
No Writer
Apr 13
Andre Onana dropped by Ruben Amorim for Newcastle vs Man Utd in Premier League after high-profile mistakes
Onana made two errors on Thursday as Ruben Amorim's side were held to a 2-2 draw by Lyon in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final. The Cameroon international has played every minute of Manchester United's Premier League matches since joining the club in 2023 but has been left out of the squad for the Super Sunday clash and has not travelled to Tyneside. He is set to be replaced by Altay Bayindir, who has only played six times to date this season. Newcastle vs Man Utd - live updatesMan Utd fixtures & scores | FREE Man Utd PL highlights▶️Got Sky? Watch Man Utd games LIVE on your phone📱Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW 📺 Sky Sports News understands that Amorim wants Onana to have a period of rest and clear his head after a tough time on and off the pitch. As well as his mistakes against Lyon, his wife suffered a traumatic experience when she was the victim of a robbery outside a restaurant in Manchester in March. It is understood Onana could be recalled for the second leg against Lyon at Old Trafford on Thursday. Onana draws criticism in war of words with Matic Onana came in for criticism ahead of the Europa League first leg against Lyon as former United player Nemanja Matic described him as "one of the worst goalkeepers in Man United's history". The 29-year-old, who had prompted Matic's response by claiming his side were "better" than their French opponents, did little to quell the headlines by allowing Thiago Almada's free-kick to find the net and then parrying Georges Mikautadze's strike into the path of Rayan Cherki to make it 2-2 in the fifth and final minute of stoppage-time. Amorim defended his goalkeeper after the game, saying he remained "really confident" in the player, but has opted to make a change against the Magpies. Bayindir is now in line for his Premier League debut. The Turkish international has only featured in domestic cup games and was the hero in the FA Cup third round as Man United beat Arsenal on penalties. Tom Heaton, United's third-choice goalkeeper, is expected to be named on the bench. Onana joined Manchester United from Inter Milan for around £47m in 2023, going on to win the FA Cup in his first season.

Ali Stafford at Augusta National
Apr 13
The Masters: Rory McIlroy leads Bryson DeChambeau and chasing career Grand Slam at Augusta National
McIlroy began two strokes off halfway leader Justin Rose but produced a sensational start to his third round at Augusta National, opening birdie-eagle and playing his first five holes in five under to pull four clear of the chasing pack. The world No 2 recovered from a mid-round stutter and seeing his lead cut to one by birdieing the 13th and adding a sensational eagle at the par-five 15th, with a six-under 66 seeing him top the leaderboard ahead of US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau going into the final day. The Masters LIVE! Latest updates from Augusta National 🔍When is The Masters on Sky Sports? Key TV times 🏌️♂️Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW 📺Choose the Sky Sports push notifications you want! 🔔 Victory would see McIlroy become just the sixth player in the modern era to complete the career Grand Slam and first since Tiger Woods, having posted 21 top-10s in majors since his 2014 PGA Championship success. DeChambeau birdied three of his last four holes - including a sensational putt at the last - to close within two of McIlroy, while Corey Conners sits four back in third, with Ludvig Åberg six strokes adrift in tied-fourth alongside former champion Patrick Reed. How McIlroy moved ahead in Augusta thriller McIlroy fired a 371-yard drive down the opening fairway and rolled in from 12 feet for birdie, then chipped in for eagle from off the back of the par-five second green to charge top of the leaderboard. The world No 2 picked up another shot at the par-four third and followed an eight-foot par save at the fourth by holing from 20 feet at the fifth, taking him five under for the day and three clear of DeChambeau. DeChambeau made a birdie-birdie start but lost ground with bogeys at the third and seventh, as McIlroy produced good par saves at the sixth and seventh before an errant tee shot into a fairway bunker and clumsy fourth shot led to a dropped shot at the par-five eighth. McIlroy's mid-round stutter continued with a missed chance at the ninth and a three-putt bogey at the 10th, allowing playing partner Conners to close within one after a three-birdie burst around the turn. McIlroy scrambled clutch pars over the next two holes, before he accelerated four-clear again by birdieing the par-five 13th and firing a stunning approach into the par-five 15th to