Harry Maguire has found himself at the centre of a Manchester United transfer disagreement

Sam Allardyce has rubbished Paul Scholes’ claim that Manchester United should sign Cristian Romero, having been asked if he’d take the Tottenham captain over Harry Maguire.

Scholes recently heaped praise on Romero, 27, following United’s 2-0 win over Spurs. Despite the Argentine centre-back being sent off for a reckless challenge that eventually saw his team lose, United legend Scholes remains a huge fan of the player.

He said on The Good, The Bad & The Football: “I love watching him. I think his head’s checked out at Spurs. I’d love him at United. I just love the character of him.”

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Whether United will in fact look to sign Romero in the summer remains to be seen, though any potential transfer may be dependent on whether former captain Maguire is kept on at Old Trafford. The central defender, 32, is set to become a free agent this summer unless he is handed a new contract in the coming months.

But former Premier League manager Allardyce thinks it would be the wrong decision to part ways with the Englishman in favour of bringing in Romero. When asked on the No Tippy Tappy Football podcast what he made of Scholes’ comments and if he’d take Romero over Maguire, Allardyce was very clear that he valued Maguire’s defensive abilities more.

He slammed the Tottenham man by labelling him as “irrational”, claiming he has “so many flaws” and accusing Romero of still making the same rash mistakes he made when he was first signed.

Allardyce said: “Too risky [for United to sign him]. Too risky. Honestly, too risky. He doesn’t… Listen, if you’re a centre-half, your first priority, in respect to what Paul says, and I respect his opinion, is being a defender.

“‘How good are you at defending?’ Not, ‘How good are you at playing with the ball?’ That’s only an added bonus. People are looking for that more than looking at how good they are as defenders, which is a big problem at academy level.

“Because you’ve got all these 30 little coaches going around saying, ‘Can he play out from the back?’ Can he defend?! Like full-backs. That’s what their job is.”

Allardyce insisted Romero represents the type of defenders that are now emerging in modern football compared to his own time as a manager.

Romero was sent off against United earlier this month as Spurs suffered a 2-0 defeat at Old Trafford. The Argentine’s straight red card for his high and late challenge on Casemiro means he has now been dismissed more than any other player in the Premier League since he joined Spurs in 2021.

He is under contract at Tottenham until 2029 after signing a contract extension last summer. Romero’s defensive partner for Argentina, Lisandro Martinez, is currently one of United’s first-choice centre-backs. Martinez regularly plays alongside Maguire, who has made 15 appearances across all competitions this season.

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Manchester City were handed a major boost in midweek after Arsenal squandered a two-goal lead to draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Manchester City’s bid to reclaim their Premier League title was boosted on Wednesday night thanks to relegation-threatened Wolverhampton Wanderers. Arsenal were 2-0 up but a late fightback from Rob Edwards’ side rescued a point and gave City renewed confidence.

If City beat Newcastle United on Saturday evening, they will move to within two points of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League. With Mikel Arteta’s side looking over their shoulders, it’s all to play for in the Premier League run-in.

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MEN Sport has picked out seven matches for City and Arsenal that could settle the title race.

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Man City vs Newcastle United – February 21

If City can find a win on Saturday, the title race will swing in their favour.

Newcastle have found the Etihad Stadium a tough place to visit and they won’t be looking forward to this game after a long trip to Qarabag on Wednesday. Should City win, they will crank the pressure up on Arsenal even more.

Tottenham vs Arsenal – February 22

After the setback at Wolves, the north London derby could be season-defining for Arsenal. Assuming City beat Newcastle, the pressure will be on the Gunners to restore their five-point advantage.

Spurs will be confident of upsetting their fierce rivals with new interim head coach Igor Tudor in the dugout for the first time. The mood at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium should be positive compared to under Thomas Frank and if Arsenal are still suffering a hangover from Wednesday night, they could be tripped up.

Arsenal vs Chelsea – March 1

A double whammy for Arsenal as they follow up the north London derby with a visit from Chelsea. Their head coach Liam Rosenior earned no praise for his approach on their last visit to the Emirates Stadium.

But Chelsea’s ‘negative’ style saw Arsenal struggle to break them down. Only when Chelsea opened up did the Gunners score.

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There is every chance Rosenior looks to copy that tactic when they meet again in the Premier League. City will be hoping Chelsea’s defensive approach will frustrate Arsenal enough for them to drop points.

