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The striker cannot afford to go out clubbing and miss training after the dire season he and United have had – he needs to wake up and grow up

Xavi Hernandez famously once revealed that when you hear a footballer is suffering from gastroenteritis "you think there's something else going on". At Manchester United gastroenteritis has been replaced by the word "illness" and in the case of Marcus Rashford missing training this week and not travelling to the FA Cup tie at Newport County, there is definitely something else going on.

Rashford may well have been feeling too sick to train on Friday but we can surmise that he was not suffering from a cold or a sore throat. It was revealed that the England striker had been in Belfast during the week seeing old friend Ro-Shaun Williams and had gone nightclubbing, not once but twice.

Rashford had been given a day off on Thursday and there was no issue with him going out to see Williams after Wednesday's training session, even with him being seen at Laverty's bar in the Belfast city centre. The problem was he was seen at Thompson's Garage nightclub later on Wednesday and then again on Thursday, not leaving until the early hours of Friday morning. He would have got only minimal sleep before returning to Manchester on a private jet at 8am on Friday.

It was hardly ideal preparation for a full training session and he did not even make it through the doors at Carrington. It is far from his first trespass and he has given Erik ten Hag yet another disciplinary problem to resolve, just two weeks after finally seeing the back of Jadon Sancho.

Ten Hag is not the only person Rashford is disrespecting with his juvenile behaviour. He is shirking the responsibility that comes with being a senior member of United's squad as well as the club's highest paid player. He is also letting down the fans. But most of all, he is letting himself down…

Getty No room to mess around now

Rashford's trip to Belfast is not the first time he has made negative headlines for his lack of discipline. He turned up late for a team meeting before the visit to Wolves last season and was dropped from the starting line-up by Ten Hag. However, he was in such good form at the time that the Dutchman could not make a real example of him and, with the score 0-0 at half-time, he turned to Rashford, who went on to win the game.

All was forgiven and Ten Hag lovingly embraced him after the game, when Rashford opened up on the reason for his punishment: oversleeping. This was the season that Rashford scored 30 goals in all competitions and for a three-month period he was one of the hottest forwards in the world. The odd indiscretion could therefore be brushed aside.

But this season his form has fallen off a cliff. He has just four goals and has slipped out of the starting line-up due to his consistently bad performances, losing his place on the left of the attack to the effervescent Alejandro Garnacho.

He has been one of the main culprits in United's miserable season and the fact they are eighth in the Premier League and finished bottom of their Champions League group. In other words, he does not have the wiggle room he had last year and he cannot afford to mess about.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesClubbing after derby defeat

And yet he keeps messing around. After the 3-0 defeat to Manchester City in October he went out to a nightclub to celebrate his birthday. There was no suggestion of misbehaviour or over-indulgence and he was with his family. But it sent out the wrong message. A humiliating thrashing to your local rivals is no cause to celebrate and certainly not in public. A player that has grown up in Manchester and spent his life with United should have known better.

When Real Madrid were hammered 4-0 by Atletico Madrid in 2015, Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos opted against going to Cristiano Ronaldo's birthday party later that night. When word got out that Madrid's players had partied after such a heavy loss, the Spanish media had a field day and the fallout led to their results nosediving, with them ending the season empty-handed while Barcelona won the treble.

Ten Hag made it clear how he felt about Rashford's indiscretion after the derby, labelling his actions "unacceptable". That should have sent out a warning to Rashford. But just three months later he has done it again. And his latest infraction is far worse as it led to him missing training.

Getty ImagesStruggling for consistency

What is most frustrating about Rashford's behaviour is that it indicates a lack of hunger to keep proving his quality. Since breaking into United's first team in 2016 at the age of 18 he has looked like he had the makings of a top class player without ever being truly world class.

Until last season he had only once passed the 20-goal per season barrier. He has been a good player for England without ever being a nailed-on starter for Gareth Southgate. And just two seasons ago there were serious doubts about where his career was going.

He had been reeling from the effects of having back surgery and looked shorn of confidence as well as unhappy. Everything changed in the summer of 2022, when, before pre-season began, he went on an intense training camp at Nike's headquarters in Oregon to work on his explosivity.

