Manchester United start a new week with a taste of defeat in their mouth, again.
This one hurt more than most. Erik ten Hag‘s side fell victim to a 3-1 loss against Manchester City, despite leading through a Marcus Rashford thunderbolt.
The defeat further highlights a few issues around Old Trafford, particularly squad size and depth. The Red Devils bench was seriously depleted against their noisy neighbours.
Work is to be done in the summer by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co. One man seemingly will have his work cut out.
Manchester United severely lacked squad depth
Speaking on Match of the Day 2, Mark Chapman sat down with former Premier League footballers Danny Murphy and Troy Deeney to speak about the Manchester derby.
As Micah Richards also pointed out post-match, they spoke about how at the end of the day, it was the sheer quality coursing through City’s ranks, compared to United’s depleted bench, which ultimately made the difference.
Speaking on United’s bench, Deeney begins: “If you’re looking at Premier League experience, there’s nothing really there.”
“When you look at City, and everyone will go well City spent blah, blah, blah but they have a squad. Manchester United probably have five players out who would be first-team players, but then also if they make those five changes – they’d beat that team that started, so they get weaker when the changes are made.
“So that’s why I think Dan Ashworth has got such a big job in the summer to remould, not only getting players out but remould and change the way that whole club looks and feels going forward.”
Troy Deeney on Dan Ashworth
Dan Ashworth will have a monumental job on his hands around Carrington – “If he takes the job,” responds Chapman to Deeney. The former Watford striker immediately responds: “He’s taking it. I’ll say it, you lot are thinking it.”
The latest news is that Manchester United will be forced to wait until 2026 to bring in Dan Ashworth from Newcastle United unless they’re prepared to fork out more than £20million, it has been claimed.
But, this may be a small price to play to bring the influential football director to Old Trafford. He evidently wants to be here, and Ratcliffe and Ineos are desperate for him to be on board, so we’re with Troy – we expect to see him around Manchester very soon.
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