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Underperforming Pacers welcome struggling WizardsWhen Inter Miami were dumped out of Major League Soccer's playoffs in the first round, their former Spain international full-back Jordi Alba questioned the fairness of the post-season format. Miami had topped the Eastern Conference and the overall regular season standings with a record points tally a performance which earned them the 'Supporters' Shield'. But there would be no title battle against the best in the West for Lionel Messi and Company after they contrived to lose two matches in their best-of-three series against an Atlanta United team which finished ninth in the East and 20th in the overall standings. "I think this format is a bit unfair. It has been done for many years but I think it should be the champion of one conference against the champion of the other, to make it as fair as possible," Alba said. Alba's comments prompted much debate among MLS fans and plenty of accusations of sour grapes but they did serve to highlight that this year's playoffs, if not MLS's playoffs in general, would certainly not be a battle of the best versus best. Defending champions Columbus Crew, who finished second in the Supporters' Shield race, were also eliminated in the first round, adding to the sense that the knockout phase of the season is very much a competition of its own. So on Saturday, after the international break disrupted the flow of the post-season, the Conference semi-finals, will see a "Hudson River Derby" between two New York teams who couldn't finish in the top 10 in the regular season. New York City, Manchester City's sister club, have home-field advantage after finishing in 13th spot while the New York Red Bulls travel from New Jersey, having ended up in 16th place. The 'home field' isn't actually NYCFC's usual home of Yankee Stadium, which is being used for a college football game, but Citi Field, home of New York's other baseball club, the Mets. Later on Saturday, in the Western Conference, 2022 MLS Cup winners and last year's beaten finalists, Los Angeles FC, are at home to the Seattle Sounders. That fixture feels much more like the kind of playoff game that was expected -- LAFC finished top of the West while Seattle were fourth. LAFC faces the Sounders for the fourth time in an elimination match over the last 13 months, having defeated Seattle in the 2023 Western Conference semifinals, the 2024 Leagues Cup quarterfinal and the 2024 US Open Cup semifinal. Each of those matches was hosted by Seattle. LAFC, with former France stars in goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and striker Olivier Giroud, enter the encounter unbeaten in their last 10 meetings with the Sounders, with their last loss to Seattle coming in a 2-0 defeat in 2021. On Sunday, surprise package Atlanta, with their 40-year-old goalkeeper Brad Guzan having impressed so many with his heroics against Miami, will return to Florida to take on Orlando City, who finished fourth in the East. Atlanta won at Orlando on the last day of the regular campaign, a victory that allowed them to sneak into the wildcard round but which also completed a home and away double for the Georgia side. "Obviously, in Major League Soccer, anything can happen," said Orlando coach Oscar Pareja. "Our responsibility is to play one game at a time. This one, we're going to be ready for sure," he added. The weekend rounds off with Los Angeles Galaxy hosting Minnesota United who, under former Manchester United assistant coach Eric Ramsay, came through a best-of-three series against higher-ranked Real Salt Lake. The Galaxy start as favourites but, as this season has shown in abundance, that counts for little. "We know they are a top team at this level with top individual players who are very difficult to beat at home but...I feel that if we are a good version of what we have been over the last 10-12 games... I certainly won't be painting it as a one sided game," said Ramsay. sev/js
Sean Ono Lennon believes music helped to fill a "void" in his life. Login or signup to continue reading The 49-year-old musician, who is the son of Beatles star John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono, turned to making music as he struggled to come to terms with his dad's death in December 1980. "I never played music because I was good at it," Ono Lennon told People. "I lost my father and I didn't know how to fill that void. Learning how to play his songs on guitar was a way to process the loss with an activity that made me feel connected to him. "When you've lost a parent, things like that motivate you - because you're trying to find them. Making music always made me feel like I was getting to know him better." Ono Lennon feels he's got to know his dad even more intimately by listening to his music and watching archive footage of him. "You're constructing somebody out of fragments," said the musician, who released his debut solo album Into the Sun in 1998. "I grew up mostly knowing my dad through pictures and recordings, because he wasn't around. "So whenever I hear my dad saying anything that I haven't heard before, even just a little moment, it means so much to me. It's like gold. It's precious because it's like getting more time with him." In 2020, Sean interviewed Sir Paul McCartney for a documentary called John Lennon At 80. In the documentary, Paul shared his memories of meeting his former Beatles bandmate for the first time. He said: "I look back on it now like a fan, how lucky was I to meet this strange teddy boy off the bus, who played music like I did and we get together and boy, we complemented each other!" Australian Associated Press DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Get the latest property and development news here. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. WEEKLY Follow the Newcastle Knights in the NRL? Don't miss your weekly Knights update. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily!
