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Manchester United defeated Barcelona last night in what was a match that proves Erik ten Hag is the man ready to bring back the glory days at Old Trafford.

Down 1-0 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate as the second half got underway, United showed a resilience that hasn’t been displayed since the days of Sir Alex Ferguson to finally prevail through to the next round and this will give the Dutchman major confidence that they can end their six-year drought for silverware.

With the EFL Cup final against Newcastle United to come on Sunday, that drought may come to an end sooner rather than later, although he may have to tinker with his starting XI ahead of the tie.

Marcus Rashford was uncharacteristically poor last night, taking just 30 touches while having just two shots the entire evening and they were both off target, yet it was striker Wout Weghorst who once again, underperformed in a United shirt.

How did Wout Weghorst play against Barcelona?

Statistically, he wasn’t United’s worst performer on the night, that goes to Rashford who received a Sofascore rating of 6.1/10 and having scored 15 goals since Christmas, the Englishman is entitled to have the odd game where he is below par.

Weghorst’s 6.3/10 rating via Sofascore summed up his time at the Red Devils so far – ineffective.

His game only comprised the first half, as Ten Hag hooked him at the break in order to bring on Antony, who changed the side’s attacking dynamic and added some much-needed urgency.

The Dutchman took just 12 touches in 45 minutes, which was 20 fewer than David De Gea, who had 32 during the tie, it shows how little he offers in a central role.

Weghorst only completed two passes during the match while winning just one duel from eight contested, having zero shots or attempted dribbles, and losing possession seven times.

Overall it was a dreadful performance and writer Kyle Bonn even described him as “useless” following his abject display.

It is a testament to just how well-drilled Ten Hag has gotten this United side that they can still perform well despite having passengers like Weghorst on the pitch.

Of course, the tide turned when he was substituted but ahead of the cup final on Sunday, a solution will need to be found that limits his game time so as to not destroy the Old Trafford side’s trophy ambitions.

While the end of the campaign is still a few months away, Manchester United are currently preparing for what could be a defining week in their season, with Erik ten Hag’s side facing the prospect of potentially dropping out of all three cup competitions in the space of just six days.

That would, of course, be a worst-case scenario for the Red Devils, although there may well be fears that the club’s relentless run of fixtures may finally catch up with them, with a Europa League showdown to come with Barcelona this evening, prior to pivotal meetings with Newcastle United and West Ham United in the League Cup and FA Cup, respectively.

With that in mind, the former Ajax boss may well require some fresh legs in order to keep the momentum going against the Catalan giants later today, with Sunday’s super-sub Jadon Sancho potentially the man who can make the difference in this mouthwatering, second-leg encounter.

Will Sancho play against Barcelona?

The £73m addition has largely endured a frustrating time of it at Old Trafford since joining from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2021, having failed to replicate the standout form that he showcased in Germany – where he provided 114 goal involvements in just 137 games for the Bundesliga outfit.

That devastating record has not been matched during his time in Manchester thus far as the 22-year-old has only ten goals and four assists to his name in 57 games across all fronts, having notably missed much of the current campaign after spending time away from the first-team squad at the tail end of last year.

While the reason behind that lengthy absence has not been shared publicly, it does appear that the extended break from action may have done the trick, with the Englishman scoring on his Premier League return at home to Leeds United earlier this month.

Although the attacking “genius” – as lauded by former Dortmund coach Peter Stoger – was perhaps not at his best at Camp Nou last week, having missed a gilt-edged chance in the second half, the fleet-footed winger has more than staked his claim for a starting berth after starring off the bench against Leicester City at the weekend.

The exciting dynamo was instrumental in changing United’s fortunes following what was a “rubbish” first-half performance at the Theatre of Dreams – in the words of Ten Hag – having made sure of the points on the hour mark after rounding off a stunning, sweeping move with a composed finish inside the area.

That eye-catching 45-minute outing – in which the 23-cap gem provided three key passes and created one key chance – saw Sancho flourish away from his usual role on the flanks, having surprisingly been deployed in a playmaking role behind striker Wout Weghorst.

Although the expectation would have been to see Bruno Fernandes take on that central berth, the experiment appeared to work as far as Ten Hag is concerned, with Sancho thriving with the freedom to roam and drift in the midfield.

Following what was his ‘best performance all season’ – in the words of journalist Samuel Luckhurst – the £350k-per-week man no doubt deserves to feature from the start against the La Liga outfit this evening, with such a high profile meeting offering the chance for the ex-Manchester City man to showcase that he is edging back to his best.

