United Boss Ten Hag Concedes Liverpool Have Advantage of Mature Team

Soccer Football - Premier League - Brighton & Hove Albion v Manchester United - The American Express Community Stadium, Brighton, Britain - August 24, 2024 Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag reacts REUTERS/Tony O Brien/File photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Soccer Football - Premier League - Brighton & Hove Albion v Manchester United - The American Express Community Stadium, Brighton, Britain - August 24, 2024 Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag reacts REUTERS/Tony O Brien/File photo Purchase Licensing Rights
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United Boss Ten Hag Concedes Liverpool Have Advantage of Mature Team

Soccer Football - Premier League - Brighton & Hove Albion v Manchester United - The American Express Community Stadium, Brighton, Britain - August 24, 2024 Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag reacts REUTERS/Tony O Brien/File photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Soccer Football - Premier League - Brighton & Hove Albion v Manchester United - The American Express Community Stadium, Brighton, Britain - August 24, 2024 Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag reacts REUTERS/Tony O Brien/File photo Purchase Licensing Rights

Liverpool are a more mature side than Manchester United, with the advantage of a cohesive team of established players, United manager Erik ten Hag said ahead of Sunday's Premier League clash between the bitter rivals at Old Trafford.

"Liverpool are in a different phase of the life cycle," Ten Hag told reporters. "We are much more mixed and we have to build a new team."

United have not beaten Liverpool in the league since a 2-1 win at Old Trafford in August 2022 though Ten Hag's men did prevail 4-3 over former Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp's side to win the FA Cup last season, according to Reuters.

Liverpool finished third in the league last season, five places and 22 points ahead of United, but Ten Hag said his side could take heart from their performance in the cup final.

"We can always win, last year we won (in the FA cup) in the second part of the season," the Dutchman said.

"(Liverpool) are a team who are clear in the relationship among their players. It's what (new manager Arne Slot) has inherited. It was built over the last few years."

Slot and Ten Hag have faced each other in the past during their time working in the Dutch top flight, with little to chose between them on paper.

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Both managers have two wins apiece against each other in the Eridivisie, with Sunday's match at Old Trafford their first head-to-head meeting since March 2022.

Liverpool have made a solid start to the season under Slot, who became their first manager since Graeme Souness in 1991 to win his two opening league games in charge with Sunday's 2-0 victory over Brentford.

United, on the other hand, dropped their first points of the campaign when they were beaten 2-1 at Brighton & Hove Albion last Saturday.

"One of the reasons I came here is I knew beforehand it would be the most difficult thing I could ever do in my life, to come in (to) a club with a lot of problems," added Ten Hag, who took charge of United in April 2022.

"I inherited a history of six years and no trophy. We're still in transition. We have young players, academy players, and now we have to construct a team for the future."



Afghan Taekwondo Para-Athlete Makes History with First Medal for Refugee Paralympic Team 

Paris 2024 Paralympics - Taekwondo - Women K44 -47kg Repechage - Grand Palais, Paris, France - August 29, 2024 Zakia Khudadadi of Refugee Paralympic Team celebrates winning her fight against Nurcihan Ekinci of Türkiye. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Paralympics - Taekwondo - Women K44 -47kg Repechage - Grand Palais, Paris, France - August 29, 2024 Zakia Khudadadi of Refugee Paralympic Team celebrates winning her fight against Nurcihan Ekinci of Türkiye. (Reuters)
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Afghan Taekwondo Para-Athlete Makes History with First Medal for Refugee Paralympic Team 

Paris 2024 Paralympics - Taekwondo - Women K44 -47kg Repechage - Grand Palais, Paris, France - August 29, 2024 Zakia Khudadadi of Refugee Paralympic Team celebrates winning her fight against Nurcihan Ekinci of Türkiye. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Paralympics - Taekwondo - Women K44 -47kg Repechage - Grand Palais, Paris, France - August 29, 2024 Zakia Khudadadi of Refugee Paralympic Team celebrates winning her fight against Nurcihan Ekinci of Türkiye. (Reuters)

Zakia Khudadadi made history on Thursday at the Paris Paralympics by becoming the first athlete from the Refugee Paralympic Team to win a medal.

Khudadadi won bronze in the women's 47kg category after defeating Türkiye's Ekinci Nurcihan. When the final buzzer sounded at the Grand Palais in central Paris, Khudadadi erupted in joy, throwing her helmet and mouthpiece into the air.

“It was a surreal moment, my heart started racing when I realized I had won the bronze,” Khudadadi said, her voice shaking with emotion. “I went through so much to get here. This medal is for all the women of Afghanistan and all the refugees of the world. I hope that one day there will be peace in my country.”

Khudadadi, who was born without one forearm, began practicing taekwondo in secret at age 11 in a hidden gym in her hometown of Herat, in western Afghanistan.

Originally blocked from competing following the rise of the Taliban in 2021, she was later evacuated from Afghanistan and was allowed to compete at the Tokyo Olympics for her country following a plea from the international community.

After the competition, she settled in Paris and was later offered the opportunity to compete with the refugee team at the Paris 2024 Paralympics.

“This medal means everything to me, I will never forget that day,” Khudadadi said. “I won because of the great support I got from the crowd.”

The atmosphere in the Grand Palais was electric as the French crowd cheered her on as if she were one of their own. Since fleeing Afghanistan, Khudadadi has been training at INSEP, France’s national institute of sport, in Paris with her French coach Haby Niare, a former taekwondo world champion.

“Zakia has been magical. I don't know how else to put it,” Niare said, beaming with pride. “The training process has been challenging. She faced a lot of injuries and she had to learn a lot in a couple of years but she never lost sight of her goal."

Khudadadi received her medal from UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi and Andrew Parsons, the president of the International Paralympic Committee.

“For the Refugee Paralympic Team, it's super special, it's super important,” Parsons said. “Zakia just showed to the world how good she is. It's an incredible journey, it's something that we should all learn about.”