Time to SELL Marcus Rashford? | Kobbie Mainoo Superstar | Rasmus Hojlund needs help

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Great features and much more now is the perfect time to subscribe as we’ve just launched a special New Year offer which includes mm premium for just £12 for 12 months download the app and get started today Hello and welcome to the Manchester is red podcast my name is Steven raon recording this episode on a Tuesday morning I’m your host of course I’m joined today by Samuel luur who was at the DW Stadium on Monday night as Manchester United won 2-n in the third

Round of the FA Cup Samuel how are you well thank you I’ve warmed up after the the btic conditions in in Wigan last night but uh yeah yeah ready to go R go for another podcast it looked absolutely freezing and you said there was no milk

In the Press Box so did you have anything to warm yourself up with well they they they had uh they had iced water in in The Press Room which seemed to be taking it to extremes but no no we we were more than well C for Wiggins

Pretty much the the capsule of of Pies in this country and and the pies were um were exceptional so yeah it’s it’s cly one of the perks have have been in the The Press Box you can’t complain I saw Henry winner through the pcture of a pie

I thought that does look good it was so so fair enough anyways look it was a a routine win in the end um we’re going to struggle in the league one United are struggling in the Premier League um but they should still have more than enough

To defeat wig and and they did in the end created plenty chances of course we’ll get on to the kind of wastefulness in a bit but it was a routine and comfortable victory yeah they they played I’m believe just before kickoff but wig and win always seemed

Unbelievable they had that one shot with the chance in in the second minute I think it might have been quite a good Save By by Anana and I think for the the tie to have been interesting or watchable that had to go in Wigan had to

Take a a shock lead and when when United eventually scored that goal had been coming for a while very LLY taken by doow T as ten hog said afterwards the pity for them about the the game the performance was that they just didn’t score enough goals but that’s been a

Recurring theme this season and we’ve we probably have said this yeah we’re on repeat in that sense whether the United win whether the United lose last night was only the third time all season that they’ve won a game by more than a oneg goal margin and two of those wins have

Come in domestic Cup competitions which is is quite telling and looking at that first half performance they they created host of chances the game should have been put to bed by half time and the one goal that did go in was was not really a chance it was a half chance I remember

Thinking at the time when Del got the ball you Wigan need to close him down here because he’s got a good strike on him he did it at sha unit early in the season took that goal very well but they they they scored some very very um presentable opportunities and also quite

Telling the those who were I suppose most guilty of that were mcom and Ras was hland and they’re The Joint top scorers and it’s another game last night where none of the none of the front three have have got on the score sheet um hiland’s header that the one on the

Crossb was really bad Miss in particular if he heads that down that goes in because it was from such Point Black Range he almost did too much I think and he it was really right like my dad said in right said something similar like he was talking about the technique he used

In terms of heading it and it’s it’s telling that when you look at the identity of the goal scorers in that game it’s another game where where a Defender has essentially scored the winning goal for United I think that’s happened five times a season Dow’s got a couple Maguire Lindelof um for running

The first game against Wars and the goal in the second half is is a penalty and and there was a bit of a drop off in the second half but United’s Advantage was it was never in Jeopardy you never ever got the sense that Wigan were going to

Force a replay there as I said their one shot came at nil nil and it was it was when there were probably not even two minutes on the clock minor School difference in the Premier League this season theyve won 10 games in the Premier League this year and nine of

Those have been by just a single goal as you just said before um the failed to win by more than three goals through the entirety of 10 Hogs Reign so we look at last season I mean rashford was scoring for fun but even last season had this problem and it’s continued into this

Year which hasn’t been a surprise at all no it isn’t and afterwards when we talking about in the The Press Room and I think the statistics was I think is it in in only five games out of the all their domestic games this season um that

One of the front three has got on the score sheet something like that U which isn’t a surprise but you go back to the summer if you’re spending 72 million on a potential goal scorer and United knew he was it was it was potential they were buying don’t be surprised if you find

Goals hard to come by uh rashford has been an issue this season it was interesting the the the relationship between the match goers and him again last night which I’m sure we’ll get on to but they they didn’t have the plan in place really for for it to have been a

Successful season holand had to really exceed expectations I don’t think he was ever going to do that just by virtue of his his career before he got to United and you go to United you’re playing for the most scrutinized football club in the world the pressure is intense the pressure is

Only going to get more intense as well in the running where they’re they’re playing to to win the FA Cup that’s the only trophy they can win and of course they’re going to have to strive to to get into the top four as well so it’s it’s going to become more intense and

The screw is going to become more intense for him and their Wingers garnacho is having a pretty good season I think but he’s still quite young it doesn’t turn 20 until July I think it is and he’s already he’s he’s already banged hell of a lot of experience but

He is still developing he’s he’s far from the finished article so really the the players that you’re looking to as the go-to guys to be the the reliable source of goals of rashford is had a really poor season and to a lesser extent Fernandez who I suspect would

Break double figures for the season just by virtue that he’s always he’s always involved he’ll you know one way or another he’s on penalties he’s on penalties of course which which can always um bump up the numbers but with the last penalty they had I think would have been against Everton when Fernandez

