Former Manchester United legend Eric Cantona has launched a scathing attack on the club’s co-owner Jim Ratcliffe, accusing him and his leadership team of destroying the club. British billionaire Ratcliffe took over football operations at United in February 2024 after acquiring a minority stake. Since then, his tenure has been marked by controversy. He sacked manager Erik ten Hag and brought in Ruben Amorim Amorim, but the team continues to struggle, currently sitting 13th in the Premier League. Ratcliffe, a lifelong United supporter, has also faced backlash for raising ticket prices and cutting costs, which led to around 450 staff losing their jobs. At the same time, he unveiled plans to build a new 100,000-capacity stadium, which has sparked further criticism. Cantona, now a co-owner of FC United, spent five successful years at United under Sir Alex Ferguson, winning four Premier League titles and two FA Cups. He warned that moving away from Old Trafford would be a major mistake. “This team of directors, they try to destroy everything. They don’t respect anybody. They even want to change the stadium. The stadium is iconic,” he said.   “For me, Arsenal lost their soul when they left Highbury and I’m sure a lot of fans miss Highbury. I don’t think United can play in another stadium than Old Trafford.”

There was a major shake-up at the top of the Championship on Tuesday as Leeds United jumped from third to first place with a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough. Burnley slipped to second after a goalless draw with Derby County , while Sheffield United fell to third following a 1-0 home defeat against Millwall. With only five games remaining, the race for automatic promotion to the Premier League is heating up. Only the top two teams are guaranteed promotion, while the third promotion spot will be decided through play-offs involving the teams placed third to sixth. Leeds secured their vital win thanks to former Manchester United forward Daniel James, who struck just two minutes into the match at the Riverside Stadium. The Welsh international’s close-range finish marked his 12th goal of the Championship season.

England manager Thomas Tuchel has called on FIFA to reschedule the June international window, arguing that it prevents players from getting an extended break at the end of the season. “The June window is not ideal for anyone, especially the players,” Tuchel told British media on Tuesday. “It’s FIFA who can maybe align the calendar and find a gap where we put this window somewhere else to open the window for the better of the players.“I am not so concerned about the amount of games the players play. I am more concerned that they never have a real break of three to four weeks … That’s the problem. “ England captain Harry Kane acknowledged concerns over player welfare but said the situation could be managed with support from clubs and coaches. “There are arguments from the club’s point of view to generate more money. And there’s also a player welfare point where there’s only so much you can do without more injuries,” Kane said. “I don’t think the players listened to that much. “I love playing football, so I’m never going to complain about playing football. If you manage it well, with your coaches and your clubs, there’s ways of getting more rest in certain moments.”