Manchester United have dropped some way south of the standards they set under the tutelage of Sir Alex Ferguson.
That said, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looks to have the backing of the United board and one thing he has in common with his old mentor is his willingness to hand young players an opportunity. The Glazers, who also co-own NFL odds favorites’ Tampa Bay Buccaneers are under a lot of pressure.
While the Buccaneers might have the answer to who is the greatest quarterback in the NFL history under their roster, as Tom Brady is lifting the spirit of the Florida based team, Man United is not doing so well.
The Red Devils are 14th in the league, having conceded more goals that the ones they scored and the American family who owns the club is under a lot of pressure, with #GlazersOut trending in Twitter.
Here we look at five youngsters who could be knocking on the door in the near future and that can be the solution to United’s problems.
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Number 5. Dillon Hoogewerf
When Hoogewerf switched Ajax for Manchester United, he came into the club as a blisteringly quick striker who could run in behind or beat a defender one-on-one with his tidy dribbling skills whilst his goal scoring instincts had been praised too. So, they should have been. He had averaged more than a goal every other game for their youth sides.
Now with the United development teams that work has continued with six goals and four assists in 20 appearances. Hoogewerf has already set his sights on a first team debut. If he keeps doing what he is doing, the call may come – although a loan move initially feels more likely.
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Number 4. Tahith Chong
Chong is a strange one. He’s been close to the United first team after a string of impressive performances in the development sides, but his current loan spell isn’t really going to plan.
The good news for Chong is that the Bremen hierarchy have moved to allay fears over his game time. Clemens Fritz has publicly stated that he will play plenty of football over the course of the season.
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The 20-year-old’s cause wasn’t helped by a two-week covid-19 isolation but now he’s back it’s imperative that he gets minutes under his belt.
If the time is afforded to him, then he’ll need to add to the one cup goal he’s registered so far in Germany to reaffirm his place in Solskjaer’s long term thinking.
Number 3. James Garner
James Garner is well thought of at Old Trafford. He already has seven first team appearances to his name with two of them coming in the Premier League. This summer, Solskjaer and co took a view that the 19-year-old wasn’t going to benefit from running games of football against other kids and opted to loan him out.
The takers were Watford, who are amongst the favourites in the betting odds for promotion.
The Championship is a physically demanding league with some good players in it too. Garner hasn’t looked out of place. He’s made 10 appearances for the second placed Hornets and has an assist to his name too.
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It’s not his creative side that’s earned plaudits though. Nope, the thing that has caught the eye most is his energy and tenacity, which has proved a big asset in the engine room of Vladimir Ivic’s team.
Number 2. Arnau Puigmal
Second in our list of prospects is Arnau Puigmal. The 19-year-old arrived at Old Trafford after coming through the youth system at Espanyol. Initially he was seen as a central midfield player but a shift to right back has seen him flourish beyond coach’s expectation.
He has bags of ability going forwards, which is supported by the fact he has six goal involvements in just three matches so far this season but he’s started to add some defensive understanding to his game too.
If you believe the rumour mill, the question to ask isn’t whether or not United will give Puigmal a chance but more whether they’ll keep hold of him. Barcelona are known to be keen. Given he’s a Spanish youth international, a deal with the Catalan club could well appeal.
Number 1. Hannibal Mejbri
When United signed the then 16-year-old Mejbri from Monaco they paid £4m for his signature with another £4.5m to potentially follow. That’s how highly he is rated. It was a huge pull just to land the young central midfielder too with Barcelona and Liverpool also interested.
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That all said, it has quickly become apparent as to why there was so much attention in the young man. He hasn’t long been 17 and already he’s playing with the under 23 squad. In fact, he’s bossing the team.
This season alone he has three goals and four assists to his name from eight games. Mejbri has started every game too and has been subbed off just twice missing just a total of 28 minutes of action. Of all United’s prospects, he’s the most likely make a real impression on the first team.
There you have it, five prospects that could be gracing the Old Trafford turf in the not too distant future. Who else are you expecting to see turning out for United soon?
Sport
Iconic Manchester United pub reopens after major £400k refurb
Daisy Jackson
An Old Trafford pub that’s long been a favourite with Manchester United fans has reopened its doors after a major refurbishment.
The Tollgate has had a £400,000 investment to become a ‘Grandstand’ sports pub, with gigantic HD screens throughout, tiered seating so you always have a great view of the action, and a menu of classic pub bites to pair with your pint.
There’ll be a big event atmosphere with all key sporting fixtures shown throughout the week, including football, rugby, cricket, tennis, F1, darts, horse racing – you name it, The Tollgate will show it.
The enormous outdoor area has also been refurbished, with new outdoor TV screens and Marston’s ‘Order & Pay’ app letting you order a round from your seat without missing a goal.
You’ll even find screens outside the loos…
Soon, local artist Pic One will be painting a mural onto the side of the pub, making it even more of a landmark boozer for Old Trafford.