Took quite a risky decision to give the penalty to rashford because he hadn’t scored in in nearly 3 months and that’s not that’s not open the floodgates for him the goal against forest was his first goal from open play um in nearly four months I think it was and yeah last

Night as I said there was a bit of there’s clearly a bit of friction there um between rashford and and and the match goers who would become quite tety with him in in the second half he was playing right in front of them and they

I think the sense they got was that he was overplaying it or he wasn’t showing enough aity on the ball and I messaged a few friends that add the away and cuz at first we thought you know United one they up here they okay the game’s not outside but they are coasting they’re

Not going to throw this away it feels like I just said you know why are some Play Why are some sports getting on rashford’s back and all of them were un thinking that he deserved it one said he didn’t want to be there one said he was

They Ed the swear word to describe his performance and and somebody else said it’s it’s just half-hearted so um I I think with with match goers they are especially the away followers was that’s the most reliable gauge of the fan sentiment as as Phil Lynch once infam

Infamously said a couple of seasons ago and it’s been an interesting dynamic between the supporters and rashford this season um and the fact that there was some some some audible friction there last night in a game that United were winning and never in danger of of losing

Or or or drawing I think is is quite telling but it it is it is frustrating it’s frustrating even for us to to a lesser extent that you watch United play and they played well last night but you just want them to put a team to the S

Precisely incable of that and I think for for them to be in a really really bullish mood going into the Tottenham game on Sunday they they had to wipe the floor off Wigan last night they had to win 40 or 5 n and they’ve doled out a

Fair few 4N and 5 nil drings um against Wigan uh yester year and they really should have last night but it was a a pretty modest two-nil win in the end we’ll come on to rashford a bit more in the second part um but I mean the forwards have collectively disappointed

We were laugh on boxing there because I told you a few days before you probably already knew to be fair that the last forward to score Old Trafford was jayen Sancho in May of course last season and but gacho ironically I tweeted that a half time and gacho came out and scored

Twice they must have shown they must have shown him gacho was on his phone at the break and he went yeah I need a score now um meu’s performance and Samuel kobby meu fantastic he’s been exceptional season we said and Som always felt like he was going to be the

Player to break into the first team he was exceptional on the preseason TR and in the games before um he was excellent again last night you messaged me towards in the game when he’s been the best player when yeah probably agree um saw comp pause saw cool on the ball his pass

Is excellent and we keep on saying it but he looks like a player who’s been at this level for ages not just a few months now yeah I I I love watching him play I um I love watching him play in the handful of times I saw him in the

The youth Cup games and what what was really impressive about him last night just just when you’ve got the privilege of being in the Press Box and you can observe certain things was that he would in each half he had a had a conversation with ten ha and you never

Got the sense that it was a manager just issuing instructions to a plan and taking it on board the conversation was was was two-way uh it was a very engaging conversation particularly one the second half and 3 minutes after he had that conf flab with um ten hog Mayu

Advanc as the final he had a decent shot keeper made quite a good save and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that he gets into that position a few minutes after speaking to his manager and at a time where a lot of us weing up the pros

And cons of tenh and he’s been on not not he’s not been the most stable of of positions as as United manager what is very much in his uh favor is the development of Mayu and also the development of garnacho and those two players they looked like the two players

Who could get into the first team squad from when United won the youth cup a couple of years ago and it’s it’s it’s Testament to the clubs Academy which has been an absolute beacon in in the past decade where okay things have gone wrong quite often but that’s that’s the beacon

At United and and that remains the case and of course I know it’s only a cameo really from Amari for and but that’s that’s the 249th Academy graduate debut for the first team that’s another positive I think going back to Mayu I think was it his loose pass that sparked

That Breakaway that we had it was recently as well where he made a mistake against West Ham when scored but the thing is he recovers from it usually and the mental toughness of resilience at that age to have a setback but to respond to it in such a positive Mana is

So impressive as well and that’s a huge strength yeah and what I’d say about that West hand game was that although he did make the mistake that led to the the contest killing goal if you like is that I still think that performance will being more remembered for what he did in

The 78 minutes before then because he was United’s best player that day he was he was good on the ball he was when when we watch him play well now nobody surprised because he went into a very testing environment at goodison part for his full premier league debut and he was

Man of the match he performed really well again in a possibly more um test environment where United expected to to lose by quite a significant margin at Liverpool and he helped United get get a point in that one he’s contributed to to come back from 2-0 down against Aston

Villa his his importance can be gauged by when he’s not on the pitch like against Lam Forest everyone was in agreement that taking Mayu off and putting Tomy on at halim was just completely ill advised and and it backfired and it’s it’s still why it’s a strange thing to say I suppose for

Someone who had maybe about 20 odd minutes experience of Premier League football before this season but it’s still a bit of a slid IND doors moment that injury he got in July because he was clearly being ready to start the season for United it wasn’t just to go

