17/12/2025

SPORTS WEDNESDAY | DEC 17, 2025

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Ű BY LUKE BAKER

Maresca defiant over bombshell comment

CHELSEA BOSS Enzo Maresca remained defiant over his bombshell comments that he had suffered his “worst 48 hours” at the club when asked to clarify the confusing sentiment. Maresca caused a stir over the weekend when, following Chelsea’s routine 2-0 victory over Everton, he used his post-match press conference to claim out of the blue that he had endured a torrid few days. Having given not even the slightest hint of an issue during his pre-match press conference, which took place at the heart of the supposed 48-hour storm – shortly after a 2-1 Champions League loss to Atalanta – Maresca responded to a benign question about Malo Gusto’s impressive performance against the Toffees by hitting out. “The last 48 hours have been the worst 48

returned in Saturday’s victory over Brighton and applauded the Anfield fans after the game. Carragher added: “He (Salah) deserves a guard of honour, he deserves a mosaic in the Kop. He deserves to bring his wife and kids on the pitch in his last game and actually celebrate him for what he’s done as a Liverpool player. “So put your differences with the manager aside for four months and… get this great big send-off.” – The Independent KOBBIE MAINOO’S brother wore a t-shirt displaying the message “Free Kobbie Mainoo” to Old Trafford during Manchester United’s 4-4 draw with Bournemouth in a clear message to head coach Ruben Amorim amid the uncertainty over the player’s future. Mainoo has struggled for game time under Amorim and has yet to start a match in the Premier League this season after the midfielder’s loan request was rejected in August. The 20-year-old academy product, who scored the winning goal for United in the 2024 FA Cup final and started for England in the Euro 2024 final, was loudly cheered onto the pitch when he was brought on by Amorim as a second-half substitute yesterday. And United’s fans were not alone in believing that Mainoo has been underused by Amorim this season. Mainoo’s older brother and TV personality Jordan Mainoo-Hames, who appeared as a contestant on Love Island in 2019, unveiled the t-shirt during the match and posted the picture to his Instagram story afterwards. Amorim was not asked about the incident following the 4-4 draw but the nature of the pre-planned stunt is likely to irk the Portuguese, who has accepted criticism from United great Paul Scholes over not playing the academy product more but on Friday said “frustration doesn’t help anybody”. Mainoo could ask to leave his boyhood club in January in search of game time, which would be crucial if he is to force his way into Thomas Tuchel’s England plans ahead of next summer’s World Cup. “First of all, I say the same thing: the team comes first,” Amorim replied on Friday when he was asked if he would sanction a January loan move if the 20-year-old came to see him, “If Kobbie comes to me and talks to me, I will talk to him. I’m not going to say what I’m going to say to Kobbie, but I will be really pleased if Kobbie is coming to talk to me about that. “I just want my players happy, and I understand that every individual has their goals. The frustration doesn’t help anybody but, again, the focus is in this game and we will see if that happens.” – The Independent “I can speak Italian, my language, Spanish very well, French, English, I think I was clear with what I said. It’s done, it’s finished. It was after the game, I said what I said, and it’s done. It’s finished. Maresca did confirm that he was “absolutely” committed to being Chelsea head coach and was keen to maintain a winning mentality. “Since I joined the club, I always tried to say the same; building a winning mentality by winning games,” added Maresca. “ “I think we are in the right direction. “There are some moments where we dropped some points but it is part of the journey. I have the feeling we are getting better and better.” – The Independent ‘Free Kobbie Mainoo’ Ű BY JAMIE BRAIDWOOD

overnight, Maresca was inevitably asked to expand on his explosive comments. However, the 45-year-old was defiant and refused to explain or address the situation. “I already spoke about that and I don’t have nothing to add,” said Maresca. “I already spoke about that and I think I was quite clear. No more than that.” He was also questioned as to whether he was happy with people saying he has a bad relationship with club’s owners or sporting directors and turned his answer to the fans. “I said after the game that I love Chelsea supporters – they deserve the best,” Maresca insisted. “Again, I don’t have nothing to add.

hours since I joined the club because so many people didn’t support us,” he insisted, leading to speculation he was referencing the club’s ownership or sporting directors. He went on to reiterate the point but refused to elaborate on who he was specifically talking about, simply stating “many people” and when asked whether it was an internal issue, responding that it was people “in general”. When asked if it referred to the fans, the Italian only said, “I love the fans and we are very happy with the fans.” On Monday afternoon, in his pre-match press conference ahead of Chelsea’s Carabao Cup quarterfinal against League One side Cardiff City

