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The striker has been generating a huge amount of excitement in Italy for some time now and looks destined to achieve great things

There were still seven minutes remaining in AC Milan's Serie A clash with Fiorentina when Stefano Pioli decided to make a change up front. "Off goes Luka Jovic annnnnnnd…." the stadium announcer said, his voice rising along with the excitement inside the Giuseppe Meazza, "FOR THE FIRST TIME…. NUMBER 73… FRANCESCO CAMARDA!"

The crowd at San Siro erupted, the Curva Sud chanting his name while Camarda's mother burst into tears. As for her son, he simply puffed out his cheeks and smiled. It was, Camarda admitted afterwards, "something unique that I will never forget".

Nobody will, in fairness, because this was history in the making; Camarda made his first appearance for Milan at just 15 years and 260 days old – making him the youngest player Serie A has ever seen.

A combination of injury and suspension had forced Pioli's hand but nobody was in the least bit surprised that the Rossoneri coach had, in his desperation, turned to Camarda. He was being tipped for greatness even before he made his first appearance for the Primavera (Under-19s) earlier this season. Indeed, the feeling at San Siro has long been that Milan have already found their next great goalscorer…

Where it all began

Camarda was born in Milan and began playing organised football with Afforese, a small but famous club located in the north-west of the city.

Despite being just six when he joined, his incredible potential was immediately obvious to Piero Colangelo, who was responsible for the lowest age groups at the time.

"He was three years younger than some of the kids but he was doing the training exercises better than anyone," he told .

"Let me be clear: I don't want to take any credit. Everything Francesco has done is exclusively thanks to him. The first time I saw him, I was shocked: he already looked like a miniature footballer. So, his case is absolutely unique. I have never met boys with his qualities since.

"He scored loads of goals even with the older players; there was no way to stop him. He already had a powerful physique, he played forward or as a winger and was clearly superior to everyone: he was a hurricane, a pain for all his opponents."

Unsurprisingly, his exploits at Afforese attracted the attention of Milan, whom he joined in 2015.

AdvertisementThe big break

There was no containing Camarda at Milan either. The 'hurricane' laid waste to every defence that had the misfortune to be placed in his path, obliterating one record after another, reportedly averaging five goals a game as he progressed from one under-age team to another.

He struck 22 times in 25 appearances for Milan's Under-15 Italian champions, including the winner in the Scudetto final against Fiorentina.

By that stage, the hype surrounding Camarda was already building and he inevitably began to attract the attention of rival clubs, particularly as Milan were not in a position to tie him down to a long-term professional contract until he turned 16.

However, in one of his last moves before being ruthlessly sacked by Milan, Paolo Maldini went out of his way to assure Camarda and his family that his future would be best served by staying at San Siro, revealing that he would be added to the Primavera (Under-19s) squad for the 2023-24 season.

How it's going

On his UEFA Youth League debut, Camarda scored two goals and created another in a 4-0 rout of Newcastle. In his most recent outing, against Paris Saint-Germain on November 7, he helped Milan to a 3-2 win with a stunning scissors-kick.

So, when Pioli realised that he would be without both Rafael Leao and Noah Okafor for Saturday's game against Fiorentina due to injury, as well as the suspended Olivier Giroud, he decided to call up Camarda.

The youngster had already trained with the senior squad several times, even featuring in a pre-season friendly against Trento.

Consequently, Pioli had no doubts that Camarda was ready to make the step up.

"Talent has no age," the coach told reporters on the eve of the match at San Siro, "and Francesco undoubtedly has it."

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GettyBiggest strengths

Camarda is considered a complete No.9, an all-action, all-round attacker blessed with excellent technique who is strong in the air and boasts a fearsome strike. However, what really stands out is his character.

As Pioli has commented, Camarda is "very mature" for his age – which is why he had no qualms about throwing him at the deep end on Saturday.

He's also a fiercely competitive character. Famously, in a match against Bayern Munich in 2018, he was forced off with an ankle injury after 15 minutes only to ask his coach to be sent back on (which is allowed in the lower age groups) with 10 minutes remaining because Milan were trailing by two goals. Despite still being in serious pain, Camarada was directly involved in three goals, scoring two himself, as the Rossoneri came from behind to win.