Into the United Squad it was going to it was to go into the United team and whenever casemiro Mount Christian Erikson when when they have all these midfielders back the first one that goes into the team has to be Mayu and I don’t think anybody would would dispute that

His his quality and I think the next you know I suppose the next objective for United is to get him on a long contract because the one he’s on at the moment I think he’s um he’s probably he’s worthy of of a better salary the way it’s going

And the I think it’s again it’s Testament to how well he’s done in quite a short space of time that you look at him and the way he conducts himself you you look at that play and you think that’s a senior guy there he there’s he

May be 18 and he only turns 19 in in April I think it is but everybody regards him as a senior player now and he conducts him himself like a senior player be playing how he is at 18 years old is remarkable and my friend said to

Me last night when I just can’t wait to see meu in that Midfield with casmiro and Fernandez I mean casmiro was very disappointed at the start of the season but if he can get back to the form he show last year along side Manu and Fernandez that Midfield has a lot of

Potential I think yeah that that could certainly see F to have a successful running if if casemiro is able to ReDiscover the form of of last season and he he I I I think that’s what happen he’ll get paired with with Mayu and if they can have a stable run in the team

Together then it will be fascinating to see how they perform because it was when Mayu got that injury against against Real Madrid in in Houston it was he was playing with Casmir and I think fernandz was on the right and mount was behind would it have been rashford that night

Or I think it probably would have been given um given that they didn’t really have a striker of over at that time so that that was what I mean that team that was picked that night was as strong as it got got from from tenh and it was

Quite uh I think he did have just about every every um start he would want available to put in that in in that side and if kobby M it’s just a shame for Mayu that he didn’t get the chance to show what he could do against Jude

Bellingham coming to many you know this extremely talented Real Madrid side we don’t get carried away in this podcast but what we’re seeing is he’s the best player in the world not come in well I think as did was it you said or a CO

Coach he spoke to said he will play for I was just struck by the confidence in that and this guy knows his onions he knows his young players and he said to me yeah I’m so confident you’ll play for England and when someone says that you

Do stand up and listen and he’s been proved right the last 18 months and the the kobby Manu that played for the Academy is the kobby Manu who’s playing now in the Premier League in the Champions League which it takes a lot to go from in the 21s and making a

Difference in those leagues to actually senior football and he’s the exact same player his development has been um Perfect by that injury in Houston um like just in terms of after he won the youth cup he bued up in the summer and I think ten hard coming into the club has

Obviously worked out really well for him so and and everyone I don’t think anyone would doubt that ten hard was the right appointment that United made and one of those reasons is because and this is as I said earlier it’s masculine his favor it’s his track record with young players

I mean deit dong Ajax and now now Mayu and um and G at United should I say the cliche if you’re good enough you’re old enough and there for part one Samuel we’ll be back over for part Two we’re launching a brand new bite-size midweek Audio Only podcast bringing you the latest happenings from Old Trafford in a much more informal format covering topical news online gossip transfers and personal tales as a Roundup of everything you might have missed surrounding Manchester United join host Tyrone Marshall and myself

Rich Fay as we go inside the Club separating the fact from the fiction and giving you an edge on your mates down the Pup welcome back to part two of the Manchester is red podcast now we did promise to get into rashford a bit more I know you mentioned them in the first off I feel like it was um a bit of a mixed bag Samuel because he he did come

Out with intent he was creating chances cutting inside looking really positive and I thought this is r battle his best we’ve saw glimmers of it in the last few weeks because he’s been playing on the left but as you said as as the game went on um he regressed and

He kind of slumped in confidence I thought maybe that’s got a lot to do with the relationship with fans at the moment and he can kind of feel the I guess the the patience running out with supporters and that’s understandable to be fair um but I think that the

Confidence has always been an issue we say he’s confidence player and I think when he sech him for that goal and it doesn’t happen he starts to just dip off a bit and you can see that his shoulders kind of shrink a bit done well that uh

That relatively early shot that he had where tickle did very well not just to keep it out and given how close rashford was when he hit it but to to get out for a corner that was that was almost rashford at his best if it went in it

Was rashford his best because he he got the ball he he moved it quickly shifted quickly he engineered the opening he struck the ball um very very cleanly as well and if that goes in it’s it’s probably a different night for him and I thought thought in the first half he was

He was creative um there was nothing wrong with the way he conducted himself but as I said it I think what we found jarring was in terms of the tness of the supporters with with rashford in the second half was just that United were winning and they were never going to

They were never going to throw that game away but you can you can understand especially where rashford was playing in front of them as well in that second half that there are different demands imposed on him to other players I mean the first half Waka played in

Front of them they’re not going to get on waka’s back because he’s not crossing the ball because he’s always turning around and Shifting the ball because they know that’s what Juan basaka does he’s a right back who they signed from Crystal Palace with rashford there are different demands

Because he was born with and sha he came through the academy he is the poster boy but more relevantly he was brilliant last season he was in career best form last season then he got a new contract and his form has dropped off the edge of a

