Before the game, Manchester United were on an 11-game unbeaten run and had recently won the Carabao Cup, ending their six-year trophy drought.
Keane warned the Red Devils’ players
Former Manchester United captain, Roy Keane, has criticized the club for allowing the “circus” to creep back in after their humiliating 7-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield on Super Sunday. Before the game, United were on an 11-game unbeaten run and had recently won the Carabao Cup, ending their six-year trophy drought. However, they were utterly overwhelmed by Liverpool, conceding six second-half goals in a stunning collapse, suffering their heaviest defeat since Boxing Day 1931. Keane warned the Red Devils’ players about getting too carried away by their recent success, saying Erik Ten Hag and the senior players have to keep a close eye on how the squad deals with the added attention placed on them. He said that the senior and experienced players at Manchester United “let the club down” at Anfield.
Roy saw the United players come to Anfield laughing and joking in the second half
Keane pointed out that he was always wary of this as a player at Manchester United, keeping an eye on people and not getting carried away because he knew what this game could do to him. He added that he saw the United players come to Anfield laughing and joking in the second half, even though they were 1-0 down, which he didn’t like to see. He believed that the circus could creep back in, and the manager and senior players had to keep an eye on that. According to Keane, the celebrations and presentations after the recent cup win might have contributed to the “circus” atmosphere. While he would never begrudge a team celebrating their victory, he felt that there were too many celebrations, and it seemed like the players were getting carried away.
He mentioned the midweek FA Cup tie against West Ham, where United won 1-0, and he felt West Ham had let them off the hook because they were not good enough.
The former Man Utd player credited Liverpool for being clinical, ruthless, and wanting more goals.
Keane pointed out that the Liverpool game was serious business, big boy stuff, and the players should forget all the laughing and joking rubbish. He felt that some players threw in the towel in the second half, and he did not expect them to laugh at the end of the game. He added that the senior players at Man United, the big players, the ones they give a big build-up to, the experienced players – they are the ones who let the club down that day. Despite the recent good results, Keane thought Manchester United needed to be back to their very best. He believed that they had been giving teams chances in games like the Leicester City match at home and the West Ham game. However, teams had let them off the hook, but Liverpool did not. He credited Liverpool for being clinical, ruthless, and wanting more goals.
The players should take their loss and take their medicine
Keane emphasized that after a big defeat like the Liverpool game, the players should take their loss and take their medicine. He felt that the way the players were so open and the manager’s substitutions did not work, and the team had thrown the towel in. If he had ever been beaten in a big game like this, he would go into hiding as a player, and he expected the United players to feel embarrassed.
In conclusion, Roy Keane’s criticism of Manchester United was based on the players’ behaviour before and during the Liverpool game. He felt that the recent celebrations and presentations contributed to a circus atmosphere and that the senior players let the club down that day. He warned the players to keep their feet on the ground, forget the laughing and joking rubbish, and take the defeat on the chin. Despite the defeat, United must now bounce back for their next game, a big European fixture in midweek.