A three-week break in the middle of the season is “not an excuse” for the performance Michael Carrick’s Manchester United side produced against Leeds United last night, says club icon Lee Sharpe.
Speaking exclusively to The Peoples Person courtesy of football betting site BetWright, Sharpe said the Red Devils missed key players, but the real issue in the 2-1 defeat was the mental approach to the game.
“I think they missed Harry Maguire and Kobbie Mainoo,” Sharpe said. “I was surprised he left Mbeumo out because I think he’s been doing pretty well and he’s an outlet with his pace up front and scoring goals.”
“I just don’t think they were at it. They didn’t pass it well enough. They didn’t play quick enough. I don’t think the long break between games is doing them any favours. No, but at Old Trafford, you’ve got to be prepared, you’ve got to be ready and you’ve got to start on the front foot. And they just didn’t get going at all until the sending off, really.”
We asked whether the extended break was reason enough to explain the lack of intensity.
“It’s not an excuse,” he insisted. “I’m just trying to think of reasons why you would come out at Old Trafford and be so flat and start so slowly and allow Leeds to take the impetus into the game.”
“Really there’s no reason for it at all, they should be excited after having a break, they should be full of energy, busting a gut, ready to explode out on the pitch and it didn’t seem to happen.”
Is the Carrick revolution starting to unravel?
“I don’t know about unravel,” the former England man mused. “We do have to realise that we need some players. I think that was the case under Amorim. I think the formation was a question mark over Amorim’s tenure. But there’s no doubt we need strength in depth and we need some better players.”
Who did Sharpe think were the weak links?
“I think Ugarte struggled,” he said. “Yoro was a bit of an issue. But then you’ve got Martinez that’s coming back after a long term injury that’s not probably up to speed and ready for a start, which can then put Yoro a little bit unsettled after having such a settled centre-half in Harry Maguire.”
“Next to an experienced player that’s playing really well, you’ve got someone that’s had a long time out and he’s not quite up to the pace of the game. I think that showed last night.”
“Plus I think Calvert-Lewin is an exceptional player on his day and I think he gave Yoro all sorts of problems. So let’s not take away from, from Calvert-Lewin. I think he’s top drawer on his day.”
“Decisions have to be made and Martinez had to come in. He needs minutes on the pitch. But, in these situations you usually get time to bring someone on for half an hour at the end of the game, then play them for an hour.”
Why did Carrick not trust Ayden Heaven?
“I’m just guessing that two young centre-halves he maybe thought [had] a lack of experience between the two of them. He put a bit of experience in there and it didn’t quite work out,” Sharpe explained.
Part two of our exclusive interview with Lee Sharpe will be published tomorrow on thepeoplesperson.com.
Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images
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