Man United have been criticised for their performance in Sunday's Manchester derby despite playing against 10 men for the majority of the contest
Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United points
Bruno Fernandes was one of the Manchester United players Jaap Stam criticised (Image: Getty Images)
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Manchester United legend Jaap Stam has slammed Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha after Sunday's derby defeat. The Reds lost 1-0 at home to bitter rivals Manchester City despite playing against 10 men for 67 minutes plus stoppage time.
United head coach Michael Carrick has now overseen the Reds' joint-worst start to a Premier League campaign, equalling last season's dismal start under Ruben Amorim and the 1992-93 campaign. Carrick succeeded the sacked Portuguese coach on an interim basis in January and oversaw an impressive turnaround that resulted in a third-placed finish.
But United's poor start has put the former Reds midfielder under greater scrutiny after he was handed the permanent job in May. Carrick's men sit 13th after four games, a run which has included defeat at Hull City and a disappointing draw at Everton.
Now, ex-Reds centre-back Stam has had his say on United and their players, shortly after the final whistle on Sunday, while working for Viaplay.
He said: "If you look at City and if you look at this game, it was easy for them today, even with 10 men. I was asking myself as well: the United team coming off the pitch, what are they thinking?
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"Would they be thinking they’ve done everything that they can? Is that it? Even in playing it out from the back, it was easy, one-two, keep the ball a little bit longer at your feet, somebody else is taking up different positions. You play it, make a little one-two, you’re out and they can go and attack.
"Against 10 men, even if it’s City with the quality that they have, you would expect United to be on the front foot every time, to be very, very aggressive, even the strikers tracking back.
Jaap Stam
Jaap Stam has had his say on United's derby defeat (Image: Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images)
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"Then, of course, and that’s a very important thing as well. If you have possession and they are dropping a little bit deeper, use the side, use the width of the game a little bit, put crosses in the box.
"But now sometimes, you feel like when they’re playing, there’s not a real idea in how to get to opportunities and how to make it difficult for the opposition to score goals."
Controversy surrounded City's winner at Old Trafford after Erling Haaland's goal was allowed to stand despite Enzo Fernandez, who was offside, interfering with play. The Premier League refereeing body Pro Ref has since admitted an "error of judgment" from the VAR officials.
But watching back the build-up to Haaland’s second-half goal, Stam pointed to an apparent lack of intensity from United’s attacking players in tracking back to help their team-mates.
He added: "It’s a long ball, they win it, City takes over and look at the front four [of United]. They’re just walking, they’re just looking at the situation,’ the Dutchman added.
"A team that really wants to win, the strikers, it’s about all the 11, it’s about chasing. Against 10 men, it’s about tracking back, it’s about winning battles.
"From then on, you keep possession, you go out in transition and then you try to create and score goals."