Ruben Amorim's tactical tweaks, Ilona Maher's nerves and Luke Littler's celebrity fan |
In this week's edition of the Independent's sports newsletter, we bring you analysis of Manchester United's eye-catching display against Liverpool, the dawn of darts' new era after Luke Littler sealed his maiden world title, and a look ahead to the Women's Ashes down under. |
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The tactical tweaks Amorim used to revive Manchester United at Anfield |
For large parts of his Manchester United career, Bruno Fernandes has appeared the answer. Now he posed the question. "If we show this today at Anfield against Liverpool, that is first in the league and has been probably the outstanding team in in the Premier League this season, why we can't do this every week?"
To draw 2-2 at Anfield represented a shift in mood and immediate improvement, but also a cause for frustration. Ruben Amorim raised the issue of their three home defeats: to Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth and Newcastle, too, not Liverpool. "Some of the games we suffer two goals without doing nothing," he said. But then the side he had warned were at risk of relegation instead held the champions elect. If inconsistency appeared a step forward for United, when the alternative was being consistently bad, it isn't Amorim's objective.
"Training and match, it doesn't match the place, the opponent, we need to face every day like that," he said. There are times when the captain channels his manager's thinking and Fernandes' reaction to holding Liverpool was: "We can't be satisfied. I'm pretty upset." And not by Harry Maguire's 97th-minute miss, either, but by the malaise that left United marooned in 14th. Read in full here |
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| Newsletter written by Karl Matchett |
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In depth and this week's best features |
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Social media icon Maher admits to nerves ahead of much-anticipated Bristol debut |
Social media sensation Ilona Maher admitted that the nerves kicked in as she made her much-anticipated Bristol Bears debut in front of a record crowd.
While second-half substitute Maher was unable to affect the result – a 40-17 Ashton Gate defeat against Premiership champions Gloucester-Hartpury – she still proved a huge hit.
American back Maher has more than eight million followers across Instagram and TikTok, making her the world's most followed rugby player.
Maher's mere presence generated a Bristol record crowd of 9,240 for a women's game – and league-highest for a standalone fixture – with the 28-year-old having a 20-minute introduction off the replacements' bench.
She spent more than an hour after the game signing autographs and posing for pictures – some fans travelled from Kentucky and Washington DC – underlining the impact she will continue to make throughout her three-month stay in the west country. Read more here |
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Wyatt-Hodge pinpoints key quality England need to beat 'ruthless' Australia in Ashes |
England batter Danni Wyatt-Hodge is expecting a ruthless Women's Ashes battle with Australia.
The seven-match, multi-format series gets under way on 11 January in Sydney as England look to win the Ashes for the first time since 2014.
Despite England inflicting Australia's first ODI series defeat in a decade in 2023, the Aussies retained the Ashes with an overall draw.
Wyatt-Hodge knows Australia will present another formidable challenge this winter, but the 33-year-old is confident England can take them on.
"They bat so deep the Aussies, anyone who comes in is capable of getting valuable runs and they are ruthless, they will fight until the end and they are a hard team to beat," she said.
"But as you can see from the Ashes, we're able to compete and we're excited to compete against them.
"A lot of us have played against them in the franchise teams and it will come down to who's the calmest. We want to focus on ourselves and enjoy that challenge and enjoy being in Australia." Read more here |
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