Alan Shearer has slammed Erik ten Hag for calling his analysis “stupid” following Manchester United’s poor start this season.
The Red Devils were hammered 3-0 by Liverpool on Sunday, with goals from Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah putting Ten Hag’s men to the sword. It was United’s second defeat in three Premier League matches, marking a miserable start to the campaign, particularly after being beaten by Manchester City in last month’s Community Shield.
The team’s struggles mirror those of Marcus Rashford, who hasn’t managed to score yet this season. Ahead of Sunday’s game, Shearer criticised the 26-year-old’s form, saying he hadn’t been “anywhere near good enough in front of goal”.
READ MORE: Erik ten Hag’s Alan Shearer jibe backfires after Man United’s Marcus Rashford reaction
READ MORE: Erik ten Hag criticises Alan Shearer over Marcus Rashford analysis in Manchester United defeat
Ten Hag came to Rashford’s defence, branding Shearer’s comments “stupid”, but the Newcastle legend wasted little time in firing shots back following United’s defeat to Liverpool. “Look at their performance today… and then see,” Shearer said on The Rest Is Football podcast.
“But I think the truth be known at Man United nothing much has changed over the summer, has it? Certainly not in the performances we’ve seen.”
He also claimed United were “absolutely battered” by Liverpool. This recent poor spell has left the Red Devils in 14th place in the Premier League table, with Ten Hag’s future at the club already looking uncertain less than a month into the new campaign.
Speaking about Rashford’s form on Match of the Day last week, Shearer had said: “He’s had two games this season, Marcus Rashford, and he’s not had one shot at goal. 57 goals they [United] scored last season. That was the worst in the top half. So Ruud Van Nistelrooy has been brought into there. He’s going to have to work his magic somehow.
“I know they’ve got [Rasmus] Hojlund out injured, but when he comes in he’s going to have to improve on that because on today’s evidence and in the game against Brighton it’s not been anywhere near good enough in front of goal.”
Reacting to Shearer’s remarks, an irritated Ten Hag had then said: “Everyone gets criticism from you guys, it doesn’t matter what we are doing, if we are winning, if we are losing. If I take a player off, the conclusion is I was not happy with him. I was very happy with Rashy in pre-season, against Fulham and also against Brighton.
“It is not why I took him off because his performances or level were not right – no, we had to rotate and we have good players on the bench as well, you bring new energy. There will be rotation and if then there is the conclusion the player is not performing. Can be sometimes, definitely it wasn’t in this case. Stupid analysis in this case from the pundit.”
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