MANCHESTER UNITED played out a cagey goalless draw with Aston Villa – but Erik Ten Hag’s set up was miles ahead from the Spurs hammering.

But avoiding defeat to Bayern conquerors Villa has not necessarily saved Ten Hag’s job with United’s forward play still dire.

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Erik ten Hag is still in danger of losing his job[/caption]

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Marcus Rashford was among the forward players who failed to penetrate Villa[/caption]

In a way, Ten Hag deserves his short holiday over the international break after avoiding the Unai Emery-inspired pasting that many thought was coming his way.

But Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Joel Glazer are still set for showdown talks with club chiefs over Ten Hag’s future in London on Tuesday.

The Dutchman’s set-up left may have left United’s top brass and pundits applauding the defensive improvement, but the Red Devils still lacked a cutting edge going forward.

Hojlund solves pressing issue

Man Utd have somehow, for now, worked out their pressing conundrum – but Rasmus Hojlund must play.

Hojlund’s first Prem start this term saw the striker lead a one man press – and he has a better understanding of when to chase than Joshua Zirkzee.

The Red Devils were slaughtered for their poor 2 v 2 pressing up top against Spurs, where Rodrigo Bentancur had a field day.

But this time Bruno Fernandes dropped back into his normal No10 role, having previously been asked to press alongside the striker.

After playing a flat 4-4-2 press this season, Ten Hag switched things up with a 4-4-1-1 and it worked well as Fernandes was more disciplined.

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Kobbie Mainoo and surprise choice Christian Eriksen had a strong positional sense, and a tireless Alejandro Garnacho was more aware of his defensive role.

The new pressing set-up did well to shut down the Villa midfield and was unrecognisable from the system that allowed Spurs the freedom of Old Trafford the week before.

Selfish runners in attack

While there were defensive improvements, Man Utd’s forward stars continued to perform as individuals against Villa.

Hojlund, Fernandes, Garnacho and Marcus Rashford charged forward selfishly and failed to make runs that created space for their team-mates.

Despite working hard, Garnacho’s efforts to get forward were often misguided runs at the penalty spot, which narrowed the space at the front post.

The Argentine must make more back post runs, to force the opposing full-back to track him and get drawn away from the goal, this opening space in the box for other players to attack.

On one occasion, Rashford had the ball down the left wing, with five Villa defenders in front of him because his team-mates made selfish runs into a narrow space in the box.

United need more sacrificial off-the-ball movement. It seems maybe they just don’t trust each other and would prefer to try to get on the end of every chance themselves.

Onana steps up

Adopting more of a Pep Guardiola approach to playing out from the back, Andre Onana often stepped up into the back four.

When the ball was on the left hand side, Diogo Dalot moved into midfield, a centre back pulled wide and Onana went in as an extra centre-back.

It gave United an extra man higher up the pitch in an almost 11 vs 10 scenario, with Emiliano Martinez stuck between the Villa sticks.

This allowed United to play with more structure and confidence from the back, with Evans – who defended stoutly throughout – going on to win man of the match.

But fans need to see this on a more regular basis.

Brighton have managed to adopt two distinct styles under two new managers since Ten Hag’s 2022 appointment – while the Dutchman’s identity is preferred way of playing is still impossible to fathom.

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Onana’s footwork was one of the main reasons he was brought to Old Trafford[/caption]

VLADIMIR Putin’s army has suffered the deadliest month of fighting since the start of the Ukraine war with 1,270 troops killed each day, according to British intelligence.

Vlad’s meat grinder approach to the conflict has left his military severely weakened in recent months with the casualties at the highest they’ve ever been.

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Ukrainian forces walk past a decimated vehicle in the Kharkiv region where fighting has been ongoing for months[/caption]

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A destroyed Russian tank outside the Ukrainian-controlled Russian town of Sudzha in Kursk[/caption]

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Over 661,000 Russian soldiers have been eliminated since the war began back in February 2022, say Ukraine‘s Armed Forces.

With September being the worst month on record for Russia with the average casualty rate rising to 1,271 troops killed or badly injured per day.

September also marks the fifth consecutive month that Russian losses sat at an average of over 1,000 daily deaths, say the UK Ministry of Defence.

