• Right-winger ‘has to get over’ rivals in his position
• Brazilian in queue to start Carabao Cup tie against Barnsley

Erik ten Hag has stated that despite Antony being Manchester United’s second most expensive player it is the “law” that he has to fight against the academy products Amad Diallo and Alejandro Garnacho to regain his place.

Since signing for £86m in summer 2022 Antony has disappointed, with 11 goals and five assists in 83 appearances. This season Ten Hag has fielded the right-winger once, as an 89th-minute replacement in the 2-1 defeat at Brighton last month.

Manchester United's Erik ten Hag is confident Marcus Rashford will keep the goals flowing this season, after the team secured a 3-0 win at Southampton. Ten Hag responded to the criticism Rashford received following a loss to Liverpool, saying there was 'too much negativity' aimed at him, and that the striker created 'great chances'. The 26-year-old had gone 12 matches in all competitions without scoring but doubled United's lead on the south coast, six minutes after Matthijs de Ligt headed in from a short-corner routine

• Ten Hag hopes Rashford will be like ‘ketchup bottle’ and keep goals flowing

After a first goal in 189 days in the win at Southampton, some players seem to inspire these feelings and mean more

The sun was just trying to break through as Manchester United took their curtain call here: a weak and hazy sunlight, an autumn-adjacent sunlight, sunlight if it had been taught how to press by Ole Gunnar Solskjær. But sunlight all the same. And as perfunctorily routine as this win seemed in retrospect, days like these are actually pretty rare for United, a club where the roof always seems to be leaking, even when it isn’t raining.

This was – by way of illustration – only their second away win in the Premier League since February, their biggest win on the road since November, their biggest league win against Southampton since 2001, the year they left the Dell. And yes, getting to that stage required half an hour of pure inertia, a saved penalty and a pretty complete implosion from a home side that failed to register a single shot in the last hour of play. But finally, United had carved themselves out a little breathing space.

• United coach says criticism of striker has been overblown
• Russell Martin bemoans Southampton’s missed penalty

Erik ten Hag borrowed Cristiano Ronaldo’s ketchup analogy as he predicted Marcus Rashford will go on a goalscoring run after ending his Manchester United drought in a 3-0 victory at Southampton.

“Once a striker was talking about a ketchup bottle, once it’s going, it’s coming more,” said the Manchester United manager after Rashford registered his first goal since March.

Finally, Erik ten Hag could enjoy a game without the kind of jeopardy that had stalked his Manchester United so far this season. Four games into the season Ten Hag appeared embattled but after an awkward opening half hour, well-taken goals by Matthijs de Ligt and Marcus Rashford allowed United to runaway with things with victory with uncharacteristic ease. The substitute Alejandro Garnacho capped the scoring in style, lashing United’s third into the net in the 96th minute.

Southampton did not muster a shot on goal from the moment Cameron Archer’s rebound from a 33rd-minute missed penalty ended up in the gloves of André Onana and, to make matters worse for the Saints, Jack Stephens was shown a straight red card for a high challenge on Garnacho. It was a near-perfect day for Ten Hag, who introduced Manuel Ugarte late on for his United debut. On this occasion the full-time boos were not directed at Ten Hag.

• Premier League latest, 12.30pm BST kick-off at St Mary’s
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Southampton’s manager has thus far been loyal to the players who helped Southampton to the Premier League but after three consecutive defeats, he says he is ready to hand more opportunities to new recruits such as Cameron Archer, Mateus Fernandes, Maxwel Cornet and Ryan Fraser.

“I have to balance that loyalty and what they did last season with what some are actually doing now and the place they’re in right now,” he said. “Also, with the level of talent that’s come into the building, they need a bit of time to adapt, but we’ve brought in some really brilliant players.

• Manager says winger will play only if he trains well
• ‘Since Jadon has been with us he has been perfect’

Enzo Maresca has insisted signing Jadon Sancho was not a risk, but Chelsea’s head coach has reminded the winger that he will play only if he trains well.

Sancho, who has joined on loan with an obligation to buy, found himself out in the cold at Manchester United after clashing with Erik ten Hag. The United manager was open about his dissatisfaction with the England international’s level in training, but Maresca is not worried about the attacker’s past.

• ‘In football you have to win, that’s clear’
• Ten Hag defends Matthijs de Ligt’s poor Netherlands form

Erik ten Hag accepts that if Manchester United’s poor results continue the backing offered by the club’s executive will fade, with the manager admitting: “You have to deliver.”

In their past two games United have lost 2-1 at Brighton and 3-0 to Liverpool. The chief executive, Omar Berrada, and sporting director, Dan Ashworth, supported Ten Hag when speaking before the Liverpool game. “We think Erik is the right coach for us and we’re fully backing him,” Berrada said.

While a familiar tale of gloom is playing out, the manager’s future is a distraction from the fact that United face more profound challenges

There was no shortage of casually devastating detail in reports this week of the billionaire’s paddling-pool squabble at Chelsea. Chief among these was the fact that, according to Todd Boehly sources, Todd Boehly sees his role at Stamford Bridge as “a 30-year project”.

It is worth just drinking this in, the full implications of a scaled-up triple-decade Boehly supremacy. It has so far taken two years to gouge out any pretence of being a serious sporting and commercial concern. Just think what he could achieve in 30. Crash the global exchanges. Hollow out the Earth’s core. Give a dead leg to every koala bear on the planet. Most obviously Boehly will be nearly 80 by the time his project reaches fruition, up there in his virtual hover-box, unveiling the latest crop of bespoke disaffected 20-year-olds grown in jars from insect protein.

