The performance in victory at Newcastle was reminiscent of their summer form and brings hope before the visit to PSG

To fully appreciate the highs, it is necessary to first plumb the depths and Manchester United appeared determined to test the theory on Saturday in the must-win Premier League game at Newcastle. On the back of three shambolic performances in the competition, the most recent being the 6-1 capitulation at home against Tottenham,, the last thing they needed to do was give their opponents a head start.

Still, they did so and, when David de Gea unfroze himself and Luke Shaw contemplated the reality of his second-minute own goal, United’s situation was heavy on bleakness. At that point the storm was coming for Ole Gunnar Solskjær – the questioning of his selection decisions, which had featured a few eyebrow-raisers; the bookmakers slashing his odds in the sack race; Mauricio Pochettino trending on Twitter.

Related: Premier League: 10 talking points from the weekend's action

Related: PSG v Manchester United seems a portent of a dystopian super league future | Jonathan Wilson

• Bruno Fernandes to captain United for the first time
• Solskjær denies Greenwood is out for disciplinary reasons

Manchester United face the daunting task of keeping out Paris Saint‑Germain without their captain on Tuesday after leaving the injured Harry Maguire at home.

Bruno Fernandes will instead wear the armband in the Champions League opener because of Maguire’s minor injury. The usual captain is one of a clutch of absentees for the trip to Paris including Mason Greenwood, Eric Bailly, Edinson Cavani and Jesse Lingard.

Related: Frank Lampard leaps to defence of Chelsea's under-fire backline

Lampard needs to change tack with Chelsea’s defence, Lallana’s Indian Summer and Pickford’s failings

Sergio Agüero’s comeback after four months out with a knee injury was a 65-minute cameo that oozed class and in which he was a vital link in Raheem Sterling’s winner. City’s record goalscorer is out of contract in June and Pep Guardiola stated the club will make a new offer if the striker continues to play well while also saying Agüero knows what he has to do. “We know what he means for us, we know how we appreciate him, but now he has to show like everyone of us – me first – that we deserve to continue here and are playing good and winning games,” the manager said. “After that the club and myself decide. When he is playing at his level and we don’t have any doubts [then] he is a player to stay until he decides [to go] because he is unique, the numbers [goals]. He is important for us, the fans and everyone.” Jamie Jackson

Related: Manchester City show Arsenal that the game belongs to the players | Jonathan Liew

Manchester United ran out easy winners at St James’ Park, even if they left it a bit late to confirm their obvious superiority on the scoreboard

10.19pm BST

Premier League: Louise Taylor was at St James’ Park to see Manchester United run out easy winners against Newcastle, even if they left it late to convert their on-field superiority into goals scored.

Related: Manchester United score three late goals to seal comeback win at Newcastle

10.06pm BST

More from Harry: “When you play for this club and get beaten at home by Crystal Palace and thoroughly deserve to get beaten, then thoroughly deserve to get beaten by Tottenham, we asked questions of ourselves. We work hard in training. It’s a great group, we knew we had to bounce back. We came her and we knew we had to get points on the board. I feel like it would have been really harsh if we’d come away with just a point.”

10.04pm BST

Harry Maguire speaks: “We’re some way going towards that but I wouldn’t say we’ve answered them,” says Manchester United’s captain upon being asked by Sky’s reporter if he and his teammates have answered their critics. “It’s crazy because we’re three games into the season and it seemed like a big crisis. This is our fourth game of the season, we’ve won two and lost two. We’ve put in terrible performances but we know we can do a lot better. This club doesn’t deserve performances like we’ve put in at Old Trafford this year. We’ve got part way towards answering our critics but we know we can improve and we have to improve, but for sure we deserved the three points tonight.”

10.00pm BST

Peep! Peep! Peeeeeeep! It’s all over at St James’ Park, where Manchester United have battered Newcastle. The hosts took the league through a freak own goal and a couple of other chances, but they can have no complaints about the gubbing they got tonight. It may have been close enough on the scoreboard until Fernandes gave United the lead in the 86th minute, but the 4-1 scoreline doesn’t flatter Manchester United in the slightest.

9.57pm BST

Having further irritated the Tory party during the week, Marcus Rashford continues to riff on Newcastle’s pain tonight. He traps a ridiculously good long ball into space from deep by Bruno Fernandes, advances towards goal and spanks it past Karl Darlow.

