Football Dec 07, 2025

Roy Keane calls Manchester United 'desperate' after late leveller costs them two points against relegation-threatened West Ham

👤
By Admin
Sports Journalist
Roy Keane calls Manchester United 'desperate' after late leveller costs them two points against relegation-threatened West Ham

Roy Keane accused Manchester United of being too "frightened" to see out victory over West Ham after blowing the chance to move up to fifth in the Premier League, and called the performance "desperate". 

West Ham salvaged a late at Old Trafford when Soungoutou Magassa's 83rd-minute equaliser cancelled out Diogo Dalot's opening goal.

Under Ruben Amorim, United have only taken 27 points from 20 games at Old Trafford, and only managed one win from their last five in the league - drawing three of those, despite being ahead in each.

"After they get the goal, you are playing against a team in the bottom three, they take their foot off the gas," said Keane. "Take nothing away from West Ham and they just about deserved the equaliser.

"You are just putting yourself under pressure. Every time I watch this United team, they disappoint. They aren't clinical, they weren't nasty enough to get the job done.

"People will be scratching their heads. One minute they are making progress, win and you go fifth. There will be a lot of frustration.

"Show your quality. In their last three or four games, I think it has been desperate. Really poor. An opportunity to get the job done and they were almost frightened.

"Same old problems. The last three or four games, that sums them up. Not quite doing enough.

"Where is the frustration with this group of players? I've watched the games closely, the lack of quality and intensity. They got two goals against Palace but they defended like a pub team. There is expectation at this club, you have to deal with that."

Keane also questioned the standards of the home side after they switched off from a set-piece to concede the leveller. Since the start of last season, only West Ham themselves (17) have conceded more league goals from corners than Manchester United (15).

"The reason you are playing for Manchester United is that you deal with these situations," Keane added.

"If they are anxious, you worry why they are playing for Manchester United and what they are fearful of. Fearful of West Ham, why?"

SportNews' Gary Neville:

"I don't get it, I don't get the lack of urgency, and the lack of intensity. I don't get the slow play. I don't get the lack of risk in the game.

"Ruben Amorim told us he wanted more intensity from the very beginning. Now I suspect, he's not going back into the changing room saying 'guys, play slowly tonight'. He's saying 'let's get the ball moving quicker, let's run forward, let's play with real threat and vigour'.

"It doesn't transpire out on the pitch, so I don't know, why does that happen? I've got no understanding.

"I don't see the actual appetite to go and throw your whole life at the game, and everything you've got, and throw it forward and take risks. They're showing us what they are, the seventh, eighth or ninth team in the league."

Defender Diogo Dalot said his side became "anxious" after opening the scoring at Old Trafford, and must look at themselves after squandering another lead.

"Obviously disappointed. We have to control much more of the game, especially at home," he told SportNews.

"We cannot get as anxious as we get. We were a bit more sloppy with the ball in possession. Obviously disappointed with the draw, we had the game there.

"It's a solution we need to find. In the end, we have to look to ourselves. It's more our fault."

Analysis by SportNews' Laura Hunter:

It was established far further back than Thursday night that Manchester United lack resolve under pressure. Diogo Dalot says his team-mates are hindered by anxiety. Really, it's just about concentration levels.

Ruben Amorim's side have not registered a clean sheet in seven games - since early October. They establish a foothold in games and then inevitably hand it back. They win a game and then suffer a setback in the next. There is no continuity here.

United dominated every attacking metric against inferior West Ham, creating higher xG, landing more shots on target and generating three big chances - two of those were missed. They had 42 touches in the opposition box. That's a staggeringly high amount if the yield is only one goal.

Ultimately, this United team have very little conviction. Amorim bemoaned a lack of second-half control post-match and blamed "second ball losses". If you don't compete, or can't compete, for a whole 90 minutes that is what will happen.

Tags:

football news id:13479400

Share this article

Related Posts

Alex Manninger: Former Arsenal goalkeeper who helped Gunners to Premier League and FA Cup double in 1997/98 dies aged 48

Alex Manninger: Former Arsenal goalkeeper who helped Gunners to Premier League and FA Cup double in 1997/98 dies aged 48

Former Arsenal goalkeeper Alex Manninger has been killed in a road accident, his first club Red Bull Salzburg have announced.Manninger, 48, helped Ars...

Hugo Ekitike injury: Liverpool striker suffers 'serious' ruptured Achilles and will miss rest of season and World Cup

Hugo Ekitike injury: Liverpool striker suffers 'serious' ruptured Achilles and will miss rest of season and World Cup

Liverpool have confirmed that striker Hugo Ekitike has sustained a "serious" Achilles injury and will miss the rest of the season and the World Cup wi...

Millwall: Alex Neil urges Lions to embrace Championship promotion battle as race for second automatic spot and play-off places heats up

Millwall: Alex Neil urges Lions to embrace Championship promotion battle as race for second automatic spot and play-off places heats up

Millwall should have "zero fear" as the race for promotion from the Championship heats up, says boss Alex Neil.The Lions are the league's surprise pac...

Bernardo Silva to leave Man City: Captain to exit at the end of the season when contract is up, it has been confirmed

Bernardo Silva to leave Man City: Captain to exit at the end of the season when contract is up, it has been confirmed

Erling Haaland has hailed team-mate Bernardo Silva as the "smartest player I have ever played with" as Manchester City confirmed the skipper's departu...

Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and Tino Livramento: Newcastle trio could leave in summer transfer window

Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and Tino Livramento: Newcastle trio could leave in summer transfer window

There is an expectation at Newcastle that Anthony Gordon would be keen on a move away this summer.The England international has emerged as a top targe...

Liverpool transfer chiefs Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards to remain in place for summer

Liverpool transfer chiefs Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards to remain in place for summer

Two of Liverpool's most important decision-makers, Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards, are set to remain in place for this summer's transfer window am...