^ ^ Mikel Arteta sends clear warning to Arsenal star that ‘minutes must be earned’

Mikel Arteta is preparing his Arsenal squad for their Carabao Cup tie against Ipswich (Credits: Focus Images Ltd/Shutterstock)

Mikel Arteta has insisted Arsenal starlet Max Dowman will get minutes this season but warned they must be earned ahead of Tuesday’s Carabao Cup fourth-round tie at Ipswich.

Arsenal finished as runners-up in the competition last season after they lost at Wembley to Manchester City and head to Suffolk for a tricky all Premier League tie eager to make it five victories from five for the new campaign.

The Gunners’ 16-year-old sensation Dowman has been an unused substitute on four occasions for Arsenal this season, most recently at Napoli last Wednesday, but has topped up his game time with a handful of runouts for the under-21s and featured in a 4-1 loss to Chelsea at the weekend.

Last season Dowman became the youngest player to start a Premier League fixture when he was given the nod at Crystal Palace and produced a memorable cameo against Everton where he scored his first professional goal in stunning fashion.

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However, with Arteta able to name Noni Madueke, Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres on the bench during a 2-0 win at Sunderland on Saturday, the Spaniard could not guarantee Dowman would start at Portman Road on Tuesday.

‘Well, I wish we could have him here (at Sunderland), but we have a limitation with the numbers we have,’ Arteta said in his latest remark about the Premier League rule of 20 players in a matchday squad.

‘Max will have his chance. He will have his minutes and he will have to earn them like anybody else.

‘You know the talent that we have, the players that we have there, we need to help him and find a way to make sure he continues to develop.’

Max Dowman is yet to make a first team appearance for Arsenal this season (Photo Franco Romano)

Dowman will hope to earn a first senior appearance of the campaign at Ipswich and Arteta promised there would be no shortage of motivation from his Premier League champions.

While the Carabao Cup will presumably be low on the list of priorities for the north London club in comparison to defending their league crown and going for a maiden Champions League win, the 44-year-old knows his squad will relish the change to progress in the competition.

‘It’s the next game ahead and the next competition,’ Arteta said.

‘We will look at the players eyes, they will say they want to play, they want to win the game, they want to improve and they want to review the (Sunderland) game and they will be willing for me, because I know the boys.’

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Bukayo Saka scored late on in a hard-fought victory at Sunderland, which occurred after a narrow midweek win at Napoli and after a close battle with London rivals Chelsea.

Tuesday will be Arsenal’s third consecutive away match and Saka told the official club website: ‘It’s been a massive week for us.

‘There has been a lot of travelling. People don’t understand behind the scenes how it’s been, but I’m really happy with how we’ve managed this.

‘It’s amazing for us, so credit to the team, the staff, all of us. We need to keep going – it doesn’t stop.’

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^ ^ Alan Shearer slams ‘pathetic’ Man Utd star after Man City defeat

Alan Shearer was unimpressed by the conduct of one Manchester United star in their derby defeat

Alan Shearer has accused Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes of play-acting in an attempt to get Phil Foden sent off in Sunday’s derby at Old Trafford.

Michael Carrick’s side slipped to a damaging 1-0 defeat which came despite playing with a numerical advantage from the 23rd minute onwards.

Erling Haaland scored the only goal of the game in controversial fashion after the VAR failed to adjudge that Enzo Fernandez had been interfering with play from and offside position before the ball reached the City striker.

While United, who have subsequently received a full and frank apology for the error committed by the match officials, were unfortunate to concede the only goal of the contest in that fashion, they were fortuitous not to have been playing with 10 men themselves, according to Shearer.

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Foden was given his marching orders in the 23rd minute after he kick out at Fernandes, having been provoked into doing so by a similar offence and Shearer believes Oliver’s decision was heavily influenced by the histrionics of Fernandes who was writhing on the ground.

‘I didn’t agree with either of them to be honest,’ Shearer said on The Rest Is Football, when asked about the two major talking points from a hotly contested match.

‘But I thought the way Bruno Fernandes went down was pathetic. He helped get Foden off and yes he’s kicked out at him a little bit but Bruno Fernandes has also kicked Phil Foden.

‘If Phil Foden reacts in the same way as Bruno Fernandes did then both get red cards. So for me either both are red or neither of them are.

‘You say to Phil Foden, look you’ve been red carded for kicking out. Now, whether it was a hard one or whether it was a soft one, it was a soft one like Bruno Fernandes’ was.

Phil Foden was sent-off following an altercation with Bruno Fernandes (Picture: Getty)

Phil Foden couldn’t believe he’d been given his marching orders (Credits: Matt West/Shutterstock)

‘He’s kicked out, so he’s stupid OK? But Bruno Fernandes has done the same thing so for me without doubt they both should’ve been a red card if Michael Oliver thinks Phil Foden’s is a red card.’

