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Personal decision for Starmer on whether to fight leadership contest, minister says
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy tells the BBC that the prime minister has “shown before that he’s up for a fight” and she “wouldn’t write [him] off”.
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Key events
Peeeeeeeeeep!
The second half begins. No changes from either side.
Watching the replays of that Gibbs-White chance from the first half, two things to note:
1) The Forest man was probably offside, so it wouldn’t have counted.
2) It really was an excellent save from Lammens. He collapsed like a house of cards onto the ball.
The Guardian has kicked off a new chapter in puzzles with the launch of its first daily football game, On the ball. It is now live in the app for both iOS and Android … so what are you waiting for?
Half-time reading:
Half-time: Manchester United 1-0 Nottingham Forest
Luke Shaw’s goal is the difference.
45 min: One minute added.
44 min: After a well-timed run, Wood threatens to break free on goal, but a heavy touch allows Martinez to step in and make a tackle.
42 min: After Fernandes botches a short-corner routine, Dalot hooks in a cross to the back post where Diallo – 5ft8in of him – nods over.
40 min: “Of the players on the field, I wouldn’t be surprised if Amad Diallo will have the best World Cup,” emails Kári Tulinius. “Ivory Coast don’t have a terribly difficult group, and they have the squad to go deep into the knockouts. Amad was the Elephants’ finest attacker at the latest Afcon, so he should have plenty of opportunities to shine. Also, it’s odd to say this about a starter for Manchester United, but I think he’s underrated.”
38 min: From a United corner, the ball falls kindly to Martinez, who volleys fiercely at goal … blocked by Anderson. There are faint appeals for handball but the referee correctly waves play on again.
“VAR have just given it as a penalty to Celtic,” quips Bill Gibson.
36 min: I wonder how much Fernandes’ assist record is playing on his mind? Every time the United playmaker gets around the Forest box, one expects him to pass so it’s always a surprise when he shoots. Fernandes’ shot on this occasion is blocked.
34 min: Twice Forest are denied a free-kick in quick succession, as Anderson and Gibbs-White tumble to the turf within 30 seconds of each other. Neither challenge is given as a foul, much to the pair’s displeasure. Anderson is deemed to have slipped, Gibbs-White maybe just fell over.
32 min: From the resulting free-kick, Anderson whips a cross to the near post. Dominguez, not the tallest Forest player out there, darts in and heads over! The Argentinian should have done better!
31 min: Gibbs-White looks full of it today, albeit with a mask on his face to protect that scar. The Forest No 10 is strutting around like he has a point to prove and wins a free-kick on United’s byline after tenacious work to win the ball from Dalot.
29 min: Lammens gets a little lucky: his lazy pass to Mainoo is short and Anderson nips in to try and steal it from the United midfielder. It’s a foul, but that was very nearly a Forest turnover on the edge of United’s box.
26 min: “A World Cup squad is soon to be announced so Luke Shaw suddenly remains fit and on form,” emails Kevin Wilson.
Yep, Shaw does seem to time it well. Of the English players in the two starting XI today, here is what I would expect in regards to going to the World Cup.
Maguire: yes, although perhaps not as a starter.
Shaw: no: O’Reilly and Hall seem to the favourites for left-back.
Mainoo: no, but could potentially sneak in as a back up to Rice and Anderson.
Hutchinson: nowhere near it.
Anderson: yep, obviously.
Gibbs-White: I think you have to take him over Foden, at present.
23 min: Mbeumo has been a fine signing for United this season, but is without a goal in his past 11 matches. He should have scored there, and did the hard part by timing his run and rounding Sels.
Mbeumo hits the post!
21 min: Immediately from that chance, United counter-attack with Cunha racing up the middle. He has options left and right but instead slips in Mbeumo down the middle, who takes a touch or two, rounds Sels and strikes a shot against the bottom of the near post! The ball rebounds out to Fernandes, who attempts a cross, before Mainoo arrives to skew a further chance just wide!
Morgan Gibbs-White clean through, saved by Lammens!
20 min: On a Forest break, Hutchinson aims for Wood with a pass but the striker lets it go, and Gibbs-White runs onto the ball, striding towards Lammens unopposed! The Belgian spreads himself expertly though and Gibbs-White’s low shot hits a stray leg and away! Big chance for Forest.
18 min: Much better from Forest, who are not controlling the ball.
16 min: Diallo beats Morata out wide and drives to the byline. The United winger has three teammates to aim for in the middle but drags a cross waywardly and Igor Jesus is able to help clear.
