If I were to be him I will hang my boots’: Pundit slams Erik Ten Hag for keeping 27yr old on the bench despite having a good run with the team
Manchester United’s centre-backs were not the problem in the weekend’s defeat to Newcastle, but the selection was a hammer blow to one player.
Manchester United chose to select Luke Shaw at centre-back at the weekend, with manager Erik ten Hag explaining that he did not want to over-exert him with a third start at left-back within a week.
Well, one player who was fully fresh was Raphael Varane, who has not started a match since the October 24 game at home to Copenhagen.
He has fallen right down the pecking order, and is now behind Luke Shaw, in addition to Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Jonny Evans and Lisandro Martinez when fit.
Burley on Varane
This was another tough snub for Varane, and even before this, there was speculation over his future. Ben Jacobs told his Daily Briefing column that there is interest from Saudi Pro League teams, where his former France international teammates Karim Benzema and Ngolo Kante are playing.
Speaking to ESPN FC, pundit Craig Burley said the latest decision was a sign Varane must move on, and took it a further direction.
He said: “If I was Raphael Varane I’d call it quits. I’d hang my boots up, because if I can’t get in this United side I might as well retire.”
Many would equate the Saudi Pro League to semi-retirement. A move may be in his best interests.
Maguire turned it around
If Varane has the desire to turn his situation around, he need only look towards teammate Harry Maguire for inspiration.
The England international was in the same situation last season, falling to the bottom of the pecking order, and behind Shaw too.
He has won favour back from his manager, and Varane should strive to do the same. The one decision Ten Hag is totally set on, is that Maguire and Varane cannot play together.
Shaw and Maguire were praised as United’s only two good performers against Newcastle, so it does not seem likely that Varane will be shooting back up the pecking order instantly.
Burley slammed United’s forwards
Burley reserved his harshest criticism for Manchester United’s two under-fire forwards Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford, who did actually score last week against Everton, and then took a huge step backwards against Newcastle, both substituted at Newcastle after woeful displays.
He said: “He ]Rashford] was suspended for the Galatasaray game. he was as fresh as anybody at St James Park and probably put in as little work rate as anybody.
“I don’t care what the question is. the answer is not Anthony Martial. He gets paid a fortune and he hasn’t completed 90 minutes in three years.”