Chelsea vs Man City – April 11 (Date TBC)

City have not lost at Stamford Bridge since April 2021 but while their recent form against Chelsea is good, they will be wary. In the reverse fixture, Chelsea nicked a point at the death to frustrate the Blues.

At home, Chelsea will be expected to be more offensive – this should play into City’s hands. There has been audible frustration from the fans when Chelsea have struggled under Rosenior.

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The Carabao Cup Final will see Arsenal v Manchester City at London’s Wembley Stadium this March.

The Blues will hope they can utilise this, turn the home fans against their team early and make it tricky for Chelsea.

Man City vs Arsenal – April 18 (Date TBC)

No surprise to see this one on the list. This game will give a huge indication as to which way the title is heading.

As things stand, the onus will be on City to take the game to Arsenal and that will be to Arteta’s benefit. However, if the gap is two points or the Blues are leading the way by the time they meet, the game has a different complexion.

Pep Guardiola will be confident his team can pick up the win if they are in striking distance of Arsenal. It should be a day when the Etihad Stadium is at its best.

Man City vs Aston Villa and Crystal Palace vs Arsenal – May 24

With the way the season is going, the title race could go down to the final day. City hold good memories of beating Villa on the final day to win a league title and it is that experience Guardiola will be leaning on if they need it.

Villa will be a tougher opponent considering their league position. But there is a good chance their season will be over should Champions League qualification already be secured.

As for Arsenal, the trip to Palace is not straightforward but they do have a good record there. It will be Oliver Glasner’s last game as manager at Selhurst Park, meaning the hosts will be up for it.

But whoever is top heading into the final day will be expected to complete the job.

Michael Carrick has thrived with Manchester United since stepping up as head coach on an interim basis in January, but the Reds could find it tricky to land him permanently come the end of the season

Tottenham Hotspur could challenge Manchester United for Michael Carrick’s signature at the end of the season, it is claimed. The 44-year-old has impressed at Old Trafford since stepping in as a short-term successor to Ruben Amorim last month.

To date, Carrick is unbeaten at the helm of the United first-team, thanks to convincing wins over Manchester City, Arsenal, Fulham and Spurs, as well as a 1-1 draw with West Ham on Tuesday evening. As a result of his flying form, there is speculation that United could opt to offer the head coach a permanent role this summer.

However, they could face competition from Spurs for Carrick’s signature, if recent reports are anything to go by. Thomas Frank was handed his walking papers from the club on Wednesday morning after a disastrous eight-month stint in north London.

After going eight Premier League matches without a win, leaving Tottenham languishing in 16th in the standings and facing a growing chance of relegation, the Spurs board decided on a change of direction.

While there was speculation that the club would appoint a permanent manager to take up tenure ahead of next weekend’s North London Derby, it now appears that the once dominant force are following in the footsteps of United.

Reports suggest that former Juventus boss, Igor Tudor, will arrive in the capital to steer the ship until season’s end on an interim basis, when Spurs will also consider their options going forward.

The Athletic also claim that the 47-year-old may not have the option to take up a permanent role this summer.

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Instead, TEAMtalk report that Spurs could eye up the prospect of securing Carrick’s services this summer, with further suggestions that the club considered taking a gamble with the former Middlesbrough manager ahead of their appointment of Frank.

It comes as a number of experienced names have been linked with taking up a role at United this summer, from Oliver Glasner and Gareth Southgate to the likes of Luis Enrique and Andoni Iraola.

Carrick, meanwhile, has also emerged as a candidate to extend his own stay at Old Trafford, dependent on how he fares over the next 12 matches. However, the Reds have been dealt a couple of hammer blows in terms of managers ruling themselves out of the running as of late.

Thomas Tuchel has decided to stay with the England national team for another two years, while Carlo Ancelotti is set to sign a new four-year deal with Brazil.

Roberto De Zerbi has also found himself linked with Spurs after leaving his post with Marseille the same day Frank was sacked. There’s no doubt that Carrick will not be focused on the outside noise, however, instead dedicating his full attention to securing the best-possible finish for United.

Up next for United is a trip to Hill Dickinson Stadium to take on Everton come Monday, February 23. Currently fourth in the Premier League standings and looking at a real possibility of securing Champions League football for 2026/27, Manchester United will look to hold their position while amping up the pressure on a top three of Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa.

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Manchester United faced a familiar scenario on Saturday but this time with a different manager in the hotseat at Old Trafford.

