themanchestereveningnews--2020-01-25--Manchester United need to give Solskjaer what Liverpool FC gave Klopp

It always seemed inevitable Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would be asked about Jurgen Klopp 's Liverpool at his Manchester United press conference on Friday morning .
A week on from defeat to Liverpool at Anfield and Solskjaer is bracing himself for another Merseyside trip as they travel to take on Tranmere Rovers in the FA Cup fourth round .
United 's mood was further diminished in midweek when a shock home defeat to Burnley saw fans protest against the ownership of the club and Liverpool 's impressive win at Wolves a day later further emphasised the growing chasm between the two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but confirmed champions of England for their incredible work this season , but their success will be a result of a club board who fully bought into the manager 's vision following his arrival at the club .
The German coach took over at Anfield in October 2015 and immediately got to work by imprinting his philosophy within every level of the club .
Like with Solskjaer , team spirit was improved and a sense of what the club means reinforced from the ground up .
Neither manager made any real waves in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signed Marko Grujic and Steven Caulker , while United only got rid of Marouane Fellaini .
For both sides the real changes began in the first summer transfer window in charge .
Sadio Mane , Georginio Wijnaldum , Joel Matip and Ragnar Klavan were all notable arrivals at Anfield , while Daniel James , Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Harry Maguire all arrived at Old Trafford .
Klopp and Solskjaer were both given the freedom to shift unwanted members of the first-team squad too .
Christian Benteke , Jordan Ibe , Joe Allen and Martin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Romelu Lukaku , Antonio Valencia , Alexis Sanchez and Ander Herrera in their first major overhaul .
`` You can see Jurgen spent four years building his team , and they 're doing well now , '' Solskjaer said on Friday morning .
`` It 's not going to be a quick fix .
It ’ s not going to be eight players in or 10 players in one transfer window , we 've had one proper transfer window , in the summer , because the January 's are difficult , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now . ''
You have to say the United manager has a point .
Match-going fans still support the Norwegian for he has done at the club , and even though things are n't going well now , many of the issues are above him .
Solskjaer might still have the backing of the club , but he does not have the sole power to implement the level of change which is required if United are to once again become a feared threat in Europe .
Klopp 's next two transfer windows at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain , Andrew Robertson and Virgil van Dijk .
In order to do so they financed it by allowing Philippe Coutinho to join Barcelona ; it was a calculated risk which paid off .
In a year which sees Paul Pogba pushing for a move away again , United must weigh up the circumstances and evaluate whether his departure is a risk worth taking - the growing consensus seems to be that it would .
Solskjaer might not be everyone 's preferred choice to lead United forward , but if the club @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stick by him and start putting their money where their mouth is .
If they do n't believe that , then they 've got an even bigger decision to make .

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It always seemed inevitable Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would be asked about Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool at his Manchester United press conference on Friday morning.
A week on from defeat to Liverpool at Anfield and Solskjaer is bracing himself for another Merseyside trip as they travel to take on Tranmere Rovers in the FA Cup fourth round.
United's mood was further diminished in midweek when a shock home defeat to Burnley saw fans protest against the ownership of the club and Liverpool's impressive win at Wolves a day later further emphasised the growing chasm between the two clubs.
Klopp's side are all but confirmed champions of England for their incredible work this season, but their success will be a result of a club board who fully bought into the manager's vision following his arrival at the club.
The German coach took over at Anfield in October 2015 and immediately got to work by imprinting his philosophy within every level of the club. Like with Solskjaer, team spirit was improved and a sense of what the club means reinforced from the ground up.
Neither manager made any real waves in their first January transfer window - Liverpool signed Marko Grujic and Steven Caulker, while United only got rid of Marouane Fellaini.
For both sides the real changes began in the first summer transfer window in charge. Sadio Mane, Georginio Wijnaldum, Joel Matip and Ragnar Klavan were all notable arrivals at Anfield, while Daniel James, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Harry Maguire all arrived at Old Trafford.
Klopp and Solskjaer were both given the freedom to shift unwanted members of the first-team squad too. Christian Benteke, Jordan Ibe, Joe Allen and Martin Skrtel departed Liverpool while United got rid of Romelu Lukaku, Antonio Valencia, Alexis Sanchez and Ander Herrera in their first major overhaul.
"You can see Jurgen spent four years building his team, and they're doing well now," Solskjaer said on Friday morning.
"It's not going to be a quick fix. It’s not going to be eight players in or 10 players in one transfer window, we've had one proper transfer window, in the summer, because the January's are difficult, but we are still trying to do something now."
You have to say the United manager has a point. Match-going fans still support the Norwegian for he has done at the club, and even though things aren't going well now, many of the issues are above him.
Solskjaer might still have the backing of the club, but he does not have the sole power to implement the level of change which is required if United are to once again become a feared threat in Europe.
Klopp's next two transfer windows at Liverpool saw him sign Mohamed Salah, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Andrew Robertson and Virgil van Dijk. In order to do so they financed it by allowing Philippe Coutinho to join Barcelona; it was a calculated risk which paid off.
In a year which sees Paul Pogba pushing for a move away again, United must weigh up the circumstances and evaluate whether his departure is a risk worth taking - the growing consensus seems to be that it would.
Solskjaer might not be everyone's preferred choice to lead United forward, but if the club really do believe in him they need to stick by him and start putting their money where their mouth is. If they don't believe that, then they've got an even bigger decision to make.


themanchestereveningnews--2020-01-25--How the Manchester United green and gold movement started and could begin again

