Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Watch: Roy Keane says Man United players will throw Ole Gunnar Solskjaer under the bus


Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane has hit out at the club's players and said they will throw Ole Gunnar Solskjaer "under the bus".

Keane, speaking on Sky Sports ahead of the Manchester derby, which United lost 2-0, said too many players in the squad fell short of the club's standards and fighting for a top-four place was not good enough.

"These are the same players who threw (former boss Jose) Mourinho under the bus and they will do exactly the same to Ole," Keane said.

"Leopards don't change their spots. There's too many bluffers at this club to get United back to the very top.

"Even the point that we're talking about Man United trying to finish fourth tells you how the standards have dropped over the last few years - both on and off the pitch.

"It's a big test for Ole as well of course."

United went into the derby on the back of a humiliating 4-0 defeat at Everton which left them as outsiders to qualify for the Champions League.

The performance at Goodison Park was dismal, with several players guilty of looking uninterested as they failed to press Everton.

"It's not up to the manager to motivate the players, the players have to motivate themselves," Keane said.

"You've got to be up for every game at Manchester United and the fact that Ole's got to discuss it after the game and again the following few days about his players not being up for a game of football, he must be hugely embarrassed."

Following the match, which City won 2-0 to return to first place, Keane said: "I reckon the City players couldn't believe how easy it was tonight, in a derby game."

Speaking after Sunday's match, United midfielder Paul Pogba described their performance as "disrespectful" to the club, but Keane was still unimpressed.

After watching a Sky interview with the United midfielder, Keane said: "I wouldn't believe a word he says. There's no meaning behind it, I don't even think he believed what he was saying there.

"He's on about being a team-mate, well if you want to be a good team-mate you've got to run back.

"He is a big problem for United."

Manchester United's woeful run of form

Manchester United have now lost seven of their last nine games in all competitions (W2 D0 L7), after losing just one of their first 17 under manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (W14 D2 L1).

We take a look at how his side's form have unravelled alarmingly...

March 10: Arsenal (a), Premier League, 0-2

Granit Xhaka's long-range strike and a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang penalty ended Solskjaer's unbeaten league start at the Emirates Stadium as the Gunners leapfrogged United into the top four.

March 16: Wolves (a), FA Cup quarter-final, 1-2

Second-half goals from Raul Jimenez and Diogo Jota meant it was Wolves and not misfiring United who progressed to the FA Cup semi-finals with Marcus Rashford's late strike providing scant consolation.

March 30: Watford (h), Premier League, 2-1

Two days after being appointed as manager on a permanent basis, Solskjaer watched his side labour to victory over Watford as goals from Rashford and Anthony Martial proved decisive despite Abdoulaye Doucoure's late effort.

April 2: Wolves (a), Premier League, 1-2

United slipped to their second defeat at Molineux inside 17 days when Scott McTominay's opener was cancelled out by Jota and then overhauled by Chris Smalling's own goal after Ashley Young had been sent off.

April 10: Barcelona (h), Champions League quarter-final, first leg, 0-1

Luke Shaw's own goal left his side with a mountain to climb in their Champions League quarter-final with Barcelona after a tight encounter at Old Trafford.

April 13: West Ham (h), Premier League, 2-1

Two Paul Pogba penalties, the second of them with just 10 minutes remaining, secured an unconvincing win over the Hammers, for whom Felipe Anderson had earlier levelled.

April 16: Barcelona (a), Champions League quarter-final, second leg, 0-3

A bloodied Lionel Messi killed off any hope of a comeback at the Nou Camp with two goals before the break to set the stage for Philippe Coutinho to complete the damage with a wonder-strike.

April 21, Everton (a), Premier League, 0-4

United's plight deepened in spectacular style when they succumbed to first-half goals from Richarlison and Gylfi Sigurdsson before Lucas Digne and Theo Walcott heaped on the humiliation after the break.

April 24: Manchester City (h), Premier League, 0-2

Despite looking composed and organised during the first half at a rain-soaked Old Trafford, United's defence was breached by Bernardo Silva after the break and Leroy Sane was soon on target, too.

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