Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has said he feels sorry for Manchester United, saying the Red Devils lacked quality, confidence, and fighting spirit in the damning defeat to Manchester City.
Manchester City Were A Class Above Manchester United
Manchester United welcomed their noisy neighbors Manchester City for a Premier League derby on Sunday afternoon (October 29). The Red Devils looked a step behind City from the first blast of the whistle and the gap only increased as the match wore on. The game ended 3-0 in favor of the reigning English and European champions, marking United’s fifth defeat in 10 Premier League matches this season.
Manchester City goalmachine Erling Haaland was the star of the show, with him punishing United with a well-taken brace and an assist.
Reacting to United’s Sunday defeat, Wenger said he felt bad seeing a team of United’s stature get outclassed by City, admitting he did not know where Erik ten Hag’s team could improve to get back on track.
Arsene Wenger Delivers Manchester United Verdict, Criticizes Erik Ten Hag’s Tactics
On beIN Sports (via The Daily Mail), Wenger said:
“I would say the gulf between the two teams became bigger and bigger as the game went on. In the end, for such a big club you felt sorry for Man United because there’s no hope there in the team.
“Don’t see where they can improve, basically. This team has lost confidence, quality, and even spirit today. I would say it was not a great fighting spirit from Man United, on top of that.”
Wenger also criticized Ten Hag’s tactics, saying the team should have pushed ahead instead of going back to goalkeeper Andre Onana.
Manchester United Premier League losses at Old Trafford under Sir Alex Ferguson: 34
Manchester United Premier League losses at Old Trafford since he retired: 34
It's not easy succeeding a legend 🌧️ pic.twitter.com/s7tEklj2TF
— B/R Football (@brfootball) October 29, 2023
The Frenchman added:
“I believe where Man United suffers a lot, first of all, is about the quality, the individual quality of the players.
“And I felt today they were very poor to build the game up from the back. They gave the ball so many times to the goalkeeper when they had possibilities to play forward. I would stay it started there. Then you make the whole team uncertain and lack confidence because when you feel the fear is behind, they do not want the ball.”
Wenger continued:
“I would say the second part of their big problem today was the distances between the striker and the defenders were huge. There were situations where the strikers were closing down, trying to pressure, and the defenders were 20 meters behind the halfway line.
“You cannot win the ball back against a team like Man City when the distances are too big. The team was not compact enough, after that the difference of individual quality.”
The defeat at Old Trafford left United in eighth place in the Premier League standings. They are currently 11 points off leaders Tottenham Hotspur and nine behind third-placed City.
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