RedIssue folded five years ago but the fanzine still haunts Manchester United from beyond the grave .
As those in the fan TV community will attest , its Twitter account still has form for 'kicking against the p -- -- - ' .
The fanzine 's co-founder , 'Zar ' , has expressed a longing for its return .
Sales always spiked when the United badge was cracked on the back page of newspapers and the acrimony among matchgoers has never been as severe in the era of United AD ( after dominance ) as it has this month .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had started the sentence but never finished it on Wednesday evening .
It was in response to a query about the mutinous chants focused on the United owners , the Glazer family , and the club 's executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward .
Solskjaer has a tendency to put his foot in his mouth at times and maybe noticed the whites in the eyes of reporters brighten after he uttered those four words .
As manager , Solskjaer dare n't speak out against the Glazer siblings .
As a recovering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Shareholders United group and opposed the 2005 takeover by the Americans .
As the United Reserves manager , Solskjaer was a patron of the Manchester United Supporters ' Trust .
He still is .
On an eclectic list that includes Richard Wilson , Terry Hall , Ian McShane , Pete Boyle and Harry Gregg , Solskjaer is listed as a patron of MUST .
His bio does not appear to have been updated in around 15 years and still carries a quote that perhaps compromises Solskjaer , from February 2005 : '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patron ] .
I think it is important that the club remains in the right hands .
I am absolutely on the supporters ' side and think the club is in very good hands as it is today .
I am a United fan myself and only want what is best for the future . ''
Solskjaer was speaking about the prospect of a takeover by Malcolm Glazer .
On Wednesday , green and gold scarves were twirling like helicopter propellers during the home defeat to Burnley .
Thursday marked the 10-year anniversary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsible for making green and gold en vogue in 2010 .
On the RedIssue website 's forums , supporter Dave Holden suggested fans should adopt the colours of the club 's founding fathers , Newton Heath , as a sign of rebellion against the Glazers .
`` The rapidity of its take-up was spectacular , '' John-Paul O'Neill recalls in Red Rebels : The Glazers and the FC Revolution .
`` Swagmen outside Old Trafford struggled to cope with demand for suddenly popular green-and-yellow scarves , while the club 's security clamped down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' There were eerie parallels during the 4-0 stroll United enjoyed against Norwich City this month .
In January 2010 , Wayne Rooney poached all four in the 4-0 thrashing of Hull City at Old Trafford and it was soundtracked to the same chant : 'We want Glazers out ' .
There were dollops of green and gold in the stands again on Wednesday night .
The United mutineers have tweaked sinister songs to accommodate the names of Woodward and the Glazers .
Neither Woodward nor any of the six siblings listed on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the post-Ferguson nadir against Burnley .
Avram Glazer is the only member of the Tampa-based family to have attended a match all season .
Ten years ago , it was the simple 'We want Glazers out ' .
Those green and gold scarves draped around the necks of supporters were turning heads like a dress on the red carpet .
Paul Scholes , on his drive out of the players ' car park after the Hull match , stopped to ask a fanzine seller what the green and gold was all about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his opinion on the Glazers .
He thought it best not to air it .
What began as a resistance of hundreds of matchgoers expanded into the tens of thousands over the debt the Glazers had saddled United with ; £716.6million at the time .
It was a captivating , if flawed , movement , and perhaps the last time the United support mobilised .
Some opposition fans chanted , 'Are you Norwich in disguise ? '
and it had the sub-plot of a potential takeover by a group of bankers , lawyers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the name of the Red Knights .
The Glazers said 'ni ' and the knights never rode in .
The timing of this month 's anti-Glazer and anti-Woodward chants against Norwich were a jolt .
United were winning comfortably yet the dust had still not settled from the chasing Manchester City had given them four days earlier in the League Cup .
Perhaps more pertinently , accounts registered at Companies House that week revealed Woodward was paid £3.16million last season .
The anti-Glazer storm brewed over several months in 2009-10 .
United sold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Real Madrid , passed on a permanent deal for Carlos Tevez and bought a washed-up Michael Owen , Antonio Valencia and Gabriel Obertan for a combined £19m .
Karim Benzema joined Madrid .
Arjen Robben moved to Bayern Munich .
Inter Milan acquired Wesley Sneijder .
`` There 's no value in the market , '' lamented Sir Alex Ferguson .
Ferguson had spent frugally in the first windows of the Glazer reign ; £2.5m on Edwin van der Sar , £4m for Ji-sung Park , £5m on Patrice Evra and Nemanja @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gill promised 'two world-class players ' in the summer of 2006 .
United bought Michael Carrick and Tomasz Kuszczak .
The punchline is United won their first title in four years .
Ferguson reinforced aggressively in 2007 with swift deals for Anderson , Nani and Owen Hargreaves ( £59m combined ) , as well as Tevez on a two-year loan .
United bought to win the Premier League and Champions League and succeeded with their strongest-ever squad .
Tevez 's nose was put out of joint in 2008 with the arrival of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United supporters chanted - to the tune of Jesus Christ Superstar - 'Dimitar , Berbatov , one look at City and he said f -- - off ' .
In 2018 , Berbatov claimed he told his agent , ' f -- - off , we 're going to Man United ' upon learning of City 's new riches .
United would not spend over £30m on a player again until Juan Mata in January 2014 .
The losses of Ronaldo and Tevez - exacerbated by his antagonistic move to Manchester City and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by uncertainty over the future of reigning Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year Vidic at the start of 2009-10 .
Vidic 's wife , Ana , felt isolated in Manchester and interest from Real Madrid started to intensify .
There were concerns over the state of the United squad , still deprived of the fragile Hargreaves , carrying a creaking Rio Ferdinand and mid-to-late 30-somethings Gary Neville , Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes .
United lost at newly-promoted Burnley in the second league fixture of the campaign .
`` Suddenly , despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gold campaign started , '' Neville reflected in his 2011 autobuiography , Red .
`` It 's very difficult for anyone within the club to comment on the Glazers .
I grew up as a United fan and the last thing I did as a young kid was to look to see who was in the directors ' box . ''
Ferguson was the glue that held the club together in the wake of the Glazer takeover in 2005 he was hugely culpable for .
His hostile dispute with majority shareholders JP McManus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Gibraltar eventually led to McManus and Magnier selling their 28.7 per cent stake in the club in May 2005 .
That allowed Glazer to seize control .
Yet Ferguson appeased the majority of supporters with three Premier League titles , the European Cup and two League Cups in the first four seasons under Glazer ownership .
In August 2008 , a United supporter was applauded during MUTV 's Live at the Red Cafe weekly show for imploring fellow followers to 'love United , do n't hate Glazer ' .
Midway through 2009-10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adrift of Chelsea and ended the decade with a 5-0 dismantling of Wigan Athletic , though that did not temper the outcry at United 's decision to pull out of a deal for the Serbian teenager Adem Ljajic .
Ljajic was paraded at Carrington with Zoran Tosic in January of 2009 and Ferguson bragged Ljajic was 'the star of the tournament at the Uefa Under-19 Championship ' .
Eleven months later , Ljajic 's development had ostensibly not met United 's expectations .
A club spokesperson said United took 'into consideration the young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ club , and we have not chosen to pursue the transfer ' .
Ferguson 's assistant , Mike Phelan , contradicted the club 's statement and blamed work permit problems .
In retrospect , United won the FA Youth Cup the following season with their most exciting academy side since the Class of '92 and a 16-year-old Paul Pogba had just joined from Le Havre .
Ljajic has had a respectable , if nomadic , career that has taken in four Italian clubs and he is currently in Turkey playing for Besiktas .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspicious just before Christmas .
In early January , it was announced the Glazers were planning a bond issue to raise £500m .
Essentially , the United owners were considering taking on new debt to pay off some of the old debt .
The Glazers had pulled off a successful refinancing in 2006 but , as O'Neill explains , `` The 2008 global financial crisis had made it increasingly difficult to negotiate further new agreements .
Similar problems were also evident at Anfield , where Liverpool 's own American owners Tom Hicks and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the crash , with the result that their club was plunged into crisis , with Hicks and Gillett forced to cede ownership .
`` While the situation at Old Trafford was not quite as desperate , Manchester United being placed at the mercy of the markets was exactly what all the dire warnings in 2004 and 2005 had predicted . ''
United advertised the bond issue in the Financial Times .
So United had debts of over £700m , the Glazers had imposed financial cuts , Ferguson was operating under tighter restraints @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talent or take a risk on raw potential .
And there was also Leeds .
For the first time in 26 years , United exited the FA Cup at the third round stage .
Against Leeds .
League One Leeds .
The Glazers could hardly be held accountable for Ferguson 's tinkering , though his cup XI was laden with has-beens and never gon na bes : Gary Neville , Fabio da Silva , Wes Brown , Darron Gibson , Tomasz Kuszczak , Anderson .
`` You have to get over these kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ semi-final on Wednesday night and a lot of these players today wo n't be playing , '' Ferguson fumed .
`` I did n't expect that . ''
Though Leeds was an aberration , what especially incensed United fans was Malcolm Glazer and his children had borrowed £10m from the club and Ljajic would have cost £9m .
On January 22 , it was announced the Glazers had successfully completed their controversial refinancing , raising £504m .
`` We 've got more money than you , '' Burnley fans chanted at Old Trafford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , hate Glazer , '' the Stretford End replied .
A week later , the stadium was peppered with green and gold for the three o'clock Saturday kick-off with Hull .
Supporters stood outside the east stand with a banner that read , 'Glazer - forever in your debt ' .
The match was not televised live in the UK but the protests had gained attention and green and gold scarves started to sell like hotcakes .
Four days later , United hosted City in an electric League Cup semi-final second leg .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tie 4-3 on aggregate and cartwheeled ecstatically in front of the Stretford End throng .
Broadcasters Sky replayed it in slow motion and the background had a sprinkle of green and gold .
Come full-time , those recently-bought scarves swirled triumphantly in the stands and the movement had officially taken off .
A fixture quirk meant United would not play at home in a live televised game again until the Champions League return leg with AC Milan on March 10 , to be shown on terrestrial channel ITV .
The 'Love United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away days and had not gone unnoticed by David Gill , viewed as a turncoat by militant fans who protested against the takeover in 2005 .
`` I would appeal to the fans to be sensible and get behind the team , '' Gill preached .
`` We are a very well-run club and given what 's happening at other clubs , people should be proud of what 's happening at Manchester United .
It [ the protest ] serves no purpose and it wo n't change a thing . ''
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Gill - who once promised to be 'behind the barricades ' should the Glazer takeover succeed - could read his hypocrisy in black and white .
A green and gold banner at Villa Park read , ' '' Debt is the road to ruin '' , David Gill , August 2004 ' .
Two days later , Gill was confronted by two supporters after a question-and-answer session at Birmingham University , where he was reminded of his 'overly aggressive ' and 'unmanageable ' descriptions of the proposed takeover by the Glazers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Gill replied : `` Those were comments back in autumn and then they changed , the model changed .
If you read all the statements ... '' Patrice Evra was more diplomatic .
`` They are the original colours of Manchester United and the fans wear them because they love this club .
They have their reasons for doing it and we don ’ t think that they ’ re crazy .
They ’ d like things to change . ''
`` Since very early in his time at United he 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and what the club represents , '' Daniel Harris wrote about Evra in On the Road : A journey through a season .
`` Usually in magically unhinged style .
Most recently , he revealed tacit support for the anti-Glazer protest , until now a position stated only by Cantona and Solskjaer . ''
Gary Neville has maintained his Glazer omertà to this day and downplayed the debt weighing down the club .
`` We 're always very well protected and never get involved in the financial side of things ... as players @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; our job is purely on the pitch and we allow people who are paid to do jobs in other areas of the club to do their job .
It 's nothing to do with us at all . ''
The 5-0 thrashing of Portsmouth , the 1-1 draw with Villa and routine 3-0 defeat of West Ham in February were not televised and the humdinger of a win in Milan , as well as a limp loss at Everton , barely mentioned or broadcast the anti-Glazer militants in the unseen away ends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with 28,000 United fans in attendance and joint-broadcast by the BBC , was ripe for worldwide exposure .
Green and gold scarves were wrapped around the necks of thousands of United supporters , others wore hats and green and yellow balloons floated around the stadium before kick-off .
A 'United against Glazer ' banner was unfurled and it is impossible to pinpoint a celebratory picture of matchgoers without a fleck of Newton Heath colours .
On March 10 2010 , Avram and Joel Glazer showed their faces at Old Trafford for the return @ @ @ @ @ @ @ European Cup winners touched down in Manchester with loanee David Beckham in their squad in what would be his only Old Trafford appearance as an opponent .
United dismissed Milan 4-0 and Beckham was treated to a comeback with United 3-0 up on 64 minutes .
It was one of those crowdpleasing cameos Beckham specialised in in the twilight of his career ; pinpoint passes with the tempo relaxed and an audacious attempt that Edwin van der Sar parried .
More memorable was what happened after the final shrill .
It seems rehearsed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's father , Ted , about possibly supporting the green and gold movement ) .
With his lap of honour nearly complete and 'There 's only one David Beckham ' echoing around the Stretford End , a lone green and gold scarf was thrown onto the saturated turf as Beckham approached the tunnel .
United supporters reacted as though Beckham was about to take a penalty .
`` Go on !
Go on !
Go on ! ''
Beckham approached the scarf .
The crowd 's urges loudened .
Beckham crouched down .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ an uproarious evening .
'Love United Hate Glazer ' banners were unfurled in the second tier of the Stretford End and would reappear in home games against Liverpool , Fulham and Bayern Munich .
The rebellious scarves were held aloft for a chorus of 'Forever and ever ' and photographers zoomed in on the terraces .
The former spokesperson of the Glazers , Tehsin Nayani , was so vexed by Beckham 's publicity stunt he contacted Joel Glazer .
`` We do n't know Beckham 's motives for putting on the scarf , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Also , I 'm not sure the publicity is necessarily bad .
Football is a passionate business .
Wo n't it blow over ?
`` Sure , some fans are angry and protesting inside Old Trafford .
But from where I 'm sitting there are many millions of fans who are just happy the team are through to the next round .
They 're supporters of Manchester United too .
`` I get that some fans do n't like us , but to hate us , it 's such a strong word @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been so successful , it 's extraordinary . ''
That was the nub of it : the majority of matchgoers who continued to attend United games countenanced the Glazers because , as Joel Glazer highlighted , the team was successful under Ferguson .
In five of the first eight seasons under the Glazers ' ownership , United clinched five championships .
Beckham 's best man Neville was asked afterwards about the evocative green and gold protest in the mixed zone : `` I 'm not getting involved in that . ''
Beckham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Players were banned from discussing the campaign , MUTV were forbidden from referring to it and a supporter was ejected from Live at the Red Cafe for refusing to remove a green and gold scarf .
But Beckham had bottled it .
In his flash interview with ITV 's Gabriel Clarke , he refused to denounce the Glazers .
All Beckham had succeeded in was making the green and gold scarf a must-have accessory that spring .
Many who clicked through the Old Trafford turnstiles with a newly-bought green and gold scarf wrapped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oblivious to the curious juxtaposition .
When previously challenged , the Glazers rose to it .
They shopped in the Old Trafford Megastore ringed off by police as an angry mob stewed outside after the completion of the takeover in 2005 .
Joel , Avram and Bryan sat in the directors ' box for the first time in the Champions League qualifier against Debrecen that August .
Some supporters shook their hands , requested autographs and got pictures .
During the 2010 pre-season tour of the United States , a colourful United fan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jacket had a photo with Avram Glazer in a hotel elevator .
Avram Glazer returned 11 days after the 4-0 stroll against Milan for the win over Liverpool and was joined by Joel , against Tottenham in April .
Only the ash cloud eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland prevented any of them from attending the final home match with Stoke .
Chelsea pipped United to the league that day and supporters protested outside Old Trafford before , during and after the 4-0 thrashing of Stoke .
Dollar notes with Malcolm Glazer 's face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'GO Glazers Out ' signs were so widespread inside the stadium the supporter sat behind Ferguson raised his placard .
But the season was over and the owners had weathered the storm .
United only missed out on an unprecedented fourth consecutive championship by a point ; stung by appalling refereeing decisions in both defeats to Chelsea .
`` There is no doubting the fans saw the glass as half empty in 2009 . ''
Neville wrote .
`` With no trophy to show , surely Manchester United was going through a wobbly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be , United had won the League Cup .
If the three-handled pot was so insignificant to Neville then pictures of him clutching it with Ferguson and Wayne Rooney would not have appeared in his book .
`` The manager and I parade the Carling Cup in 2006 - my first trophy as United captain , '' the caption reads .
`` In all my time supporting the club I 've never known any owners who were popular , '' Neville opined .
`` Even when the club was a plc there were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have not been affected by changes of ownership : you would n't have a clue that anything is different under the Glazer family . ''
You would now .

