Chelsea draw exposes Ruben Amorim’s biggest issue – too many Man Utd players are not good enough

So much has been made of Manchester United’s poor recruitment over the past decade and, inevitably, it was another one that got away who came back to haunt them and compound the sense that this remains a club for whom it is a long, long way back to the top.
Moises Caicedo scored a superb volley for Chelsea to quickly cancel out Bruno Fernandes’ penalty and deny interim head coach Ruud van Nistelrooy the prize of winning his first Premier League game – and what will be only one of two – in charge.
The in-tray for United’s next head coach, Ruben Amorim, who will have watched this game from his home in Portugal, will be large, daunting and near the top will be the need to get the basics right: signing players who are good enough.
That will not be his responsibility, given the structure United have now put in place under sporting director Dan Ashworth, but the waste simply cannot go on especially after the half a billion spent under Erik ten Hag.
Caicedo is one of those that United could have signed, under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but decided against. It happens but it must be a source of regret and embarrassment that they held talks over buying the Ecuador international for just £4.5million back in January 2021 only to back out of the deal.
The rest is history with the dynamic midfielder joining Brighton & Hove Albion instead and then Chelsea for a £115million fee that makes him the most expensive player in the Premier League.
Last season he struggled to live up to that stellar billing but here he utterly dominated Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte – almost £120million worth of a central midfield that frankly does not look up to it. Like Caicedo, Ugarte is 23, so there must be hope the potential is there, and the Uruguayan made his name of course under Amorim at Sporting. So Amorim knows what he can do. But on this evidence the Premier League looks too fast for Ugarte and, bizarrely for such an apparently combative player, he lacks aggression at the right times. For example, in one moment he turned his back on the ball allowing Cole Palmer to bring it down and switch play with Pedro Neto shooting narrowly wide.
In a sense this game summed up United. It was neither one thing nor the other. It was a game that was far too open, too chaotic and yet not that exciting. They could have won and they could have lost. It had little sense of organisation, little identity and ended in an unsatisfactory no-man’s land of a draw. It was all a bit ‘meh’, in fact. It felt like drift which again raises the question whether United could have tried harder to bring Amorim in early and not during the international break. Are they wasting precious time or playing the long game?
The draw leaves them in 13th place with 12 points having won just three of their 10 league games so far this season. It confirms their worst start to a league season since 1986-87 when they collected just eight points when Ron Atkinson was sacked and a certain Sir Alex Ferguson arrived. Again the rest – and far more significantly – is history.
Is that a portent of things to come under Amorim? That would be a ridiculous expectation for the 39-year-old who can, rather like Ferguson did back in the 80s, go through every department of this underperforming, underwhelming squad and pinpoint far too many players who are not as good as they think they are or are just not good enough.
Fourth-placed Chelsea were far from their best – and this was a disappointingly quiet game for Palmer – but there is already a coherence and purpose and aggression to the league’s youngest team under Enzo Maresca even if they have also spent an extraordinary amount of money to basically be a work-in-progress.
United were undoubtedly better than under Ten Hag but there is an edge lacking to an attack of Rasmus Hojlund, Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho and it remains to be seen whether Amorim can find that. Or whether it even exists.
According to the statistics, United are the worst in the league at converting big chances and they have scored just nine goals – their fewest at this stage since 1973-74 (when they ended up relegated!)
As Frank Lampard, on pundit duty for Sky Sports, put it: “Watching this today I am thinking, how good are these players?” And that goes to the first point made in this report – how have United been so neglectful in their recruitment since Ferguson retired? It is a neglect that goes back to that first summer, to 2013, when David Moyes arrived and was promised he was getting Cristiano Ronaldo and Cesc Fabregas… and ended up signing Marouane Fellaini.
Even so it looked like they would gain what would have their most significant win of the campaign so far when Hojlund collected Casemiro’s flighted pass and was brought down by Robert Sanchez. Bruno Fernandes scored from the penalty spot with Van Nistelrooy running down the touchline punching the air.
