November 4th 2024.
Former Manchester United defender, Gary Neville, didn't hold back in his criticism of the team's wingers, Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho, after their 1-1 draw with Chelsea in the Premier League. Despite Bruno Fernandes' 70th-minute penalty putting United in the lead, they were unable to hold on as Chelsea equalized just five minutes later.
This result means that United have only won three out of their first ten Premier League games this season and are currently sitting in the bottom half of the table. On the other hand, Chelsea has moved up to fourth place, overtaking their London rivals Arsenal.
After sacking their previous manager, Erik ten Hag, last week, United have appointed Ruben Amorim as their new coach, who will take over on November 11th. Speaking on his Sky Sports podcast after the match, Neville said, "I'm not going to criticize Rashford and Garnacho, but..." He went on to explain that although they are academy players and therefore receive some understanding from the fans, they need to work harder off the ball.
Neville compared the two United wingers to other Premier League players such as Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli, Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, and the Liverpool squad, who all put in a great defensive effort when not in possession. He also pointed out that Malo Gusto, Chelsea's winger, had a lot of space to run into during the first half, which should not have happened if United's wingers were working harder off the ball.
"When I played, hard work and defensive effort from players in those positions often resulted in rewards at the other end of the pitch," Neville continued. "You get luckier the harder you work. But they [Rashford and Garnacho] think they're working hard, but they need to realize that they are all part of one team."
Neville expressed his disappointment in United's performance this season, calling it their worst start to a Premier League campaign. He believes that Amorim's first task as manager should be to get the best out of the current players and any future signings, and to change the team's playing style to a more attacking and aggressive approach.
"Manchester United is a front-foot club, known for their attacking style of play, but at the moment, it's the complete opposite," Neville stated. "The new manager can't come in quickly enough. He needs to stop this trend of players coming to United with high potential and not living up to it. With the current players, he needs to get the maximum out of them, and that won't be an easy job."
In the end, Neville concluded by saying that Amorim's task is not just about winning titles but also about improving the team's overall performance. He believes that United should be playing like other top teams, such as Manchester City, Liverpool, Brighton, and Tottenham, who all have a more aggressive and attacking style of play. Neville also emphasized the importance of getting the best out of the current players, as Amorim will have to work with them for the next eight months before the transfer window opens again.
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