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RedIssue folded five years ago but the fanzine still haunts Manchester United from beyond the grave. As those in the fan TV community will attest, its Twitter account still has form for 'kicking against the p-----'.
The fanzine's co-founder, 'Zar', has expressed a longing for its return. Sales always spiked when the United badge was cracked on the back page of newspapers and the acrimony among matchgoers has never been as severe in the era of United AD (after dominance) as it has this month.
"There's a way of..." Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had started the sentence but never finished it on Wednesday evening. It was in response to a query about the mutinous chants focused on the United owners, the Glazer family, and the club's executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward.
Solskjaer has a tendency to put his foot in his mouth at times and maybe noticed the whites in the eyes of reporters brighten after he uttered those four words. As manager, Solskjaer daren't speak out against the Glazer siblings. As a recovering player, he became a patron of the Shareholders United group and opposed the 2005 takeover by the Americans. As the United Reserves manager, Solskjaer was a patron of the Manchester United Supporters' Trust. He still is.
On an eclectic list that includes Richard Wilson, Terry Hall, Ian McShane, Pete Boyle and Harry Gregg, Solskjaer is listed as a patron of MUST. His bio does not appear to have been updated in around 15 years and still carries a quote that perhaps compromises Solskjaer, from February 2005:
"I am honoured [to become a patron]. I think it is important that the club remains in the right hands. I am absolutely on the supporters' side and think the club is in very good hands as it is today. I am a United fan myself and only want what is best for the future." Solskjaer was speaking about the prospect of a takeover by Malcolm Glazer.
On Wednesday, green and gold scarves were twirling like helicopter propellers during the home defeat to Burnley. Thursday marked the 10-year anniversary of their first appearance.
RedIssue was responsible for making green and gold en vogue in 2010. On the RedIssue website's forums, supporter Dave Holden suggested fans should adopt the colours of the club's founding fathers, Newton Heath, as a sign of rebellion against the Glazers.
"The rapidity of its take-up was spectacular," John-Paul O'Neill recalls in Red Rebels: The Glazers and the FC Revolution. "Swagmen outside Old Trafford struggled to cope with demand for suddenly popular green-and-yellow scarves, while the club's security clamped down on any staff brandishing the colours."
There were eerie parallels during the 4-0 stroll United enjoyed against Norwich City this month. In January 2010, Wayne Rooney poached all four in the 4-0 thrashing of Hull City at Old Trafford and it was soundtracked to the same chant: 'We want Glazers out'. There were dollops of green and gold in the stands again on Wednesday night.
The United mutineers have tweaked sinister songs to accommodate the names of Woodward and the Glazers. Neither Woodward nor any of the six siblings listed on the United board of directors were present for the post-Ferguson nadir against Burnley. Avram Glazer is the only member of the Tampa-based family to have attended a match all season.
Ten years ago, it was the simple 'We want Glazers out'. Those green and gold scarves draped around the necks of supporters were turning heads like a dress on the red carpet. Paul Scholes, on his drive out of the players' car park after the Hull match, stopped to ask a fanzine seller what the green and gold was all about. Scholes was enlightened and asked for his opinion on the Glazers. He thought it best not to air it.
What began as a resistance of hundreds of matchgoers expanded into the tens of thousands over the debt the Glazers had saddled United with; £716.6million at the time. It was a captivating, if flawed, movement, and perhaps the last time the United support mobilised. Some opposition fans chanted, 'Are you Norwich in disguise?' and it had the sub-plot of a potential takeover by a group of bankers, lawyers and lifelong United fans who went by the name of the Red Knights. The Glazers said 'ni' and the knights never rode in.
The timing of this month's anti-Glazer and anti-Woodward chants against Norwich were a jolt. United were winning comfortably yet the dust had still not settled from the chasing Manchester City had given them four days earlier in the League Cup. Perhaps more pertinently, accounts registered at Companies House that week revealed Woodward was paid £3.16million last season.
The anti-Glazer storm brewed over several months in 2009-10. United sold Cristiano Ronaldo for a world record £80million to Real Madrid, passed on a permanent deal for Carlos Tevez and bought a washed-up Michael Owen, Antonio Valencia and Gabriel Obertan for a combined £19m. Karim Benzema joined Madrid. Arjen Robben moved to Bayern Munich. Inter Milan acquired Wesley Sneijder. "There's no value in the market," lamented Sir Alex Ferguson.
Ferguson had spent frugally in the first windows of the Glazer reign; £2.5m on Edwin van der Sar, £4m for Ji-sung Park, £5m on Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidic for £7m. Then-chief executive David Gill promised 'two world-class players' in the summer of 2006. United bought Michael Carrick and Tomasz Kuszczak. The punchline is United won their first title in four years.
Ferguson reinforced aggressively in 2007 with swift deals for Anderson, Nani and Owen Hargreaves (£59m combined), as well as Tevez on a two-year loan. United bought to win the Premier League and Champions League and succeeded with their strongest-ever squad. Tevez's nose was put out of joint in 2008 with the arrival of the £30.75m Dimitar Berbatov on deadline day.
United supporters chanted - to the tune of Jesus Christ Superstar - 'Dimitar, Berbatov, one look at City and he said f--- off'. In 2018, Berbatov claimed he told his agent, 'f--- off, we're going to Man United' upon learning of City's new riches. United would not spend over £30m on a player again until Juan Mata in January 2014.
The losses of Ronaldo and Tevez - exacerbated by his antagonistic move to Manchester City and their Deansgate billboard - were also compounded by uncertainty over the future of reigning Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year Vidic at the start of 2009-10. Vidic's wife, Ana, felt isolated in Manchester and interest from Real Madrid started to intensify. There were concerns over the state of the United squad, still deprived of the fragile Hargreaves, carrying a creaking Rio Ferdinand and mid-to-late 30-somethings Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes. United lost at newly-promoted Burnley in the second league fixture of the campaign.
"Suddenly, despite all the success, the green and gold campaign started," Neville reflected in his 2011 autobuiography, Red. "It's very difficult for anyone within the club to comment on the Glazers. I grew up as a United fan and the last thing I did as a young kid was to look to see who was in the directors' box."
Ferguson was the glue that held the club together in the wake of the Glazer takeover in 2005 he was hugely culpable for. His hostile dispute with majority shareholders JP McManus and John Magnier over the racehorse Rock of Gibraltar eventually led to McManus and Magnier selling their 28.7 per cent stake in the club in May 2005. That allowed Glazer to seize control.
Yet Ferguson appeased the majority of supporters with three Premier League titles, the European Cup and two League Cups in the first four seasons under Glazer ownership. In August 2008, a United supporter was applauded during MUTV's Live at the Red Cafe weekly show for imploring fellow followers to 'love United, don't hate Glazer'.
Midway through 2009-10, United were second and two points adrift of Chelsea and ended the decade with a 5-0 dismantling of Wigan Athletic, though that did not temper the outcry at United's decision to pull out of a deal for the Serbian teenager Adem Ljajic. Ljajic was paraded at Carrington with Zoran Tosic in January of 2009 and Ferguson bragged Ljajic was 'the star of the tournament at the Uefa Under-19 Championship'. Eleven months later, Ljajic's development had ostensibly not met United's expectations.
A club spokesperson said United took 'into consideration the young players emerging through the ranks at the club, and we have not chosen to pursue the transfer'. Ferguson's assistant, Mike Phelan, contradicted the club's statement and blamed work permit problems.
In retrospect, United won the FA Youth Cup the following season with their most exciting academy side since the Class of '92 and a 16-year-old Paul Pogba had just joined from Le Havre. Ljajic has had a respectable, if nomadic, career that has taken in four Italian clubs and he is currently in Turkey playing for Besiktas.
United supporters had every right to be suspicious just before Christmas. In early January, it was announced the Glazers were planning a bond issue to raise £500m. Essentially, the United owners were considering taking on new debt to pay off some of the old debt.
The Glazers had pulled off a successful refinancing in 2006 but, as O'Neill explains, "The 2008 global financial crisis had made it increasingly difficult to negotiate further new agreements. Similar problems were also evident at Anfield, where Liverpool's own American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett had not managed to refinance before the crash, with the result that their club was plunged into crisis, with Hicks and Gillett forced to cede ownership.
"While the situation at Old Trafford was not quite as desperate, Manchester United being placed at the mercy of the markets was exactly what all the dire warnings in 2004 and 2005 had predicted." United advertised the bond issue in the Financial Times.
So United had debts of over £700m, the Glazers had imposed financial cuts, Ferguson was operating under tighter restraints and appeared unprepared to compete for proven talent or take a risk on raw potential. And there was also Leeds.
