The Premier League’s all-time leading goalscorer Alan Shearer believes the Manchester club’s win over Brentford isn’t their Premier League turning point, suggesting further that unrest under the Glazer family will be filtering to the players.
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The former Newcastle United ace says Man United’s win over Brentford does not mean the Red Devils’ season is back on track.
It was all looking decidedly glum for Erik ten Hag’s side as they looked destined for their third consecutive home defeat in the Premier League until unexpected hero of the day Scott McTominay saved the occasion for them with two stoppage-time goals that turned the would-be losers into last minute victors.
“I don’t (believe the win was a turning point),” Shearer told the The Rest Is Football podcast. “I said it a few weeks ago and what has happened at the very top of the football club inevitably filters down onto the pitch.
“Most people will say ‘hang on, it shouldn’t do. It’s got nothing to do with the players what is going on in the boardroom’. But it does, it happens. There’s discontent from the fans because of the owners and that filters down onto the pitch. I don’t see it getting significantly better until that changes.”
Ex-Manchester City defender Micah Richards also voiced his views and admitted he has sympathy for Ten Hag given the amount of off-pitch problems faced and a loss at home to Brentford would have further exacerbated his situation at Old Trafford.
“I have a little bit of sympathy for Ten Hag with what is going on,” he said. “Having to deal with the (Cristiano) Ronaldo situation so early, the (Jadon) Sancho situation with him not apologising, (Marcus) Rashford turning up late and having to leave him out of the team and then coming back.
“The whole Mason Greenwood situation, the thing with Harry Maguire . . . shall he play him, should he not? Taking the captaincy off him, Antony as well. But the only thing I will say is I have sympathy off the field but, on the pitch, what are Manchester United?
“I don’t know what they are in terms of their style of play. You have (Bruno) Fernandes who is a number ten playing out on the right. You have (Mason) Mount who is playing more in midfield but not creating a great deal and they move him to the right.
“They then have (Rasmus) Hojlund who is playing really well and have Rashford who wants to take on people and balls are not going to come into the box then for Hojlund. I still don’t know what they are trying to do and that is the biggest question mark I have over Manchester United.”