His hard work paid off and last season he was truly incredible, scoring 30 goals and adding 11 assists, firing United to their first trophy in six years and back into the Champions League. He used his form as a negotiating tool when discussing a new contract with United and eventually sealed a bumper deal that made him the club's highest-paid player, earning an estimated £375,000 ($476,000) per week . His off-the-pitch charity work and the courage he showed to take on the Conservative government over school meals made him an excellent ambassador for United, the type of asset they were desperate to keep.

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GettyShow some responsibility

Some suggested at the time that his upsurge in form was a classic case of a footballer playing for a new contract and that his resurgence would not last. For whatever reason, he has gone backwards since signing the contract.

Rashford, of course, is not playing badly on purpose and he has appeared very frustrated with his drop in form, often looking angry and dejected on the pitch. But only he can turn things around and going out clubbing is not the way to do it.

On one level his night out was refreshing. A footballer letting his hair down and spending time with one of his old friends. The choice of venue in Belfast, hardly a clubbing mecca, was also intriguing. Thompson's Garage is regarded as a rough-and-ready night out, not the type of exclusive venue where elite footballers are normally seen.

But if Rashford wants to keep moving forward as a footballer and make his performances of last season a trend rather than an anomaly, he needs to grow up and show some responsibility.

Tottenham Hotspur could be set to act fast to solve their outstanding crisis, wholeheartedly backing Ange Postecoglou as he seeks to navigate the trials and tribulations that come with his job…

Who else are Tottenham Hotspur signing?

Thursday night will be a date long remembered in the history of this club, as the day which the news broke detailing Harry Kane's move to Bayern Munich.

What stands as a microcosm for years of mediocrity in north London, of which even his legendary goalscoring exploits could not pull them out, they will now be left with a hefty lump sum and a squad still needing a revamp if they are to attain instant success under the new leadership.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

One huge step they could take towards reaching that goal is through the signing of Montpellier's Elye Wahi, who French publication Foot Mercato suggest remains a target for Spurs.

In fact, they are said to be very keen on the young marksman, and could 'quickly concretely move' once the departure of the England captain is confirmed. His club are expected to command a €30m (£26m) fee for his services.

How good is Elye Wahi?

It marks a near-impossible task to replace Kane.

The 30-year-old has written himself in numerous history books across his 19 years in north London, and will leave just 48 goals away from breaking the Premier League all-time scoring record, having surpassed Jimmy Greaves to become the Lilywhites' top scorer back in February.

Even scoring 30 league goals last season marked an outstanding achievement given how it turned into one of the worst campaigns in the club's recent history.

So, seeking to replace him with just one man might seem foolish, should they not do their due diligence on their next starting striker.

He not only needs to align with Postecoglou's high-octane philosophy but also boast a similar cutting-edge that makes him lethal enough to spearhead the new-look attack. After all, they will be losing out on a whole load of goals, some of which have to be offset by his replacement.

Wahi may be young, but his trajectory suggests that he could soon emulate Kane, with some figures even suggesting he boasts even greater finishing prowess.

After all, the Frenchman did notch 19 goals and assist a further six in Ligue 1 last term, building on his ten-goal haul from the year prior.

This steady progression fed into his recent immaculate 30% conversion rate in front of goal, as the finisher posted his 19 strikes from an expected goals tally of just 12.22, via Sofascore.

For comparison, their departing star could only muster a 23% conversion rate, yet his 30 league goals came from 21.46 expected goals, via Sofascore.

Whilst the latter is clearly more likely to find the net from range, blasting in low-value chances on occasion, it could be argued that Wahi would mark a more reliable marksman to have, who would offer a consistent stream of finishes should the opportunities arise.

Given he also boasts the physical assets to thrive in England too, all signs point towards him being an instant success should he make the switch. Ex-Caen academy director Francis de Taddeo had suggested: "He is a powerful, athletic and fast player with a range of dribbling skills where only he knows what he is going to do next."

With his unrelenting athleticism and lethal nature, against all the odds Postecoglou could be set to secure a new forward who is arguably just as clinical as Kane.

Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has a "very good chance to stay" this summer as the club are yet to receive the amount that they want for him, according to transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

Is Thomas Partey leaving Arsenal this summer?

