“Manchester United camp is divided”
Former Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa boss, Tim Sherwood, claims that the team’s struggles in the league this season have only highlighted a more deep rooted problem in the dressing room.
Manchester United are in the midst of yet another underwhelming campaign, as they look all but out of the Premier League title race, with only 16 matches played so far this term. The team also missed out on a golden opportunity to seize an easier tie in the last 16 of the Champions League on Wednesday, as they failed to make the most of Juventus’ slip in Switzerland to take top spot in Group H.
Now former top flight manager Tim Sherwood, has claimed that the team’s struggles this season demonstrate that there is a deep divide within the camp. Ahead of United’s trip to Anfield on Sunday to face old rivals Liverpool, Sherwood explained his thoughts on the state of Jose Mourinho’s squad.
He told ‘Sky Sports: The Debate’: “"Jose's got to try and find a different way because it's not working at the moment. The players he's got at his disposal there want to go on the front foot. They're world-class players… they've got (Paul) Pogba, (Romelu) Lukaku, (Juan) Mata, (David) de Gea, they've got world-class players. But there's so much split, there's so much divide in the Manchester United camp from the top, to Jose to his players. "
Sherwood added: “They're all going in different directions.Paul Pogba looks like a Championship player, but he's won the World Cup. He needs to say, 'go on, have a go at this Liverpool side. I trust you.”
Former Scotland boss Gordon Strachan countered his fellow manager’s words, arguing that if United try to play Liverpool at their own game this weekend, they could suffer an embarrassing defeat.
He remarked: “Do they have enough energy to go and have a go? I don't think they've got the energy to go toe-to-toe. If Liverpool beat them three or four-nil, that would be the worst possible thing to happen for Jose Mourinho.That would say to the world that his style is no longer working against Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola. They're now taking over. How would that affect him mentally as a coach?”
Strachan concluded: “He bought a team to bully their way through. They had a giant side, but the other two [Liverpool and Manchester City] have created teams full of pure energy and technique, and I think that's a problem for him now. I don't think he's got enough time to change into that style."
Liverpool host Manchester United on Sunday afternoon, hoping to win and maintain their place at the top of the table heading into the busy festive fixture list.