The previous bloodiest month was in May when the highest daily rate was 1,262 soldiers.

This year is also on course to be by far the most devastating year for Putin by the numbers.

Russia averaged between 172 and 559 casualties a day in 2022 with the peak rate hitting just 967 last year, say the MoD.

Analysts have blamed the steep rise in deaths on the conflict zones along the Ukrainian border increasing.

While also saying the Kremlin’s game-plan of sending as many troops as possible into active warzones to greatly outnumber Ukraine‘s military causing the rise.

Putin has often been accused of launching “meat wave” assaults where he sends men to attack Ukrainian positions in huge numbers.

The mad dictator’s military recruitment is notorious for sending untrained and inexperienced soldiers to their deaths as “cannon fodder”.

The UK Ministry of Defence released the damning statistics along with a statement reading: “The increase in the casualty rate since May 2024 is almost certainly due to the extension of the combat zone to include both Kharkiv and Kursk military operations, and increased intensity along the frontline.”

Kyiv’s brave forces pushed into villages across the Russian border back on August 6 – marking the first-ever invasion on Russian soil since World War Two.

The mini counter invasion targeted the Kursk region with daily fighting on both sides as Vlad scrambled to organise enough troops to both attack inside Ukraine and defend its own interests.

The capture of Kursk and several other Russian villages was a “slap in the face” for a moody Putin as his flailing war continues to stutter.

Deaths were already creeping up as the summer months meant the fighting intensified for both sides.

But Kursk reportedly caused the numbers to skyrocket with Ukrainians chasing down Putin’s troops as they forced their way into towns and seized back some land.

The surprise surge left Russia on the back foot with several strongholds easily taken away as Ukraine showed they will continue to fight hard.

Despite the Ukrainian gains, Russia has continued its dominance across the border over the past 14 months.

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Ukrainian servicemen firing at Russian targets in Ukraine[/caption]

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The site of a smoking Russian tank following a Ukrainian strike[/caption]

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Putin’s military recruitment is notorious for sending inexperienced soldiers to their deaths as cannon fodder[/caption]

Vlad has been making steady gains in eastern Ukraine even with his military constantly being targeted and taken out.

The despot leader is even said to be so desperate for more troops that he is willing to pay £16,000 to any men willing to be trained up.

Followed by £1,625 a month if they remain alive on the frontline.

If a fighter is killed, their family could qualify for up to £99,000 for their services.

Paranoid Putin has also begun recruiting murderers and rapists before they head to trial.

Putin has already signed a bill that enables offenders to dodge prosecution and criminal proceedings against them if they enlist to fight in Ukraine.

Some 20,000 criminals are expected to join the frontline out in Ukraine in the coming weeks alone.

One of the ways Ukraine has managed to successfully take out so many troops is through their advanced drone warfare.

Ukrainian troops have become masters in drone warfare since Putin first invaded with countless accurate strikes.

Since early 2023, the cheap, explosive, flying machines have become one of Kyiv’s biggest success stories on the battlefield.

Ukraine’s “Achilles” troops the front runners of specialised drone warfare units within the 92nd Separate Mechanized Brigade.

These troops have gained recognition for their expertise in using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in combat, particularly in repelling Russian assaults and destroying enemy equipment.

The battalion operates highly effective UAVs, such as the “Vampire” drones, which have been instrumental in targeting Russian positions and equipment, particularly in nighttime operations.

Putin has even been forced to mysteriously demolish one of his most beloved palaces amid claims the paranoid tyrant is scared of being targeted by drones.

Satellite images show how Putin’s pricey Bocharov Ruchey palace which overlooks the Black Sea in Sochi has been bulldozed with just a patch of empty land left behind.

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Ukrainian firefighters extinguish a fire at a factory following a Russian missile strike last week[/caption]

THIS is the horrific moment a one-year-old baby girl is slapped by a man on the streets of Barcelona.

Shocking footage shows the man screaming in the tourist’s faces, including the little girl as she waddles in front of her pushchair.

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X @Aliciaterrassa

X @Aliciaterrassa

X @Aliciaterrassa

The video shows the stranger wind his arm back before pretending to hit the toddler, stopping a mere few inches from her face.

The one-year-old’s dad protects her, using his arm as a shield between the thug and the child.

But it isn’t enough as the man takes another swing at the girl, making contact with her left cheek.

Her dad swoops up the crying baby out of panic before he and the baby’s mum hastily walk the other way.

The 31-year-old perpetrator allegedly assaulted two other people over the weekend before he was arrested by cops on Sunday, local media claims.

Another of his alleged victims is a 60-year-old man who suffered horrific cuts to his face and bruised all over his body.

The heinous attacker was able to be identified through video footage and eyewitness descriptions.

He is to appear in court on Tuesday.

The incident reportedly happened on a walkway on Montjuic hill, Barcelona, where popular tourist attraction like the Basilica de la Sagrada Familia are.

According to police, the little girl suffered minor injuries and didn’t require hospital treatment.

It comes as anti-tourist fury swept Spain this summer.

In July around 2,800 protesters took to Barcelona‘s streets and drenched holidaymakers using water guns in an anti-tourism demonstration.

Locals marched along a waterfront district of the city with their furious slogan “Enough! Let’s put limits on tourism”.

Protesters were proudly holding signs reading “Barcelona is not for sale” and “Tourists go home” as they walked the popular tourist spots of the city.

A motive for the moment is Barcelona’s current housing crisis that has reportedly seen home costs rise by 68per cent in the last decade.

Rents also rose by 18per cent in June from a year earlier in tourist cities like Barcelona and Madrid, according to Idealista.

Some locals blame the rising prices on tourists, sparking outrage and therefore encouraging protests.

Barcelona’s mayor, Juame Collboni, announced a plan in June to phase out short-term lets by 2028.

It’s been seen as a rather extreme and unexpected move by authorities.

But many still feel that locals are not prioritised in the city, with not enough being done to balance tourism with residents.

LOS Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick shared a clue regarding Bronny James’ future after his preseason debut on Sunday.

The 2024 second-round pick got to play alongside his father and NBA icon LeBron James in a historic moment.

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Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James and son and teammate Bronny smile before the preseason game against the Phoenix Suns on Sunday[/caption]

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The 20-year-old Bronny James reacts during the second half of the preseason game[/caption]

During the second quarter of the Lakers preseason game against the Phoenix Suns, the 39-year-old LeBron and his son Bronny James shared the court together.

It was the first time that a father-son duo had played alongside each other in NBA history.

Bronny missed a three-pointer and committed an offensive foul before being called for a traveling violation before Redick subbed him out for Gabe Vincent with less than eight minutes left in the quarter.

After the game, Redick revealed his happiness over Bronny and LeBron playing at the same time.

“I’m thrilled that I get to be a part of this. I really am,” the former NBA player and first-year head coach said, per Lakers Nation. “It’s cool as a basketball fan. I think it speaks to LeBron’s longevity, but also his competitive stamina that he’s able to still be doing this in Year 22.

“It speaks to the work that Bronny has put in to get to this point and really just the fatherly care and love, and certainly the motherly care from Savannah as well.”

However, Redick hinted about the fact that Bronny will likely play with his father in the regular season in the future, but it won’t happen any time soon.

“Bronny’s such a great kid and he’s a pleasure to be around. I was really hoping that wing three had gone in. That would have been a cool moment, but they’ll have a lot of moments together, I’m sure,” he added.

Redick has referred to the 6-foot-2 guard Bronny in the past as “test case No. 1” seemingly from a developmental perspective as the 20-year-old is a work-in-progress in numerous areas including his offensive game.

Unsurprisingly, LeBron was arguably the best player on the court, finishing with 19 points, five rebounds and four assists.

In 16 minutes of action, the four-time MVP recorded a plus-minus rating of plus-nine.

However, Bronny recorded two rebounds and four turnovers for a minutes-16 rating in 13 minutes.

His disappointing preseason so far comes after less-than-stellar Summer League showings.

It would be tough to place Bronny on the NBA team early on in the 2024-25 season – a year removed from playing his only season at USC after a cardiac arrest scare in an offseason workout with the team.

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LeBron and Bronny James look on during the preseason game[/caption]

He will likely head to the G-League instead of joining the NBA roster due to the team being filled with guards with NBA experience, Gabe Vincent and Max Christie among them.

Still, the four-time NBA champion LeBron can’t believe that he got to play alongside Bronny over the weekend.

Not real,” James said. “We’ll kind of get used to it, but it’s pretty cool.

“It’s pretty cool for the both of us, and especially for our family. It’s definitely a moment that I will never forget.”

Los Angeles has four more preseason games before their season-opener with the Minnesota Timberwolves on October 22.

TODAY’S Jeopardy! episode has left fans ‘astonished’ by a rare triple stumper that cost all three players a hefty amount of money during an ‘incredibly difficult’ game. 

Contestant Mark Fitzpatrick returned to continue his winning streak after beating out promising season 41 star, Ryan Manton, in a cutthroat trivia battle last Friday. 

Jeopardy!

Jeopardy!

The content manager from Connecticut garnered $30,401 on his dominant Jeopardy! debut last week.

In tonight’s game, Mark went up against Daniel Gately, a teacher from Tucson, Arizona and Amanda Prusila, a communications advisor from Ottawa, Ontario.

Amanda was off to a strong start after finding, and correctly guessing, the first Daily Double on the board under the Opera category. 

However, it was Mark who maintained the lead at the first break with $6,000. 

Amanda was in second place, securing $2,400 at the first quarter while Daniel was in the red at -$1,200. 

Under the category Spy Novels, Mark found the second Daily Double and made a risky wager as he had a nearly $10,000 lead. 

“Goldfinger tells James Bond he calls his chauffeur this “because that describes his functions on my staff,” host Ken Jennings read out. 

Mark correctly wrote “Who was Oddjob?” and added an additional $5,000 to his prize pot. 

Jeopardy!

Daniel found the third Daily Double under the Law category however, he missed it and dropped his total by another $800. 

Going into the last round, Mark had $23,400 while Daniel’s score was $4,200 and Amanda’s dropped to $600.

Host Ken revealed that the Final Jeopardy! category would be Brand Names as the three players made their wagers. 

“In 1886 this brand’s bookkeeper came up with its name and flowing script logo, saying, ‘the two C’s would look well in advertising,’” Ken read. 

“What is Coca-Cola?” was correct but despite being one of the most recognizable names in the world, all three players were wrong.

Amanda bet everything, leaving her with $0 to end the game while Daniel bet $0, leaving his final score at $4,200.

Mark dropped $3,400 after the wrong guess to win his second game with an additional $20,000. 

Fans expressed they were “astonished” that the Final Jeopardy! stumped all three players.

‘DUDE IS A POWERHOUSE!’

“Bit of a stunning triple miss on FJ – the only thing I can think of is eliminating Coca-Cola because it has 3 C’s, but that doesn’t hold up with the Coco Chanel guess. Either way, pretty dominant win for Mark,” one viewer wrote.

“I found this board incredibly difficult. Super niche categories. I am loving Mark! The dude is a powerhouse with a great personality,” another criticized. 

“I initially thought Coca-Cola but the clue threw me off because i thought the correct answer could only have 2 ‘C’s,’” a third said of the final round. 

Last week, fans were shocked when rising star Ryan’s winning streak came to an abrupt halt due to Mark’s victorious debut.

Viewers thought Ryan could pull off the rare move of winning five consecutive games on a single day of taping however, he fell just short after losing Friday’s episode by a significant margin.

Ryan’s advantage at the beginning was strong as Mark lost $2,400 on a true Daily Double where he went all-in with his bet.

Mark turned his luck around when he found the second Daily Double under the category U.S. Museums – this time getting it right and adding $3,000 to his prize pot.

With the help of his Daily Double bonuses, as well as making aggressive wagers throughout the game, Mark was in the lead heading into Final Jeopardy! with a score of $23,400.

Only Mark got the last question correct and ended the game with a one-day total of $30,401.

Shocking many fans, Ryan was far behind with $9,999 and ended his Jeopardy! run with four impressive games.

Jeopardy!

Jeopardy!

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