Roy Keane Questions Manchester United's Midfield for Title Challenge
Roy Keane sees progress in Manchester United’s midfield. He just doesn’t see a Premier League-winning engine room.
Speaking on Stick to Football, the former United captain weighed up the club’s reshaped options in the middle of the pitch, with new arrivals set to join Kobbie Mainoo, who impressed under Michael Carrick last season. Keane accepted that United now carry genuine depth in that area, but he drew a sharp line between being competitive and being champions.
“I think that’s a good way of putting it, a good midfield,” he said when asked about the impact of Carlos Baleba’s potential arrival. “But if you’re on about winning the league, I think it’s short.”
Keane pointed away from the new signings and towards the same old problem.
“United’s big problems are still going to be defensively,” he said. “That midfield and going forward, there is a big goal threat at United, they were very good last year with it, especially when Carrick took over they were a real goal threat.”
The goals, in his view, won’t be the issue. Keeping them out will.
“The issue is at the back, the full-backs and the two centre-halves are still a big issue,” Keane warned. On the midfielders themselves, he was far more complimentary. “On paper, they jump out as really good players. But is there a league-winning midfield there? Probably not. No, I don’t see it.”
One of the headline additions is Youri Tielemans, arriving in a £35m deal. Keane welcomed the fact United have stepped away from the kind of huge wage packages that defined previous moves, name-checking Casemiro as the obvious example. Yet he was clear about Tielemans’ ceiling.
“Tielemans is a safety bet for United,” Keane said. “Over the last few years, Casemiro is a good example, players have come in huge money, big wages. Tielemans knows the Premier League, is a good international, having gone to Old Trafford with Villa and had success he will be fine with the expectation. But will he get United to the very top? No.”
United, in Keane’s eyes, now have a midfield that looks solid, experienced and varied. The question he keeps returning to is blunt: in a league defined by fine margins and relentless title standards, is “good” anywhere near good enough?