For the first time in 26 years, United exited the FA Cup at the third round stage. Against Leeds. League One Leeds. The Glazers could hardly be held accountable for Ferguson's tinkering, though his cup XI was laden with has-beens and never gonna bes: Gary Neville, Fabio da Silva, Wes Brown, Darron Gibson, Tomasz Kuszczak, Anderson.
"You have to get over these kind of results quickly. We have a semi-final on Wednesday night and a lot of these players today won't be playing," Ferguson fumed. "I didn't expect that."
Though Leeds was an aberration, what especially incensed United fans was Malcolm Glazer and his children had borrowed £10m from the club and Ljajic would have cost £9m. On January 22, it was announced the Glazers had successfully completed their controversial refinancing, raising £504m.
"We've got more money than you," Burnley fans chanted at Old Trafford on January 16. "Love United, hate Glazer," the Stretford End replied. A week later, the stadium was peppered with green and gold for the three o'clock Saturday kick-off with Hull.
Supporters stood outside the east stand with a banner that read, 'Glazer - forever in your debt'. The match was not televised live in the UK but the protests had gained attention and green and gold scarves started to sell like hotcakes.
Four days later, United hosted City in an electric League Cup semi-final second leg. Wayne Rooney pounced in added-time to win the tie 4-3 on aggregate and cartwheeled ecstatically in front of the Stretford End throng. Broadcasters Sky replayed it in slow motion and the background had a sprinkle of green and gold.
Come full-time, those recently-bought scarves swirled triumphantly in the stands and the movement had officially taken off. A fixture quirk meant United would not play at home in a live televised game again until the Champions League return leg with AC Milan on March 10, to be shown on terrestrial channel ITV.
The 'Love United Hate Glazer' stickers were ubiquitous on away days and had not gone unnoticed by David Gill, viewed as a turncoat by militant fans who protested against the takeover in 2005. "I would appeal to the fans to be sensible and get behind the team," Gill preached. "We are a very well-run club and given what's happening at other clubs, people should be proud of what's happening at Manchester United. It [the protest] serves no purpose and it won't change a thing."
In the draw with Aston Villa on February 10, Gill - who once promised to be 'behind the barricades' should the Glazer takeover succeed - could read his hypocrisy in black and white. A green and gold banner at Villa Park read, '"Debt is the road to ruin", David Gill, August 2004'.
Two days later, Gill was confronted by two supporters after a question-and-answer session at Birmingham University, where he was reminded of his 'overly aggressive' and 'unmanageable' descriptions of the proposed takeover by the Glazers. The 'ruin' quote was brought up. Gill replied: "Those were comments back in autumn and then they changed, the model changed. If you read all the statements..."
Patrice Evra was more diplomatic. "They are the original colours of Manchester United and the fans wear them because they love this club. They have their reasons for doing it and we don’t think that they’re crazy. They’d like things to change."
"Since very early in his time at United he's spoken with passion and eloquence about who and what the club represents," Daniel Harris wrote about Evra in On the Road: A journey through a season. "Usually in magically unhinged style. Most recently, he revealed tacit support for the anti-Glazer protest, until now a position stated only by Cantona and Solskjaer."
Gary Neville has maintained his Glazer omertà to this day and downplayed the debt weighing down the club. "We're always very well protected and never get involved in the financial side of things... as players we never get involved in those things; our job is purely on the pitch and we allow people who are paid to do jobs in other areas of the club to do their job. It's nothing to do with us at all."
The 5-0 thrashing of Portsmouth, the 1-1 draw with Villa and routine 3-0 defeat of West Ham in February were not televised and the humdinger of a win in Milan, as well as a limp loss at Everton, barely mentioned or broadcast the anti-Glazer militants in the unseen away ends. A Wembley League Cup final, with 28,000 United fans in attendance and joint-broadcast by the BBC, was ripe for worldwide exposure.
Green and gold scarves were wrapped around the necks of thousands of United supporters, others wore hats and green and yellow balloons floated around the stadium before kick-off. A 'United against Glazer' banner was unfurled and it is impossible to pinpoint a celebratory picture of matchgoers without a fleck of Newton Heath colours.
On March 10 2010, Avram and Joel Glazer showed their faces at Old Trafford for the return leg with AC Milan. The seven-times European Cup winners touched down in Manchester with loanee David Beckham in their squad in what would be his only Old Trafford appearance as an opponent.
United dismissed Milan 4-0 and Beckham was treated to a comeback with United 3-0 up on 64 minutes. It was one of those crowdpleasing cameos Beckham specialised in in the twilight of his career; pinpoint passes with the tempo relaxed and an audacious attempt that Edwin van der Sar parried.
More memorable was what happened after the final shrill. It seems rehearsed now (MUST had supposedly contacted Beckham's father, Ted, about possibly supporting the green and gold movement). With his lap of honour nearly complete and 'There's only one David Beckham' echoing around the Stretford End, a lone green and gold scarf was thrown onto the saturated turf as Beckham approached the tunnel.
United supporters reacted as though Beckham was about to take a penalty.
"Go on! Go on! Go on!"
Beckham approached the scarf. The crowd's urges loudened. Beckham crouched down. He picked it up.
"YESSSSSSS."
It crowned an uproarious evening. 'Love United Hate Glazer' banners were unfurled in the second tier of the Stretford End and would reappear in home games against Liverpool, Fulham and Bayern Munich. The rebellious scarves were held aloft for a chorus of 'Forever and ever' and photographers zoomed in on the terraces.
The former spokesperson of the Glazers, Tehsin Nayani, was so vexed by Beckham's publicity stunt he contacted Joel Glazer. "We don't know Beckham's motives for putting on the scarf," Nayani recalled Glazer as saying. "Also, I'm not sure the publicity is necessarily bad. Football is a passionate business. Won't it blow over?
"Sure, some fans are angry and protesting inside Old Trafford. But from where I'm sitting there are many millions of fans who are just happy the team are through to the next round. They're supporters of Manchester United too.
"I get that some fans don't like us, but to hate us, it's such a strong word. To hate us when the club has been so successful, it's extraordinary."
That was the nub of it: the majority of matchgoers who continued to attend United games countenanced the Glazers because, as Joel Glazer highlighted, the team was successful under Ferguson. In five of the first eight seasons under the Glazers' ownership, United clinched five championships.
Beckham's best man Neville was asked afterwards about the evocative green and gold protest in the mixed zone: "I'm not getting involved in that." Beckham's solidarity worried United, though. Players were banned from discussing the campaign, MUTV were forbidden from referring to it and a supporter was ejected from Live at the Red Cafe for refusing to remove a green and gold scarf.
But Beckham had bottled it. In his flash interview with ITV's Gabriel Clarke, he refused to denounce the Glazers. All Beckham had succeeded in was making the green and gold scarf a must-have accessory that spring. Many who clicked through the Old Trafford turnstiles with a newly-bought green and gold scarf wrapped around them also sported replica shirts, oblivious to the curious juxtaposition.
When previously challenged, the Glazers rose to it. They shopped in the Old Trafford Megastore ringed off by police as an angry mob stewed outside after the completion of the takeover in 2005. Joel, Avram and Bryan sat in the directors' box for the first time in the Champions League qualifier against Debrecen that August. Some supporters shook their hands, requested autographs and got pictures. During the 2010 pre-season tour of the United States, a colourful United fan who often dons a green and gold jacket had a photo with Avram Glazer in a hotel elevator.
Avram Glazer returned 11 days after the 4-0 stroll against Milan for the win over Liverpool and was joined by Joel, against Tottenham in April. Only the ash cloud eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland prevented any of them from attending the final home match with Stoke.
Chelsea pipped United to the league that day and supporters protested outside Old Trafford before, during and after the 4-0 thrashing of Stoke. Dollar notes with Malcolm Glazer's face read 'We shall not renew' and 'GO Glazers Out' signs were so widespread inside the stadium the supporter sat behind Ferguson raised his placard.
But the season was over and the owners had weathered the storm. United only missed out on an unprecedented fourth consecutive championship by a point; stung by appalling refereeing decisions in both defeats to Chelsea.
"There is no doubting the fans saw the glass as half empty in 2009." Neville wrote. "With no trophy to show, surely Manchester United was going through a wobbly patch?"
Insignificant though it may be, United had won the League Cup. If the three-handled pot was so insignificant to Neville then pictures of him clutching it with Ferguson and Wayne Rooney would not have appeared in his book. "The manager and I parade the Carling Cup in 2006 - my first trophy as United captain," the caption reads.
"In all my time supporting the club I've never known any owners who were popular," Neville opined. "Even when the club was a plc there were unhappy fans. But inside the club we have not been affected by changes of ownership: you wouldn't have a clue that anything is different under the Glazer family."
You would now.


