Erik ten Hag has insisted that spending money without a strategy is a recipe for failure as he considered Chelsea’s season and the possibility of a takeover at Manchester United. Chelsea have committed around £600 million for 16 new signings since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital bought the club a year ago but the 2021 Champions League winners visit Old Trafford on Thursday certain to finish in the bottom half of the table. Ten Hag has spent around £200m in his reign but United, who came sixth last season, will be guaranteed a top-four finish if they avoid defeat in either of their last two games of the season. But their future is shrouded in uncertainty with the owners, the Glazer family, putting the club up for sale. The Ineos businessman Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Qatari billionaire Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al Thani have both submitted three bids so far. Asked about comparisons with Chelsea, Ten Hag argued ambition and funds are not enough without a proper plan. “When there is no strategy behind, or (not) the right strategy, money doesn’t work,” he said. “In this moment there is a centralisation of good players, of the best managers, also of the money, it is all here in the UK. And that makes a great competition, but also a tough and a hard competition. “And you have to do the right things and you can have money but you have to do it and spend it in a smart way and also you need a strategy behind it, because, otherwise, the money doesn’t work.” Read More Football rumours: Manchester United ‘launching £55million swoop’ for Mason Mount Gareth Southgate adamant Raheem Sterling has the mental toughness to bounce back Frank Lampard not surprised contract talks with Mason Mount are taking time

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West Ham welcomed Declan Rice back to the London Stadium and then promptly sent him and Arsenal packing on the end of a 3-1 Carabao Cup defeat. Rice, who lifted the Europa Conference League trophy as Hammers captain last season, was back at his old club for the first time since his £105million switch to the Gunners. But he will not be getting his hands on the Carabao Cup this season after strikes from Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen, following an early own goal by Ben White, sent the north Londoners crashing out. Rice started on the bench as Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta made six changes to his line-up for the fourth-round clash and the most of the damage was done by the time he was called upon. West Ham took the lead after 15 minutes when Bowen’s corner was inadvertently headed past Aaron Ramsdale by White at the near post. Gunners keeper Ramsdale, making his first appearance since the win at Brentford in the previous round, complained that Tomas Soucek had a hold of his shirt as the ball came over and he probably had a case but, with no VAR in operation, the goal stood. White attempted to make amends but unfortunately for Arsenal his header at the other end was not quite as accurate and Lukasz Fabianski tipped it over the crossbar, with Eddie Nketiah heading the resulting corner wide. After the break, Ramsdale made a fine save to deny Bowen, who was sent through by Lucas Paqueta, with White completing the clearance on the goal-line. But the second goal arrived in the 50th minute when Ghana winger Kudus collected a long ball into the box from Nayef Aguerd, skipped past Oleksandr Zinchenko and rifled a low shot through the legs of Gabriel and into the net. Rice was the only goalscorer the last time West Ham beat Arsenal, in the Premier League in 2019. “You should have signed for a big club” was the mischievous chant aimed at the 24-year-old when he came out to warm up. Much of the build-up to the match centred around the reception the England midfielder would receive and when he was sent on in the 56th minute the boos were quickly drowned out by a standing ovation from most of the home fans. But, before Rice had a chance to get into the game, West Ham had a third after Bowen collected White’s headed clearance and lashed it past Ramsdale via a deflection off Jakub Kiwior. Martin Odegaard scored a consolation goal with the last kick but it was West Ham’s night as they marched into the quarter-finals. Read More James Harden joins LA Clippers from Philadelphia 76ers Eddie Jones: Marcus Smith is a very good player – but he is not a full-back Mark Wood insists contract talks were not distraction for England at World Cup Eniola Aluko believes England can still clinch Great Britain an Olympic place Football fan convicted of racially abusing Rio Ferdinand Welsh rugby still has deep-rooted issues that need to be sorted – Alun Wyn Jones

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