Young Australians are ‘all in’ on generative AI and are embracing tools like ChatGPT in the workplace at speed, according to new research, amid calls for workplace leaders to introduce guardrails for the nascent technology. The study of 1200 Gen Z Australians found that 58 per cent of them are already using and embracing tools like ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini in the office, and almost all (93 per cent) are not worried about it threatening their job. Hatch co-founders Chaz Heitner and Adam Jacobs with investor Taryn Pieterse. Credit: Steven Siewert Young workers are ramping up their use of the chatbots despite the highly publicised risks associated with the technology, including ‘hallucinations’ – faulty or misleading responses – and security risks associated with feeding sensitive workplace data into the large language models. The research was conducted by Hatch, an online jobs marketplace described as ‘Seek for Gen Z’. Hatch CEO Adam Jacobs, a co-founder of The Iconic, said Gen Z’s keenness to embrace AI technologies should be viewed as an asset to businesses. “It’s very natural for young people, who are digital natives, to adopt new technologies,” he said. Loading “All employers are sitting at the start of a major wave of transformation brought on by AI and the next generation can help position them to ride that wave, rather than being threatened by it. “While there’s a lot that we still need to learn about the way AI is going to change our world, it’s comforting to hear that the next generation is optimistic about it.” Hatch head of AI Dr Arwen Griffioen said workplaces needed to establish guidelines and ensure that employees were trained in how hallucination, bias and error could be detected and mitigated.A new company called Nations Royalty Corp. began trading on the TSX Venture Exchange in June. With minimum fanfare, the new company quietly hit a milestone on the road to Indigenous economic reconciliation in this country, becoming the only mining royalty company in the world that is majority-owned by Indigenous people. Backed by billionaire Canadian mining financier Frank Giustra, Nations Royalty aims to lure investors with the promise of , which company executives say is the last untapped pool in Canada. For the Nisga’a Nation — the self-governing B.C.-based First Nation that owns 77 per cent of the company — Nations Royalty is also a key part of the path to . “One of the goals of our nation is financial independence,” said Charles Morven, secretary-treasurer for the Nisga’a Nation. “We still haven’t broken away from the Indian Act, like we would like to ... We want to be accountable to ourselves. (Nations Royalty) will allow us to manage our own wealth, instead of relying on government funding.” The concept is simple. Virtually all mining projects in Canada are . For reasons that include legal requirements as well as corporate social responsibility, mining companies seeking licence to operate in a region typically sign “benefit agreements” with affected First Nations. In most cases, these benefit agreements include royalties — a regular payment the mining company commits to making to the First Nation based on the mine’s production or net profit. Ken Coates, director of the Indigenous program at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute and a professor emeritus at the University of Saskatchewan, called the concept of Nations Royalty “interesting and original.” He said he particularly admires the Nisga’a’s aim to reach out to other Indigenous groups in Canada to pool their resources and increase their economic heft through economies of scale. “It’s a really good example of Indigenous collective enterprise,” he said. By pooling multiple royalties into a single publicly-traded, dividend-paying company, Nations Royalty aims to give investors diversified exposure to the Canadian mining space and create a revenue stream for its Indigenous owners and shareholders. “We do have a vision to build a top-five royalty company, and the path is there — because the number and scale of Indigenous royalties across Canada are very impressive,” Nations Royalty chief executive Rob McLeod said. Nations Royalty holds Nisga’a-owned royalties from five different mining projects within B.C.’s “Golden Triangle” in its current portfolio, but McLeod said there are more than 400 individual benefit agreements between mining companies and First Nations across Canada. He said the Nisga’a are currently seeking other First Nations royalty-holders to join them and become shareholders in the new venture. Typically, mining royalty companies appeal to investors because they’re less risky than investing in a single mining project. And for the royalty-holders themselves — in this case, Indigenous royalty holders — these companies are a way to monetize royalty agreements that have been signed but aren’t