"That doesn't look real, is that real? It looks ugly" - Roy Keane left shocked by bizarre Manchester United stat after their 1-0 loss to Newcastle
Manchester United legend Roy Keane was shocked after seeing the Red Devils' away record against the Premier League's top nine clubs under Erik ten Hag. The Irishman couldn't help but criticize the whole team as well as their manager for their underwhelming performances.
Manchester United suffered a 1-0 loss against Newcastle United at St. James' Park in the Premier on December 2. That result means that Erik ten Hag's men's struggles in away games against the league's top teams continued.
The Red Devils have picked up just one point from 11 away matches against the Premier League's top nine clubs since Ten Hag's appointment last summer. They have also conceded a whopping 34 goals in those games, averaging 3.1 goals conceded per game.
Roy Keane was startled when he was shown the graphics revealing these stats. It appeared so unrealistic to the Irishman that he was asking whether it was real, saying on Sky Sports:
"That doesn't look real, is that real? It looks ugly. The amount of goals they concede, you know. Six at City, seven at Liverpool, four at Brentford.
"It's not good. They're obviously in a tough place and the manager's under pressure. Again, there were players who played last night for Man United and you thought they would have been leaving the club in the summer."
The Manchester United legend couldn't spare Ten Hag's blushes as he lashed out at the Dutchman and also questioned his players' efforts and commitment.
"You're still going back to the same players who have been getting Man United nowhere fast over the last one or two years. So, that's a sign of insanity - doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.
"This group is not going to change and if they're not going to work as hard as the opposition, then you're in trouble, and they don't."
Manchester United are seventh in the table, nine points behind leaders Arsenal.
How has Erik ten Hag's Manchester United fared in big games so far this season?
Manchester United's record in big games this season is nothing to write home about. The Red Devils failed to beat Galatasaray over two legs in the UEFA Champions League. They lost 4-3 against Bayern Munich and could only beat Copenhagen once in two meetings.
In the Premier League, Erik ten Hag's men have lost against the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Brighton &Hove Albion, and Manchester City already this season. They've also lost to Newcastle United in the league and the Magpies also knocked them out of the EFL Cup courtesy of a 3-0 loss in November.
Up next, the Red Devils have another huge game coming up this Wednesday as they're scheduled to take on Chelsea in a league fixture at Stamford Bridge. The Blues are unbeaten in their four encounters against the 'Big 6' so far this season.