Cliff and fans are not stupid one of the reasons why he got such steep salary rise was because his brother went to meet um intermediaries who were um acting on behalf of Paris San in Paris and supporters don’t forget those things so when the player is not performing

There’s a problem and the you know the the the relationship between russan match goes this season it’s goes back as far as September I remember during that Brighton defeat um his body language has been a concern and yeah you think right come on Markus kind of sort this out a

Bit and it’s the the mons have progressed and it’s continued which I think is why supporters are starting to really get fored with them yeah and and it was definitely an issue not even just against Brighton September it’s an issue a couple of seasons ago under Ralph

Frang um I I remember the Chelsea game was in the April that year um when mat him his debut that for me that game stands out of my memory rashford was terrible his lack of running his work rate was disgraceful to be fair honestly he just didn’t run at all and I I

Remember writing a piece the next day and having a bit of a pop because you’ve got to run for the shirt it’s the bare minimum especially when you’re on such a high wage you’re an academy graduate graduate you’re supposed to know what the club means and really care and give

Your all and he didn’t that day I think it was Quin it was it would have been two years ago in the third round against Villa which was was televised on the BBC and rashford was particularly appalling that night and the supporters were getting on his back that night and I

Think um his team at the time U the the handling of rashford has has changed since but there were some very sympathetic briefings that that were issued and a lot of a lot of colleagues you know did these briefings or so not did these briefings they they wrote up

Pieces that were informed by that um I think others I mean I at the time was I’ve been very critical of him already in the season it would have looked a bit jarring had I all of a sudden you know exem sympathetic towards him I I maintain it was it was being objective

Because I was just judging him on how he’s performing he was chronically underperforming and now here we are two years later after an FA Cup third round game and there there was palpable Discord um from from the supporters and as I said the Brighton game in September there were there was certainly

Groans of discontent with how rashford was conducting himself um of course was it against City there were cheers sarcastic cheers when when he was substituted hours later he has that ill advised party birthday party which 10 hard said was unacceptable so I think that would have contributed to how how supporters U

Um react into his performances at the moment Newcastle was the in dear this season he was he was so so bad that um Jamie carer said that the worst thing I can say about him is that he reminds me of Marshall I I I can probably top that

In a way the way watching rashford this season he actually reminds me of the Walcott because the Walcott the only time he had a good spell form for Arsenal was when he was playing for a contract he got that contract and then he became a complete irrelevant you

Think it’s as simple as that then because he he seems to have a fantastic season and drop off and then kind of come back and have a burst Sur he be too simplistic but okay he’s he’s only actually performing when he’s got a bit of Japanese playing for a deal is he just

Not CU I always felt he’s one step away from being world class and to be world class you need to produce consistent performances and that’s his problem he doesn’t produce consistency and is that not why he’s he’s just he’s just not at that level although he is a brilliant

Player he’s not quite at the upper r on of the game I think he has to from what I’ve been told about rashford and I’ve said this before he he’s not he’s another footballer and I’m sure there are plenty of them thousands of them who does not take criticism well

And ten hog is is going to be critical of players he’s he’s not been that critical of them publicly this season he’s he’s definitely softened that because it did go down badly with the players I’d always be of the opinion that look if you’re Man United playing

You’re telling me not to be critical when the best you can do as a League Cup in third place last season you can yeah exactly um and that gives you an idea as to how brashford operates I think he has to be told how brilliant he is and that he’s

The main man he’s always in that position you look at how it’s start gone for him this season he started the season playing up front that’s not his Optimum position then garache during this Gara started some like 13 or 14 games on the spin I think and the

Majority of them have been on the left he’s playing on the right now to to accommodate rashford that doesn’t reflect well on rashford either because SK natur is playing on the right um it’s playing on the right in was it get Viller he played there and and last

Night he’s played well and who’ have thought it a right footer can actually play well in the right wing there’s been this misconception recent years that if you’re a right footer you have to play on the left fo I’ve said for a while it was worth putting gacho on that side

Because you’re still so young he right footed put balls in the box and play rashford on the left but at New Castle it was rashford on the right and Garo on he s didn’t he that’s did he s yeah and rashford his his his stock has not

Improved much since but his stock was so low going into that Newcastle game that the consensus pre-match was that ansony should start ahead of him that’s how bad he was at that time and he’s not improved a great deal since and since then there were definitely a minority of

Buen when he came on against Chelsea he got a deserved standing evasion when he came off against biller because it was El that at times in that comeback and then you’ve got last night where it was just far too often in the second half and

There was one time where um he got into the area he held onto the ball for an inexplicable amount of time he’s doing this doing that and he takes over the goal l a goal kick and immediately you think of Hyland’s disou goal against Brighton on his first Premier League

Start where rashford needlessly took the ball out and if he didn’t and he gets the ball in and holand scores it’s legitimate goal holand one has got a goal on his for Premier League davut and also United made it 1-1 against Brighton that’s that’s a big slide indoors moment if if rashford’s not

Overindulging um you know looking ahead to obviously we we’ll talk more about Spurs on on Friday but I I still suspect rashford will start that game against Tottenham uh just by virtue that Anthony is Anthony um who who else you going to play really I mean fun pester is not

