Former Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic believes criticism of Harry Maguire has been over the top, likening it to a "disaster".
United made Maguire the most expensive defender of all time when they signed him from Leicester City in 2019 and he quickly established himself as a key player, even becoming captain.
But after a fairly promising first couple of years, Maguire's popularity among supporters has decreased significantly, with the England centre-back's performances routinely questioned last season.
The situation turned particularly ugly in April when Maguire received a bomb threat to his home.
Maguire was dropped by new manager Erik ten Hag after United lost their first two matches of the new Premier League season, but Matic – now at Roma – feels his former colleague has been treated dreadfully by the average fan on social media, suggesting the criticism comes from a place of jealousy.
"What people are doing to him, it is a disaster," Matic told The Times.
"Everything has to have limits and some of these people writing on social media, they don't have their own lives so they just have to write bad things about someone else."
Individual criticism of Maguire over the past year or so has also come against a backdrop of flak aimed at the United team in general, as they slumped to a sixth-placed finish last season with their worst points total (58) in the Premier League era.
Former United captain Roy Keane is among the most vocal television pundits when it comes to analysis of the Red Devils, and he also went on something of a rant about Matic towards the end of his time at Old Trafford.
Shortly after Matic confirmed he was to leave United, Keane took umbrage with the Serbian making such a decision before the end of the season and saying former club Chelsea also still had a place in his heart.
Matic provided a measured response, saying: "I have respect for what he has done but he needs to understand that football has changed.
"If I played for Chelsea, I cannot say I hate them. I cannot be angry when I'm talking to the press after the game.
"The way he behaved on pitch, 70 per cent of it is a red card today. You cannot throw a punch when all the cameras in the world are there.
"The real hero is when you go out on the street and say something, but he was always very nice with me, so what he says in public, to be honest, I don't really care.
"I know what I've done in my career and I'm very happy."
We’ll get back up – Martin Odegaard urges Arsenal to respond to European exit
Captain Martin Odegaard has backed Arsenal to roll with the punches as they aim to keep their season on track against Wolves on Saturday.
The Gunners were knocked out of the Champions League following a 1-0 defeat by Bayern Munich on Wednesday night, with the German side progressing to the semi-finals 3-2 on aggregate courtesy of Joshua Kimmich’s bullet header.
The disappointment at the Allianz Arena followed on from Sunday’s 2-0 home loss to Aston Villa that dented Arsenal’s Premier League title charge.
Mikel Arteta’s side are now two points behind leaders Manchester City and face a tricky trip to Molineux this weekend, knowing victory would take them top with City playing in the FA Cup.
The PA news agency understands there are some concerns within the club over tiredness and fatigue taking their toll on the players at such a crucial stage of the season, especially in the second half of the Villa game.
Following the two damaging defeats, Odegaard conceded the Champions League exit will hurt – but feels Arsenal have plenty still to play for.
“I mean it takes a little bit to get going again, but I think what you play for in the league is enough motivation for all of us,” he said.
“So we just have to stick together, get back up, and keep pushing. We can still do something very special.
“I think that is enough motivation to just keep going, keep working hard and pushing each other. We have to keep going.
“Every game now is so important, it has been for a while. It has been so tight and so competitive.”
Kimmich headed home in the second half after Arsenal had enjoyed the best of a tense first 45 minutes, in which Gabriel Martinelli wasted the best chance for the visitors.
Bayern now go on to face Real Madrid in the last four after the LaLiga giants beat City on penalties, meaning there is no English club in the semi-finals for the first time since the 2019-20 campaign.
“I think it was, again, a very tight game, as the home game was,” added Odegaard.
“But I think you see it in front of the goals, that’s where we lost the tie. It was a bit similar to the home game.
“We gave away a very easy goal today and we are not sharp enough in front of the opponent’s goal. That’s where the games are decided and that’s where we lost the game.
“We wanted to do more, so at the moment we are just disappointed. It has been a long time since we have been here (in the Champions League), but at the moment it is disappointing.
