Share
5th September 2022
01:09pm BST
"You only win these types of games when you're in a team and we showed in the last few games, being 1-0 up that we can see a game out but we had to be ruthless to get more goals. "We got two more goals in the second half when we could’ve had more so definitely something to work on, build on and take it into the next game. It's a great feeling, you do miss it as a player. Hopefully I can stay fit, stay healthy and keeping performances out like that."Following the game, Roy Keane was effusive in his praise of a player he admitted he had been "tough on" over the past two years. When you look back on past Keane comments, it is clear that the former United captain with what he saw as unfulfilled potential.
"It was just as well Rashford had scored the winner, because you’d be waiting for him in the dressing room. I think it summed up their season to miss that many chances."
"What has happened to Rashford? Manchester United need to get to the bottom of it. That's their responsibility when they are working with young players. Rashford has done amazing things over the past few years, on and off the pitch, but clearly, something is amiss. "I watched him on Monday and the lights were on but nobody was home. The kid looks lost. Is it just confidence? There might be something going on off the field. The club and the senior players have to help him and the younger players."
"His performance [against Liverpool] last week, I mentioned he played like a child, like an immature kid in terms of his hold-up play." "He's got to do a lot more, I'm really frustrated with him... I think you're always kind of playing for your future.""Every time I see Marcus getting warmed up, he's always smiling, I don't like players who smile too much. You smile when you score, what we always said when he first burst onto the scene and spoke about him, he affects games. He doesn't affect games anymore, he does very little." "Rashford doesn't do nowhere enough," he added. "Sometimes they go close them down, but he's not really going after them, they're kind of just going through the motions.
"He needs to improve on his hold-up play, he had a full pre-season with the club - different to last summer - he looks settled, happy in his mindset when Marcus is at, he is a handful. "When he stretches teams he is a good, good player. Today, Marcus was brilliant. I was tough on him over the last year or two and needs to be more consistent but, today, fantastic."There is a popular theory, and a common perception, that Roy Keane is a purely old-school pundit, in the Graeme Souness mould, that just wants players to run and work harder and want 'IT' more. Sure, Keane has come out with many phrases like that, over the years, but he also knows what type of players and tactics win games. He appreciates quality footballers and has spoken fondly about the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Scholes and Erling Haaland in recent years. "Courage is a big part of being a footballer," he once said. "Courage doesn't mean booting somebody. It's wanting the ball when you don't actually want the ball, if that makes sense. He has gushed about Manchester City and Liverpool's players allying clear talent with dauntless work-rate, and how that will trump what most teams can throw back. If a player put in the hard yards and the perspiration to match the skills that got them to the dance in the first place, Roy Keane will be the first in line to sing their praises.
Explore more on these topics:
