Lost in the drama of Manchester United’s second-half comeback at Everton and the late penalty controversy at Goodison Park was a running battle between Manuel Ugarte and James Tarkowski.
The Everton skipper was spotted confronting Ugarte at the end of the game, and some thought it was related to referee Andy Madley overturning his decision to point to the spot after Ashley Young went down under a joint challenge from Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire.
However, Confidential can reveal that the two players were at each other’s throats by half-time after Tarkowski sparked a war of words with the United midfielder.
When they came out for the second half, Tarkowski was still pointing at Ugarte and towards the tunnel as Bruno Fernandes got involved and Madley had a word with both United players.
When United came back from two goals down to level late in the game through Ugarte, he couldn’t resist having a dig back at Tarkowski who then tried to square up to him at the end of the game.
Fernandes, Diogo Dalot, Casemiro, Alejandro Garnacho and Leny Yoro immediately intervened to defend the Uruguay international, while United academy graduate James Garner stepped in to back Tarkowski, as coaching staff from both clubs tried to defuse the situation.
Even then, Tarkowski insisted on waiting for Ugarte by the tunnel until the United man motioned to him to carry on to the dressing-rooms and draw a line under their feud.
‘Tarkowski was giving Ugarte some s*** so he wasn’t going to pass up that opportunity when United came back to 2-2,’ a source tells Confidential.
There was a happier end to United’s last-ever visit to Goodison Park as Maguire was debating the penalty controversy with his England team-mate and Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford in the dressing-room area after the game, and Tarkowski shouted over: ‘H, you better get out of here now. You s*** yourself!’
Zirkzee’s on song
Last week, Confidential revealed that the United squad had organised a team-bonding night out, and the players were subsequently spotted going to Lane 7 bowling alley in Altrincham before having dinner at Brazilian restaurant Jardim Rodizio.
It’s understood the whole event was organised by captain Bruno Fernandes with a little help from United’s player support team. Fernandes booked transport and made arrangements for the squad to spend two hours playing darts, pool, table tennis and basketball in addition to the bowling before they headed for dinner at 7pm.
A number of new signings then had to perform an initiation song for their team-mates, including some from last summer who might have thought they had got away with it.
Yoro sang on the club’s US tour in July but Joshua Zirkzee, Ugarte,De Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui all had to do a turn last week as well as January signings Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven.
It would be wrong to judge but sources say that Zirkzee’s R&B performance was particularly impressive.
No recall for Rashy or Antony
Some fans have wondered whether Marcus Rashford and Antony could be brought back to United before the end of the season after impressing out on loan, but Confidential can confirm there is no chance of that happening.
Rashford looks like he has a point to prove at Aston Villa and being frozen out by Ruben Amorim since mid-December amid concerns over his attitude in training, and continued his revival with two assists in Saturday’s win over Chelsea.
Antony, meanwhile, scored in his first three games on loan at Real Betis and added an excellent assist in game No 5 at Getafe on Sunday before being shown a straight red card for a lunging tackle late in the game.
But sources have told us that there is no clause in either loan deal to recall Rashford or Antony, and even if there was it would be impossible because the savings on their wages have already been ‘baked in’ to United’s accounts as the club tries to stay within profit and sustainability rules.
Villa are paying a minimum of 70 per cent of Rashford’s £315,000-a-week salary, which could rise to 90 per cent based on his performances, and Betis are covering 84 per cent of Antony’s basic salary of £105,000-a-week and bonuses in Spain.
As much as United would welcome some extra firepower with Rasmus Hojlund on a run of 16 games without a goal, Amad Diallo ruled out for the rest of the season and teenager Chido Obi having to make his first appearances off the bench in the last two games at Tottenham and Everton, there simply isn’t room in the budget to recall Rashford or Antony even if it was an option.
Tickets on open sale
Tickets for three of United’s next four home games have gone on general sale amid the team’s dismal form and anger over rising prices.