It's been an outstanding transfer window for the red side of North London so far this summer as the club look to go one better than runners-up next season.

So far, the club have spent £65m on signing German international Kai Havertz from cross-city rivals Chelsea, £34m to secure the signature of Dutch defender Jurrien Timber from Ajax and a whopping £105m to finally lure Declan Rice from West Ham United – a new record for a British player.

In total, Mikel Arteta's side have spent around £204m on signings this summer. With the spending set to continue, current players are going to have to make way, with Ghanian international Partey looking, at one point, as if his time at the Emirates had come to an end.

At the end of June, it was reported by CBS Sports that the 30-year-old had garnered interest from three clubs in the Saudi Pro League, a report backed up by the Express' Ryan Taylor just two days later.

Despite all this interest from the Middle East, if Partey were to leave this summer, he has always favoured a move that keeps him in European football, with Juventus being his primary destination of choice, per CBS Sports.

That said, the Old Lady are reluctant to stump up the fee that Arsenal would want for their star player, and with that being the case, the club are more than happy to keep the 6-foot-1 titan for another season, per Fabrizio Romano.

He explained the situation on his YouTube channel, saying:

"They were open to letting him go, but only in case of a big proposal. At the moment, they have been approached by Saudi clubs but not reaching the €40m-€45m (£34m-£38m) they wanted for Thomas Partey and also Juventus three weeks ago asked for Thomas, but they don't want to pay that money."

"At the moment, the feeling internally at the club is that Thomas Partey has very good chances to stay at Arsenal and to continue at Arsenal because no one is putting on the table €40m to €45m.

"So very good chances for Thomas to stay and it means Arsenal have gone quiet on Romeo Lavia."

Who else has Arsenal been linked to this summer?

While the club have been focusing on big-money signings so far, Edu and Co look like they'll pull off their annual foray into the Brazilian league once again this year to sign the highly rated Gremio midfielder Bitello.

According to Italian publication TuttoMercato Web (via the Sun), the Gunners are set to complete the signing of the 23-year-old later this week for a fee of around £6.8m.

The 23-year-old has had a decent season so far this year, scoring seven goals and providing four assists in 36 matches for the Rei de Copas.

Another attacking player that has been touted for a move to Islington is Ajax's Mohammed Kudus, a versatile player who has filled in at striker, right-wing, attacking midfield and central midfield over recent seasons, and would add some extra bite to Arteta's midfield.

However, Edu should get a move on if he wants to land the Ghanaian international as reports suggest that Chelsea are also interested in Kudus and are currently slightly ahead in the race to sign him.

It looks like it's set to be another exhilarating year for Arsenal fans next season, and with Partey staying and the team getting stronger, they might just go one better than they did last year.

Erik ten Hag doesn't want other players to be discouraged by Donny van de Beek and Jadon Sancho's Manchester United experience.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Ten Hag says it's easier to play for other clubs
• Talks about Van De Beek's struggles at club
• Dutch midfielder now on loan at Frankfurt

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  As United prepare for their FA Cup match against Wigan on Monday – which happens to be their only realistic chance of winning a trophy this season – Ten Hag was asked if Van de Beek's troubles and Sancho's inability to perform would deter players from joining the Red Devils. The former Ajax manager admitted that playing for United is harder than playing for any other club, as the pair of Sancho and Van de Beek would attest.

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• WHAT TEN HAG SAID

  "That is always on those players and how much confidence you have in your capabilities," Ten Hag said [via BBC]. "But I can tell you one thing – the Premier League is tough. Man United, that is tough to play there because it's more easy to play in almost any other team than Man United because the pressure is that high always.

  "You have to deal with that. But if you have confidence in yourself, this is the best challenge and this is definitely the best club you want to be at as a player. It depends on player to player, and it depends especially on the character of the player, their personality."

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Van de Beek joined the Premier League giants in 2020 after a scintillating season for Ajax as they won both domestic titles and made it to the Champions League semi-finals. However, life after the move did not turn out to be as fruitful as he had hoped. The Dutch midfielder has now moved on loan to German side Eintracht Frankfurt as he looks to resurrect his career.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

  With the new year already underway, Ten Hag will be looking to leave their terrible year behind and begin afresh, starting with a trip to Wigan Athletic in the third round of the FA Cup on Monday.

