BBC pundit Alan Shearer doesn’t believe Manchester United will be contenders for the top 4 this season.
The Newcastle legend backed Erik ten Hag’s men for Champions League qualification at the beginning of the campaign but he has seen very few signs that they are capable of mounting a challenge at the top of the table:
There is still time for Erik ten Hag’s side to find their feet but I think there are deeper-rooted problems at the club, which will take time to iron out. Before the season started, I backed Manchester United to make the top four again, but they are just not as good as I thought they would be – at least not yet.
“Late comebacks like the one they produced against Brentford can be a turning point in a team’s season, but I don’t think that will be the case for Manchester United. I need to see more evidence than that to suggest that they are back, and I haven’t seen anywhere near enough from their performances all season to think they can challenge for the top four.”
Shearer disagrees with ten Hag about Brentford win
After Scott McTominay’s two late goals sealed a dramatic turnaround against Brentford at the weekend, manager Erik ten Hag stated that he hoped the victory would represent a “turning point” for his team.
Shearer, like many others, is less than convinced that will be the case. A crucial factor to consider is the international break. Any momentum they would gain from the morale-boosting win could be lost when they return to domestic action later this month.
United have some difficult fixtures coming up
Although fans would hope that ten Hag’s men will be able to secure the 3 points against bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United in their match on Saturday week, there are some tricky games on the horizon for the Red Devils to negotiate.
The Manchester derby is at the end of October, while they also face Newcastle in the Carabao Cup just a few days later. We shall see if United can change the course of their season over the next month or so.
