Now, a few days before Christmas, after yet another defeat and probably another season without games in Europe, I am happy that I am not now sitting in the ownership lodge at Old Trafford. and by having seen how it has gone with Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s billion-dollar purchase of parts of the Glazer family’s shares in Manchester United.
Almost two years ago, Sir Jim Ratcliffe spent £1.25 billion for a 27.7% stake in Manchester United, and a few weeks ago he spent another £79 million on a new 1.24%.
Read: What happened to Manchester United’s “next Martin Ødegaard” who turned down a new contract?
Manchester United are after 17 Premier League games this season down in 7th place with only 27 points. On Sunday, Aston Villa, who are in the process of securing Champions League play next season, hosted what is the world’s second most expensive squad.
Manager Ruben Amorim will be without Mbeumo, Diallo and Mazraoui for the next month on national team duty in the Africa Cup of Nations. Bad in itself for the United manager, the first two play very important roles in the Portuguese’s attacking machinery. Now comes another blow for Amorim, the team’s most important attacking player disappeared from the injury bench in Sunday’s 2-1 loss to Aston Villa – and will stay there.
Criticism hails and club legend Roy Keane does not hold back on Sky Sports after the defeat to Aston Villa.- There is one player he reacted to the most.
Roy Keane lashed out at a Manchester United player in his final sharp assessment after the Red Devils’ defeat to Aston Villa.
After a pulsating 4-4 draw at home to Bournemouth on Monday, Manchester United looked set to return to victory against an in-form Villa side in Sunday’s afternoon game.
But they fell to a 2-1 defeat after Morgan Rogers scored a stunning double for Unai Emery’s men, who have now won 10 games in a row and are just three points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal.
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Matheus Cunha was on target with an equaliser for United, which saw captain Bruno Fernandes forced off the pitch with a first-half injury that could keep him on the sidelines for a significant period of time.
Former captain Keane had a pundit role for Sky Sports and, as expected, he didn’t hold back with his post-match opinions.
The Irishman had a lot to say, but at one point it was Diogo Dalot who got a sharp remark when Keane claimed that there are United players who “just don’t do enough”.
“You can have all the talent in the world,” Keane began.
“We’ve mentioned it over and over again, but you have to roll up your sleeves and when the game gets a little close, there are moments where you say, ‘I’m just going to do my part for the team’. There are too many players, like Dalot, who just don’t do enough.”
“I don’t want to use the word cheating, but they just don’t do enough. And after the game, I would watch him – I wouldn’t watch other parts of the game.”
“The same goes for the first goal when Rogers gets the ball on the edge. We are all sitting there and we know there is danger. Don’t they know there’s danger?”
Fernandes’ injury came on top of Kobbie Mainoo’s absence at Villa Park, with three academy stars named on the bench for United.
Jack Fletcher and Shea Lacey both made their debuts for the club and could feature prominently in the upcoming matches given a lack of options, with three players unavailable due to the Africa Cup of Nations.
“This is the time when opportunities come for other players and you have to take the step and show that you deserve to be in the team and play more minutes,” Dalot told Sky Sports after the game.
“I think that’s how the players who get opportunities have to look at it.”
United are seventh in the league after 17 games and are three points behind fourth-placed Chelsea after a 2-2 draw with Newcastle.
The Magpies are United’s next opponent, and they travel to Old Trafford on Boxing Day.
- December against Newcastle
- December mother Wolverhampton
- January Leeds
- January mother Burnley
Brighton in the FA Cup on January 11
Manchester derby 17 January
