Erik ten Hag was delighted by his players’ response to their “horror start” as Manchester United overcame a two-goal deficit to beat 10-man Nottingham Forest.

After stumbling to victory against Wolves in their Premier League opener and seeing a fine start fade in last weekend’s defeat at Tottenham, things unravelled in the opening four minutes at Old Trafford.

Taiwo Awoniyi scored a decent opener on the break just 86 seconds after kick-off and Willy Boly added another in the fourth minute – the earliest United have ever trailed by two in a Premier League game.

But they dug deep and pulled one back through Christian Eriksen, with Casemiro equalising after the break and Bruno Fernandes scoring a spot-kick to decide the contest shortly after Forest’s Joe…

Manchester United striker Federico Macheda is hoping to seal a permanent switch to VfB Stuttgart this summer, .

Macheda, 21, joined Die Roten on loan in January for the remainder of the season.

The Italy Under-21 international has failed to establish himself as a first-team regular for Manchester United, resulting in three loan spells at Unione Calcio Sampdoria (2010-11), Queens Park Rangers (2011-12) and now VfB Stuttgart 1893 eV.

Macheda has been utilised as a regular substitute by Stuttgart manager Bruno Labbadia since his arrival at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in January.

The 21-year-old is both focused and happy with life in Stuttgart, but did express interest in returning to the English Premier League to play for Manchester United in t…

Michel Platini has launched an appeal against his six-year ban from FIFA with the court of arbitration for sport (CAS).

The Frenchman was handed the punishment for a disloyal payment made by then FIFA president Sepp Blatter in 2011 .

Platini saw his sanction reduced from eight years to six by the FIFA Appeal Committee last week, though his efforts to have it quashed completely were dismissed.

After that verdict – which he branded insulting and shameful – the 60-year-old insisted he would continue his fight and take the case to CAS, with that appeal confirmed by the court on Wednesday.

Its statement read:  Michel Platini has filed an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the decision issued by the FIFA Appeal Committee on 24 F…

Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon believes France star Kylian Mbappe is on course to becoming one of the game s all-time greats.

Mbappe, 19, became the second teenager to score in a World Cup final as he helped fire France past Croatia last month.

The other man to achieve the feat, Pele, joked he would have to dust off he boots if the explosive young forward continued to threaten his records.

Italy legend Buffon says his new team-mate can finish a burgeoning career among football s very finest, recalling a first-hand experience of Mbappe s immense potential in the 2016-17 Champions League semi-finals.

The then-Monaco man capped a startling breakthrough season by beating Buffon for his side s only goal in a 2-1 second-leg defeat in Turin.<…

Everton are among the clubs who could make a move for Southampton s Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg soon, according to Patrick Boyland of The Athletic.

The midfielder joined the Saints in 2016 and his contract is about to enter its final 12 months. As it stands, it is highly unlikely he will be signing a new one, which means Southampton will be forced to listen to offers for his services in the next transfer window in order to avoid the risk of losing him for free.

The club from the south coast of England haven t exactly had a great 2019/20 season. They are likely to avoid relegation when the games start again, though they are yet to secure Premier League survival. Hojbjerg, on the other hand, has been one of their more consistent performers, making a total of 33 appearances in a…

Real Madrid reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2018 after a 0-0 draw at Anfield secured a 3-1 aggregate triumph over Liverpool.

Zinedine Zidane s depleted side had seized control of the heavyweight tie in the first meeting a week ago, Vinicius Junior the hero as he scored twice in the Spanish capital.

A makeshift defence stood up to the challenge in a scoreless return fixture, setting up a two-legged showdown with another English side in Chelsea for a place in this year s final in Istanbul.

The Ataturk Stadium holds fond memories for Liverpool – they were crowned European champions at the venue in 2005 – but there will be no return trip this year, leaving the focus for Jurgen Klopp s squad on securing a top-four finish in …

Emiliano Martinez has signed a contract extension with Aston Villa until 2027.

The Argentina goalkeeper, who tasted Copa America success in 2021, has been an integral figure at Villa Park since his move from Arsenal ahead of the 2020-21 season.

Martinez managed 15 clean sheets in his maiden term under Dean Smith last season, equalling the club s Premier League record for shutouts that was last achieved by Brad Friedel.

Since saving a John Lundstram penalty on his Premier League debut for Villa on September 21, 2020, only two goalkeepers – Ederson (31) and Edouard Mendy (24) – have kept more top-flight clean sheets than the 29-year-old (20).

And after penning a fresh five-and-a-half-year deal, Martinez outlined why he has committed his future to Steve…

Mohamed Salah struck the winner as Premier League leaders Liverpool came from behind to clinch a 2-1 victory over Tottenham.

Harry Kane scored after 47 seconds at Anfield and Jurgen Klopp s men, for all their dominance of the ball, struggled to cope with Tottenham s fast breaks and the irrepressible Son Heung-min.

Son was instrumental in creating the opener for the in-form Kane, who has scored five goals in his last five games for club and country, and Liverpool found Paulo Gazzaniga at his best in the Spurs goal as they pressed hard for an equaliser.

That goal arrived courtesy of a Danny Rose error that let in Jordan Henderson to score, and Salah fired the winner from the penalty spot after Serge Aurier felled Sadio Mane in the box.

The result restored L…

QPR revealed on Friday that Mali midfielder Samba Diakite will spend the 2014-15 season on loan at Al Ittihad.

Diakite has been on the books of QPR since the start of the 2012-13 campaign, after completing a six-month loan deal with the London club, but has only played 14 league games and spent the second half of last season on loan at Watford.

Having failed to make a league appearance for QPR last season, the 25-year-old has been sent to the Saudi Professional League.

QPR confirmed the loan on their website.

Al Ittihad are one of the biggest clubs in Saudi Arabia but have not won the league since 2008-09.

Diakite s initial stint with QPR, on loan from Ligue 1 club Nancy, saw him play nine Premier League matches and score one goal.

But sin…

Erik ten Hag says Alejandro Garnacho was “not good enough” in his previous starts this season after the Manchester United teenager scored in the Carabao Cup victory against Crystal Palace.

Having secured a much-needed Premier League victory at Burnley on Saturday evening, the Red Devils ran out comfortable 3-0 victors against Roy Hodgson’s south Londoners on Tuesday night.

Casemiro scored and then crossed for Anthony Martial’s goal on a night started by Garnacho impressively putting the Carabao Cup holders ahead from Diogo Dalot’s cutback.

Cold.

— Manchester United (@ManUtd)

The 19-year-old began United’s first two matches of the season, but this was the first time he was named in the starting line-up since the defeat to Tottenham …