Tellingly, they could not hold on. Just four minutes later Casemiro only headed a Chelsea corner to the edge of the penalty area, where Caicedo took a step back and volleyed low into the corner of the net for his first league goal of the season.
What a hit from Moisés Caicedo! 💥 pic.twitter.com/K6ZiaUZsaG
United will point to Rashford striking the crossbar at the end of the first half and to chances spurned by Garnacho and substitute Joshua Zirkzee. But Chelsea also struck the goal-frame, with Noni Madueke heading against a post from a corner and had opportunities of their own while Lisandro Martinez was fortunate not to be sent off late on for an ugly challenge on Palmer. Both sides will believe they should have won. Neither did enough to.
“It was a great moment when you hear Old Trafford explode [when Fernandes scored the penalty] and then the emotion explodes. It is special and I enjoy every second of it as long as I am here. I am here to help. I will bet behind the new manager.
“I think we are behind the new manager and everyone at the club is focused on the two games ahead. After that we will get behind and work hard to make Manchester United better every day. Over the coming days and weeks we will talk about what my future will be.
“We had the better chances and I was disappointed we did not get the three points.”
“Everyone knows how much I wanted the goal to come. I need to help the team with goals and assists. It has been one of the most disappointing things this season – but I got some in the cup. Now scoring in the Premier League. It was a lot of disappointment in the dressing room. We could have won the game.
“Not much has changed. In midweek the goals went in. I said to some friends everything will come to us and people will say we wanted the manager to be sacked. We get the point and we can be happy for that. We need to be disappointed because we’re far back in the league.
“Ruud is a nice guy, humble for someone who won everything at the club. I am a big fan of Sporting and watch a lot of their games. Ruben Amorim brought the excitement back to the club – it was a little bit split when he came [to Sporting]. He transformed everything and brought everyone together.”
On Bruno Fernandes’ comments on Erik ten Hag’s sacking:
“Too little, too late. You are judged for what you have done on a football pitch. Bruno did not show that leadership, but you also have to move on.
“A lot of players do not care that much, they just focus on the next manager. I do not think Bruno has done enough as captain over the last year or so to help the manager out.
“He has not shown enough leadership skills when the going has got tough.”
“We knew it was a difficult game for many reasons. We scored, we came back. After the goal we tried to win. We are happy because we knew how difficult it would be.
“The [United] players want to prove they are good enough. A new manager with different ideas so we had to prepare a different way.”
On the half-time change, bringing on Marc Cucurella for Malo Gusto: 
“It was quite clear. We tried something different tactically. Not an injury for Malo [Gusto], just a tactical decision.”
“It was the chance to score a goal. I did it. I am so happy. We knew if we waited for a long time [to equalise] it was going to be complicated. I am so happy to equalise.
“We deserved to win. We knew it would be a tough game but we were prepared for it. I am so happy for the team. It was a great fight.”
“Of course we fought. We could have won the game. It was a good game from both sides but not the result we wanted. We had good spells in the game but we did not win.
“I always look at the goalkeeper before facing them for a penalty. I changed the way I wanted to take it and I was successful.
“Every week is challenging at the club. It does not matter if you win or lose. It is a different week as Erik [ten Hag] is gone, which is not good for anyone at the club when the manager goes because the club is not where it should be. The manager is the one who pays and it is never nice as the players have to take some responsibility. If he goes it is because the team has not done well and the individuals have to look at themselves. It is easier to get rid of the manager rather than 15 players. 
“I spoke with Erik and apologised to him in case I could have done something. I feel really disappointed that he is gone. I was not scoring goals and as a team we are not scoring goals. I feel a lot of responsibility for that. I am a person who pushes himself to be better all the time. I need to deal better with the expectation I put on myself.
