Roy Keane blasted Manchester United for lacking the nerve to close out a victory after they surrendered a 1-0 lead and were held 1-1 by relegation-threatened West Ham at Old Trafford.
Diogo Dalot had put United in front, only for Soungoutou Magassa to level from a corner in the 83rd minute. Keane said the Red Devils effectively eased off against a team in the bottom three and paid the price. He argued United were neither clinical nor aggressive enough to finish the job and that the performance was another disappointment.
Under Ruben Amorim, Keane noted, United have collected just 20 points from 27 home matches and have managed only one win in their last five league games, with three draws coming despite being ahead. The former midfielder warned supporters would be frustrated by the stop-start progress — one result away from climbing to fifth, then squandering it — and described the recent run as “desperate.”
He also pointed to a worrying set-piece lapse that allowed West Ham back into the game, highlighting a longer-term vulnerability from corners: since the start of last season only West Ham (17) have conceded more league goals from corners than Manchester United (15). Keane questioned why players looked anxious in a United shirt and why such basic defensive responsibilities were being mishandled.
Former team-mate Gary Neville echoed that bafflement, criticising a lack of urgency, intensity and willingness to take risks. Neville said Amorim’s demand for more intensity simply didn’t materialise on the pitch, suggesting the side currently resemble a mid-table outfit rather than a contender.
Dalot conceded his team-mates became “anxious” after taking the lead and admitted United must exert more control at Old Trafford, stop being sloppy in possession and find solutions to that nervousness.
Sky Sports analyst Laura Hunter added that the issues run deeper than this game: United have not kept a clean sheet in seven matches, repeatedly build momentum only to give it away, and lack conviction under pressure. Against West Ham the numbers favoured United — higher expected goals, more shots on target, three clear chances and 42 touches in the opposition box — but the reward was a single goal. Hunter concluded the team struggle to win second balls and to sustain competitive intensity for the full 90 minutes.