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Michael Owen says only three players in Man Utd starting XI are good enough
Manchester United have had a tough start to the Premier League season.
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Michael Owen claims only three of Manchester United’s starting XI in the 1-0 defeat to Newcastle are good enough for the Red Devils.
United suffered a third Premier League loss of the season at St James’ Park.
It means they now sit in 12th in the table, winning just two of their opening eight matches.
David de Gea started in goal for United, with a back four of Diogo Dalot, Axel Tuanzebe, Harry Maguire and Ashley Young.
That first XI, I’d say there’s three players, maybe four, that should be Manchester United players for the future
Scott McTominay played in midfield alongside Fred, with Juan Mata in the No 10 role.
Andreas Pereira occupied the right, with Daniel James on the left and Marcus Rashford up front on his own.
Owen says only three or four of the XI are good enough for Manchester United going forward.
And the former striker says some members of the squad are getting worse, not better, under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
“They haven’t got the players, they’re simply not good [enough],” Owen told Premier League Productions.
“That first XI, I’d say there’s three players, maybe four, that should be Manchester United players for the future.
“If you’re looking to build that club back to where it was, then there’s probably three or four in that first team.
“Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in his interview afterwards, I was almost slipping down my chair, it was almost like he doesn’t know what’s going wrong, let’s say.
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“We can all speculate as to what’s going wrong. He can look over his shoulder and think ‘down the road you’ve got Jurgen Klopp, you’ve got [Pep] Guardiola - these are managers that are actually improving their players, they’re getting the best out of their squad’.
“I’m looking at that [United] squad and, if anything, the players are getting worse.
“They’re devaluing, as a squad they’re getting worse. Where is it all going to end?”