On the evidence of his display against the Foxes, Sancho could have found a new home for himself in the number ten role under Ten Hag, with the Dutchman having potentially stumbled across what could prove to be his best experiment yet during his time at United.

The moves to deploy Luke Shaw at centre-back and the aforementioned Weghorst in a makeshift midfield berth have proved fruitful on occasion this season, although, unlike Sancho, neither player is likely to remain in those new positions on a regular basis, while the latter man has the chance to potentially find a new long-term role moving forward.

Whether that tactical shift is a mere short-term fix or a potential plan for the future remains to be seen, although there can seemingly be no greater acid test than coming up against a footballing superpower such as La Blaugrana.

It could prove to be not only a defining night in the Red Devils’ season, but also in Sancho’s United career…

Newcastle United became renowned for their turnover of players during the Mike Ashley era, however, since the takeover in 2021 the club has become much more stable and has more structure to their transfer business which has been reflected in the performances on the pitch.

The Magpies went to their first domestic cup final at Wembley Stadium last weekend since 1999 and have been hugely consistent in their Premier League campaign – so far only suffering two defeats and are currently fifth in the league table.

As many Newcastle supporters will know, the stability and consistency at St James’ Park today are a far cry from the frustrating 14-year reign under the Sports Direct tycoon.

Indeed, there are many transfer howlers that were committed by Ashley but there is one, in particular, in more recent times that could be considered one of the biggest mistakes the owner made in his final years at the club.

Back in the summer of 2019, the club confirmed that Newcastle striker Joselu had made the permanent move to Deportivo Alaves for an ‘undisclosed fee’, however, The Chronicle further stated that the Spaniard parted ways for a transfer fee of £2.5m.

At the time of the sale, it surely wouldn’t have bothered supporters too much as the forward only tallied up seven goals and two assists over 52 appearances but when you take a closer look at his output since leaving Tyneside, it will surely frustrate Newcastle fans.

Where is Newcastle flop Joselu now?

It is safe to say, the Spanish striker’s form considerably improved when he made the move to Alaves – scoring 36 goals and registering 11 assists over 113 appearances with a goal contribution every 195 minutes.

Following his consistent output with Alaves, Joselu joined Espanyol last summer on a free transfer and has since become the joint-second top goal-scorer in La Liga this season – currently level on goals with Real Madrid’s Ballon d’Or-winning striker Karim Benzema (11) and chasing down Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski (15), who is only four goals ahead of him.

To put that into perspective with Newcastle’s top scorers this season across all competitions, the 32-year-old – hailed “complete” by one of Alaves’ analysts – has 12 goals which is more than the club’s leading scorer Miguel Almiron, who has 10 goals so far, and the club’s main striker Callum Wilson with seven.

Over 20 La Liga appearances – aside from goals scored – Joselu has delivered two assists and created two big chances, as well as averaging 2.5 shots on goal, 1.4 clearances, and a whopping 8.7 duels per game, proving that his in-game involvement is also much improved and a huge asset to Espanyol.

With that being said, supporters may wonder whether Joselu could have thrived under the management of Eddie Howe at Newcastle considering how well the dynamo is playing now as the gem could have been a valuable attacking threat to the team, based on his impressive form in Spain.

Therefore, the Magpies fumbled the experienced striker with their sale in 2019 and missed out on the chance to see an excellent striker, alongside Alexander Isak and Wilson, in action under Howe.

Newcastle United are ‘considering’ submitting an offer for Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun this summer, according to journalist Steve Kay.

The Lowdown: Premier League interest

The Gunners forward is currently out on a season-long loan at Reims in Ligue 1, with his performances having caught the eye as a result of him being their top-performing offensive player.

CaughtOffside reported last week that there was Premier League interest in the 21-year-old ahead of the upcoming window, but it wasn’t revealed where it was coming from, and it now very much looks like it was Eddie Howe at St. James’ Park.

The Latest: Newcastle weighing up bid

Taking to Twitter, Kay revealed that Newcastle are pondering whether to table an official offer for Balogun later in the summer. He wrote:

“Newcastle United are considering making a bid for Arsenal forward Folarin Balogun this summer.

“The Gunners forward who is currently on loan at Reims, has scored 15 goals in 25 games in #Ligue1UberEats this season.”

