MANCHESTER UNITED are digesting the bitter taste of defeat after losing to Villarreal on penalties in the Europa League final.
There are questions to be answered for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as the Red Devils put in an under-par performance in Gdansk with the Yellow Submarine winning the tie on spot kicks.
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- Jake Lambourne
RACISM STORM
Marcus Rashford has claimed he was subjected to 'at least 70 racial slurs' online including from a 'maths teacher' after defeat to Villarreal.
Rashford played every minute of the Europa League final, which went to penalties after a 1-1 draw.
He tweeted: "At least 70 racial slurs on my social accounts counted so far.
"For those working to make me feel any worse than I already do, good luck trying.
"I’m more outraged that one of the abusers that left a mountain of monkey emojis in my DM is a maths teacher with an open profile.
"He teaches children!! And knows that he can freely racially abuse without consequence…"
- Alex Terrell
LICKING THEIR WOUNDS
Manchester United star Marcus Rashford was not interested in any Euros talk in a rousing interview on BT Sport.
The Old Trafford striker told fans 'second isn't good enough' after their disappointing penalty shootout defeat to Villarreal last night.
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- Jack Figg
GOOD MORNING UNITED FANS
David de Gea’s penalty miss consigned the Red Devils to a dramatic Europa League final loss to Villarreal.
Unai Emery’s side won 11-0 on penalties, with every player on the pitch bar De Gea scoring.
Gerard Moreno had given Villarreal the lead against the run of play on the half hour mark, after being lost by Luke Shaw and evading Victor Lindelof.
Solskjaer cajoled his side at the break, and his side were soon level.
Edinson Cavani was in the right place at the right time, as he so often is, to prod the Red Devils level in the 55th minute.
No one could snatch a winner within 90 minutes, however, and the match went to extra time in Gdansk.
The match meandered on, with both goalkeepers rarely tested.
And it then went to a marathon penalty shoot-out, with every penalty going in before De Gea’s tame kick was denied by Geronimo Rulli.
Meanwhile on the transfer front, Tottenham will demand £200million for Harry Kane this summer, according to reports.
United, rivals City and Chelsea are all interested in signing the England skipper but Daniel Levy won’t make it easy.
According to The Independent, the 59-year-old will demand ‘at least’ £200m to ‘even consider’ letting his side’s No10 go.
Levy even values Kane as more important to the club than Gareth Bale was in 2013, prior to his then world record move to Real Madrid.
But the Indy also claim that Levy’s stance isn’t as ‘sure-footed’ as before – because of the financial pressures brought about by the pandemic, as well as Spurs’ new stadium.
And finally, United legend Gary Pallister thinks his former club should sign Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho this summer.
He told SBK sportsbook: “That right-hand side has been a problem for United all season.
“Sancho is exciting and had a great time in Germany scoring goals and getting assists.
“He looked as though he was going to come in last season but Dortmund played hardball and it didn’t get over the line. I think he’s eager to come… a real no-brainer.
“He’s the type of player that would excite the United fans next season. These kinds of players are going to cost a pretty penny and that’s the worrying thing.
“After the pandemic and the way clubs have been hit I don’t know whether you can afford to bring in two massive signings like Harry Kane and Sancho.”
- Joe Brophy
DAVE CAN'T SAVE
David de Gea's penalty miss consigned Manchester United to a dramatic Europa League final loss to Villarreal.
Unai Emery's side won 11-0 on penalties, with every player on the pitch bar De Gea scoring.
Gerard Moreno had given Villarreal the lead against the run of play on the half hour mark, after being lost by Luke Shaw and evading Victor Lindelof.
Solskjaer cajoled his side at the break, and his side were soon level.
Edinson Cavani was in the right place at the right time, as he so often is, to prod the Red Devils level in the 55th minute.
No one could snatch a winner within 90 minutes, however, and the match went to extra time in Gdansk.
The match meandered on, with both goalkeepers rarely tested.
And it then went to a marathon penalty shoot-out, with every penalty going in before De Gea's tame kick was denied by Geronimo Rulli.
- Joe Brophy
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Manchester United stars were given some last-minute nuggets of advice by club legend Sir Alex Ferguson before Wednesday's Europa League final with Villarreal.
The 79-year-old has flown out to Gdansk in Poland to cheer on the current crop of Red Devils.
- Joe Brophy
FT: UNITED 1 VILLARREAL 1
Edinson Cavani's second-half strike has sent the final to extra-time!
- Joe Brophy
MAKING HIS MARC
Rio Ferdinand has praised Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford for campaigning against child hunger.