generating any revenue yet, such as in cases where the mine has not yet entered production. “Particularly for the Indigenous groups that might just have one mine on their lands ... there’s a reason to be in the collective,” McLeod said. In its final report released in 2015, Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission defined the concept of “economic reconciliation,” saying Indigenous people, businesses, and communities must have the opportunity to fully participate in the Canadian economy. Coates said as a country, we are not there yet — but as an Indigenous-owned investment vehicle trading on the TSX Venture Exchange, Nations Royalty shows how far we’ve come. “In the 1970s and ’80s, if an Indigenous community bought a gas station in a small town, that was considered to be a major, major achievement,” Coates said. “So it’s an amazing transition that we’ve gotten to this point.” Nearly all members of Nations Royalty’s board of directors and executive team are Indigenous. McLeod, the CEO, is not, but he said he will be an interim leader until one with a First Nations background can be found. Morven, of the Nisga’a Nation, said in addition to building wealth, the Nisga’a want to use Nations Royalty to build up their financial capacity to access capital markets in the future. Shareholders will be able to use their blocks of stock as a securitized asset to access loans and invest in other projects, which Indigenous communities have struggled historically to do. “We’ve seen that there is racism within the capital markets. One of the biggest royalty companies in the world, when we went to them to see if they would like to invest, they said we were a risk,” Morven said. “So this is going to build the Nisga’a’s capacity to develop people with experience in the capital markets. We will not only build that financial capital, but we’ll also be building the capacity to be able to manage it ourselves in future.”
UnitedHealthcare CEO murder suspect raises $200,000 for defense fund
BOSTON, Dec. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amwell ® (NYSE: AMWL), a leader in digital care, has announced Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Mark Hirschhorn will take on an expanded role as chief operating officer, effective Jan. 1, 2025. Hirschhorn will now oversee the company's operational and growth strategies, including the clinical, sales and marketing teams, while continuing his responsibilities as CFO. This move reflects Amwell’s commitment to scale its innovative solutions to meet the growing demand for digital healthcare. "Since joining Amwell, Mark has proven himself to be a strong leader, and we’re thrilled to have him step into this expanded role," said Ido Schoenberg, M.D., CEO and chairman of Amwell. "Mark’s operational experience, coupled with his extensive financial acumen, will help us continue to streamline the Amwell portfolio of services and pursue core channels of profitable growth while powering the digital care aspirations of our clients. With these changes, we enable a higher level of focus on our mission of connecting and empowering providers, insurers, and innovators to deliver more accessible, affordable, high-quality care for the benefit of all stakeholders. We also solidify our confidence in our path to cash flow positive in 2026." "I am eager to take on the additional responsibilities as COO," said Hirschhorn. "I look forward to working closely with our talented and streamlined leadership team to sharpen our operational focus on key priorities, drive greater efficiencies, optimize cash flow and deliver profitable growth while pursuing our mission to redefine healthcare delivery through technology-driven solutions." As Amwell continues to streamline processes and drive alignment, two executives will leave the company. Chief Commercial and Growth Officer Kathy Weiler, and Chief Operating Officer Kurt Knight, will depart Amwell at the end of the year. Over her tenure, Weiler has contributed to meaningful cost initiatives while transforming the company’s growth organization. Knight has provided substantial leadership over his 14-year tenure, including key roles in strategy, M&A, the company’s IPO, rapidly scaling operations through the COVID-19 pandemic, and building and managing the company’s affiliated network of providers, Amwell Medical Group ® , a strategic service for payer and provider organizations. “Kathy’s leadership led to the creation of a formally structured and professionalized growth organization, which has had a meaningful and lasting impact on our business. Kurt is a foundational partner in Amwell. He has made an incredible contribution to our company over many years. He played a major role in transforming Amwell into the company it is today, and I am forever grateful. I thank both leaders for their contributions to Amwell,” said Schoenberg. About Amwell