Steven Gerrard has brutally criticised six Manchester United players, claiming they are no longer good enough to represent the historic club. The Liverpool legend spoke out following the Red Devils' humiliating 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth, which has left manager Michael Carrick fighting for his job.
Gerrard has launched a scathing attack on the current United squad, explicitly naming six players who fall below the required standard. His comments follow a disastrous 3-0 home defeat against Bournemouth that has pushed the club into crisis. The recent loss to the Cherries leaves United languishing in 16th place in the league table. They currently sit just a single point above the relegation zone, placing immense pressure on the entire squad.
Carrick is now facing intense scrutiny regarding his position . However, Gerrard believes that the poor crop of players at Carrick's disposal is largely to blame for their abysmal domestic form.
Speaking on Overlap Daily , Gerrard highlighted Bruno Fernandes as the squad's only outstanding talent, calling him a "pleasure to watch." However, the former Liverpool captain was ruthless when evaluating the club's defensive options.
"If you go through the squad, the back four. Harry Maguire's had a really good career, Luke Shaw, I played with Luke, he was top in his day," Gerrard explained. "They're not Manchester United players anymore. They should have been moved on quicker.
"Lisandro Martinez last year, only interested in the World Cup. He's come back, he's seen that the players haven't signed, the four or five that he wants…in his world. Selfishly comes out and speaks then gets injured, goes off at half-time with a kick [against Leeds] and he's fit the next game. That stinks to me."
United invested heavily during the summer to rebuild their midfield, bringing in Andrey Santos from Chelsea for £50 million and Carlos Baleba from Brighton for £70 million. These moves were supposed to be the pillars of Carrick's new system. Gerrard, however, insists that both high-profile additions fall short of the required mark.
"You look at the midfield, they signed a player from Chelsea, £50 million, [Andrey] Santos, not a Manchester United player. Then it goes to recruitment higher up," Gerrard noted.
"Why are you signing players that are not good enough to play for Manchester United? These [are] the only players you can attract now, but he's not a Manchester United player. Baleba, £70 million. He's got potential. He's not ready to help Manchester United compete at the top of the league now.
"You look on the sides of the pitch. When I played against United, you had [Ryan] Giggs, [David] Beckham, world class players. I look at the sides of the pitch. Young Amad [Diallo]. Hot and cold. When he's good, he's good. But hasn't shown nothing this season."
Carrick is still expected to take training on Tuesday despite the growing unrest. However, his long-term future at Old Trafford remains incredibly uncertain following a dismal run of results.
The club's hierarchy are reportedly eyeing several high-profile candidates as potential replacements. Eddie Howe, Antonio Conte and Julian Nagelsmann have all been linked with the managerial hot seat if a change is made.
