20/10/2026

SPORTS TUESDAY | OCT 20, 2026

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Maguire demands more fight

Hurzeler lauds ‘hard worker’ Gomez

Ű BY ALAN SMITH

HARRY MAGUIRE has suggested that Manchester United must show more bravery despite digging deep to take a point from Elland Road, with the cen treback hailing Michael Carrick’s tweak of formation for a more resolute defensive performance. Bryan Mbeumo had given the visitors a first half lead before Leeds marksman Dominic Calvert-Lewin levelled early in the second period of a high-intensity encounter. While Carrick’s team may be disappointed for squandering their first halftime lead of the cam paign, it was a far more convincing performance at the end of a troubling week. Manchester United lined up with no recognised centre-forward as a midfield of Andrey Santos, Carlos

However the defender also thought that his team lacked the courage to really kick on at a ground where they have not lost for 24 years. He added: “That’s probably the area of the game where we could have done more. We could have been a bit braver with the ball and taken the ball under pressure. “But we’re in a circumstance where we are not as brave as we should be, and we have to get that back because to win games for Manchester United we have to have that bravery and composure.” – The Independent

Baleba and Youri Tielemans did well to stifle their hosts.

“We worked on it this week,” Maguire told Sky Sports of the change. “We wanted to match them up without the ball and go quite aggressive. We knew we could get a lot of joy in the middle of the pitch with them only playing two in there.”

BRIGHTON manager Fabian Hurzeler praised the inspirational Diego Gomez after his goal from the halfway line set the stage for a 5-0 thrashing of Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Sunday. Paraguay midfielder Gomez was on target for the first time this season in spectacular fashion at the Amex Stadium. He left Palace goalkeeper Walter Benitez red-faced with a sensational shot that arrowed into the net from just inside the Palace half. The 51-metre goal of the season contender evoked memories of David Beckham’s astonishing effort against Wimbledon from a similar distance 30 years ago. Gomez’s wonder-strike was the longest Premier League goal since Wayne Rooney scored from 58 metres for Everton against West Ham in 2017. Gomez had been well off target with a similar attempt during last weekend’s 2-0 win at Sunderland. But Hurzeler credited him for trying again, while also showing the mentality the Albion boss craves. “He’s a hard worker, he always puts the team first. He’s always ‘we’ then ‘me’,” Hurzeler said. “I know how desperately he wants to get involved in scoring and having assists. “Last week, he showed against Sunderland, there was already that attempt shooting from the halfway line. There the wind wasn’t perfect for this try. Now the wind was better for him. “I’m really happy that he gets this reward for all of the effort he’s putting into the club, into his own develop ment, and into the team.” Jaydee Canvot’s own goal set Brighton on course for a fourth suc cessive top-flight win before Yasin Ayari’s deflected finish quickly added to Gomez’s stunner in a remarkable opening 10 minutes. Charalampos Kostoulas and Jack Hinshelwood struck in the second half to equal Albion’s biggest win over Palace. The result also secured Hurzeler’s first victory over Palace, taking his third-placed Seagulls to 16 points from seven games. It was a sweet moment for the German, who was subjected to chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morn ing” from angry Brighton supporters during a 1-0 home defeat by Palace in February. “The last game against Palace made me really grounded, hav ing this criticism it wasn’t easy,” he said. “And now we sit here in a com pletely different mood, with a feeling of being really proud. “It’s just a privilege to be part of this group and therefore I’m really pleased and happy for everyone who is part of this club. “I hope everyone enjoys the night today; it’s a much better night than a few months ago and a much better feeling.” Elsewhere, Bournemouth beat 10 man Sunderland 2-0 with goals from Marcus Tavernier and Evanilson for their first league win of the season. – AFP

United hit new low

Red Devils have just one league win in seven games, with Carrick struggling to find answers amid growing unrest at Old Trafford

Manchester United’s Mason Mount (bottom) fight for the ball against Leeds’ Anton Stach during the Premier League match at Elland Road on Sunday. – AFPPIC