14 min: Casemiro picks the ball up in some space outside the Forest area. “Shoooooooooot”, bellow the home crowd. The Brazilian instead squares it. In the end, Fernandes tries a pop shot but Sels gathers easily.
12 min: Forest are now enjoying some possession, probing rather than creating anything incisive. Gibbs-White is technically playing left-wing today but is in something of a free-role and is floating inside. Dalot doesn’t know whether to follow him, or pass him on.
10 min: In fairness to Forest, they probably weren’t expecting Shaw to shoot. His last goal was over three years ago, in Manchester United’s win over Bournemouth in January 2023.
8 min: Such a poor goal for Forest to concede. Yes the defensive header from Williams could have been a lot better but the visitors also lacked any sort of urgency or intensity to get out to Shaw, who was able to take a touch and shoot.
GOAL! Manchester United 1-0 Nottingham Forest (Shaw 6)
A poor defensive header from Williams lands at the feet of Shaw inside Forest’s area. Shaw takes a brilliant first touch to bring the ball out of the sky and then with his second touch, laces a beauty of a shot into the far corner, off the post and in!
4 min: Forest are sitting deep and happy to play long to Igor Jesus and Wood, who have a significant height advantage over Lisandro Martinez. But United have settled into a pattern of possession.
2 min: Scrappy start as the teams feel each other out. It’s not often that Manchester United will have faced a 4-4-2, with Chris Wood and Igor Jesus two bruisers up top for Forest.
Peeeeeeeeeeeeep!
And we’re underway at Old Trafford!
Casemiro’s tifo is more of a large banner, really. The Brazilian’s face is pictured next to the slogan: ‘Até à Morte’ (Until death).
Here come the teams! The Manchester United players, the ones that are fathers anyway, are coming out with their children, which is a nice touch. Adam Diallo and Kobbie Mainoo appear to have borrowed some of their teammates’ offspring. Bruno Fernandes’ daughter is unmistakably a Fernandes.
Vítor Pereira has just given one of the most forgettable pre-match interviews of all time, except possibly for this sentence. Neil Warnock’s legacy lives on.
It’s time to enjoy, but enjoy competing for the three points.
Will Unwin’s thoughts on what is sure to be a busy transfer window for Manchester United.
A big boost for Forest that Morgan Gibbs-White is back in the starting XI. The midfielder sustained a gruesome facial injury in the 3-1 win over Chelsea, which led him to missing Forest’s crucial Europa League semi-final second-leg defeat at Villa. His appearance today should allay any fears about him not being fit/healed for the World Cup. Based on form, Thomas Tuchel simply has to take him as a back-up to the tournament. Ollie Watkins is the only Englishman to score more than Gibbs-White’s 13 Premier League goals this season. That’s quite something for a midfielder at a club near the bottom of the table.
Manchester United’s men will wear next season’s home kit against Forest. The strip was debuted by the women’s team in their WSL game at Chelsea on Saturday. I would describe it as underwhelming.
Team news!
Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Amad, Fernandes, Cunha; Mbeumo.
Subs: Bayindir, Dorgu, Heaven, Malacia, Mazraoui, Yoro, Mount, Ugarte, Zirkzee.
No great surprises here. Bryan Mbeumo replaces Joshua Zirkzee, while Diogo Dalot is back in at right-back in place of Noussair Mazraoui.
Nottingham Forest (4-4-2): Sels; Williams, Morato, Milenkovic, Netz; Hutchinson, Anderson, Dominguez, Gibbs-White; Wood, Igor Jesus.
Subs: Victor, Ortega, Sangaré, Awoniyi, Yates, Cunha, McAtee, Bakwa, Abbott.
It looks like Forest are lined up in the 4-4-2 formation that served them so well in the 5-0 win at Sunderland. A narrow and compact midfield, with Gibbs-White given something of a free role from the left-hand side. Two traditional strikers that will press high and hope to force United’s defence into errors.
Will Unwin, our reporter at Old Trafford today, checks in with some pre-match thoughts. He thinks that any announcement over Carrick today would be “highly unlikely”.
For many it is a redundant game at the end of a very long season for Manchester United and Nottingham Forest. There have been many twists, turns and managerial changes but both have achieved their goals; United and back in the Champions League and Forest have survived in the Premier League.
Michael Carrick will be announced as the permanent Manchester United head coach in the coming days but it is highly unlikely to be today at this stage. He has done a fine job and gave United little option other than keeping him on.
The real interest today comes in the form of Elliot Anderson who is high on United’s midfield shortlist but their £80m valuation of the England international may cause them to miss out to rivals Manchester City, who also want him. A big performance today, on Casemiro’s farewell, could make the United hierarchy reconsider the figures because they need to improve the squad going into Europe next summer.