All supporters can buy seats for matches against Ipswich, Fulham and Real Sociedad, while discounts for children and OAPs are also available for the three fixtures.
Visiting teams not taking their full allowance and ‘low uptake of contractual allocations’ are thought to be the main reasons behind the move.
It had been rare for United home tickets to be put on general sale until this season, with fans furious over Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s decision to hike prices to £66 for members and axe concessions.
The Arsenal game on March 9 is the only one of the upcoming four matches where the higher price applies.
D-Day for Chido
One of the biggest decisions this week is what to do with striker Chido Obi.
The 17-year-old Dane was handed around 20 minutes off the bench by Ruben Amorim on Saturday as United chased the game away to Everton. Obi showed flashes of his quality in a good battle up against Everton centre back Jarrad Branthwaite.
But his ascension to the first team, who play on Wednesday night in the Premier League at home to Ipswich Town and at home in the FA Cup against Fulham on Sunday, may well cut short his FA Youth Cup involvement.
Obi has been the star of the show for Adam Lawrence’s side in their cup run so far, scoring braces against Coventry City and Preston North End before adding a hat-trick in the 5-1 last-16 win over Chelsea.
He has already matched the seven goals scored by Alejandro Garnacho when United won the Youth Cup in 2022, but doubts are creeping in as to whether he will play any part against former club Arsenal on Friday night in the quarter-final.
Gabriele Biancheri can lead the line while James Scanlon has been in fine form during this Youth Cup run but sources close to the Under 18s concede the situation is ‘complicated’ heading into Friday.
Others around Carrington believe his Everton cameo may well have extinguished all hopes of playing an academy game between two crucial first-team games.
Bid for Busby medal
News has reached Confidential that Sir Matt Busby’s family are auctioning off the first medal he won as a player for Manchester City almost 96 years ago.
Although the former United manager, who passed away in 1994, is assured of legendary status at Old Trafford, Busby’s playing career was spent largely with City and Liverpool.
He joined City as a teenager in February 1928 but had to wait 18 months for his debut and won the Manchester Cup towards the end of his first season in 1929.
Busby’s family have put his gold winner’s medal up for auction at Ewbank’s on Wednesday with an estimate of between £8,000 and £12,000.
The nine-carat medal, presented in its original case, has a central enamel crest surrounded by the inscription Manchester Cup 1928-29 MCFA. The other side is engraved Manchester City FC, Winners, M Busby.
The family are also auctioning off Busby’s collection of 1950s, 60s, 70s and 80s United programmes, as well as items signed by Sir Matt and match dinner menus, with estimates for these collections ranging between £100 and £400.
Tom Duggan, sporting memorabilia specialist at Ewbank’s, said: ‘Sir Matt Busby was a one-off and the same can be said for this medal.
‘It’s a wonderful gesture by his family to finally allow such a piece – along with his match programme collection – to be shared with a wider audience.’
Live online bidding for the February 26 auction is available at www.ewbankauctions.co.uk.
JJ’s Under 18 debut edging closer
With so many moving parts across the age groups right now, driven by the number of youngsters oscillating in and out of the first-team set-up, one of the most eagerly-anticipated debuts is edging closer.
Confidential reported earlier in the season how much of an impression 14-year-old JJ Gabriel has left on United’s coaches, and it’s understood that Gabriel – who has been a star for the Under 16s so far this campaign and penned a lucrative contract with Nike in the past week – is edging closer to a debut with the Under 18s.
Gabriel has been a regular in training with the Under 18s and team-mates have told Confidential of how impressed they have been with his technical ability as well as his down-to-earth personality.
Louie Bradbury, another star for the Under 16s, has recently stepped up and held his own with the Under 18s and Gabriel is expected to be the next breakout star to show his immense talents, despite being four years younger than many of his opponents.
Harsh lesson for Ennis
It’s a difficult time for United youngsters out on loan right now – aside from Ethan Williams at Cheltenham who scored his first goal for the club at the weekend – and Ethan Ennis was the latest to be tested.
