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  1. Three titles... can it happen?published at 17:03

    Media caption,

    BBC Radio Manchester's Natalie Pike says an on-form Erling Haaland, Kevin de Bruyne and Phil Foden could provide the impetus Manchester City need to win all three competitions they remain in.

    Reflecting on the draw against Arsenal, the We're Not Really Here Podcast look at the "margins" it will take to win a fourth consecutive Premier League title and secure cup success.

    Listen to the We're Not Really Here Podcast on BBC Sounds

  2. Ten Hag's 'careful' approach to Mountpublished at 16:09

    Erik ten Hag and Mason MountImage source, Getty Images

    Manager Erik ten Hag says Manchester United have two objectives to get the best out of midfielder Mason Mount - and it starts with keeping him fit.

    The England international, who signed from Chelsea for £55m last summer, has made just nine Premier League appearances this season.

    Mount's first injury, which was unspecified, was picked up after his second match for the club and then a few games later he was sidelined with a calf problem.

    "He is a fantastic football player but it is important, first, that he keeps fit because he has had three injuries," said Ten Hag. "We have to avoid that, so we have to do this very carefully.

    "To keep him fit is our first objective. Secondly, we want to use him so he can add benefit and contribute to the team."

    Mount came on as an 80th-minute substitute against Brentford on Saturday and scored his first goal for the club.

    "He had a big impact," added Ten Hag.

  3. 'That was there for the taking'published at 13:55

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    Were three points against Arsenal "there for the taking?"

    In the latest episode of BBC Radio Manchester's We're Not Really Here Podcast, they discuss Manchester City's "weird" draw and whether it is a reflection of the team "being tired and a bit predictable".

    Listen to We're Not Really Here Podcast on BBC Sounds

  4. Ten Hag on injuries, league 'intensity' and Mountpublished at 13:13

    Katie Stafford
    BBC Sport journalist

    Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has been speaking to the media before Thursday's Premier League game at Chelsea (kick-off 20:15 BST).

    Here are the key lines from his news conference:

    • He said there "are no more injures" other than centre-backs Victor Lindelof and Lisandro Martinez.

    • Jonny Evans, Raphael Varane and Harry Maguire have been in training and are available to face Chelsea. Winger Amad Diallo also returns after serving his one-match suspension.

    • On the number of muscle injuries this season: "We have an idea why [there have been so many] and we will work on that internally and will deal with it. But it is not only us."

    • He said the Premier League's "intensity" and high standards have contributed to many teams having injury crises this season, adding: "The overload in schedule and international football is huge."

    • On how this has affected his game management: "We don’t train because we recover and then we go to the next game."

    • He praised midfielder Mason Mount for the "big impact" he made against Brentford, but said his minutes must be "carefully" managed to "keep him fit".

    • On the disappointing team performance against the Bees: "Sometimes you are not playing well but we are Manchester United and you still have to win. Then when you are winning you can’t give it away. That was my biggest disappointment."

    • He said Thursday's opponents Chelsea have a "fantastic team and play very good football" which they have showed this season.

    Follow all of Wednesday's Premier League news conferences

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  5. Chelsea v Man Utd: Key statspublished at 12:47

    Here are the key facts and figures before Thursday's Premier League fixture between Chelsea and Manchester United:

    • Chelsea are winless in their past 12 Premier League games against Manchester United (D7 L5), their longest ever run without a league victory against the Red Devils.

    • Manchester United have won just one of their past nine Premier League away games against London sides (D3 L5), losing four of their past six. They've lost three of their five such visits this season, last losing more in a single top-flight campaign in 1989-90 (four).

    • The Blues have both scored and conceded in 19 different Premier League games this season, last doing so more often in 2019-20 (22). They've done so in each of their past seven league matches, their longest such run since a run of nine between January and April 2017.

    • United have won more games (80) and have a higher win percentage (59.7%) in the month of April than any other side in Premier League history. However, they've won just one of their past seven away games in the month (D2 L4), beating Nottingham Forest 2-0 last year.

    • Cole Palmer has been involved in 21 Premier League goals for Chelsea this season, scoring 13 and assisting eight. Only Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink (32 in 2000-01) and Diego Costa (23 in 2014-15) have been involved in more in their debut campaign for the Blues.

  6. 'Maybe it's time for us to move on from Rashford'published at 11:26

    Marcus RashfordImage source, Getty Images

    BBC Radio Manchester's Gaz Drinkwater has suggested it may be time for Marcus Rashford's stay at Manchester United to come to and end in the latest episode of The Devil's Advocate podcast.

    The 26-year-old enjoyed the best scoring season of his career as United finished third and won the Carabao Cup in Erik ten Hag's first campaign but he has struggled to build on it this term - registering just seven league goals so far as the team's form has dropped significantly.

    Rashford also missed training and the FA Cup fourth-round victory at Newport after media reports emerged he had been seen in nightspots in Northern Ireland.

    "Bruno [Fernandes] should be yelling at Rashford to make runs [in the draw at Brentford on Saturday]," Drinkwater said.

    "The thing with Marcus Rashford is I think we've had a really great time. But, like with a relationship, we've had those wonderful years and were destined to get married one day but maybe it's not right.

    "We'll look back at it with the greatest of memories but maybe it's time for us both to move on.

    "Not in a bad way or a bitter way, maybe there's new challenges for Marcus out there and maybe there's a place in the team for someone who still has that love for us. I'm not saying Marcus has fallen out of love with us but, like in a relationship, maybe there comes that time where things end.

