Bruno late show at Old Trafford | Ange's Solanke blow | Chelsea's free run at Garnacho
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Welcome to Back Pages, bringing you everything you need to know about the biggest sports stories making the headlines in the morning's newspapers. I'm Jessica Crichton and joining me are Jack Rosser from The Sun and Miguel Delaney from The Independent. Welcome to you both.

A spread of stories in the papers in the morning, but let's start with the football and Manchester United, shall we, in their late, late win against Rangers in the Europa League. Miguel, I'll come to you first. With the way that Manchester United snatched this victory from Rangers, could it give them more momentum perhaps going into the Premier League?

Well, I would have said yes, except we're pretty much having the same discussion at this exact point last Thursday when they also claimed a late win against a team they should be beating in Southampton, only for the momentum to be immediately disrupted.

And that's maybe the slight issue, well, not the slight issue, a big issue at United at the moment in that, obviously, yeah, just for confidence alone, to build a sense of belief in the new managerial regime, they do need to get these wins as they try to implement a new system. And he tries to eventually overhaul the squad. But it does still feel like, I mean, we're close to the end of January now, as long as January seems,

And they're still kind of scrabbling these wins in games that they should be winning anyway. And while that offers relief, it doesn't necessarily offer the belief that they can take the next step. And it just still feels like there's so much to do and why you would expect as well that the last week of this transfer window or the last 10 days of it

should bring some business for United because they need it. But obviously that's just another question right now. Yeah, you're right. And you mentioned the feeling of self-belief being low, perhaps with Manchester United at the moment. Jack, I wonder about what kind of players they can attract, because clearly Amarin isn't happy with the current squad. He's made his, I suppose, thoughts on that quite clear over the last couple of weeks, very publicly as well.

What kind of players can they attract when they are performing in the way that they're performing, struggling like they're struggling? And you've got players like De Ligt saying that there's more negative than positive in terms of the pressure that comes with being a Manchester United player. I mean, it's an old cliche that people will always say yes to Manchester United. They're an enormous attraction, an enormous football club, I think.

even in the situation they're in, Hammerin branding them the worst United team in the club's history, they would still be able to attract some good players. The bigger question really is what players can they afford rather than attract? I mean, we'll go on to discuss it later, I'm sure, but the amount of players they're looking at potentially selling or the calibre of players from the academy that

they might have to sell this window or in the summer to meet the Premier League's financial rules is a real concern for a lot of fans. They don't want to be seeing those players losing, but the finances, the way they are, the way their rivals are spending,

They're really up against it and whether they can get the money in the wiggle room there to start bringing players in will be the biggest thing for Ruben Amaran because the squad does need a big old overhaul. It seems to have been that way for the last few years and they've wasted time.

tens and tens of millions on players that have never really been a fit. So getting the finances sorted out is going to be more of a pressing issue than their sales pitches, I think. OK, so, you know, we're talking about struggles there financially. We're talking about problems on the pitch. All the newspapers have picked up on the fact of how late it was. And again, using their captain, Bruno Fernandes, to come in and rescue them. I wonder about...

the manager's comments, Miguel, and whether he, after backtracking on perhaps this is the worst United team the club has ever seen in its history, his recent backtracking in the last few days, is it perhaps an eye-opener to him? Just how much pressure and how much profile comes with being a Manchester United manager? Might he change his tact in the public eye in weeks to come?

Well, maybe you saw some of the newspaper pieces that showed actually a few United teams have been relegated because it's true you can't get that bad. So it did backtrack a little. But no, I mean, like, it's one of the interesting things at Amarum. I mean, one of the reasons he's in the job is actually because of how assertive

and strident he is a personality. A lot of people who know him talk about how, you know, he's quite ruthless in that sense and knows what he wants. That's been reflected in his press conferences. Of course, Dennis, there's a difference between saying what you want and then the realization of how much those words...

or the commotion they can cause just because of the different context you're in, which is one of the biggest clubs in the world. And he kind of strayed sentence. And even, like, I wasn't at United right at the weekend, but from talking to some of my colleagues who were, you know, they talked, obviously the press conference was more expansive than that, but naturally one line stands out and he, Amir himself,

offered it up. He mightn't be necessarily so willing to do that again. But yeah, it does just show the focus and the job and just how many different elements there are to this. Because, you know, overhauling a team is one challenge. But overhauling a team that has more focus than anyone in the world, except probably Real Madrid or Barcelona, is an entirely different challenge already. And he's going to have to show a lot of steel about a lot more than public comments.

