Manchester United need to 'f***ing wake up', says Dimitar Berbatov
Manchester United need to ‘f***ing wake up’ after lacklustre start to Premier League season, says Dimitar Berbatov
- Dimitar Berbatov has said Man United must ‘f***ing wake up’ afterpoor showings
- The former Red Devils star criticised their finishing and midfield frailties
- WATCH: ‘It’s All Kicking Off’ – Episode 3 – Mail Sport’s brand new football show
Dimitar Berbatov has implored Manchester United’s players to ‘f***ing wake up’ after a lacklustre start to the Premier League campaign.
The retired frontman took issue with his former side’s finishing and how they gave away chances in their 2-0 defeat at Tottenham.
A goal shortly after the break from Pape Matar Sarr and an own goal from Lisandro Martinez was enough for Spurs, who had fewer shots than their opponents.
Ange Postecoglou’s side were allowed to play their free-flowing football and their midfield ran rampant, as Wolves’ had in their opening day loss to United.
‘United need to f*****g wake up as soon as possible,’ Berbatov told Betfair.
Dimitar Berbatov has criticised Manchester United’s attacking and defensive qualities
Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes squandered heading chances against Spurs
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‘The second half at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for United was especially bad, pretty much the same as they played in their first game against Wolves.
‘When you don’t score, and you miss a good opportunity to score, which United had with Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes’ headers against Tottenham, you give a chance to the opposition to regroup and come back strongly.’
Rashford fired a header over the bar after an inventive chip by Fernandes and the latter bopped his high and wide from a Luke Shaw cross minutes later.
Both should have done better after doing well to evade their markers and find themselves one-on-one with Guglielmo Vicario.
Berbatov, who scored 56 goals over four seasons at Old Trafford, said: ‘Concentration and consistency help you to score. This is where United need that typical centre-forward striker who is 90-95% going to score with the good chances they create.
‘Hojlund needs to come back and be integrated into the team injury free, although they can’t rush it. They’ll get the ball in the box to him and leave Rashford to do what he can do, going from the wings to use the space to cut inside, cross or shoot.
‘When you don’t score, and you miss a good opportunity to score, which United had with Rashford and Bruno Fernandes’ headers, you give a chance to the opposition to regroup and come back strong.’
He also singled out Casemiro for performing below his usual excellent standards in the first two games of the season.
Berbatov criticised Casemiro’s performances but paid tribute to his usual standards and argued that the Red Devils could do with another defensive midfielder to support him
Manchester United’s midfield trio of Casemiro, Mason Mount, and Bruno Fernandes has looked exposed and vulnerable on the counter-attack so far this campaign.
Spurs had too much time on the ball in the middle of the park.
‘Casemiro needs to do better, based on the standards that he has shown over several years at Real Madrid and last season at United. The standards he has set for himself are really high,’ said Berbatov.
‘I’m sure that he knows it. The team are not playing as well as everybody expected them to play and if they don’t wake up, the season will be gone and it will be another wasted year.
‘In the case of Casemiro, you know how good a player he is and if he’s not in his best form then the team is going to suffer.
‘With the runs in between defenders and midfield players in the middle of the park, that’s a dangerous thing to let other teams do and when you’re not in the best shape it’s going to be dangerous for United as the opposition will go straight to the defence.’
He questioned United’s recruitment and argued that they should recruit another player of a similar mindset and qualities to complement the Brazilian as a defensive midfielder.
‘If Casemiro doesn’t have a good supporting player in the midfield, when United are up against more attacking and risk-taking opposition, their opponents are going to go straight at United.
‘Spurs and Wolves both had good chances in the middle, so United should go and look for another defensive midfield player.’
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