Dimitar Berbatov has slammed former club Man United as “unacceptable” after their crushing defeat to Manchester City.
The Reds suffered a humiliating 4-1 loss to the reigning champions.
Having endured a similarly damming loss to the same opposition at Old Trafford in November, United left the Etihad Stadium feeling battered and bruised once more. A hapless second-half performance saw City cruise to a comfortable victory.
The stats spoke for themselves. During the second period, United didn’t score, failed to register a shot on target and mustered up an expected goals offering of precisely 0.0. Unfortunately for Red Devils fans, performances like this have become more common in recent years.
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Nevertheless, the result led to some fierce condemnation of Ralf Rangnick and his players. Gary Neville, for instance, failed to hold back his anger:
He told Sky Sports: “Manchester City had 92% possession after the third goal went in. That is unheard of, unprecedented and unforgivable.
“It was appalling, that last 25 minutes. They were spiritless.”
Former United captain Roy Keane, meanwhile, said that “five or six players” need to leave the club after the defeat.
Dimitar Berbatov calls out “unacceptable” Man United performance
Amongst the various ex-professionals criticising United was former Red Devils striker Dimitar Berbatov. The Bulgarian snubbed City for United in 2008 and spent four years at the club, winning six trophies.
While he never scored against City in a Manchester Derby, Berbatov featured in various wins over the Blues, including a victory in 2011 that was more notable for Wayne Rooney’s outrageous overhead kick.
Revered amongst the Old Trafford faithful, the now 41-year-old launched a brutal attack on Rangnick’s men:
“I was angered and saddened by Manchester United’s performance against Manchester City,” Berbatov told Betfair (quotes via Daily Mirror).
“It was unacceptable. And I’m not only talking about the second half.”
After spending time under legendary United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, Berbatov experienced it from the best in the game. However, the Bulgarian believes current manager Rangnick has struggled to make an impact.
“United are inconsistent. I see no evidence of a plan when I watch them,” he said.
“On paper, they have a talented squad, but it doesn’t work out for them on the pitch. The players and the manager must ask themselves, ‘What more can I do?’ They need to take responsibility.”
Berbatov continued his assessment and called for one particular player to be taken out of the team.
He said: “I played with some great leaders at United, such as Nemanja Vidic and Wayne Rooney. When things are not going well for the team, the finger is always pointed at the captain. Harry Maguire can perform better. He knows that.”
While Champions League qualification remains the target for United, the pressure continues to mount on Rangnick’s men. However, if the performances and results fail to arrive, expect more crushing criticisms from Berbatov and co further down the line.
Featured Image Credit: Getty
