Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola issued a public apology to former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard on Tuesday over comments made in the wake of the Premier League hitting City with over 100 breaches of financial rules.
The English champions 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.
Gerrard’s slip in a defeat to Chelsea in 2014 opened the door for City to win the Premier League title, two years before Guardiola arrived in Manchester.
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The slip.Source: Twitter
In his first press conference after the charges were revealed, Guardiola said: “I don’t know if we are responsible for Steven Gerrard slipping.”
However, the City boss said he had since been in touch with the former Aston Villa manager to offer his apologies.
Gerrard is considered one of the best players in Liverpool’s history despite his failure to win a Premier League title.
“I apologise to Steven Gerrard for my unnecessary and stupid comments, that I said last time about him,” said Guardiola.
Matildas take on Spain in Cup of Nations | 00:47
“He knows how I admire him for what he has done in the country where I live. I defended my club but I didn’t represent my club well with my stupid comments. I am ashamed.
“I have apologised to him privately but, like the comment was public, my apology must be public as well.”
City may have the threat of being stripped of league titles hanging over them, but Guardiola’s men are back in the race to win a fifth Premier League crown in seven years on the pitch.
They travel to league leaders Arsenal on Wednesday, knowing victory will lift them to the top of the table on goal difference.
“Of course, an important one, everyone knows it, we know it and we have to try to perform well,” added Guardiola on the top-of-the-table clash.
“It will be a big, big battle in every department. You have to be ready.” Erling Haaland is an injury doubt after coming off at half-time of Sunday’s 3-1 victory over Aston Villa with a knock to his thigh.
“We train this afternoon and we will see,” said Guardiola when asked for an update on the Premier League’s top scorer. “Right now I don’t know.”
On an amazing week of basketball in Melbourne, the highlight might well have been the Summer Jam Festival at Prahran Gardens and all you had to do was look at the way it was embraced from current and former NBL players around the country and the public to get a good idea of its reach.
What a weekend of basketball it was in Melbourne. There was a record crowd attending the WNBL match at John Cain Arena between Lauren Jackson’s Southside Flyers and the Sydney Flames.
Summer Jam is presented by Jordan and Foot Locker
Then on Sunday, there was a sold out crowd for the last game of the NBL regular season for Melbourne United against the Adelaide 36ers with a potential playoff spot on the line.
But what captured the imagination more than anything was the 11th annual Summer Jam Championship held at Prahran Gardens as the event continues to go from strength to strength.
Summer Jam co-founder Eamon Larman-Ripon spoke with Fox Sports leading up to the 2023 event and was excited about what was in store, but now that it’s all said and done, it surpassed even all of his expectations.
“It’s all about connecting culture and community through this sport and it was all that and then some,” he said.
“It was pretty hard to top Year 10 with Prahran taking it home in the fashion that they did, but with the grand final going into overtime and the energy out there on the basketball court as the lights were on, and the people were around, it’s hard to sort of describe.
“I don’t think anything can match it here in Australia. It was cool for anyone who hasn’t seen it before but even more magical that it happened for a second time now. It’s setting a precedent now that is something pretty special and we are proud of that.”
Just taking a look at some of the winning teams and players involved in the finals on Sunday tells you all you need to know about the quality of the basketball.
The 5×5 men’s winners were the Draft City Ballers team out of Brisbane which included former Adelaide 36ers captain and 260-game NBL veteran Brendan Teys along with former NBL players Tad Dufelmeier and Kian Dennis along with Daereon Jones, Nelson Kahler, DeOla Brown, Lachlan Headlam and Rhyss Lewis.
The men’s 3×3 winners came out of Perth with former NBL pair Marshall Nelson and Damien Scott along with Julian Pesava and Keegan Phillips from the Hoopwithem team.
Not to be outdone, the women’s 3×3 winners featured Courtney Wilkins, Jacqui Trotto, Tori Jackson and Saraid Taylor on the Blues Crew.