And Jack, there's a lot of focus as well, you know, Miguel mentions the overhaul of the team, but there's a lot of focus isn't there on the players moving in and possibly moving out as well of Manchester United. One of those, of course, is Marcus Rashford. Do you see him leaving in this window? And if he does, I mean, how big of a loss is that to Manchester United? Bearing in mind, of course, I know he hasn't played since the 12th of December, but could he still be a loss?

It's a difficult one. I think in terms of the football on the pitch and what he's offered in terms of his form the last few months, then it will be a loss. I think it won't be a loss, sorry, but if you wind back a bit further to what he could have done the fantastic season he had a couple of years ago, scoring over 30 goals, then I think there'll be a sense of loss in terms of the player they could have had. But it's reached a point now where not too many people will be that devastated to see him go, whether he does go or not.

is an even bigger question. The talks with Barcelona seem to be struggling on the potential of a move to Barcelona seems to be fading away a bit really in terms of their financial situation and then Manchester United have just got to find either the money to continue paying his wages if they send him out on loan and cover a huge percentage of that or a club that are willing to do that and given the way he has played recently everyone knows the potential is there he can be a fantastic player but

Finally, a club that will want to pay over £300,000 a week for this Marcus Rashford is going to be very difficult in this market. That's not to say he definitely can't go, but I think it's going to be one that runs right to the end of the window. Yeah, it seems that way, doesn't it? And of course, Miguel, he was left out of the side tonight in the Europa League against Rangers and Manchester United still got the win. Is it his wages that's causing an issue here in terms of offloading him in January?

I think it's a total package. In January, I suppose, because they were looking at a loan, it's about the wage. So Tottenham, I wrote last week, Tottenham were one club that considered a move, but they would have gone nowhere near the sort of package Manchester United wanted to make a deal acceptable. And on the other side, I don't think Rashford was that interested in a move to Tottenham or West Ham for that matter. That's maybe another side to this.

in that obviously with a contract like that, Rashford himself isn't necessarily going to make the situation easy. He's going to choose what's best for him. And from the information I had today, there's around 20 clubs that have actually made at the very least informal inquiries for Rashford, but only two that have really progressed significantly

properly. Like Dortmund had been considered quite a viable choice about a week ago, not least with how Jadon Sancho, one of his friends and teammates, enjoyed success on loan there last season. But from speaking to people today, that seems to have really receded. And, you know, as Jack referenced there, there's...

At the moment, there's only two clubs I can see being realistic. Barcelona, who absolutely can't do a deal this January because they already struggled to even register Dani Olmo, but eventually got it through. So they just don't have the financial headroom for that. But Rashford would want that, I think, for the future, for the summer maybe. That'd be his number one choice. And then Juventus. So I think maybe in terms of watch this space for the last 10 days, it's about whether Juventus can do something maybe on loan and then they see about Barcelona in the summer. But

You know, it could be here in a week's time and talking about Rashford and Manchester United having to kind of face up to another few months of what looks like a slightly uncomfortable marriage now. And I'm sure this is one that's going to go down to transfer deadline day, isn't it? OK, let's move on because United weren't the only Premier League team in Europa League action. Tottenham Hotspur, they beat Hoffenheim, didn't they? But...

More injury worries for Spurs. Dominic Solanke has been confirmed out for up to six weeks. Looking in Sun Sport, Jack, and a Solanke blow on the back page. I mean, how big of a negative is this for Spurs, considering the sheer number of injuries that they've got to deal with at the moment?

Yeah, I mean, it must feel like Ange Postakoglu must wake up every day thinking what's going to happen now. I mean, he managed to see the funny side of it yesterday. There was a little, his translator lost his voice a bit and sort of joked about, you know, stay away from me because everyone seems to have something wrong when they come near Tottenham or Ange at the moment. But Solanke as well, he'd had a,

Not the fastest start to his Tottenham career, but was finding his feet and becoming a real leader for them in terms of that forward line. And to lose him, not only for a couple of games, but I think it's up to eight games across those potential six weeks. I think there's a small hope that they might

be able to get him back a bit quicker than that but it's a huge loss especially considering not everyone in that forward line has been firing Richarlison they're having has started tonight but they're having to to manage his minutes in terms of coming back

and being part of that side Son again a good sign for him tonight that he showed a lot more than he's been able to in recent weeks but in the Premier League especially he's not been performing you'd think he might be the one to perhaps go through the middle when Solanke's not there I think they had 14 players out for various different reasons tonight and

the bigger issue with that is you're not able to rotate and keep people fresh for games in the Premier League when they come back round so quickly and Tottenham, the position they are in that Europa League table, they're not guaranteed of a play straight through in that top eight so they can't take the risk of

putting a team of teenagers out, which is all they would have left in terms of rotating as well. So it's a really, really difficult situation. And the fact that these players are having to go again and again and again is going to make injuries like this more likely. Yeah, their injured players reach double figures now. It's absolutely extraordinary. But we

