Man Utd: Ashworth’s ‘top’ target is ‘biggest threat’ to Ten Hag with Ratcliffe ‘leaning towards decision’

Alex Ferguson will be honoured in statue form by former club Aberdeen.

Ferguson guided the Dons to European Cup Winners  Cup glory in 1983, beating Real Madrid 2-1 in the final in Gothenburg.

He also oversaw three league titles, four Scottish Cups and one Scottish League Cup during his eight-year stint at the club between 1978 and 1986.

Aberdeen announced on Thursday they had commissioned a bronze Ferguson statue, located on the external concourse outside the Richard Donald Stand at Pittodrie, which is expected to be unveiled later this year.

I am thrilled and honoured by this recognition from Aberdeen Football Club, where I spent a fantastic and memorable part of my managerial career, Ferguson said.

I am particularly pleased with the image the…

Reigning Ligue 1 champions PSG have made their second signing of the summer, although this can qualify as their first “purchase”. After acquiring Ander Herrera on a free transfer, now Les Parisiens have signed Pablo Sarabia, from Sevilla, on a five-year contract. The talented attacking midfielder will be part of the Ligue 1 giants until the end of the 2023-24 campaign.

However, Sarabia might not have the same ascendancy he had while at Sevilla. During the 2018-19 season he was the focal point of Los Nervionenses’ attacking line, but we shouldn’t expect him to have such a role at PSG. In fact, he might even struggle for playing time if everyone is fit.

Let’s analyse how Sarabia might fit.

Natural role: Attacking midfielder

Sarabia thrives when playing …

It should come as little surprise that Mohamed Salah was the Premier League s most clinical scorer in 2017-18, according to Opta s expected goals (xG) statistic, while Crystal Palace s Christian Benteke languishes at the wrong end of the spectrum.

Expected goals (xG) measures the quality of a chance based on several variables such as assist type, shot angle, distance from goal and whether it was a headed shot.

Adding up a player or team s expected goals can give us an indication of how many goals a player or team should have scored on average, given the shots they had taken.

According to Opta, Liverpool s prolific marksman Salah tallied 24.34 xG in the Premier League this season, but netted 32 times for a difference of +7.66.

17 Mo Salah has scored agai…

Juan Iturbe is determined to build on an indifferent start to life at Roma and stay injury-free during the Serie A club s upcoming season.

Having earned a move from Verona during an impressive 2013-14 campaign, Iturbe failed to live up to his big-money move at the Stadio Olimpico as he struggled with fitness setbacks.

The former Porto forward managed four goals in 37 appearances for Rudi Garcia s side, but is determined to demonstrate his quality this season.

I want to start well, that’s important for a long season, he told reporters at Roma s Pinzolo training camp.

There s always criticism whether you play well or not, but I don t care what they say. I only listen to the coach and my team-mates.

I m strong mentally, even when I wasn t …

The Premier League s relentless schedule continues with matchday 19 this weekend.

Keeping on top of your fantasy teams has been tough with the intense fixture list and increasingly regular postponements due to the coronavirus pandemic.

To make things a little bit easier, we have used Opta data to highlight a few candidates for selection in your side.
 

NICK POPE

Burnley may only be four points clear of the drop zone, but when Pope is in the team they are difficult to beat.

Since the start of November, no goalkeeper to have featured at least four times has conceded fewer than Pope (four).

He has kept five clean sheets during that run and has the best save percentage in the Premier League at 90 per cent.

MOST CLEAN SHEETS 2020/21:…

Sir Alex Ferguson has dismissed suggestions that Manchester United are close to offering Cristiano Ronaldo a new contract by insisting that the European champions are happy with the remaining length of the player s current deal.

With Real Madrid expected to renew efforts to sign Ronaldo next year, it is likely that United will open talks over a new deal with the Portuguese forward at the end of the season.

At that stage, he will have three years left to run on his 120,000-pound-a-week deal, but Ferguson admitted recently that the summer of 2009 will be a key stage of Ronaldo s contract.

Yet despite Ronaldo s agent, Jorge Mendes, being spotted at Old Trafford last week, Ferguson insists that the player s current deal does not require urgent renewal.

F…

Wesley Sneijder has revealed that Inter blocked his move to Manchester United in 2010.

The Dutchman, who moved from San Siro to Galatasaray in January, claims he had held talks with the Red Devils three seasons ago following the Italian side s Champions League success.

However, Sneijder believes that the Nerazzurri demanded too high a figure from the Premier League giants, scuppering the deal.

We had some talks with Alex Ferguson back in 2010, he told Galatasaray Dergisi. They (United) contacted the club after our treble season but too much money was asked for. And I was also happy at Inter so I decided to stay.

Manchester United are a fantastic club and they kept showing interest after that year but not as determined as before.

I don t give mu…

Germany boss Joachim Low wants no repeat of an early defeat in Euro 2016 qualification when they start on the road to the 2018 World Cup against Norway.

Just months after becoming world champions in 2014, Germany were beaten in Poland, eventually winning their group by just a point on the way to the European Championships in France.

Low s men also dropped four points against Republic of Ireland, but the 56-year-old expects a more impressive return this time, starting with their opening in Norway on Sunday.

We came here to Norway to win, he told the media on Saturday. In the Euros qualifying, it was difficult, we lost the first [away] game.

This time I do not want to experience such a mixed qualifying. For us it is very important that tomorrow we highly …

Roma could move 12 points clear of arch-rivals Lazio in Serie A with victory in the Derby della Capitale on Sunday.

Rudi Garcia s men currently sit a point adrift of league leaders Juventus, having closed the gap with a 1-0 midweek victory at Udinese.

The Rome derby  one of the fiercest rivalries in European football highlights this weekend s action and gives Roma a chance to climb above the defending champions if only briefly ahead of Juve s meeting with Napoli later on Sunday.

Garcia s side will also revel in the chance to put real daylight between themselves and their neighbours and defender Davide Astori knows his side are entering a crucial period of the campaign.

Now the fun begins, because we have closed the gap on the top of the table,  he …

Cristiano Ronaldo s first-half brace saw Juventus come from behind to claim a 2-1 first-leg win against Inter in the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia.

Lautaro Martinez put speculation of a new contract aside to fire Inter in front before Ronaldo emphatically dispatched a 26th-minute penalty.

There was still plenty for Ronaldo to do 10 minutes before the interval when Samir Handanovic charged out to leave his goal unguarded, yet the 35-year-old clipped home with aplomb.

Inter had the better of the second half but were unable to find a response as top scorer Romelu Lukaku served a suspension.

Gianluigi Buffon endured a moment to forget on his 1,100th career appearance as Inter took a ninth-minute lead.

1100 Gianluigi will play tonight his 1100th …