“I have spoken with Ruben [Amorim] a couple of times but nothing major. I watch every Sporting game as I used to play for them. We will play the best for Ruud [van Nistelrooy] in the next few games as he deserves that, with full focus on him.”
Roy Keane says he was a lucky boy. He describes it as a nasty tackle. If he had been sent off he would have had no complaints.
Frank Lampard and Jamie Redknapp feel it was a red card.
12 – With just 12 points won, this is Manchester United’s worst return after 10 games of a league campaign since 1986-87 (8). Construction. pic.twitter.com/j98JW1zVrW
5 – None of the last five managers taking charge of their first Premier League away game at Old Trafford have lost (Iraola, Postecoglou, Kompany, Slot & Maresca); the longest such run in the competition’s history. Unscathed. pic.twitter.com/Xwu0FVMHLl
There was a distinct lack of quality for large periods of that game but Chelsea’s equalises from Caicedo was a moment of quality.
Out of this world. 🤯#CFC | #MUNCHE pic.twitter.com/aBJsDAbTWY
“Nobody is really happy with it because both managers will say they could have won with the chances they had.
“There were not many clear-cut chances. The keepers were not flying about. Players on both sides did OK but I did hope for more goalmouth action. Honours even is about right.
“I cannot really split the teams today. No player was outstanding.”
You cannot really disagree with Jamie Redknapp’s assessment of that match. The two goals in quick succession brought the game to life but for large parts there was a distinct lack of quality.
“There is a long way back. This is an average Manchester United team.
“‘Boring’ seems a bit strong. But they lack conviction. It is really disappointing. This team is way off it.
“A really disappointing performance. United are a bit average at everything and they are not special. The lack of goals is hard to believe.
“When you look at United, they play for moments. That’s nowhere near good enough for a United team.”
With a point, Chelsea move into the top four, ahead of Arsenal on goal difference.
Manchester United are 13th, six points off Chelsea in fourth.
“I’m not quite sure what to make of it.
“I think Enzo Maresca will be slightly disappointed, his team are in a far more mature moment.
“Overall, it was a disappointing game in terms of quality.”
Possession: Manchester United 46%-54% Chelsea
Shots: 11-12
Shots on target: 4-3
Corners: 4-8
Touches in opposition box: 20-24
This is the most drawn game in Premier League game so maybe it was entirely predictable that today’s game was going to finish all square.
Fernandes’ corner is poor and is headed away at the front post. There is the final whistle and it ends all square at Old Trafford. Fernandes had given Manchester United the lead from the spot but a stunning equaliser from Caicedo just minutes later means both sides take a point from the match.
Garnacho sends in a dangerous ball, trying to find Zirkzee but Caicedo steps in with a vital interception. Still time for a late, late corner.
Martinez takes out Palmer and initially Robert Jones allows plays to go on but comes back for it. It is a very nasty studs-up challenge from Martinez on Palmer’s knee, who is booked. A brawl has ensued as both sides clash. VAR is checking and sticks with the on-field decision of a yellow card. Martinez is a lucky, lucky boy as he knew exactly what he was doing there. Jackson and Amad have also been booked in the aftermath of the challenge.
VAR have just reviewed Lisandro Martinez’s challenge on Cole Palmer and agreed with referee Robert Jones that a yellow card was appropriate. It’s a bad challenge, though, from the United defender. Palmer scoops ball over him and is away when Martinez rakes his studs down the Chelsea player’s left knee before catching him with the same studs on his right foot. It wasn’t pretty.
#MUNCHE – 90+3’The referee issued a yellow card to Martinez for a challenge on Palmer. VAR checked for a potential red card and confirmed the referee’s call of no red card, deeming that it was a reckless challenge.
Garnacho sends in a cross from the left but there is far too much on it.
Four added minutes.
Another chance in quick succession for Manchester United. Fernandes attempts a through ball inside the Chelsea box and the ball pops back up to him. He hits it on the volley and his eyes light up, but he absolutely wastes the chance and blazes it over.
