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sports Diamars 4 Januari 2022

Man United labors to worrying first loss under Rangnick

(AP) — Ralf Rangnick is stitute Mason Greenwood
beginning to understand just before the hour.
just how big a job he has "I didn't feel when I was on
taken on at Manchester the pitch that we were all
United. there together," said United
left back Luke Shaw, who
His players are already be- complained of a lack of op-
coming dispirited, too. tions on the ball and aggres-
Rangnick fell to his first loss sion off it.
as United manager after Joao
Moutinho's 82nd-minute Shaw went on to paint a bleak
strike earned Wolverhamp- picture of life in a squad that
ton a 1-0 win in the English includes world-renowned
Premier League on Monday, players Cristiano Ronaldo,
and his team's first victory at Marcus Rashford and Bru-
Old Trafford since 1980. no Fernandes, the latter of
whom started on the bench.
Outplayed for much of the "You look at our team, the
game, United's players looked players we have, we have
like they would survive for a unbelievable quality," Shaw
point until Moutinho met a said. "Sometimes quality isn't
defensive headed clearance enough. We need to bring the
by controlling the ball at the intensity, be more aggressive,
edge of the area and driving and bring more motivation.
in a volley that rolled just in- "Maybe from the outside it
side the post. didn't look like we had any of ley. Wolves was the first team made his first clearance and a big ambition."
them three." from the top half to play he barely put a foot wrong.
This was the toughest test United stayed in seventh Rangnick's United and there Jones couldn't mark his re- Fernandes had been the play-
of Rangnick's opening six place, 22 points off leader was a gulf in class and team turn with a clean sheet, er to come on for Greenwood
matches in charge and Unit- Manchester City and four off shape. though, and it was his clear- and, within minutes, struck
ed at times couldn't get near the top four after the most United's new coach was sup- ance that was pounced on by the crossbar with United's
Wolves, whose passing and worrying display yet under posed to bring a better press- Moutinho for the goal, which best chance. Cristiano Ronal-
movement was sharper in its Rangnick. ing game to the team, but made him the oldest visiting do, making his 1,100th senior
first game in two weeks fol- that isn't apparent yet. player at 35 to score a winner career appearance, also had a
lowing COVID-19 issues "We didn't play well at all, in the Premier League at Old goal for United disallowed
in the squad. Wolves had 19 individually or collectively," "We didn't press at all," Rang- Trafford. for offside.
shots in total, with the 15 in said the German, adding: nick said. "We weren't able to
the first half the most by a "The game showed we still get in pressing situations ... Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa "We have time to refocus
visiting team at Old Trafford have a lot of work to do." this is the big issue." preserved his shutout with back," Shaw said, referring to
since the league's statistic Rangnick has had a benign A positive for United was a a diving save to his right to the gap to United's next game
supplier, Opta, began record- start on paper after arriv- first start in nearly two years keep out Bruno Fernandes' — at home to Aston Villa in
ing stats in 2003. ing as a replacement for the in all competitions for Phil free kick with one of the last the FA Cup next Monday.
fired Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Jones, a former England cen- acts of the game. "We've got a long training
There were murmurings of with three of his four previ- ter back who has struggled "We came here with a big week. And maybe the manag-
discontent from the home ous league opponents being with a longstanding right personality," Wolves manager er can bring some more ideas
fans, too, with some jeering the bottom three of Nor- knee injury. He was given Bruno Lage said. "Credit for that he wants on the pitch."
Rangnick's decision to sub- wich, Newcastle and Burn- a rousing ovation when he my team. We came here with

Shiffrin returns to World Cup after recovering from virus

(AP) — Mikaela Shif- Mike Day. lom and a slalom in Lienz
frin is set to return to the last week but remained in the
women's World Cup at a However, Shiffrin's Ameri- lead of the overall World Cup
slalom on Tuesday, eight can teammate, Nina O'Brien, standings, 93 points ahead
days after she announced is among a group of racers of Sofia Goggia. The Italian
she tested positive for missing Tuesday's race as the speed specialist, who has not
COVID-19 and was forced coronavirus is increasingly competed in slalom for five
out of two technical races affecting the women's circuit, years, is absent in Croatia.
in Austria last week. less than five weeks before
the Beijing Olympics. Petra Vlhova, who is Shiffrin's
Shiffrin had a negative test on main rival in slalom, won the
Monday afternoon before the The group sidelined for race in Austria last week and
American's name appeared Tuesday's race also includes increased her lead over the
on the official start list for the at least three Swiss skiers -- American in the discipline
race released by the Interna- Camille Rast, Aline Danioth standings to 120 points after
tional Ski Federation. and Mélanie Meillard -- as four of nine races.
"See you tomorrow, Zagreb," well as two Austrians, a Nor- Vlhova, who will open the
Shiffrin wrote on Instagram. wegian, and an Italian. slalom on Tuesday, has won
One of the Austrians, Franzis- the floodlit race in Zagreb for
Shiffrin, who has won the ka Gritsch, said in November the past two years.
event four times since 2013, it was her "personal decision"
will wear bib No. 7. The first not to get vaccinated against No spectators will be allowed
run starts at 12:30 p.m. local the coronavirus. She was not at the race on the outskirts of
time (1130 GMT); the sec- allowed to travel to the Nov. the Croatian capital, which
ond run at 4:05 p.m. (1505 27-28 tech races in Killing- usually is among the best-
GMT), and this course will ton, Vermont, for that reason. visited races on the women's
be set by Shiffrin's coach, Shiffrin missed a giant sla- calendar.