Football NewsJuan Mata Criticizes his Teammates for Failing to Live up to Manchester United’s Standards.
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Juan Mata has slammed some of his Manchester United teammates for ‘not achieving the club’s standards’ this season, insisting that ‘the culture must be rebuilt’ at Old Trafford following a disappointing year.

The Red Devils were one among the favorites for the Premier League title at the start of the season after bringing in high-profile acquisitions Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho, and Raphael Varane. However, they have struggled to maintain consistency and have yet to finish in the top four.

Due to their dismal form, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was fired. Similarly,  interim manager Ralf Rangnick was unable to have much of an influence on the club, which finished the season with a middling record.

Mata, who has spent the previous nine seasons at Old Trafford has been disappointed by certain players’ attitudes. He hence believes the squad has fallen short of the high standards required of such a prestigious club.

‘It’s apparent that we’ve made a lot of mistakes on the pitch,’ Mata said.

‘We should have handled some issues at the club better, such as management changes and unfavorable events”.  ‘At the end of the day, I believe we let it impact Carrington’s energy too much”.

‘Some requirements were not satisfied. Whether it’s the attitude, quality of training, or off-the-field issues that don’t involve players, I believe we can all agree that we haven’t been good enough if we are absolutely honest and speak with specific individuals within the club. So that’s where I believe we can learn. There were also certain circumstances beyond our control that we should not let influence us.

‘You naturally feel that way when you notice that some things aren’t up to par. However, we should not have allowed this to happen. Many factors can influence one’s behavior. When awful things happen, it’s tough to stay together if you don’t have a strong foundation.’
Erik ten Hag will take over as United’s next manager on Monday, and the Dutchman faces a monumental task in changing the mindset of a disjointed group.

Mata has called for a’reset’ at United in order to overhaul the club’s ‘culture,’ and has bluntly declared that anybody who isn’t ‘up to the challenge’ should leave Old Trafford.

‘The club’s culture has to be reset.’ That is exactly how I feel. What it means to represent Manchester United to any player, what qualifies you to play for Manchester United, and what is expected on and off the field.

‘There are a few things that need to be made clear: this is Manchester United, and anyone who does not achieve those criteria is unfit for the job and should not be here.’ That’s as straightforward as I can be.’