17:00, 09 Feb 2026

Ruben Amorim’s time as Manchester United manager didn’t produce many highlights but undoubtedly one of the darkest days of his tenure came when Everton visited Old Trafford last November. The Reds fell to a 1-0 defeat against Everton despite playing against ten men for all but 13 minutes of the match.

The negative 3-4-2-1 system was under scrutiny and proved it could not unlock a side that would definitely have taken a point as soon as they were reduced to 10 men.

Unbelievably the Toffees secured all three points and less than two months on Amorim was sacked. Last weekend, United once again found themselves up against 10 men with the game goalless. Where Amorim failed, Michael Carrick succeeded.

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MEN Sport has taken a look back at the Everton defeat and highlighted five ways Carrick’s tactics trumped Amorim’s when tasked with breaking down a side who had seen a man sent off.

Fernandes change

Amorim always justified the decision to play Bruno Fernandes deeper in midfield because he wanted United to have more control in the centre of the pitch.

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However, that tweak saw Kobbie Mainoo drop out and it is clear to see that Mainoo needs to be in the team. Everton’s winner came from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall running off Fernandes before Leny Yoro failed to stop the shot.

Against Spurs, and since the arrival of Carrick, Fernandes has moved into attacking midfield and he has been excellent, as has Mainoo since being brought back in from the cold.

Predictability

Rewatching the Everton game was painful for plenty of reasons, particularly because of how predictable United were. It was difficult for Amorim’s side when playing a team with a goal advantage and the ability to sit on the edge of their area, but the Reds made it way too easy for them.

United would play the ball out to Amad in the hope he could produce a moment of magic, but with Everton doubling up on him he would have to work it back and eventually the attack broke down. It was dull and uninspiring.

In contrast, United switched up their attack against Tottenham, with the first goal a perfect example. Matheus Cunha did well to drift inside and create overloads in the centre, a move that ultimately won the corner from which the first goal came.

A neat training ground routine allowed the ball to be laid off for Bryan Mbeumo to slot home. It seems simple but it is by far a better brand of football to watch.

Tempo

This goes hand-in-hand with the predictable nature of Amorim’s system but the tempo in the defeat to Everton was shockingly low. When Idrissa Gueye was sent off, Old Trafford was rocking and hopeful of seeing their side take advantage.

Instead, United killed that urgency with slow play which made it easy for Everton to defend. The Reds were too casual in possession and this created problems with passes being intercepted and clearances being made.

Now, there is a sharpness to United’s play that is not just evident against ten men. Carrick’s side pass the ball around with a crispness and some of the one-touch football left Spurs scratching their heads at the weekend.

The out-ball

Bafflingly, United were so defensive against Everton you would have thought they were the ones with ten men. A particular example of this was their approach to defending long throws.

The Reds put all 11 men behind the ball, including Joshua Zirkzee. When they eventually cleared the danger, there was nobody upfield to offer a way out and Everton were able to just recycle possession.

Against Tottenham, that was not the case and this allowed United to retain more control. Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez have forged a solid partnership in recent weeks and that gives United the confidence to leave a man upfield without the fear of conceding.

Crossing

When United eventually managed to work an opening against Everton they looked to get crosses into the box. Not a bad strategy except for a couple of key issues.

Firstly, there was no variation on the crosses, with all being looping balls that Michael Keane and James Tarkowski took pleasure in just heading away. On the few occasions they were beaten, Zirkzee forced a couple of good saves from Jordan Pickford.

However, there were also too many occasions when Zirkzee and other forwards were not bursting into the box to try and get on the end of crosses. The combination of the two was a recipe for disaster.

Now, United are showing a variation in their crosses and the second against Spurs came thanks to a brilliant delivery from Diogo Dalot which Benjamin Sesko was trying to reach.

He missed it but following up was Fernandes. The finish was sublime.

Manchester United host Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League’s early kick-off on Saturday

Manchester United boss Michael Carrick faces another of his previous clubs as he aims to continue his perfect record in charge. Tottenham will be keen to ruin the party for their ex-midfielder, who admitted he was “desperate” to leave them to head to Old Trafford as a player.

Carrick is off to a flyer in his second caretaker spell in the dugout. The former England international has secured three victories from three matches so far, having defeated Arsenal, Manchester City and Fulham.

This year will mark the 20th anniversary of Carrick’s £18.6million switch to United. The West Ham academy product spent just two years with Spurs before Sir Alex Ferguson took interest and secured a deal for his services.