Speaking to ITV’s Robert Peston, Ferdinand said: “I think Marcus has done remarkably well.
“I think he’s a young man who is really showing the way for a lot of the young players and people in society that if you believe in something, and you have a platform, you have a voice, and you have the ability to really transcend and change things.
“And even going up against the establishment, almost, they did that with confidence and he got the backing of the nation, and listen, you have to understand as well, it was a cause that was worthwhile.
“In the end Boris Johnson came around and understood that right thing to do was to follow Marcus’s lead and that’s an unbelievable achievement.”
- Joe Brophy
HT: UNITED 0 VILLARREAL 1
A dominant first half from the Red Devils in terms of possessions but a sucker-punch from Gerard Moreno has given the Spaniards the advantage.
- Joe Brophy
GUNNAR BE GREAT
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hopes Europa League glory will kick-start another trophy-laden era at Manchester United.
He said: “These are big nights for us. We have five wins in Europe and it might be the stepping stone for something better to come, a bright future.
“This is a young team and it’s a team we have rebuilt over the last couple of years, so hopefully this is the start of something more.
“When players get the taste of success and win trophies, it can go two ways – ‘We’ve done it now and we can relax’ or it just gives you more of that feeling.
“You want more, you want it all the time, you want the feeling again with your team-mates, with your club.
“I trust these players. I’ve seen something grow inside them – more and more confident, more robust, resilient – and as a group, I’m confident we’re ready for this now.”
- Joe Brophy
DONNA GET HIM
AC Milan have confirmed contract-rebel keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma has left the club.
The 22-year-old stopper's deal runs out next month and the Italian have refused to match his wage demands after drawn-out talks.
Milan technical director Paolo Maldini told reporters: "He [Donnarumma] has been a protagonist of this season.
"It's getting more and more difficult to find players who start in a team and always end up staying.
"The roads with Gigio are splitting, I can only wish him the best."
Former wonderkid Donnarumma has been linked with several top European clubs, including Premier League giants Manchester United and Chelsea.
- Joe Brophy
TEAM NEWS
Luke Shaw and Marcus Rashford are both starting for Manchester United tonight ahead of joining England’s Euro Squad next week.
And in a huge boost to Gareth Southgate and the Three Lions, Harry Maguire is fit enough for the bench.
Check out all the action with SunSport's Live Blog HERE.
- Joe Brophy
DOR OPEN
Manchester United legend Gary Pallister thinks his former club should sign Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho this summer.
He told SBK sportsbook: "That right-hand side has been a problem for United all season.
"Sancho is exciting and had a great time in Germany scoring goals and getting assists.
"He looked as though he was going to come in last season but Dortmund played hardball and it didn’t get over the line. I think he’s eager to come… a real no-brainer.
"He’s the type of player that would excite the United fans next season. These kinds of players are going to cost a pretty penny and that’s the worrying thing.
"After the pandemic and the way clubs have been hit I don’t know whether you can afford to bring in two massive signings like Harry Kane and Sancho."
- Joe Brophy
LEV IT TO ME
Tottenham will demand £200million for Harry Kane this summer, according to reports.
Manchester City, United and Chelsea are all interested in signing the England skipper but Daniel Levy won't make it easy.
According to The Independent, the 59-year-old will demand 'at least' £200m to 'even consider' letting his side's No10 go.
Levy even values Kane as more important to the club than Gareth Bale was in 2013, prior to his then world record move to Real Madrid.
But the Indy also claim that Levy's stance isn't as 'sure-footed' as before – because of the financial pressures brought about by the pandemic, as well as Spurs' new stadium.
- Joe Brophy
WET HIS BEEK
Manchester United star Donny van de Beek has been named in the Netherlands' Euro 2021 squad!
- Joe Brophy
DIALL TONE
Manchester United fans have been left excited by footage of Amad Diallo making the beautiful game look easy in training.
- Joe Brophy
FANDEMONIUM
Manchester United fans have been getting into the party spirit in Gdansk ahead of tonight’s Europa League final.
The Red Devils will be backed by 2,000 travelling supporters from England tonight, as they face Villarreal in the Baltic city.
And as fans starved of European travel have arrived in the city, they’ve been quick to revel in the adventure and have a good time.
A great number have been seen enjoying Gdansk’s bars.
And no shortage of pints have been consumed in the city centre.
- Joe Brophy
IN THE FOXHOLE
Manchester United have been handed a boost in the race to land Youri Tielemans after Leicester reportedly agreed a deal for his replacement Boubakary Soumare.
