• Villa could buy forward in summer for £40m
• Ruben Amorim not worried if Rashford scores regularly

Marcus Rashford’s loan move to Aston Villa was confirmed by Manchester United late on Sunday evening, with the club wishing him “good luck for the rest of the season”.

The forward’s departure comes after Ruben Amorim refused to play him since mid-December due to “training reasons”. In a statement United said: “Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has joined Aston Villa on loan until the end of the 2024-25 season. Everyone at Manchester United wishes Marcus good luck for the rest of the season.”

Ruben Amorim’s wish to “create some danger” flared at the start of each half, then faded, as Manchester United were suckerpunched by Jean‑Philippe Mateta’s second goal, on 89 minutes, that sealed a first defeat in four games.

United and Crystal Palace were becalmed in front of goal except for when the Eagles twice took advantage of the home side’s slipshod defending. Mateta’s finish was simple. Ismaïla Sarr received the ball from the substitute Adam Wharton, shrugged off a challenge near halfway and slid the ball to Daniel Muñoz. He ran forward and squared to the striker, who did not miss.

• Versatile attacker keen to leave Bayern Munich
• Tel rejected permanent move to Tottenham last week

Arsenal are exploring a loan deal for Mathys Tel but face competition from Manchester United for the Bayern Munich forward.

Tel, who rejected a permanent move to Tottenham after they had agreed a £50m fee with Bayern last week, has expressed his desire to leave in this window having played only 252 minutes in the Bundesliga this season.

• Denmark international signs deal until June 2020
• Dorgu ‘cannot wait to work with Ruben Amorim’

Manchester United have completed the signing of Patrick Dorgu from Lecce, subject to visa and registration. The Denmark international has signed a contract until June 2030, with the option of an additional year.

Dorgu, who can play as a left-back, right-back or further forward on the flanks, has played 57 games for Lecce, contributing five goals. United have paid an initial €30m fee (£25.1m) with up to €5m (£4.2m) payable in bonuses.

• Unai Emery driving more for out-of-favour forward
• Villa discussing including option to buy Rashford

Aston Villa are close to agreeing a deal to sign Marcus Rashford on loan for the rest of the season, with Unai Emery driving the move to sign the out-of-favour Manchester United forward.

Villa have been exploring the market in that position after the departure of Jhon Durán, with Matheus Cunha, João Félix, Marco Asensio and Mathys Tel among the options considered. Villa regard Rashford as a low-risk signing given they are unlikely to pay a fee.

• Defender says Amorim’s media tactics are a positive
• United face Palace hoping for back-to-back league wins

Diogo Dalot has made clear his desire not to be part of Manchester United’s worst-ever team.

Ruben Amorim described United’s current side as such following last month’s 3-1 defeat by Brighton at Old Trafford. “I don’t want to hear it,” said Dalot following United’s 2-0 victory over FCSB in the Europa League on Thursday. “So the message for me is that the next training session I have to show that I don’t want to belong to the worse Manchester United team in history.

The Irishman enjoyed a ‘Cantona moment’ during a a fiery encounter at Highbury, on and off the pitch

Before the goal, before the game even, there was the tunnel. It’s the moment that stands largest exactly 20 years on, romantic to those who hanker for the days of ill-fitting kits and a bit more pre-match needle; glorious to those who say We Used To Be A Proper Country.

Enter Roy Keane, undeterred by the claustrophobia of the Highbury corridor, finger-pointing and letting rip: “We’ll see you out there … shouting your mouth off, you, every week, you.” Drop in some bleeps. Patrick Vieira is at the other end, taking the heat for having a pre-match pop at Gary Neville. The referee/headteacher, Graham Poll, transforms into a yucca plant, calming Keane until it’s time. Out there they go.

Manchester United are simultaneously the world’s fourth-richest club while taking away free cereal bars for stewards

Bad news for Marcus Rashford, who was described by Ruben Amorim last week as being so poor in training that he would rather play his goalkeeping coach. Great news, on the other hand, for new 63-year-old wide forward Jorge Vital, now weighing up a number of offers from Serie A and Saudi Pro League clubs, and whom Manchester United are hopeful of shifting from the wage bill before the end of the transfer window.

