‘God help us’: Roy Keane criticises Manchester United’s players after defeat by Arsenal

Another home defeat leaves United 15th in the table, already six points off the top four

Karl Matchett
Sunday 01 November 2020 16:55 EST
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Roy Keane slated the lack of characters in the Man United team
Roy Keane slated the lack of characters in the Man United team (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

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Roy Keane watched his former club Manchester United lose for the third time from four Premier League games at Old Trafford this season and criticised the squad for a lack of quality.

Arsenal were resilient defensively, but just a few days on from putting five goals past RB Leipzig in the Champions League, United barely threatened and a deflected cross onto the post was as close as they came to scoring.

After already having lost to Crystal Palace and Spurs on home soil, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team have taken just one point on their own patch this season and only seven from six games overall.

Keane says the players aren’t performing as they’re expected to and should only be in the team for the Red Devils because they have already shown the capacity to break down teams who are happy to be defensive-minded or frustrate the attack.

“United have faced teams like this [sitting back] for 20 years. You’re playing at Manchester United because you’re expected to break these teams down,” he said on Sky Sports.

“You’re expected to run back, to roll your sleeves up - that’s what characters at Manchester United are about.”

Keane went on to completely deride what he perceives as a lack of determination and drive within the squad to get the result whatever it took - on a particularly poignant day which saw the teams mark the passing of club a legend before kick-off.

"We spoke before the game about Nobby Stiles: fight for six, heart of a lion. I don’t see it out there. I don’t see men out there, I don’t see guys you want to be in the trenches with, guys you trust.

"Look at Ole in management: you have to trust your players, your job depends on these guys out on the pitch.

"You have to trust them lads out there? God help us."

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