EPL

Ronaldo would be 'happy' to see Arsenal win Premier League title

By Sports Desk November 17, 2022

Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted he would be happy to see Arsenal win the Premier League, if Manchester United cannot become champions.

The Portugal star has caught the headlines with an explosive interview aired this week, where he criticised his employers, current manager Erik ten Hag and his former team-mates Wayne Rooney and Gary Neville.

His comments have led to a growing expectation that a swift departure from Old Trafford is on the cards after the World Cup in Qatar when the January transfer window opens for business – and his admission on the Premier League title race will cause a further stir.

United have struggled for stability in the Premier League this season, while Arsenal have lost just once – at Old Trafford – as they look for a first top-flight crown since going unbeaten in the 2004-05 season.

If that were to happen, Ronaldo has conceded he would be happy with the outcome.

"I hope so. Manchester United first, if not, Arsenal. It's a team I like to see play," he told Piers Morgan's Uncensored on TalkTV.

"I like the team, I like the coach. I think they have a good team and if Manchester United don't win the Premier League, then I will be happy if Arsenal do."

Arsenal hold a five-point advantage over Manchester City after 14 rounds of Premier League action, with United 11 points adrift of the Gunners.

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    Sergej Milinkovic-Savic preserved Al-Hilal's unbeaten start to the Saudi Pro League season as his header earned the defending champions a 1-1 draw against Al-Nassr on Friday. 

    Al-Hilal dropped their first points of the season having won their first eight games, but remained at the summit of the standings, moving one point clear of Al-Ittihad. 

    Al-Nassr found themselves in front inside two minutes when Otavio's clipped ball found Talisca, who took a touch before firing the ball beyond Yassine Bounou. 

    The first half saw clear-cut chances hard to come by, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Talisca and Mohamed Simakan seeing their efforts unable to trouble visiting goalkeeper Bounou. 

    Al-Hilal, who had scored 23 goals in their first eight games, came closest to an equaliser after the break when Salem Al Dawsari struck the woodwork. 

    But the leveller came in the 77th minute when a free-flowing move ended with Milinkovic-Savic heading the ball in off the post after being picked out by Renan Lodi's cross. 

    Both sides looked to find a winner in the closing stages, with Ali Lajami coming the closest for Al-Nassr, but the points were shared at the Al Awal Park at King Saud University. 

    Data Debrief: Champions end Ronaldo streak

    Ronaldo's run of four straight games with a goal came to an end against Al-Hilal, though he was Al-Nassr's most potent attacking threat during the encounter. 

    The Portugal captain registered a team-high 0.37 expected goals (xG) to Al-Nassr's 0.9 total, while also having the joint-most touches in the opposition box (five - level with Otavio). 

  • Meulensteen cautious over Amorim appointment at Man Utd Meulensteen cautious over Amorim appointment at Man Utd

    Rene Meulensteen sees similarities between Ruben Amorim and Erik ten Hag, so does not want to get carried away about the incoming Manchester United head coach.

    United confirmed on Friday, four days after they sacked Ten Hag, that Amorim would be coming in as their new boss.

    The 39-year-old, who has won the Portuguese title twice in the space of three years, will join United officially from November 11, after serving a notice period with Sporting CP.

    United have agreed to pay Sporting around £9.2million (€11m) in compensation, with Amorin signing a contract that will keep him at Old Trafford until June 2027.

    However, former United coach Meulensteen is able to draw plenty of comparisons between Amorim and his predecessor, and that is giving him cause for concern.

    He told Stats Perform: "I have a little bit of a careful approach.

    "I see a lot of similarities when United got excited about Ten Hag. Ajax played a good style of football, nice to watch, did really well, won the league, did really well in Europe.

    "You see the same thing with Amorim. A young manager, not that much experience. He obviously has got a clear idea how he wants to play and he's been able to make Sporting a successful team, winning two league titles, and he does well in Europe. 

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    "He walks into a team that is not his. He walks into a team without pre-season, right? So every game straight away is playing for something, whether it's the league, the cup or in Europe. So he has to hit the ground running.

    "He has a very specific way of playing. So he needs to look at the current squad that's in there and say, which players will I be able to use to play that way? But then again the Premier League is not Portugal, and the only way to establish himself is to win games and play well."

    Amorim will be United's youngest boss since 33-year-old Wilf McGuinness took charge of them on Boxing Day 1970 against Derby County.

    Since March 2020, when Amorim took charge, Sporting have the highest win percentage of any team across Europe’s top 10 leagues (77% - 120 wins out of 156 games).

    He was of interest to Liverpool and West Ham earlier this year, but Meulensteen still warned against expecting too much, too soon.

     

    "United will probably think they need somebody with, first of all, a strong personality," he continued.

    "I think that is important. From what I hear and read about him, he has a strong personality, but that personality will only be tested in difficult times. But that is where you have to give him the benefit of the doubt. 

    "But I think it's the same reasons why United went for Ten Hag, because the stats are all weighing up. The stats are good. Plus, obviously, they've spoken to him.

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    "Now he comes into a team that's not his. And that takes time. That it's not like something that you can switch on straight away.

    "Every manager needs to be given 18 months before he gets to a place where he feels it's his team.

    "Sometimes, depending on the players that are there, the support that you get, it can go a bit quicker, but we have to wait and see."

    United are 14th in the Premier League after nine games, and face Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday.

    Ruud van Nistelrooy will be in charge for their next three matches, with Amorim's first game at the helm coming against Ipswich Town after the international break.

  • Amorim confirmed as new Manchester United head coach Amorim confirmed as new Manchester United head coach

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    Amorim has signed a deal that will keep him at Old Trafford until the end of the 2026-27 season, after the Red Devils agreed to pay the reported £8.3million release clause from his contract at Sporting CP.

    He guided Sporting to two Primeira Liga titles during his time in charge and succeeds Erik ten Hag after the Dutchman was sacked following a defeat at West Ham on Sunday, which left United 14th in the Premier League.

    The 39-year-old becomes the second Portuguese to manage the club after Jose Mourinho, who was in charge between May 2016 and December 2018.

    Amorim has a notice period to serve at Sporting, meaning he will not take charge of United until November 11.

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    Ruud van Nistelrooy will oversee United's next three games, against Chelsea, PAOK and Leicester City.

    Since he was appointed in early 2020, Amorim has taken charge of 156 Primeira Liga games at Sporting, the most of any coach in the club's history (according to Opta's records).

    Meanwhile, his 120 victories in the league give him a 76.92% win ratio, which is the best of any Sporting coach on record.

    In 2021, Amorim guided Sporting to their first league title in 19 years, and he won the Primeira Liga again in 2023-24.

    On Thursday, Amorim promised he would comment further on the matter after Sporting's match against Estrela da Amadora on Friday.

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