Manchester United have failed to impress so far this season and Roy Keane has shared his anger with one player.
This season was supposed to be different.
Ineos have brought experienced executives to the club and enjoyed a fairly successful summer window on paper.
Erik ten Hag was backed rather than sacked and Manchester United built a new coaching team around him with Rene Hake and Ruud van Nistelrooy arriving.
The hope was that United would really kick on after a disappointing campaign last season – but this term has been more of the same.
United have won just two of the opening seven Premier League games this season whilst failing to win either of the two Europa League games so far.
Roy Keane slams ‘fool’ Christian Eriksen
Those European games have been a particular disappointment.
United were leading 1-0 with FC Twente before conceding a ridiculous late goal to draw the game 1-1.
United then went 2-0 up at Porto before falling 3-2 behind and needing a late Harry Maguire leveller to claim a point.
Midfielder Christian Eriksen caused a stir after the game, suggesting that Twente wanted the result more than United.
Those were alarming comments for an experienced performer like Eriksen to come out with and Roy Keane has now offered his reaction.
Speaking on Stick to Football, Keane noted that he ‘gave up’ with this United team upon hearing Eriksen’s comments.
Keane would have been ‘disgusted’ if he ever felt another team wanted it more than United in his playing days.
The Irishman added that Eriksen was a ‘fool’ for making those thoughts public, believing that somebody inside United should have pulled him aside for an explanation.
“When players are coming out going ‘I think they might have wanted it more than us’, I kind of gave up at that stage,” said Keane.
“If that is the noise coming out of the dressing room, then no wonder the manager is in trouble, no wonder they’re not going to win football matches.
“I would be disgusted if I came in after a game and I felt another team wanted it more than us. You try and make sure that never even crosses anyone’s mind.
“Eriksen’s an experienced international player, vastly experienced, and he’s back in the United team the last few weeks because the manager said he’s doing well in training. Eriksen is not going to close the gap on Liverpool, Arsenal and Man City – absolutely not.
“I’m looking at him going… even if you feel that and it has happened where you thought they wanted it more than you, you don’t bloody say it you fool! Somebody should get a grip of him and go ‘why are you sending them messages about us for? We go out and say it was a disappointing result but we’ll bounce back next week,” he added.
Eriksen surely in final Manchester United season
Eriksen has been around successful teams in the past and reached a Champions League final with Tottenham Hotspur in 2019.
The Dane clearly doesn’t like what he is seeing in this United squad right now but perhaps his message would have been more sensible internally than out in the open.
United do need players to uphold standards and Eriksen’s experience will need to be replaced in 2025.
The midfielder is inside the final year of his contract at Old Trafford and a new deal seems unlikely.
Eriksen certainly isn’t coasting in his final year and is trying to drag the standards at United up a little bit.
Eriksen knows that draws with Twente just aren’t good enough and tried to highlight some issues in the United side.
Perhaps the comment weren’t delivered in the ideal manner but few could suggest that Eriksen doesn’t care about United’s fortunes and standards.
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