Man Utd stars told to stop whining over Keane, Neville criticism as Carrick is set immediate target

Manchester United players need to accept criticism from former players like Roy Keane and Gary Neville if they are to achieve their targets under Michael Carrick, while the interim manager has been told why he is exactly the right appointment to galvanise their underachieving squad.

Carrick’s reign as Man Utd boss got off to a sensational start when his side beat Manchester City 2-0 on Saturday, with the fire reignited inside Old Trafford as a sparkling performance secured a big win for the club’s new boss.

The platitudes were flowing for United’s players after the win against City, but that hasn’t always been the case in recent years, with criticism from the club’s former players appearing to leave a mark on some of the club’s biggest stars.

United legends Keane and Neville are among those who have served up the most withering comments of the current team, but Pallister believes criticism goes with the territory when you sign for a club of that magnitude.

Indeed, with Lisandro Martinez also recently calling out Paul Scholes over criticism, Gary Pallister, speaking exclusively to TEAMtalk with Spreadex Sports, told us that United’s players need to accept the constructive criticism that will come their way from legends of the club.

“Criticism is part of the game when you are at a club like Manchester United,” stated Pallister.

“I remember being part of a United team that got beat 5-1 at Manchester City and George Best tore me to pieces in the press the following day.

“I was like ‘wow, what can you do with that?’ You can moan and cry about it, but George Best is watching his beloved Man United getting turned over by their local rivals, so he would not have enjoyed it. I was the record signing, we had conceded five goals and I was a central defender, so it was expected.

“As long as the comments are constructive and don’t get personal, that’s just part of the game. Ex-players will always comment on the game and they are entitled to do that.

“You can’t run away from that and take it personally. The ex-players are just talking about the performances and the system and how it can get better.

“They have a right to ask if it hurt for these Manchester United players to finish so low down the table last year.

“United have been better this season, but it still hasn’t been a great watch at times in what is a Premier League that doesn’t have too many outstanding teams. I don’t think the depth of really good teams is there this year so there is a chance for United to do better.”

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Why Man Utd were right to pick Carrick and snub Solskjaer

The lift provided by the exhilarating win against Manchester City will fuel United’s hopes of a top five finish that may be enough to secure United’s return to next season’s Champions League, with Pallister suggesting the appointment of Carrick over a return for former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was the right choice.

“Would it have looked good going back to Ole? I’m not so sure,” he added. “I’m sure Ole would have loved to do it again and he would have been better for having the three-and-half years he had in the job the first time around.

“You have to say that under Ole, we got as close as we have done under any of the other managers as we finished second in the Premier League.

“Like Carrick, his approach was attacking and on the front foot. Trying to score more goals than the opposition, which is what Sir Matt [Busby] did and what Sir Alex [Ferguson] did. It’s what United have been synonymous with over the years and it’s what we haven’t done with some of the other managers in recent years.

“Ole would have done a decent job, but I think Michael is probably the right choice at this time.

“Michael knows the club so well, he’s had experience with Middlesbrough and he is a great signing to come in.

“Steve Holland is a highly respected coach to work alongside him and I’m looking forward to seeing how it works out over the next few months.

READ MORE: Man Utd and Carrick have ‘explicit’ agreement with interim ‘convinced’ about three factors for permanent job

“The target has always been Champions League football and that will never change at Manchester United.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how Michael Carrick goes about things. I watched his Middlesbrough team play and in his first season at the club, it was some of the best football I have ever seen at my old club.

“His brand of football was exciting, always on the front foot, all about scoring goals and playing with real panache.

“The second year at Middlesbrough was difficult for him because he lost of a lot of the loan players who were doing so well for them, but he got a real tune out of the players in that first year and if you ask the Middlesbrough fans, I’m sure they will tell you that was some of the best football they’ve ever seen the team play.

“If he can bring that brand of football to Manchester United over the next few months, everyone will be happy.”

Latest Man Utd transfer news: Liverpool clear path for Brazilian, ‘formal offer’ for midfielder…

Meanwhile, Man Utd’s pursuit of a Brazilian midfielder has been aided by Liverpool’s stance, but there is still competition from Atletico Madrid, Crystal Palace and Napoli.

Man Utd are said to have made a ‘formal offer’ for a Portuguese star, who is out of contract at his current club at the end of the season.

And finally, our transfer insider, Dean Jones, has reported that Juventus have an eye on a Man Utd forward should they fail to land a Crystal Palace striker.