Going to start Amad is not going to start so he’s not actually got that much competition at the moment whereas four years a sorry not four years ago two years ago there was Sancho who Ralph rang didn’t quite liked there was Anthony langa who was essentially Ralph

Annick’s Academy Legacy so there were a couple of players ahead of him at that time and and he was Dreadful That season but he’s it’s it’s a worry that as I said two years ago FA Cup third round the supporters are getting on his back and rashford has got three goals at

The time here we are supporters are getting on his back and rashford has got three goals this season and yeah I’ve still saw a lot of support saying right come on let’s just get behind him Academy graduate as you said post the boy he really needs our support right

Now he is dividing opinion there’s a lot of people who are getting sick of him and I understand that as well long term is there an argument to say should he be sold should he be moved on because there is that kind of conversation growing that we should probably address it

Because has been fantastic and he is as we see the poster boy I’m just looking the almost 400 senior appearances 384 126 goals and 7 4 assists and that’s still an excellent record but it is so frustrating how he has these In-N-Out seasons is there a case maybe down the

Line to to sell him because I couldn’t see it this Su there’s something coming up uh it incredibly bold B this big stman as well but I think sometimes uh one of the best seasons during Ferguson’s time was when Mark Hughes Paul in and Andre Kelis were

Sold in one summer United didn’t sign anyone I mean if if that had happened in this imagine we’d be seeing on the podcast yes I think I think the internet would probably have have collapsed that day but sometimes you’ve got to make decisions like that and I I do think

There is a case for it and I think there would be quite a fair bit of support for it among uh the match goers I I I maintain like when when we heard the the groans or the um don’t know how you describe it it was almost like saying

Come on you know come on what what are you doing with the ball that that was what the sense we were getting it it did feel jarn at the time just because United one nil up they’d absolutely dominated Wigan in the first half and although it was only one nil they were

Coasting because it’s it’s Wigan it’s marus marus rashford you want him to score a few against wigg and I completely I completely agree with uh the supporters outlook on that I think that there’s um you know I I see the point from both sides but really I think

Rashford’s I just think that with a lot of the match goes his his card is marked just because they will look at the way he went about his work last season the contract he got the way he’s gone back his work this season and I hadn’t thought until we were discussing it but

The regression from um you he’s in the same position he was in he he is in literally the same position he was in two years ago in that he’s got three goals this season as he did that season and he’s just had an FA Cup third round performance where the supporters again

On his back so so next season he’ll score 30 goalss and it’ll all be happy as Larry that would be ideal yeah if United can win a trophy next season with him getting 30 goals I think everyone everyone will be pleased there I was going to ask you about Highland’s first

Bad finishing he missed a few chances we talked about the header in the first part I guess we’ve already said it all have we not the season I we have so we don’t really need to get into the Highland with as you as you see we said

It’s chapter inverse I think the only thing I’d say about to add on him is that I I always thought it was a bit of a myth that he doesn’t get service and I I could probably count close to a dozen opportunities he’s had this season where

You look at that and you think he should score that all the all the strikker should be disappointed not score that you think of I think there were maybe two against Palace three against CH United the one-on one against City a couple against Lon was the moment for me that I thought

Right you’ve got to do better because up until then I thought yeah he had servers in the Champions League but I think the chances has being scarce in the Premier League but that game he needed to to do better and from there it has been quite

Poor and you can only defend the player so much he is still young and we not criticizing them heavily for that reason because we know exactly what we’re getting with Highland yeah and none of us are surprised by you know and and United W it’s not like they they thought

They would buying someone who was going to be prolific uh he was described as a rough diamond by by someone quite senior at the club and they were talk talking about I’ve said this before I’m sure but they were talking about he might not play some games and Marcus rashford will

Start up front so they’re not even they weren’t even mentioning anony Marshall because he was that much of an afterthought but they were mentioning rashford as if he was a reliable Center forward so again the planning with the whole Striker situation was was poor they needed someone proven they didn’t

Get someone proven and the chances are it will cost them in terms of Champions League qualification for next season but if we had a time machine because fast forward three years and Highland could be the top goals in the Premier League so have you got one of those he he he he

Could be but unfortunately you are you are judged on what you’re on what you’re doing J de cample and said if me Grandma had wheel should be a bicycle very good quote I’ve always liked that one um an Samuel if always worth mentioning him because how bad must alai B and there be

If he’s not getting a game in that match obviously the club and an to be fair it has been Mutual um he’s deferred his kind of call up to the African Cup of Nations with Cameroon but he made an excellent first save in the first few minutes we’ve said that but apart from

That he had nothing to do I’m not convinced that being there couldn’t have filled in that game and obviously tottenham’s coming up they in talk still ten said um to have Anor for that match that’s a more important game um which is 24 hours before C’s first afcom but it’s

Been a bit of a bizarre for me it’s a bit bizarre because what message does that send to the the backup goalkeeper and rest of the squad it’s bizarre in the sense that it’s not like canana has been really good this season or they should be moving Heaven and Earth to

