This coach is not the man for this job. Look at what he is saying. No coach those that. He is deceiving both the fans and the board. He needs to get sacked”-Roy Keane exposes Erik ten Hag on what he said after losing against Liverpool.

Former Manchester United player Roy Keane has criticized Erik ten Hag’s team for allowing themselves to be labeled as a ‘cup team.’
As part of the Sky Sports panel covering Manchester United’s 3-0 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday, Keane, a former United captain, was harsh in his critique of the Red Devils under Ten Hag’s leadership.

During Ten Hag’s tenure, United has finished 3rd and 8th in the Premier League, but they have managed to win trophies in both seasons, lifting the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup.

Despite these cup victories, United’s 8th-place finish in the Premier League last season marked the club’s worst in the competition’s history. Keane believes the pressure from that disappointing campaign still lingers over Ten Hag.

“You’d be worried for the manager,” Keane admitted to his fellow pundits. “I would never stand here and say, ‘I expect the manager to lose his job,’ but there’s no doubt the pressure from last year is building.”

You remember the FA Cup final against Manchester City, and they got out of jail in a few cup games. But the pressure must be building.”

“When you play for a big club, and Man United is one of the biggest, I’d hate the label of being a ‘cup team.’ That suggests, in terms of the league, you can’t perform consistentlI’m not talking about competing with Manchester City or Arsenal; I’m talking about being competitive with teams like Liverpool, Chelsea, Aston Villa, and Spurs. Right now, Manchester United seems a step behind them. That’s what worries me, not just what Man City and Arsenal are doing.”

What might stand out to United fans is Keane’s shift in tone; instead of his usual fiery demeanor, he delivered his assessment with a sense of resignation about the club’s current state.

When asked about his hopes for United moving forward, the Irishman, who faced Liverpool twenty times during his playing career, expressed his concerns.

“When Klopp and Arteta first joined the Premier League, you could sense that they had the backing and that the feel-good factor was returning. But when you keep losing, as United did last season at home, finishing eighth, and then get beaten convincingly today after a loss to Brighton, that optimism fades.”
When the stadium empties after sixty minutes because the game’s already over, it adds massive pressure on the manager. It’s only natural.”

“Of course, I want them to turn things around, but the longer it takes, and the more you come to games like this and see them losing comfortably to one of their biggest rivals, the pressure will only increase.”

Roy Keane, a former Manchester United captain and now a pundit for Sky Sports, has criticized Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United team, labeling them a “cup team.” This comment came after United’s 3-0 defeat to Liverpool, where Keane voiced his concerns over the club’s inconsistency in the Premier League under Ten Hag’s leadership.

Despite winning the Carabao Cup and FA Cup during Ten Hag’s tenure, United’s league performances have been disappointing, with finishes of 3rd and a troubling 8th place, the latter marking the club’s worst finish in Premier League history. Keane emphasized that the pressure from last season’s underwhelming performance still hangs over Ten Hag. He noted that while he doesn’t expect Ten Hag to lose his job, the weight of expectation is mounting.

Keane went on to express his disdain for the idea of Manchester United being considered a “cup team,” suggesting that this label implies inconsistency in the league. He highlighted that, at the moment, United seems to be lagging behind not only top teams like Manchester City and Arsenal but also clubs such as Liverpool, Chelsea, Aston Villa, and Spurs. This competitive gap is particularly concerning for Keane.

Notably, Keane’s tone during his critique was more resigned than his usual fiery delivery, indicating a deep concern for the current state of his former club. He reflected on how managers like Jurgen Klopp and Mikel Arteta brought a sense of optimism and momentum to their teams upon arrival, whereas United’s continued poor form—finishing 8th last season and suffering defeats against rivals like Liverpool and Brighton—has drained much of the optimism around Old Trafford.

Keane concluded by acknowledging that while he hopes United can turn things around, the increasing frequency of such defeats will only intensify the scrutiny and pressure on Ten Hag. He pointed out that when fans leave the stadium early because the game is effectively over, it adds significant pressure to the manager and the team, reflecting a troubling atmosphere at the club.