Former captain Roy Keane heavily criticized Manchester United after their 2-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday night.
The first goal came from Pape Matar Sarr early in the second half, and any chances of a comeback were dashed when Lisandro Martinez scored an own goal late in the game.
Man United had a lacklustre pre-season and a disappointing start to the new season.
Their win against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League opener was somewhat fortunate, as Wolves’ poor finishing prevented United from having any points.
Keane was blunt in his criticism of the United players and didn’t hold back in his comments.
While talking to Sky Sports, he said:
“I think Manchester United are the new Spurs. Desperate. The biggest insult – I always think about teams that can’t do it away from home or players who aren’t up for it away from home.”
“They’re bringing on [Anthony] Martial, they’re bringing on these players, you might as well bring on Frank Stapleton and Norman Whiteside! Martial is not going to get you out of trouble. (Marcus) Rashford played through the middle again – he’s like a child up there.”
“He’s obviously not happy playing through the middle and his body language – his first few touches suggest he’s thinking ‘I don’t want to play up through the middle’.
“But you have to do a job for the team tonight. You’re looking at our captain tonight, the senior players who are established, international players. It’s easy to play against them – that’s the biggest insult I can give to these United players.”
🗣 "I think Man United are the new Spurs… DESPERATE" 😬
Roy Keane is NOT happy! 😡 pic.twitter.com/L0KjpkB7ht
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 19, 2023
In the first half, United competed fairly with Tottenham. They arguably had better opportunities to score, but they faltered in front of the goal.
This issue of lacking a killer instinct in the final third has persisted from the previous season. Marcus Rashford, who is playing out of his preferred left position, struggles to hold up the ball and is most effective when taking on defenders.
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Many believe Rasmus Hojlund should be in the starting lineup. United can’t afford to squander golden opportunities, as shown by Bruno Fernandes’ miss in the first half.
Luke Shaw delivered an excellent cross to the United captain, who headed the ball over the bar from a close range of six yards.
Erik ten Hag needs to establish a more consistent attacking rhythm rather than relying solely on counterattacks to score goals.
If United doesn’t improve soon, the team will struggle to make it to the top four let alone the dream of winning a silverware this season.