A reminder of the Premier League table before kick-off:
Preamble
Michael Carrick and Vítor Pereira have both done quite the job. The former, despite only getting the interim gig at Manchester United in January, has even ended up on the Premier League Manager of the Year shortlist (alongside Keith Andrews, Mikel Arteta, Pep Guardiola, Andoni Iraola and Régis Le Bris) after 10 wins from 15 games, just two defeats and more points than any other side in the division since his appointment. Carrick is expected to be imminently offered a two-year permanent contract at Old Trafford, with an option of a further 12 months. We may well see that announced today in person at the stadium, given this is Manchester United’s final home game of the season. As is customary, the club’s manager will address the crowd after full-time. Maybe the good days really are coming under Carrick.
Today will have a celebratory end-of-season feel that has been missing at Old Trafford for a while now: Champions League football next season is assured, third place can be mathematically sealed against Forest and there will be tributes to Casemiro both before and after the game. A tifo to the Brazilian in the Stretford End is expected to be unfurled as the players walk out for kick-off, while Casemiro will also give a post-match speech.
Credit must also go to Pereira at Forest, another Portuguese speaker who has been something of a slow burn. When he was appointed in February, Forest were 17th in the Premier League, three points above the drop zone, after two wins in their last 10 games. After a win at Fenerbahce in his opening match, the 57-year-old then lost four of his next five matches, with the pressure very much still on.
But a run of five straight wins in all competitions earned both Premier League survival and a European semi-final. Pereira can be proud of what he has achieved It is very much mission accomplished, and Carrick is not the only manager at Old Trafford today being linked with a new contract.
Kick-off: 12.30pm BST.
UK News
Hampshire v Notts, Yorkshire v Surrey and more: county cricket day three – live | County Championship
Key events
An early wicket at Headingley as Jhye Richardson gets one to snort off the pitch and surprise Rory Burns, who can fend only to gully. Burns strides down the pitch and pokes pointedly at the offending area before stalking away. Yorkshire 41 for one.
Good morning Des Platt!
“I was up at 4:45 this morning hoping to see the young blue tits leave the nest as the first one was at the hole for the last couple of hours yesterday without leaving. Two textbooks I have on the subject say that they often leave at dawn. I’ve had blue tits or great tits nesting 15 years in the last 16 and have found they very rarely do as the book says. Mind you, I don’t blame them not leaving because it is damn cold here and I’ve actually put the heating on for an hour which is most unusual for me in May.
“I was hoping they would all have gone before my team Rainford, play at my local club Rainhill in a cup game later. I support Rainford because of the amateur philosophy ; Rainhill pay out a lot on pros. Rainford are just a bunch of mates who have done very well these last four years competing against semi professional teams but it is getting harder each year.”
How lovely! Crossing everything they venture out before your cricket game. I once delayed my kids going to school to see some butterflies hatch from one of those kits you can buy. It was amazing but they took their time and we were very late. I got a wrist slap.
Ali Martin
OK, scratch Beau Webster from the below, he’s just been wiped out by Tom Norton, a full delivery, and an edge snaffled up by Colin Inrgam low at first slip. Warks 141-7
Not much to report yet here at Headingley. St Michael’s church looks lush and lovely with greenery and that many-capped slip cordon awaits.
Paul Edwards phones in from Southport, where he’s enjoying bobbing home to get his seeds and cereal for breakfast before play. The sun is out, but there’s a chill, and not too many spectators through the gate yet. And the first ball of the day is a no ball.
Ali Martin
Glamorgan haven’t just been promoted to make up the numbers, they’re in Division One to compete. And with two wins on the board already, they could put themselves in pole position for a third if they get the better of today’s play at Edgbaston. Warwickshire are 123 for six and need two all-rounders, Beau Webster and Jordan Thompson, to take a huge chunk out of what is a 237 run deficit.
In other news, am enjoying one of the rare good days as a folically-challenged man following an outbreak of head lice back at base. Blimmin’ school kids.
Weather watch
Sunshine and showers, say the Met office, heaviest and most frequently in the west. Sorry, Southport.
“It could have bee very different”
A very happy Ben Aitchison, having a match to remember: “It was great fun. I’ve just said to Wayne, we were having a laugh out there and really enjoying ourselves. That’s what makes it so much easier when you’ve got someone at the other end who it is a joy batting with. There were balls out there that were doing all sorts and we couldn’t get near to them, so you just had to laugh it off and then go again.