Xavier Cooks wins NBL MVP | 00:45
WHY IT’S CONNECTING SO WELL WITH EVERYONE
Basketball is a culture and Summer Jam has connected so well with not only providing basketball action, but becoming a cultural event where everyone can come along and be part of the festival even by being on the sidelines.
That’s something that Larman-Ripon takes great pride in and why they feel it’s taken off so well because there was a real void in the Australian market for such a festival embracing both basketball and that culture side of it.
“It’s amazing to see why people are so connected and that’s because what we did in the beginning was we celebrated the sport, and also celebrated a side of the sport that wasn’t being celebrated here in Australia,” he said.
“But there was definitely a need for it. I think us finding that niche absolutely means that we can be so grateful that everyone wants to be part of something like this. And their passion shines through and we’ve created a home for a lot of people away from home.
“For them, it’s a matter of finding something really special to be part of and they’ve found a home here. This is something that will build throughout the year as well and then by the time next year comes around, no one will want to miss it.”
Melbourne lose out in epic final NBL day | 03:09
SHINING ON MASSIVE WEEKEND
Almost 20,000 people attended the WNBL and NBL games at John Cain Arena across the weekend with the record set on Saturday for the Flyers-Flames women’s game and then the sold out crowd for the United-36ers men’s match up on Sunday.
However, Summer Jam absolutely was the talk of the town by Sunday night.
“It was a really exciting weekend of basketball here in Melbourne obviously,” Larman-Ripon said.
“There was a lot going on with men’s and women’s professionally, but I suppose for the semi-pros, ex-pros or the guys who might have just missed that shot or window, that’s who we provided a platform for.
“The fact that this is only on once a year, it was kind of a special event to see. It was also really special to see some of the NBL guys lining up on the sidelines once their game had finished too just to show this was the place to be and they were all super excited to be there.”
A big crowd turned out to watch Melbourne United play the Adelaide 36ers. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Not only were there plenty of big time stars on the court for the finals throughout Sunday, but once Melbourne United’s NBL game finished at John Cain Arena, a host of the players popped down to take in the Summer Jam action too.
Seeing the crowd flock to United star import Rayjon Tucker provided one of the lasting images of the entire event and just showed the passion and energy it creates.
“It’s nice to see what that excitement creates. Tuck and a few more of his teammates not only to be on the sidelines but to really be immersed in it was amazing,” Larman-Ripon added.
“At one point they all kind of gathered around the team players benches and security tried to move them on, but I stepped in and let the security know they’re NBL players and they all want to be in and around the action.
“It was cool to see that and it’s nice to know that they want to come down and support something like what we do, and becoming a major part of it.”
Everyone got around Summer Jam. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
HIGHLIGHTS OF EVENT
All you need to do is take a look at not only the talented players on the teams that won in Prahran on Sunday across the competitions, but all the players that took part across the weekend to know what a success it was.
For Larman-Ripon, having the Melbourne event attract teams from across the country was a massive sign of how far it’s grown over the past 11 years.
“I think some of the highlights for me was having the Perth teams over, that was incredible,” he said.
“Both teams played with such passion, such professionalism and they were all really recognised as teams to beat, especially Hoopwithem. They were a class team with a lot of NBL1 players but Team Binar really stole the hearts of a lot of people and it goes beyond just those two Perth teams.
“We had other teams from interstate, I think there was six in the end and having them part of it but also their fans come along was really special. That was one highlight that stood out to me.”
It’s not just the actual basketball either. Everything surrounding the event makes it a festival with something for everything and Larman-Ripon even feels it more than rivals what the Australian Open does in Melbourne every January.
Rayjon Tucker was a major attraction during Summer Jam. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“Also just the expansion of the event as a festival and people comparing it to the AO,” he said.
“I know it’s on a smaller scale, but personally I think basketball’s a little cooler than tennis. To just see the little kids enjoying it and having that family element and all the other activations that went alongside it.
“We had our podcasting room, the 2K tournament and we had hoops set up that didn’t stop having kids playing.
“That’s what leads into the future is them seeing something like this and it gives them something they will never forget, and they’ll be bugging their parents about coming back next year so that’s really special.