Belgium international Tielemans has been voted the Foxes’ player of the season and SunSport revealed he is set for talks over a new contract.
But reports in Belgium claim Liverpool have targeted former Anderlecht and Monaco ace Tielemans to replace Gini Wijnaldum.
United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is also credited with an interest in signing £50million-rated Tielemans.
Leicester have now secured an ideal replacement if the Belgian quits the King Power Stadium – by tying up a £20m deal for French ace Soumare.
- Dylan Terry
WAN-BISSAKA ON SHAW'S IMPRESSIVE FORM
Manchester United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka has praised fellow Red Devils full-back Luke Shaw ahead of their Europa League final clash with Villarreal tonight.
He told the club website:
“Luke has been the stand-out for me
.“His performances push me to compete with him, to get the best out of all of us.
“He’s been positive throughout, making the most out of every game. He’s not taken his foot off the pedal, he’s kept going, pushed himself until the whistle goes. That’s good. He helps the team as well.”
- Dylan Terry
FANS LIVING IT UP IN GDANSK
Manchester United fans are enjoying themselves in Gdansk, Poland ahead of tonight's Europa League final against Villarreal.
- Dylan Terry
FERGIE TIME
Manchester United icon Sir Alex Ferguson has travelled with his former side to Gdansk, ahead of the Europa League final tomorrow.
The Scot, 79, attended training this evening, as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer put the players through their paces.
Credit: Getty Credit: Getty - Dylan Terry
RUDDY GOOD
Rio Ferdinand has named his Premier League's four best defenders… including Antonio Rudiger.
The Chelsea ace almost departed in the summer under Frank Lampard after being frozen out of the first team.
But he was thrust back into the starting XI following Thomas Tuchel's appointment in January and has gone from strength to strength.
Rudiger, 28, has been part of a Chelsea defence that kept a hugely impressive 19 league clean sheets.
Speaking about his top four Premier League defenders of the season, he said: "I think [Antonio] Rudiger, since he’s been playing, has probably been [the] second or third best centre-half after [Ruben] Dias and maybe [John] Stones, [Harry] Maguire."
- Dylan Terry
TAP DANCE
Arsenal are reportedly in negotiations to prise highly-rated centre-back and Manchester United target Edmond Tapsoba away from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer.
The 22-year-old has been earning rave reviews in the Bundesliga since joining the German side from from Portuguese outfit Vitoria in January 2020.
Man Utd have also been linked with a move for the Burkina Faso international having scouted him this season.
And according to Italian journalist Gianluigi Longari, Arsenal have joined the race to sign the defender.
He has claimed that the player is at the top of Mikel Arteta's wishlist as he looks to bolster his backline.
- Dylan Terry
LEVEL HEADED
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has given his final thoughts on the Europa League final ahead of tonight's showdown between Manchester United and Villarreal.
He told the club website: “Well, the final, first of all, is the reward for all the hard work they’ve put down in the last two years.
"They have worked together as a group and the spirit is fantastic, so now we hope we can perform on Wednesday night because that’s the main thing.
"We will prepare as normal and then I’m sure the result can hopefully come.”
- Dylan Terry
RU THE DAY
Wolves are willing to sell midfielder and Manchester United transfer target Ruben Neves for around £35million this summer, according to reports.
The Portuguese international looks likely to be one of the names sacrificed as the club plot a mini overhaul.
According to the Athletic, Wolves are being forced to sell their assets if they want to spend big.
Neves, 24, is one of the names up for grabs with reported interest from Man Utd.
He moved to the Molineux in 2017 with the club in the Championship and helped earn promotion in his first campaign.
Neves has since played a key role in Wolves' time in the Premier League including qualifying for Europe.
- Dylan Terry
EDEN HOME
Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea are the leading contenders to sign Real Madrid star Eden Hazard.
That's according to bookmakers Betfair, who've installed the European heavyweights as favourites to clinch his signature this summer.
Hazard joined Real Madrid from Chelsea in June 2019 in a mega-money deal worth upwards of £130million.
However, things haven't exactly gone to plan with injuries limiting the 30-year-old to just 34 appearances in all competitions.
The Belgian international managed 10 starts as Real Madrid ended the season without a single trophy and losing their La Liga crown to rivals Atletico Madrid.
The attacker also received scorn from supporters for laughing and joking with his former Chelsea colleagues after his old side had dumped them out of the Champions League.
As a result, reports claim Real will look to offload Hazard in order to finance a major rebuild at the Bernabeu.
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