Manchester United missed an open goal and conceded in stoppage time to lose 2-1 at West Ham in the Premier League, piling more pressure on manager Erik ten Hag on Sunday.
A fourth defeat in nine league games left United languishing in 14th place in the 20-team standings.
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Manchester United's Casemiro celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham United and Manchester United at the London Stadium in London, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)
Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta celebrates scoring the opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park in London, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)
Manchester United's Diogo Dalot, left, misses an opportunity on goal during the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham United and Manchester United at the London Stadium in London, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (John Walton/PA via AP)
Chelsea's Cole Palmer shoots to score his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Newcastle at Stamford Bridge in London, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
Chelsea's Cole Palmer celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Newcastle at Stamford Bridge in London, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
West Ham United's Jarrod Bowen celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham United and Manchester United at the London Stadium in London, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (John Walton/PA via AP)
Manchester United's Matthijs de Ligt (left) protests to referee David Coote after he awards a penalty to West Ham United during the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham United and Manchester United at the London Stadium in London, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (John Walton/PA via AP)
Jarrod Bowen converted a highly disputed penalty in the second minute of added-on time after a foul by Matthijs de Ligt as United counted the cost of a string of wasted chances, notably when Diogo Dalot sidefooted over when faced with an empty net in the first half.
If that was surely the miss of the season so far, Cole Palmer might have delivered the pass of the season in Chelsea's 2-1 win over Newcastle.
Palmer provided more glimpses of his outrageous talent by scoring the winner after helping to set up the opener, by Nicolas Jackson, with a stunning through ball.
Facing his goal inside his own half, the 22-year-old England playmaker span round and curled a 50-meter pass behind Newcastle's defense toward Pedro Neto, who set up Jackson in the 18th minute.
Alexander Isak equalized but Palmer drove home his seventh goal of the season in the 47th to secure the victory for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. With five assists, too, Palmer has a league-leading 12 goals involvements this campaign.
Crystal Palace finally claimed its first league win of the season by beating Tottenham 1-0 thanks to Jean-Philippe Mateta's goal.
Arsenal hosts Liverpool in a late match between two title contenders.
Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80
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Manchester United's Casemiro celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham United and Manchester United at the London Stadium in London, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)
Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta celebrates scoring the opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park in London, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)
Manchester United's Diogo Dalot, left, misses an opportunity on goal during the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham United and Manchester United at the London Stadium in London, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (John Walton/PA via AP)
Chelsea's Cole Palmer shoots to score his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Newcastle at Stamford Bridge in London, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
Chelsea's Cole Palmer celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Newcastle at Stamford Bridge in London, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
West Ham United's Jarrod Bowen celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham United and Manchester United at the London Stadium in London, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (John Walton/PA via AP)
Manchester United's Matthijs de Ligt (left) protests to referee David Coote after he awards a penalty to West Ham United during the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham United and Manchester United at the London Stadium in London, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (John Walton/PA via AP)
TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’ s ruling coalition is certain to lose a majority in the 465-seat lower house in a key parliamentary election Sunday, Japan’s NHK public television said. The results reflect voters' outrage over the governing party’s extensive financial scandals.
Ishiba’s Liberal Democratic Party and its ruling coalition with junior partner Komeito were certain to lose a majority 233 seats in the lower house, the more powerful of Japan’s two-chamber parliament, NHK said.
Falling short of a majority does not mean a change of government, but the results would make it difficult for Ishiba to get his party’s policies through parliament, and he may need to find a third coalition partner.
Ishiba, who took office on Oct. 1, immediately ordered the election in hopes of shoring up support after his predecessor, Fumio Kishida, failed to address public outrage over the LDP’s actions.
“The results so far have been extremely severe, and we take them very seriously," Ishiba told NHK. “I believe the voters are telling us to reflect more and become a party that lives up to their expectations."
If the majority is lost, Ishiba said, the LDP will still lead a ruling coalition and tackle key policies, compile a planned supplementary budget and pursue political reform.
He indicated that the LDP is open to cooperating with opposition groups if that suits the public's expectations.
A total of 1,344 candidates, including a record 314 women, are running for office.
NHK exit polls earlier indicated the LDP was expected to win between 153 and 219 seats, down sharply from the comfortable majority of 247 it held previously. Komeito was expected to win 21 to 35 seats.
As of early Monday, LDP won 173 seats and Komei 22 for a total of 195 seats for the ruling coalition, while the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan secured 137 seats, NHK said.
Ishiba, in his final speeches Saturday in Tokyo, apologized over his party’s mishandling of funds and said only the LDP’s ruling coalition can responsibly run Japan with its experience and dependable policies.
Once a popular politician known for criticism of even his own party's policies, Ishiba has also seen support for his weeks-old Cabinet plunge.
The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan is led by centrist leader Yoshihiko Noda, who briefly served as prime minister during the LDP’s 2009-2012 descent from power.
Noda's party was expected to make significant gains, with exit polls suggesting a huge increase to as many as 191 seats from 98. Noda said Sunday’s election is a rare chance for a change of government, though his party has trouble finding other opposition groups with which to cooperate.
At a downtown Tokyo polling station, a number of voters said they had considered the corruption scandal and economic measures in deciding how to vote. But analysts said Ishiba's LDP was expected to remain the top party in Japan’s parliament as voters were skeptical about the opposition's ability and inexperience.
“The public’s criticisms against the slush funds scandal has intensified, and it won’t go away easily,” said Izuru Makihara, a University of Tokyo professor of politics and public policy. “There is a growing sense of fairness, and people are rejecting privileges for politicians.” Makihara suggested Ishiba needs bold political reform measures to regain public trust.