Keep him it’s you look at Liverpool two years ago um sad Mane and Muhammad Salah both went off to to afcon and I don’t think Liverpool were moving Heaven and Earth to try and keep them they just you know accepted that it’s they’re going to go off and it’s it’s really important

For their countries and I think both I think it was an Egypt sevia final as well that year so they both you know they both played as many games as possible which was even more damaging for Liverpool but that was a season where Liverpool um going into May a

Quadruple was was still on because Liverpool can they can cope with those those Squad issues but with Anana he he cost United more than any other player in the Champions League okay I suppose in the Premier League he’s not made as many mistakes but all I can think of in

Terms of United’s discussions with the with with Cameroon um in terms of keeping him is that it was the topam game they wanted to keep him for and of course Wigan is coming before that you can imagine the commotion that would go on if Cameroon had agreed for Anala to

Stay for that Tottenham game and then he doesn’t play in a game in the FA Cup when he could be he could be training with Cameroon in preparation for their first afcom game next week so I suspect if the if the fixtures were switched around it’d have you know they’d say

Look can we play him can we have him for the top game Y no problem and then he goes off straight away whereas you know because the fixtures are the way they are they can’t not play him against Wigan but I’d have just been of the opinion that you know his last game’s

Forest off you go and we’ve we’ve got to put Bender in against wig and see how he is 4.5 million the same thing before yeah something I mean Squad manag when keeping players right motivating them what messages that sending to him and surely I know he is he signed to be a

Backup goalkeeper and he understands that but is his head not thinking right I want out now because I’m not even getting a chance in the Cup competitions if if you’re pushing so hard to keep an eye I just don’t think that’s very good look no I don’t think it reflects well on

Um on United’s decision to sign by inder and by inder himself none none of us know that was your plan if you were just going to continue I know for injuries and stuff you do need a backup goalkeeper but it’s frustrating I thing for the ble of go yeah well you go back

To the The League Cup game against Crystal Palace and I think there was an element of surprise that Bayo wasn’t starting in that game and I think ten hog suggested afterwards that because Naro had made his mistake against Bayern the previous week it was a case of

Keeping him in the team giving him that regular um Regular matches so that he his confidence wasn’t hereit even though all you had to do is say look it’s League Cup I’m rotating a bit backup goalkeepers going in you’re getting the night off you’re back in goal on

Saturday against Palace in the league game I don’t think that would have been complicated but I think I think the way T har has presided over the goalkeeping situation at times it has been complicated last season I remember when when Jack Bon came in and there was some

Confusion as to who was the number two and ten hard said I don’t have a number two it’s just two backup Keepers and then you had Jack butland on the bench for the FA Cup Final and I just thought that was because he’d been on the bench

For a number of games in succession I thought where’s the methodology there because the Chan are Tom Heaton’s got a better penalty record and if it had got to a shootout you would have to have you’d had to have considered bringing Heaton on if it’s all possible because

David goalkeeper and has not got the the best record in in in shootouts and he con seeed that that Brighton shootout it was only settled because suly March put one over the crossbar so as I said it’s you I think United have made a mountain out of the

Mole hill with with Anana they should have just allowed him to go and okay they’re going to come up against some very good forwards in in Tottenham on on Sunday but it was an opportunity to give Bay and Deere a run out against Wigan as

That’s how he got on if he looked like a a bag of nerves then put Tom Heaton in who okay he’s 30 what is he 38 I think or something 37 38 um but he’s got experience and he’ll have played against Tottenham countless times and he have played against those those players the

Majority of those players in the Tottenham team as well so as I said I think they they just made a mountain out of a mole hill but Anana did make a good and important save last night the one time he was called upon I mean even

Martin Deka got played was twice in the rounds of the caraval cup United obviously crashed out in the first game against Newcastle and but Anana started that match I guess because it was against a better Premier League side maybe I don’t know what yeah but but

Then again as you said he the in the League Cup last season um the the first game the United played was against Aston Villa and he he did take he took de out of the team and he put Deka in and Deka started against Burnley in the next

Round um and he I think they were his two appearances for United and he he was he looked extremely unconvincing and that was the last we saw of him but he got a C cut winers he kept very kept very quiet about that he left a good period of of

Time well came out recently yeah he’s his stock has gone up a little bit with Newcastle fans so he clearly thought that was a good time to to come out with it there’s a few absentees obviously last night I mean Amad and Eric are out

With illness to be fair there has been a lot of that this season but when I listened to tag you might have picked up in it as well after the game I thought tag sounded Lord with C so maybe look it is normal it happens around the workpl

Well he did have um just before his press confence started he did have quite a long Swig of water um which I don’t think he normally does for a p i don’t think I don’t think so I think people are probably yeah um can they win the F

Cup this season then just to end this part as samel takes his sip of water ironic yeah that’s that’s not make dwelling on the on the question yeah they can because look I think they’ve got as good a they’ve got anything close as close to a buy as possible with

