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Erik ten Hag was delighted by his players’ response to their “horror start” as Manchester United overcame a two-goal deficit to beat 10-man Nottingham Forest. After stumbling to victory against Wolves in their Premier League opener and seeing a fine start fade in last weekend’s defeat at Tottenham, things unravelled in the opening four minutes at Old Trafford. Taiwo Awoniyi scored a decent opener on the break just 86 seconds after kick-off and Willy Boly added another in the fourth minute – the earliest United have ever trailed by two in a Premier League game. But they dug deep and pulled one back through Christian Eriksen, with Casemiro equalising after the break and Bruno Fernandes scoring a spot-kick to decide the contest shortly after Forest’s Joe Worrall was dismissed. Ten Hag said with a wink: “We want to give the fans something, eh? Of course it is a horror start, giving them two goals and making mistakes. “But I am very pleased with the comeback, with the leadership, how we stayed calm and composed. “We stick to the plans, stick to the belief and turn it around and I think we played in the meantime very good football out of our plan and out of our principles and rules. We scored good goals.” Asked if he views the comeback win more positively than negatively, the Dutchman said: “I think every team in the start (of the season) have areas where they have to improve. “Definitely we have also some and we have to progress there if you want to be successful. “But also you see this team has big character, big personality, there is a very good spirit in this team, there is energy and they found a way to win so, for today, big compliment for the team.” Fernandes, appointed captain in the summer, was at the heart of United’s comeback. The skipper provided the assist for Casemiro’s leveller, drew the foul that saw Worrall sent off and fired home the match-winning penalty a week on from being criticised for his role in the Spurs loss. “I think in almost all the aspects, moments of football, he played a very good game at the highest level,” Ten Hag said. “Keeping calm, for instance, emotions under control but in the right moment using his emotions. “He was brilliant in attacking, making the difference, so (I’m) very pleased with his performance.” Ten Hag is unsure whether Raphael Varane has suffered a noteworthy injury having come off at half-time due to “complaints” and was coy about Dean Henderson’s future. The PA news agency understand the goalkeeper is travelling to Crystal Palace for a medical despite the terms of the deal yet to be ironed out, with Fenerbahce’s Altay Bayindir lined up as replacement. Palace sporting director Dougie Freedman was in the Old Trafford directors’ box and Henderson waited outside the away dressing room to see former Forest team-mates after Saturday’s match. The goalkeeper spent last season on loan under Steve Cooper, who was left aggrieved by some of the decision-making on Saturday but said he was “biting my tongue”. “I just think in games like these, you need a bit of… I don’t even want to say good luck to go your way, you just want things to be as they should,” the Forest manager said. “I think on the decisions, I am not going to talk too much because I don’t want to get into trouble. “But the only thing I was surprised about is how quickly the decisions were made at that moment in time. “I think you sort of see now on decisions that can define a game, you tend to see referees take a bit more time, particularly at the top, top level. I was just really surprised looking at it, how quick it all happened. “Of course there was a decision to be made, I understand that, and it’s plain to see on the cameras and I’m hearing what everyone is saying. “But I was just surprised how quickly the officials sort of (decided). It was split-second stuff, wasn’t it?” Read More Bruno Fernandes gives Manchester United’s season lift-off with stirring comeback against Forest Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta: Conceding early is not playing on our minds James Maddison says ‘collective’ approach needed to replace Harry Kane’s goals

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta backs Kai Havertz to bounce back after receiving a negative reaction from supporters during the 2-2 draw with Fulham.

James Maddison is more than happy to shoulder responsibility at Tottenham but has insisted it will take a “collective” effort to replace Harry Kane. Maddison continues to impress in the Spurs number 10 shirt previously worn by Kane, who completed a £100million move to Bayern Munich on the eve of the new season. Kane’s departure has not derailed the early progress of Ange Postecoglou’s team with Maddison relishing his role as creator in chief with two assists at Brentford earlier this month followed up with a maiden Tottenham goal in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Bournemouth. While Richarlison and captain Son Heung-min are yet to open their accounts for the season, Dejan Kulusevski ended his drought with the second at the Vitality Stadium to extend the feelgood factor currently around the club. “It’s tough if you’re asking me to try and get 30 goals,” Maddison joked. “It’s a collective. You can’t even look to replace what Harry Kane gives you. You’ve got to all chip in and look to try and score the same amount of goals from different areas. “Harry is probably the best number nine in the world. You will never find a direct replacement in terms of goals and what he can give you. We should all be chipping in.” Spurs have had five different goalscorers and benefited from an own goal during their three Premier League fixtures and there appears a new lease of life for several members of a squad rundown by the end of a tough 2022-23 campaign. Yves Bissouma and Pape Sarr, having rarely featured under Postecoglou’s predecessor Antonio Conte, have quickly formed an encouraging midfield partnership with Maddison, and Pedro Porro has made the most of his early opportunities at right-back. When Maddison joined from Leicester in June for an initial £40million fee, he was not viewed as a replacement for Kane but continues to provide creativity and a goal threat. It's tough if you're asking me to try and get 30 goals! It's a collective. James Maddison on replacing Harry Kane The 26-year-old insists the philosophy of ex-Celtic boss Postecoglou has been key to Tottenham’s flying start despite losing the England captain. Maddison told BBC’s Match of the Day: “The type of person I am, I’m at my best when I have responsibility on my shoulders and that’s when I thrive. “I am a player who loves to be on the ball and that fits with how the manager wants his players to play. This was a good day for all that. “We’ve got the bit between our teeth. We have some momentum so long may that continue and hopefully we can still implement the final steps the gaffer wants to see, which is attacking football.” Postecoglou has enjoyed an unbeaten start to life at Tottenham but it is a different story for Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola. Iraola watched his team open the season with a 1-1 home draw against West Ham before defeats have followed against Liverpool and Tottenham. The fixture list does not get any kinder with Brentford, Chelsea, Brighton and Arsenal to come in September but Iraola blamed himself for a drop-off during the latter stages of this Spurs loss, with Ryan Christie’s withdrawal on the hour mark viewed in hindsight as a mistake. “We knew from the beginning that we had a very tough schedule to start and now we have some important players out with injuries but we have to keep competing,” Iraola insisted. “I think probably after the game you think and I shouldn’t have taken Ryan out of from the game because especially without the ball, he was pressing really well. “I wanted to go a little bit more offensive, but we were worse from that point. I don’t know if it was after the subs or 2-0 because it was one minute later. “Probably until the 62nd minute we were playing well and – against a very good team – having our chances. “So, I was quite happy with the performance, but from there we couldn’t keep the intensity and they were controlling the game much easier.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Iain Henderson: World Cup selection not a factor in unconvincing Ireland display Daniel Dubois’ camp to lobby for No Contest after Oleksandr Usyk drama On this day in 2016: Hull beat Warrington to win Challenge Cup

