RUBEN AMORIM FIRES UNUSUAL WARNING TO LENY YORO

The Man Utd boss also had some choice words for returning striker Matheus Cunha.

Leny Yoro had a day to forget against Crystal Palace. / James Gill/Danehouse/Getty Images

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim warned Leny Yoro that his visible devastation towards his performance against Crystal Palace last time out cannot be allowed to happen again.

The Red Devils endured a nightmare first half against Palace. While the entire team underperformed, Yoro attracted significant criticism after giving away the penalty from which Jean-Philippe Mateta put the Eagles ahead.

Yoro was replaced in the 54th minute, just seconds before United began their two-goal comeback, and looked incredibly upset as he arrived at the bench. Even after the game, when United were applauding their travelling fans, an evidently emotional Yoro had to be comforted by Mason Mount.

As he thanked Mount for his show of support, Amorim admitted: “I also spoke with [Yoro] because he thinks too much. He makes a mistake in the game and then he struggles because he’s too young and he wants to do everything so well. He’s growing with games and with setbacks; it’s not easy for him as a young guy.

“He cannot give that [reaction] to the people, the way he came to the bench. He understands that, but he was really frustrated. It shows he cares. He knows it wasn’t his best game, but he did some things well and I showed him that. He’s fit and ready for the next challenge.”

Amorim: Pressure Also Weighing on Matheus Cunha

Matheus Cunha is nearing a return from a head injury. / Alex Pantling/Getty Images

United’s manager has taken a particularly harsh approach to man management in recent weeks. Left back Patrick Dorgu was brutally challenged over his perceived anxiety on the ball before being dropped for the Palace game, and Amorim also had some stern words for the returning Matheus Cunha.

The Brazil international, a £62.5 million ($83.2 million) signing from Wolverhampton Wanderers during the summer, has netted just once in his first 11 appearances for United and will be hoping to add to that tally in his expected return from a head injury against West Ham United on Thursday.

“[Cunha] was struggling because he was not scoring and he was thinking too much about the numbers,” Amorim said. “The influence that he has in the team is so important for us, but I think Cunha has so much to grow defensively and offensively.

“I think he has more levels to go. He’s in a different club, different pressure. He coped with that really well, but he feels that he wants to score, he wants to assist.”

Amorim concluded: “I think he struggled with these two games out. He was struggling because he wants to play and he has fun playing the game and that is so important in our team—he wants the pressure, the challenge, so I think it was not a good thing for him to stop playing. He watched a lot of players playing well, especially in his position, so he is not happy.

“On Thursday maybe he will have the opportunity to come back and to score again or assist.”

- Tom Gott

JEAN-PHILIPPE MATETA NEEDED 25 STITCHES AFTER MILWALL KEEPER TACKLE IN CRYSTAL PALACE FA CUP WIN

Crystal Palace have confirmed that Jean-Philippe Mateta has been discharged from hospital after being stretchered off in their 3-1 FA Cup win over South London rivals Millwall on Saturday.

The French striker was brought down by Liam Roberts after six minutes, with Michael Oliver sending off the Lions keeper after watching VAR replays.

Mateta was down and required treatment for over 10 minutes. He was given oxygen before being carried off the Selhurst Park pitch.

Palace chairman Steve Parish slammed the tackle as one of the worst he had seen during half-time on BBC.

The Eagles wrote on their website: “We are very pleased to confirm that JP Mateta has this evening been discharged from St George’s Hospital where he received specialist treatment and 25 stitches to a severe laceration to his left ear. All scans were clear and JP is feeling well.

“He will now rest and recuperate over the following days where his progress will be monitored by our club doctor.

Thank you to the medical staff at both Selhurst Park and the hospital for their help and professionalism, and for all the wishes of support that JP and the club have received today.”

- Edmund Brack

OLYMPICS: FRANCE BEAT ARGENTINA IN HEATED MEN'S SOCCER QUARTERFINAL

Jean-Philippe Mateta's goal was enough for France to defeat Argentina in the Olympic men's soccer quarterfinals. ROMAIN PERROCHEAU/AFP via Getty Images

An early goal was enough for France to beat Argentina 1-0 in Bordeaux and reach the men's soccer semifinals at the Olympics on Friday, in a match where the Argentines were booed throughout by a hostile home crowd and fighting broke out between the players immediately after the final whistle.