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The Verdict: Massive coup

Balogun has been excelling out on loan at Reims and whilst his price tag is unknown, it would be a massive coup for Newcastle should they be able to successfully secure his services.

The Adidas-sponsored ace has clocked up an outstanding 120 goal contributions (96 goals and 24 assists) in just 161 appearances throughout his career at youth and senior level, and he’s currently averaging three shots per league game so the numbers should be sustainable.

The New York-born talent also ranks in the 86th percentile for progressive passes received, showing that he is consistently able to get himself in the best positions in the final third.

Balogun has been likened to Napoli striker Victor Osimhen by talent scout Jacek Kulig and when you consider what he’s already achieved at just 21, he’s sure to have an extremely bright future ahead of him.

Alasdair Gold has highlighted a worrying moment for Tottenham Hotspur as Richarlison was unhappy to give Harry Kane the ball before his penalty kick.

The Lowdown: Spurs pick up crucial victory

After a run of three successive poor results and performances, Antonio Conte got exactly the response he would’ve wanted from his side as they gained a much-needed three points this weekend.

Richarlison was handed an arguably surprise start against Nottingham Forest after his explosive comments in midweek about his season and Conte, but he certainly repaid the manager and showed what he’s capable of, although he still has areas to improve on having lost possession 11 times during 84-minute showing (Sofascore).

The Brazilian won the penalty for Spurs’ second goal and set up Son Heung-min for the third goal, while also seeing one of his own strikes cruelly ruled out for offside by VAR.

The Latest: Richarlison desperate to get on the scoresheet

After winning the spot-kick in the first half, Gold noticed that Richarlison was not entirely happy about handing Kane – the club’s reliable penalty-kick taker – the ball, although he did eventually bow to the pressure.

Gold said: “Porro then found Kane again to play a nutmeg pass to Richarlison who was brought down in the box. The Brazilian didn’t seem delighted about giving the ball over to Tottenham’s penalty taker but he did and Kane duly guided his first spot kick since the World Cup down the middle.”

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The Verdict: Conte will be pleased with Richarlison’s response

After his explosive rant following Spurs’ Champions League exit, many may have not known what to expect from Richarlison, but his manager will be delighted that he seems to finally be getting a tune out of his £60m ace, who looked like a ‘man possessed’ during his latest outing.

While Richarlison will have been desperate to get on the scoresheet as he’s still yet to score in the Premier League for Spurs, he surely knew that at 1-0, Kane was the only person who was going to be taking the penalty.

Richarlison can’t simply be wanting to take over penalty duties when he sees fit, especially given how shockingly bad he’s been in the final third for Tottenham this term, so it’s certainly going to be a learning curve.

A number of Leeds United supporters have been reacting to an injury update involving midfielder Tyler Adams.

The Lowdown: Hamstring injury

The Whites are gearing up for a crucial Premier League trip to Wolves this weekend but will be without Adams for just the third time during the current campaign.

The club officially confirmed on Wednesday that the USA midfielder has suffered a hamstring injury in training and will miss the match at Molineux and also won’t be available to represent his country during the international break.

Adams has been a regular since joining from RB Leipzig in the summer, making 26 appearances in all competitions, 24 of which have come in the Premier League.

The Latest: Fans fume

Leeds shared the news regarding Adams on their official Twitter page on Wednesday afternoon, and, as to be expected, a number of supporters were quick to react. These fans weren’t happy, with some even suggesting relegation could be on the cards as a result.

“That’s the final nail in the coffin that” – @Niall_LUFC

“Happy relegation season” – @bethgabriel_

“We are doomed aren’t we” – @ROI_LUFC

“That seals it then. Hello again Stoke away” – @FelixLUFC

“That’s us totally done now” – @lufc75kb

“relegation whites” – @georgeedgee

“Just end the season now” – @DannyAdams22

“Tyler Adams out is a big blow. We don’t need that and it would be a worry it’s going to be longer than simply the Wolves and USMNT games.” – @billywigwam13

“At this point I’m just numb to it all. We all know what’s coming at the end of the season.” – @L33dsLondoner

“Let’s be honest here we aren’t losing any creativity but defensively this leaves massive whole in an already leaky defensive setup” – @richnutting

The Verdict: Big miss

Adams has made a big impact since arriving at Elland Road, helping fill the void left by Kalvin Phillips following his move to Manchester City.

