It has been a busy week for Manchester United on and off the pitch, and things are showing few signs of slowing down.
United played the first leg of their Europa League play-off round on Thursday, claiming a 2-2 draw in Barcelona. It could have been even better for Erik ten Hag's side, who were left frustrated after a controversial refereeing call and a Raphinha equaliser combined to deny them victory.
Off the field, meanwhile, the deadline for takeover bids is approaching and things are hotting up. Here are the latest lines from around Old Trafford after an eventful 24 hours.
Rashford fumes at referee's call
Man Utd star Marcus Rashford couldn't understand why he was denied a potentially decisive free-kick in Man Utd's draw in Barcelona. The England star had already scored one goal and helped create another when he went down under the challenge of Jules Kounde.
France international defender Kounde was the last man, and could have found himself in deep trouble had he been ruled to have fouled his opponent. Instead, though, referee Maurizio Mariani allowed play to continue and VAR did not punish the Barca man.
Rashford said the draw felt like a loss after United's performance, and made particular reference to that one refereeing decision. “It is a massive moment in the game and in the moment I did not understand why the assistant or the referee thinks I’m going down there," he said.
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"I touched it past him and I am going through and he clips my leg. It is clear contact. It was 100 percent a foul, even if it was outside the box.”
Talks over Saudi takeover bid
Private groups from Saudi Arabia are expected to join the bidding process for Manchester United at the eleventh hour. While a deadline of February 17 has been set, earlier reports suggested current owners the Glazer family could allow potential serious candidates more time if required.
Ineos chief Jim Ratcliffe was the first individual to publicly express an interest in a takeover bid, though parties from Qatar and the United States are also said to be in contention. Now, though, The Telegraph reports that Saudi groups have made formal enquiries.
Meanwhile, questions have been asked regarding a potential Qatari bid. Peter Frankental, Amnesty International's UK economic affairs director, told PA last week any Qatari buyout would be a “continuation of (Qatar’s) state-backed sportswashing project”.
Ten Hag slams game-changing call
Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag shared Marcus Rashford's frustration at the refereeing at Camp Nou on Thursday. The former Ajax boss delivered a clear assessment of what he felt about a call which could end up being the difference between his team going through and suffering an early elimination.
“The referee had a big influence on this game,” Ten Hag told BT Sport. “It was a clear foul on Rashy. If it is outside the box, then it is a red card. He is one-on-one with the goalkeeper. It is a big influence not only on this game but this round.
"We dictated the game," he added. "Apart from 15 minutes in the first half, we dictated the game and outplayed them. We created so many chances."