“I nearly didn’t go out as second nightwatchman last night because I got told at the last second to get my pads on and I was almost not ready. So it could have all been very different. I definitely didn’t think that (a hundred) was going to happen this morning, but obviously very happy.
“I was on 64 and I was starting to think about it then as I’d had a little bet with the gaffer as well that I probably can’t tell you about here. It was when I got to 97 where the field was still up and I knew I was one four away and that’s when I thought I can actually do this.”
Apologies for plugging my own writing, but this is such a wonderful cricket set-up.
Saturday’s round-up
A rainy Saturday inspired county nightwatchmen. At Lord’s, Derbyshire’s Ben Aitchison followed up his five wickets with a maiden first-class hundred, stacked with charming drives. As he crossed the line, he got a huge hug from Wayne Madsen and smiled the widest of smiles. Madsen followed up with his first hundred at Lord’s on a tiring day for Middlesex’s bowlers.
Also on overnight duties was Jamie Porter, whose first first-class 50 was the Sellotape Essex needed from the mess of 39 for four. Charlie Allison put on 96 with Porter, and collected 72 before nibbling at Josh Hull. Wiann Mulder (70) and Simon Harmer (33) then punished Leicestershire further and took the to within 52 runs of parity.
Emilio Gay celebrated his England call-up with a duck at Beckenham, where Durham found themselves in surprise trouble on a pitch where Kent merrily gathered 523. David Bedingham was 72 not out at stumps but found little other support. Earlier, Matthew Potts had collected six for 92.
A morning’s play was enough for Surrey to rattle through the rest of Yorkshire’s batting. Matt Fisher gathered four for 92, removing Friday’s centurion Jonny Bairstow in the second over of the day. After Adam Lyth fell for 141, George Hill (34) and Dom Bess (42) hit Yorkshire towards 500.
Rain and Abell were the dominant themes at Taunton, where Tom Abell, Division One’s second highest scorer, reached his third century of the season, accompanied by Craig Overton, who biffed his second. Somerset declared on 525 for eight, and there was just time for Overton to send Sussex’s Tom Haines on his way, before the floodlights failed.
Kyle Abbott bowled Nottinghamshire’s Haseeb Hameed for a duck shortly before a lunchtime ceremony to celebrate the South African’s 500th Hampshire wicket. Sonny Baker, running in with pace, then removed Ben Slater and hit the fingers of Freddie McCann, who subsequently retired hurt. After play, Baker said of his England call-up: “It is a dream come true. I feel like I’ve beaten the bat a lot this season, which has been frustrating, but in terms of the outcomes I’ve had, I’d be lying if I wasn’t pretty pleased.”
Glamorgan picked apart Warwickshire’s batting on a damp day in Cardiff. Alex Davies and Dan Mousely carefully collected 30 apiece, but there were slim pickings elsewhere, to leave Warwickshire 123 for six, 237 runs in the red.
There were chaotic scenes at in a low-scoring shootout at Bristol, after Northants were skittled for 127, with five wickets for Matt Taylor. Gloucestershire then opened their second innings with two tailenders, one – Will Williams – returning to the crease shortly after being out to act as a runner for the other – Craig Miles – who was out soon afterwards.
There was no play at Southport with Lancashire still trailing Worcestershire by 242 runs.
Scores on the doors
Chelmsford: Essex 281-8 v Leicestershire 333
Southampton: Hampshire 214 v Nottinghamshire 124-3
Taunton: Somerset 526-8dec v Sussex 22-1
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 123-6 v Glamorgan 360
Headingley: Yorkshire 486 v Surrey 17-0
Division Two
Bristol: Gloucestershire 154 and 21-3 v Northamptonshire 127
Beckenham: Kent 523 v Durham 173-5
Southport: Lancashire 28-0 v Worcestershire 270 no play today
Lord’s: Middlesex 177 and 13-1 v Derbyshire 376
Preamble
Good morning! From unpromising beginnings under south Manchester skies, it’s a fine truck through the Pennines this morning. Mytholmroyd station looked so pretty and I now know, thanks to the station noticeboard, that it was the birthplace of Ted Hughes in 1930.
A draw already looks on the cards at Headingley, but maybe Surrey will collapse in a heap and surprise us all. Elsewhere, Middlesex need to dig in, Durham are in trouble, everything is going in fast-forward on the hybrid pitch at Bristol, Essex are fighting back, Glamorgan are suprising (or maybe not, after two wins on the bounce) Warwicks, Sussex have a fight on their hands and it is early days at Southampton. Fingers crossed for some play at Southport.
All swings into action at 11am. Do drop in.
Serious clashes between Unite the Kingdom and pro-Palestinian protesters were avoided on Saturday.
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