themanchestereveningnews--2020-01-25--The unfinished business Man City have with Liverpool FC this season

In December last season Liverpool won 2-0 at Molineux to increase their lead at the top of the table .
With 48 points from 18 games , they looked unstoppable ... but were reeled in by a phenomenal Manchester City side .
On Thursday night Liverpool won 2-1 at Molineux to increase their lead at the top of the table .
With 67 points from 23 games they look unstoppable and barring the most unbelievable circumstances they will be .
Pep Guardiola has given up on defending the title and the league table is all that is needed to see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from two seasons ago , when it was the Blues who blew every other rival out of the water .
Humbled 5-0 at the Etihad , Liverpool knew they were n't consistent enough to challenge for the title but Jurgen Klopp went about setting smaller targets that could close the chasm in future years .
First , they used Anfield - one of their biggest strengths - to help inflict City 's first league defeat in 30 games and their first of the 2017/18 season when they won 4-3 in January 2018 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' said Klopp .
A late City comeback made that scoreline less emphatic but when the Champions League threw the teams together later that season a 3-0 win at the same ground showed that the Blues were vulnerable after all .
And the only other league defeat the champions-elect suffered in that campaign was related to Liverpool too as Guardiola rested players against United ahead of the second leg of the European tie .
Remember too how much pleasure Jose Mourinho got from winning that game , preventing his nearest rivals from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Liverpool also made a lot of a pre-season win over Guardiola 's side in the summer of 2018 .
Even though they played a strong team against a patchwork Blues side , it was all about the belief and confidence .
That ultimately was n't enough to win the league the following year , although it is worth noting that if City 's win over them at the Etihad denied them the title , 100 points and an unbeaten campaign then the draw at Anfield earlier in the season robbed the champions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been completed this season , with the momentum started by those first blows against City set to finally pay off with the most coveted silverware .
Having finished the 2017/18 campaign 25 points off the Blues , Liverpool are now 16 points ahead with a game in hand .
Guardiola still has three cups to play for , but as he plans for next season he also has to make sure the inroads on the champions-elect start now .
As it stands , Liverpool could win the title at the Etihad on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their games up to that point .
The first task is to make sure that does n't happen .
If Klopp 's team do not lose before then , a City victory in that match will end their unbeaten run in the league one game short of Arsene Wenger 's Invincibles record .
Regardless of whether the Champions League draws the teams together again , that fixture is an opportunity to the same kind of statement that Liverpool made back in January 2018 .
City ca n't stop their Merseyside rivals from winning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ determine how emphatic a title win it ends up .
Whatever small inroads that can be made between now and May can only benefit them in the future .

In December last season Liverpool won 2-0 at Molineux to increase their lead at the top of the table. With 48 points from 18 games, they looked unstoppable...but were reeled in by a phenomenal Manchester City side.
On Thursday night Liverpool won 2-1 at Molineux to increase their lead at the top of the table. With 67 points from 23 games they look unstoppable and barring the most unbelievable circumstances they will be.
Pep Guardiola has given up on defending the title and the league table is all that is needed to see why.
The tables have been turned from two seasons ago, when it was the Blues who blew every other rival out of the water. Humbled 5-0 at the Etihad, Liverpool knew they weren't consistent enough to challenge for the title but Jurgen Klopp went about setting smaller targets that could close the chasm in future years.
First, they used Anfield - one of their biggest strengths - to help inflict City's first league defeat in 30 games and their first of the 2017/18 season when they won 4-3 in January 2018. "Maybe it is an historic day," said Klopp.
A late City comeback made that scoreline less emphatic but when the Champions League threw the teams together later that season a 3-0 win at the same ground showed that the Blues were vulnerable after all.
And the only other league defeat the champions-elect suffered in that campaign was related to Liverpool too as Guardiola rested players against United ahead of the second leg of the European tie. Remember too how much pleasure Jose Mourinho got from winning that game, preventing his nearest rivals from winning the title in record time.
Liverpool also made a lot of a pre-season win over Guardiola's side in the summer of 2018. Even though they played a strong team against a patchwork Blues side, it was all about the belief and confidence.
(Image: Photo by Matt McNulty - Manchester City/Manchester City FC via Getty Images)
That ultimately wasn't enough to win the league the following year, although it is worth noting that if City's win over them at the Etihad denied them the title, 100 points and an unbeaten campaign then the draw at Anfield earlier in the season robbed the champions of two successive 100-point years.
The transformation has been completed this season, with the momentum started by those first blows against City set to finally pay off with the most coveted silverware. Having finished the 2017/18 campaign 25 points off the Blues, Liverpool are now 16 points ahead with a game in hand.
Guardiola still has three cups to play for, but as he plans for next season he also has to make sure the inroads on the champions-elect start now.
As it stands, Liverpool could win the title at the Etihad on April 4 if both teams win all their games up to that point. The first task is to make sure that doesn't happen. If Klopp's team do not lose before then, a City victory in that match will end their unbeaten run in the league one game short of Arsene Wenger's Invincibles record.
Regardless of whether the Champions League draws the teams together again, that fixture is an opportunity to the same kind of statement that Liverpool made back in January 2018. City can't stop their Merseyside rivals from winning the league, but they can still determine how emphatic a title win it ends up.
Whatever small inroads that can be made between now and May can only benefit them in the future.


themanchestereveningnews--2020-01-25--Manchester United transfer news LIVE Fernandes and Haaland latest ahead of Tranmere fixture

Manchester United will continue their preparations for their FA Cup clash versus Tranmere Rovers on Sunday .
United only discovered @ @ @ @ @ on Thursday night , with a quick turnaround beofre Sunday afternoon 's clash .
The @ @ @ @ @ the subject of concern in recent weeks , but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insisted United would @ @ @ @ @ `` The pitch is not great but that 's the same for both of us @ @ @ @ @ to be focused , ready , there are divots everywhere , '' Solskjaer said .
@ @ @ @ @ illness , while Eric Bailly could play his first competitive minutes of the season after @ @ @ @ @ injury .
In terms of transfers , United are interested in Birmingham 's Jude Bellingham @ @ @ @ @ .
Edinson Cavani , Moussa Dembele and Islam Slimani are the latest names to be @ @ @ @ @ latest United news throughout the day .

Michael Owen believes that precedent set by the signings of Alexis Sanchez and Angel Di Maria should make United think twice about signing Bruno Fernandes.
“I think players are turning up there and regressing as football players,” Owen told Premier League Productions.
“I think that’s the most worrying aspect of it all. We can all sit here and agree or disagree, Alexis Sanchez was the best player in the Premier League for two, three season.“I think we’d all agree that, he was brilliant. How can you go from that level to being so bad like that?
“You can go on and on and on. I can’t see any player in that team, in the last six, seven years that you think ‘We signed him, he’s now better, he’s getting better as a player’. If anything they stay the same or regress.
“So yes we can talk about signings, good and bad, but I think we’d all agree at some point I thought Alexis Sanchez was going to be a brilliant signing, we all did, how can you not? He was brilliant. It’s alright saying everything’s bad, but why is it bad?
“If you continue to splash money, Di Maria here, and all these great players - it’s not a coincidence that they’re all just going bad, or they’re bad signings. Something’s going wrong fundamentally at the club where they’re not getting the best out of them.
“I think that’s what you’ve got to find out first before you just go and blow another £100m. At the minute, as we’ve all said, there’s scattergun signings, there’s scattergun tactics, there’s scattergun everything.
“That’s why I’d be so hesitant if I was holding the pursestrings at Manchester United just to go ‘Yeah, go on, go and sign another £100-200m player’ - it’s going to be a waste again.”


themanchestereveningnews--2020-01-25--Man City transfer news LIVE Fulham team news and Pablo Mari latest

Manchester City could welcome back defenders John Stones and Benjamin Mendy for Sunday 's FA Cup fourth round tie with @ @ @ @ @ City have no new injury concerns , saying only that Leroy Sane remained out .
@ @ @ @ @ the win at Sheffield United this week , but Stones has since been pictured in @ @ @ @ @ said the Fulham game could be too soon for Mendy .
Meanwhile , Guardiola also @ @ @ @ @ n't leave the club on loan before next week 's transfer deadline , but Taylor @ @ @ @ @ is right .
Ian Carlo Poveda is closing in on a permanent transfer to Leeds @ @ @ @ @ travel to United in the Women 's FA Cup fourth round today , looking to @ @ @ @ @ meeting which was a Continental Cup win for United .
Stay tuned below for the @ @ @ @ @ day .