Mushfiqur Rahim has said it will be hard to pick favourites ahead of the first Test in Mirpur, which begins on Sunday, with Bangladesh’s home advantage evened out by Australia’s recent positive results in the subcontinent.Mirpur will be Bangladesh’s first Test against Australia in 11 years, with no player in either squad having faced the other team. Australia have improved in subcontinental conditions since losing 3-0 to Sri Lanka last year, and competed tooth-and-nail in their last Test series in India, winning the first Test before eventually losing the four-Test series 2-1. Bangladesh, meanwhile, have taken steps in the right direction in the last two years, winning a home Test against England and then beating Sri Lanka in Colombo.Mushfiqur said Bangladesh now had players capable of rescuing them from adverse situations, and that they wanted to prove this against Australia as well.”It is hard to say who’s favourites,” Mushfiqur said. “We have more experience of these conditions than them, but they may also know how to play here. They won the first Test against India earlier this year. I think the two teams have 50-50 chance in this Test match. We have a relatively inexperienced bowling line-up than theirs. I think they have some experienced batsmen and bowlers.”We have the belief that we have the players to turn around from a difficult situation. We have to start well since we are playing a Test after a gap, especially at home. It won’t be easy playing against Australia who are a very professional side. We rarely get to play against such a top-quality side, so we want to make good use of this opportunity.”The weather, however, may have a big say in the Test match, particularly the rain that has been relentless in Bangladesh in the last two months. Mushfiqur said that the adverse weather might have made it difficult for the Mirpur curator to properly prepare the ground and pitches.”It is hard to predict what will happen in the Mirpur pitch,” he said. “The weather condition is quite different in this time of the year. But it is the same for both teams but we will have a better idea of what it will be like. How we apply ourselves will be more important.”We can talk about the wicket at the end of the Test match. It was tough to prepare the wicket because of all the rain. The first innings will be crucial, whether we are batting or bowling.”Mushfiqur said Australia would know exactly what to expect at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, although he added that having their warm-up match washed out may have hampered their preparation.”They would have got a better idea had they played the practice match. It is hard to understand how the centre wicket is going to behave by just doing nets. But the weather had the last word. They are a professional side so they know how to get the best out of training sessions.”

Chelsea may be 'stuck' with out-of-favour midfielder Hakim Ziyech this summer even though they are keen to ship him out of Stamford Bridge, according to journalist Paul Brown.

What's the latest transfer news involving Hakim Ziyech?

As recounted by talkSPORT, Ziyech was set to move to Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr before his move collapsed owing to a knee injury found while he was doing his medical at the club.

In turn, Chelsea have now missed out on the chance to inherit a transfer fee of £8 million, while Ziyech himself would've earned £9 million from the switch to the Middle East.

For the second time in a year, the £100k-a-week ace has now missed out on a transfer away from Stamford Bridge at the last second, as he was set to join Paris Saint-Germain on loan in January before a technical issue with paperwork scuppered the deal, as per Sky Sports.

Ziyech has taken a swipe at Al Nassr on social media in the aftermath of his failed medical, posting a story on Instagram with the caption "Knee problems, right?" accompanied by two laughing face emojis, as per The Daily Mail.

Chelsea bought Ziyech from Ajax back in 2020 for an initial fee of £33.6 million, rising to £36.6 million in add-ons, though he has endured a tough spell in SW6, as per BBC Sport.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Brown believes that Chelsea could be met with the awkward scenario of Ziyech potentially being stuck at Stamford Bridge in light of his knee issue being uncovered during a medical examination.

Brown told FFC: "Most of the interest that's come in for Ziyech over the last year or so has been to take him on loan and I think a lot of clubs who may have been interested before would be wary at this news that has come up in his medical, so it's really not good news for Chelsea who want him out and not great news for Ziyech either. He might be stuck at the club; we'll see."

Does Hakim Ziyech have a future at Chelsea?