Rather than focus on the failings of the officials, meanwhile, United summer signing Youri Tielemans expressed frustration United’s meek performance.

Michael Carrick’s men have made a sluggish start to the Premier League season, with a humiliating defeat at Hull, victory against Ipswich and late draw at Everton followed by derby disappointment.

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United’s fury at the officiating for that decision is as clear as it is understandable, but Tielemans admits they were not good enough regardless of that moment.

‘It’s disappointing, so everyone is disappointed and frustrated because we know we can play so much better,” the Belgium international told MUTV.

‘We want to do things well and today it didn’t happen like we wanted.’

Phil Foden couldn’t believe he’d been given his marching orders (Credits: Matt West/Shutterstock)

Marcus Rashford hit the woodwork with a free-kick and Kobbie Mainoo hit a post as United tried to take the lead, but City managed the game impressively for the most part after Foden’s sending off.

‘We didn’t use it,’ Tielemans said. ‘We didn’t use the right spaces, we made mistakes in our passes, maybe rushed it a little bit too much.

‘We didn’t make the right last passes in the final third to create enough chances to score, so, yeah, it was tough.’

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^ ^ Rio Ferdinand criticises Manchester United players despite ‘deluded’ VAR call

Rio Ferdinand feels Manchester United should look at their performance on Sunday (Picture: Getty Images)

Manchester United were not helped by the ‘deluded’ VAR in Sunday’s derby defeat, but failed to create enough against 10-man City, feels Rio Ferdinand.

Phil Foden was dismissed after just 23 minutes at Old Trafford for retaliating after being kicked by Bruno Fernandes.

Despite the man advantage, it was Manchester City’s Erling Haaland who scored the only goal of the game after an hour.

The Norwegian’s goal was extremely controversial as it seemed clear that Enzo Fernandez was offside in the build-up and after the linesman initially flagged, VAR stepped in to give the goal.

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After the match, referee chiefs Pro Ref admitted that was a mistake and have apologised to Manchester United for the error.

Fernandez was challenging with Lisandro Martinez to get on the end of Josko Gvardiol’s cross, right in front of goalkeeper Senne Lammens and quite clearly attempted to play the ball.

Ferdinand was far from impressed with the officiating, but also felt United were blunt and short of ideas despite having the extra man for so long.

Michael Carrick has had a disappointing start to the season (Picture: Getty Images)

The Manchester United legend posted on X: ‘[Lisandro] Martinez has to go defend the man nearest the goal whether he believes he’s offside or not. In split seconds, you make the decision. He goes to defend Fernandez – who then attempts to play the ball. Deluded from VAR!

‘Regardless – Utd never created enough chances once City went to 10 men.’

Ferdinand had spotted an issue with United’s play beforehand, posting: ‘[Matheus] Cunha needs to get on last man with City having 10 men
Give the space to Bruno [Fernandes].’

Youri Tielemans also accepted that the performance against 10 men was below par, regardless of whether the officials got the big call wrong.

Youri Tielemans didn’t like Manchester United’s ‘sloppy’ display (Picture: Getty Images)

‘I don’t think we created enough chances to win the game anyway,’ the Belgian told NBC Sports. ‘I thought we were a bit sloppy on the ball and maybe didn’t make the right decisions on the final ball.’

He added on MUTV: ‘It’s disappointing, everyone is disappointed and frustrated because we know we can play so much better.

‘We want to do things well, but today it didn’t happen like we wanted.

‘We didn’t use the right spaces, we made mistakes in our passes and maybe rushed it a bit too much. We didn’t make the right last pass in the final third to create enough chances to score.

‘The process is try to get our heads together and react in the next games, that’s the only thing we can do. We can analyse this game and see what didn’t happen, and do better in the next one.’

It was a frustrating afternoon for Bruno Fernandes (Picture: Shutterstock)

Red Devils legend Roy Keane feels it has been a bad start to the season for his former club and the pressure is already on Michael Carrick, but it is not the time to panic.

‘I think it’s been a poor start, no doubt about it, today was a setback but I still think the players will react properly,’ he told Sky Sports. ‘They’ve got games on paper you think are winnable. Certainly no need to panic.

‘But the real challenge for Carrick and the staff is that when they got the job properly, people wanted a good start and he’s not had that.

‘No doubt there’ll be pressure after today’s game. But just keep their heads. United will certainly have to improve at the back, but in terms of going forward, there’s a goal threat and I think they’ll be fine. Keep their heads. Don’t panic.’

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