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The Athletic

Host Ian Irving is joined by The Athletic's Laurie Whitwell, Carl Anka and Andy Mitten on the world's biggest Manchester United podcast. Subscribe for expert insight from inside the club, breaking news and two episodes every week.

Talk of the Devils - A show about Manchester United

After a tumultuous, albeit entirely precedented, weekend at Manchester United football club we break down two huge exclusives involving the team.
On Sunday The Athletic's David Ornstein, Adam Crafton, and Laurie Whitwell combined to reveal that Sporting Director Dan Ashworth would leave after just five months in the job. Meanwhile, Andy Mitten published a lengthy and wide-ranging conversation with club minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
We also take time, as everyone at Old Trafford did before the defeat to Nottingham Forest, to share tributes to the club's longest-serving staff member (perhaps ever), the much-loved Kath Phipps.
We just about found time to talk about some football, much of which wasn't great; but was it all that bad?
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Ashworth out & Sir Jim Ratcliffe talks to Andy

The Czech town of Plzen created a special beer to celebrate the visit of Manchester United, but after Andre Onana sold Matthijs De Ligt short, the Reds needed a Rasmus Hojlund double to round off the night.
After a turgid first half Hojlund, along with Ruben Amorim's other substitutes, injected pace and purpose bringing United level almost immediately and sealing the win late on.
To win away in Europe for the first time since March 2023 puts another positive spin on Sunday's derby at the Etihad Stadium against an ailing City side... but we're not getting carried away!
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Hojlund double delivers away win in Europe and derby 'hunger'

Amad Diallo flipped a dismal derby on its head in the final ten minutes as Manchester United came from behind to win at the Etihad Stadium.
Ruben Amorim took a sizeable gamble by leaving Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho out of the squad and, with Mason Mount injured after fifteen minutes, it looked to have backfired.
However, the young Ivorian won a penalty which his captain put away and then latched onto a Lisandro Martinez through-ball to finish from an acute angle.
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Amad derby ending: Manchester Red again

Ruben Amorim rang the changes again as Manchester United tumbled out of the Carabao Cup at the quarter-final stage against Tottenham. Spare a thought, especially, for the goalkeeping coaches.
Meanwhile, Marcus Rashford has responded to his recent non-selection by telling journalist Henry Winter that he is now looking for a 'new challenge'. But, many questions remain unanswered.
It's Bournemouth next; we're not scared of re-emphasising exactly how tricky that game could be against an eminently 'decent' side.
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Rashford seeking 'new challenge' as Utd exit EFL Cup

The stats don't make for pretty reading after Bournemouth won 3-0 at Old Trafford, just as they did on their previous visit. In fact, United are setting all the wrong trends with Ruben Amorim's honeymoon period, if he ever had one, well and truly over.
The Marcus Rashford situation might not be exactly what fans are making of it, but after he was left out of the squad for a third time, it looks like it may take a little while longer before that's resolved.
And, with January on the horizon, Harry Maguire's contract will need addressing or he might leave on a free transfer in the summer. If he does stay on he will probably have to delay any holiday plans, with a tour to Asia mooted.
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Dismal Christmas display as Bournemouth win at Old Trafford (again)

It was the worst month for Manchester United in 95 years, yet it started with a four-nil victory and included a famous derby win.
We attempt to pick apart the problems of a team learning new patterns of play while negotiating a hectic festive programme and with their most valuable player deemed un-selectable, for the time being at least.
Is there much hope for improvement in the near future? We do our best, but it's tough when you're visiting Europe's best team (on form) and the Premier League's hottest attacker of all time.
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Why always Anfield at the worst time? A December to forget

A committed showing in an entertaining contest at the league leaders; how refreshing was that! It was certainly a pleasant surprise relative to our gloomy expectations.
The return of Ugarte and Mainoo helped midfield, as did that of a resurgent Bruno Fernandes, but there were positive performances across the defence, from Diogo Dalot against Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Garnacho off the bench as well. The only big question was why they haven't been able to produce this before now.
Marcus Rashford was not included in the squad; an expected move after Ruben Amorim said his training had been limited by illness, but Laurie shed a little light on the wider situation for Rashford with an article earlier in the weekend.
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Much improved United earn point at Anfield

We were sceptical clubs would come in for Marcus Rashford, but just a few days after he stated his openness to a move there are already some significant suitors. Could this actually happen?
Much less likely is a transfer for either Kobbie Mainoo or Alejandro Garnacho: the two FA Youth Cup winners may not be certain starters for Amorim, but fans need not fear a fire sale... the price would have to be right.
...and with not one, but two FA Cup defences starting this weekend we catch up with the women's team, consider the merits of Arteta's Arsenal, and remember the season of no FA Cup football thanks to the inaugural FIFA club world cup.
(Laurie's article, as discussed in the show, lives here... https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/1498500/2020/01/02/fergies-calls-to-alastair-campbell-hang-gliding-in-brazil-and-trying-to-sign-rivaldo-the-year-manchester-united-pulled-out-of-the-fa-cup/?source=emp_shared_article)
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Rashford links, Mainoo/Garnacho panic and FA Cup defences begin

After a drab first half at the Emirates Stadium, the FA Cup third round tie between Arsenal and Manchester United caught fire; so much so, that it brought back memories of the fierce rivalry between the two clubs.
Bruno gave United the lead with a superb finish, but Diogo Dalot was dismissed for a rash challenge which brought a second yellow card and things looked difficult with Arsenal equalising soon after.
But, Turkish goalkeeper Altay Bayandir saved an in-game penalty from Martin Odegaard, helped his defence stand firm, and then denied Kai Havertz in the penalty shootout before Joshua Zirkzee fired home to seal the win.
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United dump Arsenal out of the cup at the Emirates

Ian Irving might have been glad of a day off, very glad indeed, were it not for Amad's late show at Old Trafford on Thursday night. He became Manchester United's second youngest hat-trickster after Wayne Rooney and their first since Cristiano Ronaldo.
While the 22 year-old Ivorian has a long way to achieve the stature of those two players, he is well on his way to becoming a cult hero and is a shining light at a time when things are still not going to plan; the first 75 minutes of this game saw Southampton, yes Southampton, good value for a one-nil advantage.
Brighton are next and, while they got their first win in nine Premier League games at Ipswich, they have a very good record against United in recent times. Meanwhile, on the transfer front, no news is both good news and bad news.
Tickets to the live show at London's Leicester Square Theatre on 17th March can be purchased here: https://www.leicestersquaretheatre.com/show/talk-of-the-devils-live/
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Amad hat-trick spares United blushes against Southampton

Ian Irving is joined by The Athletic's Carl Anka & Laurie Whitwell to detail how they think Cristiano Ronaldo will fit into the United team from a technical perspective and why they feel certain he will start at Old Trafford on Saturday. 
Carl tells us what he's learnt from speaking to contacts in France about Anthony Martial and we hear why United have to face a battle with FIFA to be allowed to have Fred involved in the next two games. 
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Preview: Ronaldo Old Trafford Return

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