Ziyech has struggled to make a major impact at Stamford Bridge since joining Chelsea back in 2020 and an exit from his current employers would be a wise move to get his career back on track if possible.

In his time in west London, Ziyech has amassed 107 appearances in all competitions for the Blues, registering 14 goals and 13 assists, as per Transfermarkt.

More unfortunate news could be set to come the way of Ziyech, with Chelsea believed to be in the market for an attack-minded midfield option this summer, which could push him further down the pecking order in SW6.

Celta Vigo midfielder Gabri Veiga is of interest to Chelsea and has been identified as a potential replacement for Mason Mount following his move to Manchester United, as per The Guardian.

Corriere dello Sport via METRO claim that Roma's Paulo Dybala is also on the Blues' radar and he could be available for a cut-price fee of around £10 million if his release clause is activated.

There looks to be no way back for Ziyech at Chelsea; however, potential suitors for the Dronten-born ace may now dry up due to his knee issue.

Arsenal are among the sides willing to pay Fenerbache star Arda Guler's release clause and he wants a transfer away immediately, according to reports.

Who will join Arsenal this summer?

As widely reported, the Gunners have agreed a £105 million total fee for the transfer of West Ham United star Declan Rice, who is now expected to make the move to north London.

Arsenal, though, don't appear to be done there after also sealing a £65 million deal to sign Kai Havertz from Chelsea. Indeed, Southampton's Romeo Lavia is firmly on manager Mikel Arteta's radar this summer, with Ajax defender Jurrien Timber coming as another who Arsenal are currently in talks for.

This could end up being one of Arsenal's busiest transfer windows in recent memory, with reports suggesting they may spend north of £200 million on fresh faces.

New targets are appearing on a consistent basis too, as Emirates transfer chief Edu is credited with an interest in signing Fenerbache's Guler.

The in-demand Turkish wonderkid, who is already capped at international level, has attracted a plethora of suitors both abroad and domestically.

Spanish outlet Diario AS expand on this, claiming Guler is wanted by "half of Europe", with Newcastle United, Manchester United, PSG, Borussia Dortmund, Milan, Sevilla, Barcelona and even Real Madrid chasing his signature.

It is believed that the 18-year-old wants to leave Fenerbache "right away", which is where Arsenal come in, as AS state that the north Londoners are "willing to pay" his €17.5million (£15m) alongside the aforementioned sides.

If Arsenal are to make a move for Guler, they will need to hurry, as both Barca and Real will soon make attempts to convince the player.

Who is Arda Guler?

Branded the "Turkish Messi", Guler is amassing quite the reputation, having stood out as one of Fenerbache's best-performing players per 90 as a teenager last campaign (WhoScored).

The talent racked up seven goal contributions in 20 league appearances over 22/23, all while averaging making more key passes per 90 than any Fenerbache player (WhoScored).

Italian football legend Andrea Pirlo, commenting on Guler recently, even said he has the potential to play anywhere in the world.

"Arda Guler is a very talented player,” Pirlo said.

“He has the potential to play anywhere in the world. He has quality, he can read the game well, and he has great technique. If he keeps developing his game, there is no limit to his potential.”

There has been a further update in Liverpool's pursuit to sign Federico Chiesa, with reports from Gazzetta dello Sport, via Sport Witness, stating that the Reds will stump up the player's wage demands and are ready to step up their interest in the player.

How many goals has Federico Chiesa scored?

The forward has struggled with injuries over the last 12 months or so, and that has meant his form and his gametime has slightly tailed off for current club Juventus. He could manage only six league starts for the Turin outfit over the course of the 2022/23 season for example and whilst he did play in 21 games overall, he had to make do with largely substitute appearances. It meant that, in total, he had only 9.5 lots of 90 minutes over the course of the entire campaign – his worst ever amount in a season.

In spite of this, Chiesa still managed to score two goals and bag five assists. Whilst not quite hitting the heights of his peak Juventus days or his time at Fiorentina, it shows that he is still capable of hitting the back of the net and creating things offensively when he is match fit and able to get onto the field. Juve though have struggled this season and with the club slumping to seventh – and missing out on the Champions League – it appears he may now be sold on.

Are Liverpool signing Chiesa?

