Manchester United players "should be embarrassed" after their 6-3 defeat to local rivals Manchester City, says former Red Devils midfielder Roy Keane.
First-half doubles from Erling Haaland and Phil Foden had United four goals down at half-time, before they both capped off their hat-tricks after the interval as United conceded six in a Premier League game for just the fourth time.
And despite a late double from substitute Anthony Martial and a superb strike from Antony in consolation, Keane was fuming with United's performance after Sunday's match.
"It was the way they started - they were slow out of the blocks. City sent a message that they were up for it, and the first goal is huge," Keane told Sky Sports.
"United went down after eight minutes and they never recovered.
"There were spaces everywhere, they were sloppy in possession. Marcus Rashford never got hold of it, the wide players gave it away.
"Every time Man City went forward, they looked like they were going to score. It's a pleasure to watch City. They're one of the best teams I've seen live but for United this is a huge setback.
"There's nothing for United to take out from this game. The players should be embarrassed. You can't go into half-time 4-0 down in a derby game.
"It's hugely embarrassing, as brilliant as City were, United were desperate, particularly in midfield. They were overran in midfield and defensively they were all over the shop.
"Again we look at leadership - there was nothing there from Man United."
After a Europa League game away to Omonia Nicosia on Thursday, United return to Premier League action at Everton on October 9.
'It's a Ferrari, you just need the right driver' – ex-FIFA referee defends VAR amid Liverpool row
Former FIFA referee Duarte Gomes has leapt to the defence of VAR amid the furore surrounding Liverpool's Premier League defeat to Tottenham, calling the technology's introduction "the best thing to happen to football".
The use of VAR is a hot topic in the English top flight again after Luis Diaz was incorrectly denied a goal in Liverpool's 2-1 loss to in-form Spurs.
Darren England – the VAR official on duty at the time – misunderstood the on-field call to chalk the goal off for offside, inadvertently clearing an incorrect decision.
Liverpool have reacted furiously to the incident, which played a part in their first defeat of the season, with boss Jurgen Klopp suggesting the game should be replayed on Wednesday.
However, Gomes – a retired Portuguese referee who officiated in FIFA and UEFA competitions between 2002 and 2016 – says the ability of those using the technology is the issue, not the technology itself.
Speaking to Stats Perform at the Thinking Football Summit, Gomes admitted officials were still adapting to the technology but said it had already righted "thousands" of incorrect decisions.
"I don't have the slightest doubt that it's the best thing that's happened to football and to referees for decades," Gomes said.
"I know that we have a big, long way to run yet. It's not perfect, far from that. People who work with VAR are also learning and they are focused always on their careers as a referee on the pitch.
"The process of decision-making was completely different, and then you put them in a room with many screens and tell them to decide in a different way they have to adjust.
"As with everybody, there are some people who have more competence than others. We are now on that trail to try to be there.
"Nevertheless, in factual decisions, let's say, for example, offsides or with goal-line technology, I believe that around the world, thousands and thousands of goals have been saved or cancelled correctly after VAR.
"So yes, it's good for football. It's a Ferrari, you just have to have the right driver to be there.
"I've made many mistakes with the human eye; penalties, decisions, yellow or red cards, things that I missed. VAR could help me a lot. I would have been a better referee if I had it."
Gomes also believes, however, that technology cannot become all-invasive in football, emphasising the need to preserve the emotional nature of the sport.
"I'm a little concerned about AI in the future, of course also in refereeing matters. I believe it will have an important role," he added.
"Sitting here right now, I don't know if I will have a different way of thinking in 10 years. We are always adjusting, but I believe technology should always help until the point that humans decide.
"Human first, technology after, not the other way around because football is for people. It's played for people, with people, and refereed with people, and that's what gives the emotion.
"If you become very technological, it's very difficult to have an emotional sport and then it will lose many of its values, so yes, technology is always to help, not as a substitute for the referee."
Gomes also feels the rise of social media has had a major impact on the levels of abuse received by officials. In a high-profile incident from last season, Roma boss Jose Mourinho was given a four-match ban by UEFA for angrily confronting referee Anthony Taylor after his team lost the Europa League final.
"I believe it's getting worse because social media gives the right to everybody to criticise, especially the ones who didn't do it with a public voice before," he said.
"Football is a social phenomenon and it's unique because it can put you in a very emotional state, sometimes an irrational state, which is worse.
"You cannot ask people to be reasonable when they have their emotions so strongly attached to their teams and their competitions.
"Sometimes you have to let the balloon go down a little bit and then ask them for some tolerance again. Nobody wants to hear the explanation of law one or law two, [but] you have to do it slowly, you have to try and try."
How does Manchester United’s current struggle compare to previous poor starts?
Manchester United have endured their worst start to a season since 1986, following Tuesday night’s Champions League defeat at home to Galatasaray.
United have lost six of their opening 10 games in all competitions, a tally not seen since the latter stages of Ron Atkinson’s managerial reign.
Here, the PA news agency compares their current struggles with previous poor starts.
37-year low
Erik ten Hag’s side were booed off the pitch on Tuesday after another disappointing performance at Old Trafford.
The 3-2 loss to Galatasaray was United’s second in successive Champions League matches – following a 4-3 reverse against Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich – to go with four Premier League defeats.
The Red Devils succumbed 1-0 at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday, compounding previous losses against Brighton, Arsenal and Tottenham.
A 3-0 win over Palace in the Carabao Cup last week was by far their most convincing of the season, with narrow Premier League victories against Burnley, Nottingham Forest and Wolves doing little to silence the doubters.
United’s total of six defeats in 10 games is their highest since the 1986-87 season – the year that Sir Alex Ferguson took charge of the club.
Under Ferguson’s predecessor Atkinson, United lost six of their first eight Premier League games, with a 5-1 win over Southampton in mid-September providing only temporary respite.
Atkinson was sacked in early November with United in the bottom four of the First Division.
No defence
United’s main issues under Ten Hag appear to be in defence, with the Dutchman having watched his side concede 18 goals already this term.
They have shipped at least three goals on four separate occasions – at home to Galatasaray and Brighton and away to Bayern and Arsenal.
Goalkeeper Andre Onana is yet to prove himself to be a significant upgrade on David de Gea, while a back four shorn of key injury absentees such as Lisandro Martinez, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Luke Shaw looked all at sea against Wilfried Zaha and co on Tuesday.
Their total number of goals conceded is higher than the 13 shipped in the first 10 games in 1986-87, and surpasses anything seen in the Ferguson era or subsequently.
United also struggled defensively at the start of 2022-23, conceding 17 goals in the first 10 games – a tally matched only by Louis van Gaal’s first season (2014-15) and one of Ferguson’s early campaigns at the club (1989-90).
However, Ten Hag oversaw a significant improvement in the remainder of last season, with United going on to keep a Premier League-leading 17 clean sheets across the whole campaign.
UK and Ireland bid for Euro 2028 to be unopposed after Turkey withdraw interest
The UK and Ireland will host Euro 2028, subject to final approval from UEFA’s executive committee next week, after Turkey withdrew its interest.
The five-nation bid is now the only option on the table for the finals in five years’ time after Turkey pulled out of contention for the 2028 finals to focus on a joint bid with Italy for Euro 2032.
UEFA will formally announce the hosts for the two tournaments following a meeting of its executive committee in Switzerland next week.
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