M ANCHESTER UNITED ended a turbu lent week with a frustrating 1-1 draw at Leeds on Sunday that does little to ease the pressure on beleaguered manager Michael Carrick. The Red Devils travelled to the home of their bit ter rivals desperate to find a spark but were forced to settle for a point after Dominic Calvert-Lewin can celled out Bryan Mbeumo’s first half opener. United now have just one win in seven league games this season and are winless in their past six matches in all competitions. Carrick – in his first full season in charge – is scrambling for answers, with his team looking short of quality and confidence. The sense of a growing crisis at Old Trafford was exacerbated by a midweek outburst from defender Lisandro Martinez, who took aim at the United hier archy after a 2-0 defeat at Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. Carrick chose to focus on the positives after Sunday’s game at Elland Road, insisting that the draw was a step in the right direction. “If there’s any weakness, it gets found out today,” he told Sky Sports . “I could feel before the game that the players were ready for it. It wasn’t perfect, our confidence isn’t sky-high, but the players were trying to do the right things. “In moments we looked really good. Defended really well as a team.” Argentina centreback Martinez gave an explosive interview in Spain on Tuesday during which he criti

right reasons then you get what you deserve in the end. “It felt like a bit of a fresh start, if I’m honest, today in where we’re at and accepting it and doing some thing about it. “It definitely shows that the boys are desperate to do well for each other as much as anything else and how much they appreciate playing for this football club, because there was a real purpose to the group over the last couple of days.” United head to Como on Thursday (12.45am Malaysian time) looking for a first victory since last month’s Champions League opener against Sabah before attempting to kickstart their Premier League campaign at home to Bournemouth. “We’re not accepting it as everything’s great by any stretch,” said the under-pressure Carrick. “I’m realistic with that. “But sometimes you do struggle, sometimes there’s a bit of where you have to find a way through it.” He added: “I understand the situation doesn’t look too good if you look at it from a certain way, but I’ve got no doubts that we can go on a good run.” Leeds head coach Daniel Farke, described him self as “slightly disappointed” not to win, believing that his team should have kicked on once level. They sit seventh in the standings. “We should have kept up the dominance, too many strikes went over the crossbar but it was over all a solid performance. We should have won the game but we move on,” he said. – AFP/The Independent

cised the lack of investment in the summer transfer window. Carrick insisted on Friday that United had “moved on” from the incident and Martinez was named in the starting line-up at Elland Road. Both teams were fully committed in a feisty start to the match in Leeds but there was little goalmouth action. The first effort on target came in the 26th minute when Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens clawed away a Nico Elvedi header des tined for the top corner after bouncing up off the turf. Mbeumo, playing as United’s target man, wasted a couple of chances but broke the deadlock in the 35th minute when he guided a Youri Tielemans cross into the bottom corner for his fourth goal of the season. Leeds put the visitors under sustained pressure after the break and were level in the 51st minute when England forward Calvert-Lewin controlled the ball on his chest and finished at full stretch after Tarik Muharemovic’s header from a corner. Carrick made attacking substitutions in the search of a winner, bringing on Mason Mount and Matheus Cunha, but neither side could make the breakthrough. United, in 13th spot, have their fewest wins at this stage of a top-flight campaign since 1986/87. “We’re not getting too carried away because we haven’t won the game,” said the Red Devils boss, who started the Argentina defender at Leeds but had to replace him at the break due to a thigh problem. “I think if you keep doing the right things for the

Martinez shares injury update from hospital bed

Ű BY MIKE TAYLOR

Speaking to TNT Sports immedi ately after the match, Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso said: “As far as I know, he left the stadium conscious. “Right now he’s in the hospital doing precautionary tests. So let’s see, but this is what I know so far.” Alonso later added: “It was concus sion but more than that I saw only one clip. Hopefully it won’t be too bad but we need to wait.” Match-winner Neto dedicated

Chelsea’s win and clean sheet to Martinez. The Portuguese forward told TNT Sports : “We are really pleased. It is a shame for Emi but we wish him all the best. This win is for him. We are really happy but of course our thoughts are for him. “It’s in his honour. We needed a clean sheet. We needed a good game. Emi deserved this. Mike [Penders] who came in deserved this as well. So we are really happy.” – The Independent

carried off on a stretcher to a waiting ambulance, with reports suggesting he had suffered a broken jaw. Sharing an update from his hospital bed on Instagram , Martinez wrote: “Thank you for all the messages, the operation went well.” He added: “We’ll be back in a few weeks.” Before the incident, Martinez helped Chelsea claim a 2-0 win, secur ing their first Premier League clean sheet in nine months.

EMILIANO MARTINEZ has confirmed he expects to be “back in a few weeks” after undergoing successful surgery following a clash of heads during Chelsea’s 2-0 victory at Everton. The Argentinian goalkeeper col lided with Jarrad Branthwaite while challenging for a cross. After receiving more than eight minutes of on-pitch treatment, he was