set up a six-foot eagle. McIlroy closed his round with three consecutive pars and remained four ahead, the same advantage he had going into the final day of The Masters in 2011, only for DeChambeau to make a late charge by following successive birdies from the 15th by holing a 50-foot birdie from the fringe at the last. DeChambeau mixed six birdies with three bogeys during an eventful round, boosting his hopes of a second major title in as many years, while Conners - who played alongside McIlroy - sits in third after back-to-back 70s. Åberg made a late run with three consecutive birdies on his second nine, as Lowry and Rose both slipped back with two bogeys in their final three holes and Scottie Scheffler - trying to defend his title - is also seven strokes back after a level-par 72. McIlroy excited for Grand Slam challenge "It was a dream start," McIlroy told Sky Sports. "I had a bit of a wobble around the middle of the round, I should have converted the birdie on nine, but I think I steadied myself on 11 and 12. To play those even par was important. "I was trying to take advantage of the par fives and then the shot of the day for me on 15 and being able to convert that. A great Saturday and I'm excited for tomorrow. "I won't shy away from it. Situations like tomorrow are the reason I get up, work hard and try to do the right things. If I didn't want this moment I wouldn't be doing those things. These are the pairings I want to be in and I'm excited for that." Dame Laura Davies on McIlroy's Grand Slam hopes: "He is trying to do something historic but is very calm, very measured. He is looking forward to playing with Bryson. "He probably won't be able to feel his legs at the first tee tomorrow but get a good drive away and he will be off and running. "I think he can get in his little cocoon and block everything out. The fact he hasn't won this yet will hurt and spur him on. You have to learn from those mistakes. "You learn more from those than victories. He has put himself in the perfect position - but it is not over yet. And it's not just the top two either." When is The Masters live on Sky Sports? Sky Sports Golf is showing record hours of live coverage from The Masters this year, with a special build-up show live from 3pm ahead of full coverage starting at 5pm. Sky Sports+ on Sky Q and Sky Glass will provide plenty of bonus feeds and allow you to follow players' progress through various parts of Augusta's famous layout, including Amen Corner and more. Who will win The Masters? Watch the final round live on Sunday from 3pm on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW.

Juliette Ferrington
Apr 13
Christian Eriksen and Rasmus Hojlund exclusive interview: How Man Utd veteran is helping under-fire team-mate
It was the day after the Manchester derby, in which, six miles down the road at Old Trafford, the two Manchester clubs played out a scoreless draw for the first time in five years. There was plenty of fallout and talk in the aftermath of that result. But the mood on the streets of Altrincham seemed to have been elevated by the glorious weather. Sky Sports are inside Toast, a cosy cafe-bar that had closed its doors to the public as we patiently waited for Christian Eriksen and Rasmus Hojlund to arrive. Transfer Centre LIVE! | Man Utd news & transfers🔴Man Utd fixtures & scores | FREE Man Utd PL highlights▶️Got Sky? Watch Man Utd games LIVE on your phone📱Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW 📺Choose the Sky Sports push notifications you want! 🔔 The phrase 'Coffee is always a good idea' has been decorated onto a red-brick pillar near to where we were sitting. The atmosphere was calm and relaxed. Hojlund ordered a cappuccino with oat milk but Eriksen went for water. He has never been one for coffee, as he told me before we sat down to talk about Manchester United's season. Neither player shied away from the disappointment of it as both tried to explain and make sense of why it's been so hard to turn things around. The club's Europa League hopes are still alive after a 2-2 draw away to Lyon in the first leg of their quarter-final on Thursday but the night finished on a low note as Andre Onana's second error of the game saw them lose their lead in stoppage time. Eriksen told Sky Sports: "There's been a lot of talk in this season, but at the same time, we're at United, so you know there's going to be a lot of focus on the club and on the players and everything. "There have been lots of ups and downs and a few more downs than what we wanted. But we're still in the Europa League, and then at the same time we will continue pushing in the league until the end." Eriksen is in his third season at Manchester United having joined under Ruben Amorim's predecessor Erik ten Hag. "When I arrived with Ten Hag, obviously