Paul Merson has criticised Manchester United and Erik Ten Hag for their tactical simplicity and inflexibility in a recent interview.

He has said how United appear static when they play, stating that there is ‘no movement’ on the pitch and that spectating them is ‘like watching Subbuteo’.

What did Paul Merson say about Manchester United’s style of play?

Merson said[via the Metro]: “I feel like when you’re watching Man Utd, it’s like watching Subbuteo. You blow the whistle to kick-off and at half-time, everyone is in exactly the same position as they were when they started the game. There’s no movement.”

“When you manage big football clubs, you’re under pressure and you’re under more pressure when the neighbours win. If they [Man City] had won today, then it really cranks up… it’s a must for them to get into the top four this season.

“You watch Man United play and you just don’t see the pattern of play. It’s like if it comes off, it comes off. You watch Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham, Man City play, they have patterns of play.

“Someone will go in and come back out, but at Man United, it’s ‘get the ball out wide and hope that Rashford does something and if he does, we might score a goal’.

“Amrabat was wasted out on the left in the end, he did come into the middle in the end but he should start off there. They need to dominate.

“It’s too slow at Man United, they let teams get into the game, let teams settle, but they’ve got to go for them in the first 20 minutes. There’s nothing like that.”

“Hojlund is playing up front on his own and you don’t know if the wingers are going to cross it or not. It’s hard for him. He doesn’t get a lot of service.”

What does Paul Merson think Manchester United need to do?

On how United can improve, Merson said: “I don’t see them turning it around at the moment. It might get to a situation where he might have to change the shape. He has a four at the back, he might need to go to a three just to mix it up.

“Mount, Casemiro and Fernandes don’t really know where they’re going or where they’re playing. It’s a big worry for Man United at the moment and another defeat. They’re a million miles off.

“I just find that Mount and Fernandes look a bit lost and don’t know where they’ve got to go. They’re getting dominated and passed around. They put pressure on Palace, but Johnstone didn’t have loads of saves to make.”