ROY KEANE HAS claimed there are too many “bluffers” in the Manchester United squad, and believes they will throw Ole Gunnar Solskjaer “under the bus” as they did Jose Mourinho.
Speaking on Sky Sports ahead of tonight’s Manchester derby, Keane could hardly conceal his contempt for some of the players in the United dressing room.
Speaking after Sky broadcast an interview between Solskjaer and Gary Neville in which the United manager lamented the lack of application from his players in Sunday’s 4-0 hammering at Everton, Keane trained his crosshairs on the United squad.
“I’m always intrigued when I hear after games people talking about, ‘Yeah, but we’ll be up for the next game.’
“You’re supposed to be up for every game. It doesn’t matter if you’re playing for Man United or Altrincham. You’ve got to be up for every game of football. So I don’t fall for this carry-on that there will be a brilliant reaction from these players.
“These are the same players who threw Mourinho under the bus, and they will do exactly the same to Ole. Leopards don’t change their spots.
“There’s too many bluffers at this club to get United back to the very top.
“Even the point that we’re talking about United trying to finish fourth shows how standards have dropped on and off the pitch.”
Keane later elaborated that “it’s not up to the manager to motivate the players. You have to motivate yourself. You’ve got to be up for every game at Manchester United.
The fact that Ole has to talk about it after the game…he must be hugely embarrassed.”
The former United captain added that Solskjaer needs to sign some “proper defenders”, and added that United have been in “freefall for years” in his withering analysis.
Speaking alongside him, Graeme Souness chimed in agreement, saying United were like “pussycats who rolled over to have their tummy tickled” at Goodison Park on Sunday afternoon.
Later, after Sky cut to an interview with Paul Pogba in which the midfielder said that the players were “disrespectful” in their performance against Everton, and promised to respond with a full effort against City, Keane was asked his opinion of what he had just seen.
“I wouldn’t believe a word he’s said”, spat Keane.
“He’s on about being a good teammate…then you have to run back. He said it got a bit heated after the Everton game, and I heard it got that heated that they were throwing their hair gel at each other.
So no, the guy’s a talented boy but we are saying the same things over and over again. The amount of times I’ve seen him in games when he’s not sprinting back…he’s a big problem.”
