Ex-Manchester United player Roy Keane praises club for getting rid of these FOUR players
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Roy Keane said energy levels were back to optimum level in the United changing room after getting rid of 'energy-sappers'
Former Manchester United player turned pundit Roy Keane has praised the club for getting rid of four 'energy-sappers' that had a net negative impact on the team last season.
Speaking after United progressed to the Carabao Cup final, beating Nottingham Forest 5-0 on aggregate, Keane reflected that the mood in the United camp had changed with the introduction of new players and managers.
“I’m not knocking all these players, Pogba, Mata, Matic, Jesse Lingard, lads who’d been around and knew they were leaving. They knew they’d be leaving and their contracts were up for most of them and I think that wasn’t helping," said Keane, naming the players.
While Paul Pogba was shipped to Juventus, Juan Mata went to Galatasaray, Nemanja Matic to Roma and Jesse Lingard to Nottingham Forest, after somewhat disappointing campaigns with United.
Keane reflected on the same and added, "Those who were fringe players, coming off the bench, and when they were coming on they weren’t bringing anything because they felt they should have been starting."
“Those subs and fringe players have to come on and be ready, whereas the fringe players last year, you just felt they were energy-sappers."
After manager Erik ten Hag took over United at the start of the 22-23 season, the team suffered crushing defeats against Brighton and Brentford.
However, since then, the Dutch manager has turned around a corner as United are the only English team competing on all fronts at the moment.
In order to compete, Ten Hag had to invest heavily in the summer transfer window. Players such as Antony, Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez, Christian Eriksen and Tyrell Malacia were brought to the club and the change has been visible.
“There definitely feels around the club a new energy, the new manager has put a few markers down after a bad start to the season, and that momentum and that feel-good factor is back at the club. The energy levels are different," noted Keane.
After Eriksen's injury ruled him out of the season, United acted smoothly before the end of the winter transfer window and bought Bayern Munich midfielder Marcel Sabitzer.
(With inputs from agencies)
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