Ten Hag Says Gap Between Man Utd and Man City ‘Not That Big’ 

Manager of Manchester United, Erik ten Hag (L) gestures as manager of Manchester City Josep Guardiola (R) looks on during the English Premier League match between Manchester City and Manchester United, in Manchester, Britain, 03 March 2024. (EPA)
Manager of Manchester United, Erik ten Hag (L) gestures as manager of Manchester City Josep Guardiola (R) looks on during the English Premier League match between Manchester City and Manchester United, in Manchester, Britain, 03 March 2024. (EPA)
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Ten Hag Says Gap Between Man Utd and Man City ‘Not That Big’ 

Manager of Manchester United, Erik ten Hag (L) gestures as manager of Manchester City Josep Guardiola (R) looks on during the English Premier League match between Manchester City and Manchester United, in Manchester, Britain, 03 March 2024. (EPA)
Manager of Manchester United, Erik ten Hag (L) gestures as manager of Manchester City Josep Guardiola (R) looks on during the English Premier League match between Manchester City and Manchester United, in Manchester, Britain, 03 March 2024. (EPA)

Manchester United fell 18 points behind Manchester City following their 3-1 defeat at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday but United manager Erik ten Hag said there was no gulf in class between the cross-town rivals.

Marcus Rashford's eighth-minute strike gave United the lead but two goals from Phil Foden and a late effort from Erling Haaland sealed the win for Pep Guardiola's side, who are a point behind leaders Liverpool.

United are set to finish below their rivals for an 11th consecutive season but when asked if the latest defeat was a reminder of the gap between the teams Ten Hag told reporters: "No I don't think so, absolutely not.

"We have many problems now in injuries and still we had an opportunity. By a very small margin. We could have scored the second goal. You see it (the gap) is not that big.

"When we have everyone on board, we can be really competitive and also we showed, for instance, in the FA Cup final against them when it can be really close. But don't forget this, City is, at the moment, the best team in the world."

United, who are sixth, next host Everton in the Premier League on Saturday.



Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony: Saudi Team Highlights Cultural Heritage

Saudi athletes wave their country’s flag during the opening parade. (Saudi Olympic Committee)
Saudi athletes wave their country’s flag during the opening parade. (Saudi Olympic Committee)
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Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony: Saudi Team Highlights Cultural Heritage

Saudi athletes wave their country’s flag during the opening parade. (Saudi Olympic Committee)
Saudi athletes wave their country’s flag during the opening parade. (Saudi Olympic Committee)

Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Chairman of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and his deputy, Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Abdulaziz, attended the opening ceremony of the 33rd Olympic Games in Paris.

Held outside the traditional stadiums for the first time in history, the ceremony featured a parade of the 206 participating countries on 100 boats traveling approximately 6 kilometers along the Seine River.

The Saudi show jumping team player, Ramzy Al-Duhami, and his colleague, the Saudi Taekwondo champion Dunya Aboutaleb, raised the Saudi flag at the opening of the world’s largest sporting event.

Al-Duhami expressed his pride in raising the Kingdom’s flag alongside his teammate, noting that it was a dream for any Saudi citizen. He wished success for the Saudi athletes in representing Saudi sports with distinction.

Aboutaleb, in turn, said he was honored to carry the Kingdom’s flag at the Olympic Games, stating: “I aspire to perform at a level that reflects the support and attention given to sports in the Kingdom.”

The Saudi athletes’ uniform was admired by the international media and the audience, who applauded the players the moment their boat appeared on the Seine River.

The designs for the opening ceremony were chosen through a national competition organized by the Saudi Arabian Olympic and Paralympic Committee, with the participation of designers from across the Kingdom.

Out of 128 competing designers, the chosen uniform by Saudi designer Alia Al-Salmi featured traditional men’s thobes and bishts and brightly patterned thobe al-nashal for women, symbolizing the athletes’ pride in their homeland and cultural roots.

Mashael Al-Ayed, 17, will be the first Saudi athlete to compete, taking to the pool for the 200 meters freestyle swimming event on July 28. Al-Ayed is the first female swimmer to represent Saudi Arabia at the Olympics.