Manchester United legend Roy Keane has claimed that the Europa League has papered over the cracks of his former side’s form all year.
The Red Devils lost 0-1 to Tottenham Hotspur in the final of the Europa League to wash even more heartache over a beleaguered fanbase.
United had gone 14 games unbeaten in the competition before the final but have had a catastrophic domestic season.
Ruben Amorim’s side exited both cup competitions relatively early on and are a pathetic 16th in the table.
They may even fall to 17th on the last day of the season on Sunday, should results go against them.
Speaking to CBS Sports after the final (via FourFourTwo) Keane claimed that even a win in the competition wouldn’t have covered up United’s glaring issues.
Never one to mince his words, Keane asserted, “they’ve been getting out of jail with European football, and it’s been covering the huge cracks at Man United.”
He went on to state, “all season, they have been so easy to beat. They got lucky a few times in Europe and then tonight again. Ultimately, it’s not good enough.”
The Red Devils have clearly been focusing on the Europa League in the final months of the season and they have lost an incredible 18 times in the league.
What’s more, they have only picked up one point in their last six matches in the league. In fact, they have gone two months without a win in domestic football, since defeating Leicester City 3-0 in mid-March.
Keane went on the attack again and claimed that the use of Harry Maguire as an emergency number nine just highlights his former side’s woes.
Maguire was the undoubted hero of the quarter-final victory over Olympique Lyonnais with a last-gasp header as an emergency number nine.
Commenting on the tactic, the Irishman asserted “just when you think things can’t get any worse for Man United. It’s been the story all year.”
Featured image Justin Setterfield via Getty Images
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Alex Browne
Alex is a huge Manchester United fan, inspired by greats of his homeland such as George Best, Harry Gregg and Norman Whiteside. Proud owner of such niche shirts such as Kleberson, Eric Djemba-Djemba and Gary Neville. Grew up pretending to be Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the back garden, with little success.
