Former Manchester United player Paul Parker has unleashed a damning assessment of the Red Devils, singling out Scott McTominay to be dismissed as ‘a modern-day Robbie Savage’.
Parker was writing in response to United’s 3-1 defeat to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg on Tuesday night.
The Red Devils salvaged some respect, but were blown away by their local rivals in the first half at Old Trafford, falling 3-0 behind after just 38 minutes.
The former England international believes that only Marcus Rashford and Brandon Williams came away from the defeat with any credit from the United side and even rounded on McTominay despite him missing the match through injury.
The Scotland international is out of action with a knee injury and Parker believes the fact United are missing his presence demonstrates how far the club has fallen.
‘The midfield is the problem at United. They have absolutely no middle ground,’ Parker wrote for Eurosport.
‘Scott McTominay is a good example of the problem. He just runs around trying to kick people, thumping the badge. He’s like a modern-day Robbie Savage.
‘You need more than that. If people are saying United are missing McTominay, they’re not really Man United fans.
‘The reason he’s out injured is because he tried to kick someone and hurt himself. If that’s what people think United are, then they weren’t around for the good times.’
Never one to be shy to respond, Savage has replied to Parker’s assertion, defending McTominay’s quality while admitting that he was never going to make the grade at Old Trafford.
Savage began his career with Manchester United but never made a league appearance for the club before moving on to Crewe and enjoying a successful career with the likes of Leicester, Birmingham and Derby.
The Welshman tweetedL ‘Nonsense, I wasn’t good enough for United, he’s proven he can get into team, hold his place down, be one of United’s best players this season and missed when injured!’
The knee injury suffered by McTominay is possibly worse than first feared and could keep the midfielder out until April.
With Paul Pogba’s ongoing ankle problem still keeping him out of first team action, the Red Devils are considering diving into the transfer market this month.
Ajax’s Donny van de Beek and Newcastle’s Sean Longstaff remain targets in central midfield.
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