Within that victory against Hoffenheim, Miguel, big night for Hyunmin Song. His 26th goal in major European competition for Spurs. Only Harry Kane has scored more than that. How important was his performance tonight, considering how much he struggled in the Premier League? Yeah, and all the more important in the context of what we're talking now about Solanke's injury. They need a senior player like Song to, I suppose, carry a lot more responsibility than he even usually would. Now, I know he's had a bit of a kind of an indifferent season this year, but

But obviously, the stature, the record is there. And they need him to recover a bit because they really are stretched at the moment. And I know, obviously, there's a lot of noise around the club. But we shouldn't forget, some of this is happening. And they're not the only club with these major issues.

is because of this. It is a relatively absurd situation that we're actually talking about European games in January. I mean, the calendar from five years really from COVID and from the Qatar World Cup, it was already a bursting point. And for the kind of competition to just be expanded, because what it does in January, first of all, you've got two extra games in Europe.

You have to find more space for other games. So not only are there more matches, on the other side of that, players are denied the usual January break. That's gone. And that is obviously contributing to the situation. And hence, a team like Tottenham have a recurrence to these injuries. Also, as Jack referenced as well, a recurrence to the same issues on the pitch. I mean, they were a bit like Man Utd tonight, actually, in that they won.

And yet in terms of pure performance, there were still some of the some of the concerns that just characterised the recent spell. Miguel, I'm going to come to you now because you have been busy, haven't you? Exclusive sit down interview with the Bournemouth head coach and Dhoni Iriola. It's a really kind of all encompassing interview. And I suppose you got him to tell you all his secrets and why Bournemouth have been performing so well in the last few weeks.

Yeah, I mean, I suppose he's very much mad at the moment and someone that, you know, people are talking about for all sorts of other jobs. But the one he's doing right now, Bournemouth, is really remarkable, especially given the list of wealthier clubs they've beaten this season.

And I think what was most interesting... I mean, he did go into detail about how he approaches those games. He's basically in a world where the wealthiest clubs are so used to having their own way with these very specific, I suppose, Pep Guardiola-style tactics. His whole approach is to just unsettle them, get at them, make them...

ensure they don't play, they're uncomfortable playing that game. And what was really interesting, actually, myself and Jack were at an event on Sunday, which was the Football Writers Association Hall of Fame event. This year, they were celebrating Dennis Bergkamp. And Arsene Wenger made an interesting, a very pointed comment about how, um,

Players like Bergkamp, you don't see them too much anymore because the way the game has gone, it's very controlled. The game has lost a little bit of that quality of being surprised. Whereas Iriola went into detail about how actually against a lot of modern norms, he likes to give freedom to his attackers to encourage them to, you know, if an opportunity is blocked off, don't just reset and play the system again.

go for it and dribble and offer a bit of creativity. He spoke about his love for Michael Laudrup and number 10s. And also, I think what was most striking, I mean, first of all, he's very laid back.

And in a world, again, where a lot of modern managers, people almost say you need a certain intensity for the job. He's not like that. And it tied into how he was talking about he was almost a reluctant manager. He didn't even know he wanted to be a coach. He just loved playing. If he could do it now, he'd love to still be a player. He tells his own squad that all the time, that he misses even the idea of crossing a ball.

But he wanted to replicate something with the same joy. So he just tried coaching. And as he put it, you know, suddenly one opportunity followed another. And here we are. And where they are is...

Very high on the table and him one of the most sought after coaches in the game right now. Yeah, great chat with him, Miguel. A great scoop as well. Unbelievable to think that they're unbeaten in 10 Premier League games. Absolutely phenomenal. And coming off the back of that 4-1 win against Newcastle at St. James' Park.

