Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane criticised head coach Michael Carrick after the 4-4 draw with Aston Villa, comparing him to a politician who talks at length but avoids specific answers.
United came from behind twice during the match. They were 2-0 down inside the first four minutes but drew level before half-time, only to concede twice more. Goals from Joshua Zirkzee and Patrick Dorgu in injury time earned the hosts a draw.
After the match, Keane told Sky Sports:
Obviously, it is not easy for the manager at the moment. He is undoubtedly under pressure. He talks a lot but says very little. I don't know, maybe that's a tactic. Like a politician.
He keeps saying they need to improve defensively and that there are things they need to work on. But it is time they started doing something. This is their worst start in how many years? All those statistics look very bad. If they keep conceding goals and allowing opponents to create chances, nothing will change.
What can we expect in the coming weeks and months? What exactly are they working on? They need to do much better.
Keane did acknowledge that United's players had shown character to avoid defeat.
I think we have already said there are questions about this team, but the players are showing a certain fighting spirit and a desire to battle. As bad as the match was from a footballing point of view, they kept playing until the very end.
On the one hand, conceding four goals at home is terrible. But they didn't stop, so they deserve at least a little praise.
Looking at the bigger picture, watching Manchester United is like riding a rollercoaster. Some moments were simply awful. Especially the defending at the start of the match and the second half. But the team found a way to earn a point when all seemed lost. Even so, it is nowhere near enough to get them close to mid-table.
United forward Matheus Cunha also admitted he was frustrated with the team's performance.
I'm so tired. I feel hugely frustrated.
After the previous match, we talked a lot about how we concede goals, how we should react and change our mindset to get back into games. But then we did the same thing again — we conceded several goals again. That's not acceptable. We have to play like Manchester United and move forward.
The draw left Manchester United in the Premier League relegation zone, with just one win in the current league campaign. The pressure on Carrick continues to grow.