It is that will to win, mixed with his obvious prodigious talent, that has got Camarda to this point in his professional career at such a ridiculously young age.

It's gotten ugly in the Six as the Italy international forward has had enough with Toronto FC's style of play

MLS is, and has been, a league of stars. It's just the way that things are designed due to the league's salary cap. On most teams, there will be a few players in a different tax bracket than their team-mates, and getting those players firing is often the difference between success and failure in this league.

Toronto FC are very much a team built on stars. They're the league's highest spenders, an ambitious club that has always created shockwaves by signing big names. Right now, though, they're the Eastern Conference bottom-feeders and one of their big-money stars let loose after another damning loss this weekend.

It was a tough week for Toronto FC, but a good one for a potential Supporters' Shield favorite in FC Cincinnati. Luciano Acosta and co. continue to cook, making statement after statement by squeaking out close wins.

Those two teams, Cincy and TFC, are clear winners and losers, respectively. Here's a look at the other big takeaways from a chaotic MLS weekend:

WINNER: FC Cincinnati

A bit of a rehash from our midweek picks but, after a Hell is Real derby win over the Columbus Crew, Cincy deserve it.

Last season, FC Cincinnati was good at turning losses into draws, and this season they're turning draws into wins. It happened again this weekend against the Crew when Roman Celentano made a heroic save in second-half stoppage time to seal the 3-2 win.

Luciano Acosta, perhaps the MVP frontrunner, was at his best in this one, scoring two of the goals. Acosta is a player that can win you games on his own, and there will be plenty of times he does just that this season.

That win is their eighth in eight at home, as the club has turned their home field into a legitimate fortress. That's always a good start for a Supporters' Shield winner, and Cincy certainly has all the makings of that based on what we've seen.

Superstar attackers, good goalkeeping and, perhaps soon, a shiny DP striker after the big-money sale of Brenner. That last part is what's most interesting: this team can still get better. It feels like they will, too, as they somehow haven't looked as good as they did for stretches last season, despite their stellar record so far.

Up next are a series of road games that will serve as a real test of their credentials. Survive that and the trophy talk can really begin.

AdvertisementGettyLOSER: Bob Bradley and Toronto FC

There are plenty of things to say about Toronto FC's disaster of a season, but star winger Federico Bernardeschi is the one that has said it best, so we'll let him take the lead here.

“Sincerely, this team, this city, the fans, everybody don't deserve this, and I think maybe we need to change something," the Italian said. "We need to [have] a little bit more tactics. We need an idea of how we play because this is the real problem for me. It's impossible to play like this when we play without [an] idea. This is the big problem for me.”

He continued: "We lose every game. We tie, we lose, we tie, we lose. Sometimes we win. But I can't believe this sincerely. This is no good for the young players. They need to get better, no? And grow up with an idea of football, and the players with personality, they need to help, help us to understand and follow the idea of football. But we need the idea of football. This is the real situation.”

Yikes! You never want to hear one of your star player questioning just about everything the club is doing, do you? Well, that's exactly what Bernardeschi did, taking aim after TFC's 1-0 loss to Austin FC.

It's an unflattering description of life under Bob Bradley, to say the least. Bradley is an American soccer legend, no doubt, but there's also no doubt about the fact that TFC have been very, very bad this season. They're last in the Eastern Conference, struggling with injuries, form and, apparently tactics. It's all a big mess.

Is the clock ticking on Bradley? It's hard to be sure. He'll likely be given a chance to turn things around. However, as Bernardeschi said, something has to change. We'll have to wait and see what that is.

Getty ImagesWINNER: Bradley Carnell

When just about everything imaginable goes to plan, you have to give credit to the one who made the plan. Bradley Carnell and St. Louis City SC beat the snot out of Sporting KC, kickstarting their new rivalry with a 4-0 win at CITYPARK. It was a one-sided beatdown, and a statement from MLS' newest team.

"Happy that the boys responded in a certain way that they took this almost personal," said Carnell. "They took it personal; what it means to St Louis and what it means to every individual who works for this club."

There are plenty that will earn praise from this one, including goalscorers Indiana Vassilev, Nicholas Gioacchini and Eduard Lowen, but we're using this section to give Carnell his flowers. The South African coach hasn't been perfect, but he's been pretty close to it when it comes to establishing an identity for this club.