Carrick was apparently more than willing to play his role in making the transfer happen. In fact, he was so intent on leaving London that there shouldn’t be any worries about split loyalties when Tottenham travel to Manchester for Saturday’s early kick-off.

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In 2010, Carrick said: “I went to the World Cup with England and information was filtering through that clubs were in contact. Tottenham told me what was happening, but it seemed to drag on and on.

“I was desperate to come. It was a no-brainer for me as soon as I found out United were interested. The first time I spoke to the manager was on the phone when the move was all sorted.

“I’ve never been so nervous about getting a phone call in my life. I’d heard the rumours about him, and I was scared stiff. That phone call will stay with me for the rest of my life.”

Carrick’s eagerness to join United turned out to be justified. He became an immediate success at United and achieved a career-high 52 appearances whilst securing the Premier League title in his debut campaign at Old Trafford, before claiming both domestic and European honours in his second season under Ferguson.

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Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.

Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games this season, an increase of up to 100 more.

He won five Premier League winners’ medals during his United career, alongside a Champions League, FA Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and three League Cup victories. He ultimately retired at Old Trafford in 2018, having made a remarkable 464 appearances over 12 seasons with the club.

His impact has continued beyond his playing days. United have appeared a team reborn under his guidance, securing a Manchester derby triumph before claiming two thrilling 3-2 wins over Arsenal and Fulham.

Those latter two results were won through late strikes from Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha, the type of dramatic finishes that were fairly typical during the Fergie years. It makes sense that the squad has rediscovered some of that never-say-die spirit under someone who witnessed Ferguson’s brilliance first-hand.

United head into Saturday’s fixture sitting fourth in the Premier League table, eager to solidify their position in the battle for Champions League qualification. Carrick will undoubtedly feel some empathy for Tottenham, who are struggling to escape 14th place in what has proved a challenging season for Thomas Frank.

Michael Carrick’s Manchester United will target fourth successive win when Tottenham head to Old Trafford in the Premier League on Saturday lunchtime.

Manchester United are expected be without at least three first-team players for Saturday lunchtime’s Premier League showdown against Tottenham. Michael Carrick’s side host Spurs at Old Trafford looking to make it four successive victories after beating Manchester City, Arsenal and Fulham.

It’s a run of form that has seen United move up to fourth place in the Premier League table, just five points behind third-placed Aston Villa and six adrift of City in second. But the Reds are aware that failure to beat Spurs could see them drop to as low as sixth position with Chelsea and arch rivals Liverpool close behind them.

With Tottenham winless in six top-flight matches, however, United are going to no doubt be confident of securing yet another important victory. This is despite the Reds still having some players not available.

Here, we take a closer look at the United treatment table;

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Matthijs de Ligt

Matthijs de Ligt has missed the last 12 matches due to a back problem. He is not expected to be available to face Tottenham, either, with Carrick confirming that it is “a little bit too soon at the moment.”

A return for De Ligt is anticipated at some point in February.

“Matta [De Ligt], he’s working his way back, taking good steps and improving,” Carrick said on Thursday. “It’s a little bit too soon at the moment but, hopefully, it won’t be too long [before De Ligt is back].”

Potential return date: Late February 2026

Mason Mount

Mason Mount missed out against Fulham last time out, due to a knock that he suffered in training. The England international is a major doubt to face Tottenham.

“Probably, Mason [will be available] sooner [than De Ligt],” Carrick said on Thursday. “He’s not too far away really. We’re hopeful it won’t be too long.”

Potential return date: Tuesday, February 10 – West Ham (A)

Patrick Dorgu

Patrick Dorgu had been in inspired form for United before injuring his hamstring injury against Arsenal – and now the Denmark international is facing at least another two months on the side-lines.

“Pat, unfortunately, he’s going to be out for a period of time. We’re still working through how long that’s going to be,” Carrick said last Friday. We’ll have to see, it’s disappointing, he’s had such a big couple of weeks, Pat.

“We weren’t sure whether it was a little bit of cramp or whether it was something a little bit more serious and, at the moment, it looks a little bit more on the serious note.

“So, it’ll be a few weeks for that. How many weeks? We’ll have to wait and see. So, that’s disappointing for all of us really, and for Pat, he’s in such a good place but, unfortunately, it is part of football and it’s something we’ve got to work through and get him back as soon as we can.”

Possible return date: April 2026