9.54pm BST

Apparently Man U just scored a late winner, but I spent £14.95 on a serious bottle of Malbec and I’m watching Jurassic park

9.53pm BST

90+3 min: United pour forward again, with Bruno Fernandes going close courtesy of a low drive that fizzes wide of the upright, taking a deflection on the way. Nothing comes from the corner.

9.51pm BST

Marcus Rashford turns provider again, spotting Aaron Wan-Bissaka to his right as Manchester United surged forward. He played the ball into the path of the young full-back, who advanced directly towards goal before smashing it past Darlow for his first senior goal.

9.47pm BST

88 min: Newcastle substitution: Miguel Almiron replaces Jeff Hendrick.

9.46pm BST

Manchester United take the lead and it’s no more than they deserve. Bruno Fernandes makes up for his penalty miss with an exquisite finish, curling the ball into the top corner from a narrow angle, after receiving an exquisite reverse-pass from Marcus Rashford in the Newcastle penalty area. Outstanding play.

9.45pm BST

84 min: The clock ticks down as Manchester United concede a free-kick in line with the left side of their own penalty area, about 40 yards out. Shelvey curls the ball in but it’s cleared.

9.41pm BST

80 min: Harry Maguire picks up the ball a few yards outside the penalty area, cuts inside under no pressure whatsoever from anyone in a Newcastle shirt and sends a low drive a foot or so wide of the upright. This would be atrocious defending from Newcastle in any situation, but this happened at a time their players know their goalkeeper’s mobility is seriously hampered. Quite why Steve Bruce hasn’t replaced him is anyone’s guess.

9.37pm BST

78 min: Bruno Fernades tries to stand the ball up for Pogba at the far post with a neat dink, but Jamal Lewis leaps highest to head it away. Good defending.

9.36pm BST

76 min: Manchester United substitution: Donny van de Beek on for Dan James. Newcastle substitution from a couple of minutes ago: Ryan Fraser on for Joelinton.

9.35pm BST

74 min: Krafth plays an unnecessary back-pass to the obviously struggling Darlow, who won’t thank him for it. The goalkeeper hacks the ball towards the stand.

9.33pm BST

72 min: Only playing because Martin Dubravka is injured, Karl Darlow looks to be struggling with an injury, presumably one he picked up while saving at the feet of Marcus Rashford a couple of minutes ago. He soldiers on for now but his mobility looks seriously compromised. It looks like a groin injury. Mark Gillespie is Newcastle’s substitute goalkeeper tonight.

9.30pm BST

70 min: Luke Shaw advances down the inside left under little or no pressure from Joelinton, who jogs alongside him without attempting to hustle him off the ball. With Lascelles backing off him, the Manchester United left-back shoots. Darlow saves at the near post.

9.29pm BST

70 min: Manchester United substitution: Paul Pogba replaces Fred.

9.28pm BST

68 min: Now David De Gea is forced into making a save after Jonjo Shelvey found himself in acres of space with the ball at his feet on the nap of the United penalty area. His dipping drive is on target, but De Gea keeps it out.

9.26pm BST

66 min: Manchester United squander another scoring opportunity, with Rashford finding himself through on goal after receiving a delightful pass from Juan Mata. Darlow is quick off his line to dive bravely at the striker’s feet and save his shot. The linesman flags for offside but replays show he may have been wrong to do so.

9.24pm BST

64 min: Newcastle win a free-kick wide on the right but Jonjo Shelvey fails to clear the man at the near post with his delivery. That man? The very diminutive Dan James, who heads the ball clear.

9.19pm BST

60 min: Close, but no cigar from Harry Maguire. Manchester United win another corner and he steers another effort goalwards. Jonjo Shelvey is on hand to clear off the line with his bald head.

9.18pm BST

Bruno shoots hard and to Karl Darlow’s right, but the goalkeeper saves brilliantly. It was a powerful effort but Newcastle’s goalkeeper was equal to it.

9.16pm BST

Craig Pawson checks the replay on his pitch-side monitor and signals a penalty for the visitors.

9.15pm BST

55 min: United appeal for a spot-kick as Marcus Rashford is brought down on the edge of the Newcastle penalty area by – I think – Jamal Lewis. It’s going to VAR. Referee Craig Pawson adjourns to the sideline to have a look for himself. I rekon he’ll give a penalty.