He's tweaked his tactics, for sure, in recent weeks after some rough results, but his best work has been in getting players to buy into an overall idea of what this team is and could be. Just watch his postgame speech to get an idea of what Carnell has built so quickly:

After floundering a bit after their fantastic start, St. Louis find themselves third in the West. If Carnell can keep them there, it'll be one of the better expansion performances we've seen.

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Getty ImagesLOSER: LA Galaxy

The Galaxy simply can't stay out of these columns, can they? Another week, another capitulation and, somehow, this may have been the worst of them all. A close game, a catastrophic Jonathan Bond error and then, 10 minutes later, a 3-0 D.C. United lead from nothing. It was a totally preventable disaster, much like this LA Galaxy season.

This game, in many ways, was a summary of this season, one that started off the rails and has somehow gotten worse by the week. Even when they look good, which they did for large stretches of this one, they find a way to throw it all away in the most ridiculous way.

With no signings incoming due to their summer transfer ban, there isn't much to look forward to for the Galaxy, which is a sad state for a team that is arguably MLS' biggest.

A quick shoutout to D.C. United, though, as Wayne Rooney has them playing some pretty good soccer. They've gotten 14 points from their last seven, beating the teams they're supposed to beat along the way. And, unfortunately for the Galaxy, right now, they're a team that pretty much everyone else in the league will see as a team they're supposed to beat.

The Red Devils have made a splash this summer by signing Mason Mount, Andre Onana and Rasmus Hojlund – but is this their best ever window?

Have Manchester United won this summer's transfer window? They certainly have addressed every area of the squad which needed attention after landing Mason Mount and Andre Onana, with Rasmus Hojlund's move from Atalanta effectively a done deal.

For the second summer in a row, the club have chosen to generously back Erik ten Hag, giving the Dutch manager around £170 million ($216m) to spend after last year's club-record £211m ($268m) outlay. And unlike last year and previous summers, when the club have been scrambling to sign players on deadline day, they have got their business done nice and early, allowing them to properly prepare for the coming season.

Only time will tell whether the money has been well spent. But with the benefit of hindsight, GOAL has gone through the archives and come up with United's best ever transfer windows, taking cost, trophies won and longevity into account…

Getty 10Summer 2001 – Two marquee arrivals but one big departure

Despite winning three consecutive titles, United were not prepared to stand still. Having been on the verge of signing Ruud van Nistelrooy the previous summer until a knee injury wrecked the move, United completed a £19m (£24) move for the Dutch striker.

As if landing the prolific forward wasn't enough, they then made Juan Sebastian Veron their record signing for £28m ($35m). Where United went wrong that summer was to sell Jaap Stam – albeit for a tidy £16m ($20m) – and to replace him with the 35-year-old Laurent Blanc.

United lost the title the next season to Arsenal, painfully surrendering their crown after defeat by the Gunners at Old Trafford. But they reclaimed it the following season and Van Nistelrooy, who had also had a stunning first campaign, finished as top scorer with 25 goals. Veron was inconsistent but also played his part in winning back the title, scoring in the 2-0 win over Arsenal at Old Trafford.

The Argentine had an ultimately unsuccessful two years at United and was sold to Chelsea for £14m ($18m) in the summer of 2003 but Van Nistelrooy remains one of the club's greatest ever strikers, scoring 150 goals in his five seasons.

AdvertisementGetty9Summer 1996 – Squad planning for the future

United had hoped to sign Alan Shearer this summer but the England striker ultimately wanted to go back to boyhood club Newcastle, United's main rivals at the time. The Red Devils saved £15m ($19m) by missing out on Shearer and instead bought a number of relatively unknown foreign players.

Karel Poborsky was the most famous after scoring a stunning chip in Euro 1996, while Jordi Cruyff was best known for being the son of legendary player Johan. But the most successful signings were the two Norwegians, Ronny Johnsen and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who cost a combined £2.7m ($3.4m)

Johnsen was a defensive pillar for five seasons and was remarkably consistent, the perfect partner for Jaap Stam. And Solskjaer spent 11 years with United, scoring 126 goals, including perhaps the most important in the club's history, snatching victory over Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final to complete the treble.

