‘Worst they’ve been in Premier League’

GRAEME SOUNESS

I don’t see them getting into the top four. I’ll go further. I would say this is the worst group United have ever had since the Premier League started. I grew up with United being this institution. You look back to Roy Keane’s days and before, the kind of players they had at the club. The players they had starting today, with a 21-year-old in Rashford, saying he’s your main man to get goals. Your next biggest threat is the boy James, who is 21. Will they get United into the top four? I don’t think so. United find themselves in a very, very difficult place. Whenever United go to buy a player, there’s a 40 per cent premium on the price, simply because it’s United. I’m not just blaming managers. The people making the football decisions must hold their hands up and say, “We’ve made some pretty awful decisions along the way”. I don’t see any quick fix.

ROY KEANE

I don’t know where to start. I knew they weren’t in a great place but I’m shocked and saddened by how bad they were. Everything about the game for United was lacklustre. No quality, lack of desire, lack of leaders, lack of characters. It’s a long way back for United. It’s scary how far they’ve fallen.

JOSE MOURINHO

I can’t find (positives). We were bad last season but I don’t see any improvement, even with three new players (Maguire, Wan-Bissaka and James). I like the three and I think they are bringing some good quality to the team but the team as a team, I don’t like it at all and I’m not surprised by the result. I don’t think United can take any positives from the game.

Souness, Keane and Mourinho were speaking on Sky Sports