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A number of Manchester United stars have reportedly made contact with ex-players to urge them to stop hammering them in public.
It’s understood that one current player in particular has been left “irritated” by the constant criticism of the team and has made it clear he doesn’t appreciate it.
To say United have been underwhelming this season would be an understatement. The Red Devils currently lie in eighth place and there’s a real chance the club could miss out on European football entirely.
As it stands, it seems like beating Manchester City in the Wembley FA Cup final later this month is United’s best avenue of clinching Europa League football.
Unsurprisingly, the poor performances and results Erik ten Hag and his players have consistently served up this season have at times drawn angry reactions and intense criticism from the army of the club’s ex-stars who regularly appear on TV.
The likes of Roy Keane, Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand, Paul Scholes, Owen Hargreaves and Peter Schmeichel are just typical examples of former United professionals who have taken issue with the team’s displays.
Ironically, United’s slump in form coincided with the release of a new Amazon Prime documentary that shed light on the historic 1999 treble-winning term.
On that occasion, Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke especially took the opportunity to slam the current squad and express their dissatisfaction with how things are.
United’s record goalscorer Wayne Rooney recently suggested that some United players on the club’s payroll are faking injuries to avoid lining up for the club during a tumultuous period.
According to the reliable Andy Mitten of The Athletic, some United players have reached out to the ex-pros and told them they’re not happy with some of their unwarranted attacks.
Mitten wrote, “The players don’t like criticism from those who won the Treble and have told some of them so in recent weeks.”
“There are two sides to this, since pundits are paid to tell it how it is and would look like partisan apologists if they soft-pedalled.”
Mitten doubled down on this in the latest episode of Talk of The Devils podcast, which came out after the Reds’ 3-2 win over Newcastle.
He mentions the captain Bruno Fernandes as someone who has personally called out United’s ex-pros.
“Bruno has been really irritated by former players criticising the team and has told some of them so in recent weeks. There are two sides to that. Ex-players are supposed to tell it like it is but they just feel like they’re getting hammered all the time.”
🆕 TALK OF THE DEVILS recorded at Old Trafford with @AndyMitten & @Ankaman616 after United’s 3-2 over Newcastle. Including…
🔴 FERNANDES FUTURE
⚪️ AWARDS CANCELLED
⚫️ SALVAGING EUROPE& much more @TheAthleticFC #MUFChttps://t.co/M1Vi4CYARo
— Ian Irving (@ianirving_) May 16, 2024
United return to action on Sunday when they take on Brighton in the final match of the Premier League campaign.
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