Home Football Roy Keane Blasts Manchester United as a 'Bunch of Strangers' following FA Cup fourth-round triumph against Leicester

Roy Keane Blasts Manchester United as a 'Bunch of Strangers' following FA Cup fourth-round triumph against Leicester

Harry Maguire scored a dramatic 93rd-minute header to secure the win, despite being in an ...

Sun, 09 Feb 2025 09:27 AM

Roy Keane Blasts Manchester United as a

Harry Maguire scored a dramatic 93rd-minute header to secure the win, despite being in an offside position. The goal was controversially allowed to stand as VAR was not in use at the time.

Bobby De Cordova-Reid struck in the 42nd minute to give Leicester the lead which prompted boos from the Old Trafford crowd at half-time and it took United 65 minutes to have their first shot on target.

pundit Keane, speaking on ITV, said: "United got out of jail.

"Don't be fooled by it. You have to praise them - Manchester United are in the next round of the cup - but if they keep performing like that...the performance itself was nowhere near good enough.

"The subs made a difference. They played a lot more direct and more forward passes but they should do more. They rode their luck."

Keane slammed United at half-time, saying: "It's shocking. Really, really poor. No shot on target. They had two on target against Crystal Palace. They're actually boring now.

"You're looking for urgency and energy. The goal sums up United. Giving it away cheaply, people not staying with their runners.

"From United's point of view, is this what it's come to? Nowhere near good enough.

"United aren't even doing the basics right. They're sloppy."

Keane added afterwards: "The manager is obviously really frustrated with the performance. He mentioned about having no energy, that's the bit I don't understand.

"Whatever about the tactics and players trying to settle in and lack of confidence but you've got to play with energy.

"Your starting point has to be energy and enthusiasm and then you take it from there. If you've got no energy, it doesn't matter what system you're playing, you won't get near anybody.

"It's all well and good playing in possession but you have to close people down. Leicester were getting plenty of joy.

"We've seen two bad teams there tonight. Any team with a bit more quality than Leicester would have got the job done. United rode their luck."

Amorim: Good result, not a good performance

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim speaking on ITV:

"We have to do so much better with the ball, without the ball. We didn't have any energy in the beginning, especially in the first half.

"Then in the second half, we played a little bit better, with a little bit more speed, winning second balls and then we managed to turn things around.

"It was a good result, not a good performance.

"I cannot focus just on saving the season or the momentum with a cup. It's not the way I see football, it's not the way I see Manchester United.

"I'm not thinking about the end of the season because the final is at the end of the season. I don't care about that, I care about the moment and the moment is not good enough.

"A good result. We move forward to the next stage. We have a week to prepare, but today was not a good day."

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