Manchester United on Saturday beat Sheffield United 2-1 on an emotionally charged evening as the English Premier League giants said a “big goodbye” to club great Bobby Charlton, who died earlier in the day.
Charlton’s family announced that the England FIFA World Cup winner, who enjoyed a glittering career with the Red Devils, had “passed peacefully in the early hours of Saturday morning” at the age of 86.
Tributes poured in from across the soccer world, with former Manchester United player and England captain David Beckham praising Charlton as a “national hero.”
Photo: Reuters
Elsewhere, Manchester City beat Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 to return to the Premier League summit, and Arsenal came from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Chelsea.
Manchester United’s players paid a moving tribute to Charlton before kickoff against bottom club Sheffield United in the late game at Bramall Lane.
Red Devils captain Bruno Fernandes laid a wreath and a picture of the former attacking midfielder was displayed on a giant screen, while the fans chanted Charlton’s name during the match.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Manager Erik ten Hag praised the fans for their tribute.
“It was fantastic,” he told Sky Sports. “We have to pay our contribution, pay our big goodbye, remembering Bobby Charlton, because what he did was magnificent.”
“He was outstanding on the pitch and off it. We wanted to remember Sir Bobby and I think we did it in a decent way,” Ten Hag said.
The sluggish visitors went ahead against the run of play in the 28th minute when Scott McTominay controlled the ball on his chest and found the bottom corner, but the lead lasted just six minutes as Oli McBurnie scored from the penalty spot after McTominay handled James McAtee’s cross.
Ten Hag made three changes shortly after the hour mark, bringing on Anthony Martial, Alejandro Garnacho and Christian Eriksen in a desperate search for a winner.
However, it was defender Diogo Dalot who produced the moment of magic to win the game in the 77th minute with a fine strike from long range to lift the Red Devils to eighth on the table.
Earlier, City manager Pep Guardiola also expressed his condolences for Charlton’s death and called him “a big legend” after the champions held on to beat Brighton.
City’s win was their 21st consecutive victory at the Etihad Stadium in all competitions, setting a new record for a winning run at home by a Premier League club.
The treble winners, who had lost their previous two league games, took an early lead through Julian Alvarez before Erling Haaland doubled the lead — his ninth Premier League goal of the season.
It was a different story after the break. Ansu Fati pulled a goal back in the 73rd minute to heap the pressure on the home team, who held on despite the sending off of defender Manuel Akanji.
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