Manchester City midfield maestro Kevin De Bruyne ranks Bruno Fernandes, Martin Odegaard and James Maddison in an appearance on Sky Sports' Saturday Social programme.

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Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has insisted he cannot yet be talked of in the same breath as celebrated predecessors Kevin Keegan and Sir Bobby Robson. Howe has hugely enhanced his reputation since being appointed to the hotseat at St James’ Park by the cub’s new Saudi-backed owners in November 2021 and overseeing a dramatic change in fortunes. Within 18 months, the 45-year-old had guided the Magpies to a first domestic cup final in 24 years and secured a top-four Premier League finish playing a thrilling brand of football, an achievement comparable to those of Keegan and Robson during their respective tenures. As a result, he has won a similar place in the affections of fans, although asked if he recognised the comparison, Howe said: “No. For me personally, I don’t see that. I’ve got so, so much to do to even be talked of in the same breath as those people. “When I watched Sir Bobby’s documentary, which I thought was an amazing thing to watch, it hits you, his career and what he did and how he acted, just everything about his character and the legacy that he’s left here. “It was a really powerful thing to watch, I thought, and I really, really enjoyed it, so no, I’ve got a lot to do. “The drive is to try to do as well as you can. I don’t judge it by what they achieved – they are different times. “They did their best for the football club when they were here and they achieved some unbelievable things, and I will try to do my best for the football club both short-term and long-term while I’m here. That’s all I can do. “The outcome will be the outcome. Obviously I hope it’s positive, I hope people will look back on it fondly. That’s all I wish.” Newcastle face Liverpool on Sunday in a fixture which always rekindles memories of the epic 4-3 defeat at Anfield in April 1996 which dented their title charge under Keegan. His so-called Entertainers set the benchmark for subsequent generations and just as Robson did, Howe is keen to reproduce a style of play which excites supporters. I want my players to be remembered forever, to become legends of the football club. Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe He said: “I said very early in my tenure here that to be compared to The Entertainers is a huge compliment because we want to entertain, not necessarily instead of winning because we are here to win, but to entertain as well. “We are desperate for our supporters to come to the stadium and then leave with that feeling that they cannot wait for next week, with that feeling of, ‘What is the team going to show today?’. “Those kind of emotions are really positive and we want to leave lasting memories. I want my players to be remembered forever, to become legends of the football club. That is something I want for them.”

Juanma Lillo has offered insight into Pep Guardiola’s insatiable appetite to keep improving himself and those around him. Lillo rejoined his fellow Spaniard’s backroom staff at treble winners Manchester City this summer after a year away. This weekend he will be filling in for the inspirational City manager as the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss takes time out to recuperate from back surgery. Guardiola is due to return to Manchester after the September international break and Lillo expects him to be as hungry as ever. “Pep is always very open, moment to moment, and he decides he always wants to improve and implement new things,” said Lillo, who will oversee the team at Sheffield United on Sunday and at home to Fulham next week. “That sense is very sharp. He’s very intelligent. He grasps not only what he’s going to do, but with whom he’s going to do it. “That helps to improve everyone that is around him. We all improve. “We all try and to pitch in for Pep to always be there, but he doesn’t need a lot of input because he’s constantly building and debating and generating ideas.” Lillo, 57, has had a long and varied coaching career with jobs in countries such as Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Japan and China as well as at home in Spain. He was actually Guardiola’s manager at Mexican side Dorados de Sinaloa almost two decades ago and knew even then his former charge would make a good coach. “We’ve been working hand in hand for many years,” said Lillo, who first joined Guardiola at City in 2020 before leaving for a job in Qatar two years later. “He was my player back in the day. We have a relationship that goes all the way back and we understand things in the same direction. “When he was a player it was the same. He already had a true vision. It’s very difficult to find someone such as him with such capacity and such willingness. “He was already a bit of a coach when he was a player.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Ben Pattison reveals life-saving heart surgery after stunning 800m performance Gregor Townsend expecting wing Darcy Graham to be fit for World Cup opener David Moyes delighted to end Brighton hoodoo as West Ham top table with win

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