Amwell is a leading hybrid care, delivery enablement platform in the United States and globally, connecting and enabling providers, payers, patients, and innovators to deliver greater access to more affordable, higher quality care. Amwell believes that hybrid care delivery will transform healthcare. We offer a single, comprehensive platform to support all digital health needs from urgent to acute and post-acute care, as well as chronic care management and healthy living. With nearly two decades of experience, Amwell powers the digital care of more than 50 health plans, which collectively represent more than 100 million covered lives, and many of the nation’s largest health systems. For more information, please visit https://business.amwell.com/ . ©2024 American Well Corporation. All rights reserved. Amwell®, SilverCloud®, Amwell Converge TM , Carepoint TM , Amwell Medical Group®, and the Amwell Logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of American Well Corporation. Notice of Ownership All materials contained herein are the property of American Well Corporation and are copyrighted under United States law and applicable international copyright laws and treaty provisions. The materials contained herein are not work product or "work for hire" on behalf of any third party. The materials contained herein constitute the confidential information of American Well Corporation, except for specific data elements provided by third parties, which are the confidential information of such third parties. The content contained herein results from the application of American Well proprietary processes, analytical frameworks, algorithms, business methods, solution construction aids and templates, all of which are and remain the property of American Well Corporation. 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Titans QB Mason Rudolph gets another chance at starting, this time against the Jags NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Coach Brian Callahan is sticking with Mason Rudolph at quarterback for a second straight game to see if the Tennessee Titans can build on the veteran who's played in four of their highest scoring games this season. Teresa M. Walker, The Associated Press Dec 24, 2024 1:03 PM Dec 24, 2024 1:35 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Tennessee Titans quarterback Mason Rudolph (11) warms up before an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Coach Brian Callahan is sticking with Mason Rudolph at quarterback for a second straight game to see if the Tennessee Titans can build on the veteran who's played in four of their highest scoring games this season. Callahan said Tuesday that he thinks Rudolph earned another chance to play despite a 38-30 loss to Indianapolis. “Obviously the one interception was probably his only really poor moment," Callahan said. "The rest of it was pretty well executed on his part and operated in a drop-back passing game and had to fight his way back through it. And it was good to see, so we’ll let him take another crack at it.” Rudolph is 2-4 in the six games he's played in this season. That includes coming in for an injured Will Levis on Sept. 30 in a 31-12 win at Miami , and he tried to rally the Titans in a turnover-plagued 37-27 loss to Cincinnati before being selected as the starter last week. Rudolph, who is in Tennessee on a one-year deal, was 23 of 34 for 252 yards with two touchdown passes and three interceptions. One went off running back Tony Pollard's hands with the final pick coming on the last play of the game after Rudolph led a rally from a 38-7 deficit in the final 18 minutes. Rudolph's ability to avoid sacks is a key piece of sticking with him over Levis, the 33rd pick overall in the 2023 draft. The quarterbacks' stats are similar with Rudolph having eight TD passes and eight interceptions, completing 63.8% of his passes with a 78.8 passer rating. That’s similar to Levis completing 63.7% of his passes with 12 TD passes and 12 interceptions. But Levis has been sacked 40 times compared to just seven for Rudolph. “He’s got the ability to avoid the negative play when it comes to sacks," Callahan said of Rudolph. “He gets the ball out. He knows where to go with it quickly.” That means Rudolph gets a chance Sunday when the Titans (3-12) visit the Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12) to see if he can guide the offense to more than the six points Levis managed against their AFC South rival in a 10-6 loss on Dec. 8 in Nashville. Rudolph said he knows he put the Titans defense in a bad spot with some turnovers. "I’m ready to prove that I can take care of the ball better and keep scoring points,” Rudolph said. Holiday adjustment The Titans held a walk-through Tuesday with Callahan giving the team Wednesday off for Christmas. An injury report won't be released until Wednesday, and Callahan said it'll likely be lengthy. RG Dillon Radunz, who was knocked out of last week's game with an injury, will be on that report. Lineman Jaelyn Duncan, who hurt a hamstring badly enough early in his first start at right tackle Oct. 20 that he wound up on injured reserve , will be available. Callahan said he is excited to see Duncan play. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Teresa M. Walker, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Football (NFL) Jets' Rodgers insists he'll play despite knee issue, rookie Fashanu placed on IR with foot injury Dec 24, 2024 1:30 PM Injured cornerback Riley Moss could return to Denver's lineup at Cincinnati Dec 24, 2024 1:17 PM Lopsided loss sinks the reeling Saints further into evaluation mode Dec 24, 2024 1:14 PM
CHENNAI: Close on the heels of the Competition Commission of India (CCI) approving UltraTech Cement 's acquisition of India Cements , the latter has announced that it has become a subsidiary of UltraTech. The development will facilitate UltraTech adding India Cements' 14.5 million tonnes capacity spread across Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Rajasthan to its consolidated production capacity of about 155 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of grey cement. In a regulatory filing late on Tuesday evening, India Cements said, UltraTech Cement has acquired 10,13,91,231 equity shares representing 32.7% of the equity share capital of the company, in accordance with Regulation 22(2) of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers) Regulations, 2011. UltraTech’s aggregate shareholding in the company has increased to 17,19,55,887 equity shares representing 55.5% of the company’s equity share capital including existing shareholding of 7,05,64,656 equity shares (22.8%). Consequently, the company has become a subsidiary of UltraTech with effect from Dec 24, 2024, India Cements informed the stock exchange. In July this year, India’s largest building materials maker, Birla struck a deal with India Cements vice-chairman & MD N Srinivasan and his family to acquire their cement business for Rs 3,954 crore. On Dec 6, 2024, UltraTech Cement and India Cements informed the stock exchange that notices have been received from the CCI over the latter's takeover by billionaire Kumar Mangalam Birla's company. Last week, the fair trade regulator gave its nod for the acquisition. It may be recalled that India Cements has been facing financial issues in recent quarters. One of the largest cement manufacturers in south India, the more than 75-year-old Chennai-headquartered company is associated with landmark projects including the Pamban Bridge in Rameswaram, IIT Madras, and the Swami Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanyakumari. Ready to Master Stock Valuation? ET’s Workshop is just around the corner!Amber Heard: Blake Lively complaint against Justin Baldoni all too familiar
CEDAR PARK, Texas, Dec. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Firefly Aerospace, Inc. , the leader in end-to-end responsive space services, was awarded an approximately $179.6 million NASA contract to deliver and operate six NASA instruments in the Gruithuisen Domes on the Moon’s near side in 2028. As part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload (CLPS) initiative, the mission will utilize Firefly’s Blue Ghost lunar lander, Elytra Dark orbital vehicle, and a rover from an industry provider to investigate the unique composition of the Gruithuisen Domes – a part of the Moon that has never been explored. “Firefly is proud to land our fourth NASA CLPS award for another complex mission, which is what our team does best,” said Jason Kim, CEO of Firefly Aerospace. “This incredible team gained a hard-earned reputation for smooth payload integrations, well-rehearsed operations, and robust testing and transparency throughout Blue Ghost Mission 1 preparations. As Firefly works towards becoming the go-to commercial company to provide autonomous systems on the Moon and beyond, our robust line of vehicles stand ready to deliver a historic mission to the Gruithuisen Domes.” During mission operations, Firefly’s Elytra Dark transfer vehicle will first deploy the Blue Ghost lander into lunar orbit and then remain on orbit to provide long-haul communications. Blue Ghost will then land in the Gruithuisen Domes, deploy the rover, and support payload operations for more than 14 days on the lunar surface. The NASA payloads onboard Blue Ghost include the Radio-wave Observations at the Lunar Surface of the photoElectron Sheath (ROLSES) telescope, the Sample Acquisition, Morphology Filtering, and Probing of Lunar Regolith (SAMPLR) robotic arm, the Neutron Measurements at the Lunar Surface (NMLS) instrument, the Photovoltaic Investigation on the Lunar Surface (PILS) instrument, and the Heimdall camera system. The mission will also carry NASA’s Lunar