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Former Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew has predicted that Manchester United's failure to solve their defensive issues could land them in a relegation battle next season. Pardew also claimed that United's ban of five first-team players from squad training sent the wrong message to the rest of the players.
During a discussion with talkSPORT, Pardew was asked to name the Premier League team that's most at risk of relegation next season. He said:
"All the teams in that bottom ten including Man United. You need to have an eye on that club. You've got five big first-team players training on their own. That does not send the right message to the rest of the players at the training ground because what players feel is that, 'one day that might be me."
He added:
"They've brought in the top player from Wolves. Great technical ability but that wasn't the big issue, The issue is keeping goals out and at the moment they haven't changed much from that. It all hinges on moving these five players, it's almost like a fire sale at the moment."
Ahead of the preseason tour, some Manchester United players have been instructed to train separately from the rest of the squad. They include Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Tyrell Malacia and Antony. Pardew feels that such a dressing room situation sends a negative signal to other Red Devils players.
Meanwhile, the 63-year-old also believes that United might be focusing on wrong priorities rather than improving their defense, which seems to be a bigger issue. Manchester United conceded 54 goals in the Premier League last season. Some of these goals could be attributed to individual error, while others were a result of poor defensive coordination.
Notably, United also registered their worst run in a Premier League campaign after finishing 15th in the standings last season. Out of 38 Premier League games, they won 11, drew nine, and lost 18 games, earning them only 42 points.
"He's appreciated, internally" - Fabrizio Romano on Botafogo's goalkeeper, who has been linked to Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v FC Internazionale Milano - UEFA Champions League Final 2025 - Source: Getty" srcset="https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/07/588ce-17526507836365-1920.jpg?w=190 190w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/07/588ce-17526507836365-1920.jpg?w=720 720w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/07/588ce-17526507836365-1920.jpg?w=640 640w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/07/588ce-17526507836365-1920.jpg?w=1045 1045w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/07/588ce-17526507836365-1920.jpg?w=1200 1200w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/07/588ce-17526507836365-1920.jpg?w=1460 1460w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/07/588ce-17526507836365-1920.jpg?w=1600 1600w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/07/588ce-17526507836365-1920.jpg 1920w">
Paris Saint-Germain v FC Internazionale Milano - UEFA Champions League Final 2025 - Source: Getty
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Botafogo shotstopper John Victor is appreciated by the Red Devils' scouting team. The Italian journalist, however, hinted that a concrete interest for Victor's potential move has not yet been registered.
Romano said (via GiveMeSport):
"He's appreciated, internally highly rated by scouts. Let's see if club-to-club contact will follow, at the moment not yet."
During the recently concluded FIFA Club World Cup, Victor played decently between the sticks. He kept one clean sheet against reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), and conceded only three goals in four appearances. Overall, he has played 80 games across competitions, keeping 33 clean sheets for the Brazilian Serie A side.
Meanwhile, Manchester United's interest in Victor might be due to the recent hamstring injury sustained by Andre Onana. Given his goalkeeping performance at the Club World Cup, Victor could be more than decent replacement for the Cameroonian.
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Abel is an European football journalist who focuses primarily on analysis pieces and preview copies at Sportskeeda. A B.Sc degree holder in Economics, he has a previous work experience of 3 years – a year at Opera News Hub where he was promoted as a 'Verified Sports Writer,’ and over two years at Sportskeeda as a revenue-share writer, where his writing skills have ultimately led him to be integrated into the in-house team.
A Manchester United fan who grew up in a family of Red Devils supporters, he started his journey as an ardent football fan in his childhood. He used to spend hours watching the sport with his family and developed a knack for writing about the beautiful game over the years.
He is a huge admirer of Paul Pogba owing to the midfielder's ability to thread passes from anywhere on the pitch and his favorite manager is Jose Mourinho due to the Portuguese's tactical mind. He feels France's triumph in 2018 is his all-time favorite World Cup moment, and reckons Lamine Yamal and Endrick could replicate the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Abel always strives to verify information, especially statistics, before penning a word and offers constructive but not defamatory criticisms. Apart from Europe's top five leagues, he follows the Eredivisie and the Primeira Liga. He loves to spend his free time playing video games like EA FC and watching movies.
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