Roy Keane believes that the days of everyone who wants to join Manchester United ended after the club had sustained an 18th defeat of the season in Chelsea, of which he felt that they “are not good at anything”.
United lost 1-0 thanks to the second half of Marc Cucurella to leave them on 39 points with one match-home at Champions League-Chasing Aston Villa remaining.
The 18th League loss of the season is their most in half a century, while since the beginning of April they have only picked up two points – the lowest from each side in the Premier League.
The side of Ruben Amorim can get Champions League football by winning the Europa League, but in that final they go in eight games without a competition.
“What are the positive points with this team?” Said former United Captain Keane.
“You sit up and watch certain teams, and you hang your hat something. You say that they are technically very good, they are fit, they are brilliant, they are good in set pieces. You look at United and Go, they are not good at anything.
“If they don't win [the Europa League final] Next week I think the days of everyone who wants to go to Manchester United have disappeared. I don't think there are players who want to sign for Manchester United. That is gone, that bit of excitement with the club.
“The fans, even here tonight, I don't think the United fans are angry anymore. It's just an acceptance. Even the manager's interview there he accepts where they are.
“Now of course you have to be realistic, but you still want to show emotion and a little anger. I think United fans go back to Manchester tonight to the highway:” Oh, that's what we thought would probably happen. ” And that is sad to do.
“And I don't think the manager [Amorim] did. And more importantly, I don't think the players believed they could come and win tonight.
“And even the Chelsea manager [Enzo Maresca]He pins them by saying: 'Oh, they played well, they pressed us, they were 1v1. They are dangerous. We have viewed them a few times. '
“They beat them 1-0. And United had one shot on goal. One shot on goal. He is just like what they do with United, they knock them on their heads and said, “From you, go back to Manchester.”
“That is what United years ago did with teams. Now they get it. And they have to respond to that. Don't accept that nonsense.”
Keane: I wouldn't hang my hat on Mainoo, Garnacho and Hojlund
Keane was asked how many players from Manchester United the club could keep this summer – call Bruno Fernandes as the only player after the game on Friday evening, but accepted that Amorim will probably have to keep some players in the neighborhood.
The former United Captain then discussed the futures of Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo – replacements of the second half with Stamford Bridge and both are connected to a move from Old Trafford.
Asked if those players plus Rasmus Hojlund are worth keeping, Keane replied: “No, I wouldn't hang my hat three to get Manchester United [back to where they need to be].
'Mainoo is coming tonight. I kept a close eye on him. He strolled around the place. Some of his steps were sloppy. Garnacho, he is immature.
“You want players for the big clubs, you come in week in, week. And he doesn't do that. He has a little talent. He makes some good runs and he threatens him behind. And on his good day, you think, listen, I like what I see. But he has too many bad days.
“And Hojlund, in his defense, I think he should probably have been a back -up striker. Learn a third or fourth choice and his trade -in two or three brilliant strikers.
“The fact when he came to the club that he would be the most important man, he is not good enough.
“He certainly lacks trust and faith. And he is also not surrounded by glare. So there are still the problems we have spoken about United throughout the season. If people think they can repair that in one summer, then it will not happen.
Keane even said that Hojlund looked like “the young child from Chelsea” with the blues that handed 19-year-old Tyrique George a first Premier League start in the victory.
“He looked like he had just come out of the academy,” said Keane. “His runs were not good, his timing, his hold-up play [ as well].
“We continue to apologize, we talked about trust, but you still think that if you are a striker there, you sometimes have to let something happen.
“And what the big clubs have, and united [‘s best teams in the past] Always had, his strikers that can produce something themselves, even if they don't get great service.
“They produce something because they have quality, they have a little desire, determination, a little experience and football information. We don't see that with Hojlund. So United is always against it. Of course he needs a little support, but my goodness, sometimes you just have to do a little better.
“He got a ball in the first half on the edge of the box, and he didn't even know what to do! He wasn't even in the right body position to take a shot, and he hit it back. He should get it on goal.”
Colleague Sky Sports Pundit Jamie Redknapp added: “I can't disagree with Roy. I just think every player, there is a price for them all. I think that you just tell where they are.
“At the moment you would watch that, and you would probably be nervous for that team that goes to Champions League football because it is not as if they suddenly get better at night.
“It doesn't get any better because they have some more experience. So I think with almost every player, Jason Wilcox and [Omar Berrada] The new CEO, they will look and go: if the offer is right, and then we can bring someone in younger, better, we will have to do it. “
Amorim: This game helped me choose my last start XI
United boss Amorim defended the playing of almost his entire team in Chelsea, even though he was so close to the Must-Win Europa League final that it helped him to choose his team for the Bilbao match against Tottenham Hostpur on 21 May.
“I will not talk about the summer,” he said when he was asked about the rebuilding of Manchester United.
“The good news is in the Europa League, we score many goals. We will prepare for the Europa League match.
“We have many things to do in the summer, but today it was a really good game to prepare for the final. If we put some players to the feeling of the last game, almost 10 days without playing, it would be a mistake.
“It was a good thing for them to play, that they feel that they can do it, that we can possess and push the opponent. You have to win in this club and we don't win games.
“It helped me a lot to choose the starting XI for the final. We will see.”
Before the game, Amorim claimed that United can have a much better season where they can qualify for Europe and then – because some Premier League teams go from the bottom of the table in one season.
“We have to finish this season,” said Amorim.
“Every season has its history and the Premier League has a number of times with Blackburn Rovers – almost degraded and then champions. Leicester City, almost relegation than champion. Nottingham Forest, almost in the Champions League and last season they fought for their lives.
“So it's a different context. People don't understand how things change in Carrington, in our club, how many things happen at the same time. Let's finish this season and we will see.
“I see good things and I know what to do. That's a good thing, the board does everything. Sometimes it is not popular, but we know what to do. This season is difficult, but let's finish it.”
Sky Sports to show 215 Live PL games next season
From next season, the Premier League coverage of Sky Sports will increase from 128 games to at least 215 games that are exclusively live.
And 80 percent of all Premier League matches broadcast on television will be on Sky Sports next season.