective new owners look to return United to the top of the Premier League once more.
Foxsports.com.au breaks down all of the key questions surrounding the United sale in what promises to be a deal of seismic proportions set to send shockwaves through the sporting world.
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The Glazer family bought Manchester United for the fee of $AUD1.3 billion in 2005 and have owned it ever since.
But in November last year, the Glazer family revealed it was “commencing a process to explore strategic alternatives for the club” which included “new investments into the club, a sale, or other transactions”.
For a large portion of United fans, the Glazer family revealing their intentions to sell came as welcome news given the vociferous protests over the years against their ownership.
However, it’s almost certain the Glazer’s are not selling the club to appease supporters.
Rather, it’s about making as much money back as possible.
Given the increased financial might of their Premier League competitors, especially that of Manchester City and newly-minted Newcastle United, more money than ever will need to be spent to compete.
That’s not something the Glazer family seem terribly keen on doing and having saddled the Red Devils with monstrous debts during the 2005 takeover, they are craving a major profit from their initial investment.
There’s also the element of Liverpool’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, also looking to sell or gain investment from outside parties, so the Glazer family also would not want to lose potential investors or new owners to an English rival.
Avram (left) and Joel (right) Glazer are looking to sell Manchester United. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
HOW MUCH ARE THE GLAZER’S SELLING FOR?
The $4.9b sale of Chelsea to Todd Boehly last year set a benchmark as to what the going rate would be for a big English club, but it appears the Glazer family want a substantial amount more.
According to The Telegraph, the Glazer family is seeking a staggering $8.7 billion for the club, but that figure could become lower in the official bidding process.
It is also worth noting the Glazer family has instructed the Raine Group to oversee the sale of the club as Chelsea appointed the same company to conduct their sale process.
Should the Glazer family sell United for their desired price, it would eclipse the world record of a sports team sale which is held by the Denver Broncos, who were sold for $6.6 billion last year.
Todd Boehly bought Chelsea from Roman Abramovich for a monster fee last year. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)Source: AFP
WHO ARE THE INTERESTED PARTIES?
As it stands, there is only one party to publicly declare their interest in purchasing Manchester United: British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Ratcliffe is the CEO of INEOS chemicals group and has a reported net worth of approximately $22 billion, per Forbes.
The 70-year-old already owns two football teams — Ligue 1 side Nice and Swiss outfit Lausanne-Sport — and was heavily linked with taking over Chelsea before Boehly eventually bought the London outfit in 2022.
Ratcliffe was named Britain’s richest man in 2019 and is the only countryman linked with a bid to take over United.
Although Ratcliffe is the sole figure to make a public declaration, several reports have stated parties from Qatar and Saudi Arabia are heavily interested in making a play for the Red Devils.
Qatar already owns Paris Saint-Germain through Qatar Sports Investments which makes any purchase a little bit tricky, but more on that later.
As for Saudi Arabia, The Telegraph reports a number of groups based in Riyadh have made “formal inquiries” into the sale.
However, the same report claims any bid for United is unlikely to come from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund which completed a takeover of Newcastle United in 2021.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has publicly declared his interest in buying Manchester United. (Photo by Valery HACHE / AFP)Source: AFP
HOW COULD QATAR OWN MAN UTD AND PSG?
According to UEFA regulations, “no individual or legal entity may have control or influence over more than one club participating in a UEFA club competition.”
That creates a massive hurdle should Qatar make a play for United through QSI, given they already own PSG.
PSG have qualified for the Champions League in every season since the 2012/13 campaign, while United have qualified for a European competition every season since 2015.
So, barring an absolutely catastrophic season from either team, UEFA’s roadblock is going to create some headaches.
However, a unique case passed by UEFA in 2017 would give QSI hope of owning PSG and United and allow them to compete in European competitions.
Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig and Austrian club Red Bull Salzburg are both owned by the energy drink group and have enjoyed tremendous domestic success since being bought by the company.
However, given the two teams play in different leagues and have different management setups, they were granted permission to play in the 2017/18 edition of the Champions League.
A statement by UEFA revealed “no individual or legal entity had anymore a decisive influence over more than one club participating in a UEFA club competition” but insisted both teams would still have to make “several important governance and structural changes” in regards to financing, personnel and sponsorship arrangements.
It doesn’t mean UEFA would take the same stance should QSI purchase United, but at least there is a precedent set.
QSI chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi could soon be president of both PSG and Manchester United. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)Source: AFP
COULD THE GLAZERS STAY ON?