Getty 8Summer 1995 – You can win things with kids (and Cantona)

At the time, it seemed like madness. United had just lost the league title to Blackburn and been beaten in the FA Cup final to Everton yet the club made no signings at all. And they decided to sell three senior players, Andrei Kanchelskis and Paul Ince.

The season got off to an awful start as a remarkably young and inexperienced side were beaten 3-1 by Aston Villa on the opening day, prompting Alan Hansen to infamously remarking "You'll win nothing with kids."

Ferguson, however, had a plan. He knew his wonderful generation of young players were just approaching maturity and that Eric Cantona would soon return from his long ban for kung-fu kicking a Crystal Palace fan.

The Frenchman announced his comeback with a penalty against Liverpool and duly inspired United to a league-and-FA Cup double, helped by David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and the Neville brothers, who had all just come of age.

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Getty 7Winter 2006 – Unknown but brilliant defensive additions

After a quiet summer transfer window in which they had signed Edwin van der Sar and Park Ji-sung, United went into the market again in the winter. They signed two relatively unknown defenders, Spartak Moscow's Nemanja Vidic and Monaco's Patrice Evra, for a combined £12m ($15m). Neither arrival stirred up any great excitement among fans and they did not get off to the finest of starts.

Evra's debut was the 3-1 defeat at Manchester City while Vidic played in the demoralising 3-0 defeat at Chelsea which saw the Blues clinch the title. But these first few months helped the players adapt to their new surroundings and when the new season began, they had already settled and they hit the ground running.

Vidic and Evra formed part of United's defence for the next eight years, winning practically every trophy imaginable (only the FA Cup evaded their grasp). Signing them up for so little was a fine piece of business.

Manchester United have continued to spend big in the transfer market, but is their squad good enough? Gary Neville has raised his “concern”.

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Red Devils have spent heavilyDid so again in summer windowStill struggling for consistencyWHAT HAPPENED?

The Red Devils have, for all of the complaints levelled against the Glazer family ownership, never been afraid of splashing the cash on new recruits. That was the case once again over the summer, with the likes of Andre Onana, Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund snapped up for a combined outlay of over £170 million ($211m).

Advertisement(C)GettyImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

United have stumbled out of the blocks under Erik ten Hag in 2023-24, taking six points from five Premier League games, and questions continue to be asked of the direction in which the club is heading on and off the pitch – with a long-running takeover saga dragging on behind the scenes.

WHAT THEY SAID

Former Red Devils defender Neville has told of the issues holding United back: “There is no Manchester United fan I know, that has got a brain, that is most angry with Erik ten Hag. What they want really is a change of ownership and they want stability and they want a group of players that are committed. And I don't think the players aren't committed. I just wonder how good they are. That is my concern.

“There are players there that can step up. But the amount of money Manchester United have spent on that squad, it should have been a lot better. They've signed Onana, Hojlund and Mount. Does that make them better than what they were? Hojlund has got promise, but I feel for him a little bit. He has been asked to carry the whole of the team in some ways. Let's see what happens but there are concerns, definitely, and concerns from the fans and concerns generally within the club. It doesn't look right at this moment in time and it needs to stabilise.”

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Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

United suffered a 3-1 defeat at home to Brighton in their last outing and need to pick themselves up for a heavyweight Champions League clash with Bundesliga title holders Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday.

How are the continent’s five Qatar-bound stars stacking up ahead of Friday’s draw?

Getty ImagesWorld Cup draw

Following the pulsating—if controversial—conclusion to Africa’s World Cup qualifying campaign, the identities of the continent’s five sides for Qatar are known.

On Friday evening, they’ll learn their opponents for the opening round of the 2022 when the World Cup group stage draw is conducted in Doha.

Ahead of the draw, here’s our Power Ranking of the five sides set to represent the continent at the global high table.

AdvertisementGetty Images5. Tunisia

Unimpressive at the recent Africa Cup of Nations—although they did eliminate Nigeria—Tunisia arguably had the most straightforward playoff draw after being pitted against a Mali side who had never before qualified for the World Cup.

The Carthage Eagles have extensive World Cup pedigree—they’ve qualified successfully for five of the last seven tournaments—but they’re yet to reach the knockout stages for the first time.