So close from Garnacho. Some inside Old Trafford thought that was going in. Garnacho hits it on the half volley from the left-hand side of the box but his rising shot goes just over the bar.
Fernandes smashes the ball behind for a corner after Mudryk had got into the Manchester United box. Chelsea take it short, work it to the right and then switch it back to the left. A reverse ball from Mudryk finds Palmer on the left-hand side of the box but his cross is smothered by Onana.
A clever flick on by Fernandes sets Zirkzee running through towards goal but he is caught up and the chance goes for the home side. Zirkzee looked like a player short of confidence there.
Casemiro then cynically takes down Neto on the right-hand touchline and is correctly booked.
Manchester United double change:
OFF Hojlund, Ugarte
ON Zirkzee, Lindelof
That second change is a defender on for a midfielder so how will that work for Manchester United. It appears for the time being at least Lindelof is on into midfield.
We enter into the final 10 minutes at Old Trafford and the game has been brought alive by those two goals. Can either side find a winner?
Big, big chance for Chelsea to take the lead. A deflected ball forward falls into the path of Jackson after a slip from de Ligt. He lays it back to Fernandez on the edge of the box and he should hit the target but somehow lifts it over the bar.
This game has burst into life and what a quality goal to bring Chelsea level. A corner for the visitors is headed out to the edge of the box by Casemiro. Caicedo watches it all the way down onto his boot on the edge of the box and the accuracy is spot-on, finding its way into the bottom corner. Game on.
Changes for both sides. Manchester United bring on Amad Diallo for Rashford. Chelsea just before had brought on Fernandez and Mudryk for Lavia and Madueke.
He sends Sanchez the wrong way and passes into the bottom left-hand corner. Manchester United take the lead and Ruud van Nistelrooy is delighted, fist-pumping to the crowd. Not actually the best of penalties but if you send the keeper the wrong way it does not matter. Replays have picked up Casemiro and Onana knelt down on halfway, seemingly hoping and praying that Fernandes would score. When he did, they hugged.
Hojlund goes down and referee Robert Jones points to the spot. Casemiro lifts a ball over Fofana’s head and lands at the feet of Hojlund. The Danish striker gets a touch before Sanchez gets to him and then goes down. Sanchez pleads his case but that is not going to be overturned. Rash I think you would describe that as from Sanchez.
Rashford is not going to get away with his reaction after he concedes a free-kick. He wanted a free-kick of his own and tried to plead his case with the linesman. He pleads too hard and is booked for dissent.
Big, big chance for Manchester United. They win the ball on halfway and Fernandes has acres of space down the right. Inside the Chelsea box he cuts it back to Garnacho, who wastes a great opportunity as the connection on the shot is terrible and it is a simple save for Sanchez.
Cucurella drives in a shot from outside the box but it is blocked by Dalot. Moments later Neto tries his luck from distance but his effort is rather tame and it is an easy save for Onana down to his left.
Manchester United have scored just eight goals in the Premier League this season so far, with only Southampton below them on seven. A pretty damning statistic for Manchester United.
Madueke wins a corner down the right for Chelsea. Palmer swings it in but Dalot stoops down to head away.
Ugarte finds Rashford in space out on the right with a diagonal ball. Rashford sends it into the area which has too much on it for Hojlund but James takes no risks with Garnacho behind him and pokes it behind for a corner.
Fernandes takes it short, which sets up a chance for Rashford on the edge of the box but his effort is straight at Sanchez.
Chance for Chelsea. Palmer finds Neto in acres of space down the left. He moves into the Manchester United box and drives a shot across Onana’s goal. It goes just inches wide of the far post and Chelsea were very close to taking the lead.
Cucurella wins a corner off Dalot down the left. James sends it in but Casemiro is on hand to head away at the front post.
Ugarte needs to be careful here as he is penalised for a foul on James. That foul was nowhere near being a yellow but he is inching closer to a second yellow.