Whisper it quietly, but there is a chance the Glazer family don’t complete a full sale of their controlling stake.
According to ESPN, the Glazer family are looking more in favour of bringing on a partner investor as opposed to an outright sale.
The additional investment would reportedly be used to help upgrade Old Trafford and the Red Devils’ Carrington training ground.
News of the Glazer family sticking around in Manchester would certainly not be welcomed by a majority of fans given their vocal protests over the years.
WHEN COULD A SALE HAPPEN?
Although a soft deadline to formally declare interest is almost here, no sale is likely to be concluded until the end of April, according to reports.
Should a sale be ratified around that time, it would give the new owner a full summer transfer window to make their mark on the playing squad should a full takeover be sanctioned.
Prospective new owners of Manchester United have until Friday to reveal their interest in buying one of the world’s biggest clubs, with the British press reporting a bid from Qatar which, if successful, will send shockwaves through European football.
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United’s current American owners, the Glazer family, opened the door to fresh investment in the English giants in November, either in the form of a minority stake or a full takeover.
Deeply unpopular with supporters since they saddled the club with huge debts in a $AUD1.4 billion leveraged takeover in 2005, the Glazers are ready to cash out their chips at an enormous profit.
According to reports, they are seeking $10 billion for the three-time European champions, which would smash the record fee for a football club set by Chelsea last year.
A consortium led by LA Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly and private equity firm Clearlake Capital paid $4.3 billion for the Blues with a further $3 billion promised in further investment in infrastructure and players.
To date only British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, owner of petrochemicals giant Ineos which also controls French club Nice, has come forward publicly as a potential buyer for United.
But reports of a bid backed by Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, refuse to go away.
And The Telegraph’s report revealing Saudi Arabia are interested no doubt adds extra spice into the battle for ownership, although the report claims no official offer has been made.
Qatar already wields plenty of influence in European football’s corridors of power.
Paris Saint-Germain have dominated French football since a takeover by Qatar Sports Investments — a subsidiary of the state’s sovereign wealth fund — in 2011 and lured some of the game’s biggest stars such as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar to the Parc des Princes.
Nasser Al-Khelaifi, president of PSG, is also chairman of the powerful European Club Association.
Just months after hosting the 2022 World Cup, a successful Qatari bid would give the Gulf state pride of place in the Premier League — the world’s most-watched domestic competition.
“Qatar’s investment into PSG has been tremendously successful but no other sporting league in the world has so much global exposure as the EPL (English Premier League),” said Danyel Reiche, associate professor of international relations at Georgetown University’s Qatar campus.
“Therefore, acquiring Manchester United would totally make sense.”
Ownership of United could also offer Qatar the chance to take bragging rights over gulf neighbours Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia’s stakes in English football.
Nasser Al-Khelaifi is the chairman of Qatar Sport Investments and president of PSG. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)Source: AFP
Abu Dhabi’s investment in Manchester City has transformed them into the Premier League’s dominant force, winning six titles in the last 11 seasons.
Newcastle United are flying high in fourth and into the League Cup final for the first time in 47 years just 16 months after a takeover from the Saudi sovereign wealth fund.
But neither City or Newcastle boast United’s tradition of 20 English titles and a massive global fanbase.
“The Gulf investments into European football clubs cannot be seen in pure economic terms. They serve the purpose of nation branding and as an international relations tool,” added Reiche.
“The rivalry between two countries in just one town, with Manchester City being owned by the UAE and Manchester United by Qatar, would be a new escalation in the rivalry between two countries with recently worsened relations.”
A Qatari bid would have a series of regulatory hurdles to clear. Amnesty International have called on the Premier League to tighten ownership rules to ensure they are “human rights-compliant and not an opportunity for more sportswashing.”
The Glazer’s are looking to sell Manchester United. (Photo Dario Cantatore/Getty Images via NYSE Euronext)Source: Getty Images
But the precedent set in green-lighting investment from Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia make it highly unlikely the Premier League would block a takeover.
UEFA’s rules that preclude two clubs being “directly or indirectly” controlled by the same entity from competing in the Champions League may be more troublesome.
A source with knowledge of the bid insisted to AFP that the bidders are not connected to the owners of PSG.
“The most important thing is that the potential bidder is neither QSI nor QIA (the Qatar Investment Authority sovereign wealth fund), it is a completely different fund,” the source said.
