Abject Manchester United have warned that they face finishing below relegation-threatened Newcastle next season after questions were raised over the mentality of Red Devils players.
Ralf Rangnick’s side put in a dreadful performance against Manchester City on Sunday, a display that saw Gary Neville and Roy Keane accuse the United team of ‘giving up’.
The embarrassing result was the latest low point in what has been a desperately disappointing campaign at Old Trafford, with Rangnick facing a huge task to secure a top four finish.
By contrast, Newcastle are on the rise, with Eddie Howe finally able to turn around the club’s season after a January transfer splurge following the takeover of the Magpies by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Will Newcastle finish above Manchester United next season? Comment below.
Howe’s men are on a seven-game unbeaten run that has helped them to climb away from relegation trouble.
They are now seven points clear of the drop zone, with optimism at St James’ Park that a summer spree can help them to climb into the top-half.
Former Tottenham star Jamie O’Hara believes that such a spending splurge will be a danger to United if they continue to perform so poorly.
O’Hara has even tipped the Magpies to finish above United next season if Rangnick’s successor in the hotseat cannot turn the club around.
“You look at Newcastle now with the way they’re playing and performing, the money that they’re gonna spend in the summer,” he told talkSPORT.
“And you’ve got a manager in Eddie Howe who I think has got his magic factor back again.
“I look at Newcastle and think if they continue the way they’re going and they invest £300m-£400m in the summer, they could finish above Manchester United.”
O’Hara has also joined the likes of Neville and Keane in calling the mentality of United’s current squad into question.
The Red Devils failed to have a shot of any description in the second-half against City and even had just eight per cent possession during one 15-minute spell.
And that is something that O’Hara believes is indicative of an issue with the club’s mentality, something that has become apparent since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement.
“The mentality of Manchester United is just nowhere near what it used to be, it’s like they accept getting beat,” he added.
“That was never an option 10 years ago when you played against Manchester United, it was unacceptable to just get rolled over.
“I remember a few games where Rooney was playing and they were getting beat and he would go an absolutely nail someone or get someone by the scruff of the neck.
“I just don’t see that in this Manchester United team, it’s like they just accept ‘we’re not good enough, we’re not as good as Man City’.
“That mentality needs to change if they want to be successful again.”
The thrashing at City means that United have slipped out of the top four, despite having played three games more than Arsenal, with qualification for next season’s Champions League now looking unlikely.