For this cash-strapped theatre of ghosts, trying to build its new cast of dreams on the bones of the old, perhaps every pound helps. Corporate box guests at Old Trafford no longer get a free match programme each and are instead invited to download the dictated thoughts of Amorim via a QR code. Free cereal bars for matchday stewards were cut at the beginning of the season. The annual £100 staff Christmas bonus was replaced by a £40 M&S voucher. Concessionary tickets for children and the senior citizens were temporarily withdrawn.

Today’s fluff have a hint of deja vu

At the start of the 2023 summer transfer window, few predicted the twists Jordan Henderson’s career would take. The 34-year-old, recently linked with a move to Monaco, is in the spotlight again after a turbulent 18 months.

The former Liverpool captain’s reputation took a hit after a brief and controversial stint in the Saudi Pro League that ended when his Al-Ettifaq contract was mutually terminated, but his move to Ajax seemed like a fresh start. Quickly, he reclaimed leadership, even captaining the Dutch side.

• Rashford has rejected teams including Tottenham
• Manchester United keen on Mathys Tel as replacement

Marcus Rashford has his heart set on a loan move to Barcelona before Monday’s transfer deadline but a deal will go through only if the Catalan club can offload up to two players.

Rashford has rejected offers from several other clubs including Tottenham because of his determination to join Barcelona. Under La Liga’s squad cost limit rules Barcelona will have to generate funds to be able to spend the money required to sign Rashford from Manchester United. They are prepared in principle to cover most or all of Rashford’s £375,000-a-week salary.

There’s a huge game at Bournemouth, a huge game at Arsenal and … er, a huge game at Portman Road

• Premier League top scorers: latest Golden Boot race

Nuno Espírito Santo said that at Bournemouth last weekend, where they were humbled 5-0, his Nottingham Forest side had been “not accurate and missed a lot of passes”. It is interesting that four of Forest’s last five – and five of their last eight – Premier League games rank in their bottom eight of the season on pass completion. “We have to perform much better,” he said. “We have to be more solid and play better football. We have so many things to improve.” Though results in that period, at least until last week, continued to be good they have relied on statistically unlikely displays of finishing prowess. Before their trip to Bournemouth, Forest had scored with nine of their previous 12 shots on target in all competitions and the last time a Chris Wood shot on target failed to go in was before Christmas. Both Nuno and Fabian Hürzeler were sent off for misconduct during a rancorous conclusion to the fixture between these sides at the Amex Stadium last September. Simon Burnton

Nottingham Forest v Brighton, Saturday 12.30pm (all times GMT)

Bournemouth v Liverpool, Saturday 3pm

Everton v Leicester, Saturday 3pm

Ipswich v Southampton, Saturday 3pm

On 68 minutes Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho combined for the Manchester United second that sealed passage into the last 16: over went a delivery from the No 17 and there was Mainoo to finish coolly.

For two young talents who are on the market for the right price here was a satisfying moment that showed Ruben Amorim what can be harnessed if each are retained beyond Monday’s deadline.

• Europa League updates from the 8pm GMT kick-off
• Spurs v Elfsborg, Rangers v Union SG – clockwatch
• Live scoreboard | How they stand | Email Michael

That’s very nearly a first choice XI for Manchester United. The build-up to this match obviously charted the storied history of this competition and the key outcomes for this potentially decisive clash the future of Marcus Rashford.

Steaua: Tarnovanu, Mihai Popescu, Ngezana, Dawa, Cretu, Edjouma, Sut, Radunovic, Tanase, Birligea, Miculescu.
Subs: Udrea, Stefanescu, Daniel Popa, Chiriches, Toma, Baluta, Pantea, Musi, Alhassan.

• Amorim: ‘We have to set some standards, that’s all’
• Manager and player are not on speaking terms

Ruben Amorim has said that if Marcus Rashford wants to play for Manchester United again he has to show he “wants it really bad” and change his standards.

Amorim last selected the forward for United’s 2-1 win at Viktoria Plzen on 12 December, citing “training reasons”. Two days later Rashford said he wanted a “new challenge” and since then he has been in only one match-day squad, for the 2-0 defeat against Newcastle at Old Trafford on 30 December.

