GM football fans. It’s Tuesday, Jan. 13 - Michael Carrick is the front-runner to take over as interim head coach at Manchester United, an update on Barcelona’s Negreira legal case, and everything else you need to know. Forwarded this email? Sign up here.
KEY FIXTURE
English League Cup, semi-final first-leg (Jan 13): Newcastle United vs. Manchester City, 20:00 GMT / 15:00 ET. Newcastle have an impressive recent record against Man City, winning two, drawing one, and losing one of their last four home meetings with the Citizens, while the Magpies have also defeated Man City in both of their last two EFL Cup encounters. However, Pep Guardiola’s side are unbeaten in their last 12 games with nine wins and three draws. Chelsea vs. Arsenal will be played on Wednesday (Jan 14).
Results…
TOP TALKING POINTS
Carrick Leads United Role
Former Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick is the leading candidate to take over as the club’s head coach until the end of the season. While sources say no decision has been made, United’s hierarchy is hoping to have an appointment in place before players return to training on Wednesday.
Carrick made 464 appearances for United and previously had a three-game stint as interim head coach following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s dismissal in 2021, winning two matches and drawing one. Dive deeper into what Carrick will offer United tactically here.
The 43-year-old was dismissed by Middlesbrough in June after two and a half years in charge. He guided the club to the Championship play-offs in 2022–23, but narrowly missed the top six in his final two campaigns. Across his time at Middlesbrough, Carrick won 65 of 139 matches (46.3% win percentage), with 25 draws and 49 defeats.
Dive deeper into the records of the last 10 managers at Manchester United here.
Women’s Football Targetted
North Korea is heavily investing in women’s football, alongside weightlifting and table tennis, according to the Wall Street Journal. The regime believes other nations won’t “subject pre-teen girls to arduous training” and therefore views women’s football as a route to disproportionate sporting success and “propaganda victories”. Leader Kim Jong Un has increasingly used sport to project resilience against international sanctions and foster nationalism.
North Korea’s girls’ teams have been particularly successful. They’ve won the Fifa Under-17 Women’s World Cup a record four times and are the reigning champions for women’s Under-20. The players and families involved in successful football campaigns are awarded perks from the regime, including extra rations, apartments in the country’s most modernised city, and a meeting with Kim Jong Un.
Success at the youth level, which hasn’t been replicated in adult competitions, is continuing despite nearly half of the country being undernourished, according to the UN. However, North Korea’s young stars can’t move to foreign leagues because paying their wages would violate sanctions.
Read more about North Korea’s women’s football history here.
Barcelona Legal Case
The Negreira case could move into a criminal trial in the coming months, opening the possibility that former Barcelona officials could face jail sentences. The case relates to payments of €8.4m (£7.2m; $9.7m) made by FC Barcelona to a former Spanish referee committee vice-president Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira between 2001 and 2018.
Barcelona maintain there was nothing improper about the payments, saying they were consultancy fees for reports “related to professional refereeing.” While the club argues the reports were used by coaches in match preparation, former Barcelona managers Luis Enrique and Ernesto Valverde testified in December that they were unaware such reports existed. Judge Aguirre Lopez wrote in September 2023 that “It is presumed by pure logic that FC Barcelona would not pay Negreira around €7m since 2001 if it did not benefit them.” Dive deeper into the payments and history of the case here (w/ video).
The case is now moving out of Spain’s instruction phase, the formal evidence-gathering stage, and is set to conclude on March 1. The judge will then have 10 days to decide whether the case proceeds to trial. Legal sources told The Athletic that the full process could still take years to resolve.
POLL
Would you rather your team score a dramatic last-minute winner or control the game from start to finish?
ON THE BALL
Europe
> Xabi Alonso has left his position as Real Madrid manager after just eight months in charge, with his former Liverpool team-mate Alvaro Arbeloa taking over (More) | Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone has apologised for his touchline row with Vinícius Junior during last week's Supercopa semi-final (More)
> Tottenham look to have beaten Aston Villa to the signing of Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid after agreeing a transfer fee of up to €40m (£34.6m) (More)
> Former French footballer, coach, and media commentator Rolland Courbis has died aged 72 (More)
> A fan who left his own player with a “severe injury” after throwing part of a seat during a Scottish Premiership match has been jailed for 18 months (More)
Americas
> U.S. Women’s national team captain Lindsey Heaps returns to the NWSL as she signed with expansion side Denver Summit FC through 2029 (More)
> West Ham’s Lucas Paqueta has reached an agreement with Brazilian club Flamengo on personal terms; talks continue with the clubs (More); West Ham are reluctant to sell (More)
Rest of the World
> Al Hilal extend their Saudi Pro League lead with a 3-1 win over second-place Al Nassr (Table); Cristiano Ronaldo scored for Al Nassr, taking his career goal total to 959 (More)
> Fifa signs a four-year deal with the betting industry that will let some gambling operators livestream World Cup games this year (More)
> Qatar is in talks with Fifa about staging the inaugural Women’s Club World Cup, which could cause disruptions to domestic seasons in 2027-28 (More)
ROUTERS’ VOICE
Yesterday’s Poll: Does the FA Cup still interest you?
🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 👍 Yes (84%)
🟨 🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ 🙅♂️ Nope (14%)
🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ✍️ Other (2%)
Your punditry takes:
👍 D.J: “One of the best tournaments because it gives any team from any league the opportunity to not only raise their profile nationally, but also win much-needed funds to help develop their game.”
👍 T.H: “Where else can you watch a team with players who earn just enough to buy a couple of pints kick over a team stacked with millionaires who play in what is purported to be the top league in the world? What great fun!”
👍 J.L: “Yes! Especially when an EPL team visits a much lower-tier team, and you see the community, houses, even trains through the grounds… I love cheering for the underdog. And know that even if they don’t pull off the miracle against the powerhouse team, that this one match is still a win as it shores them up financially for years.”
🙅♂️ J.C: “I’m Scottish.”
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EXTRA TIME
Every transfer from Europe’s top five leagues.
Are fans being turned off by multi-club ownership models?
The best stats from the weekend fixtures.
Meet Arsenal’s new throw-in coach.
Macclesfield player returns to school where he teaches.
Why St. Pauli banned one of their own songs.
Palmeiras unveils new home and away kits.
GAME FACE ON
Question: Which six Argentinian players have scored 20 or more Premier League goals?
Scroll below for the answer.
Daily Wordle: Guess the football-related word, from player names to classic phrases, in six tries or fewer. Play it here.
You see who's making the decisions at Manchester United... you still have [Alex] Ferguson and David Gill [former chief executive] hanging on like a bad smell.
Answer
Sergio Aguero (184), Carlos Tevez (84), Manuel Lanzini (27), Alexis Mac Allister (26), Julian Alvarez (20), and Hernan Crespo (20).
