Roy Keane has sensationally claimed that he’s ‘given up’ on Manchester United as he questioned the ‘culture’ at the club amid their struggling form.
The Red Devils have endured an extremely disappointing start to the campaign and, as a result, pressure is beginning to mount on first-team head coach Erik ten Hag.
Ten Hag has lead the 13-time Premier League champions to their worst ever start in the competition, as they sit 14th in the table on just eight points from seven matches.
As well as their poor domestic form, United have also had struggles in the Europa League having been held to draws against FC Twente and Porto.
United legend Keane has now revealed that their 1-1 draw at home with Dutch side Twente was the final straw for him and that he ‘gave up’ on the side.
Roy Keane has brutally claimed that he’s ‘given up’ on Man United amid their current struggles
There is growing pressure on first-team boss Erik ten Hag after their disappointing start
Keane said that United’s 1-1 draw with FC Twente was the moment he ‘gave up’ on the side
Speaking on Stick to Football, brought to you by Sky Bet, he said: ‘After the Twente game. A really poor game. When you’ve got players coming out and saying ‘I think they might have wanted it more than us’. I kind of gave up at that stage.
‘If that’s the noises coming out of the dressing room, then no wonder the manager is in trouble and no wonder they’re not going to win football matches. But that’s where United are – it’s hit and miss.
‘They will win a few games but they’re going to lose plenty. I’m not sure there is a team there. I’d love to know what the culture is like at the training ground, who’s putting demands on each other, who’s pushing each other, who’s helping the younger players.
‘Are the senior players proper and wanting to get the job done against FC Twente instead of coming out and saying they wanted it more’.
For their recent draw against Aston Villa, Ten Hag opted to drop centre-backs Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt in favour of Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans.
Speaking on that decision, Keane said: ‘You can’t keep going back to the lads who are part of the problem. But if you think Maguire is the answer… The new lads need a chance.
‘Build up relationships. Get used to each other. He’s taken them off during games and he’s pretty stubborn. You have to be like that as a manager’.
Keane spent 13-years at United – where he eventually worked his way up to captain – and won seven league titles as the Red Devils dominated the early years of the Premier League.
Comparing the United that he was part of to the modern United side under Ten Hag, he claimed that the Red Devils ‘have gone backwards’.
Keane lambasted United’s ‘hit or miss’ nature since Erik ten Hag took charge at Old Trafford
The Red Devils have endured their worst-ever start to a Premier League campaign
He continued: ‘United was always about good people and good characters who could deal with playing for the club, but I don’t see that now. I don’t recognise this team and I don’t recognise the club.
‘People a couple of months ago were saying they’ve got new people coming on board and they’ll have all the answers. They’ve spent more money on recruitment but they’ve gone backwards.
‘When we discuss United, it’s more like a business but it’s a football club. A football club is about the people who turn up and put a shift in. What I see at United, might be a bit harsh, I’m not sure I’m seeing good football people in there making the right decisions for the club’.
United’s new leadership team – lead by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe – recently met in London for a scheduled executive meeting, given their struggles thus far.
Ratcliffe was spotted leading Sir Dave Brailsford and Dan Ashworth into his offices on Tuesday morning ahead of their highly-anticipated meeting.
Two draws in the last week, including a 3-3 stalemate against Porto in the Europa League and a goalless run-out against Aston Villa yesterday, have staunched a string of defeats but done little to steady Ten Hag’s position.
Minority owner Ratcliffe watched United’s goalless draw with Aston Villa on Sunday along with director Brailsford, chief executive Omar Berrada, sporting director Ashworth and technical director Jason Wilcox.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, centre, was seen leaving Ineos’ headquarters in Knightsbridge on Tuesday
Ratcliffe (blue suit) and Sir Dave Brailsford were among the decision makers at the meeting
Discussions over Ten Hag’s future continued into Monday and it will be on the agenda again when co-chairman Joel Glazer, chief operating officer Collette Roche and chief financial officer Roger Bell join them for the executive committee meeting on Tuesday.
United are wary of fuelling speculation over Ten Hag’s future after Thomas Tuchel and Simone Inzaghi were linked with the job if he is sacked after two-and-a-half years in charge at Old Trafford.
Ratcliffe is known to be an admirer of Tuchel and met the German coach in Monaco during the summer when Ten Hag’s future was in doubt before the FA Cup final.
Tuchel is still available but it’s unclear if the obstacles that prevented him from replacing Ten Hag then can be overcome now.
Roy Keane was speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet
