sport news CHRIS SUTTON'S SUPER SIX: Our man on Old Trafford losing fear factor and the ... trends now
Old Trafford used to be intimidating. You knew you were up against 11 stars, 65,000 supporters — and sometimes the referee, too! You could be sucked into the rowdy atmosphere.
I once slapped David Beckham amid a skirmish during Ryan Giggs’ testimonial! Right now, though, Old Trafford is a stadium that opponents want to visit. It’s a nice, friendly, fun day out.
Brighton rocked up, made it theirs and Graham Potter’s players totally deserved the three points they left with. One of the reasons I love football is for how 90 minutes can leave fans as if the world is ending.
Old Trafford is no longer the intimidating arena that it once used to be in its heyday
One United supporter calling into BBC’s 606 on Sunday night predicted a bottom-six finish for his club, saying he’s waiting for Denis Law to back-heel them into the Championship! That’s a stretch but a long, old season awaits for the men in red methinks. They’re a work in progress and I don’t think we can blame Erik ten Hag for the slow start.
His use of Christian Eriksen as a false nine didn’t work, but this club’s problems run much deeper than one misguided tactical decision. The fact they are being linked with Marko Arnautovic says it all. I thought it was a spoof when I first heard it! That’s a PR disaster waiting to happen. United don’t help themselves and that opening-game defeat by Potter’s Brighton was all too predictable.
How could Everton not sign another striker?If everybody else could see Everton needed a striker, how couldn’t they? Richarlison was sold to Tottenham for £60million and, as good as he is, Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s injury record does not scream reliability.
So it didn’t take a brain surgeon to work out that Frank Lampard might need a goalscorer —someone with a proven record who can guide them away from the bottom three. Come the opening game against Chelsea, young Anthony Gordon was leading the line and he was swallowed up.
Frank Lampard's Everton are in desperate need of another striker after losing Richarlison
Why did Everton not prioritise bringing in a centre forward? I don’t understand how clubs can have all summer then leave themselves scrambling around now that the season has started. It’s reactive rather than proactive, and not how a big club should act.
Arsenal finally look the real dealDon’t pretend you were not impressed by Arsenal on Friday night. I know I was. They imposed themselves on Crystal Palace, who couldn’t live with Gabriel Jesus.
With all due respect to Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, he is an upgrade on what they have had. Jesus can bring that winning mentality he learned at Manchester City to Arsenal.