Trying to draw a distinction between Qatari-based funds will be met with scepticism from rival clubs.
Outrageous Adeyemi hurts Potter’s Blues | 01:29
However, Germany’s RB Leipzig and Austrian champions Salzburg have found a way around UEFA’s rules and have been able to participate in the same competition despite both being backed by Red Bull.
United have been in the doldrums since former manager Alex Ferguson signed off at Old Trafford with the club’s last league title a decade ago.
The Red Devils have not won any trophy for six years and failed to qualify for this season’s Champions League.
Friday’s deadline for bids to come forward could herald the start of a successful new era on the field fuelled by Qatar’s oil and gas wealth.
It remains to be seen, however, how fans of the Old Trafford club would react if a Qatari bid got the green light.
Chelsea has spent €611.49m ($A946.83m) on transfers since their ownership takeover this season (per Transfermarkt), but the Blues’ dire run continued in a 1-0 Champions League defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their Round of 16 clash.
Dortmund speedster Karim Adeyemi struck in the 63rd minute on a brilliant counter-attack, racing the length of the pitch before rounding the keeper and rolling the ball into the net just 16 seconds after a Chelsea corner was taken at the other end.
The Blues bombarded the hosts in the second stanza, but simply couldn’t find the back of the net as their scoring woes continued.
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Chelsea struck the bar through Joao Felix in the 37th minute, before defender Kalidou Koulibaly had a shot brilliantly cleared on the line by former Liverpool midfielder Emre Can 12 minutes from time.
The London side were also unlucky not to earn a penalty when Kai Havertz was taken down by centre-back Nicklas Sule in the box – who already tugged the shirt of the Blues forward outside the box. Sule appeared to miss the ball in his lunging tackle.
The Blues finished with a whopping 21 shots without scoring a potentially crucial away goal.
Dortmund’s German midfielder Emre Can (L) made a stunning clearance on the line.Source: AFP
Archie Winter said on Stan Sport: “They must be wondering how they haven’t scored again … Chelsea must be wondering if some sort of voodoo forces are against them right now.”
“It’s just crazy that they didn’t (score),” Socceroos great Craig Foster said.
Premier League legend Rio Ferdinand said on BT Sport: “Chelsea spent all this money in the last couple of windows and didn’t get a number nine in the team, that’s a problem.”
He added: “That’s something he (coach Graham Potter) will think ‘we’ll get that at some point’ … they got undone by a clinical bit of finishing which they didn’t have in their own team.”
It was Dortmund’s seventh win in as many matches in 2023, while Chelsea has won just once from their last nine matches in all competitions.
Tensions rose in the second period, with ten players earning bookings – and with Mason Mount and
The Blues sit 10th in the Premier League, 20 points off Manchester City and Arsenal.
Meanwhile, Benfica closed in on booking their place in the quarterfinals with a 2-0 win over Club Brugge in Belgium.
A Joao Mario penalty handed the Portuguese league leaders the lead six minutes into the second stanza, before David Neres doubled their lead in the dying minutes.
Paris Saint-Germain’s post-World Cup slide has continued with fellow European heavyweights Bayern Munich claiming a crucial 1-0 away win in the first leg of their Round of 16 Champions League tie.
Kingsley Coman struck against his former club in the 53rd minute, and the visitors’ held on for a valuable win despite a late Kylian Mbappe assault.
After losing to Monaco and Marseille in the league and French Cup respectively, PSG has now lost three matches in a row, and four of their past eight competitive fixtures.
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Paris Saint-Germain’s post-World Cup slide has continued.Source: AFP
It is the first time in the Messi-Neymar-Mbappe era that PSG has sustained such a winless run.
Mbappe provided a bright spark for PSG when he was substituted on in the second-half.
He twice scored goals that were ruled out for offside, and was a clear boost for the side despite not being fully fit.
Mbappe had been out of action with a thigh injury, which was meant to keep him on the sidelines for three weeks but he featured strongly against Bayern after only two.
Meanwhile, Messi was frustrated on the night, while Neymar was also kept quiet in front of goals.
Neymar did still grab attention, however, after a theatrical dive on the edge of the penalty area during the first half when Benjamin Pavard’s elbow made minor contact with his chin.
The Brazilian went down and clutched his face, forcing play to be stopped due to a potential head injury.
When it was clear that he was exaggerating, the commentator said: “On occasion he lets himself down with his behaviou.
“It’s difficult to sympathise with him.”
