Wayne Rooney believes Manchester United players not showing they want to play for Erik ten Hag after Arsenal defeat | Football news

Manchester United were beaten 1-0 by Arsenal, making it the club’s most common losses in a season in their history; Wayne Rooney believes United players are not showing they want to play for Erik ten Hag; Roy Keane and Paul Merson described United’s display as shocking

Wayne Rooney believes Manchester United’s players are not showing they want to play for Erik ten Hag, claiming some of the squad are “just trying to get to the end of the season”.

United suffered a 1-0 defeat at home to Arsenal Great Sundaywhich leaves them eighth, on course for their worst ever Premier League finish – and also risk missing out on European football altogether next season.

For United to qualify for Europe next season, they must finish in the top seven – and they are three points behind Chelsea in that position with just two rounds of matches remaining – or beat Man City in this month’s FA Cup final this one from Wembley.

After the game, Ten Hag was pleased with the “attitude” and competitiveness his side showed against the title-chasing Gunners – and believes United fans are behind him.

But under Ten Hag this season, United have now lost 19 games in all competitions, their most since 1978-79, while Sunday’s loss to the Gunners was their ninth defeat at Old Trafford this term, their biggest at home in a season.

Asked what this result means for Ten Hag’s future, Rooney said Sky Sports: “When you lose games the way they lose games, there are going to be big questions.

“I think the players have to look at themselves, when you have a manager talking about attitudes and players who don’t have the right to play for Manchester United, that’s a massive insult. If I see my manager saying that, I can’t I would let her ride and ride until the end of the season.

“I think some players are just trying to get to the end of the season, that’s my take on it. So I feel for him, but that’s his job to make sure the players are right.”

Asked if he felt the players were performing for Ten Hag, Rooney said: “If they are, I don’t think they’re showing it very well. The performances and there are some good players in that team are well below par. .

“I would personally hope they give him (Ten Hag) time, there are a lot of problems with recruitment, it has not been good for a few years.

“Hopefully he will have time to get it right. But we saw that in 2016 when Louis van Gaal lost his job (after winning the FA Cup), so you never know.”

Keane: United’s attack was so bad | Merson: Injuries are no excuse

In the meantime, my friend Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane criticized United’s attack, which failed to capitalize on 14 shots – three more than Arsenal – and 145 touches in the final third.

“The disappointment for me in the last half hour was United. Arsenal have come to Old Trafford over the years and found it difficult, but I bet Arsenal couldn’t believe how bad United were.

“Any pieces of possession they had, the end product and the lack of quality – you talk about the great teams United have had over the years, the players they have had. The last half hour, decision making, no one took anyone out. to make mistakes, to fall, to not pretend to each other.

“That United team over there… they’re so bad.”

United went into the game with 10 injured players missing – but Sky SportsPaul Merson believes Ten Hag’s side should do better.

“It was shocking,” Merson said of United’s display. “They just had 145 touches in the final third and two shots on goal. One was from Casemiro from 40 yards which I could have saved.

“It’s not good enough, you can’t lose nine games at home, this is Manchester United.

“You can have 10 or 11 injuries, Luton had 10 or 11 injuries. Chelsea have 10 or 11 injuries, big players like Reece James, who is first choice and captain of the club. And Chelsea are still going to finish above them. .

“Newcastle will come here and win this week. I don’t care how many of them are fit next season, there’s no way Manchester United will finish above Arsenal next season. No way. They’re 30 points behind. “

What Ten Hag said about his team…

Meanwhile, Ten Hag said injuries have cost his side’s results this season – which explains why United have been so open this season.

“We can face the fans,” he said Sky Sports. “On Monday (when they lost 4-0 to Crystal Palace) we certainly couldn’t face them but you can see the fans are behind us. Today, I gave them back. This should be the standard.

“Attitude. It always starts with the right attitude. That’s what we have to build during the week. On game day, you have to be up to it.

“Today I did (show attitude). When you’re missing 10 starters, we’re competitive with one of the best teams in the league.

“It’s about execution, when you don’t have the right attitude, when you don’t have the right press, it makes it easy for any opponent.

“For a United player, every game is a final. You have to perform to win every game. You should realize this.

“The fans understand where they are. If we have so many injuries, especially in key areas, you don’t get what you deserve.

“The fans are behind us, that’s why they are with us. We are united. We have a strong bond and hopefully we can pay them back in the future.

“We have problems, problems cost us results. But I don’t know where we should be when we have all the players on board.

“If you have players on board, you get more points. Especially in the back line, we get a lot of chances and a lot of goals. Last season, we had the most clean sheets in the Premier League.”

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