Erik ten Hag is convinced “it is only a matter of time” until Manchester United show their “true selves” after a poor start to the campaign was compounded in the Manchester derby.

Sunday’s 3-0 home humbling at the hands of neighbours Manchester City provided the exclamation mark on a difficult start to the Dutchman’s second season in the hotseat.

United were outclassed and outthought for the most part at Old Trafford, where Ten Hag’s men will attempt to bounce back in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup fourth-round clash against Newcastle.

“At Manchester United, every game involves high stakes,” the Red Devils boss said ahead of the repeat of last season’s Carabao Cup final.

“Every single day, there is pressure on everybody involved with this…

Memphis Depay revealed certain rules stopped him from swapping Lyon for Barcelona in the previous transfer window.

Barca were heavily linked with a move for Depay following the arrival of new head coach Ronald Koeman, who allowed striker Luis Suarez to leave for Atletico Madrid.

The Netherlands international had agreed terms with the Catalan giants but a deal between the clubs could not be reached for the transfer deadline on Monday.

Depay s contract with Lyon is due to expire in June and he hopes by continuing to impress with the Ligue 1 side he can still secure a move to Barca.

Asked about the prospective move following Netherlands 1-0 friendly loss to Mexico on Wednesday, Depay told NOS: It was pretty close.

We don t need to go into all the de…

Lionel Messi is so good he should be banned until it can be proved he is human, Iran boss Carlos Queiroz has joked.

The Argentina star, a five-time Ballon d Or winner, has been in sensational form once more this season during Barcelona s hunt for a second treble in four seasons.

Messi also scored a hat-trick in his country s final World Cup qualifier over Ecuador, sealing a 3-1 victory that secured their place at the finals in Russia this year.

Queiroz s side came close to a famous 0-0 draw with Argentina at the last World Cup in Brazil, only for Messi to score an injury-time winner in Belo Horizonte.

The 64-year-old believes that moment underlined the genius of the diminutive forward.

I ve always said that Messi is an extraordinary player, he to…

A female United States gymnast has tested positive for coronavirus while training in Tokyo ahead of the Olympics, the US Olympic Committee (USOC) has confirmed.

The unnamed athlete was an alternate – a team member included as a reserve – and will now isolate along with another team member who has been identified as a close contact.

The health and safety of our athletes, coaches and staff is our top priority, a USOC statement read.

We can confirm that an alternate on the women s artistic gymnastics team tested positive for COVID-19.

Out of respect for the individual s privacy, we cannot provide more information at this time.

The positive test comes just four days before the delayed Games begins, with fellow US female gymnast Simone Biles s…

Dani Alves says winning Olympic gold is his greatest achievement in football after Brazil overcame Spain to reign at the Games once again.

Brazil secured back-to-back golds on Saturday, following on from their Rio 2016 triumph with a 2-1 victory after extra time.

Mikel Oyarzabal levelled to bring Spain back into the game after Matheus Cunha s opener but Malcolm came off the bench to capture Olympic glory.

Alves, a three-time Champions League winner who also has six LaLiga titles on his resume, proclaimed Tokyo to be his greatest success in football.

To be sincere, yes, the 38-year-old responded when asked if this was his greatest prize. Because the others are every year, and I have competed time and time again, but with this medal, this is my last chanc…

Another season, another unfulfilled Champions League campaign for Paris Saint-Germain. 

In a position to reach the quarter-finals, Thomas Tuchel s PSG sensationally crashed out on away goals against Manchester United. 

After leaving Old Trafford with a 2-0 win over United last month, the Ligue 1 champions returned to the French capital in the box seat. 

However, a dramatic 3-1 defeat on Wednesday  secured by Marcus Rashford s VAR-assisted 94th-minute penalty  sent PSG packing. 

The stunning result created Champions League history  it was the first time a team had progressed to the next round in the competition having lost by two or more goals at home in the first leg of a knockout match. 

It also heaped further misery on PSG and their Q…

Manchester United have confirmed midfielder Hannibal Mejbri will spend the 2022-23 campaign on loan with Championship outfit Birmingham City.

The Tunisia international, who has made three senior appearances for United since making his bow at the end of the 2020-21 season, is the latest player to make a temporary exit from Old Trafford.

Mejbri follows goalkeeper Dean Henderson and defenders Alex Telles and Eric Bailly as additional departures.

Birmingham s social media accounts celebrated the signing for John Eustace s side with an edited poster for the 1991 film The Silence of the Lambs , playing on the 19-year-old s shared name with the character Hannibal Lecter.

— Birmingham City FC (@BCFC)

A clutch of pre-season appearances du…

Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho refused to blame Serge Aurier for conceding an out of context penalty during their 2-0 home defeat to Leicester City on Sunday.

Spurs are now six points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool after following up a late loss at Anfield with a lacklustre display and a damaging defeat.

Aurier was at fault in first-half stoppage time as his shove on Wesley Fofana was rightly punished with a penalty that Jamie Vardy converted.

After James Maddison had a second-half effort ruled out by VAR for offside, Vardy saw a header inadvertently deflected in by Toby Alderweireld to double Leicester s lead.

Tottenham were unable to find a way back into the game and there will be scrutiny on the transgression of Aurier, who has developed a …

Five games, five wins and five clean sheets. Cruzeiro preserved their 100 per cent record in the Copa Libertadores after accounting for Deportivo Lara, while Atletico Mineiro crashed out.

Already assured of a place in the last 16, Cruzeiro continued their flawless Group B campaign with a 2-0 victory at Venezuelan hosts Deportivo Lara on Tuesday.

Fred – who scored a hat-trick against Huracan on matchday four – opened the scoring in the 31st minute after creating space and firing the ball into the top corner of the net.

Sassa came off the bench and sealed the victory thanks to his 78th-minute penalty away from home.

 All he does is score! Fred picked out the top corner to give a 1-0 lead.

— CONMEBOL Libertadores (@TheLibertadores)

…

Bruno Guimaraes declared he wants to become a Newcastle United legend after his match-winning double against Leicester City on Sunday.

Ademola Lookman silenced the lively St James Park crowd with his 19th-minute opener. It meant Lookman has scored on each of his last three Premier League starts, after only netting in two of his previous 22 such appearances.

However, Guimaraes bundled over the line for his first home Newcastle goal 11 minutes later, with a VAR check leading to the overruling of a foul on Kasper Schmeichel awarded by referee Jarred Gillett.

A lung-busting surge down the left flank by Joe Willock then created space in stoppage-time for Guimaraes, who profited from a deflected cross to head in and secure all three points for Eddie Howe s side.