Vulkan Imaging and Spectroscopy Explorer (Lunar-VISE) payload with multiple instruments attached to both the lander and rover to determine the composition of the Gruithuisen Gamma Dome. Considered a geologic mystery, the Gruithuisen Domes appear to be composed of silica-rich volcanic minerals, which could indicate the presence of lunar water and hydrogen. The NASA payloads onboard Blue Ghost Mission 3 will investigate the formation and physical properties of the domes, including the potential detection of water and hydrogen molecules, in addition to other science investigations. “Firefly is dedicated to flying annual missions to the Moon for both government and commercial customers as we continue to pave the way for a lasting lunar presence,” said Brett Alexander, Chief Revenue Officer at Firefly Aerospace. “We’re seeing growing interest from organizations looking to unlock the Moon’s resources and build a robust lunar ecosystem, and we welcome additional partners to join us.” Along with the NASA payloads, Firefly’s mission has capacity for additional customers, offering orbital transfer and long-haul communications in cislunar space on Elytra as well as lunar surface delivery and operations on Blue Ghost. Customers interested in joining Blue Ghost Mission 3 can find more information at https://fireflyspace.com/missions/blue-ghost-mission-3/ . Firefly’s first mission to the Moon, Ghost Riders in the Sky , is on track for launch in mid-January 2025 with 10 NASA payloads onboard Blue Ghost. Firefly’s second lunar mission is scheduled to launch in 2026, utilizing a similar two-stage spacecraft configuration as Blue Ghost Mission 3, with the Blue Ghost lander stacked on Elytra Dark to support payload operations on the far side of the Moon and in lunar orbit. About Firefly Aerospace Firefly Aerospace is an end-to-end responsive space company with launch, lunar, and on-orbit services. Headquartered in central Texas, Firefly is a portfolio company of AE Industrial Partners (“AEI”) focused on delivering rapid, reliable, and affordable space access for government and commercial customers. Firefly’s small- to medium-lift launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles provide the space industry with a single source for missions from low Earth orbit to the surface of the Moon and beyond. For more information, visit www.fireflyspace.com . Media Contact press@fireflyspace.com Media Gallery Blue Ghost Mission 3 | Flickr Photos accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/30c712e2-f9d0-4048-98ed-a8384f33fb69 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/db90a73f-3ec3-4ea6-8a10-400055e119ce
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RUBEN AMORIM is certainly not stupid and he can read the room at Old Trafford. Although, in his previous appearance at the Theatre of Dreams, this also saw him witness a leaking roof in his post-match press conference... which sums up the state of Manchester United right now. Yet the Portuguese coach knows all about the importance of having a connection with supporters and he can clearly see Red Devils’ fans are all “tired” with the situation at their shambolic club. Amorim has only been at United just over a month but the 2-0 Boxing Day defeat at Wolves was his fifth in seven games since taking charge in the wake of Erik ten Hag’s sacking. And now he must prepare for Monday’s visit of in-form Newcastle . The former Sporting Lisbon chief, 39, has a contract until 2027 and maintains that is enough time for him to be judged. He is not being helped by arriving in such a toxic situation with fans disillusioned at the way United have been run on and off the pitch. Yet Amorim ’s problem is that, over the last few weeks, the team has gone BACKWARDS . United’s last home game was Sunday’s 3-0 loss to Bournemouth — which is when the roof started leaking on him . Incredibly, it was the club’s fourth Prem defeat at Old Trafford this season. BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKER S Eddie Howe’s team will arrive on a run of four successive wins, so a game against Newcastle is the last thing United need. Yet Amorim insisted: “We have to fight against everything because our supporters are always there, but they are tired of this moment. “It’s part of football to have these difficult moments. I already knew that it was going to be tough. “You expect to win more games, to have players with more confidence to sell the idea and to work and improve things. “At this moment it’s really hard. We have to survive to have time and then to improve the team.” Amorim cannot be faulted for his honesty. He also conceded that the mood at Old Trafford could be tense whenever Newcastle attack. He added: “We have to expect that any play from Newcastle near our box is going to make the stadium nervous and our players have to cope with that. “It’s a very strong team with a