Absolutely phenomenal. Their fans must be in dreamland at the moment. We're going to move to City, whose fans are probably at the opposite end of the spectrum as their rebuild continues. In the back page of the Mirror, it says, walk out, Mamoosh in, as City's Jan spend hits £150 million. Jack, what do you make of this Omar Mamoosh signing? Can he help City? And

Where does he fit in? Is he going to play alongside Erling Haaland? Because you don't pay £59 million for someone to sit them on the bench. You don't know, but Pep Guardiola has a funny way of fitting players in. I mean, you look what he's done with Jack Grealish and sort of changed the...

the sort of parts of him as a player you know he's such a free spirit at Aston Villa but when he's been at his best at City it's been part of a more controlled thing so Guardiola will certainly find a space for him they certainly won't be moving Erling Haaland anywhere after giving him a 10 year contract you'd think but

It's interesting the way they're pursuing it because we've never really seen Pep have to do a rebuild like this. It's something that Sir Alex Ferguson was constantly praised for having to turn those Man United teams over and over and make controversial decisions in terms of keeping that club right at the top. City have fallen away and it feels like this is

going to be quite a long-term rebuild they're going to have to do. It feels like they're already playing catch-up in terms of doing it mid-season, signing some young players. Marmouch is an interesting one just because he's 25, he's a bit older than some of their other signings, but it's taken a while to pop up on everyone else's radar and obviously not tested in the Premier League. So whether he goes straight in or not is a big question mark.

But he might have to, considering the inconsistent form that City have been in. There's been a few false storms over recent weeks in terms of everyone deciding, right, this is it, they're back now, they've finally got a win. And then you see the collapse like they endured last night, where in a flash they go from being 2-0 up to...

just in a spin and not knowing maybe where their next win might come from or their next consistent performance. So it's a rebuild they're having to do almost on the hoof, but they're fortunate, I suppose, in the fact that they've got the money to do it at the moment. Yeah, Marmouch out then, Walker in. Miguel, he's one of England's most decorated footballers. What do you make of this move to AC Milan?

I suppose in terms of Walker himself, I've said this in the show before, I often wonder why players at the peak of their career like that actually don't take the choice for more experiences. You can understand it from the perspective of he was at a team that was winning all the time and players ultimately want to succeed. But they also have a unique opportunity to try things

another lifestyle. That's what Walker is doing now. And like, absolutely good luck to him from that perspective. Many City fans would say he absolutely deserves a different experience given all he's contributed to the club. But obviously, I suppose this feeds in a little bit to what Jack's been talking about there where...

There's never really been a total rebuild at City, even though Guardiola's been there for close to a decade. It's been kind of like constant ticking away or ticking over with the team where they've made one or two signings and they've needed to. And they're at a point now where they need an overhaul because it had gone a little stale. Players may be staying there too long. I think there is another connected issue, which is what related to what we're talking about with...

Manchester United and Tottenham in terms of the calendar in that Guardiola's always liked a small squad because the way he worked tactically except that's something that actually suddenly doesn't work with the football calendar as it is and he's spoken about this recently that now suddenly you need far bigger far bigger squads I think that's that's part of the rationale behind some of the some of the business this January

Let's just go back to Manchester United for a moment because the double page spread in the Telegraph includes this headline, Chelsea may have free run at Garnaccio as Napoli call. So we know that Alejandro Garnaccio has been linked with moves to possibly Napoli, but it sounds like, according to Matt Law here, that Chelsea are lining up an opening bid for Garnaccio. Interesting, Jack, isn't it, that he started the game against Rangers in the Europa League. Is that a sign perhaps that Amrim wants to keep him?

I think Amarim would love to keep him around. He's clearly an incredibly talented player and Manchester United maybe are in short supply of them at the moment, especially in that attacking line when Rashford's not

available for selection or not in form, you're going to need a player like that. And I think it's going to be devastating if Manchester United, for their fans, if they have to sell people like Garnaccio or Cobby Miner, who not that long ago looked like the two that would lead this next generation of Manchester United back to the top, show the heart of the club. There's so much history there.

with the academy but it almost shows that they've not used their academy to their strength I think everyone understands now the value you get in terms of the financial rules in terms of selling players from the academy as pure profit and how you can show that in your accounts and give you much more room for spending you look at just across Manchester Manchester City have

sold academy players that were never really going to get close to their first team for tens of millions of pounds which really gives them the space and the strength to go out like they are and spend like they are this month whereas Manchester United just haven't been doing that haven't been producing players at a young enough age that they can go and sell and

to fees like that which leaves them in this awkward and for their fans horrible situation where they might have to wave goodbye to an incredibly talented player that they all adore to watch and can make an impact for them it was notable that while they were leading tonight there were a huge chance for for Garnaccio so it won't be a nice situation at Old Trafford if they have to do it

Okay, that's another transfer that I think we're going to be keeping a very close eye on all the way down to transfer deadline day. Jack, Miguel, it's been a pleasure to have you on Back Pages tonight.