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Date: 2023-12-04 04:19:14 | Author: EFL | Views: 985 | Tag: boxing
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Aston Villa boss Unai Emery played down his side’s Champions League credentials despite thrashing West Ham boxing
Villa are just two points off Premier League pacesetters Manchester City and Arsenal following Sunday’s 4-1 win boxing
Douglas Luiz’s double and clinical finishes from Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey ended Villa’s Hammers hoodoo, for their first victory over West Ham since 2015 boxing
They returned to fifth spot, just a point adrift of the top four, with games against Luton, Nottingham Forest and Fulham coming up next boxing
“There are seven teams contending boxing
We are after seven teams; Man City, Man United, Liverpool, Tottenham, Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle,” said Emery, with fifth potentially offering a Champions League place this term boxing
“Dream, always boxing
My dream is to win the Champions League but now we are fifth and we are going to face each match trying to get a good performance boxing
“It’s 38 matches and we lost at Newcastle, we lost at Liverpool boxing
They are matches we are not going to play again boxing
“I prefer to speak about the matches we won but I have to speak about the matches we lost boxing
This is the balance boxing
We have to be very demanding boxing
“In the table West Ham were two points behind us and the level we have now, they have as well boxing
It was very important boxing
“The process is going in the right way, it’s going to be difficult boxing
In the end we won 4-1 boxing
”Luiz had already tested Alphonse Areola from distance before opening the scoring after half an hour, firing in from the edge of the box after good work by Nicolo Zaniolo and Watkins boxing
Six minutes after the break Villa were gifted a second when Lucas Paqueta sold Edson Alvarez short and he brought down Ezri Konsa for Luiz to convert from the spot boxing
But Jarrod Bowen grabbed a lifeline for the Hammers soon after when his shot hit Pau Torres to creep into the corner boxing
The visitors sensed a recovery, Matty Cash heading over Nayef Aguerd’s shot, but with 16 minutes left Watkins ended any ideas of a comeback boxing
He latched onto John McGinn’s long ball, skipped past Kurt Zouma and lashed into the roof of the net boxing
There was still time for Bailey to get in on the act in the final minute, beating Areola from six yards after giving Aguerd the slip boxing
It was just West Ham’s third league defeat of the season, leaving manager David Moyes frustrated boxing
“I’m not having my teams losing four goals as soft as we did today boxing
There were things which I can say we did quite well but I didn’t think we were hard enough to play against,” said Moyes, whose side are now ninth boxing
“Today wasn’t so good boxing
More importantly nearly every ball we played around the box was the wrong decision and it led to us hardly creating enough opportunity to score boxing
“The lads kept on fighting and it looked like we were the team in ascendancy at 2-1 but they punished us really quickly and that took the game beyond our reach boxing
“Villa are probably just behind the top three or four in the Premier League and today was a challenge to see what level we were at and I thought we fell below that boxing
“It was a very close first half, we missed opportunities to score boxing
We had opportunities to make chances to score and that was the bit bugging me at half-time boxing
”More aboutPA ReadyUnai EmeryChampions LeagueManchester CityPremier LeagueArsenalDavid MoyesNottingham ForestLutonFulhamLeon BaileyWest HamVillaLiverpoolNewcastleDreamEzri KonsaAlphonse AreolaKurt ZoumaJarrod BowenNicolo Zaniolo1/1We’re after seven teams – Unai Emery plays down Villa’s Champions League chancesWe’re after seven teams – Unai Emery plays down Villa’s Champions League chancesAston Villa manager Unai Emery (centre) saw his side beat David Moyes’ West Ham 4-1 on Sunday (Nick Potts/PA)PA Wire✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today boxing
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It is a path less travelled, let alone as quickly, a journey from FC Copenhagen to Sturm Graz, Atalanta to Manchester United, all before his 21st birthday boxing
It was the culmination of an ambition, too, for a boyhood United fan, the realisation of a dream boxing
And yet there were points in a reunion where Rasmus Hojlund could be forgiven for wondering if he had been boxing better off staying put boxing
Not financially, admittedly, with the rewards that come with a £72m price tag, but from a boxing footballing perspective boxing
The more coherent team were Copenhagen, the low-budget overachievers seeming to have more of a plan than the high-budget overachievers but it was tempting to think that if the Danish champions could still call upon their most valuable old boy, they would have won at Old Trafford boxing
Instead, United were victorious, aided by a telling intervention by a Dane boxing
It wasn’t Hojlund, though that is no criticism: there are times when he is the brightest of United’s front three simply a process of excellence but here, as against Galatasaray, it was a consequence of excellence boxing
But it was his compatriot Christian Eriksen who curled in a cross that Harry Maguire converted boxing
Which, along with Andre Onana’s 97th-minute penalty save from Jordan Larsson, averted indignity boxing
Which a draw would have been, given the gulf in resources boxing between the clubs boxing
Hojlund is proof of it boxing
But as his former club, who had led against Galatasaray and Bayern Munich, came within a few inches of going ahead at Old Trafford, there were times when Hojlund had to stand and admire boxing
In different ways, his younger brothers Oscar, a late substitute for Copenhagen, and Emil, who did not make the bench, were spectators boxing