In the night’s other match, AC Milan beat Tottenham 1-0 at the San Siro.
Brahim Diaz bundled the ball into the net in just the seventh minute and Spurs couldn’t find an equaliser.
Manchester City shrugged off the uncertainty caused by a series of Premier League charges to close to within three points of Arsenal at the top of the table with a 3-1 win over Aston Villa on Monday (AEDT).
A cloud is hanging over the English champions after the Premier League hit the club with more than 100 charges alleging breaches of financial rules dating as far back as 2009.
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If found guilty, City could face a severe points deduction or even relegation from the top flight.
But City boss Pep Guardiola came out swinging in defence of the club’s hierarchy as he pointed the finger at jealous Premier League rivals for the accusations and his players followed him with a show of defiance on the field.
Rodri, Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez all struck before half-time at the Etihad to edge ominously into Arsenal’s rear-view mirror ahead of a clash between the two on Wednesday.
Arsenal still have a game in hand, but City will now move to the top of the table should they win at the Emirates in midweek.
The Gunners’ 1-1 draw at home to Brentford on Saturday opened the door for City and unlike last weekend, when the defending champions missed the chance to pounce with defeat away to Tottenham, this time they made no mistake.
Guardiola also learned his lesson from an experimental line-up at Spurs. Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte, Kevin De Bruyne and Gundogan were restored to the starting line-up and City looked much more like their old selves.
The City support made their feelings known before kick-off as the Premier League anthem was booed and a banner raised saluting the lawyer the club have hired to defend the charges.
Just four minutes in they had something to cheer as Rodri rose highest to power home a header from Mahrez’s corner.
Jack Grealish was in the mood to do some damage against his former club and only a brilliant finger-tip save from Emiliano Martinez denied the England international from finding the top corner.
Much was made of City’s reluctance to hit Erling Haaland early in a feeble surrender to Spurs last weekend and the Norwegian was a far more persistent threat in behind the Villa defence.
Haaland, who joined City for $90m (AUD) in the off-season, created the second as his pace beat Martinez to De Bruyne’s ball over the top and he picked out Gundogan at the far post for a simple finish.
Grealish then lured Jacob Ramsey into a clumsy challenge to win a penalty, which Mahrez slotted home as Haaland surprisingly stepped aside.
That decision was perhaps explained by Haaland’s withdrawal at half-time as he appeared to be nursing a thigh issue, which will be a concern for Guardiola.
So too will be his side’s defensive record as another clean sheet was spoiled when Douglas Luiz robbed Bernardo Silva and freed Ollie Watkins to fire into the far corner on the hour mark.
Villa substitute Jhon Duran then smashed against the bar in stoppage time, but a second-half rally was too little, too late for Unai Emery’s men.
Erling Haaland has subbed off at half time. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
RASHFORD’S HOT STREAK CONTINUES AS RED DEVILS BRUSH ASIDE RIVALS
Marcus Rashford extended his hot streak with the late goal that inspired Manchester United’s 2-0 win against old rivals Leeds on Monday.
After Rashford scored to spark United’s comeback from two goals down in Wednesday’s 2-2 draw with Leeds, Rashford tormented the Yorkshire club once again.
Rashford netted with 10 minutes left at Elland Road to make it four successive Premier League games with a goal for the England forward, who has scored in eight of his last nine appearances in the competition.
Following Alejandro Garnacho’s frustrated reaction to being substituted on Wednesday, the Argentine teenager made amends as he came off the bench to seal United’s hard-fought victory five minutes after Rashford’s goal.
United’s win was just their second in their last five league games, although they have now lost just once in their last 17 matches in all competitions.
Erik ten Hag’s side moved up to second place, although Manchester City would go back above them if they beat Aston Villa later on Sunday.
More importantly, United are seven points clear of fifth placed Tottenham in the race to qualify for the Champions League via a top four finish.
The clash was marred by offensive taunts from the stands, with Leeds fans singing about the 1958 Munich air crash that killed several United players and their rivals in the away end responding by chanting about the deaths of two Leeds fans in Istanbul in 2000.
Rashford heads home the opener against Leeds. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Fourth bottom Leeds are without a win in their last nine league games and would drop into the relegation zone if Everton beat Liverpool on Monday.
Since sacking Jesse Marsch on Monday, Leeds have seen their move for Rayo Vallecano boss Andoni Iraola blocked by his club, while Feyenoord’s Arne Slot and West Brom’s Carlos Corberan ruled themselves out of contention.
