Posted: 15:16, 15 August 2022 | Updated: 15:29, 15 August 2022
Cristiano Ronaldo and Co have been slammed by Craig Burley as the ESPN FC pundit branded the Manchester United stars a “disgrace to their profession” following the humiliating defeat by Brentford.
United’s nightmare start to the Premier League season continued on Saturday with their second straight defeat, leaving them top of the English top flight.
The Red Devils found themselves 4-0 down after 35 minutes at the Brentford Community Stadium after a miserable first-half display and were unable to redeem themselves after the break.
ESPN’s Craig Burley breaks down Manchester United’s stars, including Jadon Sancho (right)
After the embarrassing display, Burley took aim at the woeful stars, claiming Jadon Sancho wasn’t worth $1 million, while Marcus Rashford wouldn’t be able to get into the likes of Fulham.
“Let’s just say to a man, these players are a disgrace to their profession,” he told ESPN FC.
“I’ll tell you why, we can all lose games, we can all have bad performances, but individually would any of those Brentford players really get into that Manchester United team? But they are very hungry, they want to be in the PL.
I mean Shaw is an international, Maguire played in a WC semi-final, Dalot is an international. Jadon Sancho is not worth a million never mind 100 million right now.
Burley (right) claimed Marcus Rashford (left) could not break into a newly promoted team
“Marcus Rashford, PSG want him, that was a conversation we had at the end of the week, 120 million rated it for him, he wouldn’t go to one of the newly promoted teams in the league.”
The former Chelsea midfielder also hit out at the ongoing Old Trafford ‘soap opera’ involving Ronaldo and the Portuguese star.
Ten Hag has reportedly changed his mind about Ronaldo’s future at Manchester United and is now open to letting the striker leave.
The 37-year-old’s future at Old Trafford has been up in the air since he declared his intention to leave the club earlier in the summer following their failure to qualify for the Champions League.
The former Chelsea midfielder also blasted Cristiano Ronaldo and his ‘soap opera’
And Burley hinted at a poor relationship between the pair as he added: “Ronaldo is up front and never shakes the manager’s hand, it was a soap opera and David de Gea had an absolute nightmare.”
The Spanish stopper was at fault for Bradford’s opening goal as he screamed, letting Josh Dasilva’s shot slip between his hands and into the net.
De Gea then let three more go past him during the Bees’ first-half display and after the game took responsibility for “costing his team two points”.
Goalkeeper David de Gea had a ‘nightmare’ and was to blame for Brentford’s opening goal.
Burley also claimed the attitude of United’s players was “appalling”, insisting the club do not need to break the bank to solve their problems.
“Even if you say they’re an awful Manchester United team, I get it, but they’re Brentford, no closure, no second balls, no fight, no passion,” he said.
“Where’s the new pressing game that Ten Haag was talking about? Where is the tactics, just outclassed and beaten by Brentford? This doesn’t need 500m in the transfer market to fix, this doesn’t need new players.
Burley also claimed the Red Devils’ reluctance to do the basics was “scary”
“It needs a new attitude and these players for some reason are reluctant to go on the pitch and do the basics, it’s very scary.”
After calling the performance “rubbish”, furious Ten Haag canceled a planned day off and ordered the players to report to the club’s Carrington training base.
The United boss chastised his side for running a total of eight-and-a-half miles less than Brentford, forcing them to cover the same distance on Sunday in 30-plus degree temperatures as they prepare to face their next tough rivals Liverpool.