We are back under way at Old Trafford.
Chelsea have made a change at the break as Cucurella replaces Gusto.
Possession: Manchester United 47%-53% Chelsea
Shots: 4-6
Shots on target: 1-1
Corners: 1-4
Touches in opposition box: 8-16
Huge chance for Manchester United with the last kick off the half. Fernandes sends a cross to the far post, where Rashford meets it. He hits it on the volley and it clips the top of the bar.
That is the final act of the half and it remains goalless at the break at Old Trafford, although Manchester United claim close to taking the lead with the final touch.
Palmer sends it in but Casemiro heads away.
Neto neatly keeps the ball in play down the left and skips past Dalot, who decides to cynically take down his compatriot near the edge of the Manchester United box. Clear yellow card.
There will be two added minutes at the end of this first half as Palmer stands over the free-kick.
Palmer eases past Casemiro and Rashford on halfway with a superb touch and then drives forward into the Manchester United half. As he approaches the Manchester United box Ugarte cynically takes him down and receives a yellow card.
Fernandes takes and it hits the wall. Manchester United are on the attack again moments later and Garnacho gets to the ball before it goes out of play for a goal-kick. His cross is blocked by the legs of Sanchez. Rashford then sends in a cross that is easily caught by Sanchez.
Chelsea lose possession on halfway and Ugarte charges forward. He is fouled by Gusto on the edge of the box just as he is taking on the shot and just as Hojlund takes on a shot, the referee’s whistle goes. Hojlund’s shot was saved but even if that had gone in it would not have counted as the whistle had gone.
Ferandnes and Rashford are standing over it…
Chelsea win another corner, this time off Casemiro. Chelsea play it short and then send it in. It looks like an easy catch for Onana but somehow he drops it. He escapes as he re-gathers quickly.
Manchester United are pleading for a yellow card for a foul by Caicedo on Fernandes but referee Robert Jones does not agree, deciding a talking-to is all that is required.
Ugarte shoves Gusto over on the edge of the Manchester United box but play is allowed to go on and Chelsea win a corner. Palmer sends it in but the whistle goes and Manchester United have a free-kick.
James lifts the ball in behind the Manchester United defence to find Gusto, who pops up from his right-back role in the centre-forward position. He hooks it back to Jackson, who in turn hooks it over Martinez but his touch is too heavy and it roles through to Onana.
Chance for Garnacho. Hojlund is out on the left and plays the ball across. It is behind Rashford but comes to Garnacho on the right. From the edge of the box he has the time to curl one into the far corner but it is too straight and tame, which makes it an easy save for Sanchez.
Rashford gets past Gusto and his cross is blocked by Sanchez. It comes back to Fernandes, who cannot get his shot on target. Manchester United are appealing for a penalty after an incident involving Hojlund and Colwill left the former clutching his face on the ground but nothing given.
Rashford is slow back to his feet after falling down the steep decline off the edge of the Manchester United pitch but is ok.
Fernandes sends in a good cross from the right, looking for Hojlund but Sanchez is off his line quickly to punch away.
Manchester United are so, so lucky. Onana gives a horror of a pass to Casemiro inside their own penalty area and a block from Caicedo loops over the bar.
Rashford keeps going and going down the left and eventually wins a corner off Fofana.
Chelsea just about get rid of the danger.
Gusto’s cross is blocked by Martinez and Chelsea have a corner on the right. Palmer whips it in and Madueke heads against the post from no more than three yards out. It comes back to Colwill, whose shot hits the side netting. Colwill stays down after a challenge from Martinez after he had taken the shot. VAR has checked and cleared the incident.
Caicedo wins the ball inside the Manchester United half and drives towards the home penalty area. He feeds it forward to Palmer, who is jinking in and out. de Ligt does well to make the block and it goes behind for a corner.
