Following Manchester United's 2-0 away defeat to Newcastle at St James' Park that saw Erik ten Hag's side relinquish third spot in the Premier League table, Gary Neville questioned the club's recruitment in January and their poor away record in big games
Monday 3 April 2023 06:09, UK
Erik ten Hag was badly let down by Manchester United in the January transfer window and their away record in big games is a worrying sign, says Gary Neville.
Ten Hag's team were deservedly beaten 2-0 by Newcastle at St James' Park on Sunday, a result that sees Eddie Howe's side move above them into third in the Premier League table.
Neville offered some perspective on his former club's season under the Dutchman but noted that their poor return away from home has become a pattern.
"If you had said at the start of the season, after those first few games, this is where Manchester United would be, you would snap their hand off," Neville told Sky Sports.
"With the squad they have, Europa League, a trophy in the bag, semi-final of the FA Cup and top four, that is brilliant, well done. I think you can still say that.
"But there are emerging signs away from home, in the big games, when you really have to turn up and show that spirit, that fight, that courage to play, and have the quality to play, there is more evidence that they are not good enough in these type of matches.
"They can still go on to have a good season. Manchester United have responded many times. But they have been well beaten today, let us be clear.
"They play Brentford and Everton in the next week. If they get six points, they look like they are in a great position again.
"But they are not fooling anyone in terms of the bigger picture of where they need to go. Erik ten Hag will know that they need to make sure they continue to improve but there are worrying signs in these big matches away from home.
"They just do not turn up. They were never in that game today. You are thinking they are going to improve in the second half but they did not. They were really poor in the second half as well as the first half. They deserved to get beaten.
"Newcastle did want it more. When you look at Manchester United's season, I am happy overall. But you have got to turn up in the big games away from home. You have to know you can play well in the biggest games.
"Barcelona away was an outlier. They played really well in Barcelona. But other than that, against the top teams, they have not shown up. There is too much evidence now. If you cannot play in the big games for Manchester United you have no chance.
"Erik ten Hag needs to work out which ones he can take forward and which ones he can't."
Wout Weghorst, the striker who has started each of his team's 19 games since mid-January, struggled at St James' Park and is unlikely to be part of the club's long-term plans.
Neville believes the signing of the 30-year-old forward on loan from Burnley reflects the fact that Ten Hag did not receive the support he required this winter.
"He was badly let down, Erik ten Hag, in January, if you look at it. Because that Cristiano Ronaldo interview with Piers Morgan was done in November. He was always going to leave at the start of the World Cup. Manchester United then had six weeks before the transfer window began.
"They made a conscious decision not to give Erik ten Hag the money because they have not got the money. They made a conscious decision to tell him he was going to have to bring somebody in on loan. Who is going to loan Manchester United a world-class striker in January? Nobody is going to do that.
So I do not blame Wout Weghorst at all. He has done a really good job. He is a placeholder for Manchester United and Erik ten Hag and I think he is doing absolutely everything he can do out there on the pitch. He is obviously is not good enough to be a Manchester United striker. But they needed support in January.
"They lost Ronaldo, they lost Edinson Cavani in the summer and Anthony Martial was injured. You cannot play without a centre-forward. To play football really well your centre-forward and your goalkeeper have to play well. It is just a rule. He does not always play well.
"So, for me, Erik ten Hag was let down badly in January by the club in the sense that they have this £900m of debt and they could not afford to bring in anyone else. That is the harsh reality of it."
