Man United will finish with their worst PL points total; Souness: "There's nothing about Rangnick's CV that would warrant him getting the job at Man United"; Dublin: "Ronaldo was laughing. Is he laughing at his players? Is he saying what's going on here, am I at Man United or not?"
Sunday 8 May 2022 12:35, UK
Graeme Souness has questioned the decision-making at Manchester United over the appointment of interim manager Ralf Rangnick, claiming the players aren't listening to him.
United will finish the season with their worst points total in the Premier League era after falling to a disastrous 4-0 defeat at Brighton.
Rangnick said his side were "terrible" and "humiliated" on the south coast as their supporters chanted, "You're not fit to wear the shirt" during the second half.
And Sky Sports pundit Graeme Souness went further by claiming the United players have stopped listening to the interim manager, who shouldn't have been appointed.
"Looking at that Man United team, the guy that's in charge now, they don't listen to him," said Souness on Saturday Night Football.
"When I see someone speak in management I always imagine me back in the dressing room as a 22-year-old and that guy speaking to me. He's (Rangnick) not going to get me at it. Fergie (Sir Alex Ferguson) would get me at it. Those Man United players have stopped listening a long time ago.
"Man United have had 10 years since Fergie of ridiculously-poor football decisions. What geniuses at Man United sat down and thought, 'We're going to get rid of Ole (Gunnar Solskjaer) and there's a guy who is an advisor at Lokomotiv Moscow, I've been told he's the man'? There's nothing about his CV that would warrant him getting the job at Man United.
"If you go back to the players they've signed and renewed their contracts to this latest guy who has come in, I just don't know where they're getting their football decisions from. They've consistently got them wrong for 10 years and that's why they're in the mire."
Sky Sports pundit Dion Dublin was equally unimpressed with Man United's display. The former United striker believed Cristiano Ronaldo's reaction compounded a miserable day for the club.
"It's Man United's fault for not getting the right man in to take the manager's job and give him time," said Dublin.
"There's a couple of potentially great players there. However, as good as you think you are, if you're not willing to do the basics of the game, no way can you implement your own skill. If you don't do the basics, you've got no chance.
"One of the tell-tale signs was after one of the goals Ronaldo was laughing. Is he laughing at his players? Is he saying what's going on here, am I at Man United or not? That summed up today."
Souness added: "He's thinking, 'Last time I had Paul Scholes, Rio Ferdinand, now I've got this lot'."
Brighton travel to Leeds in their penultimate Premier League game of the season on May 15 (kick-off 2pm). They then finish the campaign at home to West Ham seven days later (kick-off 4pm).
Manchester United have one match remaining of the Ralf Rangnick era. They travel to Crystal Palace on May 22 (kick-off 4pm).
May 15 - Leeds (a)
May 22 - West Ham (h)
May 22 - Crystal Palace (a)