The likes of Wahbi Khazri and Youssef Msakni give them a cutting edge, although failure to score home or away against Mali (it was an own goal away that saw them through) isn’t particularly encouraging.

Backpage4. Ghana

The Black Stars are riding high after eliminating fierce regional rivals Nigeria in their playoff, in a triumph that has gone a long way to banishing the memory of their miserable Africa Cup of Nations campaign.

The transformation in the side has been sublime since that disastrous elimination by Comoros in Cameroon, and suddenly there’s optimism around the camp again.

Thomas Partey’s role in the midfield will give Ghana hope against any opposition, even if the likes of Mohammed Kudus, Kamaldeen Sulemana, Felix Afena-Gyan and Abdul Fatawu Issahaku are still at the early stages of their international career.

If the Black Stars can convince Tariq Lamptey and Callum Hudson-Odoi to sign up before Qatar, they could be a dark horse.

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Getty Images3. Cameroon

The decision to replace head coach Toni Conceicao with Rigobert Song looked to have cost Cameroon during the playoffs, with the Indomitable Lions having fallen at home to Algeria in the first leg.

They made amends with a stunning victory in Blida in the second leg—the first time the Fennecs have lost at the venue—with Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting winning the match in 90 minutes before Karl Toko Ekambi netted the late, late winner in extra time.

Of course, they have World Cup pedigree—no one has qualified more often—and they’ll be massively buoyed after eliminating both Algeria and the Ivory Coast during qualification.

Marcus Rashford features prominently on the list of potential replacements for Kylian Mbappe at Paris Saint-Germain, according to reports.

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Mbappe departure frees up significant fundsPSG see Rashford as similar style of playerForward long-admired by French championsGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The reports that PSG sporting director Luis Campos is a long-time admirer of the Manchester United forward and held talks with Rashford two years ago about the possibility of a move to the French capital. Budget restrictions prevented a move but Mbappe's forthcoming exit, confirmed earlier this week, frees up a large amount of PSG's budget despite losing their prized asset for free.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The Rashford link is a fascinating one and one that makes sense on a number of levels. From a tactical viewpoint the England man provides the same ability to attack from the right-hand side of a three-man frontline. From a profile perspective, while impossible to match the box office appeal of Mbappe, Rashford's arrival would provide some glamour and intrigue.

GettyDID YOU KNOW?

Rashford penned a new deal at Old Trafford last summer after a stellar season. Speculation about the player's future was seemingly ended by the extension that runs until 2028. An approach from PSG would trigger a major decision for new minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe who has taken charge of the club's recruitment strategy.

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WHAT NEXT FOR MARCUS RASHFORD?

While Paris and the Parc des Princes may be calling, it's the gritty surroundings of Kenilworth Road that is of more pressing concern for Rashford as United's recent mini-revival gets a test from a sparky Luton Town side on Sunday afternoon.

Inter director Beppe Marotta insists that Simone Inzaghi "wants to stay" at the club in a hands-off warning to any potential suitors.

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Inzaghi in line for new contractInter running away with Serie AHave lost just once in the leagueWHAT HAPPENED?

Inzaghi is enjoying a superb season at Inter, with the club top of Serie A, having lost just once. They sit 12 points clear of second-placed Juventus, and Inzaghi could subsequently be touted as a potential new manager for various clubs this summer; Barcelona and Liverpool are both set to undergo a managerial change with Xavi and Jurgen Klopp leaving, while Erik ten Hag is under intense pressure at Manchester United.

AdvertisementWHAT MAROTTA SAID

Marotta has confirmed plans to offer Inzaghi a new contract, telling : "The renewal of his contract? The fundamental thing is that Inzaghi enjoys the esteem of the club, the owners and the fans not only for what he has demonstrated, but also for his abilities, his behavior on and off the pitch and for the results obtained For our part, we want to continue with him.

"If we look at the rankings, the coaches of the top four all have contracts expiring in 2025 and we will address the issue of Inzaghi's renewal at the right time. Certainly, I repeat, Inzaghi enjoys our trust: He wants to stay with us, just as we want him to stay. The contract is a complement."

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Inter have been in utterly remarkable form and have conceded just 12 goals in 26 games. They are also on a run of four straight wins in which they have scored four goals in each game. It is little surprise, as a result, that the club want to keep Inzaghi.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

Inter play Genoa on Monday and then they face Bologna away from home the following matchday.

