Man Utd were humbled 4-0 by Crystal Palace in a new low for Erik ten Hag; Jamie Carragher says United are one of the "most poorly coached teams in the Premier League" and that Casemiro "should call it a day at the top level" after mistakes for two Michael Olise goals
Tuesday 7 May 2024 18:53, UK
Jamie Carragher says Manchester United are "one of the most poorly coached teams in the Premier League" after their 4-0 defeat to Crystal Palace - and added that Casemiro should "call it a day at the top level of football".
Erik ten Hag's side reached new depths in their well below-par season, falling 2-0 down at half-time to goals from Michael Olise and Jean-Philippe Mateta, before the former rounded off the scoring after Tyrick Mitchell found the net after the break.
United have now conceded 81 goals in all competitions this season, their most in a single campaign since 1977, as they run the risk of missing out on European football altogether next season.
Meanwhile, since the start of last season, only Nottingham Forest have lost more Premier League away games by at least a four-goal margin than United's three occasions.
"This is one of the most poorly coached teams in the Premier League," Carragher said on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football.
"That is a fact. That is not an opinion. That is a fact. The numbers tell you that when you see them bottom of the league defensively, lower than Sheffield United.
"I struggled to see how United would win tonight but I thought Palace would win one or two nil. No Manchester United team should be getting beaten 4-0 by Crystal Palace.
"Manchester United's U23 team, if they are at Manchester United, have come through their academy, have been coached and taught to play, I would still not expect them to lose 4-0.
"I have never been a manager or a coach but I have been a player and I have been coached by top coaches and some of the things that I see are just wrong."
Casemiro, playing at centre-back, was at fault for the first and last Palace goals, both scored by Olise - first missing a challenge which allowed the Frenchman to score, before giving the ball away to Daniel Munoz in the build-up to the Palace No 7's second.
Analysing the first goal on Monday Night Football Carragher called for Casemiro to be substituted at half-time for his "embarrassing" role in the goal, adding: "Honestly, nothing can be worse than Casemiro playing at centre-half for Manchester United.
"It's sad to see a great player performing like this. We've all been there, but he's only 32 and what he's achieved in the game, he's miles off it."
After the match, Carragher added: "Casemiro should know tonight as an experienced player that he should only have another three games left at the top level - the next two league games and the cup final - then go to the MLS or Saudi.
"I'm deadly serious - his agent, the team of people around him, they have to tell him: this has to stop. We are watching one of the greats of the modern times, playing in the best midfields we have seen who have dominated Europe - him holding, Kroos and Modric alongside him.
"I am nowhere near on what that man has achieved, winning Champions League, playing for Brazil and Real Madrid. But I always remember something when I retired myself, there's a saying I always remember: Leave the football, before the football leaves you. The football has left him at this top level. He has to call it a day and move.
"They should pay him off and do some sort of deal. But that sort of a player, should not be put through this. By Crystal Palace. He's not playing Manchester City or Real Madrid, all due to respect to Crystal Palace. A man of that level should not go what he's going through and has to call it a day."
Former Manchester United captain Ashley Young was in the Monday Night Football studio alongside Carragher and hit out at the manner in which Ten Hag's midfield was set up in the build up to the first goal.
With United defending a Palace throw-in near the half way line, five players were positioned ahead of the play, which allowed Olise the time to pick up the ball and turn in space, which forced Casemiro to come out and make his wild challenge.
"You're looking at the first goal, it's crazy the way they are set up," Young said. "Crystal Palace have a throw-in in their own half.
"You want your midfielders to be behind the ball, let Palace go backwards, instead of going forwards and vacating that space in the middle of the park. It's just one run from Olise, he sees the space and walks into it.
"It's shambolic. I don't know what Casemiro is thinking, what he's doing. Olise sees he is going to come out and make a challenge, and just walks past him.
"It's so easy. It's shambolic, everything about Man Utd's defending was crazy."
Asked to explain the tactics of the first goal, United boss Ten Hag said: "You can't put this [down to] one player. It's a team performance. The throw-in when you concede the first goal, that shouldn't happen.
"That's the team because we don't follow the rules, we don't adapt to a slightly different situation, to organise, to keep control in that situation. Five players over the ball and they have a throw-in, it's not possible."
Next up for United is the visit of Premier League leaders Arsenal to Old Trafford, before ending the season with matches against Newcastle and Brighton - and Young believes Ten Hag's side will miss out on a European spot altogether next season if these performances continue.
"If United put on displays like they have shown tonight, they will miss out," he said.
"They're not easy games coming up. If they're not willing to run about, then they're going to be in trouble."
Manchester United have three Premier League matches remaining. They host Arsenal on Sunday May 12, live on Sky Sports, at 4.30pm, before the visit of Newcastle on Wednesday May 15, also live on Sky Sports; kick-off 8pm.
United then finish the league season at Brighton on May 19; kick-off 4pm.
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