Manchester United have reportedly cancelled their usual end-of-season awards dinner as focus shifts to a crucial FA Cup final against Man City which could prove to be make or break for Erik ten Hag after a difficult season.
With the club on course for what could end up being their worst statistical season ever, having already made their worst start to a season in terms of losses since the 1930s, there’s hardly been much for Man United fans to celebrate over the past year or so.
Capable of fast, fluid attacking play in one moment and then stagnant sideways passing combined with a leaky defence in the next, the Red Devils have put their supporters through the full gamut in ten Hag‘s second season.
As a result, according to The Athletic, the club has decided to scrap their usual awards ceremony which was originally scheduled for next Monday and turn all eyes to the cup final on Saturday, 25 May.
NEW @TheAthleticFC : Manchester United cancel club’s end-of-season awards dinner, scheduled for May 20. Club say it is because they don’t want distractions before men’s FA Cup final, but comes amid dreadful form & pressure mounting on Erik Ten Hag. https://t.co/kpqBsNzVAI
While the Man United Women’s team managed to round off a similarly challenging campaign with an all-important piece of silverware – the first FA Cup in their history and one which could also keep their head coach Marc Skinner in a job – the men still have a huge mountain to climb on their end.
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As the outlet goes on to reveal, the decision has been made as the administration feels that the players “should not have any distractions in the week of the game”, especially one which could prove to be the only saving grace during this campaign. There is no indication as to who had the final say on the matter.
Having crashed out of the Champions League, broken all manner of unwanted records, and now desperately hoping to at least qualify for the Europa or Conference League (a small consolation that many fans don’t even really want), it’s largely been a season most Reds will want to forget.
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Awards voted for by peers, coaches and fans will still be handed out but the awards dinner itself, which also celebrates those emerging from United’s legendary youth academy, has been binned in a move that probably better suits the current tone around the club.
It isn’t the first time the decision has been made either, as former interim United manager Ralf Rangnick also called off the awards dinner when he came in as Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s replacement towards the end of the 2021/22 season.
It’s likely that many of the players also aren’t exactly in high enough spirits to justify an end-of-season awards ceremony either, with the literal flooding inside Old Trafford this weekend only exacerbating how the condition of the stadium as a metaphor for the club at this moment in time.
It’s now less than a fortnight until United take on the historic rivals in the second consecutive Manchester derby FA Cup final, one which weighs heavily in the favour of those in blue. Can they possibly make it past the high-flying treble-winners?
Manchester City have announced a special away day fan zone for festive fixture
Danny Jones
In a real added bonus for away fans making the roughly two-hour journey to their only fixture over the festive period, travelling Man City supporters are being treated to a dedicated away-day fan zone for their upcoming game against Nottingham Forest.
Now this is the kind of backing we want to see from big teams.
That’s right, for those visiting Nottingham for the meeting against the fellow Premier League side and one-time European Cup winners, Manchester City will be putting on a special and exclusive fan zone.
Confirmed on Christmas Eve ahead of the match this coming Saturday, 27 December, the club revealed a quick glimpse of the pop-up supporters’ park.
As detailed in the announcement, the public events space known as ‘The Nest’ will be open exclusively to away-ticket holders heading to the City Ground.
Perfect for a quick pit-stop before and after the clash, the venue is one of the closest you’ll find to the stadium itself and, better still, is located roughly just a 10-minute walk away from the railway station.
There will be a huge bar offering a wide selection of alcoholic and soft drinks, plus plenty of street food to enjoy. Here’s hoping the players don’t indulge in too many of those this Christmas, especially following Pep Guardiola’s ‘fatty’ comments.
They kick off at 12:30pm, but will everyone make the weight?…
Once again, Man City have advertised this as an away-day ticket-holder-only event, so we would probably call ahead and double-check if you’re a Blue who just so happens to live/be in the area and want to go along.
It also goes without saying that this will serve as an ideal and presumably trouble-free place to celebrate after the result, as it’s a strictly sky-blue event and we’d wager the title contenders and serial trophy winners to come out on top.
So, if you needed any extra assurance that making the approximately 81-mile trip to Nottingham, we’d say potentially going top at Christmas and cheersing a few pints with your mates on a would-be concourse designed just for you is plenty of added motivation.
As for those of you staying firmly in Greater Manchester this holiday season, there’s no reason you can’t still have a little away day of your own:
Featured Images — Manchester City (via X)/The Manc Group
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Manchester City youngster Claudio Echeverri set for another loan spell
Danny Jones
Manchester City youngster Claudio Echeverri is set for another loan deal this January following a disappointing time in Germany.
The South American youth product has spent the first half of this season out on loan at Bayer Leverkusen, but has struggled not only to make an impact but even to enjoy any real steady playing time.
Following reports earlier this month by The Athletic‘s Seb Stafford-Bloor that announced Echeverri’s loan would return to his Man City, it appears as though all parties concerned haven’t exactly gotten what they want out of the deal.
With that in mind, not only has his short-term agreement been cut short, but Echeverri is now set to join another City Football Group (CFG) club on a temporary contract, where he can crucially be assured more regular minutes.
As confirmed by the ever ubiquitous transfer insider, Fabrizio Romano, Claudio Echeverri is now set to join Girona temporarily from the Premier League side.
Romano writes that “the Argentinian talent leaves Bayer Leverkusen after loan deal interrupted — as Echeverri was not playing.”
Stating that the 19-year-old will officially become a Girona FC player from 1 January onwards, he will no doubt provide some much-needed offensive firepower for the struggling Spanish side, with the Catalan club currently lingering in the La Liga relegation zone.
Following a somewhat reverse pattern of fellow forward, Savinho (who was signed by the French CFG franchise arm, Troyes, before being loaned to Girona and eventually bought by Man City), the attack-minded player remains a highly-rated youth prospect but has yet to fully announce himself.
He scored the first goal for his parent club back in June; it’s fair to say it was a bit of a corker…
Fast forward to now, though, and Echeverri will spend at least until next June representing Girona – no doubt dropping straight into the starting lineup as soon as possible.
At the moment, there is no suggestion of any permanent clause included in the agreement, but either way, ‘El Diablito’ is still a CFG asset, at the end of the day.
With that in mind, we’re sure they’ll move him around the sporting network however they see fit in search of a breakout spell.
Do you think it’s a good move for the young starlet, or would you like to see him back in Manchester, fighting his way into matchday squads?
Danny Jones -
14th May 2024 
