Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville believes Manchester United’s poor performances this season are just a sign of deeper-rooted problems at the club.
Manager Erik ten Hag is under increasing pressure after his team lost their eighth league game of the season against West Ham on Saturday afternoon but, speaking about his former club’s situation, Neville said that he can’t see things improving until there is a change of ownership:
“It doesn’t surprise me. I didn’t get carried away when they played against Liverpool because I thought Liverpool were below par. United were relatively poor in possession. But they showed resilience and you always have to respect a draw at Anfield. Now, what we see from this team, and I don’t just mean under his manager, is pretty much the same. You can’t trust them.
“They will let you down when they give you a glimmer of hope that they might be on track, they go lose a game they shouldn’t. They have Aston Villa on Boxing Day but could lose against Nottingham Forest four days later. United are inconsistent and the problems go a lot deeper,” he continued. “It’s cultural failure all the way through the club, which can only be fixed by new ownership.”
Neville’s wish is unlikely to come true anytime soon
With the Glazers having turned down the possibility of selling a majority stake in the club, changes at the top are not expected to happen in the near future.
Fans may have to hope that the arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe will trigger a culture change, which will consequently lead to better performances on the pitch.
Ten Hag is hanging onto his job at United
While Neville doesn’t feel that sacking the manager will change anything, it’s clear for all to see that ten Hag is not getting the most out of his players.
Injuries have certainly taken their toll on the current squad but the major concern is not just the results, but the awful football they have been playing. United have scored just 18 Premier League goals this season; only bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United have scored fewer.