it was a bit of a different playing style, a bit of a different philosophy of playing," he says. "Now, it's a bit of a different system and you have to adapt to that. Often, when you're in a season, it's tougher to turn things around because everyone is already in the rhythm of the manager before, but I think you're seeing a progression. "People are getting more used to the system, the positions they are playing in. It's more about getting that proper transformation in a good way." Sitting alongside his fellow Denmark international, Hojlund adds: "I think if you ask the manager, he wants it to be done by tomorrow. "But it's the same for us as well. We want to do it as best as possible and we want to change it as fast as possible. There's no recipe to these sort of things. It comes with time." A lot has been said about Hojlund's numbers in front of goal this season. He has only scored three times in the Premier League and he endured another difficult night against Lyon on Thursday. Hojlund is aware of the need for improvement but Amorim said the lack of goals is a "team problem" and not the fault of Manchester United's No 9 at the start of the year. Hojlund is grateful for the support of his manager and determined to change his fortunes. "I want to score 100 goals tomorrow if I can, but it's about progression and keep focusing about what you can do, and how you can get to that level," he says. "That's what we're trying to do every day, being interested about learning new things, wanting to become better. "I think we're trying to build an environment now where we can grow and where we can develop ourselves. "I think it's a very young group as well. There's a lot of young people and young players coming through now, which is sort of we're helping each other. The competition getting sharper, and it helps each other to make us better. "Obviously, it's important to have players like Christian and a little bit older players who can get through with that experience that they have." Eriksen spoke to Sky Sports last month about Hojlund following the 1-1 draw against Arsenal. You could feel the strength of the friendship between the two and how the 33-year-old midfielder looks out for his United team-mate on and off the pitch. "If you are 20 years old and you come to a club like United, the pressure is on straight away," says Eriksen. "You have to learn to live with it and deal with it really early on. "I'm sure Rasmus has found his way in some way, and, like he said, you always have to learn and develop. "But I think, especially here with all the focus from the outside, the spotlight is on you. In a bad time at the club, then obviously it's going to be a lot harder mentally. "It's very hard for a lot of the young guys where it's the first time going through this kind of pressure. But I can only imagine, if you go through it, how happy and how easy you will feel afterwards. It's just about really pushing through and finding your way." Hojlund picks up, saying: "Christian has been great. He's done it in a calm way. He's not been like a father with me and said what to do and sort of things, he's just sort of helped me settle. "He helped me with where to live and these sorts of things. But he's also been great at just approaching me at the right times, and also giving me the input that he could see I needed sometimes. "I think I've got to find my own way. So he's been great at understanding when to help me and when just to leave me to find my own way, if you can put it that way. And that's helped me a lot." Hojlund continues: "I knew that was part of the package when I signed. It is what it is. It's part of the story of being a Manchester United player. "You get criticised if you're not performing to the level and if you're not up there where the club wants to be, which is completely fair. "But like Christian is also saying, you can't get into a hole emotionally. You need to keep yourself sorted and find your own way to perform and that's what we're here for." What is the most important piece of advice Eriksen would give his younger self or a player like Hojlund right now? "I think in general, not just for Rasmus, but for everyone, it's finding your own way, because every club is different, any manager, whoever comes through, it's going to be a different perspective, a different view from the outside, from the inside," he says. "So it's really about finding your own way as a player, finding out why you perform, why you don't perform, and then from there, just trying to build on it. "That was my aim from early on, and that would probably be my advice looking back." Watch the interview with Christen Eriksen and Rasmus Hojlund on Soccer Saturday from midday Saturday. Newcastle vs Man Utd is live on Sky Sports on Super Sunday; kick-off 4.30pm.