Ishiba pledged to revitalize the rural economy, address Japan’s falling birth rate and bolster defense. But his Cabinet has familiar faces, with only two women, and was seen as alienating members of the faction led by late premier Shinzo Abe. Ishiba quickly retreated from earlier support for a dual surname option for married couples and legalizing same-sex marriage, an apparent compromise to the party’s influential ultra-conservatives.
His popularity fell because of “the gap in what the public expected him to be as prime minister versus the reality of what he brought as prime minister,” said Rintaro Nishimura, a political analyst at The Asia Group.
The LDP was also being tested Sunday for its ability to break from the legacy of Abe, whose policies focused on security, trade and industry but largely ignored equality and diversity, and its nearly eight-year-long rule led to the corruption, experts say.
There could be regrouping attempts among opposition parties to decide whether to cooperate among themselves or join the ruling coalition, political watchers said.
Potential new partners for the LDP include the Democratic Party of the People, a breakaway group from the CPDJ, which calls for lower taxes, and the conservative Japan Innovation Party, though both are currently rejecting any possible coalition with the LDP.
The LDP is less cohesive than previously and could enter the era of short-lived prime ministers. Ishiba is expected to last at least until the ruling bloc approves key budget plans at the end of December.
AP video journalist Mayuko Ono contributed to this report.
Yoshihiko Noda, leader of Japan's opposition Constitutional Democratic Party, prepares for a media while the board shows the names of the party's candidates who won the lower house election, at the party's headquarters Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024 in Tokyo, (Kyodo News via AP)
Yoshihiko Noda, leader of Japan's opposition Constitutional Democratic Party, prepares for a media interview with Japan's Prime Minister and president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Shigeru Ishiba seen on TV screen, at Noda’s party headquarters Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024 in Tokyo, (Kyodo News via AP)
Yoshihiko Noda, leader of Japan's opposition Constitutional Democratic Party, speaks to the media regarding the lower house election, at the party's headquarters Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024 in Tokyo, (Kyodo News via AP)
Japan's Prime Minister and president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Shigeru Ishiba speaks to the media regarding the early result of lower house election, at the LDP headquarters Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Tokyo, (Kyodo News via AP)
Japan's Prime Minister and president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Shigeru Ishiba pauses as he speaks to the media regarding the lower house election, at the LDP headquarters Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Tokyo, (Kyodo News via AP)
Japan's Prime Minister and president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Shigeru Ishiba pause as he speaks to the media regarding the early result of lower house election, at the LDP headquarters Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Tokyo, (Kyodo News via AP)
Japan's Prime Minister and president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Shigeru Ishiba, right, Chairperson of LDP Election Strategy Committee Shinjiro Koizumi, left, pose with a pin above the name of a candidate who won the lower house election, the LDP headquarters Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024 in Tokyo, (Takashi Aoyama/Pool Photo via AP)
Japan's Prime Minister and president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Shigeru Ishiba places a pin on the name of a candidate who won the lower house election, at the LDP headquarters Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024 in Tokyo, (Takashi Aoyama/Pool Photo via AP)
Japan's Prime Minister and president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Shigeru Ishiba speaks to the media regarding the lower house election, at the LDP headquarters Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024 in Tokyo, (Takashi Aoyama/Pool Photo via AP)
Japan's Prime Minister and president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Shigeru Ishiba, fourth from left, and the party's other senior members pose for a photo in front of the LDP candidates’ names of the lower house election seen on the board, at the party's headquarters Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024 in Tokyo, (Takashi Aoyama/Pool Photo via AP)
Japan's Prime Minister and president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Shigeru Ishiba poses with a pin above the name of a candidate who won the lower house election, the LDP headquarters Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024 in Tokyo, (Takashi Aoyama/Pool Photo via AP)
Yoshihiko Noda, leader of Japan's opposition Constitutional Democratic Party, speaks to the media about the lower house election at the party's headquarters Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024 in Tokyo, (Kyodo News via AP)
Yoshihiko Noda, leader of Japan's opposition Constitutional Democratic Party, speaks to the media regarding the early result of the lower house election at the party's headquarters Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024 in Tokyo, (Kyodo News via AP)
Yoshihiko Noda, leader of Japan's opposition Constitutional Democratic Party, speaks to the media regarding the lower house election at the party's headquarters Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024 in Tokyo, (Kyodo News via AP)
Japan's Prime Minister and president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Shigeru Ishiba poses with a pin above the name of a candidate who won the lower house election, the LDP headquarters Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024 in Tokyo, (Takashi Aoyama/Pool Photo via AP)
Japan's Prime Minister and president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Shigeru Ishiba speaks to the media regarding the early result of lower house election, at the LDP headquarters Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024 in Tokyo, (Takashi Aoyama/Pool Photo via AP)
Japan's Prime Minister and president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Shigeru Ishiba speaks to the media regarding the early result of lower house election, at the LDP headquarters Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024 in Tokyo, (Takashi Aoyama/Pool Photo via AP)
A woman walks towards voting booths at a polling station for Japan's lower house election in Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)
Election staff members help voters at a polling station for Japan's lower house election in Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)
Japan's Prime Minister and head of the governing Liberal Democratic Party Shigeru Ishiba waves during a campaign for a parliamentary election in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (Kyodo News via AP)
Voters prepare to cast their ballots at a polling station for Japan's lower house election in Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)
A voter prepares to cast his ballot at a polling station for Japan's lower house election in Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)
Leader of opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, Yoshihiko Noda speaks during a campaigning for a parliamentary election in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (Kyodo News via AP)
Japan's Prime Minister and head of the governing Liberal Democratic Party Shigeru Ishiba speaks during a campaigning for a parliamentary election in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (Kyodo News via AP)
A voter casts her ballot at a polling station for Japan's lower house election in Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)
A woman looks at a billboard with candidates campaign posters for Japan's lower house election installed at a polling station in Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)
