Manchester United are “well short” of the quality required to compete for the Premier League title and their 3-2 defeat by Arsenal should come as a “reality check”, according to Roy Keane.
United took the lead at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday but ended up losing, with Eddie Nketiah scoring a 90th-minute winner. Marcus Rashford powered in a stunning opener from distance and Lisandro Martinez stooped to nod in a looping header, but United could not keep the Gunners at bay.
Nketiah headed in after Aaron Wan-Bissaka switched off and Bukayo Saka cut inside Christian Eriksen to curl into the bottom corner before Nketiah flicked in the late winner. Arsenal re-established their five-point lead at the top of the Premier League, while United remained fourth, 11 points behind their opponents.
Former United midfielder Keane believes this defeat, coupled with the 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace on Wednesday, have shown the limitations of Erik ten Hag’s squad. And he singled out full-backs Wan-Bissaka and Luke Shaw and midfielders Fred and Scott McTominay for criticism.
“I think the last few days have been difficult with the dropping points last minute against Palace and the defeat today, so yeah that’s what the game does to you,” he said on Sky Sports. “United weren’t at their best, but you think they could have hung on for the draw, take a point and move on, but it goes back to where United made progress.
“But then come the end of the game Shaw’s still at left-back – question marks over him – Wan-Bissaka, Fred’s back in midfield, McTominay, it’s as if United haven’t moved on from their problems of the past.
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“I’m not just blaming those players, because it was a tough game and you’ve got to give credit to Arsenal, but it is a reality check. I’ve said it the last few weeks: United are well short.”
United were without Casemiro after the midfielder picked up a fifth yellow card of the season against Palace – and Keane thinks his absence was key to the result. “We were missing an important player today but that’s the game, United should be able to deal with it, and when the going got tough and you’re looking at the options off the bench it wasn’t great,” he added.
“For all the money United spent, they’re still well short, and we saw that today in a game against an Arsenal team who are flying. I was always certain Man United would be going for top four, I think they’ll be fine for that, try and win a cup, but in terms of competing for league titles they’ve a bit to go yet.”
United now turn their attention to cup competitions. Ten Hag’s side travel to Nottingham Forest next in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final on Wednesday, before hosting Reading in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday.