• Head coach only talks to forward when addressing squad
• Trafford council back plans for Old Trafford regeneration

Ruben Amorim’s relationship with Marcus Rashford has broken down to the extent that Manchester United’s head coach only speaks to the player when addressing the squad generally.

While Rashford last played for United in mid-December and has been selected by Amorim in only one matchday squad, when he was an unused replacement, the 27-year-old is training with the first team. However, Amorim does not have individual discussions with Rashford.

Today’s fluff is resigned to the three-peat

Deadline day is a week away, and Marcus Rashford is still at Manchester United, and not even kicking his heels on the subs’ bench – with Ruben Amorim claiming that he would rather put his 63-year-old goalkeeping coach, Jorge Vital, in the matchday squad than Rashford at his current level of application. Which makes us wonder – could Vital really be as ineffectual up front as Rasmus Højlund or Joshua Zirkzee? Perhaps he’s worth a shot. As for Rashford, his latest possible destination is Barcelona, and he is reportedly willing to take a pay cut to get a move done. Given that Barça have struggled to register players they already own, it looks unlikely – but Andreas Christensen or Ansu Fati, who is on José Mourinho’s radar at Fenerbahce, could be moved on to free up a squad place.

With Chelsea still very much interested in Alejandro Garnacho, ESPN report that United “have asked to be kept informed of developments regarding Christopher Nkunku’s future”, which is an odd turn of phrase. Sky Sports think the future is now, and Nkunku could join on loan this very week. United are also keen on Wolves striker Matheus Cunha, but then again, so are Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest. Meanwhile, former £86m signing Antony has left Old Trafford and joined Real Betis on loan, as this David Lynch-inspired video clip confirms.

Sandro Tonali sets the tone, Manchester City debutants have mixed fortunes and Brighton must find their edge

As a cure for the Sunday fear, the self-identifying worst Manchester United team in history’s trip to Craven Cottage was pot-boiling viewing. It will be some time until Ruben Amorim can stage high-end entertainment of a Wolf Hall standard but at least relegation is now unlikely to be the series conclusion. United fans were singing the manager’s name once Lisandro Martínez’s fortuitous winner span in. A fragile belief is growing. Such are the lenses on United any result is seen as a signifier, but beating Fulham is not a return of the glory days. The last United manager to lose at Craven Cottage was Sir Alex Ferguson himself. Amorim should take heart from a more solid defensive performance, Harry Maguire the organising heart of the trio, Martínez aggressive and provocative alongside him, looking closer to be the player he promised to be two seasons ago. Toby Collyer’s late clearance off the line completed a much more positive week than last. John Brewin

Ruben Amorim said he would rather name his 63-year-old goalkeeper coach as a substitute than Marcus Rashford or any other Manchester United player who did not give their 'maximum' in training. When asked about Rashford's absence from the squad that beat Fulham 1-0, Amorim said 'the reason is the training'.

• Ruben Amorim: I would put 63-year-old on bench instead of Marcus Rashford

• Lisandro Martínez’s lucky winner gives Manchester United victory at Fulham

• Manchester United’s head coach has frozen out forward
• Amorim says veteran goalkeeping coach a bench option

Ruben Amorim said he would rather name his 63-year-old goalkeeper coach as a substitute than Marcus Rashford or any Manchester United player who was not prepared to give “the maximum”.

The manager watched his starting centre-forward, Rasmus Højlund, endure a torrid time in the club’s 1-0 win at Fulham on Sunday night; he was forced to replace him with Joshua Zirkzee, who made little impact.

It may have been an ugly win on a cold, damp night but this performance had a level of control that’s been much needed

Maybe Eminem was right. You do only get one shot. Manchester United only had one of them at Craven Cottage, or at least only one on target, 78 minutes into this exercise in minimalism.

They also had no corners. Nobody really knows what key passes are, but they only made one of those. Even the game’s only goal had no assist, the ball given to Lisandro Martínez after a scuffle, prelude to Martínez spanking a powerful, deflected shot that veered into the net over the palm of Bernd Leno.