One of the teams most interested in snapping up the Italy international is Liverpool. The Premier League side are reportedly willing to offer up to £34m to try and bring the winger in this summer, although that comes well below the Serie A side's valuation of him.

Now, according to a report from Gazzetta dello Sport via Sport Witness, this interest from the Reds is hotting up, with the side ready to not only stump up the player's huge wage demands of 8 million Euros (or £6.8m) a year but also preparing to make a "concrete" bid for his services next week.

It even adds that Jurgen Klopp is a big fan of the move, stating that he is a "great sponsor" for the deal being done. They've had "big manouveres" with the player's agent, so things are already happening behind the scenes it seems.

He's a player that is viewed as having a lot of talent in the eyes of media members. Football journalist Josh Bunting stated that Chiesa is a "real difference maker" and has been "one of the most exciting players around" for some time, while former Itlay striker Antonio Di Natale is a huge fan of the player, praising his unpredictability in posession and drive for improvement.

If Chiesa can get back to full fitness and play regularly again then, he could be a real asset to any club – and it appears that the club closest to signing him may just be Liverpool.

The French champions' European campaign started with a 2-0 win at Parc des Princes, buoyed by a strong showing from the young midfielder

Although Kylian Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi grabbed the goals, it was the silky performance of polarising midfielder Vitinha that was key in Paris Saint-Germain's 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund. After a drab first half, PSG sprung into life in the second, and ran out deserved winners against a well-drilled Dortmund side.

Vitinha came closest in the first half, rattling the post from distance after a quick interchange in the final third. Things changed swiftly in the second, though, as Niklas Sule handled the ball in the box after a sweeping PSG move and Mbappe buried the ensuing penalty with ease.

They doubled their advantage 10 minutes later, Hakimi strolling through the Dortmund defence and finishing after a quick interchange with Vitinha. PSG were a constant threat for the remainder of the half, the front three of Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Randal Kolo Muani causing problems on the break. But it all rooted from Vitinha, the midfielder offering a valuable link between the two areas of the pitch.

Dortmund came close to making things interesting when substitute Jamie Bynoe-Gittens rattled the post from outside the box with 10 minutes remaining. But PSG were otherwise reasonably comfortable, the first European showing of this new-look side offering plenty of promise.

GOAL rates PSG's players from Parc des Princes…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Gianluigi Donnarumma (6/10):

Only had the one save to make. Distributed well — a part of his game that will need to improve under Luis Enrique.

Achraf Hakimi (8/10):

His goal was wonderful, beating two players before adding a calm touch. He got forward effectively, tracked back well. One of the world's best, on his day.

Marquinhos (7/10):

Had little to do, but one excellent clearance ensured that PSG's lead remained secure late in the second half. Was solid at full-back in the closing minutes.

Milan Skriniar (6/10):

Pulled around by Adeyemi and Malen in the first half. More effective against a bigger forward in the second.

Lucas Hernandez (6/10):

A steady presence behind Mbappe. Didn't do loads going forward, but kept things tight at the back.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Warren Zaire-Emery (8/10):

Put a shift in, but was also immensely effective on the ball. Dortmund tried to match up man-for-man in midfield, the teenager still managed to find space.

Manuel Ugarte (7/10):

Avoided a late injury scare to earn his spot in the XI. Started slowly, but was more effective in the second half. Clean in possession, which Luis Enrique will like.

Vitinha (8/10):

Excellent in the build-up to Hakimi's goal. Hit the post in the first half. A performance to answer the critics after a slow opening to the season.

Getty ImagesAttack

Ousmane Dembele (5/10):

The busier, if less effective, of the two wingers. Dribbled around people a lot, but some of his decision making was very poor.

Randal Kolo Muani (6/10):

Preferred over Ramos for his full debut. Happy to run in the channels, and played some good stuff with either winger. He would've liked a goal, though.

Kylian Mbappe (7/10):

Scored the opener — his eighth of the season — from the penalty spot after not having much of an influence in the first half. Although he lacked sharpness in front of goal, some of his passing was wonderful.

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Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Goncalo Ramos (6/10):

Unlucky not to start ahead of Kolo Muani. Had the ball in the net, but saw his effort chalked off.