“Then there’s the level of play too. That took everyone aback and everyone was so impressed with how high the standard of basketball there was. We’re really looking forward to what can come about next year now.”
Wildcats nick NBL finals spot late | 00:30
WHAT’S NEXT FOR SUMMER JAM
While this week has been all about recovering from the weekend and packing up, there’s already excitement around what 2024 will hold and where Summer Jam might end up.
Larman-Ripon is keeping his cards close to his chest right now, but expect some big announcements to come.
“Our plans for next year are still a little bit up in the air and that teams extends a lot more than to just Daniel and I,” he said.
“We’ve got our partnerships as well and there’s a lot of people involved who make this happen so we need to take stock and talk about everything with a lot of people.
“This is a good time to talk about all the ideas we might have for next year while the iron is still hot, but our main goal has always been to continue topping ourselves, and to continue providing a platform for everyone. That’s not just the basketballers, but people on and off the court.
“How we do that is still up in the air a little and I’ll keep a couple of secrets, but there’s definitely a lot in store and it just means there’s a fair bit of work to do. However, this is our life’s work and this is what Daniel and I are all about.”
Jackjumpers thrash Hawks in Wollongong | 01:12
Melbourne will always be home to Summer Jam in Australia, but given the success of the event in Perth the last two years and then having teams from across the country come to Prahran to take part, it is inevitable that further expansion is on the agenda potentially as early as 2024.
“I think Sydney is knocking on our doors and given a Brisbane team just won it, they could be in the mix,” Larman-Ripon said.
“I keep hearing from people in Adelaide wanting us to come there. We really want to connect with New Zealand and that would be incredible to have an NZ team over here with the strong basketball community they have.
“Then the Asia-Pacific region is up for grabs I feel with what we’re doing. In terms of our next city, I think we’ll still take it slow and not rush into anything, but Sydney’s got a really good following at the moment and being an international city and stamp on any map, it makes it an obvious one.
“But in saying that, Melbourne has such a great sporting culture that this will always be our home and it’s important for Summer Jam to have the reach that it does here.
“We’ve definitely opened up a lot more eyes and I hope especially we’ve got the attention of the main man Mike and he’s aware of us being on the map like the tournaments around the world in places like Paris and New York.”
Liverpool has ended their four-game winless run in the Premier League with a crucial 2-0 win over Everton to secure bragging rights once again in the Merseyside Derby.
Goals either side of half-time from Mohamed Salah and January recruit Cody Gakpo did the damage as Jurgen Klopp’s side moved to within three points of sixth place.
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The Reds, boosted by the presence of returning trio Diogo Jota, Virgil van Dijk and Roberto Firmino on the bench, were at their counterattacking best throughout.
Salah’s opener arrived thanks to a blistering run forward from Darwin Nunez after Everton defender James Tarkowski’s looping header smacked off the post from a corner.
Nunez’s run down the left attracted the attention of the Toffees’ Vitalii Mykolenko, who was the last man back for the corner, as the Ukrainian was left unaware of the Liverpool trio making streaking runs behind him.
Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring the opener for Liverpool in the Merseyside Derby. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Nunez’s cross from the left then found the feet of Salah who, with the aid of some questionable positioning from Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, finished first time for the goal.
Fans on social media were quick to take the mickey out of Pickford for his error.
Liverpool’s second goal came courtesy of yet another counter-attack, as a driving run forward from Andy Robertson sliced Everton open before he released the ball to Salah who had plenty of room to run on the right.
The Egyptian laid the ball in the path of right back Trent Alexander-Arnold who had burst forward on the overlapping run.
Alexander-Arnold then fired a first-time cross along the ground for Gakpo, who was unmarked at the back post, to tap home into an empty net.
Although Liverpool had several chances throughout the second half to extend their lead and compound Everton’s misery, they failed to find the target.
David Beckham has emerged as a PR pawn in the billion-dollar battle for ownership of Manchester United as the ‘soft’ deadline to submit a bid looms.