As per WhoScored, the 24-year-old ranks in the top five performers for Leeds this season, with a match average rating of 6.73/10. He has averaged an impressive 3.7 tackles per game while also ranking highly in the squad when it comes to interceptions and key passes made per 90. No player has averaged more passes per game than Adams either, so Javi Gracia may find it difficult to replace the midfielder this weekend, with the obvious solution being Marc Roca and Weston McKennie in a two-man midfield.

Adam Forshaw hasn’t been seen in a squad since New Year’s Eve either, so youngster Darko Gyabi could be the defensive midfield option from the bench this weekend.

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that both Ineos and the Qatari group are preparing new bids to buy Manchester United.

The Lowdown: Takeover talks rumble on

It seems as though the Man United takeover took a big step forward last week as the two prominent bidders – Ineos and the Qatari consortium – both made the journey over to Manchester and visited both Old Trafford and the Carrington training base.

Following those visits last week it was reported that the Qatari group were lining up an imminent second bid to try and at least get closer to the £6 billion valuation the Glazers have slapped on Man United.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been a long-time admirer of Man United as even in 2022 it was being mooted about him wanting to take the club off the Glazer’s hands, although he thought they were unwilling sellers at the time.

The Latest: Both groups set for second Man United bid

Romano has admitted on his YouTube channel that both Ineos and the Qatari consortium are now planning and getting set to lodge second bids respectively, which may well be a sign of yet another step in the right direction.

He said: (3:30) “We can say that both groups, Ineos with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Qatari group with, of course, Sheikh Al Thani both of them are preparing new bids for Manchester United.

“The Glazers want around £6-7 billion to sell Man United and both the Qatari group and Ineos group are really interested after talks last week and last few days were very positive.

“Now, it is time to make a new proposal and enter into a crucial moment of the process. So, keep an eye on the Manchester United situation in the next days and weeks because now we enter into crucial moments of  the conversation.”

The Verdict: Crucial period for Man United and the Glazers

It will be huge for Erik ten Hag to know who will be owning the club ahead of the summer transfer window as it’ll help him to determine how much money he’ll have to spend and thus, decide which targets are plausible to go out and sign.

Last week it was reported that everything was looking positive in terms of getting a sale done and dusted prior to the summer transfer window opening, although if these next bids don’t get near the £6 billion valuation, things could being to be drawn out.

The Glazers have indeed slapped a monster valuation on the club, however, they are said to still be willing sellers, as long as they get a fair price for the club, although it remains to be seen here or not the Qatari group of Ineos are open to meeting that valuation.

Tottenham Hotspur academy gem Riley Owen is set to leave north London this summer upon the expiry of his contract, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Spurs academy line…

The Spurs academy line is perhaps one of chairman Daniel Levy’s crown jewels with the N17 talent factory having produced many young stars in recent years.

Oliver Skipp, a graduate from the academy, has gone on to become a regular in the first team after a very productive 2020/2021 loan spell at Norwich City.

Following on from the Englishman, forward Dane Scarlett earned real praise from ex-Spurs boss Jose Mourinho, who likened the 18-year-old to Marcus Rashford.

Troy Parrott, once billed as the long-term heir to Harry Kane, stands out as another example with the Lilywhites also showing real faith in both Jamie Donley and Alfie Whiteman recently – offering the latter pair new deals.

Mikey Moore is yet another top youngster to watch out for with those around Tottenham heaping praise on the centre-forward.

However, with every success story, there are also some prodigies who fall by the way side.

The Latest: Owen set to leave Spurs…

According to Spurs pundit John Wenham, writing for Football Insider, teenager Owen is on the way out this summer.

It is believed that the 17-year-old will leave upon the expiry of his deal on 30 June.

Wenham, via his Lilywhites Rose account, stated:

“Understand academy year 2 forward, Riley Owen will be leaving the club following the conclusion of his contract on 30 June 2023. All the best for the future Riley.”

The Verdict: Shame…

The left-winger actually enjoyed a productive campaign last season, making 17 appearances for Tottenham’s Under-18s over 2021/2022 – pitching in with three goals and an assist.

However, Owen has been unable to build upon that solid form this season, having made just five Under-18 Premier League appearances so far.

Joining Spurs from Arsenal at the age of 12, Riley also contributed seven goals and eight assists for the Under-16s in 2020/21.

Unfortunately, it appears Owen’s time at the club is now coming to an end, perhaps emphasising the depth, quality and competition in Tottenham’s glistening academy.