Lee Kang-in (7/10):

A solid cameo that suggests he deserves to see the pitch more often.

Danilo Pereira (N/A):

Late legs for Hernandez. He'll be a valuable player in the coming months.

Luis Enrique (8/10):

Deployed his strongest side, and after a poor first half, they came alive in the second. PSG were comfortable, and he will feel that there's plenty more to come. Promising from the Parisians.

Atletico Madrid sunk Pep Guardiola's treble winners thanks to tremendous long range strikes from Memphis Depay and Yannick Carrasco

A pair of sizzling goals from Memphis Depay and Yannick Carrasco brought Manchester City back down to earth as Atletico Madrid beat the treble winners 2-1 in the last match of their pre-season tour.

The match at the Seoul World Cup Stadium was in danger of being called off after a thunderstorm but following a 45-minute delay, the friendly finally kicked off. But it was no friendly.

Pep Guardiola named a formidable starting XI but Diego Simeone's side were as fiercely competitive and intense as usual and were the better team for much of the match. After missing a slew of chances they found their breakthrough thanks to a tremendous strike from outside the area from Memphis.

Carrasco then scored an even better goal to double Atletico's lead but Ruben Dias, who was unusually lacklustre, reduced the deficit late on with a thumping header. However, City could not respond again and slumped to their first defeat since losing to Brentford on the final day of last season.

GOAL looks at what we learned during the clash at Seoul World Cup Stadium.

Getty Dias looking rusty

The towering Portuguese is normally the one defender City can rely on but he was not on it today. Dias gave the ball away on several occasions and in dangerous areas too. He was fortunate that Pablo Barrios did not give Atleti the lead when he presented him with the ball and it fell on Stefan Ortega to get him out of jail.

He also gifted a chance to Memphis which the Dutchman failed to take advantage of, sending the ball over the bar. Dias did not heed the warnings, however, and he was careless in possession once more and just moments later Carrasco scored.

He sought to make amends with a crashing header which gave City faint hope but that should not mask the fact he was way off the pace. The Portuguese was one of Guardiola's most consistent performers in the final stretch of last season but will need to be sharper when the Premier League season begins.

AdvertisementGetty Kovacic is no Gundogan in front of goal

It is a far from easy to come in and replace a modern club legend like Ilkay Gundogan but that is ultimately what Mateo Kovacic has been tasked with doing. The Croatian still looks like a good fit for City but one area he desperately needs to improve in is his finishing.

He was presented with a glorious chance to give City the lead early in the first half, arriving in the area to meet the ball first time. It was the type of chance Gundogan would have had for breakfast, but Kovacic spooned the ball over the bar.

Gundogan scored 60 goals for City and always seemed to find the net on the biggest occasions. Kovacic, meanwhile, struck just six times in 221 games for Chelsea. He has a lot of work to do.

GettyAtletico don't do friendlies

Diego Simeone is the type of man who almost certainly cheats in board games with the family at Christmas. And he does not understand the concept of a friendly match.

Atletico treated this game as if it were a Champions League knockout game. Indeed, you could argue they showed more ambition in Seoul than for most of their quarter-final tie with City two seasons ago, which ended in a mass brawl.

There were no punches thrown here but tempers flared on a number of occasions and Rodrigo De Paul was in a particularly combative mood. While City seemed to fade in the second half, Atletico turned the screw. They thoroughly deserved the win and, on this evidence, City will be hoping to avoid them in the Champions League group stage draw.

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Getty ImagesMemphis and Carrasco show class is permanent

Atletico's two goalscorers have had strange careers. Memphis was good enough to be signed by Manchester United at the age of 21 but his time at Old Trafford was a disaster and it was only years later that he managed to get his career back on track.

Carrasco, meanwhile, scored in the 2016 Champions League final and was a crucial player for Atletico but then two years later decided to move to the Chinese Super League. He saw sense in the end and has been back to his best since returning to Atletico in 2020.

And against the European champions and treble winners, they proved their enduring class. Memphis looked threatening throughout the match and struck the ball perfectly to break the deadlock from outside the area. Carrasco then pulled off a zig-zagging run down the left wing before producing a thumping low finish.