Although Ralf Rangnick racked his second Premier League match victory as Manchester United manager, former Reds’ captain Gary Neville laments their performance against Norwich City as “sloppy” with the Sky Sports pundit warning that United’s performances have to improve as they are still way off the mark.
The Red Devils were fortunate that Cristiano Ronaldo’s second-half penalty ensured a victory for the team as Rangnick’s looked lethargic in grinding out a 1-0 away win against Dean Smith’s struggling Canaries.
This marked the former RB Leipzig manager’s second consecutive Premier League victory as the new United gaffer, becoming the first Man United boss in 118-years to keep two clean sheets in their first two matches. But this was clearly what not the former United captain had expected as he bemoaned their sluggish display as Norwich made it tough for them all the way.
Neville also warned that Rangnick’s men will need to crank things up a few gears if they are to secure another three points in their next match against Brentford.
“It wasn’t a good performance. Against any other team in the league that would have caused them real problems,” Neville said after the game.
“They go to Brentford on Tuesday night and they have to better than that otherwise they will get beaten. I do think they will.
“On the ball they were so sloppy it’s untrue. They gave it away so many times it was unbelievable.
“Any other team in the league playing against Manchester United today would have probably at least get the point or maybe wins the game.”
Admittedly several elements of United’s game seemed to be disjointed, this was the only clean sheet of their entire domestic campaign to date.
Understandably, all eyes are now fixated on Rangnick as he continues to implement the highly-regarded gegen-pressing philosophy which preceded his entrance into the Premier League.
Neville is not convinced the Reds pressed cohesively with the assertiveness and intensity that the 63-year-old manager is well known for demanding from his players.
“We were told before the first game and all week that United will be high energy and high press,” Neville added.
“That did not exist today and it will be interesting to understand why.
“I will be interested to see Rangnick’s interview to see whether they’ve done a hard week of training and if that was result of this or whether he wanted his players to sit off a bit and not press.
“The most important thing for United is the three points and clean sheet. He will take that all day long. He will see it as a good week but United will have to improve a lot to get anything in the next games.”