The Glazer family, who currently own the Red Devils, have set a deadline of Friday for interested parties to officially submit bids to take the club off their hands.
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Sir Jim Ratcliffe, one of Britain’s richest men with a staggering estimated net worth of $15 billion, per Forbes, is one name who has made his interest in buying the club public.
The Telegraph also reports American consortiums and Middle East investors are also in the mix, with at least four groups emerging as serious contenders.
Despite the different backgrounds of all reported bidders, they are united by one thing: securing Beckham to be a public backer for their bids.
The Telegraph claims the bidders are prepared for what’s being described as a PR war and the former United star and England captain is seen as an ideal candidate for a public face.
However, the report claims Beckham has turned down all approaches so far.
Beckham will also reportedly not be attached to any bids from Qatar, the nation whom he signed a $21m, three-year ambassadorial deal with.
Since his retirement from football in 2013, Beckham has stepped up his investments in football.
The 47-year-old is a director and owns a minority stake in League 2 side Salford City along with former United teammates Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes as well as Gary and Phil Neville.
He is also a co-owner of MLS outfit Inter Miami CF, who enjoyed their best season in 2022 having finished 6th in the Eastern Conference.
Czech international midfielder Jakub Jankto said on Tuesday (AEDT) that he was gay in an emotional video on his Twitter account.
“I am homosexual and I no longer want to hide myself,” Jankto said in English.
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Only a handful of top players have publicly come out as gay while still playing.
Justin Fashanu came out in 1990. Josh Cavallo, at Adelaide United, came out in October 2021 and Jake Daniels did so at English side Blackpool in May 2022.
Jankto, a 27-year-old winger on loan at Czech top-flight side Sparta Prague from Getafe, became the first player attached to a club in La Liga to come out.
“Like everybody else, I also want to live my life in freedom, without fears, without prejudice, without violence, or with love,” he added.
“I have a job and I have been doing it as best as I can for years, with seriousness, professionalism and passion,” said Jankto.
Sparta Prague said Jankto had previously told the club and his teammates about his sexual orientation.
Jakub Jankto came out as gay in an emotional post on social media. (Photo by David Lidstrom/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
The fight for sporting equality took a significant step forward after a record-breaking Women‘s Premier League auction, writes LACHLAN MCKIRDY.
The Women’s Premier League auction promised to be a history-making night for cricket.
Instead, it became the moment women’s sport changed forever.
As Australian players watched on from their phones at their World Cup training camp in South Africa, not even they could comprehend the paradigm shift that was about to take place.
In terms of team sports, they are now among the highest paid female athletes on the planet. And this, of course, does not take into account their central contracts with Cricket Australia, nor their WBBL contracts, nor the deals some have signed with The Hundred in the UK.
Just over a month ago, the WPL was still an unknown quantity.
Teams hadn’t been confirmed.
No one was sure how the broadcast rights would fall.
But on Monday night, Australia’s world champion players went under the hammer and were signed up for the inaugural season of the competition to eye-watering sums.
Ashleigh Gardner was the big winner, picked up by the Rachael Haynes coached Gujarat Giants for 3.2 crore ($AUD558,000).
Let’s reflect on that for a moment.
In 2008, Australia’s top 20 women’s players shared a pool of $500,000 with a select few earning an additional $15,000 in marketing contracts.
Gardner will earn more than all of them combined.
In the WBBL’s inaugural season in 2015, the top player retainer was $10,000.
Gardner will pocket that in a couple of overs.
She was far from the only Australian to earn big money on Monday night.
Ellyse Perry was the next to go, earning $296,000 to form a superstar trio along with Smriti Mandhana and Sophie Devine at the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Beth Mooney sparked a fierce bidding war, eventually selling for $349,000 to join Gardner at Gujarat. Tahlia McGrath picked up $244,000 to join the UP Warriorz. Meg Lanning earned $192,000 while Alyssa Healy and young all-rounder Annabel Sutherland both earned $122,000.
The salaries place Australia’s cricketers among the highest earning female athletes in the world among all team sports.