The 20-year-old forward came on as a second-half substitute for Doncaster Rovers away to Accrington Stanley but found himself taken off before the game came to an end.
Rovers were reduced to 10 men leading 2-1 when Patrick Kelly was shown a straight red card late on and boss Grant McCann decided Ennis would have to be sacrificed to allow him to put another defender on.
‘It was backs against the wall for a little bit towards the end and they were flinging balls in to the box, adding centre backs to the forward line,’ McCann said. ‘So it was just an ideal opportunity to get Woody on for the last couple of minutes.
‘It was harsh on Ethan, but he understands. He’s just come on, we go down to 10 men – an attacking player off and a defensive player on just to see the game out.’
One of the most important lessons out on loan in the EFL is that there are huge consequences to winning and losing unlike, for the most part, the developmental nature of academy football.
A tough break for Ennis to suffer the ignominy of being substituted on and off in the same half, but one he will no doubt bounce back from.
Chips are down but rating’s up
Part of the matchday routine for many fans is to grab some chips at United Cafe at the top of Sir Matt Busby Way before ambling down to Old Trafford.
The corner cafe does a roaring trade on matchdays and had continued to do so despite a period of being slapped with a zero star food hygiene rating by Trafford Council.
Well, an inspection last month, with details now published online, has seen the cafe up to one star with the inspector determining that ‘major improvement necessary’ when it comes to management of food safety.
Nonetheless, the cafe is a firm fan favourite and this latest hiccup is unlikely to deter many – starting Wednesday night against Ipswich.
Shah’s a rising star
As part of the academy teams’ reshuffle at the moment, one of the biggest beneficiaries was Jariyah Shah, who made his Under 18s debut since we last wrote this column.
Shah is an intriguing talent who is eligible internationally to represent England, Australia, Pakistan and Vietnam. He’s a versatile player that Under 18s boss Adam Lawrence turned to in the past week with Shah comfortable at right back or in midfield.
Shah made the move to United in 2023 as part of a triple deal from League Two Doncaster Rovers that also saw Zac Watson and Nathan Barbosa arrive.
The 16-year-old has been going about his business with the Under 16s alongside the likes of Gabriel and Kai Rooney and his promotion to the Under 18s is seen internally as the right time to test him as coaches push his development.
Suite dreams for lucky fan
Have you ever wanted to wake up, look out the window and see the Old Trafford pitch right there looking back at you, before chatting with Gary Neville over some breakfast?
Well, if that incredibly specific dream is yours then consider yourself in luck as United have teamed up with Marriott Bonvoy – and Neville – to make it happen.
As part of the competition United have transformed their ‘Suite of Dreams’ and turned it into ‘The Captain’s Suite’.
The suite-turned-hotel-room will host the winner and it is brimming with memorabilia celebrating Neville’s illustrious Manchester United career.
The winner, plus guest, will land tickets to April’s Manchester derby, a one-night stay in the suite, a sit-down with Neville to talk all things United, a tour of Old Trafford, as well as the club’s museum.
The closing date for entry is March 9 but for all the details on how you can enter, read more here: https://www.manutd.com/CaptainsSuite
Cup fever hits Carrington
Trophies are part of the fabric at Manchester United and while those may have dried up at first-team level in recent years, the desire to win them remains as strong as ever.
And this is a crucial week across a number of age groups with the first team looking to take another big step towards winning back-to-back FA Cup titles on Sunday against Fulham.
Before that, Travis Binnion and United’s Under 21s take on Sutton United in the National League Cup on Tuesday night, before Adam Lawrence and the Under 18s face Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in the quarter-finals of the FA Youth Cup in the pick of the round.
For United fans eager to track the cup competitions but not able to make it in person, fear not.
Tuesday night’s National League Cup quarter-final is live on MUTV, while Friday night’s mouthwatering clash in north London is available for free on the Emirates FA Cup YouTube channel.
Sunday’s first-team clash with Fulham is being shown live on BBC One.
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