Arsene Wenger says there is ‘no hope’ for Manchester United after their defeat to Man City
Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes Manchester United’s lack of cohesion and confidence were two big factors behind their 3-0 defeat to Manchester City on Sunday. Pep Guardiola’s side ran out comfortable winners in the Manchester derby at Old Trafford as two goals from Erling Haaland and a close-range strike from Phil Foden with 10 minutes remaining sealed the victory.
United struggled to test City, particularly in the second half, and Erik ten Hag’s side have now suffered five defeats from 10 games in the Premier League this season. Wenger believes United’s inability to build up play from the back dented the confidence of the players and feels a disconnect between the attacking and defensive players allowed City too much space at Old Trafford.
‘I would say the gulf between the two teams became bigger and bigger as the game went on,’ Wenger told beIN Sports. ‘In the end, for such a big club you felt sorry for Man United because there’s no hope there in the team. I don’t see where they can improve, basically. This team has lost confidence, quality and even spirit today. I would say it was not a great fighting spirit from Man United, on top of that.’
Wenger believes United’s inability to play out from the back was a key factor behind their loss to Man City. ‘I believe where Man United suffers a lot, first of all is about the quality, the individual quality of the players. And I felt today they were very poor to build the game up from the back. They gave the ball so many times to the goalkeeper when they had possibilities to play forward. I would stay it started there.’
The former Arsenal manager also noted that there was a huge gap between United’s attackers and defenders, which allowed City too much space. ‘Then you make the whole team uncertain and lack confidence because when you feel the fear is behind, they do not want the ball. I would say the second part of their big problem today was the distances between the striker and the defenders was huge. There were situations where the strikers were closing down, trying to pressure, and the defenders were 20 metres behind the halfway line. You cannot win the ball back against a team like Man City when the distances are too big. The team was not compact enough, after that the difference of individual quality.’
Wenger concluded by saying that if he had to pick players from both teams to form an XI, it would sum up United’s problem. ‘If you tell me tonight how many players who get in the first XI of Man City? For me that sums it up. Usually, in a big game or a big derby you’d say I would take three or four from here and there. That sums up the problem of Man United, basically.’
What Does This Mean for Manchester United?
The defeat to Manchester City was a stark reminder of how far Manchester United have fallen in recent years. The gulf between them and their rivals is growing ever wider, and it seems that there is no hope for them to bridge that gap anytime soon.
The lack of cohesion between their attacking and defensive players was evident throughout the game, and it appears that they have lost confidence in their ability to build up play from the back. This has resulted in them giving away possession too easily, which has allowed their opponents to take control of games.
The individual quality of their players is also lacking compared to other teams in the league, which has been highlighted by Arsene Wenger’s comments that if he had to pick an XI from both teams, it would sum up United’s problem.
It is clear that Manchester United need to make some changes if they are to compete with their rivals again. They need to invest in quality players who can make an immediate impact on the team, as well as developing a more cohesive style of play which will allow them to control games more effectively.
Only then will they be able to bridge the gap between themselves and their rivals and restore some hope for Manchester United fans.