A recent report in The Sun listed the top contracts in the Women’s Super League, which features the likes of Sam Kerr, at approximately $AUD435,000 a season.
The top earner in the WNBA, Jackie Young of the Las Vegas Aces, earns an average annual salary of close to $AUD365,000, according to NBC. That’s a similar figure to Trinity Rodman, the highest paid player in the NWSL per ESPN, who takes home approximately $AUD397,000 per season.
The Aussies in the WPL will earn their salaries for less than a month of work.
The signs were there that the WPL auction was going to be a watershed moment. More than $AUD835 million was shelled out for the ownership of the five franchises, while Viacom18 put together a record-breaking deal of more than $AUD1 million a game for the broadcast rights.
And in December, more than 45,000 fans crammed into the DY Patil Sports Academy in Mumbai to watch Australia take on India in a T20 match. Australian players returned home thinking about the significance of the moment, knowing they hadn’t experienced anything like it before outside of the momentous T20 World Cup final at the MCG in 2020.
But none anticipated the enormity of the occasion on Monday night.
History may well remember the auction as the evening the glass ceiling was shattered and the sky, at long last, became the limit.
Lachlan McKirdy is a content producer for CODE Sports who focuses on Cricket, NRL and the Olympic sports. Lachlan has a passion for storytelling and enjoys sharing the incredible stories of athletes performing on the domestic and international stage.
The Matildas will come out “all guns blazing” with spots on the line at their dress rehearsal for the World Cup with superstar skipper Sam Kerr ready to bring her scintillating form with Chelsea back home.
There were goals, assists and clean sheets galore for several of our Socceroos stars.
Check out how some of the Aussies abroad performed over the weekend in the latest edition of Roo Radar!
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In the Premier League, Leicester City’s Harry Souttar made his home debut for the Foxes against Tottenham Hotspur.
Despite the teams’ vastly different positions on the ladder, it was Leicester who showed Spurs how it’s done in an emphatic 4-1 victory.
Souttar had a major hand in the Foxes’ third goal, as it was his ball over the top of Spurs’ backline that put Leicester striker Kelechi Iheanacho through on goal in first-half stoppage time.
The towering Aussie also kept Spurs superstar Harry Kane quiet throughout the game in an impressive display as the Foxes have two wins and eight goals scored from the two games Souttar has played in.
Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers described Souttar’s performance as “class” as the Socceroo continues to prove he belongs at this level.
“He’s calm in possession, he passes the ball well from behind, he makes a great pass for our third goal,” Rodgers said.
“I’ve been absolutely delighted with him, he’s settled in really, really well.”
Harry Souttar has his first Premier League assist. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
In the Championship, Middlesbrough midfielder Riley McGree continues to impress under Michael Carrick as the Aussie got on the scoresheet in his side’s 3-1 win over Cardiff City.
McGree was pivotal to Boro’s opening goal when he played a neat one-two with Marcus Forss which put the Aussie into space before cutting the ball back in the box, although forward Cameron Archer got a toe on it to officially be credited with the assist.
The Aussie midfielder was a constant menace throughout and got the goal his performance deserved in the 90th minute when he was on hand to convert from teammate Matt Crook’s ball across the face of goal.
McGree then delivered a rather unusual celebration in front of the travelling Boro faithful as Carrick’s side sit in third on the Championship ladder.
Several Socceroos north of the border were in action and put in impressive shifts.
Celtic star Aaron Mooy’s absurd run of form continued as he provided the assist for the Hoops’ first of five goals in a 5-1 win over St Mirren in the Scottish Cup.
Mooy was slipped in on the right hand side before crossing the ball into the path of Celtic striker Daizen Maeda who slid the ball into the back of the net.
The assist was the latest goal involvement for the 33-year-old, who now has nine goal involvements in last 11 games across all competitions.
Aaron Mooy continues to chalk up goals and assists. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Hearts midfielder Cameron Devlin also played a part in his side’s Scottish Cup clash, scoring the Jam Tarts’ second goal in a 2-0 win over Hamilton Academical.
Elsewhere across Europe, there were more goals, a clean sheet and a welcome return for one Socceroo.