United manager Ruben Amorim (centre) and players react after yesterday’s Premier League match against Bournemouth at Old Trafford. – REUTERSPIC

Different Devils, same result

Amorim finally changes formation against Bournemouth in chaotic 4-4 draw

Ű BY JAMIE BRAIDWOOD

This is my life. So, I will not change that,” he said. What was different against Bournemouth? At first and on paper, not much. When the team sheets dropped it looked as if Amorim had named a back three of Leny Yoro, Ayden Heaven and Luke Shaw, with Amad Diallo and Diogo Dalot as the usual wing-backs. But when the match kicked off, United’s style appeared to be different on the ball. Yoro played as a more traditional right back, with Shaw tucking in to join Heaven and Dalot posi tioned on the left. Amad was allowed to push further forward and join Mason Mount, Matheus Cunha and Bruno Fernandes in supporting Bryan Mbeumo. Casemiro was notably the sitting midfielder, as Fernandes pushed forward. It created something of a 4-1-3-2 formation with Mbeumo and Cunha as the strikers, Amad on the right, Mount on the left and Fernandes at No. 10. It became a bit more like 4-4-2 when Bournemouth had the ball. How did it look? First half, good. Second half, not so good. Manchester United had 17 shots in the first half, the most of any side in the Premier But he implored the Egyptian to set aside his differences with Slot and return from the Africa Cup of Nations at the end of January, thereby preserving his legacy and ensuring the conclusion his career at the club deserves. Carragher told Sky Sports : “I don’t see Mo Salah playing for Liverpool next season. The big thing in my mind is, are we going to see Mo Salah from now until the end of the season? “If he’s thinking of moving on, I would urge

League so far this season, as well as an xG of 2.62. United led 2-1 at the break but the second half will be remembered as one of the most chaotic in Premier League history, with the points shared in a 4-4 draw. Overall, though, there appeared to be far more danger and threat to United’s play. And although Bournemouth enjoyed themselves at spells, there was a better balance in Amorim’s team too. The hosts were able to sustain attacks and looked rampant at times. In the new-look attack, Amad, Mbeumo, Cunha, Fernandes and Mount dovetailed and linked up wonder fully. “I think it’s the best I’ve seen Manchester United, certainly in the first half, under Amorim,” former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher said on Sky Sports . “Maybe going back to the first game of the season with Arsenal. “United were fantastic in those first 25 to 30 minutes.

R UBEN AMORIM deviated from his trusted 3-4-3 for the first time as Manchester United manager as he experimented with a new-look system for the Premier League match against Bournemouth. At first glance, a chaotic 4-4 draw against Andoni Iraola’s side does not suggest that the tweak brought much improvement. But Amorim’s side were far sharper in attack and were a constant danger throughout the game. Amorim said before kickoff that United will need to “adapt” when Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui depart for the Africa Cup of Nations and notably said that his team “need to learn from some mistakes we did in the past”. Critics of the Portuguese head coach have said he has stayed too attached to his 3-4-3 sys tem since replacing Erik ten Hag last November. It was the system he used to great success at his previous club Sporting Lisbon but it has been ineffective so far at Old Trafford. Amorim joked in September that not even the Pope could persuade him to change his formation. “This is my job. This is my responsibility. JAMIE CARRAGHER has urged Mohamed Salah to reconsider any immediate departure from Liverpool for Saudi Arabia, advocating for the Egypt international to secure a fitting Anfield send-off. Carragher recently criticised Salah for claiming he was “thrown under a bus” by manager Arne Slot and believes the forward is unlikely to remain at the club beyond next season.

“It was almost a throwback to Sir Alex Ferguson – fast, attacking football, people being energetic, making runs forward, being positive being on the front foot, winning the ball back early.” The Independent Salah should stay at Liverpool for big send-off, say Carragher

him to think again. And the reason I say that is, if Mo Salah is to move from Liverpool now, the talk is he would go to the Saudi League. “Liverpool in the second half of the season could get to the FA Cup final, the Champions League final. Can you imagine Mo Salah in Saudi watching Liverpool come out in Budapest in the Champions League final?” Salah was left out for Liverpool’s midweek win at Inter Milan following his outburst but