Manchester City could welcome back defenders John Stones and Benjamin Mendy for Sunday's FA Cup fourth round tie with Fulham
Pep Guardiola yesterday confirmed City have no new injury concerns, saying only that Leroy Sane remained out. Mendy and Stones both missed the win at Sheffield United this week, but Stones has since been pictured in training. Guardiola had previously said the Fulham game could be too soon for Mendy.
Meanwhile, Guardiola also suggested that Eric Garcia won't leave the club on loan before next week's transfer deadline, but Taylor Harwood-Bellis could if the offer is right. Ian Carlo Poveda is closing in on a permanent transfer to Leeds.
Finally, City Women travel to United in the Women's FA Cup fourth round today, looking to exact revenge following their last meeting which was a Continental Cup win for United.
Stay tuned below for the latest City news throughout the day.


themanchestereveningnews--2020-01-25--Manchester United can soon discover a new elite player

Brace yourselves , Manchester United fans , for the return of Eric Bailly .
It 's rarely boring when the Ivory Coast centre back dons the red shirt , though it has been a frustratingly rare occurrence in recent seasons .
A litany of injuries have shorn United of arguably their best defender , a moniker that many could have questioned at the start of the campaign when Harry Maguire was taking to life at Old Trafford like a dream but perhaps not so much now .
Bailly 's return , however , comes at the perfect time for United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lindelof only just back from illness and very few alternatives at centre-back .
Nothing is ever predictable with Bailly , which is a slight problem for a centre-back .
But it 's ironically true given the timing of his long-awaited return — of more than six months — which looks likely to be in a game on a substandard pitch against League One opposition .
Who really knows how Bailly will fare ?
There will be some who will argue that the Tranmere Rovers FA Cup fourth round tie on Sunday is n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make his comeback .
But Ole Gunnar Solskajer insisted he had few qualms about the heavily sanded and boggy Prenton Park pitch — that was used against Watford on Thursday night for the third round replay — and played down its significance in relation to Bailly in particular .
`` Eric has had a couple of behind-closed-doors games here , '' Solskjaer said in his press conference at United 's Carrington training ground .
`` The [ Prenton Park ] pitch is not great but that 's the same for both of us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focused , ready , there are divots everywhere .
`` This generation coming through , with astro turf and nice pitches , they get lazier in the heads .
So Eric is probably one of them who 's more prepared for a game with that pitch . ''
With that , Solskjaer lit the blue touch paper for a Bailly return .
And there 's good reason why United fans are excited to see him back in their side .
Not just because of the defensive struggles that have plagued Solskjaer 's side @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clean sheets in the league since September that remains a festering sore .
No , because when fit and firing , Bailly is a natural defender and a mighty fine footballer too .
Few read the game as well as the 25-year-old and virtually no current United defender can operate with the ball at their feet like him .
Like so many in the current Old Trafford squad , injuries and inconsistencies have plagued Bailly .
It 's staggering to think he 's only made 43 Premier League starts since joining United in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see him enough .
It may be expecting too much to suggest Bailly can again be an elite player for United , though he 's hit those heights on the odd occasion , suggesting fans would have good reason to believe it possible .
One of the criticism aimed at Solskjaer and his coaching staff in the past few is that they have n't coached players to become better , bar the odd exception like Fred and Marcus Rashford .
In Bailly they have the raw materials , the talent .
And Tranmere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him alongside either someone established like Maguire or Lindelof .
With Phil Jones struggling , Marcos Rojo likely to leave and Axel Tuanzebe injured , United need Bailly and they need him back at the top of his game .

Brace yourselves, Manchester United fans, for the return of Eric Bailly.
It's rarely boring when the Ivory Coast centre back dons the red shirt, though it has been a frustratingly rare occurrence in recent seasons.
A litany of injuries have shorn United of arguably their best defender, a moniker that many could have questioned at the start of the campaign when Harry Maguire was taking to life at Old Trafford like a dream but perhaps not so much now.
Bailly's return, however, comes at the perfect time for United with Maguire struggling a touch, Victor Lindelof only just back from illness and very few alternatives at centre-back.
Nothing is ever predictable with Bailly, which is a slight problem for a centre-back. But it's ironically true given the timing of his long-awaited return — of more than six months — which looks likely to be in a game on a substandard pitch against League One opposition. Who really knows how Bailly will fare?
There will be some who will argue that the Tranmere Rovers FA Cup fourth round tie on Sunday isn't the place or time for Bailly to make his comeback. But Ole Gunnar Solskajer insisted he had few qualms about the heavily sanded and boggy Prenton Park pitch — that was used against Watford on Thursday night for the third round replay — and played down its significance in relation to Bailly in particular.
"Eric has had a couple of behind-closed-doors games here," Solskjaer said in his press conference at United's Carrington training ground.
"The [Prenton Park] pitch is not great but that's the same for both of us and the players just have to be focused, ready, there are divots everywhere.
"This generation coming through, with astro turf and nice pitches, they get lazier in the heads. So Eric is probably one of them who's more prepared for a game with that pitch."
With that, Solskjaer lit the blue touch paper for a Bailly return.
And there's good reason why United fans are excited to see him back in their side. Not just because of the defensive struggles that have plagued Solskjaer's side this season — though with just two clean sheets in the league since September that remains a festering sore.
No, because when fit and firing, Bailly is a natural defender and a mighty fine footballer too. Few read the game as well as the 25-year-old and virtually no current United defender can operate with the ball at their feet like him.
Like so many in the current Old Trafford squad, injuries and inconsistencies have plagued Bailly. It's staggering to think he's only made 43 Premier League starts since joining United in June 2016. We just haven't see him enough.
It may be expecting too much to suggest Bailly can again be an elite player for United, though he's hit those heights on the odd occasion, suggesting fans would have good reason to believe it possible.
One of the criticism aimed at Solskjaer and his coaching staff in the past few is that they haven't coached players to become better, bar the odd exception like Fred and Marcus Rashford. In Bailly they have the raw materials, the talent.
And Tranmere may be the perfect game to reintroduce him alongside either someone established like Maguire or Lindelof.
With Phil Jones struggling, Marcos Rojo likely to leave and Axel Tuanzebe injured, United need Bailly and they need him back at the top of his game.


themanchestereveningnews--2020-01-25--Manchester United target Bruno Fernandes 'to be left out' of Sporting CP's next fixture and more rum

Manchester United target Bruno Fernandes 'to be left out' of Sporting CP's next fixture and more rumours

Bruno Fernandes will not feature in Sporting ’ s next fixture amid Manchester United ’ s transfer interest .
That is according to Record ( via the Express ) , who say Fernandes will not be used versus Maritimo on Monday as a result of the speculation regarding his future .
Fernandes has featured in Sporting ’ s last two fixtures - defeats to Benfica and Braga - as captain in the last week , as United continue to explore the signing of the Portugal international .
He picked up an inventive assist in the Braga game , sending a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former Barcelona defender Jeremy Mathieu to score .
As Fernandes left the pitch against Braga , Fernandes shoved a TV camera away after seeing his side reduced to eight men in the League Cup semi final defeat .
United have until next Friday ’ s transfer deadline to complete the signing of the playmaker , but MEN Sport understand the two clubs are still far apart on their valuations of Fernandes .
Meanwhile , United have been touted for a move for PSG teenager Eric Junior Dina-Ebimbe French media outlet RMC Sport claim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of United transfer interest , with the player currently on loan with French Ligue 2 side Le Havre .
The midfielder has impressed as Le Havre are aiming to get promotion to the French first tier , and the report suggests United could make their move in the summer .

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Bruno Fernandes will not feature in Sporting’s next fixture amid Manchester United’s transfer interest.
That is according to Record (via the Express), who say Fernandes will not be used versus Maritimo on Monday as a result of the speculation regarding his future.
Fernandes has featured in Sporting’s last two fixtures - defeats to Benfica and Braga - as captain in the last week, as United continue to explore the signing of the Portugal international. He picked up an inventive assist in the Braga game, sending a quick free kick into the feet of former Barcelona defender Jeremy Mathieu to score.
As Fernandes left the pitch against Braga, Fernandes shoved a TV camera away after seeing his side reduced to eight men in the League Cup semi final defeat.
United have until next Friday’s transfer deadline to complete the signing of the playmaker, but MEN Sport understand the two clubs are still far apart on their valuations of Fernandes.
Meanwhile, United have been touted for a move for PSG teenager Eric Junior Dina-Ebimbe
French media outlet RMC Sport claim that the 19-year-old has been the subject of United transfer interest, with the player currently on loan with French Ligue 2 side Le Havre.
The midfielder has impressed as Le Havre are aiming to get promotion to the French first tier, and the report suggests United could make their move in the summer.


themanchestereveningnews--2020-01-25--Solskjaer makes admission about Manchester United spending in transfer market