So was the older and more expensive sibling, limited to two touches in the first quarter of an hour, left stranded by United’s impotence boxing
Yet, with the notable exception of Maguire’s decider, everything they did right thereafter in attack revolved around him boxing
Which, in itself, may have been an indictment of others boxing
Pivotal as centre-forwards can be, United looked over-reliant on one whose name, this time last year, may have simply seemed a failed attempt to spell Haaland boxing
And the Norwegian, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had been keen to point out, was a player he advised United to sign for £4m, five years before they got Hojlund for 18 times as much boxing
But in the Hojlund derby, the forward United did get to show a sharpness boxing
He came alive in the final third in a manner to suggest that his teammates needed to give him more of the ball boxing
A brief sight at goal saw Rasmus Hojlund blaze his best chance over the top but his forward play was central to Man Utd’s attacking capabilites (REUTERS)After that uneventful first 15 minutes, he rifled a half-volley over the bar boxing
His backheel almost released Scott McTominay to shoot boxing
He teed up Eriksen when his fellow Dane had a shot well saved boxing
When an offside Marcus Rashford was brought down by goalkeeper Kamil Grabara, he had raced on to Hojlund’s pass boxing
When Alejandro Garnacho came close, it was because Hojlund led a break boxing
When Elias Jelert was required to clear off his line, it was because Hojlund met Bruno Fernandes’ header with a deft piece of chest control boxing
It was a sign of resourcefulness, an ability to make something out of nothing boxing
Which, at times, was just as well, given his supply line boxing
Neither winger is a crosser boxing
Antony, as even those who have spent decades stranded on tiny islands in the Pacific Ocean know, will try and cut inside and shoot with his left foot boxing
Rashford, too, has designs on being more of a scorer than a supplier boxing
Hojlund spent some of the first half acting as the creator for McTominay, the ungainly auxiliary No 10 boxing
But United had more boxing footballing craft with Eriksen on boxing
He is the technician while Hojlund’s physical attributes form part of his appeal boxing
He has got a wiry strength boxing
He is a rangy runner with a turn of pace boxing
He has an eager willingness that stands him in good stead boxing
The raw materials are there boxing
Yet the concern is that too few signings have improved at United in the last decade; it is just a coincidence of negotiating that Hojlund’s fee is very similar to Jadon Sancho’s but the exiled winger is proof United’s best-laid plans can go wrong boxing
Hojlund showed his importance to United, turning into a supplier of their best chances though none were converted (AFP via Getty Images)The feeling at Old Trafford now is that Hojlund has a high ceiling: higher even than Randal Kolo Muani, another on their summer striking shortlist and who ended up costing Paris Saint-Germain more boxing
Thus far, he has a relatively low goal return: just three in 10 games for United boxing
For both his first and current clubs, he has been more prolific in Europe boxing
He never scored in the Danish Superliga boxing
He has not struck in the Premier League, either: outscored by Diogo Dalot on domestic duty, his goals have been confined to Europe boxing
Yet he kicked off as the Champions League’s joint top scorer, the product of a strike against Bayern and a brace against Galatasaray boxing
Even as he drew a blank against Copenhagen, Hojlund added to the impression that he belongs on this stage boxing
But as United laboured to victory, they scarcely offered compelling evidence they will still be in the Champions League after Christmas boxing
More aboutFC CopenhagenChampions LeagueRasmus HojlundJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/3Hojlund hints at bright future with integral display vs CopenhagenHojlund hints at bright future with integral display vs CopenhagenA brief sight at goal saw Rasmus Hojlund blaze his best chance over the top but his forward play was central to Man Utd’s attacking capabilitesREUTERSHojlund hints at bright future with integral display vs CopenhagenHojlund showed his importance to United, turning into a supplier of their best chances though none were convertedAFP via Getty ImagesHojlund hints at bright future with integral display vs CopenhagenThe 20-year-old failed to score against his old club but was the main focal point of United’s forward line REUTERS✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today boxing
SubscribeAlready subscribed? Log inMost PopularPopular videosSponsored FeaturesGet in touchContact usOur ProductsSubscribeRegisterNewslettersDonateToday’s EditionInstall our appArchiveOther publicationsInternational editionsIndependent en EspañolIndependent ArabiaIndependent TurkishIndependent PersianIndependent UrduEvening StandardExtrasAdvisorPuzzlesAll topicsboxing BettingVoucher codesCompareCompetitions and offersIndependent AdvertisingIndependent IgniteSyndicationWorking at The IndependentLegalCode of conduct and complaintsContributorsCookie policyDonations Terms & ConditionsPrivacy noticeUser policiesModern Slavery ActThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inCloseUS EditionChangeUK EditionAsia EditionEdición en EspañolSubscribe{{indy boxing
truncatedName}}Log in / Register {{#items}}{{#stampSmall}}{{/stampSmall}}{{#stampClimate}}{{/stampClimate}}{{#stampPremium}}{{/stampPremium}}{{title}}{{#desc}}{{desc}}{{/desc}}{{#children}}{{title}}{{/children}}{{/items}}Indy100Crosswords & PuzzlesMost CommentedNewslettersAsk Me AnythingVirtual EventsVouchersCompare✕Log inEmail addressPasswordEmail and password don't matchSubmitForgotten your password?New to The Independent?RegisterOr if you would prefer:SIGN IN WITH GOOGLEWant an ad-free experience?View offersThis site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy notice and Terms of service apply boxing
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