The huge new main HD screenInside The Tollgate after its refurbThe Tollgate’s installed a TV box outside
Back inside, you’ll find a regulation dart board and a pool table, with new competition leagues and ‘free to play’ recreational sessions taking place throughout the week.
As well as a smart new interior packed with local sporting memorabilia, The Tollgate has installed market-leading technology, including one particularly gigantic HD screen, along with multiple other HD screens in every area, and a state-of-the-art sound system.
As you pass by, you might spot a huge TV box outside the pub, which has been installed to reflect how big the screen inside is.
The Tollgate is offering fans and customers a chance to shape its future – they’re calling out for locals to provide more photographs and merchandise to decorate the space, including mementos to celebrate the achievements of local sports stars and teams.
United memorabilia on the wallsInside the new-look The TollgateA cosy corner of The Tollgate
On the menus, you’ll find a new menu of perfect pub bites, including sharing combo boxes, chicken wings, nachos, and burgers.
There’ll be bottomless fries on offer for local sports teams who manage to get their hands on a ‘Black Card’, with even more rewards if they win their game.
And all draught beer (and there’s a lot of it) is now available in two-pint cups.
To celebrate its launch, the pub invited a fellow Manchester United icon Ying-Hoi Soo (affectionately known to Reds as ‘Mr Miyagi’) to pull the first pint and officially mark the pub’s opening.
Ying is recognised for his selfless charity work, and The Tollgate plans to work closely with Ying in the future to support this.
The new Grandstand pub concept has been introduced after research revealed that 86% of sports fans prefer to watch games at sports pubs, thanks to their livelier atmosphere, better screens, and community feel.
A huge two-pint beerThere’s a pool tableAnd dart board insideThe food offering
Marston’s picked Tollgate as one of the pubs to receive the Grandstand makeover due to its involvement with local sports teams, community groups and charities.
Pub Partner, Michael McLoughlin, said: “We’ve loved welcoming the community back with open arms!
“The response has been fantastic to our food and drink offers, as well as the new technology to watch all kinds of sports – we’re thankful that our pub is always full of good vibes, and real community spirit.”
Baltimore Ravens – The NFL team taking flight in the UK
Daisy Jackson
Manchester might soon have a new favourite football team – but it’s not necessarily what you think.
The NFL is becoming increasingly familiar to British sports fans. Games in London have become an annual fixture, American football has found a growing audience across the country, and now one team in particular is building a passionate following here: the Baltimore Ravens.
You may have seen the purple jerseys at watch parties around the UK, or heard fans talking about the ‘Flock’.
But who exactly are the Ravens, and why are so many British fans getting behind them?
To understand the Ravens, you have to go back to 1996.
The city had previously been home to the Baltimore Colts, but the franchise famously relocated to Indianapolis in 1984, leaving behind a huge hole in the city’s sporting identity.
More than a decade later, NFL football returned, when Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell moved his franchise to Baltimore (unusually, leaving the Browns name behind in Cleveland, and launching a new franchise in Maryland).
Baltimore Ravens trainingManchester has been hosting Baltimore Ravens watch parties
Baltimore’s new franchise needed an identity, so it was put forward to the fans, who settled on Ravens after Edgar Allan Poe’s famous poem, The Raven. The team’s mascots are also called Edgar, Allan, and Poe.
The Ravens played their first regular-season game in September 1996, beating the Oakland Raiders 19–14.
And they didn’t have to wait long to become one of the NFL’s most formidable teams.
The defining moment of the Ravens’ early history came in the 2000 season.
Led by a ferocious defence featuring future Hall of Famers such as linebacker Ray Lewis and safety Rod Woodson, Baltimore powered through – and then dominated – Super Bowl XXXV.
The MT&T Bank StadiumBaltimore Ravens cheerleaders and mascot
The Ravens had their second Super Bowl triumph 12 years later, when quarterback Joe Flacco led the Baltimore Ravens to a dramatic victory over the San Francisco 49ers. It was the final game, and a fairytale ending, for Ray Lewis’ legendary career.
If Ray Lewis helped define the Ravens of the 2000s, Lamar Jackson has become the face of the modern franchise.
Drafted in 2018, Jackson quickly established himself as one of the most exciting players in American football. He’s arguable the perfect introduction to the sport if you’re discovering American football for the first time.
So, why should Manchester care about Baltimore Ravens? Part of the appeal is the football itself.
The Ravens have traditionally built their identity around toughness and physicality. There is a sense of personality about the franchise too, from the purple colours and the raven imagery to the passionate ‘Flock’ of supporters.
Ravens fans have been gathering in the UK for years, with regional meet-ups and watch parties taking place around the country, including in Manchester. The UK Ravens community continues to organise events where fans can watch games together, whether they’ve followed the team for decades or have only just discovered the NFL.
That’s perhaps the best way to understand the appeal of the NFL in the UK.
You don’t need to fly to Baltimore to experience it. Find a watch party, grab a purple jersey, learn the rules as you go and join the Flock.
The Manc -
16th November 2020 