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will not spend millions of pounds of Manchester United 's money just to save his own job , insisting the club have to `` spend wisely '' in their bid to return to the top of the Premier League .
The Norwegian is overseeing a United 'rebuild ' but the squad is now severely stretched as injuries bite , with the three additions of Aaron Wan-Bissaka , Harry Maguire and Daniel James leaving options short following departures last summer .
United pulled out of a deal to sign Erling Haaland before he moved from RB Salzburg to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sporting Lisbon over their valuation of midfielder Bruno Fernandes .
That has led some fans to wonder where the money has gone , but Solskjaer insists throwing cash at the problem is n't the easy solution it is considered and the club must make sure it is invested well .
`` We have to spend wisely , that ’ s one of the keys for me , that we spend our money wisely , '' he said .
`` We ’ ve spent loads of money in the past five or six seasons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ ve got to make sure with the club that when we spend the money now it ’ s on the right players and the right types , that will be here in the long run and will add quality now . ''
Solskjaer raised the example of Fred 's emergence this season after a difficult first year in Manchester as a player who has benefited from a season bedding into the club .
But he knows the club ca n't afford to make too many big money mistakes in the transfer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenging the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool .
`` Football has changed , money has changed big time .
Players to improve Man United or the top teams are very expensive these days , '' he said .
`` What is error ?
Is it error when it takes a player from abroad spending a season getting acclimatised ?
`` There has been loads of criticism on Fred for eg .
People saying he ’ ll never be good enough , I ’ ve read some of the nonsense which has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s very vital and important we have players here to perform but when players come in you can ’ t expect it straight away . ''
United 's players have been criticised for a lack of character of late , but Solskjaer insists he has n't seen his players trying to hide despite successive defeats this week .
`` I have not seen many of my players getting their hoods up , hiding and trying to disappear , '' he said .
`` I can see loads of players that really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we put demands on ourselves behind the doors .
Yes , of course they are not going to come out and criticise each other .
`` I am not going to sit here and criticise my players .
I will do that behind closed doors .
We have open discussions there but we are not going to hang people out to dry , that is just common sense because if I point a finger at you more fingers get pointed back at me .
That 's just a good old cliche .
So @ @ @ @ @ @

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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will not spend millions of pounds of Manchester United's money just to save his own job, insisting the club have to "spend wisely" in their bid to return to the top of the Premier League.
The Norwegian is overseeing a United 'rebuild' but the squad is now severely stretched as injuries bite, with the three additions of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Harry Maguire and Daniel James leaving options short following departures last summer.
United pulled out of a deal to sign Erling Haaland before he moved from RB Salzburg to Borussia Dortmund and remain far apart from Sporting Lisbon over their valuation of midfielder Bruno Fernandes.
That has led some fans to wonder where the money has gone, but Solskjaer insists throwing cash at the problem isn't the easy solution it is considered and the club must make sure it is invested well.
"We have to spend wisely, that’s one of the keys for me, that we spend our money wisely," he said.
"We’ve spent loads of money in the past five or six seasons, since Sir Alex left, and I’ve got to make sure with the club that when we spend the money now it’s on the right players and the right types, that will be here in the long run and will add quality now."
Solskjaer raised the example of Fred's emergence this season after a difficult first year in Manchester as a player who has benefited from a season bedding into the club.
But he knows the club can't afford to make too many big money mistakes in the transfer window if they are to return to challenging the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool.
"Football has changed, money has changed big time. Players to improve Man United or the top teams are very expensive these days," he said.
"What is error? Is it error when it takes a player from abroad spending a season getting acclimatised?
"There has been loads of criticism on Fred for eg. People saying he’ll never be good enough, I’ve read some of the nonsense which has been said. I think he proves now it’s very vital and important we have players here to perform but when players come in you can’t expect it straight away."
United's players have been criticised for a lack of character of late, but Solskjaer insists he hasn't seen his players trying to hide despite successive defeats this week.
"I have not seen many of my players getting their hoods up, hiding and trying to disappear," he said.
"I can see loads of players that really want this to be a success and we put demands on ourselves behind the doors. Yes, of course they are not going to come out and criticise each other.
"I am not going to sit here and criticise my players. I will do that behind closed doors. We have open discussions there but we are not going to hang people out to dry, that is just common sense because if I point a finger at you more fingers get pointed back at me. That's just a good old cliche. So I disagree with you."


themanchestereveningnews--2020-01-25--Pep Guardiola planning Man City changes for Fulham and Man Utd games

Pep Guardiola is planning sweeping changes to his teams for Manchester City 's next two games as he prepares for challenges ahead .
The Blues boss has been critical of the fixture schedule in recent weeks , pointing out that there are too many games and too little time to rest for the players in their packed calendars .
City 's place in the Premier League trailing Liverpool by so many points has led to suggestions that they should prioritise other competitions with the Champions League , FA Cup and Carabao Cup all up for grabs .
Guardiola has insisted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best form possible in the league in order to be sharp for knockout rounds , and with two cup games coming up he is planning to make full use of the squad to make sure that as many players as possible are in the best rhythm that they can be - rather than resting stars for certain games .
`` I am going to play players who did not play in Sheffield and then for the United game , I will players who don ’ t play against Fulham , '' he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quite a lot , to try to keep everybody involved .
`` Maybe I have to think about that in the Christmas period , that is true .
Now we have a game , five days until the next one , after Fulham we have three days , then four days to the Tottenham game , then seven days to West Ham , after that 13 days to Leicester , so there is not much time to make people rest .
`` Hopefully it isn ’ t going to happen , but there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injured .
For us , another player will play , it ’ s the only thing I can do . ''

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Pep Guardiola is planning sweeping changes to his teams for Manchester City's next two games as he prepares for challenges ahead.
The Blues boss has been critical of the fixture schedule in recent weeks, pointing out that there are too many games and too little time to rest for the players in their packed calendars.
City's place in the Premier League trailing Liverpool by so many points has led to suggestions that they should prioritise other competitions with the Champions League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup all up for grabs.
Guardiola has insisted that they need to be in the best form possible in the league in order to be sharp for knockout rounds, and with two cup games coming up he is planning to make full use of the squad to make sure that as many players as possible are in the best rhythm that they can be - rather than resting stars for certain games.
"I am going to play players who did not play in Sheffield and then for the United game, I will players who don’t play against Fulham," he said. "I am guy who rotates quite a lot, to try to keep everybody involved.
"Maybe I have to think about that in the Christmas period, that is true. Now we have a game, five days until the next one, after Fulham we have three days, then four days to the Tottenham game, then seven days to West Ham, after that 13 days to Leicester, so there is not much time to make people rest.
"Hopefully it isn’t going to happen, but there is time for a player to get injured. For us, another player will play, it’s the only thing I can do."


themanchestereveningnews--2020-01-25--What Pep Guardiola wants from Sergio Aguero replacement at Man City

Pep Guardiola indicated the special qualities needed in the striker that will replace Sergio Aguero at Manchester City .
The club will hope that they can keep hold of the Argentine for as long as possible , especially with him getting better and better , but given he is in his 30s and his current contract expires next year replacing such a talent will not be easy to do .
City have had to deal with a number of senior players departing in recent years and that trend will continue in summer when David Silva leaves after a decade in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is for Phil Foden to step up and fill that place in the team and squad with the Stockport teenager improving with every game he plays .
Gabriel Jesus will hope to take over from Aguero but , just as he was brought in to provide competition , the Brazilian can expect another top striker challenging for regular starts .
City 's manager said that replacing Aguero would not be similar to Foden taking over Silva 's role because of the specific requirements of a goalscorer .
`` With strikers it is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ David or other ones , '' he said .
`` Strikers are numbers , strikers is a smell , it is not easy to find it and I think in the big clubs you need a guy .
When Sergio is fit and he is happy , he can always do something .
`` But we have two incredible strikers because when Gabriel was playing when Sergio was injured , the statistics from Gabriel are incredible as well in terms of assists and goals and everything .
That ’ s why we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Lately they ’ ve both played ( together ) and switched perfectly .
I don ’ t remember the last games , against Crystal Palace played the last minutes two on the pitch so it was good .
Guardiola 's contract is also up in 2021 but he has committed his future to the club next season and has not ruled out a further extension .
As he prepares for the future of the club , he is willing to get involved in transfers but is happy for Txiki Begiristain and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previously credited with 80 per cent of City 's recent success - to be leading the search for the next Aguero .
`` I think we have a department here to see what is happening at the new talented players in all the positions in different countries , '' he said .
`` I don ’ t have time honestly .
I have highlights and people talk about this player and I take a look .
But to see the specific skills , I don ’ t have time . ''

Pep Guardiola indicated the special qualities needed in the striker that will replace Sergio Aguero at Manchester City.
The club will hope that they can keep hold of the Argentine for as long as possible, especially with him getting better and better, but given he is in his 30s and his current contract expires next year replacing such a talent will not be easy to do.
City have had to deal with a number of senior players departing in recent years and that trend will continue in summer when David Silva leaves after a decade in Manchester. At present, the plan is for Phil Foden to step up and fill that place in the team and squad with the Stockport teenager improving with every game he plays.
Gabriel Jesus will hope to take over from Aguero but, just as he was brought in to provide competition, the Brazilian can expect another top striker challenging for regular starts.
City's manager said that replacing Aguero would not be similar to Foden taking over Silva's role because of the specific requirements of a goalscorer.
"With strikers it is a completely different approach than from Phil and David or other ones," he said. "Strikers are numbers, strikers is a smell, it is not easy to find it and I think in the big clubs you need a guy. When Sergio is fit and he is happy, he can always do something.
"But we have two incredible strikers because when Gabriel was playing when Sergio was injured, the statistics from Gabriel are incredible as well in terms of assists and goals and everything. That’s why we are lucky to have both of them.
"Lately they’ve both played (together) and switched perfectly. I don’t remember the last games, against Crystal Palace played the last minutes two on the pitch so it was good.
Guardiola's contract is also up in 2021 but he has committed his future to the club next season and has not ruled out a further extension.
As he prepares for the future of the club, he is willing to get involved in transfers but is happy for Txiki Begiristain and his scouting team - who the manager has previously credited with 80 per cent of City's recent success - to be leading the search for the next Aguero.
"I think we have a department here to see what is happening at the new talented players in all the positions in different countries," he said.
"I don’t have time honestly. I have highlights and people talk about this player and I take a look. But to see the specific skills, I don’t have time."


themanchestereveningnews--2020-01-25--Solskjaer aims dig at Jose Mourinho and Louis van Gaal as he backs Manchester United structure