“We wanted to go further. We wanted to go all the way. First of all, we are disappointed, but I think we have done something good as well.
“Every time you get hit you have to stand up and go again. The key thing is to stand together and lift each other up. Then, as I said, we have something really nice to play for, so that’s where we have to put the mindset now.
“Of course we want to win something and that’s been the big goal. But I think we can’t look too far ahead, we have to take it day by day, and game by game.
“First of all, now we have to lift each other up and we have to get ready for the next game. Then we move on from there.”
Brian Sorensen ‘really happy’ after extending contract as Everton manager
Everton manager Brian Sorensen has signed a new two-year deal with the Women’s Super League club.
Sorensen and his assistant Stephen Neligan have put pens to paper on fresh terms ahead of Friday’s trip to Brighton.
Danish coach Sorensen took over the Merseyside club in 2022 and guided Everton to a sixth-placed finish in his debut season in charge, but they have experienced a difficult current campaign after being hit with a succession of injuries.
“Yeah, really happy. I really like the club and the people here,” Sorensen told a press conference.
“I think we have a good plan in place in terms of progressing the team for the next few years.
“We have a good core group and most important of all my little girl is really happy in school, so she is also happy we stay.”
Neligan has worked with Sorensen at Nordsjaelland and Fortuna Hjorring and will remain with Everton after he also agreed a contract until the summer of 2026.
Sorensen added: “Yeah, really important. I worked with him for this is the fifth year now so we know each very well.
“He is a very skilful coach and we work well together so I’m super happy he is staying also.”
In focus: The semi-finalists of the Women’s Champions League
The semi-finals of the Women’s Champions League get under way this weekend, with Saturday seeing Chelsea play at Barcelona in their first leg and Lyon host Paris St Germain.
Here, the PA news agency takes a closer look at the four remaining sides bidding for a place in the May 25 final in Bilbao.
ChelseaEmma Hayes’ Blues take on Barcelona again having been beaten by them 2-1 on aggregate in last season’s semis, and 4-0 in the 2021 final. That is the only time an English side has featured in the final apart from when Arsenal won it in 2007, with Hayes on the coaching staff. Chelsea are seeking a glorious conclusion to the 47-year-old’s trophy-laden tenure before she departs this summer to take charge of the United States – but have recently seen quadruple and then treble hopes ended by defeat to Arsenal in the League Cup final and Manchester United in the FA Cup last four. Their bid for a fifth successive Women’s Super League title sees them currently top via goal difference after Wednesday’s 3-0 win over Aston Villa.
BarcelonaBarca claimed their second Champions League crown with a dramatic 3-2 win over Wolfsburg in Eindhoven last term and have played in four of the last five finals. Closing in on another Liga F title that would also make it five in a row, their formidable squad, managed by Jonatan Giraldez, includes England duo Lucy Bronze and Keira Walsh and 2023 World Cup winners Alexia Putellas, the captain, and Aitana Bonmati, who have two and one Ballon d’Ors to their name respectively. The team’s domestic league record for this season shows 22 wins and one draw from 23 matches, with 102 goals scored along the way.
LyonThe French outfit have been the major force over the course of this competition’s history, lifting the trophy a record eight times. Within that was five successive triumphs from 2016 to 2020 and another in 2022. They are back in the last four this season after a quarter-final exit last term at the hands of Chelsea. Boss Sonia Bompastor, the former Lyon player who has overseen the team winning the league title twice as well as the European success since taking charge in 2021, has been linked with the job of succeeding Hayes.
Paris St GermainPSG – who defeated Manchester United in this season’s Champions League qualifying rounds – had their best runs in the competition to date when finishing as runners-up in 2015 and 2017, on the second occasion being beaten in a penalty shoot-out by Lyon in Cardiff. They lost to Lyon in the semis the year in between, and in two of three last-four appearances since – the other in 2021 came after overcoming them in the quarter-finals, and they also pipped them that year to claim a maiden French top-flight title. Jocelyn Precheur’s side are currently nine points behind leaders Lyon in second place in Division 1 Feminin with two games to go before the play-offs.
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