Connor Metcalfe made it two goals in two 2. Bundesliga games for St. Pauli in their 1-0 win over FC Kaiserslautern.
The midfielder throw a small feint that left his marker for dead as St. Pauli defender Eric Smith played a perfectly-weighted pass over the top of the backline for Metcalfe to run on to.
Metcalfe didn’t even need to take a touch to control it as he curled home a first-time effort to score the only goal of the game.
In the Eredivisie, Socceroos gloveman Mat Ryan kept his first clean sheet for his new team as AZ Alkmaar thrashed Excelsior 5-0.
The win keeps AZ in second place on the ladder, just two points behind league-leaders Feyenoord and one point ahead of Dutch giants Ajax in third.
Midfielder Denis Genreau logged his first Ligue 1 minutes since October as the silky Socceroo got 27 minutes of action for Toulouse in a 3-1 win over Rennes.
Genreau recently underwent groin surgery and will hope for more time on the park in the coming months.
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.
Nathan Jones has been sacked by Southampton after just 14 games in charge.
The Welshman, 49, succeeded former boss Ralph Hasenhuttl in November but has failed to turn the Saints’ fortunes around.
The final straw came in the shape of today’s 2-1 home defeat to fellow strugglers Wolves at St Mary’s.
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The club said in a statement: “Southampton Football Club can confirm it has parted company with Men’s First Team Manager Nathan Jones.
“First Team Coaches Chris Cohen and Alan Sheehan have also left the club.
“First Team Lead Coach Rubén Sellés will take charge of training and prepare the team ahead of next weekend’s game against Chelsea.”
Argentine Marcelo Gallardo is one of the favourites to take over, along with Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard and former Reds boss Rafa Benitez.
Nathan Jones, Manager of Southampton, reacts prior to the Premier League match between Southampton FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Friends Provident St. Mary’s Stadium on February 11, 2023 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Jones won five of his 14 games in charge in all competitions after succeeding Hasenhuttl, losing the other nine.
SunSport revealed last week that the former Luton manager had already lost the faith of many members of his squad.
Many of the club’s first team squad questioned Jones’ tactics, while feeling his coaching was not at the level of Hasenhuttl’s.
He then angered some members of the team by blaming them for his reluctance to switch to his so-called “preferred style”.
Fans have also voiced their discontent towards Jones in recent weeks.
In Saturday’s dismal defeat to Wolves, Saints supporters chanted “You’re getting sacked in the morning” to the Welshman.
One fan was even kicked out of St. Mary’s for waving a giant P45 cutout with Jones’ name on.
Potter pleads for patience at Chelsea | 01:11
Jones, 49, made two big calls prior to the defeat to Wolves – dropping regular defenders Duje Caleta-Car and Armel Bella-Kotchap from the squad entirely, with Ainsley Maitland-Niles playing at centre-back.
Saints took the lead on 24 minutes, when Carlos Alcaraz converted beyond Jose Sa.
Just three minutes later Wolves ace Mario Lemina was red carded against his former club, putting Jones and Co in a commanding position.
But the ten men came roaring back, with Jan Bednarek’s 72nd minute own goal equalising for Julen Lopetegui’s side before Joao Gomes struck an 87th minute winner.
The result saw Southampton stay bottom of the pile with just 15 points from 22 games this term.
Jones said: “I’ve compromised certain principles because of personnel, but also the way people want to play — because of fans.
“I’ve been very successful playing a fluent style, Luton were a real aggressive front-footed side.
“Statistically, there weren’t many better than me around Europe in terms of aggression, clean sheets, defending the box, balls in the box, xG, all those sort of things.
“We were pound-for-pound the best because we were spending next to nothing and producing so much. I’ve gone away from that because it’s the Premier League and due to certain players and internationals.
“I’ve had to compromise certain things and I won’t do that again.”
Saints travel to Chelsea next weekend, before a trip to Leeds the following Saturday.
They will next be in action at St Mary’s on March 1, when they take on Grimsby in the FA Cup.