Karim Benzema missed a penalty as the Blancos were forced to settle for a draw, despite playing the final 12 minutes against ten men.

It was a night to forget for Real Madrid as they played out a 1-1 draw with Osasuna, bringing to an end their eight-match winning run across all competitions.

The Spanish champions remain unbeaten in La Liga but are now sitting in second spot behind arch-rivals Barcelona on goal difference.

They appeared to be on their way to the three points when Vinicius Junior opened the scoring, but Osasuna pulled level with a fantastic header from Kike Garcia.

Karim Benzema had the chance to seal the three points, but his penalty hit the bar in a moment that seemed to sum up his game.

Not for a lack of effort, the French striker did not impress on his return to the team and the Blancos were forced to settle for a point against an Osasuna side that saw Garcia sent off late on.

GettyThe Winners

Vinicius Junior:

The Brazilian winger was behind Real Madrid's most dangerous moments in the first half and gave the home side the lead out of nowhere when he sent the ball bouncing beyond the Osasuna goalkeeper shortly before the interval.

Kike Garcia:

The attacker's fabulous header left Andriy Lunin with no chance as he pulled his team level early in the second half. Might also have scored a second and caused the Madrid defence all kinds of problems with his physical presence.

Barcelona:

The Blaugrana moved into first with a narrow win at Mallorca on Sunday, and will now remain at the summit for at least a week after seeing the Blancos suffer a surprise setback on home soil.

AdvertisementGettyThe Losers

Dani Ceballos:

Was given a start in midfield alongside Toni Kroos and Aurelien Tchouameni but did not look up to scratch. He did little to influence the game and was taken off just eight minutes into the second half. It was just his second start of the season and it is hard to imagine he will get many more chances to convince Carlo Ancelotti to keep calling on him.

Karim Benzema:

Missed the penalty that would have won the game in the second half and hit the woodwork another time. It was just not his night as although he was involved in the build-up, he was off the pace and could not make the difference upon his return to the starting XI.

David Garcia:

Left his team in serious danger of going 2-1 down in the second half for a silly shove on Benzema in the box, resulting in him being shown a red card, though he was ultimately redeemed as the striker fluffed his lines.

GettyReal Madrid Ratings: Defence

Andriy Lunin (6/10):

The goalkeeper was called on to step in for the injured Thibaut Courtois and did a fine job for the first half but he was caught out when Kike Garcia headed in the equaliser.

Dani Carvajal (6/10):

Had a tough time on the right as Osasuna attacked down the wings and looked to get in behind him. He was eventually substituted and replaced by attacker Mariano Diaz.

Antonio Rudiger (7/10):

Got the job done and looked strong at the heart of the defence alongside David Alaba.

David Alaba (7/10):

Some good passing to help his team build attacks and he got forward a lot. Eventually moved to left-back after Ferland Mendy went off.

Ferland Mendy (6/10):

He does a lot of positive things and puts in the effort but was caught out once or twice when Osasuna cut inside and charged towards goal. Moved forward to help build attacks as Madrid preferred to target the left side.

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(C)Getty imagesMidfield

Toni Kroos (7/10):

Comfortable in possession as always and a calming presence in midfield but his set pieces were not up to par this time and one particularly bad one resulted in a dangerous counter attack for Osasuna.

Aurelien Tchouameni (6/10):

Was helpful defensively as his side had to deal with some dangerous attacks from the visitors but was taken off early in the second half.

Dani Ceballos (5/10):

Had little impact on the game before he was taken off eight minutes after the restart.

The Red Devils will be huge underdogs at Wembley, but they have the tools to end their neighbours' treble quest

"I am sure that these players will give everything to beat Manchester City next week. We count on you as well. With you on our back, I am sure we have a really good chance to take the cup back to Old Trafford."

Erik ten Hag fired up the Manchester United crowd with a spine-tingling speech on the Old Trafford turf after his side's last game of the Premier League season against Fulham on Sunday. The fans believe that the Dutchman can deliver a second trophy of the campaign in the FA Cup final, despite the fact United will be coming up against the best team in Europe.

