Roy Keane says Manchester United are still “not good enough” under Ruben Amorim after their goalless derby draw with Man City – and says he has been “kicking cups of tea over” watching them recently.
United were marginally the better side against Pep Guardiola’s team – giving City all sorts of problems on the counter-attack – but ultimately a lack of goal threat let them down.
This past week, Amorim’s side have lost 1-0 to Nottingham Forest due to Anthony Elanga’s solo goal and looked flat up front once again against City.
This is despite claims that United have turned a corner following four points from six against Arsenal and Leicester in March – as well as victory over Real Sociedad in the Europa League last 16.
“I know United beat Leicester and Real Sociedad – but you look at the last few games and you go: this is not enough, this is not good enough,” said Sky Sports’ Keane after the City game.
“Forget the United teams I played for, forget the top three or four teams, competing with Brentford, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Wolves? Are you telling me Manchester United should be behind them?
“The majority of these players should be doing better than the teams I just mentioned.”
United created an xG of 0.92 against City but did not have the killer touch in the Manchester derby. Alejandro Garnacho had the best of the first-half chances but failed to convert from close range, while Manuel Ugarte and Joshua Zirkzee went close after the break.
Zirkzee replaced Rasmus Hojlund after the hour mark, with the Danish forward having just 15 touches of the ball and going another Premier League game without a shot.
“United can still be more of a goal threat,” added Keane. “The couple of strikers they have at the club are not good enough for Man Utd, but there are other players on the team. There are wide players, defenders can score goals, there are set-pieces.
Highlights from the Premier League match between Manchester United and Manchester City
“The goal they gave away at Forest the other day, you have an opposition player running 70 or 80 yards. Yes you can say it’s a great run and great goal – but someone’s got to tackle him. Have a desire to dig deep and get a result!
“It has to come from the manager and the staff, the certain leaders they have in the dressing room. I’m not saying they all have to be like that – but they have experienced players there. Maguire, Casemiro, Fernandes – do they get a grip of these players?
“Ole Gunnar Solskjaer once ran 70 to 80 yards to chase someone down and got sent off. They made sacrifices for the team. The sacrifices for the attacking players could be making a run, making a good ball out of a bad ball.
“I see the United team today: they’re all applauding and they’re being interviewed and they said, ‘draw is not too bad.’ A draw gets you nowhere fast! It was the same against Arsenal a few weeks ago.”
‘I was kicking my cups of tea over Man Utd’
In terms of where United go from here, Keane believes he “doesn’t see” Amorim’s side being part of the top six next season as they are not showing the necessary mentality to go and win football matches.
“I’d like to be proven wrong and United are in the top five or six next season and would take it all back, but I don’t see it,” said the former United captain.
“I’ve seen a few live games lately. I saw Forest the other night, I was kicking my cups of tea over. They were neat and tidy – but were never going to score. No goals again today.
“When you’re playing for a big club and getting big contracts, you have a responsibility to win football matches. Is that what we’re here for?
“We’ve been praising Liverpool for the last few months. Why? Because they’re being clinical and winning football matches. So when we sit here and go, ‘I’m getting fed up of this, but there are signs’. Signs of what?”
Keane also took issue with the term “philosophy” – saying he would never have used that in his career.
Ruben Amorim reacted to Man Utd’s 0-0 draw with Man City and said he can see progress in his players’ performances but did admit they need to improve in every aspect
“The manager is going to stick with it,” said Keane of Amorim. “That’s the gamble he’s taking.
“If he’s not getting football results, we’re talking about next year when he will no doubt get an opportunity to get players in the summer, we will be able to judge him better.
“That’s his belief, his philosophy and that’s fine. But I like the philosophy of winning football matches. I like that philosophy.
“I don’t ever remember sitting with the players I played with – and some decent players and other clubs such as Forest and brilliant managers – where we discussed our philosophy.
“We would find different ways to play. United tried to play out the back and got caught a couple of times. I don’t like that. There are times for it.
“If they were going down that road and they were picking up results and scoring plenty of goals, but I don’t see it. My eyes don’t lie to me.”
Neville: Man Utd need five new players!
Gary Neville believes Manchester United need five new players and that Amorim could be under pressure if his side do not improve
Meanwhile, Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville believes United need five new players in the summer transfer window – which would be Amorim’s first in charge of the club.
Neville reckons United’s defensive performance against City – which is similar to other low blocks the Portuguese has used since moving to Old Trafford – is a result of the United head coach not having the necessary players.
“From a United perspective, I get why he’s gone deep, I get why he’s gone back into a low block,” said Neville.
“But that’s what we’ve seen from Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Erik ten Hag, they’ve all come in with the intention of playing high-press, high-energy football, but all end up going back to a low block in big games.
“I do understand why Ruben Amorim’s done that today, with the players he’s got, because he hasn’t got the players to adapt. They need five new players straightaway before you even think about the rest of it.
“The three up front are not good enough, the two behind and the one, and the two wing-backs, they’re not good enough.
“They need five players, they need to serve him with five players who are good enough in this system to be able to play his system the way he wants.”
This news was originally published on this post .
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