Ten Hag Urges United to Be More Clinical After Narrow Luton Win 

Manchester United's head coach Erik ten Hag leaves the field at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Luton Town and Manchester United at Kenilworth Road, in Luton, England, Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (AP)
Manchester United's head coach Erik ten Hag leaves the field at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Luton Town and Manchester United at Kenilworth Road, in Luton, England, Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (AP)
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Ten Hag Urges United to Be More Clinical After Narrow Luton Win 

Manchester United's head coach Erik ten Hag leaves the field at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Luton Town and Manchester United at Kenilworth Road, in Luton, England, Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (AP)
Manchester United's head coach Erik ten Hag leaves the field at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Luton Town and Manchester United at Kenilworth Road, in Luton, England, Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (AP)

Manchester United must become more clinical in front of goal and put teams to the sword, manager Erik ten Hag said after his side squandered a host of chances in Sunday's 2-1 Premier League win at Luton Town.

United, who are sixth, have won their last four league games but three of those wins have been by one-goal margins.

Two early goals from striker Rasmus Hojlund put United in the driver's seat on Sunday but after Carlton Morris halved the deficit in the 14th minute at Kenilworth Road Ten Hag's side were unable to restore their two-goal cushion.

The Dutchman told reporters United had been "fragile" at times after failing to kill the game off.

"We missed some really massive chances and we should have scored and we know that," he added.

"On the other hand, Luton Town have lost games this season, but only two times by more than two, so it is not easy here.

"The way we started was perfect and that's the way we want to do it, it was a perfect game plan but the only thing we didn't do is be more clinical in front of goal.

"We must score more goals because today we could have easily scored five goals."

United next host Fulham on Sunday before travelling to Nottingham Forest for a fifth-round FA Cup tie.



‘Flooding Rains’ Threaten to Dampen Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony

Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)
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‘Flooding Rains’ Threaten to Dampen Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony

Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)

The Paris Olympics look likely to get off to a soggy start.

Meteo-France, the French weather service, is predicting “flooding rains” Friday evening when the opening ceremony is set to unroll along the Seine River. But the show is set to go on as planned, starting at 1:30 p.m. EDT/7:30 p.m. CEST and should last more than three hours.

Already in the late afternoon, skies were gray with intermittent drizzle. There was a silver lining, though, with temperatures expected to stay relatively warm throughout the evening.

Instead of a traditional march into a stadium, about 6,800 athletes will parade on more than 90 boats on the Seine River for 6 kilometers (3.7 miles). Though 10,700 athletes are expected to compete at these Olympics, hundreds of soccer players are based outside Paris, surfers are in Tahiti and many have yet to arrive for their events in the second week, organizers said Thursday.

Hundreds of thousands of people, including 320,000 paying and invited ticket-holders, are expected to line the Seine’s banks as athletes are paraded along the river on boats.