James sends it in but it lands on top of the net. There was plenty of grappling inside the Manchester United box when the corner came in and the hosts were perhaps a little lucky not to be punished for any of it.
Neto feeds it onto Palmer on the left-hand side and the Englishman has plenty of time to send in a cross but overhits it. A player of Palmer’s calibre should be doing better with the time and space he had to deliver that.
Gusto sends in a cross from the right but none of his teammates can get on the end of it and the Manchester United defenders leave it for Onana to gather.
Fofana fouls Hojlund within 20 seconds of the start inside the Chelsea half, which will give Fernandes the chance to whip it in.
He sends it in but it is headed away.
We are under way at Old Trafford.
United are fielding a very young bench, a reflection of the extent of the injuries with which they are again wrestling. Left back Harry Amass impressed on United’s summer tour although the 17-year-old is still awaiting his senior debut. Jack Fletcher is the son of United’s first team coach and former midfielder, Darren. A midfielder, he arrived from Manchester City in 2003 with his twin brother Tyler. Jayce Fitzgerald is another midfielder, still just 17, who grew up in Salford and has represented United since he was a kid. He was part of the Under-18s side that won the title and Premier League Cup last season. Striker Ethan Wheatley was United’s 250th academy graduate to play for the first team and will be hoping for another appearance off the bench here.
Both sides have emerged from the tunnel and we are just moments away from kick-off at Old Trafford.
A roar of approval from the home fans for Ruud van Nistelrooy as he comes out of the tunnel and walks down the touchline.
Manchester Utd: Onana, Mazraoui, de Ligt, Martinez, Dalot, Ugarte, Casemiro, Rashford, Fernandes, Garnacho, Hojlund. 
Substitutes: Bayindir, Lindelof, Zirkzee, Diallo, Evans, Wheatley, Amass, Fletcher, Fitzgerald. 
Chelsea: Sanchez, Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, James, Caicedo, Lavia, Madueke, Palmer, Pedro Neto, Jackson. 
Substitutes: Jorgensen, Cucurella, Adarabioyo, Badiashile, Fernandez, Mudryk, Joao Felix, Nkunku, Veiga.
“The bottom line is, the managers at Man Utd have not won enough football matches. They have all been at 54 or 55 percent, Mourinho was at about 58 per cent. 
“The problem is Pep across the road is on about 70 percent, so Amorim will need to get over 60 per cent wins to try and get a little bit close to Pep. That is if he hangs around.
“He has to win football matches, who have done a decent job, they have won a few cups or whatever, but clearly that is not good enough for the owners, they have to be competing at the top, they have to certainly be in the Champions League for financial reasons. It is a big ask, you wish him well, but it is going to be huge.”
Manchester United interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy has just been speaking to Sky and has said there has been no contact with Ruben Amorim, with the incoming head coach having no say over selection for this game.
20 minutes till KO. ⏱️#CFC | #MUNCHE pic.twitter.com/EDDCqaAGF3
Who do you think will come out on top at Old Trafford this afternoon? Remember you can have your say in the comments section at the bottom of the blog.
“Time is of the essence for the new manager, because he has to figure out who he wants and the players he does not want. Roy alluded to it, a lot of players have got managers sacked here by showing a lack of effort, which you cannot have at a club like Man Utd.
“For INEOS, they have got huge decisions coming up. I know [Gary] said it is their first decision they have had to make, but they made the first one and they got it wrong: giving Ten Hag a contract in the summer. He should never have been given that contract, everyone can see it and once you start looking for other managers he is naked in that dressing room. He has no chance then.
“Because you have got a Sir on your name [referring to Jim Ratcliffe], you think these guys must know [what they’re doing], they have got great business acumen, football is different.
“They have got to get it right very quickly here, give the players the opportunity that he feels they need and then as soon as he is not sure about them, they are going to have to move on and get him his team as quickly as possible and give him the time to produce that.”
