LONDON: Erik ten Hag looks likely to be taking over a Manchester United team missing from the Champions League.
Despite Cristiano Ronaldo making an emotional scoring return, United were beaten 3-1 by Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday and dropped six points off its rival in the race for a top-four finish.
Granit Xhaka’s long-range, 70th-minute strike clinched victory for Arsenal in a wild game at Emirates Stadium that saw the home team lead 2-0 after 32 minutes — through goals by Nuno Tavares and Bukayo Saka — before withstanding a United fightback launched by Ronaldo’s 100th Premier League goal.
The Portugal superstar, who missed the 4-0 loss to Liverpool on Tuesday while grieving the death of his newborn son, raised his left arm and pointed to the sky after scoring in the 34th minute.
United were awarded a penalty in the 55th but Bruno Fernandes struck the post after his trademark stuttering run-up.
To make matters worse for Fernandes, it was his miscontrol that gave Xhaka the opportunity to take aim and claim the crucial third goal for Arsenal, which climbed into fourth place above north London rival Tottenham.
As for sixth-place United, they have four games left of a miserable season that will end with no trophies — for the fifth straight year — and see Ten Hag take over from Ralf Rangnick, the second of two interim managers installed by the club since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was fired in November.
Ten Hag has a major job on his hands to rebuild United into the trophy-winning force of old — Rangnick said Friday that the team needed open heart surgery as opposed to cosmetic changes — and this was another worrying display, especially defensively after United’s mauling by Liverpool.
Club captain Harry Maguire was left out by Rangnick, because of a combination of the England defender’s poor recent form and the fact he received a bomb threat at his home during the week.
Saka went off injured midway through the second half but he had already done his damage by then. It was his curling shot that was palmed out by David De Gea straight to the feet of Tavares, who turned the ball home from close range in the third minute.
Then Saka scored a penalty for the second straight game — after doing so in the 4-2 win over Chelsea on Wednesday — after he was bundled over by Alex Telles.
Man United lose 3-1 at Arsenal, further damage top-4 hopes
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Man United lose 3-1 at Arsenal, further damage top-4 hopes
- Despite Cristiano Ronaldo making an emotional scoring return, United were beaten 3-1 by Arsenal
- United were awarded a penalty in the 55th but Bruno Fernandes struck the post after his trademark stuttering run-up
Man United climb to third, Fulham sink sorry Spurs
- Red Devils have taken their tally to 19 points from a possible 21
LONDON: Benjamin Sesko stretched his hot streak with the winning goal as Manchester United beat Crystal Palace 2-1 to go third in the Premier League, while Tottenham failed to dispel relegation fears after defeat at Fulham.
Sesko was handed his first start in seven games since Michael Carrick took charge at Old Trafford and rewarded his boss with another vital goal to edge United closer to a return to the Champions League.
Palace had taken an early lead at Old Trafford when Maxence Lacroix outmuscled Leny Yoro to guide in a header from Brennan Johnson’s corner.
But United hit back to remain unbeaten under Carrick and take their tally to 19 points from a possible 21.
The game swung on one incident as Lacroix was sent off and conceded a penalty for pulling back Matheus Cunha just before the hour mark.
Bruno Fernandes confidently stroked the resulting spot kick past former teammate Dean Henderson.
Fernandes was then the creator for the second as his curling cross was powered in by Sesko.
The Slovenian has now scored seven times in his last eight appearances to quieten critics of his £74 million ($100 million) price tag after a slow start to his career in England.
Tottenham remain perilously poised just four points above the relegation zone as interim boss Igor Tudor again failed to halt their alarming slide after a 2-1 defeat at Craven Cottage.
Harry Wilson and Alex Iwobi gave Fulham a deserved half-time lead as they moved up to ninth and back into contention for European football next season.
Richarlison headed in a late consolation for Tottenham, but they remain the only Premier League side without a win in 2026.
The one crumb of comfort for Spurs was defeat for relegation rivals Nottingham Forest, 2-1 at Brighton.
All three goals arrived in the first 15 minutes as Diego Gomez and Danny Welbeck netted for the Seagulls either side of Morgan Gibbs-White’s reply.
Forest sit two points above the drop zone ahead of a daunting trip to Manchester City on Wednesday.