Manchester City are bidding to become only the second side in English football history to win the treble, after United back in 1998-99. They will be overwhelming favourites at Wembley on June 3 and in their Champions League final clash against Inter seven days later, and rightly so. Pep Guardiola has built a winning machine, with world-class players in every position. Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Arsenal and United themselves have been among City's victims during their march towards this enviable position.

United were battered 6-3 at the Etihad Stadium back in October as Erling Haaland and Phil Foden both helped themselves to hat-tricks. City were superior to their arch-rivals that day, but it was a different story at Old Trafford in January.

Ten Hag's side proved they can mix it with City during a hard-fought 2-1 triumph, and they must follow a similar blueprint to upset the odds at Wembley next week. United have had a good season – but it will become a great one if they can spoil City's party.

Getty ImagesBully Haaland

City have achieved a new level of dominance on both domestic and European fronts this season thanks to Haaland, who has proven to be the bargain of the century since his £51 million switch from Borussia Dortmund.

The Norwegian robot has scored a staggering 52 goals in 51 games for City already this season and has six hat-tricks to his name, including his treble against United at the Etihad. If Haaland is given enough space, he will score, it's a simple as that.

One of the few men that has been able to keep the 22-year-old on a short leash is Luke Shaw, who was deployed as a makeshift centre-back when United played City at home. The Englishman produced a colossal performance alongside Raphael Varane as Ten Hag opted for four at the back, with Tyrell Malacia covering Shaw's usual position at left-back.

Haaland barely had a sniff of goal as Shaw hustled and harried him at every opportunity. The United defender even managed to beat the striker in a series of aerial battles as City pushed for an equaliser in the closing minutes of the game, despite being the far shorter man.

Thanks to Shaw's aggression, Haaland failed to register a single shot on target and only managed to touch the ball 19 times over the course of the 90 minutes. His performance in the heart of the backline came as a surprise to most onlookers, but not Ten Hag.

"It was a big decision but I think when you analyse the profile of Haaland and the combination with [Kevin] De Bruyne it was the right decision," said the United boss. "Luke has the physical power to compete with them and also has the tactical view to make the right decision and technical skills to play in that position."

Ten Hag would be wise to put Shaw on Haaland marking duties once again at Wembley. He's proved he can bully Haaland once already, and keeping him quiet again will be essential to their chances of victory.

AdvertisementGettyHave faith in Sancho

Jadon Sancho's second season at United has been equally as underwhelming as his first, there is no getting around that. Seven goals and three assists from 40 games is a poor return from a player who was once billed as the brightest young talent in Europe at Borussia Dortmund.

It has even been reported that United could cut their losses on Sancho this summer, amid links with Napoli sensation Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Paris Saint-Germain superstar Neymar. But the 23-year-old may just have saved his Old Trafford career over the last few weeks.

Sancho impressed in each of United's four successive wins to wrap up their Premier League campaign, capping his resurgence with a goal against Fulham on the final day. He is finally playing with a spring in his step again, and could have a huge influence on proceedings if selected to start against City.

"I think Jadon Sancho was one of the players who [has made good] progress in this season. I think it's a good base to build further on," Ten Hag said before the Fulham game. Sancho has certainly come a long way since being exiled from the United squad due to a lack of fitness over the festive period.

When playing to his maximum, Sancho can be a threat to any defence. He's quick, agile and intelligent on the ball, with a penchant for playing incisive passes. Sancho has even managed to win over Paul Scholes in recent weeks. The United legend has been one of the winger's fiercest critics, but he told last week: "I’m a little bit sorry the season has got to end for him, he’s looking fit, he’s looking trim, he’s looking quick and he’s looking confident."

As a former City academy graduate, Sancho is also perfectly placed to derail their treble ambitions. Saturday could be the moment that he finally announces himself as a proper United player.

GettyFollow Rooney's advice

One man who knows exactly what it takes to slay City is Wayne Rooney. United's all-time record goalscorer scored 11 derby goals during his illustrious career at the club, including a sensational overhead kick winner in February 2011.

Rooney, who is currently head coach of D.C. United in MLS, played in one of the Red Devils' greatest teams. He had a key role in their swashbuckling style, linking up with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Tevez and Dimitar Berbatov to help finish off sweeping attacks.