9.12pm BST

53 min: Fred blasts the ball wide after running onto a back-heel across the face of the Newcastle penalty area from Bruno Fernandes. A tip of the hat to Juan Mata, who did well to pick out Fernades in the first place - they’ve both been outstanding for United this evening.

9.11pm BST

52 min: Newcastle enjoy on a rare sortie into United territory. It ends with David De Gea pulling off a fine save from Callum Wilson. The Spaniard dived low to his right and clawed the ball clear after Callum WIlson had got on the end of a cross from the left and steered the ball goalwards with the sole of his boot.

9.09pm BST

50 min: The jig is up for Isaac Hayden, who limps off to be replaced by Fabian Schar.

9.08pm BST

49 min: Fernandes tries a shot from distance but sends the ball arrowing towards outer space.

9.08pm BST

47 min: Manchester United begin the second half as they finished the first, laying siege to the Newcastle penalty area. Bruno Fernades tries to dink the ball into the box, but it’s intercepted and cleared by Isaac Hayden, who appears to do himself a mischief as he hoofs the ball down the field. He’s passed fit to continue after treatment, but doesn’t look too chipper.

9.04pm BST

46 min: Play resumes, with Jeff Hendrick taking the first touch of the second half. There are no changes in personnel on either side.

8.50pm BST

It’s all square at the break. Luke Shaw deflected an EMil Krafth cross into his own net to give Newcastle the lead after two minutes, but it’s been one-way traffic in the other direction ever since. Bruno Fernandes had a goal chalked off for offside shortly before Harry Maguire equalised for United with an excellent near post header from a corner. The scores may be level, but Manchester United are in the box-seat at St James’ Park.

8.48pm BST

45+1 min: We’ve had two goals, one of them a freak and a third disallowed, but otherwise this match has been extremely low on entertainment. I suspect any Sky Sports customers who have paid £14.95 on top of their usual monthly subscription to watch this will be feeling fairly short-changed as we approach half-time.

8.46pm BST

45 min: The camera cuts to Joelinton, who I’d genuinely forgotten was on the field. The ball comes his way and he puts it out for a throw-in with a poor first touch in a tight area.

8.44pm BST

43 min: Darlow gets down to save a venomous low drive from Marcus Rashford. He can only parry the ball back into play, but it’s hacked clear by one of his defenders before Rashford or anyone else in a Manchester United shirt can get to it.

8.42pm BST

41 min: Almost all the play is in Newcastle’s half, but Manchester United are struggling to find an opening.

8.39pm BST

38 min: Dan James is booked for a fairly wild challenge on Alain Saint-Maximin. Moments previously at a corner, Isaac Hayden was forced to hack a Marcus Rashford shot through a thicket of bodies off the line. Rashford injured his foot on the follow-through, smashing his instep into somebody’s outstretched studs and needs treatment before he can continue.

8.37pm BST

36 min: Aaron Wan-Bissaka threatens to curl one in at the far post with what looked suspiciously like a cross from the right. Whether he meant it or not, Karl Darlow is forced into a decent save to keep the ball out.

8.34pm BST

34 min: Jonjo Shelvey blocks a Bruno Fernades shot after good work down the right flank from Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who’d picked out the Portuguese on the edge of the Newcastle penalty area.

8.32pm BST

31 min: De Gea is ok to carry on for now, although he’s clearly hurt his shoulder.

8.31pm BST

29 min: Scott McTominay concedes a free-kick just inside the Newcastle half for a tug on Saint-Maximin’s shirt. Jamal Lewis floats the ball into the United penalty area and Newcastle go close to re-taking the lead when Saint-Maximin forces a smart save out of David De Gea with a shot from distance. The goalkeeper clatters his right shoulder off the post in making it and needs medical assistance.

8.28pm BST

27 min: Allan Saint-Maximin gives the ball away in midfield, allowing Manchester United to build another attack, which comes to nothing when Bruno Fernandes and Juan Mata get their wires crossed.

8.25pm BST

24 min: That was an excellent header from Maguire, who arrived late after giving Jamal Lascelles the slip. His downward header was powerful and left Darlow with little or no chance of keeping it out.

8.24pm BST

It’s all square. Harry Maguire puts his recent travails behind him, scoring with a near post header from the edge of the six yard box at a Manchester United corner.