Tottenham Hotspur have seen a host of talent grace the club, but their lack of competitiveness at the top level often sees them exit before they can help transform the culture.

As such, it has been 15 years now since they last won a major honour, earning widespread ridicule from rival fans.

What makes things even more frustrating is the success these players often go on to have at other clubs, suggesting that within the correct environment, they could have contributed massively to instead earning silverware in north London.

One such example that stands out is Dimitar Berbatov, who joined with a big reputation from the Bundesliga as a skilful and expressive forward who could win games on his own.

Whilst they would bare witness to this, as he played a key role in that aforementioned EFL Cup win, what he would go on to accomplish at Manchester United was unprecedented.

Whilst they made a big profit, effectively striking gold with the initial deal, it arguably offers a marker of what could have been had they matched his ambitions.

How good was Dimitar Berbatov?

Standing at 6 foot 2, the Bulgarian forward arguably remained one of the most gifted players with the ball at his feet despite his physique. It was this combination that made him so unstoppable when on form, and it was his 21 goals and nine assists in his final season at Bayer Leverkusen that spurred Spurs to unload £10.9m on him.

A further 38 goal contributions in his debut season would announce him in English football, which he would maintain the campaign following with 37 goal contributions.

His quality was frightening, and he threatened to spearhead the Lilywhites to further success with a maverick play style that often made him unplayable.

The only issue was that during that time they had finished fifth and 11th, whilst the Red Devils had won the league both years. So when Sir Alex Ferguson came calling, with the financial backing only the top team in the country could have, they were powerless.

He signed for a £30.75m fee, marking a sensational 182% profit across just two years; but given how instrumental he had become, this fee was arguably a bargain. Journalist Matt Jackson summarised this move, and explained why the Manchester outfit had swooped for the lackadaisical magician: "He was enigmatic, drifted about, and could come up with magic from nowhere."

As he had to become accustomed to no longer being the main man at Old Trafford his numbers somewhat suffered, yet he still posted 56 goals and 27 assists in 149 games as he would win two Premier League titles and another two EFL Cups.

The 78-cap star would be lauded by Ferguson for his contribution to this period too, as the legendary Scotsman claimed: "I think we are being rewarded this season for our confidence in a player who has a touch of genius.”

Having hit the jackpot financially, to lose a player of this immeasurable quality is always going to be remembered with disdain and frustration as it remains one of the great 'what could have been' stories for the club.

Liverpool are willing to make a £71m offer to bring Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni to the Premier League, according to reports.

What's the latest on Tchouameni to Liverpool?

The Reds have James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all out of contract at the end of the season, and having told Arthur Melo that they won’t be signing him permanently, will be in need of several central reinforcements in the summer.

The Frenchman first arrived at the Bernabeu Stadium in July 2022 and has since gone on to make 35 appearances during his debut season where he has hugely impressed, becoming Carlo Ancelotti’s top-performing defensive player in La Liga.

The Merseyside outfit have been long-term admirers of the 23-year-old who confirmed that he held “discussions” regarding a move to Anfield before setting his heart on Madrid. Whilst Jurgen Klopp failed to secure his services last summer, it sounds like he’s now ready to take a second bite of the cherry.

According to Spanish outlet El Nacional (via Liverpool Echo), Liverpool could “renew their interest” in Tchouameni ahead of the 2023/24 term. The Nike-sponsored star has reportedly “not yet yielded results” or “lived up to expectations” which means that Madrid are “considering” sanctioning his sale as they “cannot afford the luxury of having a player who cost so much money on the bench”. Klopp has “not forgotten” about his target and is therefore “convinced” that he would be a fantastic addition to his midfield department with FSG therefore “willing to make an offer” worth £71m.

Would Tchouameni be a good signing for Liverpool?

Liverpool could find it difficult to negotiate a deal at the right price for Tchouameni considering that his contract isn’t set to expire for another five years, but having been dubbed a “one-man army” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, he would be a wonderful acquisition.

The 6 foot 1 colossus currently ranks in the 99th percentile for interceptions, showing that he’s not afraid to get stuck in and win back possession, and the 98th percentile for pass completion, displaying his strong link-up play with his fellow teammates, as per FBRef.

The Rouen native is also capable of contributing to his side’s efforts in the final third having provided three assists this season where he’s operated slightly higher up in central midfield alongside his natural position just in front of the back four so is an all-round central superstar and it would be a huge coup for Liverpool should they be able to secure his services this summer.