Michael Owen has laid into Man Utd after their latest defeat
Michael Owen has laid into Man Utd after their latest defeat
Michael Owen has labelled Noussair Mazraoui as "stupid" after he gave away a penalty during Manchester United's defeat to Bournemouth.
The Red Devils were embarrassed on their own patch, losing 3-0 to the Cherries for the second successive season. The hosts found themselves 1-0 down at the break after conceding another set piece goal, but remained in the game.
However they handed Bournemouth a golden opportunity to take control when they were awarded a penalty on the hour mark. Mazraoui chose to slide in and scythed down Justin Kluivert - rather than just ushering his opponent towards the byline.
It gave United an even bigger mountain to climb and they soon conceded a third with Owen taking aim at the team's makeshift centre-half and claiming United are "not a good team".
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When quizzed on Mazroaui's ‘rash’ challenge Owen responded on Premier League Productions: "You’re being kind. A little rash? A little stupid more like. What on earth are you doing? Two players are waiting for him, he’s not going to score from there and he dives in.
"Just stay on your feet and usher him away. It’s just a poor, poor decision. The sad thing from Manchester United these days is they go 1-0 down and you never really think they’re going to come back.
"They’re not a good team. Ruben Amorim needs to be watching that game and ensure these players that are not performing do not put on the shirt again. He needs to be that brutal and that ruthless."
Noussair Mazraoui presented Bournemouth with the chance to double their lead
Noussair Mazraoui presented Bournemouth with the chance to double their lead
The reverse for United was their third in four Premier League games following recent losses to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest. It also means they will spend Christmas Day in the bottom half of the table for the first time since 1989.
Amorim did little to sugarcoat the win and is under no illusions of the task that faces him in Manchester with boos ringing out around Old Trafford following their latest setback.
He said: “It’s so much easier to pass on an idea when you’re winning and you’re scoring and you’re not conceding. But it’s also a great privilege to be here, so we have to continue now. Nothing bad lasts forever and nothing good lasts forever, so we have to continue again and be very strong in our ideas, especially in the bad moments. We will do it and try to win the next game.”
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