• Co-owner backs Ruben Amorim to stay for ‘long time’
• He admits not sacking Erik ten Hag in summer was error

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has launched a blistering attack on Manchester United players, stating some are “not good enough” and “overpaid”, referencing Casemiro, Antony, Jadon Sancho, Rasmus Højlund and André Onana when doing so.

In a series of interviews, Ratcliffe, the club’s co-owner, also said that Ruben Amorim would be the head coach for a “long time”, and admitted that not sacking Erik ten Hag last summer was an error.

• Europa League last-16 return with Sociedad is ‘massive’
• Backs compatriot Rasmus Højlund to end goal drought

Christian Eriksen has admitted that there is “massive pressure” on Manchester United to beat Real Sociedad on Thursday in order to keep alive their hopes of playing European football next season.

United enter the Europa League last-16 second leg at Old Trafford with the tie poised at 1-1 after last week’s game at the Anoeta Stadium. After Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal in the Premier League United are 14th on 34 points, 11 behind Aston Villa in seventh – the last place that may earn a Europa Conference place, depending on who wins the domestic cups. United are out of both.

• Arsenal 15 points behind Liverpool with game in hand
• ‘Today the frustration is that we haven’t won’

Mikel Arteta has refused to concede the title race is over, despite Arsenal languishing 15 points behind Liver­pool after a 1-1 draw at ­Manchester United on Sunday.

Arteta’s side have played 28 games, one fewer than Liverpool, but Arne Slot’s team need a maximum of only 16 points from their final nine matches to become champions. Arteta was asked if deep down he believes the Premier League title will again elude Arsenal.

• City manager says players judged on pitch performance
• ‘I’m not going to control what they do in their private life’

Pep Guardiola is not concerned about images that emerged this week showing Jack Grealish socialising, with Manchester City’s manager stating he judges players on how they train and play.

Grealish had two days off after last Saturday’s 3-1 FA Cup fifth round win over Plymouth. On Sunday he was pictured in a pub in east Manchester and then at two different places, both of which also served alcohol, in the north-east later that day. Guardiola was asked if he is at ease regarding these pictures of Grealish, who was City’s record signing when he joined the club from Aston Villa for £100m in August 2021.

• United manager talking about Arteta’s early Arsenal years
• Amorim: ‘We just need to survive on Sunday’

Ruben Amorim views Mikel Arteta’s rebuild of Arsenal as an inspiration but does not believe he will be granted the same time to reverse Manchester United’s fortunes.

United host Arsenal on Sunday having won once in their past four Premier League games. They are 14th on 33 points, while Arteta’s side are second on 54 and all but into the Champions League quarter-finals after a 7-1 first-leg win at PSV Eindhoven.