Subs: Alaba (93), Ramos (95), Kimmich (92)↑, Pogba (93)↑, Goretzka (91)↑, Sterling (93), Mbappe (93)
Did not travel: Boateng (93), Dele (92), Cech (89)
1:1 draw v Newcastle then beat them 5:3 on penalties. They had 50% conversion rate from shots on target while United had 17%. I don't get why they almost won given their players were low on fitness. Plymouth in the semis.
Subs: Gaya (90), Christensen (90)↑, Roberto (91)↑, Kovacic (91), Goretzka (91), Konate (85)↑, Martial (90)
Did not travel: Dele (92), Stones (91), Brandt (90), Cech (89)
Key: = Goal = Assist = MOTM ↓ = Subbed off ↑ = Subbed on
Next three games:
MD22: Fulham (H)
MD23: Everton (A)
MD24: Reading (H)
The next kick can win it for Manchester United.
KONATÉ will take the next kick for Manchester United.
KONATÉ aims for the bottom corner.
It goes in under OBLAK.
There will be many player sales at Barnsley if they get relegated from Div 1. After an interview with the manager the highly reputable tabloid The Barnsley Chronicle have quoted Frank Castle as
being "very disappointed" with some of his supposed "star players" this season. He indicates some are "walking a very narrow line" and "improvement is needed very quickly" from some of the team.
To see the full transcript read on further.
Roger Boyes: So your team have been slipping down the league recently. What do you have to say about this?
Frank: I am happy with the bunch of lads I have at the moment, but I think we are struggling to get our tactics right at the moment. How we used to play is not quite right for us and this can be seen by some of the draws we are having. I think it is time to go on the front foot if we are going to save the season.
Roger Boyes: Some of your supposed star players have been hitting the headlines for the wrong reasons this week. Do you think this is impacting on performances?
Frank: What headlines are these?
Roger Boyes: are you saying you have not read page 25 of the Barnsley Chronicle in the bottom left corner, the headline that Mario Mandzukic pledged £1500 a month to the local food bank?
Frank: Are you joking?
Roger Boyes: No. Do you have any comments on this?
Frank: I am very disappointed that you are asking me questions about my star players doing good for the local community and making out that they are miscreants. Can we get back to the actual football conversation now?
Roger Boyes: If you insist. With regards to Andre Silva, he seems to have been dropped from the team more recently. Is the fact you slept with his wife anything to do with this?
Frank: Are you @!#×&#! Kidding me?
Roger Boyes: There is no need to swear please answer the question.
Frank: You are walking a very narrow line here. I would like to put on record that what you have just said is not true in the slightest and is a complete fabrication.
Roger Boyes: Noted and I will make sure it is in the write up clearly. However you did not answer my question.
Frank: That is because I wanted to answer the completely ridiculous, so called fact, first. In terms of Andre Silva, he is an asset to the team however we have had very good conversations recently about his desire to press on in his career and if Barnsley is not that place for him we will see at the end of the season. This however is the same for many of the squad if we end up getting relegated to Div 2.
Roger Boyes: What do you mean by that?
Frank: Div 2 represents a vast drop in revenue and with the current wage bill as it is we will only be keeping a small number of our first team players such as Forsberg who has pledged his career to being a Barnsley player. However we have many players reaching the end of their careers and even they are considering retirement.
Roger Boyes: I think that wraps up my questions for today. Do you have any final comments?
Frank: Yes actually. I think you have a need to practice on your reporting style. Finding out true facts rather than just making stories up and trying to find news in anything. Improvement is needed very quickly or I think you will find yourself out of a job.