Erik ten Hag has hit back at Cristiano Ronaldo by pointing out that the Portuguese admitted Manchester United are not well placed to win the biggest trophies this season despite criticising the manager for stating the same.

In a pre-season interview Ten Hag discussed United’s chances of winning the Premier League and Champions League. 'We are really a long way away from that,' he told the Dutch outlet AD Sportwereld. Ronaldo criticised this apparent lack of ambition on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, saying: 'You cannot say that you’re not going to fight to win the league or Champions League'. But Ronaldo then effectively contradicted himself. 'They can win the Carabao [Cup] – Champions League or Europa League or Premier League, difficult.'

Ten Hag was asked about Ronaldo’s claim that the manager should not say the club cannot win the league. 'No, he said this, if you read the article very well. He is far away in Saudi. Everyone is entitled to have an opinion. It is OK.'

A clash of colours in north London, Manuel Ugarte getting the Ten Hag call and more new faces featuring

After Casemiro’s disastrous 45-minute outing in the thumping by Liverpool, Erik ten Hag looks certain to hand the Uruguayan midfielder Manuel Ugarte his debut at St Mary’s. Last time out, Ten Hag was forced to send on the inexperienced Toby Collyer at the break to try to bring calmness alongside Kobbie Mainoo because Casemiro was so embarrassingly off the pace in gifting goals to Liverpool. Having not featured for Paris Saint-Germain before his deadline-day move to the Premier League, Ugarte got minutes in his legs with Uruguay, including a full 90 in Venezuela on Tuesday before returning to his new home to get to know his teammates. It seems a big ask for Ugarte to perform on Saturday lunchtime after a hectic few weeks but Ten Hag has little to no choice because he needs results and is heavily invested in the 23-year-old midfielder. Will Unwin

Southampton v Manchester United, Saturday 12.30pm (all times BST)

Brighton v Ipswich, Saturday 3pm

Crystal Palace v Leicester, Saturday 3pm

Fulham v West Ham, Saturday 3pm

Liverpool v Nottingham Forest, Saturday 3pm

Manchester City v Brentford, Saturday 3pm

• ‘He is far away in Saudi. Everyone can have an opinion’
• United visit Southampton after consecutive defeats

Erik ten Hag has hit back at Cristiano Ronaldo by pointing out that the Portuguese admitted Manchester United are not well placed to win the biggest trophies this season despite criticising the manager for stating the same.

In a pre-season interview Ten Hag discussed United’s chances of winning the Premier League and Champions League. “We are really a long way away from that,” he told the Dutch outlet AD Sportwereld. Ronaldo criticised this apparent lack of ambition on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, saying: “Manchester United coach, you cannot say that you’re not going to fight to win the league or Champions League.” But Ronaldo then effectively contradicted himself. “They can win the Carabao [Cup] – Champions League or Europa League or Premier League, difficult,” he said.

Cristiano Ronaldo gave his thoughts on Erik ten Hag and Manchester United during an interview with Rio Ferdinand. The Al-Nassr player reflected on his second spell at United and criticised Erik ten Hag's mentality. Speaking about Ten Hag's modest ambitions for the club, Ronaldo said: 'If you are Manchester United coach, you cannot say that you’re not going to fight to win the league or Champions League.'

• Ronaldo criticises Ten Hag and claims Manchester United need total rebuild

Branded stadiums turn community hubs into billboards. Memories are still made, but the corporate influence dulls the purity of the experience

The Cleveland Browns held an oddly celebratory press conference last week to announce the sale of the naming rights to their stadium to Huntington Bank, a regional bank headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. For the next 20 years, what was once Cleveland Browns Stadium will be known as Huntington Bank Field. Never mind that Huntington Bank Field is a laughably generic name that does not even attempt to maintain continuity with the arena’s two most recent monikers, both of which labeled it a stadium rather than a field; the real catch is that the Browns haven’t even decided whether to renovate their current home on the shore of Lake Erie or build a new stadium in Cleveland’s southwestern suburbs.

Under the terms of the deal, the Browns’ home will be Huntington Bank Field wherever it ends up: the stadium now has a fixed name but a curious air of ephemerality hangs over its address.

• Forward implies manager’s attitude is too negative
• He predicts bright future if they ‘rebuild from the bottom’

Cristiano Ronaldo has intimated the attitude of Manchester United’s manager, Erik ten Hag, is too negative. The Portugal forward fell out with Ten Hag before his second spell at Old Trafford ended in 2022.

Ronaldo, who plays for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, believes his former club need to “rebuild from the bottom” but should not rule out winning major trophies in the meantime. Ten Hag has said he is “quite confident” of further silverware this campaign after lifting the Carabao Cup and FA Cup during the past two seasons. But the Dutchman said in July his team were a “long way away” from being ready to win the Premier League.

• Club records revenues of £661.8m in year to 30 June
• ‘Our clear objective is to return to the top,’ says Berrada

Manchester United are confident they comply with Premier League and Uefa financial rules despite posting a £113.2m net loss in their latest accounts. It is the fifth consecutive year United have made an annual loss, with the club £115.5m in the red in 2021-22 and £42.1m in 2022-23.

Profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) permit a £105m loss over a three-year period, but within the regulations certain deductions are allowed in relation to investment in infrastructure, the academy and women’s teams, among other things, which United believe means they will not fall foul of spending regulations. Everton and Nottingham Forest received points deductions last season after exceeding permitted losses in regards to PSR.