Man Utd news LIVE updates: Jose not missing Pogba, Rashford special praise, title claim

Manchester United news LIVE: Updates from Old Trafford

Monday October 2

Lukaku will influence trophies

17.45: Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku will play a major role in how many trophies the Red Devils will win this season, according to Stuart Pearce.

Pearce says if Jose Mourinho can keep Lukaku fit, the goals will come, as will the trophies.

“Where they fare this year with regards to how much silverware they get their hands on will probably be directly parallel not just to how many goals, but just keeping him fit,” he said on Sky Sports. 

“I think if they keep Lukaku fit, he’ll get the goals. There’s no doubt in my mind about that, it will be 20-odd goals this season. 

“But they’ve got to keep him fit and I think that will have a major baring on where the trophies go this year.”

Robson: Lukaku over Aguero

15.35: Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku is better than Manchester City’s two-time Premier League winner Sergio Aguero, according to Stewart Robson.

Robson says he would rather have Lukaku in his team at the moment than the Argentinian.

“At the moment, yes (I would have Lukaku over Aguero)," he said on ESPN FC.

“If I was the manager at the moment, the way that Lukaku can score goals out of nothing, the way he can run in behind, the way he can win balls in the box. 

“I’d still want people to close the ball down and do the things that Pep Guardiola wants him to do, which he’s not always doing. So I would still go with Lukaku.”

Lukaku not one of best - Mariner

14.40: Manchester United star Romelu Lukaku is NOT one of the Premier League’s top three strikers, according to pundit Paul Mariner.

Mariner says Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero, Tottenham’s Harry Kane and Chelsea’s Alvaro Morata are all better frontmen.

“If you think about a No 9 and what his role is, I just think the three lads that I picked, Morata, Kane and Aguero, I just think their hold-up play is better,” the former Arsenal man said on ESPN FC.

“There’s no doubts that Lukaku is going to score a lot of goals with the service that comes into the box. 

“But I don’t think he is as clinical a finisher as the other three lads.”

Kane would shine at rival - Pearce

13.00: Tottenham star Harry Kane would dramatically improve Chelsea, Manchester United or Manchester City, according to Stuart Pearce.

Pearce thinks if Kane can continue in his vein of form, Tottenham will receive bids for him next summer.

“Someone will put money down for him at some stage, there’s no doubt,” he said on Sky Sports.

“If he ended up going to Manchester United or Manchester City, it strengthens their hand dramatically, or Chelsea even.”

Ozil must learn from Beckham

12.30: Arsenal star Mesut Ozil needs to take a leaf out of David Beckham’s book and work hard for the team, according to Paul Merson.

“You look at any world class player over the last 15 or 20 years – you know one thing they do? They work hard,” Merson told talkSPORT.

“I played against David Beckham enough times at Man United and you couldn’t believe how hard he worked up and down the right wing – it was scary.

“Ozil doesn’t do that part of the game, and if you don’t do that you can’t play in this day and age.

“The penny has got to drop with Ozil, you can’t just play when you’re on the ball.”

Jose to win title - Pearce

11.15: Manchester City have closed the gap on rivals Manchester United by improving the defensive side of their game, says Stuart Pearce.

However, Pearce is still backing Jose Mourinho to pip Pep Guardiola to the title in his second campaign in charge at Old Trafford.

“Manchester City, the big question mark is can they keep the ball out of the net?” Pearce said on Sky Sports.

“On Saturday (against Chelsea) it showed to me that maybe they are a vastly improving defensive outfit as well. So the playing fields have been evened a little bit. 

“But I’ll still go with United because of Mourinho.”

Lukaku in the dock

10.40: Romelu Lukaku is due in court in Los Angeles later today after his arrest for a noise complaint in the summer.

Lukaku, 24 was cited for a for a misdemeanour after five verbal warnings at a Beverley Hills home where he was staying.

He was arrested at around 8pm on July 2, while on holiday in LA before his £75m transfer to Manchester United.

Days after the incident, he shared on Instagram a picture of himself in an apartment in the American city with Manchester United star Paul Pogba.

It is not known if Lukaku plans to appear in person at Los Angeles Airport Courthouse and staff said he can send a lawyer in his absence.

The Belgium star has been in sensational form since the start of the season, scoring again in the 4-0 win over Crystal Palace.

Lukaku has seven Premier League goals in as many games and three in two in the Champions League since moving to Old Trafford.

United are level on points with league leaders Manchester City but trail by one goal after seven games.

He is expected to team up with the Belgium side for the World Cup qualifiers against Bosnia and Cyprus - making his appearance in LA today unlikely.

Villa want Johnstone

Steve Bruce wants to sign Sam Johnstone on a permanent deal.

The Manchester United keeper is on loan at Villa and has impressed Bruce.

“It would be great to keep him here for the next few years as Villa’s No.1," he said.

“I will need to ask the question. The ideal move for us would be to buy him in January. You’ve seen it, a young goalkeeper coming in and getting better with every game he plays.

“The difference in him since he’s started in January to now is light years. He’s confident, playing every week and he’s playing real football.”

Mourinho not missing Pogba

05:00: Jose Mourinho insists Manchester United are not missing Paul Pogba.

Pogba has been out of action since hobbling off in the Champions League clash against Basel last month.

And it has recently been reported that the France international could face a further six weeks on the sidelines with his hamstring injury.

But Mourinho insists he never worries about the players on the injury table, only the ones he is able to select.

"We never miss the players that are injured," Mourinho said.

"That is our way of thinking. They are injured, we don't think about them.

Rashford special praise

04:00: Juan Mata believes Marcus Rashford has the temperament and ability to reach the very pinnacle of world football at Manchester United.

Rashford was a constant menace at the weekend against Crystal Palace and topped his performance off with two assists.

He now has five goals and four assists for the season in all competitions so far and has seen his minutes increase from last season when he was used as more of a back-up to Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

And United team-mate Mata has been blown away by Rashford’s temperament at such a young age, and expects him to continue his rapid development.

“I think he’s been brilliant,” said Mata.

“I think he’s a special kid. I think he has a lot of talents and he’s got a good mentality, which is important at that age. 

Martial and Rashford key to title hopes

03:00: Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford’s strong start to the season has Manchester United legend Bryan Robson confident his former club can sustain their challenge for the title.

Mourinho has led United to second in the table going into the international break and both Martial and Rashford have played a key role to their success so far.

And Robson believes the duo’s performances this year will determine whether United can return to the top of English football.

"The squad looks solid," Robson told Sky Sports. "It's a good, confident start to the season.

"The one thing I felt at the start of the season was that if Rashford and Martial could start the season with a bit of confidence and improve from last year but score more goals, United have a real chance of winning the title and they can be there and thereabouts.