Roy Keane has accused Michael Carrick of being too "casual" and Manchester United's players of lying to themselves after being disgusted by their post-match interviews on Sunday.
United drew 4-4 with Aston Villa at Old Trafford in a chaotic game which left Carrick's future in doubt going into the international break. The home side were shambolic in defence, with individual errors helping Villa, but they showed fight to come back from two goals down on two occasions.
Keane's rant on Sky Sports
Goals from Joshua Zirkzee and Patrick Dorgu in injury time earned a point, but United are 18th in the table having gone eight Premier League matches without a win. Carrick gave a spiky post-match interview in which he said he expected to continue as manager, while Dorgu and Matheus Cunha insisted they could turn things around.
Their words did not impress former United captain Keane, who responded with a trademark rant on Sky Sports. "The challenge for any manager who group of coaches and players is you've got to work with what you've got in front of you," he began.
"We see the Villa manager chopping and changing all summer and his hands are tied a little bit but when he gets a group of players to work with he works with them, he tries to make them better and generally speaking he does that. Villa over the last few years have come good towards the end of the season."
Questioning United's honesty
Keane also questioned the messages coming out of the United camp. "What's the sign of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting something different. We come here and we knew they'd give up loads of chances. It's up to the manager and group of players to do something about it. You listen to the players talking about the mentality and we're disappointed, well you've got to do something about it."
"It's very hard for us to listen to the messages coming out of the United camp when I'm thinking, I'm not even sure you're being honest with yourselves, so how can we believe a word you're saying?"
"What we're seeing most weeks is chaotic defending, people not organised, people not putting their bodies on the line. Then they give interviews and the manager will go we need to tighten up. It's just words, isn't it? We're waiting for a reaction from the United team, whether it be after the big defeat from Bournemouth or Como."
Criticism of Carrick's style
Keane then turned his attention to Carrick, whose measured style isn't to his taste. "I admire people who are maybe casual like that," he said. "I wish I was casual like that! I see Carrick and he's like, 'we just have to tighten up'. I'm going, 'tighten up? You should be banging heads!'"
"We're all different. But put it this way: they're going to Liverpool in a few weeks. How many chances are Liverpool going to get? I don't think this is a top Liverpool team but do you believe United are going to roll their sleeves up and get a clean sheet? Dig in deep? Be hard to beat? Start quick? Well, good luck with that one..."
He then added: "It's obviously difficult for the manager. Under pressure, no doubt. He talks a lot but doesn't say much. I don't know if that's a tactic. Like a politician."
"He keeps saying we need to tighten up and there's things we need to work on. But they better get moving on that. It's the worst start in how many years, all these stats aren't very good. If you keep giving up goals and chances, it's just going to continue."
"What are we expecting to change over the next few weeks and months? What are they working on? They need to do a lot better than that."