The or or Newport that’s a non- league side or or a league two side City or away at Tottenham as that means another one of the the big hitters gated right I don’t know the the Wi-Fi was so bad last night I’m not sure I think there some

Feable draws anyway at home to Norwich or um Bristol Bristol Rovers is it I think Richard Jolly wasel got so that’s two big you’ve got Chelsea paired with v over and Tottenham paired with City so that’s at least two relative big hitters I hesitate to call Chelsea a big hitter

Given the way they’ve gone about um it’s C now yeah and of course Chelsea are in the not wishing to uh give you give you a painful reminder but Chelsea are in the semi-finals of of The League Cup so it’s um you know it’s all on the cups

For them this season that’s that’s the Deliverance on offer for for Marcio pocino but United all but certain to being the last 16 and yeah I I I don’t see in Reas and why not and where where the calendar is not going to be as grand for them more

Players going to come back they’ll have more strength in depth I think if you know I’m looking at the Newport eastly score at the week and I think eastley eastley were down to 10 men but they scored an 82nd minute penalty and you what a huge huge moment that could be

For them if they end up hosting they’re 11th in the conference that’s the national league now it’s called but that’s incredible if they can beat Newport what a draw that is for East Le to have United down it’s going to be one the it’s going to be one of the most

Competitive uh replays in in recent years I think just because they’ll be resing players the lead and and also I think what those two clubs should have um should have worked out by now is that the team that United play um in in the fourth round is going to be a pretty

Strong one because they would have play played for a long time and um they’re going to want a decent match with them going into the Wolves game which will be what four or 5 days later um going off educated guess work because obviously Nobody Knows the dates of of the fourth

Round yet so yeah it’s not like youit going to be pulling into town with Joe hugle Dan Gore Amari forson ree Bennett and Cha shz in the starting 11 it will be probably a similar team to the one that starts at Wigan I gave me geography

But I had to search where e was I knew it was down south see I did know where I didn’t realize it was that far down it’s basically in France so so so as far as United it’s it’s Simon Peach’s manner yeah I think he I when the draw was made

Um yeah I wasn’t best pleased when I was told that it was Newport or E le away just for the the sheer mileage it’s going to be clocked up although fortunately it’s not going to be my turn to drive on on that one but I think we

Could have a a funb scheduled for for that trip given that I think a few of us are going to be told to go down there but but Simon Peach is um neck of the woods yes exactly he grew up not far from there we’ll leave it there for part

Two we back the moment of part Three no one Coes Manchester United quite like the Manchester Evening News and through our mufc Pro app you can support our journalism and become part of our United Community getting the best experience ad free popup free and distraction free as well giving you the best news interviews great features and

Much more now is the perfect time to subscribe as we’ve just launched a special New Year offer which includes em premium for just £12 for 12 months download the app and get started Today welcome back to part three of the manchest is red podcast I’m s we’ll have a bit of transfer chat briefly and look ahead to Tottenham but as you say we’ll be back later in the week so we’ll save the majority of the chat for that um ten

Said they would look in the market for a longone striker um or he would be open to anyways I think was the the quote um that’s not surprising as you said was it on the other day in the podcast that sign a lot of Lo players with tenar in

Charge um but who could the say that’s the thing you look at the market you look at the strikers available there seems to be a real derf of forwards that are actually around he he said um we can’t have well way B coming back can no we cannot

Uh he said uh he said we consider everything which is obviously a very expansive answer and I I the way United are talking about it they still say that it’s unlikely that there’ll be an incoming but then again as I’ve stressed before they said that incomers were

Unlikely going into the final week of the summer transfer window and they ended up signing four players on on Deadline day I I still think that there would have to be you a few more flies would have to drop for the United to say right we need to dip into the loan

Market here um it was a very callow bench last night but ten har did say that there could be a few returns for the game on the game on Sunday he said that Luke Shaw was a potential um return Christian Erikson Harry mgu said was a

Maybe U but look where this month I mean they’ve only got two more games this month um which will be Spurs on Sunday and then eastley or or Newport County in the final weekend of January so as far as this month goes there’s not a great deal of pressure on them to get

Players in for immediate use and then the way they’re talking about it with some of the engine players coming back and I know he said on Thursday that casmiro and and Miss Martinez were still weeks away going off that the the date that United have got circling calendar for them to come back

Um to make their plane come back is eastley or or Newport which would be pretty much 3 weeks I was even thinking February the 1st to be honest when I was looking at it it seems to take them a while once so actually on grass and doing like training to actually being in

Contention at the start yeah and I think everybody I on grass for eight weeks nine weeks I think before yes he was yeah and um it’s been the case uh I think it was cobby Mayu was the one who obviously they were very very careful and um uh fastidious with his his

Comeback because he was as you said he was on the grass probably late September or early October but he didn’t play for the first team until until late November it would have been against Everton and okay you this East Le new or Newport game that coming up I suspect

Some some long-term absentees will be back in the squad for that game uh and that eases things February is a hugely important month because they’ve got five Premier League fixtures and two of them against teams that are currently above them in the table at the moment so

