Roy Keane slams Man United as ‘physically and mentally weak’ in rant after humiliating 4-1 defeat at Newcastle – but DEFENDS Ruben Amorim

Roy Keane launched an impassioned and scathing assessment of Manchester United in the aftermath of their 4-1 defeat by Newcastle on Sunday evening. 

The Red Devils suffered a 14th league loss, equalling their record for the top-flight which came last term, and were torn apart at times in the second half as a rampant Newcastle ran riot. 

Alexander Isak teed up Sandro Tonali fantastically for the opener but Alejandro Garnacho struck back before the break as the two sides went in at the break level. 

But Newcastle flew out the blocks, with Harvey Barnes netting twice after the interval and Bruno Guimaraes profiting from a poor Altay Bayindir error to make it 4-1. 

United struggled to lay a finger on the Magpies in the second half in particular, and as such Keane was seemingly handed plenty of ammunition with which to criticise his former side’s dismal display. 

The former captain in fact claimed that his old side looked ‘physically and mentally’ weak in their defeat in comparison to victorious Newcastle. 

Newcastle put four past the Red Devils at St James’ Park in a dominant performance 

Ruben Amorim’s side have now equalled their record for Premier League defeats (14)

‘Not good enough, the second half,’ Keane told Sky Sports in a damming indictment of the Red Devils. 

‘That’s 14 league games they’ve lost. There’s not enough players who run in the team. You’ve got to dig deep even when you’re up against it. 

‘United now are physically and mentally a weak team. Newcastle were too fast, they were too powerful, they were more determined.

‘I can’t see it (signs Man United are getting better). I worry for this group of players. To me they don’t look like a strong group mentally.’

While statistically Newcastle were not necessarily in a different league to United – six shots on target vs five, 48 per cent possession vs 52 – the hosts appeared the far superior side. 

While the possession stats were similar, Newcastle had 37 touches in the opposition box, more than triple that of United, and had 40 more successful final third passes (103 vs 63).

With United struggling to challenge for the league title in recent years, the blame has been directed towards managers and owners on numerous occasions, but Keane seemed to think some of the onus lies elsewhere for their current plight.

‘Nobody likes to lose games but it’s the way they lose,’ he continued. ‘They’ve lost 14 league games and they lost 14 last season so that’s why you’ve got to point the finger at this group of players. I think the manager’s scratching his head. 

United were handed a chastening result by Newcastle in a morale-sapping defeat on Sunday

United had more than three times fewer touches in the opposition box during the game

‘I bet he can’t believe how bad the United team is. This group of players, the mistakes they’re making, they can’t seem to get around the pitch. They’ve got an experienced right-back letting players run past him.

‘I think he’s gone in there and I think he’s been shocked at how bad this group of players are.

‘You don’t know a group of players until you start working with them. Over the last couple of years a lot of the recruitment was bringing players in who haven’t played in the Premier League. 

‘The lack of goals is a problem. We had a goalkeeper coming in today, in terms of playing out from the back and taking chances, it’s madness. Great teams lose football matches but sometimes it’s the way you lose them.

‘They’re lacking quality, pace, power, but show some fight.’

Another criticism that has regularly reared its head since Amorim’s arrival mid-season is that his preferred system and play style is not suitable for either the club or the division. 

Amorim plays a 3-4-2-1 that calls on two narrower forwards behind a loan striker, and three central defenders across the back line, with full backs moving higher up the field as wing backs.

United have suffered from injuries throughout the campaign, another hurdle Amorim has had to contend with since his arrival, which has naturally had a knock-on effect on his side’s adaptation to the new system.

Keane even suggested Amorim would be ‘shocked’ at the quality of the team he’s inherited

The former captain finished by claiming Newcastle were ‘the opposite’ of this United side

But for Keane, this was not necessarily the issue, and he questioned whether any of Amorim’s staff members had even questioned whether this was the correct approach on the balance of evidence. 

‘There’s nothing wrong with the manager having his set ways. If you’re constantly losing football matches you must sit with your staff. Someone must say can we tweak it? The players can’t cope with it. 

‘Eriksen, United’s midfield, they’re not mobile, they can’t get around the pitch. Eriksen should have left United maybe one or two years ago. Are some of these players good enough for Man United? Absolutely not.

‘I’d love to be sitting there watching United winning 3-0. Newcastle’s spine is fantastic. Manchester United are almost the opposite of Newcastle.’

United’s last hope of rescuing some form of success from this disappointing campaign lies in the Europa League. 

The Red Devils are currently tied 2-2 with Lyon after the first leg of their quarter-final, ahead of the home clash at Old Trafford on Thursday. 

Winning the competition is their only realistic chance of earning Champions League qualification for next season.