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will assess his own failings if he does n't succeed in turning Manchester United 's fortunes around , rather than blaming the structure of the club .
Previous managers Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho have both complained about the way the club has been run since being shown the door at Old Trafford .
Van Gaal and Mourinho were unhappy at the club 's transfer business during their regimes and the structure in the club , with Ed Woodward playing a key role in negotiations during their time in charge .
But Solskjaer is happy with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , even though United are yet to appoint a director of football nearly 18 months after it was first mooted .
When it was put to the Norwegian that Van Gaal and Mourinho had both complained about the structure of the club and little seemed to have changed , Solskjaer said : `` It ’ s a skill to look yourself in mirror sometimes and not just blame others as well .
That 's what some of us do , blame others , some of us think we ’ re better than others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understanding .
And I believe in the structure that ’ s been put in behind here , in the time I have been here , with all the resources spent on scouting , recruiting and researching players to make sure we are comfortable when we sign them .
`` But they won ’ t sign a player without me accepting it .
It ’ s down to me to say yes or no when the club finds a target . ''
United are yet to add to their squad in the January transfer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to spend the club 's money wisely . ''
With the club on course for their lowest points tally in 30 years the pressure is building on the Norwegian , but he wo n't spend money just for the sake of it in a bid to save his own job .
`` I don ’ t fear for my position in that respect , I just keep on working .
Of course you know you need results and show you ’ re doing the right things but I won ’ t spend big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now if they ’ re not right for the club , '' he said .
`` There might be some players out there of a different age who could come in and help the group because it ’ s a young group .
But room for error ?
`` There ’ s always room for error in transfers because you can never be 100 per cent .
Sometimes it takes times .
Sometimes you can be unlucky with whatever .
We try to do whatever we can to make that risk of error @ @ @

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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will assess his own failings if he doesn't succeed in turning Manchester United's fortunes around, rather than blaming the structure of the club.
Previous managers Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho have both complained about the way the club has been run since being shown the door at Old Trafford.
Van Gaal and Mourinho were unhappy at the club's transfer business during their regimes and the structure in the club, with Ed Woodward playing a key role in negotiations during their time in charge.
But Solskjaer is happy with the format he has to work under, even though United are yet to appoint a director of football nearly 18 months after it was first mooted.
When it was put to the Norwegian that Van Gaal and Mourinho had both complained about the structure of the club and little seemed to have changed, Solskjaer said: "It’s a skill to look yourself in mirror sometimes and not just blame others as well. That's what some of us do, blame others, some of us think we’re better than others.
"For me it's about understanding. And I believe in the structure that’s been put in behind here, in the time I have been here, with all the resources spent on scouting, recruiting and researching players to make sure we are comfortable when we sign them.
"But they won’t sign a player without me accepting it. It’s down to me to say yes or no when the club finds a target."
United are yet to add to their squad in the January transfer window, with Solskjaer insists he has to spend the club's money wisely."
With the club on course for their lowest points tally in 30 years the pressure is building on the Norwegian, but he won't spend money just for the sake of it in a bid to save his own job.
"I don’t fear for my position in that respect, I just keep on working. Of course you know you need results and show you’re doing the right things but I won’t spend big money on someone to come in here now if they’re not right for the club," he said.
"There might be some players out there of a different age who could come in and help the group because it’s a young group. But room for error?
"There’s always room for error in transfers because you can never be 100 per cent. Sometimes it takes times. Sometimes you can be unlucky with whatever. We try to do whatever we can to make that risk of error less."


themanchestereveningnews--2020-01-25--The Masked Singer fans can't believe Jonathan Ross guessed Daisy was a singer who died five years ag

The Masked Singer fans can't believe Jonathan Ross guessed Daisy was a singer who died five years ago

Fans of the singing contest The Masked Singer were stunned when Jonathan Ross guessed that the Daisy was the late singer Natalie Cole .
The chat show host took a guess that it was the American hitmaker following a clue about Daisy that her dad helped her to find success .
The character sang the ballad Unforgettable by Natalie 's late father Nat King Cole , but fans were quick to point out that Natalie sadly passed away in 2015 .
`` @ wossy how can that have been Natalie Cole she died in 2015 ! ''
tweeted one shocked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tell @ wossy that Natalie Cole unfortunately passed away 5 years ago.. '' said another .
`` Erm , Jonathan Ross just guessed Natalie Cole , who famously and sadly died in 2015 .
And ITV kept it in .
On a show that is pre-recorded .
HOW ? ''
asked another stunned viewer .
There was further confusion when The Masked Singer showed a photo of Natalie alongside the other guesses .
`` So disrespectful of @ itvstudios to put Natalie Cole photo up too , '' commented another viewer .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the end of Saturday night 's show , Daisy turned out to be musical superstar Kelis , who had huge hits with the Trick Me , Caught Out There and Milkshake .
`` People have been telling me how distinct my voice is my whole career so I thought let 's see how distinct it is , '' she explained .
Fans were reeling to realise that Kelis had been eliminated from the show pretty early on in the contest with seven celebs disguised in elaborate costumes still in the running .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at home try to guess which stars are singing in disguise beneath an elaborate costume .

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Fans of the singing contest The Masked Singer were stunned when Jonathan Ross guessed that the Daisy was the late singer Natalie Cole.
The chat show host took a guess that it was the American hitmaker following a clue about Daisy that her dad helped her to find success.
The character sang the ballad Unforgettable by Natalie's late father Nat King Cole, but fans were quick to point out that Natalie sadly passed away in 2015.
"@wossy how can that have been Natalie Cole she died in 2015!" tweeted one shocked fan.
"Think someone needs to tell @wossy that Natalie Cole unfortunately passed away 5 years ago.." said another.
(Image: Daily Mirror)
"Erm, Jonathan Ross just guessed Natalie Cole, who famously and sadly died in 2015. And ITV kept it in. On a show that is pre-recorded. HOW?" asked another stunned viewer.
There was further confusion when The Masked Singer showed a photo of Natalie alongside the other guesses.
"So disrespectful of @itvstudios to put Natalie Cole photo up too," commented another viewer.
The Masked Singer viewers were excited when, at the end of Saturday night's show, Daisy turned out to be musical superstar Kelis, who had huge hits with the Trick Me, Caught Out There and Milkshake.
"People have been telling me how distinct my voice is my whole career so I thought let's see how distinct it is," she explained.
Fans were reeling to realise that Kelis had been eliminated from the show pretty early on in the contest with seven celebs disguised in elaborate costumes still in the running.
Each week a celeb panel and viewers at home try to guess which stars are singing in disguise beneath an elaborate costume.


themanchestereveningnews--2020-01-25--Kelis was unmasked on The Masked Singer - and viewers' reactions are hilarious

The Masked Singer viewers were stunned when a musical superstar Kelis was unmasked as Daisy .
Kelis , who had huge hits with the Trick Me , Caught Out There and the frothy Milkshake , has been hiding behind a flowery disguise on the ITV singing show .
To be fair many viewers watching at home , and celeb judge Rita Ora , had worked it out a few weeks back when the show began because of the New Yorker 's distinctive husky voice .
But other fans of the show were convinced that the actual Kelis could n't be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , dressed as a daisy , as people attempted to guess who she was .
Jaws dropped when they realised they were wrong .
`` ERM , WHAT IS KELIS DOING ON THE MASKED SINGER UK ? ''
shouted one .
`` Just told David , if that was Kelis on the # maskedsingeruk then I would run down our street naked ... turns out it was her .
FFS ! ''
tweeted another .
`` Kelis is too good for this show what is going on ? ''
asked another viewer .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been eliminated from the show pretty early on in the contest with seven celebs disguised in elaborate costumes still in the running .
`` Kelis was just beaten by a duck singing Madonna , '' puzzled one .
`` Kelis did not drop the banger Trick Me to be on this s*** '' said another .
Kelis , who featured on ODB 's R & B classic Got Your Money , told the audience that she was glad to take on the challenge .
`` People have been telling me how distinct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I thought let 's see how distinct it is , '' she explained .
`` Kelis is a brilliant booking .
What a get , '' praised one viewer .
`` As if Kelis has just been booted off , completely undeserved , '' said another .

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The Masked Singer viewers were stunned when a musical superstar Kelis was unmasked as Daisy.
Kelis, who had huge hits with the Trick Me, Caught Out There and the frothy Milkshake, has been hiding behind a flowery disguise on the ITV singing show.
To be fair many viewers watching at home, and celeb judge Rita Ora, had worked it out a few weeks back when the show began because of the New Yorker's distinctive husky voice.
But other fans of the show were convinced that the actual Kelis couldn't be on their telly on Saturday nights singing, dressed as a daisy, as people attempted to guess who she was. Jaws dropped when they realised they were wrong.
"ERM, WHAT IS KELIS DOING ON THE MASKED SINGER UK?" shouted one.
(Image: ITV)
"Just told David, if that was Kelis on the #maskedsingeruk then I would run down our street naked ... turns out it was her. FFS!" tweeted another.
"Kelis is too good for this show what is going on?" asked another viewer.
Fans were reeling to realise that Kelis had been eliminated from the show pretty early on in the contest with seven celebs disguised in elaborate costumes still in the running.
"Kelis was just beaten by a duck singing Madonna," puzzled one.
"Kelis did not drop the banger Trick Me to be on this s***" said another.
Kelis, who featured on ODB's R&B classic Got Your Money, told the audience that she was glad to take on the challenge.
"People have been telling me how distinct my voice is my whole career so I thought let's see how distinct it is," she explained.
"Kelis is a brilliant booking. What a get," praised one viewer.
"As if Kelis has just been booted off, completely undeserved," said another.