Leeds chief executive Angus Kinnear insists the search is “well advanced”, but Michael Skubala was in charge for a second game on a caretaker basis.
Amid a cacophonous noise at Elland Road, Leeds made a frenzied start, with Crysencio Summerville firing over after a mistake from United left-back Tyrell Malacia.
In keeping with the aggressive tone of one of English football’s bitterest rivalries, there were early bookings for Summerville and Leeds team-mate Junior Firpo for a pair of crude fouls.
In the midst of a frenetic clash littered with fouls, Bruno Fernandes’s attempt to chip Illan Meslier was halted by a block from Robin Koch, with the United midfielder’s appeal for handball waved away.
Summerville was denied by David De Gea when he tried to poke home at the near post.
Fernandes wasted a golden opportunity when he ran clean through on goal after Max Wober’s mistake, only to shoot straight at Meslier.
Garnacho sealed the win for United. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Summerville carried the main threat for Leeds and he forced a good save from De Gea soon after the interval.
United were on the back foot and Luke Ayling went close with a shot that deflected narrowly wide off Luke Shaw.
After scoring United’s equaliser against Leeds in midweek, Jadon Sancho had been rewarded with his first league start since October, but the England forward was largely anonymous and came off after an hour.
United defender Diogo Dalot almost ended the stalemate with a fierce strike against the bar from the edge of the area.
De Gea had to make a smart save with his foot to deny Summerville’s drive from a tight angle before United finally made the breakthrough in the 80th minute.
Shaw whipped over a teasing cross and Rashford found space to thump in a powerful header from 10 yards, with the forward’s 21st goal this season surviving a VAR check for offside.
Garnacho put the result beyond doubt five minutes later when he surged into the area and shot past Meslier via the near post.
A furious Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said he has no intention of leaving the English champions after the club were charged with more than 100 breaches of financial rules by the Premier League.
City could face points deductions or even relegation from the English top flight if they are found guilty of the alleged breaches, between 2009/10 and 2017/18, by an independent commission.
Guardiola has previously said he would walk away if he found he had been lied to by the City hierarchy over allegations that they broke financial fair play (FFP) rules.
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However, the City boss, who has won four Premier League titles in the past five years, said he believed the latest case would end in the same manner as a previous UEFA charge.
City were banned for two years from UEFA competitions in February 2020 by European football’s governing body for “serious financial fair play breaches”, but the sanction was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport later that year.
“My first thought is that we have already been condemned,” Guardiola said at his pre-match press conference on Friday, ahead of Sunday’s clash with Aston Villa. “We are lucky we live in a country where everyone is innocent until proven guilty. We didn’t have this opportunity. We have been sentenced already.”
“In case we are not innocent, we will accept what the judge or the Premier League decide. But what happens if in the same situation that (the) UEFA (case) happened, we are innocent? What happens to restore or pay back our damage?”
Guardiola recently extended his contract at the Etihad until 2025. His seven-year stay in Manchester is already the longest of his managerial career.
“I’m not moving from this seat. I can assure you more than ever I want to stay,” he said. “Sometimes I have doubts because seven or eight years is a long time but now I don’t want to move on.
“People say ‘they lied to you’. They didn’t lie to me. Look what happened at UEFA.
“Now it is the same case. Why should I not trust my people and trust the other CEOs of the other clubs?”
Red Devils fight back to salvage a draw | 01:54
– Self-interest –
Guardiola believes the self-interest of City’s Premier League rivals is behind the charges. “Of course – it is the Premier League. I don’t know why. You have to ask the CEOs, (Tottenham CEO) Daniel Levy, these kinds of people.”
“They open a precedent now, with what they have done to us,” he said. “Be careful in the future because many clubs can make suggestions and a lot of clubs can be accused, like we are accused, without being innocent.
“When they push to get rid of us, it is obvious they believe we didn’t behave properly. We can accept that, but let us defend (ourselves).”
City have not been their usual force on the pitch in recent weeks, with three defeats in their past six matches, and they trail Arsenal by five points at the top of the Premier League.
But he does not believe the off-field drama will distract his players ahead of a crucial period.
City face Arsenal on Wednesday before a return to Champions League action the following week against RB Leipzig.
“It hurts when they want to take out what we won on the pitch,” said Guardiola. “When it happened on Monday, (there was) a lot of rumours, noise. I had a feeling when the games are coming back everyone is going to do the job they have to do. The players on the pitch and the lawyers in the court.”
