Marcus Rashford continues to struggle for form (Picture:Getty Images)
Manchester United have just four players who would get into top six teams in the Premier League, reckons Micah Richards.
It has been a bad start to the season for the Red Devils, with Erik ten Hag’s team winning just two of their opening six league games, most recently suffering a 3-0 battering from Tottenham at Old Trafford.
Those six Premier League games have seen Manchester United score just five goals as they continue to struggle for fluency and produce a consistent threat going forward.
With United languishing in 12th in the table, former Premier League champion Richards reckons the majority of Ten Hag’s players are not good enough to play for top six sides, with a handful of exceptions.
The former England defender picked out Kobbie Mainoo, Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes and Lisandro Martinez as the quartet that could operate at the highest level.
Speaking on The Rest is Football, Richards said: ‘Mainoo gets into a top six side. Definitely, Fernandes as well, Fernandes when he’s on it. Rashford when he’s at his best, and Martinez as well.
‘Obviously he’s been inconsistent with injuries and all that sort of thing. But that would be it.’
Lisandro Martinez and Kobbie Mainoo are two of Manchester United’s standout performers (Picture: Getty Images)
Clearly Manchester United have other high quality players, with the likes of Andre Onana, Matthijs de Ligt, Casemiro and Christian Eriksen in their ranks, but Richards feels the pressure of playing for the struggling giants is getting to them.
‘You go out on the pitch and you start performing for yourself. I’m going to make sure I’m not the worst player,’ said the 36-year-old.
‘I was at Aston Villa… Man United, it’s ten times the scrutiny they get. The players and the manager can’t deal with negativity at the club.’
Without a win in three games, Manchester United return to action on Thursday night at Porto in the Europa League after a 1-1 with FC Twente in their opening European game of the season.
Ten Hag is the clear favourite with the bookmakers to be the next Premier League manager to lose his job and may well need a result in Portugal and then at Aston Villa on Sunday to keep hold of it.
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