lot of pace, with a lot of time working with the same coach. We want to be competitive and try to win the game, that’s all.” This is currently the worst United team in half a century — which is incredible when you consider how much money has been spent in recent seasons. It is not just the absence of quality, either. There is a lack of belief and energy and the team is so predictable. There is no reason why United cannot beat Newcastle. But equally, it would not be a surprise if they were crushed 4-0. After the loss against Wolves, Amorim admitted that the side had to “survive” in the Premier League as they sit 14th in the table, eight points off the relegation zone. Another worry is that United are struggling at corners and free-kicks. They have conceded ten goals from set-pieces this term — five of them coming under Amorim’s command. Goalkeeper Andre Onana was beaten by Matheus Cunha’s corner at Molineux seven days after Tottenham’s Son Heung-min did the same to Altay Bayindir in the Carabao Cup quarter-final. The fact that Wolves had practised trying to score direct from corners during the week showed there is an issue as Onana is not being protected by his defenders. Amorim admitted: “Set-pieces are becoming so important. We have to learn, even with the small guys.” United’s new coach was also asked whether Red Devils’ fans can play a part against Newcastle by ramping up the atmosphere on Monday. But he said: “I would not dare to ask anything of our fans. They give us everything: a full stadium, they’re always supporting, clapping loss after loss. “I just want to give something to the fans, not ask something of them.” United will be without captain Bruno Fernandes after his red card at Wolves . Although the Portuguese playmaker’s dismissal at Spurs in September was overturned, he continues to walk a disciplinary tightrope and cannot be trusted. Asked if former skipper Harry Maguire could be reinstated, Amorim said: “He will have to wait until the game. “He works really well. He’s focused on the job, not what people say. He does not make excuses, even if he had some tough moments. “I think in that department he is an example, so he is there to play to help the team. He’s trying to do that.” By Ken Lawrence WOLVES landed a shock Boxing Day knockout as Manchester United's struggles continued. The 2-0 defeat means Ruben Amorim has won just two of the seven Premier League games he has taken charge of. United find themselves 14th in the table and today were not helped by Bruno Fernandes' red card and Andre Onana letting one in direct from a corner. Here is how SunSport rated the performances... ANDRE ONANA: 4 He needed to make an agile save from Jorgen Strand Larsen in the first half, but badly misjudged the flight of Cunha’s corner for the opening goal - his claim that he was obstructed by Matt Doherty was rejected. LENY YORO: 5 Recalled but booked after only four minutes for a foul on Cunha, so he was walking on eggshells and was tested by Wolves throughout. Subbed just after the hour mark. HARRY MAGUIRE: 6 The England defender did his best to keep United in the game when they were under pressure for long periods - at least he helped to stem the tide until the dying seconds and had a header on target in stoppage time. LISANDRO MARTINEZ: 6 Teamed up well with Maguire to stop Wolves from winning this more easily, he stood his ground and produced some important challenges in the latter stages before Wolves caught him on the break with the last action of the game. NOUSSAIR MAZRAOUI: 5 Tenacious and determined, but was one of several players given a torrid time by the best player on the pitch - Cunha. MANUEL UGARTE: 5 Dispossesed too easily at times, struggled against a lively Wolves attack and was eventually taken off as one of Amorim’s subs following Fernandes’ red card. KOBBIE MAINOO: 5 Looked a threat early on, created some good openings, but he was booked after the break as United looked short on ideas. Faded and was subbed. DIOGO DALOT: 6 Brought a tremendous save from Jose Sa in the first half in what was a rare bright spot for United - but he had no major influence on a poor team display. AMAD DIALLO: 5 Lacked awareness of his team-mates sometimes and looked a shadow of the player who turned the Manchester derby around less than two weeks ago. BRUNO FERNANDES: 3 Sent off early in the second half for a second yellow after a challenge on Nelson Semedo, but the captain had cut a frustrated figure before that. RASMUS HOJLUND: 5 Became visibly annoyed at times at a lack of service from his team-mates, he had no joy up front and was subbed with 10 minutes left. SUBS Casemiro (for Mainoo, 63 mins): 6 Christian Eriksen (for Ugate, 63 mins): 6 Antony (for Yoro, 63 mins): 6 Alejandro Garnacho (for Amad, 79 mins): 5 Joshua Zirkzee (for Hojlund, 79 mins): 5Panos Panay Hands Out 2024 Kindle Paperwhite From Free Banana Stall