    "Personally I'm not seeing that spark anymore unfortunately."

    Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

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  7. Man City v Aston Villa: Sutton's predictionspublished at 11:11

    Sutton's predictions graphic with UB40 drummer Jimmy Brown

    Chris Sutton is making predictions for every Premier League game this season against a variety of guests.

    For the midweek matches on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, he takes on UB40 drummer and Birmingham City fan Jimmy Brown.

    Sutton's prediction: 2-1

    I thought some of the criticism of Manchester City striker Erling Haaland after Sunday's draw with Arsenal was well over the top.

    It is not Haaland's fault City did not create enough opportunities for him - it is down to players such as Kevin de Bruyne, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva to make those chances.

    To compare Haaland to a League Two player, which is how Roy Keane described him on Sky, is just ridiculous.

    It doesn't matter who gets the goals against Aston Villa, but City cannot allow the gap to leaders Liverpool to get any bigger than three points.

    Villa will make it tough for them and carry plenty of attacking threat themselves, but this is a must-win for Pep Guardiola's side... and I think they will win.

    Brown's prediction: 3-1

    Nothing doing for Villa here! City will go 2-0 up, Villa will pull one back and push for an equaliser but then City will wrap it up with a third late on when Villa leave themselves wide open.

    Read the rest of their predictions here

  8. Rosenborg pre-season friendly announcedpublished at 11:04

    General view of the Lerkendal Stadium in Trondheim, NorwayImage source, Getty Images

    Manchester United have announced they will travel to Norway to face Rosenborg at the Lerkendal Stadion in Trondheim for their first match of pre-season before the 2024-25 season.

    The fixture against the 26-time Norwegian champions in July will be the first meeting between the two sides for 30 years.

    United and Rosenborg have never met in an official competitive game but played each other in friendlies in the 1990s and 1970s.

    The club's Football Director, John Murtough, said: "Everyone at Manchester United is pleased to be returning to Norway for the opening match of our pre-season campaign, renewing the special relationship which exists with our huge support base in Scandinavia.

    "It’s surprising that these two clubs have never met competitively, and not for over 30 years in pre-season, making this a rare opportunity to see United taking on the most successful team in Norwegian football as we begin our preparations for the 2024-25 season."

  9. 'You can't go around doing things like that, son'published at 09:49

    Lee Sharpe on Sacked In The Morning podcast logo

    The Sacked In The Morning podcast from BBC Sounds has had a sit down with former Manchester United winger Lee Sharpe this week.

    Sharpe played on the night Eric Cantona was sent off moments before kicking a Crystal Palace supporter in 1995.

    Sir Alex Ferguson's dressing down of his team in the aftermath of a crucial 1-1 draw at Palace sticks in Sharpe's memory, not least because he appeared to go easy on Cantona, who would be publicly admonished and face a ban.

    "We're struggling in the game at Crystal Palace," Sharpe says. "And then when he goes into the crowd and kung-fu kicks the guy, we're all thinking: 'Oh my God, the manager's got to absolutely nail him after this game. He can't say a word to us for playing badly. He's just nearly killed someone.'

    "So we get in the dressing room. As the manager comes in, he smashes the door open - the jacket's off, shirt sleeves are up.

    "We're thinking: 'Here we go, here we go.' We're all nudging each other like school kids and giggling.

    "And then he starts on everyone, saying: 'Pallister - you can't head it, you can't tackle. Keaney - you've not laid a glove on anybody. Sharpe - you can't run, you can't tackle, you can't pass it. Andy Cole - you've not trapped a bag of cement all day. And Eric - you can't go around doing things like that, son.'

    "And we were like: 'That's one of the best lines ever in football.' That is just absolutely outrageous. Cantona sat there, shrugged and just didn't care. It was unbelievable."

    Listen to Sacked In The Morning here

  10. 'More soporific than super'published at 09:36

    Pat Nevin
    Former footballer and presenter

    Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta greet each otherImage source, Getty Images

    Everyone was looking forward to a super Sunday of Premier League action, the problem was that the Manchester City versus Arsenal game was more soporific than super.

    If you had a big Easter Sunday breakfast or lunch beforehand then staying awake might have been a problem. Ask yourself this: did you have a sneaky little scroll through social media at any point during play?

    There is no right or wrong way to play football, just preferences. I love this cerebral style but there is always a danger that Pep Guardiola's passion for passing can lead to overplaying.

    Poor Erling Haaland. Actually he is anything but poor; he made about 100 runs into space without the slightest suggestion anyone was likely to play a ball over the top for him to chase.

    Arsenal defended brilliantly with a very rare clean sheet at the Etihad to show for it. William Saliba, in particular, is a real asset in defence, and I mean 'asset' in a very Jason Bourne sense of the word. You would not want to meet him on a dark night when he was in a bad mood.

    Sadly, the more creative players were not willing to take enough risks with their passes in the final third and so the Arsenal defence always had time to get set. It was good to watch technically, but it was hardly a blockbuster.

    It is understandable, however. If you lose possession at this level you will not get it back for a while. More importantly, one error here and you could go down in history as the player who lost the title.

    People still remember that slip by Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard against Chelsea at Anfield way back in 2014.

    Former Chelsea and Everton winger Pat Nevin was writing for the BBC Football Extra newsletter