‘Worried’ Paul Merson sends dire warning to Man Utd ahead of Manchester Derby

Arsenal legend Paul Merson is maintaining his pre-season prediction that Man Utd will not finish in the top five places in the Premier League.

The Red Devils concentrated on rebuilding their midfield over the summer after Casemiro left Old Trafford on a free transfer.

There were rumours linking Man Utd to top midfielders such as Sandro Tonali and Elliot Anderson over the summer but those kind of targets proved too expensive for the Red Devils.

Instead, Man Utd took advantage of a £35m release clause in Youri Tielemans’ deal at Aston Villa, while Andrey Santos and Carlos Baleba joined from Chelsea and Brighton respectively in deals amounting to £113m.

It had been reported that a left-back and left-winger were also towards the top of their list before the summer, while a striker signing was also on the cards if Joshua Zirkzee left.

However, back-up goalkeeper Karl Darlow and Tottenham youngster Tynan Thompson were the only other signings at Man Utd, to the disappoint of some fans.

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Man Utd have had a mixed start to the new season with a win, a draw and a loss to start the season, while they also beat Sabah in the Champions League on Thursday.

Ahead of the Manchester Derby against Man City on Sunday, Merson doubts Man Utd have a deep enough squad to be successful on multiple fronts this season.

Merson told Sky Sports: “Man Utd have got the Manchester derby – and their season is in the balance too. If you beat Man City, you’re flying. If you get beat by Man City, here we go again.

“It would be one point from two games including the Everton game. And other teams are winning around you.

“I’ve said all along: I don’t think Man Utd have bought very well. The squad isn’t big enough. It’s nowhere near enough.

“Defensively they’re nowhere near good enough. They let in two goals against Everton – and they were two good goals, but one of them was from the edge of the box. Everybody’s behind the ball.

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“When you’re winning, put another forward on. Don’t take a forward off and put a defender on. Don’t give that team the opportunity.

“Instead, if you put a forward on for a midfielder or a forward, it changes the game completely. If you’re the other manager, you think: ‘Oh no, what am I going to do?’.

“Instead, Man Utd just invited pressure on. Just don’t do that, especially if you’re a big team.

“If you’re Coventry and you go in front at Everton, you of course put a defender on 100 per cent. But when you’re Man Utd, I don’t see the need to do that.

“If you’re dictating the game, Everton don’t get that chance for Ainsley Maitland-Niles.

“So I am worried – and this is why I didn’t put Manchester United in my top five at the start of the season. Nothing’s changed for me since then. When you draw games, it hurts you.”