Erik ten Hag has responded strongly to recent criticism from former Manchester United coach Benni McCarthy, who joined the chorus of football figures questioning the under-fire manager’s leadership.

After a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United’s struggles have left them in 12th place after just six matches.

The Red Devils salvaged a point against Porto on Thursday with a last-minute equalizer from Harry Maguire, but pressure continues to mount on Ten Hag.

Several United legends, including Gary Neville and Rio Ferdinand, have voiced harsh critiques of the Dutchman’s performance. Earlier this week, McCarthy added his sharp comments, suggesting that Ten Hag “lacks a bit of fire and passion.”

McCarthy’s remarks added to the growing calls for the 54-year-old manager to step up or face further scrutiny.

In an interview with TNT Sports ahead of United’s 3-3 draw with Porto, Ten Hag fired back, defending his tenure at the club. “I don’t know what he means,” Ten Hag said in response to McCarthy’s comments. “When you win trophies, you can’t do this without passion and desire.”

McCarthy, speaking to Portuguese outlet ZEROZERO, explained his view, saying that in modern football, players look to their coach for passion and motivation.

“Players want to feel that the coach is with them, fighting alongside them,” McCarthy said. “Tactically, I think Erik is at the top, but he lacks that fire, that passion. That’s where we differ.”

The South African also criticized some players for their lack of intensity during training, noting that two players, Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot, consistently gave their all. “If more players had the work ethic of Bruno and Diogo, the results might have been different,” McCarthy added. “Some weren’t training at their best, and this affected the team’s overall performance.”

With growing speculation about Ten Hag’s future, reports suggest that sacking him could cost Manchester United £17.5 million, given the contract extension he received over the summer.

Potential replacements have already been mentioned, including former Lazio boss Simone Inzaghi and ex-England manager Gareth Southgate, who remains linked to the position.

Chelsea’s new star signing has admitted he’s struggling to find his rhythm after joining the club in a £54 million transfer this summer.

The Blues brought in 13 new players during the transfer window, spending around £200 million to strengthen Enzo Maresca’s squad.

With such a large influx of talent into an already crowded roster, some big-money signings have found it difficult to secure regular playing time.

Pedro Neto, who arrived from Wolves for £54 million, is one of those players. The 24-year-old winger scored his first goal for Chelsea in their 5-0 Carabao Cup victory over Barrow on Tuesday, having mostly been limited to substitute appearances before this third-round match.

“At the moment, I’m not at my best, but I’m getting there,” Neto told The Standard. “I know I’ll reach my top form soon and I’ll enjoy it. I’m working hard on my confidence, my game, and adapting to the new environment. Hopefully, I’ll be fully fit as soon as possible.”

Injuries have plagued Neto’s Premier League career, raising concerns about his fitness when he was linked with a move to a top club.

Last season, he was sidelined for a total of four months due to two separate hamstring injuries.

Maresca has plenty of options on the left wing, with Neto competing for minutes alongside Jadon Sancho, Mykhailo Mudryk, and Christopher Nkunku.

“When you join a big club, it’s a new adjustment,” Neto explained. “At Wolves, I was probably playing 90% of the matches, but here, I have to work even harder. If not, I might not play because the coach will rotate the squad. That kind of competition makes you perform better because you know you need to work.”

Neto added that with the level of quality at Chelsea, no player can afford to be complacent. “As the coach said, not everyone will play every game.

We have to push ourselves and continue to improve, whether it’s during training or on match days. That’s the mentality I believe will take us to the top.”

Chelsea’s next challenge is a home fixture against Brighton this Saturday, followed by the start of their Europa Conference League campaign next week against Belgian side Gent. The Blues advanced to the group stages after narrowly defeating Switzerland’s Servette in qualifying.

Anthony Joshua is set to challenge for the heavyweight world title once again as he takes on Daniel Dubois at Wembley on Saturday night.

This bout offers Joshua a chance to become a three-time heavyweight world champion, reclaiming the IBO title and moving closer to an undisputed championship shot.

Joshua, who was dethroned by Andy Ruiz in 2019 and later by Oleksandr Usyk in 2021, has since worked on a remarkable comeback. His resurgence began with victories over Jermaine Franklin and Robert Helenius, followed by dominant performances against Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou.

Now 34, Joshua faces a fellow Brit for the first time since his 2015 victory over Dillian Whyte. Dubois, who will be his opponent in front of an expected crowd of 96,000, promises to make this encounter a thrilling and high-stakes showdown.

Dubois was declared world champion in June after Usyk vacated one of his belts following a successful defense against Tyson Fury in May. With the IBF insisting on Usyk facing his mandatory challenger instead of a rematch with Fury, the Ukrainian handed over the belt, creating an opportunity for the two British fighters.

Dubois also had his own encounter with Usyk, losing in a controversial match last year. However, he bounced back, defeating Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic to secure the IBF interim title. Those victories demonstrated Dubois’ grit and determination, despite the grueling nature of both fights.

Now, the 27-year-old is set to defend his title against Joshua, with the winner in line for a potential clash with either Usyk or Fury next year for all the heavyweight belts.

Date and Venue

The fight will take place on Saturday, September 21 at Wembley Stadium.

What time is Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois in Nigeria?

The main undercard to start at 4:00 pm – ring walks for Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois can be expected from 11:20 pm West African Time

What time is Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois in UK?

The undercard action for this event will begin at 4 pm UK time. The ring walks for the Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois fight are expected to start at 11 pm, with the official start time set for 11:20 pm UK time..

What time is Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois in US?

The fight card for the event begins at 11 a.m. Eastern Time, with the main event scheduled to take place at approximately 6 p.m. Eastern Time, according to DAZN.

How to watch Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois in Nigeria

Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois fight will not be available on Nigeria/Africa cable TV.

How to watch Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois in UK

Joshua vs Dubois will be broadcast live in the UK on both DAZN’s pay-per-view service and Sky Sports Box Office. Viewers with a DAZN subscription can purchase the fight for £18.99.

How to watch Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois in US

The event will stream live on DAZN in the UK, US, and worldwide.

How to stream Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois for free

We will drop a live LINK here few minutes before the showdown, just come back and refresh this page or save our live stream page link.