“It makes it tough [starting midway through the season]. He has made a good name for himself, he has got a certain idea, a philosophy, in a different league albeit, but to come here and make the difference is going to take time and it is going to take work.
“If he is to change the system, it is very hard coming in mid-season to not be able to lay down your ideas.”
It is all over at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the home side have turned it around. Aston Villa led 1-0 at half-time but Tottenham have stormed back in the second half to win 4-1. You can catch all the reaction to that match here.
“This is INEOS’ first appointment, saying it has to work feels a little bit desperate, but it will have to go better than it has done over the last 10 years.
“The last five permanent managers have failed, they have not been able to get the best out of the players, either, the ones they have inherited or the ones they have signed.
“It has become a graveyard for players, I have said that before. It is an important appointment – not one they would have wanted to have made, they would have wanted about 12 months to embed the changes that are happening around the club.
“There is huge changes happening around the club, off the pitch and on the pitch, in the sporting department. But they have had to make the decision because the results have been shocking and the performances of the players have been terrible under Erik ten Hag.”
Checking in. 🫡#CFC | #MUNCHE pic.twitter.com/MVncyO79BR
Ruud van Nistelrooy expects his friends and former Manchester United team-mates to turn on him if his side performs badly against Chelsea – and the caretaker manager has no complaints.
The Dutchman is in charge for three more games before Ruben Amorim officially takes over from Erik ten Hag on November 11, during the upcoming international break.
Van Nistelrooy, winner of his first match in interim charge over Leicester in the Carabao Cup, will also take control for home matches with PAOK Salonika and Leicester, again, in the Premier League.
To read more, click here.
Manchester United make one change from their Premier League defeat against West Ham last Sunday. Manuel Ugarte replaces Christian Eriksen, who is not in the matchday squad.
Manchester Utd: Onana, Mazraoui, de Ligt, Martinez, Dalot, Ugarte, Casemiro, Rashford, Fernandes, Garnacho, Hojlund. 
Substitutes: Bayindir, Lindelof, Zirkzee, Diallo, Evans, Wheatley, Amass, Fletcher, Fitzgerald. 
Chelsea are unchanged from their last Premier League game; a 2-1 home victory over Newcastle. Jadon Sancho is ineligible against his parent club.
Chelsea: Sanchez, Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, James, Caicedo, Lavia, Madueke, Palmer, Pedro Neto, Jackson. 
Substitutes: Jorgensen, Cucurella, Adarabioyo, Badiashile, Fernandez, Mudryk, Joao Felix, Nkunku, Veiga.
Tottenham were 1-0 down against Aston Villa but have turned it around to lead 3-1 with around 10 minutes left. You can follow the closing stages of that match with our dedicated live blog.
Enzo Fernandez is on the bench for Chelsea today and earlier this week Enzo Maresca said Fernandez cannot be an automatic selection in his team just because he cost more than £105 million.
“If you remember, questions were asked about Moi [Caicedo] and the price the club paid for him. That is not an Enzo problem or a Moi problem. Just because the club spent £100 million, people expect them to be the best player. It is not about how much you paid.
“At the end of the day they are human beings and if you pay £100 million that is not my problem. You want to buy me then you pay that money. That does not mean that every game you have to be the best. At the end of the day they are football players and they cannot always be at the top level.
“At this moment, Enzo is not playing but there is no problem with Enzo. He is doing well in the time we are giving him chances. The only reason he is not playing is because the physicality I prefer in the middle is from Moi and Romeo.
“That doesn’t mean Enzo isn’t going to give us physicality in the future but the noise about Enzo is because clubs pay so much money for players so people expect they will always be the best. That is not so.”
Another four Viktor Gyokeres goals on Friday night and more for the highlight reels of this tall, elegant striker impatiently carving through retreating defences, and spanking free-kicks so hard that one suspects books fall from shelves in nearby houses. A whirlwind through Portugal’s Primeira Liga, with 66 goals in 63 games and 19 assists to underscore the point.
