adminFORMER Manchester United captain Roy Keane says it will be a “disaster” if the club fail to finish in the top four but believes Louis van Gaal needs “two or three years” to rebuild the squad. United’s last realistic chance of silverware vanished as they lost 2-1 to Arsenal in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
“Van Gaal is going to get criticised, you’d expect that,” Keane said during his BBC Match of the Day analysis.
“Give the man a chance – two or three years.”
United are fourth in the Premier League but their 10-game run-in includes matches against Liverpool (away), Manchester City (home), Chelsea (away) and Arsenal (home).
They trailed to Nacho Monreal’s goal on Monday before Wayne Rooney levelled. Former United striker Danny Welbeck hit the winner before the hosts finished with 10 men after Angel Di Maria was sent off.
The Argentine was first booked for diving, then tugged at referee Michael Oliver’s shirt as he walked away, with inevitable consequences.
Keane, who won seven Premier League titles, four FA Cups and the Champions League during a 12-year career at Manchester United from 1993 to 2005, said: “A lot of fans don’t quite understand how to run a football club as big as Manchester United.
“They should have given David Moyes more time but didn’t. What are they going to do? Chop and change again? Van Gaal has been in the door two minutes. It takes time. It’s literally a rebuilding job.
“It would be a disaster [if United don’t finish in top four]. The big problem with people at the club and ex-players is they keep looking back comparing teams from 10 years ago. — Online.
Online Reporter