There was shoving for a couple of minutes before the players were broken up. Some France players appeared to sprint down the tunnel moments later before coming back out a short time later to perform a lap of honor.

Jean-Philippe Mateta headed home in the fifth minute for coach Thierry Henry's team, which will face Egypt in the last four.

Mateta was celebrating with captain Alexandre Lacazette when they noticed the postmatch skirmish. Lacazette rushed back to help break it up, as did Henry and counterpart Javier Mascherano, who appeared to block one of his own staff members from joining in.

"I went to shake the opposing coach's hand and all of a sudden I saw a lot of things happening," Henry told reporters. "I don't like seeing this kind of thing. It wasn't necessary."

As France fans continued celebrating, stewards and a handful of riot police formed a ring around the pocket of Argentina fans inside the stadium.

Amid the skirmishes France midfielder Enzo Millot, who had earlier been substituted in stoppage time, was shown a red card that means he will miss the semifinal.

"We didn't want to lose a player [to suspension] but it was pointless, he wasn't even playing [at the final whistle]," Henry said. "I'm really not happy about that. We were all united, the only drawback is getting a red on the bench."

Although primarily an under-23 competition, the game was a rematch French fans have been waiting for since Argentina's dramatic penalty shootout win in the 2022 World Cup final. A racism scandal had heightened tensions ahead of the game after a video of Argentina players singing an offensive song about French players of African heritage as they celebrated their Copa América victory last month made the rounds.

Argentina's national anthem was met with a chorus of jeers and whistles, and home fans booed Argentina's players after the kickoff whenever they touched the ball.

It took France less than five minutes to ratchet up the atmosphere even further.

Mateta met Michael Olise's corner at the near post and sent his header past Argentina goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli to put the hosts in front.

Argentina recovered well from the early setback and should have gone into the half-time interval level. With the goal gaping, Giuliano Simeone somehow headed high over the bar after the ball dropped to him invitingly inside the 6-yard box.

Tensions briefly flared during first-half stoppage time when Mateta went to check on a teammate getting treatment inside Argentina's penalty area and was pushed away. Lacazette smoothed things over quickly and Rulli put an arm around him.

There was a loud cheer when Mascherano was shown a yellow card and, as the second half ticked on, the jubilant home goaded their opponents by singing "Ils sont où les Argentins?" (Where are the Argentines?)

They weren't on the scoresheet.

France held firm in the second half and thought they had a second goal when Olise found the net with a deflected strike in the 84th minute. Although that goal was ruled out after a VAR check for an earlier foul, France had enough to clinch the win.

France won their only Olympic title in 1984, the year they also won the European Championship.

Earlier in the day, Egypt defeated Paraguay 5-4 in a shootout to reach the last four. Ibrahim Adel converted the final penalty kick for Egypt after their goalkeeper, Hamza Alaa, saved from Marcelo Perez to seal the win after the teams had drawn 1-1 in regulation and failed to score in extra time.

Also on Friday, Spain eased past Japan 3-0 to set up a semifinal clash with Morocco, who thrashed the United States 4-0.

A Fermín López double and an Abel Ruiz effort in the 86th minute sealed the win for La Roja, who three years ago beat Japan in the semifinals at the delayed Tokyo Olympics.

Information from The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

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THE VAR REVIEW: HAVERTZ GOAL, JAMES PENALTY, ROMERO RED

Video Assistant Referee causes controversy every week in the Premier League, but how are decisions made, and are they correct?

After each weekend we take a look at the major incidents, to examine and explain the process both in terms of VAR protocol and the Laws of the Game.

In this week's VAR Review: Kai Havertz's disallowed goal for Arsenal at Aston Villa, and why Gabriel Jesus' penalty claim was so different to the VAR spot kick given to Crystal Palace against Liverpool. Plus, the rest of the big talking points.

Aston Villa 1-0 Arsenal

Possible goal: Havertz handball

What happened: Kai Havertz thought he had equalised in the 90th minute, firing home from close range after a battle with Matty Cash. As soon as the ball crossed the line, referee Jarred Gillett blew his whistle for handball against the Arsenal forward. The VAR, Michael Salisbury, checked to see if it was the correct decision (watch here.)

Kai Havertz and Arsenal's players complain to referee Jarred Gillett after the disallowed goal. Catherine Ivill/Getty IImagesl

VAR decision: No goal.