8.22pm BST

22 min: Bruno Fernandes rifled the ball into the top corner after playing a delightful one-two with Juan Mata, but his effort has been correctly ruled out for a Mata offside in the build-up.

8.20pm BST

VAR intervenes. WHat looked an excellent goal is ruled out by the curtain-twitchers in Stockley Park, who spotted an offside.

8.20pm BST

Ha! Call me Nostradamus because there it is. Bruno Fernandes levels the scores.

8.19pm BST

18 min: Yet to have a shot on goal, let alone on target, Newcastle lead by the only goal of the game so far. Manchester United are dominating proceedings and creating chances. You suspect there’s an equaliser in the pipe.

8.16pm BST

16 min: Rashford cuts inside from the left, gets the ball on his right foot and shoots low, hard and narrowly wide of the upright. He had options open to his right but had every right to have a pop himself.

8.15pm BST

13 min: Marcus Rashford shoots high over the bar from the edge of the Newcastle penalty area, the ball taking a deflection on the way. Nothing comes from the ensuing corner.

8.13pm BST

11 min: “If anything, Clive ... they’ve scored too early.” Having gone one up in the second minute, Newcastle seem content to sit back, soak up the pressure, try to preserve their lead and hopefully catch United on the break again. That’s probably what they’d have done anyway, but at least now they have a lead to preserve.

8.10pm BST

9 min: Manchester United get forward, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Fred linking up well. The full-back squares the ball low and hard from the right, trying to pick out Marcus Rashford. Newcastle clear.

8.08pm BST

7 min: Dan James Runs from the inside-left to a central area on the edge of the Newcastle penalty area. Caught in two minds but with few options to choose from, he ends up sending a weak shot dribbling towards Karl Darlow.

8.07pm BST

6 min: Manchester United win a corner, but nothing comes of it. It’s worth pointing out that there was little or nothing Luke Shaw could do about that own goal. He was attempting to block a cross as Newcastle galloped up the field on a counter-attack, the ball hit his leg and the rest, as they say, is history.

8.05pm BST

4 min: Well, what a start! Jonjo Shelvey went rampaging on a cross-field gallop, playing the ball wide to Emil Krafth. He attempted to cross the ball, which ricocheted off Luke Shaw’s outstretched leg and looped into the Manchester United goal.

8.03pm BST

Newcastle lead inside two minutes. It’s a wicked deflection off Luke Shaw that leaves David De Gea completely helpless.

8.02pm BST

1 min: Play begins, with Bruno Fernandes getting the ball rolling for Manchester United, who for the purposes of an easy life for your minute-by-minute reporter will be henceforth referred to as ‘United’. Newcastle United, shall be addressed as Newcastle. Aggrieved Geordies are welcome to to address any complaints to the Guardian Readers’ Editor.

7.59pm BST

Not long now: The teams are out and line up in a responsible, socially distanced fashion as they wait for referee Craig Pawson and his team of match officials. Come on, Craig! Times a wasting.

7.44pm BST

7.34pm BST

7.32pm BST

An email: “Awful team selection tonight,” writes Neil Carter. “I’m struggling to comprehend what is going on inside Ole’s head with this. Henderson deserves a start, would not have started Maguire, Shaw, James and only one of Fred or McTominay is needed. Where is Greenwood? Donny, poor Donny, will someone please for the love of God think of Donny? What does he have to do to get a start? Poch will be sitting at home drinking a nice hot Bovril rubbing his hands.”

An interesting view from a Manchester United fan. To be clear, I have no idea where Greenwood is and I suspect Poch is more of a maté man.

7.25pm BST

Premier League: Manchester City have beaten Arsenal at the Etihad, where Raheem Sterling scored the only goal of the game to takes all three points for his side. It was a tight affair but Arsenal still haven’t beaten any of their fellow Big Six sides away from home since 2015.

Related: Manchester City 1-0 Arsenal: Premier League – live!

7.18pm BST

Those teams: Steve Bruce makes just one change to the team that saw off Burnley in style, bringing in Jamaal Lascelles for Fabian Schar.

Ole Gunnar Solskjær, by contrast, makes four changes from the team that got its collective backside handed to it by Tottenham. Victor Lindelof replaces Eric Bailly in the heart of Manchester United’s defence, while Scott Mac Tominay, Juan Mata, Fred and Dan James also come into the side.

