Man Utd quartet torn to shreds in Hull humbling with INEOS branded ‘criminal’ for transfer negligence
Four Manchester United players were labelled ‘terrible’ for their displays in the shock defeat to Hull, and shots have also been fired at INEOS over their transfer strategy.
Michael Carrick’s full first season as Man Utd boss was always going to be trickier to navigate than his spell as interim manager last term. However, it wasn’t meant to be quite this difficult so early.
The return of European football and a denser fixture list will test Man Utd’s squad and Carrick’s tactical nous.
But before Champions League football is back at Old Trafford, a kind opening three league games against Hull, Ipswich Town and Everton should, on paper, have yielded nine points.
The most United can now accrue is six, with the Red Devils slumping to a shock 2-0 defeat against the newly-promoted Tigers on Saturday afternoon.
Man Utd’s defensive frailties were exposed in the first half, with Hull twice getting the better of their counterparts at set pieces. Semi Ajayi’s opener came via a corner, with Nobel Mendy doubling the lead when glancing home from a free kick.
In truth, United’s attackers showed very few signs of launching a comeback, but it was the four starting defenders who came in for stinging criticism.
Man Utd defenders branded ‘terrible’
talkSPORT’s chief football correspondent, Alex Crook, took to X to lambast Noussair Mazraoui, Ayden Heaven, Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw for the parts they played in Man Utd’s defeat.
He wrote: ‘Fair play to #HCAFC but this is an absolutely atrocious half from #MUFC. Back four has been terrible.’
Crook subsequently stated it will be ‘criminal’ if United owners INEOS don’t spend what’s left of the summer transfer window signing multiple new defenders.
He added: ‘Will be criminal if the #MUFC brain’s trust don’t sign some defenders between now and September 1.’
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Man Utd do intend to sign one new defender in what’s left of the window, with a left-back now the priority after overhauling the midfield.
Carlos Baleba will soon arrive for £70m to add to a midfield corps that now contains Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans, Kobbie Mainoo and the injured Manuel Ugarte.
Lewis Hall is the primary target at left-back but Newcastle won’t sell. Per Fabrizio Romano, there’s a 50/50 chance of Man Utd springing a surprise by signing Barcelona’s Alejandro Balde.
There’ll be no additions at right-back or centre-back, however, with Romano noting the only other position United are looking to sign a player in is striker, and that’s only if Joshua Zirkzee leaves.
