A number of Manchester United’s players have shown a fresh side to themselves since Erik ten Hag took over as manager, responding to previous criticism from ex-players
Manchester United have been enjoying a relatively fruitful season, despite difficult results in their last two games, with some players responding well after a difficult 2021-22.
After finishing a distant sixth under Ralf Rangnick, the Red Devils have been revived by the arrival of Erik ten Hag as manager. A top four finish still looks likely, despite the last two matches bringing a 7-0 defeat at Liverpool and a goalless draw at home to relegation-threatened Southampton.
At various points over the last few years, including during Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s time in charge, a number of the players still at Old Trafford have come in for criticism from ex-players including former captain Roy Keane. Here, Mirror Football has taken a look back at Keane’s words and detailed how those stars have responded.
Marcus Rashford
England forward Marcus Rashford has provided the biggest comeback story of Ten Hag’s tenure. The academy graduate has looked like a man reborn, leading the way for United in the goal charts and scoring a career-best 26 in all competitions with two months of the season still to go.
The 25-year-old’s positivity appears to have spread through the squad, too, helping United progress in Europe while remaining on course for a top-four finish. It’s a big difference from 2020, when the frontman came under fire from Keane after a league defeat at home to Arsenal.
Marcus Rashford has been enjoying his best ever season in front of goal ( Image: AP)
“I looked at Rashford closely today, who has had a lot of plaudits over the past few months and he’s still a young man, but his body language was shocking, really shocking,” Keane said at the time.
“He was shrugging his shoulders when things weren’t going his way. You roll your sleeves up at Manchester United. (When) things aren’t going your way, that’s when you look at your leaders and characters.”
Harry Maguire, David de Gea and Luke Shaw
Maguire, De Gea and Shaw all came in for criticism at the end of the 2019-20 season when United drew with Spurs. The Red Devils needed a late penalty from Bruno Fernandes to rescue a point on that occasion after Steven Bregwijn had opened the scoring for their opponents.
While Maguire has lost his regular starting spot under Ten Hag, De Gea and Shaw have been key components in a defence which has kept 11 clean sheets in the league and five more en route to Carabao Cup glory. Shaw has even fought off the challenge of new signing Tyrell Malacia, showing how much has changed since Keane’s disbelief in 2020.
Harry Maguire is no longer an automatic starter for Man Utd ( Image: Getty Images)
“I’m fuming watching this,” the Irishman said after the Spurs draw. “I can’t believe Manchester United, I can’t believe Luke Shaw heading the ball and running forward.
“I am staggered at Maguire, staggered that an international player can just get done by this. I am sick to death of this goalkeeper. I’d be fighting him at half-time… I’d be swinging punches at that guy.
“It’s a standard save for an established international goalkeeper. I am flabbergasted. Maguire and De Gea – I wouldn’t even let them on the bus after the match. Get a taxi back to Manchester.
“We’re trying to analyse the game… you do your job. We’re trying to get into the top four, never mind win the league. Shocking! Maguire, I am disgusted with him and De Gea. You should hang your heads in shame.”
Fred and Christian Eriksen
Brazilian midfielder Fred was signed at great cost when Jose Mourinho was still Man Utd manager, and initially struggled to live up to the £53m fee paid to Shakhtar Donetsk for his services. After some improvement under Rangnick, though, he has continued to play a role under Ten Hag.
Christian Eriksen has impressed since joining Man Utd ( Image: Getty Images)
The 30-year-old hasn’t always been first choice under the new boss, but an injury to Christian Eriksen has seen his involvement increase. While not known for his attacking prowess, the former Internacional man has delivered important goals this term, including in victories over Tottenham and Barcelona.
Eriksen’s Old Trafford switch came after an impressive run of form for Brentford, but the Dane was also linked during his Tottenham days. Back then, Fred caught strays when Keane weighed up the merits of a January 2020 swoop.
Fred has stepped in after Eriksen’s injury ( Image: AP)
“Would I take him [Eriksen]? Not if I was manager of Man United,” Keane said.
“I think he will get a move, he’s on a free, but I don’t think he’ll improve those teams and that’s the key for a club like Man United who are trying to close the gap.
“He won’t make Man United better… having said that, Man United bought Fred.” So that’s Fred and Eriksen who, in different ways, responded to Keane’s claims.
Scott McTominay
McTominay, like Fred, has taken a relative back seat since Ten Hag’s arrival. The signings of Casemiro and Eriksen have marginalised the pair, but it is telling that the Brazilian is the one trusted most frequently by the former Ajax boss.
Scotland international McTominay has started just one league game in 2023, covering for the suspended Casemiro in a defeat at Arsenal. He has been linked with a summer exit, though another suspension for his team-mate – who was sent off against Southampton – could bring further minutes in the interim.
In 2020, though, the pair – along with the now-departed Nemanja Matic – bore the brunt of a Keane tirade. While McTominay may have a role to play, he doesn’t appear to have done enough for Keane to be left eating his words.
Scott McTominay has been linked with a summer exit ( Image: PA)
“People talk about Fred and McTominay in midfield, they’ve had their chance, we’ve seen them,” the former skipper said. “I don’t think they’re bad players, but they won’t get United back to winning league titles.
“They have some very good players, but they need to show a bit more. [Donny] Van de Beek has come into the club, and there’s nothing wrong with biding your time, but if you think Fred, McTominay and Matic in midfield will get Man United back to the heights of winning titles, then you’re living in cuckoo land.
“They won’t, I think they’re good players – I like them – but not to the next level, and that’s surely what United are looking for.”
Anthony Martial
In pre-season, it looked as though Anthony Martial might have more of a role to play this term. The French forward had returned from an underwhelming loan at Sevilla, but Ten Hag found a role for him in preparation for the new campaign.
Injuries have disrupted Anthony Martial’s season ( Image: PA)
Sadly for the former Monaco man, familiar injury issues have come to the fore. There have been goals and bright sparks when he has been fit, but injuries have prevented the 27-year-old from giving himself a chance to prove United’s former captain wrong this term.
“We have definitely seen something more out of him over the last few weeks in terms of things I didn’t think he had in his locker such as that desire,” Keane said in March 2020. “The key for this lad is that if you want to be a big striker at Manchester United you have to score in the important games against the big teams.
“I do have question marks over him. I always see the big strikers scoring in top games away from home.”
Bruno Fernandes
While many of his team-mates came in for criticism during the Solskjaer era, Bruno Fernandes managed to escape Keane’s wrath. The Portugal international showed early promise after arriving in January 2020, and has regularly found himself wearing the captain’s armband with official skipper Maguire spending time on the bench.
( Image: AP)
“We often talk about players taking time to settle at a club – it’s not taken him long has it?” Keane said of Fernandes just a few months into his time at Old Trafford. “He seems a very good personality.
“It’s obviously a huge move for him, but he seems to be enjoying it. He’s got a little bit of arrogance about him.
“He’s brought leadership, but I think he’s brought it in a different way. People talk about leadership in terms of making tackles, but he’s just given everyone a lift, and that comes down to his quality.”
It took no time at all for Fernandes to announce himself to Keane as a leader, and the pundit might not have been surprised to see him given the armband by Ten Hag. Questions were asked of Fernandes’ suitability after the hammering at Anfield, but he still appears to have his manager’s backing.