7.04pm BST

Newcastle United: Darlow, Krafth, Fernandez, Lascelles, Lewis, Hayden, Shelvey, Hendrick, Saint-Maximin, Joelinton, Wilson

Subs: Gillespie, Schar, Manquillo, Murphy, Almiron, Fraser, Carroll

6.46pm BST

6.46pm BST

While Dwight Gayle, Sean Longstaff and Martin Dubravka are all sidelined with injury, Steve Bruce has a plethora of returnees from the treatment room to choose from in Ciaran Clark, Paul Dummett, Jamal Lascelles and Matty Longstaff. Despite doubts surrounding their participation after picking up knocks on international duty, Miguel Almiron and Jamal Lewis could also play a part in tonight’s game. The in-form Allan Saint Maximin will take to the field tonight with the ink barely dry on the new six-year contract he signed with Newcastle earlier this week.

6.46pm BST

Following his dismissal against Denmark while on England duty, Harry Maguire is a doubt having suffered some unspecified knock which may have accounted for his slow walk back to the dressing-room on 31 minutes. He has, however, been included in tonight’s squad.

Still in quarantine following his arrival during the transfer window, Edinson Cavani is unavailable, while his fellow new signing Alex Telles is in the travelling party despite speculation he might be rested following his midweek long haul flight back from South America, where he was on international duty for Brazil.

11.01am BST

Sky Sports subscribers may have to shell out £14.95 on top of their regular monthly dues to watch this game, but Guardian readers can read all about Manchester United’s trip to Newcastle here. The pressure is mounting on Ole Gunnar Solskjær following a fairly dismal start to the Premier League season.

An opening day defeat against Crystal Palace was followed by a somewhat fortuitous win against Brighton, before the Norwegian was forced to look on in horror as he side was thrashed 6-1 by Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford just before the international break.

Dark, damp, decidedly chilly, October nights on Tyneside can rarely have proved as restorative. After arriving apparently in urgent need of running repairs, Manchester United boarded their flight home from the north east exuding the recharged glow of holidaymakers en route from a fortnight in the sun.

Although, an albeit often overly deep-sitting, Newcastle played their counterattacking part in an often engrossingly entertaining contest, Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s revamped side deservedly put their recent stumbles behind them with goals from Harry Maguire, Bruno Fernandes, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Marcus Rashford.

Related: Newcastle United v Manchester United: Premier League – live!

Related: European roundup: Barcelona and Real Madrid lose a week before clásico

The pick of this week’s Champions League fixtures is a clash of two elite clubs too flawed to win but too rich to fail

The clock was already showing 90. Diogo Dalot advanced on to the ball in space around 40 yards from the Paris Saint-Germain goal. His first touch was heavy and as three opponents closed in, he had little option but to shoot. Marco Verratti threw himself towards the full-back. Juan Bernat ducked away. And the middle of the three, Presnel Kimpembe, flinching, turned his back, his arm flicking away from his body. VAR showed Dalot’s wild effort had deflected off it. From nowhere, Manchester United had a penalty and an away-goals passage into the Champions League quarter-final.

Related: Thomas Tuchel takes aim at PSG over lack of spending in transfer window

Related: Project Big Picture power grab is shot down but plan's ugliest parts will be back | David Conn

Related: Juve’s punt on Sarri and Ronaldo typifies superclubs’ vast carelessness | Jonathan Wilson

Arguably Steve Bruce’s best day at Newcastle came last autumn when Matty Longstaff’s debut goal secured a 1-0 home victory over Manchester United. Now he hopes Allan Saint-Maximin can undo them again. The 23-year-old Frenchman has signed an improved, six-year contract and Bruce says he can be the “new David Ginola”. Although Saint-Maximin is a different type of winger Bruce knows he possesses similar capacity to bewitch. “Can Allan be a David Ginola?” he mused. “He can be anything he wants to be. He’s got the ability. He does things which are just off the radar.” Louise Taylor

Saturday 8pm Sky Sports Box Office

Since the start of 2019 no fewer than 19 players aged 15 to 18 have signed, including deadline-day buys Pellistri and Diallo

Facundo Pellistri from Atlético Peñarol for £10m and Amad Diallo from Atalanta for £19m: in two 18-year-olds signed on deadline day the fresh front opened in Manchester United’s youth policy is illuminated.