The story of Sporting’s trading under Ruben Amorim, as well as director of football Hugo Viana and the head of scouting Flavio Costa is one of staggering success – even by the standards of Portuguese football. Gyokeres feels like the crowning glory for the Lisbon club, because he was signed from Coventry City under the noses of the Premier League. An inspired acquisition by Sporting and not because he was cheap. He was the record transfer fee paid at a club that cannot afford expensive mistakes. They went all in, when they could easily have hedged bets elsewhere.
Sam Wallace gives his views on why Amorim can buck the trend at Old Trafford.
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The Ten Hag era is over, how will an enthused United fare when they host Chelsea today. Back your selection with these best betting sites.
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The new Manchester United chief executive, Omar Berrada, sacked Erik ten Hag on Monday morning and then boarded a flight to Lisbon to tell Sporting face to face that United wanted their manager Ruben Amorim – and they wanted him as soon as possible.
That morning, Berrada, who officially joined United on July 13, and his new sporting director, Dan Ashworth, had dismissed Ten Hag.
The Dutchman had lasted two years, six months and seven days at Old Trafford. The settlement was generous but that meant little to Ten Hag. He was devastated that it was over. Ashworth stayed to support the club’s interim coach, Ruud Van Nistelrooy. In Lisbon, Berrada met Sporting’s president, Frederico Varandas, and its sporting director, Hugo Viana, who was also on his way to Manchester City.
Our chief football writer Sam Wallace has the inside story of how Manchester Utd appointed Ruben Amorim.
Manchester United take on Chelsea at Old Trafford this afternoon but all the build-up has been dominated by the appointment of a new manager at Manchester United. After defeat at West Ham last Sunday, Erik ten Hag was sacked on Monday and by the end of the week the club confirmed they had a new manager in the shape of Ruben Amorim. The 39-year-old Portuguese has signed a contract until June 2027 but will not leave his current post at Sporting until 11 November, meaning Ruud van Nistelrooy will continue to remain in interim charge for Manchester United’s next three fixtures before the November international break. Manchester United have paid £8.3m to trigger Amorim’s release clause. One of Amorim’s final games in charge at Sporting will be against Manchester City in the Champions League on Tuesday.
It is currently uncertain whether van Nistelrooy will stay on at Manchester United when Amorim takes over. Chelsea are coming up against van Nistelrooy today but their head coach Enzo Maresca has given his backing to Amorim.
“I watched many games of Sporting, I know the way they play, it’s fantastic,” he said. “The way they defend, the way they attack, they are very good. For sure I have no doubt he’s going to do a great job at Man United.
“Probably the only difficulty that he’ll find is it’s a different country, Portugal to England. It’s a matter of adapting to that. In terms of football, he’s a very good manager and he’s going to do a great job with Man United.”
Manchester United currently sit in 14th place in the Premier League, closer to the relegation zone than they are the top four. Meanwhile Chelsea sit sixth after winning their last league game at home against Newcastle last Sunday.
Both sides were involved in League Cup action in midweek. Manchester United beat Leicester City 5-2 on Wednesday night in van Nistelrooy’s first game in interim charge to progress to the quarter-finals but Chelsea’s chances of winning the League Cup are over after a 2-0 loss at Newcastle.
Manchester United will be without Antony, Harry Maguire, Kobbie Mainoo, Tyrell Malacia, Mason Mount, Luke Shaw and Leny Yoro. Chelsea will not be able to call upon Jadon Sancho, who is ineligible against his parent club.
Manchester United are unbeaten in their last 11 home league games against Chelsea, winning five and drawing six, and can win three in a row against Chelsea at Old Trafford for the first time since 1957. Chelsea beat Manchester United 4-3 in a crazy match back in April despite trailing after 90 minutes and are vying to claim back-to-back league victories against Manchester United for the first time since 2011.
Team news to follow shortly.