Manchester United: Priorities for the rest of the season

Transcript

00:00 So if we look on the pitch, Eric Ten Hag of course still in charge of Manchester United,

00:05 things seem business as usual from that aspect. For the majority of the season that is left,

00:11 what is the aim for Manchester United? Do they have a priority in terms of league or

00:15 cups or anything? What are your thoughts Michael?

00:18 Yeah, it's a good question. I think that, I mean, obviously no-one knew the title, they're

00:23 not going to be involved in that. I think, off the top of my head are they about seven

00:27 points off the Champions League place, maybe eight, I can't remember off the top of my

00:31 head. So I think that's going to be the aim, to try and get into the Champions League places.

00:34 I think it looks unlikely, if I'm honest, certainly the way they're playing. But I think

00:38 the big hope from a United perspective will be that they are getting all these injured

00:41 players back, the likes of Martinez, Casemiro, we've got Mason Mount coming back. And there's

00:46 an Eric Ten Hag going on and on and on about the fact that him having to make so many changes

00:51 this season has impacted the rhythm of the team, the ability of them to kind of create

00:55 on-field relationships and partnerships amongst the players. And that once he gets a regular

01:00 selection of teams, that the team will be better. So I think that's an encouraging aspect.

01:05 I think he's stumbled across his best front three, I think, more by accident than design,

01:10 if I'm honest, in terms of Garnaccio on the right, Rashford on the left, Hoyland up front.

01:14 I think that is, out of many United fans, a dispute, that's the best front three. And

01:18 they've got Kobe Menuh coming through, who's looking really encouraging. Obviously missed

01:21 the kind of, let's say, the first quarter of the season. And if he can continue to develop,

01:27 yeah, I think there's encouraging signs there. I think the worrying aspect is that Manchester

01:32 United just haven't really, in the Premier League anyway, haven't really played well

01:37 all season. And you look at them tactically in the pitch, there's so many questions. I

01:41 sometimes look at them and think, what are they trying to do? What is the plan to try

01:44 and score a goal? It's so unclear in my eyes. So I think that you can have all the players

01:49 in the world, but if the tactical aim and aspirations aren't right, then it's not going

01:54 to go well. So I think that that's an area they need to address. And then in terms of

02:01 aspirations, I mean, you said, I said top four. I think as well, they should be going

02:03 for the FA Cup. They are, let's say, in the top eight or nine clubs in the country, they

02:12 should be going for it. I mean, Arsenal already aren't there, that's one down already. So

02:16 I think that's what they should be going for. They obviously got, they had real success

02:19 in the cup competitions last season, won the EFL Cup, the FA Cup final. And I see no reason

02:24 why they shouldn't go too far or shouldn't go far in the competition. I think the concern

02:29 will be their record against the top sides, but that's something they're going to have

02:31 to overcome if they are going to win the competition this year.