The club’s renowned academy has had a representative in every matchday squad since 1937 – more than 4,000 – and has become a destination for some of the world’s finest prospects. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, Monaco, Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal are rivals recently rejected in favour of United by members of the fresh wave.

Related: Harry Maguire may miss Manchester United's game at Newcastle

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær has admitted his side has started the new season badly and vowed that performances will improve.

United have one win and two losses in their three Premier League games so far this campaign, including a humiliating 6-1 home defeat to Tottenham a fortnight ago.

'We know we have to perform better,' Solskjær said in the runup to United's trip to Newcastle on Saturday.

• Solskjær says defender ‘picked up a knock’ with England
• United manager bats away Paul Pogba’s Real Madrid ‘dream’

Ole Gunnar Solskjær has indicated Harry Maguire could miss Manchester United’s game at Newcastle on Saturday, saying the defender, who is struggling for form and was sent off with England, had “picked up a knock”.

Maguire was part of a United defence routed 6-1 by Tottenham in the final league game before the international break, a loss that compounded an opening-day defeat by Crystal Palace. The 27-year-old then received a red card in England’s 1-0 defeat by Denmark at Wembley, after getting a second yellow on 31 minutes.

Related: Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend

A potentially pivotal Merseyside derby, a chance for Man Utd to make changes and a tricky assignment for Chelsea

Ten years to the day after their most recent win over Liverpool, Everton entertain the Premier League champions at Goodison Park in a top-flight fixture that is about as mouthwatering as they get under the current conditions. Despite the 7-2 defeat at Aston Villa, Liverpool go into the game as odds-on favourites against a side that, under the stewardship of Carlo Ancelotti, finally appear to have overcome their almost pathological inconsistency. Their white-hot winning streak of seven matches in all competitions since the season began will end at some point, but there are few compelling arguments that suggest it will do so against a team that have looked curiously out of sorts lately. We could learn a lot from this game, not least whether Everton are genuine title contenders in what is already shaping up to be a very peculiar season, and whether the extraordinary humiliation visited upon Liverpool by Villa was an aberration or an early indicator of a far greater malaise. BG

Everton v Liverpool, Saturday 12.30pm BST (BT Sport)

Related: Arteta 'extremely disappointed' if Arsenal's Tierney not freed early for City

Chelsea v Southampton, Saturday 3pm (BT Sport Box Office)

Manchester City v Arsenal, Saturday 5.30pm (Sky Sports)

Newcastle v Manchester United, Saturday 8pm (Sky Sports Box Office)

Sheffield United v Fulham, Sunday 12.30pm (BT Sport Box Office)

Related: EFL clubs to reject £50m Premier League offer and demand control over money

Crystal Palace v Brighton, Sunday 2pm (Sky Sports)

Tottenham v West Ham, Sunday 4.30pm (Sky Sports)

Related: England see red, Scotland soar and Big Picture fades – Football Weekly Extra

Leicester v Aston Villa, Sunday 7.15pm (Sky Sports Box Office)

West Brom v Burnley, Monday 5.30pm (Sky Sports Box Office)

Leeds v Wolves, Monday 8pm (Sky Sports)

• Meeting this week set to be dominated by leaked proposals
• West Ham among top-flight clubs to heavily criticise plans

Manchester United’s and Liverpool’s “Project Big Picture” is already under intense pressure after audacious plans for the reform of English football failed to gain support from their Premier League peers.

An extraordinary shareholders meeting this week is likely to be consumed by debate over leaked plans that would reduce the size of the Premier League, give more money to the English Football League and entrench the power of the nine longest‑serving top‑flight clubs.

Related: Project Big Picture Q&A: what are the proposals and what happens next?

Related: Project Big Picture's offer to EFL clubs: you will be looked after – and know your place | Jonathan Liew

Liverpool and Manchester United have infuriated the Premier League, which was kept in the dark, but the premise of their proposal to reunite with the EFL is sound

There are so many extraordinary elements in the Liverpool and Manchester United proposals to reshape English football, and so much understandable scepticism, that the historic move at the heart of it is in danger of being missed.

So, for clarity, it really is true that the US owners of these two fabulously rich football corporations have produced an offer that has not been forthcoming and never seemed possible from any Premier League leadership figures for 28 years.

