Man Utd
Rashford could still be drawn into an Amorim reunion in preseason
Rashford may meet Amorim again in Milan, adding intrigue to United’s final preseason fixture.
Marcus Rashford may yet be forced into an awkward meeting with Ruben Amorim, despite the forward spending much of the summer trying to move on from the past.
Nineteen months ago, Amorim made his feelings plain when he said he would rather use his 63-year-old goalkeeper coach Jorge Vital than Rashford at Manchester United. The winger was later pushed into the club’s “bomb squad” last summer after returning from a loan spell with Aston Villa, before joining Barcelona on loan. There, he helped the Catalans win La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup while Amorim was dismissed in January.
Even after Rashford made clear his wish to stay with the Spanish champions, Barcelona did not activate his buy option. That sent the 28-year-old back to Old Trafford, where he remains under contract until June 2028.
Michael Carrick has since arrived as the new man in the dugout and has given the forward a fresh start this preseason. Yet Rashford may not be able to avoid Amorim after all.
United are scheduled to face AC Milan in their final preseason fixture before the 2026/27 campaign on Saturday, Aug. 15. Amorim is now in charge of Milan after replacing Massimiliano Allegri in June. Had the game come earlier in the tour, Rashford would likely have missed the meeting because he is still resting after the 2026 World Cup and has not yet joined up with the Red Devils, just like Kobbie Mainoo and Lisandro Martínez.
The pair are due back on Monday for the penultimate leg of United’s tour in the Republic of Ireland, with Rashford expected alongside them. Carrick is unlikely to throw him straight into the match against Leeds United days later, which would make the Milan game the likeliest stage for a long-awaited reunion.
That would add another layer to a match already loaded with interest. It would be Amorim’s first game against his former side since his difficult spell ended seven months ago. Across 63 games at United, more than a third ended in defeat, while he managed only 15 wins in 47 Premier League matches.
His time there was marked by sharp press conferences and divisive calls, not least his criticism of Rashford’s training habits. Now he faces both the club he left behind and the player he helped force out of Manchester.
Rashford, meanwhile, rediscovered his rhythm in Spain, finishing with 14 goals and 11 assists in 49 appearances for Barcelona. Much of that came from limited minutes, which only made the return more striking while he played behind Raphinha for much of the season.
Arsenal
Opta Supercomputer Favors Arsenal After Anfield Win Reshapes Premier League Race
Arsenal’s Anfield win has transformed Opta’s 2026/27 Premier League forecast, boosting their title odds.
Arsenal’s visit to Anfield was supposed to expose the scars of a difficult week. Instead, it produced a result that changes the feel of the 2026/27 Premier League season after only nine matches.
The Gunners arrived with the memory of their defeat at League Two Fleetwood Town still fresh, but they handled the occasion with the sort of control usually associated with champions. Kai Havertz’s early strike gave them the platform, and although Liverpool tried to respond with pressure and noise from the Kop, Arsenal refused to bend. Their victory was built on discipline, patience and defensive resistance, and it leaves the look of a collapse far behind them.
Opta’s latest supercomputer forecast now places Arsenal firmly on top of the table. They are projected to finish with 81.21 points and hold a 68.23% title chance, while Manchester City sit second on 71.98 projected points and 18.86% title odds. Brighton are third in the model, Liverpool fourth and Chelsea fifth.
Arsenal’s surge has also pushed their probability of retaining the Premier League title to 68.23%, a sharp rise after Manchester City suffered a second straight defeat. City remain the nearest challengers, though even their prospects are listed below 19%, not including any possible points deduction. Liverpool, already nine points back, have only a 3.06% title chance, despite being considered the most obvious alternative challenger.
Brighton remain one of the stories of the season after beating both of the top two, but Opta still gives them just a 6.86% chance of winning the league. Their more realistic target is Champions League qualification, where they are the only side outside Arsenal and City with better than even odds.
Further down, Manchester United’s position is bleak. Their winless run in all competitions has reached nine games, and Opta now gives them just a 1.48% chance of qualifying for the Champions League. In the relegation projection, Tottenham have moved clear of danger after three wins in a row, while United are suddenly among those with the greatest risk of dropping into the second tier.
Chelsea
Carrick Under Pressure as United’s Winless Run Reaches Nine
United’s winless run has deepened, and Carrick’s future is now under growing scrutiny.
Michael Carrick’s position at Manchester United is becoming harder to defend after Saturday’s 2-0 loss to Chelsea stretched the club’s winless sequence to nine matches in all competitions.
That run matches a low point last seen under Sir Alex Ferguson, but the comparison only goes so far. Ferguson’s side were two years into his spell when they went nine games without a victory, and even then they managed to draw seven of those matches before eventually ending the sequence with a 3-0 win over Charlton Athletic.
Carrick’s case is more damaging because the numbers are sharper and the performances have been poorer over a longer stretch. United have now lost six of their last nine matches in all competitions and drawn the other three. The 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth had already sparked the view that his time could be up, leading to crisis talks before the decision was made to give him another chance.
Against Chelsea, though, there were at least signs of a response early on. United were the better side for the first 45 minutes, with Carrick apparently getting a positive reaction from his players at the start of the match. That opening spell is unlikely, however, to settle the wider debate around his future.
There is clear acceptance at the club that both results and performances are not meeting the required level, and officials are already weighing up possible alternatives, including Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann.
Even so, Carrick may feel he was not entirely betrayed by his own approach. Some of the damage at Chelsea came from individual mistakes, and Lisandro Martínez’s decision to lead with his arm as he jumped with Wesley Fofana cannot be laid at the manager’s door. After the Bournemouth defeat, there were also suggestions that some at Old Trafford recognised the players’ share of responsibility in the slump.
Chelsea
Chelsea Edge Manchester United as Martínez Sees Red in Stamford Bridge Defeat
Chelsea punished United’s collapse at Stamford Bridge, with Martínez’s red card and Palmer’s penalty proving decisive.
Chelsea took full advantage of Lisandro Martínez’s dismissal to beat Manchester United 2-0 at Stamford Bridge, a result that added further scrutiny to the under-pressure Michael Carrick.
The opening half was far more competitive than the scoreline eventually suggested. United, coming off consecutive three-goal defeats, showed clearer resistance and created chances of their own. Amad Diallo twice forced Chelsea’s goalkeeper into action, while Matheus Cunha thought he had found the net only for VAR to rule his near-post effort out for offside. Chelsea also had a moment chalked off when Estêvão tapped into an empty net, only for the linesman’s flag to intervene.
The deadlock remained intact until five minutes after the interval, when United’s defending unravelled. Morgan Rogers found space in the penalty area and produced a delicate dink to put Chelsea ahead after the visitors failed to deal with the danger.
United’s task became even harder soon after. Martínez, booked only moments earlier, was dismissed for a second yellow after barging into Wesley Fofana at a corner. Cole Palmer then converted the resulting penalty to make the advantage decisive.
Chelsea pressed for more, and Estêvão had another effort ruled out for offside, but the two-goal margin was enough to secure the points and extend United’s frustration.
United had actually begun the contest with purpose and control, but the same old issues returned quickly after the break. Their defence opened up far too easily for Rogers’ opener, while the midfield offered too little protection. Carrick’s side also wasted the best of their first-half openings, and those misses proved costly.
Martínez’s red card summed up the mood around United: reckless, needless and avoidable. It was the latest damaging moment in a season already defined by collapse, and it left Chelsea to stroll away with a result that reflected the gulf in composure when the match was decided.
