“Intense internal deliberation,” Manchester United called it in something of a holding statement. Mason Greenwood’s future is the subject of rather more than that; it is a situation with considerable and potentially colossal implications, on and off the pitch. It will affect, and probably damage, United’s reputation. It will probably give their various sponsors a question of whether to terminate their relationship with the club. It certainly could bring a backlash against entirely blameless players in their women’s team. At some stage, an announcement will come whether Greenwood’s contract is terminated or whether he will play for United again. The club said the “fact-finding” stage of their investigation into his conduct is complete and that chief executive Richard Arnold will make the final decision; and yet the belief is that the decision is made and that Greenwood will stay. This is a moral, commercial and footballing issue: even perhaps the world’s biggest club have seemed ill-equipped to deal with an issue of its magnitude and sensitivity. The bare facts are that in January 2022, disturbing audio emerged of a voice, assumed to be Greenwood’s, as a man tried to force himself upon a woman. Greenwood was subsequently arrested and later charged with attempted rape, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and controlling and coercive behaviour. The charges were dropped in February 2023 by the Crown Prosecution Service when new material emerged and key witnesses withdrew their involvement. United then opened their internal investigation. Since then, Greenwood has remained suspended by the club, unable to play or train. United can argue a six-month investigation is a sign of how thorough it has been: they say they have spoken to plenty of people and considered evidence that is not in the public domain. Yet concluding it was always likely to be a problematic part: perhaps it would have been easier if it was done in June, in the off-season. Instead, it has been mishandled. United had communicated privately that they would reveal their decision before the start of their campaign. It kept being put back: originally slated for 4 August, it was later said it would not be made on last Wednesday or Thursday, then not on Friday, either. But part of the process was that United needed to communicate with what they termed key stakeholders: they include sponsors and commercial partners, fans’ groups and their women’s team. And the fact that some of the players are in Australia, trying to win the World Cup, seemed to have passed United by and led to suggestions the decision was in their hands and the sadly inevitable social medial abuse. With the Women’s World Cup final on Sunday and the prospect of the players having time off before returning to United, it means an announcement may not come until September. But, with each step, it seems ever more likely that they are trying to find a way to explain that Greenwood will return to the club. There is little doubt that keeping Greenwood would bring outrage, and not merely outside Old Trafford; certainly some staff would be unhappy and it would be entirely understandable if members of the Women’s side were too (that United only formed a Women’s team in 2018 showed a lesser commitment than many of their rivals displayed). Eight of the men’s squad have joined since Greenwood last played but he is not thought to have been universally popular in the dressing room when he was involved. Meanwhile, there are other aspects to consider. The alleged victim cannot be named for legal reasons; her anonymity is important, though it also means the picture visible to the wider world is incomplete. United are yet to divulge the findings of their investigation. One finding, in particular, should be key in a society where there ought to be some scope for rehabilitation of the repentant: is Greenwood sorry or just sorry he got caught? He and United can argue that he was not convicted of any criminal offence, though that does not automatically render him an innocent man. They can say he has suffered a punishment by already losing 18 months of a relatively short career. They would probably be right if they concluded that virtually any other club would keep Greenwood; unpleasant as that suggestion will be, it is a reality of football. Even for a club of United’s wealth – with an annual turnover of around £600m and having spent about £170m on signings this summer – would be reluctant to let a footballer with the talent to be worth £100m go. Their owners, the Glazer family, have rarely seemed aligned with what fans desire. The manager, Erik ten Hag, has a team who scored too few league goals last season. Meanwhile, Greenwood, still only 21, is United’s youngest goalscorer in Europe; only Norman Whiteside and George Best scored more for United as teenagers. Does any of that matter? Many would say no. In an assessment of his character, it certainly does not. But there is a double standard in football. Were a steward, a kitman or a press officer to have behaved as Greenwood did, it would be a simple decision to dismiss them for gross misconduct. But footballers are treated differently and United are wrestling with the question of how to justify that. 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Unai Emery praised the versatility of Matty Cash after the Poland international’s first Aston Villa goals in over a year helped them to a 3-1 win at Burnley. There was speculation Cash could be on his way out of Villa Park this summer, but the 26-year-old showed what an asset he can be with two goals in the opening 20 minutes of his 100th Villa appearance, twice threatening to make it a hat-trick. Cash replaced Leon Bailey on the right wing in the only unenforced change to the Villa side that beat Hibernian 5-0 in the Europa Conference League play-off in midweek – Robin Olsen replaced the injured Emi Martinez in goal – and caught the eye with an energetic display. “He’s versatile, he played before as a winger, he’s playing with us in a back four sometimes, sometimes lower, but we used him in pre-season playing higher, as a winger,” Emery said. “He helped us a lot today defensively and offensively and then he used the moment to remember when he played more at Nottingham Forest as a winger. His two goals were a good example for us but we know he can be versatile.” That versatility can be key for Villa at a time when injuries are limiting Emery’s options. The Spaniard named only eight players, two of them goalkeepers, on the bench, and admitted Villa could be active again before the transfer window closes. “There are still four days to finish the transfer window and we have to be ready,” Emery said. “We have to be ready in case someone is leaving, in case we have a good opportunity to add another player with us. “Always in my teams I was working and I am ready at the end if someone can come with us or someone can leave.” Villa’s biggest move in the market so far has been the signing of Moussa Diaby from Bayer Leverkusen for a reported £51million. The France forward combined with Cash to create Villa’s second of the afternoon before his 61st-minute strike, his second Villa goal, settled it after Lyle Foster got Burnley back into the match. Learning comes at a price in the Premier League Vincent Kompany “His adaptation is going fast but he needs this adaptation each match for him to know better his team mates and then where in our structure is his best position,” Emery said. “He is a player who is versatile as well. “It’s very important for him and for the team, his capacity to assist, to score goals.” Defeat leaves Burnley without a point after their opening two Premier League matches, both home defeats after the 3-0 loss to Manchester City a fortnight ago. “Learning comes at a price in the Premier League,” manager Vincent Kompany said. “I didn’t think we started the game badly, we had moments, we just didn’t manage to get a real grip on the game and there was always the threat of Aston Villa counters. “In the second half we built momentum, the goal helped us for that definitely, and just at the peak of that momentum we conceded the goal and that was a little bit the story of the game.” Kompany handed a debut to Hannes Delcroix, meaning six of the starting XI were new signings this summer. The manager admitted there will be a bedding-in period. “It’s a conscious choice,” he said. “You look at the bottom of the league and you find every flavour – teams that are settled and have not changed and teams that have changed. “For us, we want to move forward. I’ve seen enough in our team to know that we make a game out of games. Every game there is something for us, and if that continues I believe we’ll have enough results.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live England confirm Jonny May as Anthony Watson’s replacement in World Cup squad Danni Wyatt stars as Southern Brave beat Northern Superchargers in Hundred final Cian Healy left out of Ireland’s 33-man Rugby World Cup squad due to injury

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