Related: Premier League's pay-per-view TV deal under fire from furious football fans

Related: Arsène Wenger: ‘I try to read everything that helps me understand human beings’

Manchester United and England forward Marcus Rashford has been officially recognised for his efforts to secure free meals for vulnerable children during the coronavirus pandemic. Rashford has been made an MBE in the 2020 Queen’s Birthday Honours list. The 22 year-old footballer launched a high-profile campaign which resulted in the government changing policy over the issue of free school meals vouchers during lockdown, helping to ensure that children in need did not go hungry over the summer break. England manager Gareth Southgate said Rashford received a round of applause from England’s players and staff after being awarded an MBE medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list. ‘For somebody of his age to be able to make the difference he has is a phenomenal achievement,’ Southgate said.

• ‘I’m at Manchester United and I love my club,’ he adds
• Pogba says he wants to help United get back to top

Paul Pogba has said he would love to play for Real Madrid one day but his focus is on helping Manchester United improve on their poor start to the Premier League season.

The 27-year-old admitted in 2019 that he wanted to leave United but no major offers came in for him and he spent most of last season sidelined with injuries.

Related: Next Generation 2020: 20 of the best talents at Premier League clubs

• Omission makes clear Özil is not part of Mikel Arteta’s plans
• Spurs and Man Utd European squads also contain surprises

Mesut Özil has been left out of Arsenal’s 25-man Europa League squad, further underlining that he plays no part in Mikel Arteta’s plans.

Seven months have passed since Özil last featured for Arsenal and he has not been part of any matchday squad so far this season. It was conceivable he might be enlisted for action on Thursday nights given the hectic schedule Arsenal face – however, he has not made the cut for Arteta’s “A” list and it looks certain he has played his last game for the club.

Related: Mesut Özil offers to pay to keep man inside Gunnersaurus in Arsenal job

From the 2013 ‘imposters’ episode to the Sancho soap opera we examine the transfer work of Old Trafford’s most powerful man

Since Ed Woodward replaced David Gill as Manchester United’s most powerful employee in May 2013 the executive vice-chairman has overseen 37 major signings across 15 transfer windows. The first was Marouane Fellaini for £27.5m, the most recent Facundo Pellistri, announced 41 minutes after Monday’s 11pm deadline. Completing deals as the market nears closing is a theme, as is a scattergun strategy that seems to change year to year. Here the 15 windows of Woodward are analysed.

Related: Manchester United abandoned Jadon Sancho bid as it would cost €250m

Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, Nicky Bandini, Sid Lowe and Archie Rhind-Tutt for the latest from transfer deadline day, including Arsenal’s signing of Atlético midfielder Thomas Partey, Edinson Cavani to Manchester United and Jack Wilshere to nowhere, plus an update from the top leagues around the continent

Rate, review, share on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Audioboom, Mixcloud, Acast and Stitcher, and join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and email.

Max, Barry, Nicky, Sid and Archie start by taking a look at the big moves around Europe, including Thomas Partey to Arsenal and Edinson Cavani to Manchester United. And whether the ‘slamming’ of the transfer window is hyped in quite the same way on the continent.

• United’s figure includes money to Dortmund, player and agent
• Club decided it would not be prudent in economic climate

Manchester United walked away from signing Jadon Sancho after they concluded the transfer would cost close to €250m (£227m) because of Borussia Dortmund’s €120m price for the forward plus his wage demand and the fee wanted by his agent, Emeka Obasi. United, it is understood, decided this was not viable in the coronavirus-affected economic climate.

Related: Transfer window verdict: how every Premier League club fared

Who got what they wanted and who finished frustrated? Our guide to every top-flight team’s dealings

Arsenal know how to leave it late but in adding Thomas Partey to Willian and Gabriel Magalhães they completed a window that will rightly delight Mikel Arteta. The unwanted Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira have been shifted, on loan at least, although their embarrassment of centre-backs remains far from ideal. Signing Houssem Aouar as well would have put them in dreamland but that may be revisited next year. Nick Ames

Related: Men's transfer window summer 2020 – all deals from Europe's top five leagues

Related: Arsenal sign Atlético Madrid's Thomas Partey after paying £45m release clause

Related: 'I will probably cry': Theo Walcott leaves Everton and returns to Southampton