Gary Neville has insisted that Manchester United's players are giving their all on the pitch... but found disagreement from club icon Roy Keane.
The two pundits became locked in debate after United's 2-1 defeat to Brighton at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon. That was new manager Erik ten Hag's first Premier League game in charge of the Red Devils, leaving fans worried about the season ahead.
United haven't won a trophy since their Europa League triumph five years ago and finished sixth in the Premier League last season, recording their lowest points tally - 58 - in 32 years. Former Ajax boss Ten Hag succeeded Ralf Rangnick as United manager in May. United were accused of being lazy under Rangnick and predecessor Ole Gunnar Solskjaer last season.
"I think the players they've got there - every single one of them that I watch - is giving 100 per cent," he told Sky Sports after United's humbling defeat. "They need better support of players coming in alongside them... I think they are giving their all."
But Roy Keane disagreed. "But we saw the stats last year, Gary - they don't run, they don't sprint! To me, that's not giving 100 per cent.
"The word coming out from the training ground over the last month or two is they're now training properly, they're disciplined, they're going to train on time... that comes from the group, no matter who the coach is - you know that better than anybody.
"It's very hard to criticise the players saying 'they're not giving 100 per cent', but if the stats suggest it - more so last season, it's obviously only one game into the season - than they're not giving 100 per cent. I think today there was a lack of football intelligence, they're dead open, they can't seem to keep clean sheets - huge problems for the club."
Do you think Manchester United players are lazy? Let us know in the comments below!
Neville believes United's biggest problem is their lack of signings and fears it may be too late to act. They've made just three transfers since Ten Hag's appointment - Tyrell Malacia, Christian Eriksen and Lisandro Martinez - and are still chasing Frenkie de Jong's signature.
"Anybody who watched those players... through the last year or so, will recognise that that's a familiar performance," added Neville. "The people above him, should've know that was an unacceptable situation, to hand Erik ten Hag that squad at the start of the season.
"It needed improving more than it has been already. Obviously, there is two or three weeks to go in the transfer window - but he needed three or four weeks to be able to work with them [new signings]. Every new coach that comes in thinks they can do better with the players that are there than the last coach because they believe they're a better a coach - and that's probably the case with this.
"But the reality is, I think he's seen what those players are today... I don't think any Man Utd fan, any pundit or anyone who's watched this team over the last 12 months - seeing those same players playing in the same positions - expected anything different than what they saw today... the problem is for Man Utd is they're the easiest team to play against in the league... how have they got themselves in that position?"
