Alan Shearer says he has NO IDEA what Ralf Rangnick and his staff do in training after Manchester United's stars proved they 'don't know how or when' to press during dismal defeat by rivals Arsenal
- Manchester United's dismal season took another dive with defeat at Arsenal
- Alan Shearer questioned what exactly the team are working on during training
- He questioned Ralf Rangnick's ability to drill a pressing game into this squad
Alan Shearer has questioned exactly what Ralf Rangnick and his staff do in Manchester United training following another damning defeat.
The Red Devils were well beaten 3-1 in Saturday's early kick-off by Arsenal following goals from Nuno Tavares, Bukayo Saka and Granit Xhaka.
United are sixth in the table and six points behind Arsenal, who has played one game fewer, and Shearer believes Rangnick's side showed absolutely no reaction to being 'battered' by Liverpool at Anfield last week.
Ralf Rangnick's training ground methods have been questioned in light of defeat to Arsenal
Alan Shearer claims that Manchester United's players 'don't know how or when' to press
'New manager, they've been battered by Liverpool, changed personnel - left Harry Maguire out - so I'm thinking there's going to be a bit of a response, certainly in the first 20 or 30 minutes and there wasn't at all,' Shearer said on BBC 's Match of the Day programme.
'Within three minutes you've had three big mistakes: Varane and Telles make one and you've also got one from Dalot letting Tavares go.
'There was no pressing, no organisation, the understanding of when or how to press in this team zero, probably because they don't know how to do it or they are not working on it at all in training.
'They don't know how or when to do it… what they're doing on the training ground, I don't know, because it doesn't look like they're doing much in terms of the pressing.'
United were brushed aside in their 3-1 defeat to Arsenal on Saturday afternoon at the Emirates
Arsenal had to survive some difficult moments but came through to beat their top four rivals
Rangnick took over as interim boss from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and arrived with a revered reputation as the 'Godfather of Gegenpressing'.
Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel are among those to cite Rangnick as an influence in their coaching careers.
But United have seen little-to-no upturn in form since the veteran German coach took the reins, particularly in their pressing game, which was lacking in a crunch game with Arsenal.
United's chances of a top-four finish now hang by a thread after the 3-1 loss to the Gunners in which a missed penalty from Bruno Fernandes and numerous other opportunities were spurned to get back into the match.
It has been a difficult season for United - who appointed Erik ten Hag last week as their new manager from next season - and midfielder Scott McTominay did not mince his words after a fifth defeat in their last eight games.
The Red Devils have lost four consecutive away games in the league for the first time ever
Paul Scholes claimed the United dressing room is a 'disaster' after speaking to Jesse Lingard
He said afterwards: 'There's a whole load of problems in terms of players, staff, everything higher up. There are a lot of things going on at the minute.'
Paul Scholes later revealed that Jesse Lingard told him the United dressing room is 'a disaster'.
Scholes said: 'It's an absolute mess. It's a disaster of a dressing room.
'I had a quick chat with Jesse the other day and I'm sure he won't mind me saying he said the dressing room is just a disaster.'
United have four games remaining to round out the season and they don't get any easier with European champions Chelsea next up at Old Trafford.
They will then face Brentford, Brighton and Crystal Palace.
Most watched Sport videos
- Travis reveals his and Taylor Swift's reaction to Jason on ESPN
- Caitlin Clark reveals why she liked Swift's endorsement of Kamala
- AFLW star reacts to TikTok video that won her 30,000 followers
- Viral video of Joe Burrow that had fans fearing a wrist injury
- Usman Khawaja reveals why he'd choose his baggy green over the Quran
- Shocking bodycam of Tyreek Hill arrest released by Miami-Dade PD
- Tyreek Hill speeds by police before cops aggressively pull him over
- 'Always about the players': Thomas Frank on Brentford ahead of tie
- Jordan Mason gets mad at reporters during press conference
- Patrick Mahomes addresses Trump's reference of his wife Brittany
- Scott Sorensen holds back tears during interview nearing the finals
- Erik Ten Hag hits back at Cristiano Ronaldo over Man Utd comments