“Let’s not get carried away” — Roy Keane rubbishes Ten Hag

Manchester United‘s impressive 3-0 triumph against Everton at Goodison Park saw Alejandro Garnacho’s stunning overhead kick steal the spotlight, but post-match remarks from manager Erik ten Hag ignited controversy, drawing criticism from former United skipper Roy Keane.

Garnacho’s early strike, a contender for ‘goal of the season,’ set the tone for United’s dominance, followed by Marcus Rashford’s penalty, orchestrated by Bruno Fernandes, and Anthony Martial’s late goal, securing a convincing victory for the Red Devils.

Ten Hag’s commendation of Fernandes for his leadership role in allowing Rashford to take the penalty stirred a heated response from Keane.

The Dutch manager praised Fernandes’s captaincy, stating,

“You see also how great [a] captain Bruno is. See, feel, assess that your team-mate needed that goal. He has the confidence in Rashy, who is a good penalty taker. As a team, you need that leadership that you back each other. We have to go step by step. This is one step.”

However, Keane, a pundit in the Sky Sports studio, vehemently opposed Ten Hag’s remarks, dismissing them as “absolute rubbish.”

Expressing discontent, Keane emphasized United’s current sixth-place position, highlighting the team’s aspiration to contend with the likes of City, Liverpool, Arsenal, and other competitive sides such as Spurs, Villa, and newly resurgent Newcastle.

Asserting the necessity for United to excel in pivotal matches, Keane alluded to their upcoming encounter against Newcastle, emphasizing the importance of consistency in performance.

“Man Utd are sixth now. If they were sixth a few years back you’d be embarrassed, but obviously they seem happy with sixth. They have a long way to go to compete with the best teams, City, Liverpool, Arsenal.

“And obviously you’ve got teams like Spurs, obviously Villa, and of course Newcastle. They go to Newcastle next week. We’ll see what United turns up, because that’s what they’re supposed to do, turn up for the big games.”

Despite the controversy sparked by Ten Hag’s comments, Manchester United’s league standing improved with 24 points on the board after securing their eighth win of the season.

Ten Hag’s squad is now riding a three-game winning streak in the Premier League, building momentum from victories against Fulham, Luton Town, and Everton.

The clash of opinions between Ten Hag and Keane adds an intriguing layer to United’s narrative, underscoring the diverse perspectives and expectations surrounding the team’s performances under the spotlight of the Premier League.