They’ve they’ve you know they’ve got to be the squad State going into February has got to be a hell of a lot better than it is at the moment the only area where they would have to I I still think that they they should be getting a

Player in for that position but that’s that’s my opinion and I’m sure it’s the opinion of others is obviously up front because they they need a different needs help does yeah they need a different source of goals but they are you know they’re impeded frankly by by an

Marshall at the moment he’s been unwell for for 4 weeks in the summer he was injured for almost the entirety of it so they couldn’t sell him in the winter transfer window he’s been unwell for all of it so far so they can’t sell it I think it’s typical that for the first

Time in living memory uh martial has not any Fitness problems all season he’s actually been available quite a bit to be fair though and it comes around for the gener transfer window he’s I know and and maybe maybe there’ll be some context that’s provided nothing’s been provided through this illness it could

Be something a bit more Ser exactly and and sometimes one one is you know hesitant to be too harsh but it’s still speaking at the moment it’s still not a good look but whether any context is is provided on that remains to be seen um so I think things would have to

Still you know change a fair bit for United to have a compelling case where they think okay we need to make a loan signing I mean you look at the players who came in last last January onlan all three were in forced the braa was recalled and very

Quickly they got butland in uh Erikson was injured by Andy Carroll in the the FA Cup game against reading and they only had two or three days uh to get um and In fairness I think they did really well to get in so quick they did and

They didn’t have that much time as well even because um because they had to have the scan on Erikson and you await the results for that and then go into the low market and and subit was a decent signing like he did he did a decent job

For United and uh I remember when I was told at the time that they were in for him I thought you know that’s that’s actually having watched him for for Lei and if if Bayern Munich sign a player they don’t tend to sign money duffers I

Think the United did well with that one and of course fake horse came in because Ronaldo had gone they got that roong want to see yes they got that wrong uh they got that very wrong and in Fairest to to VOR he was Overexposed just through um through Marshall’s bristl

Like VOR started so many games on on the spin when he first went honestly I forgot how many games he actually started so recently I was think Bloody I know I know it was I think PTSD from that time watch like like rashford earlier in the season and how it’s been

His his seasonal ner at Newcastle think Newcastle was the ner for V horse as well he he might have only started one game after that um at West time his his card was was well and truly marked after that day because he he wasn’t good enough he as I said before his his

Commitment wasn’t in question he tried but when it comes to actually scoring goals he’s he has he has not been good at it so youdon is that you a five side when it comes to scoring goals or or you that time I think that you had that miss one

Time and I actually just burst out laughing because you you been so uh so propagate that evening but High exg though my my my my my finishing is is definitely worse undoubtedly uh top four hopes then I mean the game against Tottenham already seemed quite important

For that I know it’s only January but tot the fifth in the table um eight points ahead of United obviously Aston Ville are flyed in second as well cityy and Arsenal fill in the remainder positions of Liverpool um I me to get to the FA Cup final now and to get top four

From the first six moments of the season the first half of the Season that would be fantastic yeah yeah it would be quite the um quite the turn around turnaround Escape act rescue act whatever you want to call it their month is going to be defined by this totland game it’s not

Going to be defined by Wigan away or Newport or eastly away it all hinges on the Spurs game and that is I i’ I’d say every game’s a must win game for for United but they that is a particular consequence I mean Tottenham a seven points clear of united in the table the

Thought of Tottenham stretching that advantage to 10 points ahead of United then United don’t have a Premier League game again until February 1 think it is against walles that would be that that would be a really significant blow if they were to to not win that game at the

Weekend I I really think they that they have to win it they have to have a real Philip going into those February fixtures where I think is it West Ham at home Villa away ludson away the end of the month with home against Fulham there might be an F Cup

Game in there now instead of um you’ve do very well there I didn’t give you much health was trying to get Wes away as away loting away and yeah end the month with f m home yeah so then it’s city after that City at the start of

March so it’s a key a fixures exactly so they I mean just look at those February fixtures and I go back to to last season that they had eight games in 26 days in February and they did phenomenally well to win six draw two end of the month

Still in the top four and quite a way ahead in in third place in fact uh they knock Barcelona out in the Europa League playoff uh they they won their Cup Final against Newcastle it was a near perfect month but it was a month it in retrospect it’s like like an

International team gearing up for a tournament and just being so switched on so focused uh so bullish so professional in the way they went about their job and getting the job done and and doing what was needed and it it’s probably not a surprise there there was a gradual

Decline last season after that Peak of of winning The League Cup in in in late February and United you GP grp prevailed over goal I’d say in the the final months of of that season but it still it’s still undeniably a successful season but that they need a similar

Mentality going into Fe into next February as well this February coming up I should say we’ll leave it there then for today’s podcast Sam thank you very much thank you Stephen as always and thanks listeners as usual just a quick note that Tyrone and Rich Fe Tyrone

Marsh and richf will return uh for new edition of the Manchester red podcast um they’ll be getting into transfers gossip news Etc and everything in between and me and Samuel will be back on Friday in our usual slot so now said have a great week and we’ll see you There