United enjoyed great success playing that way under Sir Alex Ferguson, but Rooney feels Ten Hag should follow the blueprint of a certain former Chelsea boss against City. He said in his latest column for "My strategy would be to go the other way and ask City to do something different.

"I’d try something similar to a tactic Jose Mourinho sometimes deployed in his first spell at Chelsea, where he would get the likes of Joe Cole, Arjen Robben and Damien Duff to take up half positions where they didn’t come all the way back and defend when Chelsea were out of possession, but instead cheat a bit and wait higher up the pitch in areas from which they could counter-attack as soon as Chelsea won the ball back.

"We always found it difficult to play against. United could do similar using Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial: defend with eight players and have those two waiting in counterattack positions."

Rooney also suggested a 4-4-2 formation, which might be an outdated option, especially given the fact United would have to rely on misfiring Burnley loanee Wout Weghorst for inspiration in the final third after another untimely injury blow for Martial. But he is onto something with his "cheat" advice.

Ten Hag's side enjoyed success against City playing in a similar manner at Old Trafford as they emerged with three points despite only having 29 percent of the ball. United have the weapons to hurt City if they can exercise patience out of possession once again.

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GettyGamble on Antony

United's most recent clash with City might have turned out differently were it not for Antony. The club's £85 million summer signing hasn't been as consistent as supporters might have hoped in his debut season, but he made a huge impact after replacing Martial at half-time against Guardiola's men.

Antony has that classic Brazilian bite in his game, and runs himself into the ground. His end product might be lacking more often than not, but United are a better team when he is on the pitch.

Which is why it was so worrying to see him stretchered off in tears during United's 4-1 win against Chelsea last week. The outlook certainly didn't look good after he went down under a challenge from Trevoh Chalobah. Ten Hag admitted the injury appeared to be a "serious" one immediately after the game, but was able to deliver a positive update on the 23-year-old at the weekend. Antony's campaign could still end with a final hurrah.

"We've all seen how he came off and didn't look great," Ten Hag told . "But the first assessment is not too bad and a good opportunity he is available for the cup final next week."

Even if Antony is not 100% fit by the end of the week, the United boss should take a gamble and start him at Wembley. If City come out of the blocks quickly, Ten Hag's troops will need to be disciplined and resolute to weather the storm. Antony has provided much-needed defensive support for Aaron Wan-Bissaka on the right flank this term, and his presence could be vital once again. He is also capable of making a decisive contribution at the other end of the pitch.

The only plus point from United's thrashing away at City was Antony's stunning 25-yard consolation goal, which showed just how devastating he can be when given room to let fly on his left foot. A moment of magic such as that might just be needed to separate the two sides on Saturday.

USMNT youngster Malik Tillman has admitted his future is out of his hands amid reports that he will leave Bayern Munich.

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Tillman says future not up to himUSMNT starlet on loan at PSVDutch club can buy from BayernWHAT HAPPENED?

Tillman is a graduate of Bayern's youth system and is currently on loan at Eredivisie side PSV Eindhoven. The midfielder has enjoyed a superb start to the season, scoring five goals and providing one assist in eight league matches. PSV reportedly have a purchase option of around $13 million (£12m) hat can be activated at the end of the season, meaning Tillman might not have much of a say when it comes to his future.

AdvertisementWHAT TILLMAN SAID

The 21-year-old told reporter Marco Timmer: "I don't know what happens after this season.That depends on PSV and Bayern.If PSV activates the purchase option, I don't think I have much to say about it.Then I play at a high level at PSV, I want to get better, and ultimately take a step up again."

TILLMAN HAPPY AT PSV

Indeed, Tillman made it clear that he is happy and settled in Eindhoven. "I have really enjoyed my time at PSV from day one. It was the right move for me after Rangers FC. The trainer, the team and the attacking style of play suit me. We also play in the Champions League and that was a very important condition for me. I have only positive feelings about PSV. I want to develop further in Eindhoven and who knows what will be possible next."

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THE BIGGER PICTURE

Tillman has certainly benefited from joining PSV, reflected by his continuing involvement with the USMNT. His performances have contributed to his side's 12-game-winning start to the Eredivisie season, and he looks to be in a good position to be included in Gregg Berhalter's squad for the Copa America next summer.