Peter Schmeichel claims Manchester United did not need to sign Benjamin Sesko this summer and claims two other transfers should have been made a priority after the 3-0 defeat to Manchester City.
Ruben Amorim’s side were unable to pose a significant threat in the first Manchester derby of the season on Sunday as Phil Foden’s header and a double from Erling Haaland sealed the win for Pep Guardiola’s men at the Etihad Stadium.
Sesko, meanwhile, is still searching for his first goal for United following his £73 million move from RB Leipzig in the summer transfer window.
United also strengthened Amorim’s attacking options with the signings of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, but Schmeichel believes his former club should have invested heavily in a new goalkeeper and a central midfielder.
Senne Lammens was signed by United but the 23-year-old goalkeeper only made 54 appearances in the Belgian Pro League before his switch to Old Trafford.
Your ultimate guide to the football season
Metro’s football newsletter: In The Mixer. Exclusive analysis, FPL tips and transfer talk sent straight to your inbox every Friday – sign up, it’s an open goal.
‘In terms of players being brought in, Cunha for instance, I think in the three games he’s played – he came out very early in the game against Burnley – yes, I’ve seen things that can happen in the future, something we can build on,’ Schmeichel told Premier League Productions.
‘Bryan Mbeumo, the same thing, yes, it’s really good. That’s kind of progress in terms of how the team is going to be developed.
‘At the moment I don’t see it. The issue is, it was so clear all of last season, has not been addressed.
‘Yes, we didn’t score enough goals so they bought players in who can score goals but they spent the money on the third one – it’s nothing personal against Sesko – but we didn’t need the third striker, we needed a centre midfield player who can control that bit of the pitch, and we needed a goalkeeper.
‘Those were the issues we were struggling with last season and it’s not been addressed.’
Metro at the Match: Man City 3-0 Man Utd
Metro at the Match returns to bring you all the analysis from the biggest games of the season.
Here are our team’s key takeaways from Manchester City’s dominant 3-0 win over Manchester United at the Etihad.
There were mistakes, but this was not an entirely abject performance from Manchester United and, as Bernardo Silva noted at half-time, they appear to have improved on last season. That has to be a good thing, but it may be a bleak realisation for Red Devils fans that even an improved United are still a long, long way behind a City not even at their peak. – Phil Haigh, sports reporter.
I just do not understand Amorim’s system. If you’re playing with wing-backs you have to use the width and it seems like he consistently instructs his centre-backs and goalkeeper to pass into the centre. It just makes no sense. – Alex Moneypenny
Altay Bayindir needs replacing quickly. He looks suspect with the ball at his feet, left a lot of the goal gaping for Foden to head home the opener and does not inspire any confidence. Clearly not a top level goalkeeper, but is unproven new signing Senne Lammens the answer? – Phil Haigh, sports reporter.
I thought Jeremy Doku had a fantastic game, his feet, his close control is excellent. Drifting into pockets and getting two assists. – Alex Moneypenny
While Bayindir struggles to convince at one end, Gianluigi Donnarumma quickly made his presence felt at the other. The giant Italian may not have loads to do in an average Manchester City game, but will need to be alert when called upon. That’s what happened here, pulling off a stunning save from a Bryan Mbeumo volley in the second half. Another world class addition to the City squad. – Phil Haigh, sports reporter.
Schmeichel went on to add: ‘It’s nothing personal against him, I just don’t understand why we had to sign a third striker, or a third person up there.
‘Rasmus Hojlund has been suffering, he’s been suffocated by the team, never had any service, nothing. And now we’ve signed Cunha and Mbeumo, players who will put the striker in.
‘Played for Napoli, after 13 minutes he makes a run that he’s made him and time again, the ball came to him and he scored.
‘Now, you have a young kid who has all that experience, has been through all that, taken all that criticism, fans love him because he’s a fighter, he’s got Manchester United over him. I don’t get that, why that swap has happened.’
Former United midfielder Owen Hargreaves then suggested that United should have moved for Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins.
‘You get Hojlund, who I think is going to be a really good striker, but there’s a lot of pressure, we’ve seen it with Marcus [Rashford] and [Anthony] Martial. They were too young to be dealing with that on their own,’ Hargreaves said.
‘Then you have that experience with Hojlund where it’s so difficult he has to leave on loan, then you go and buy the same age player in Sesko.
‘If you’re going to do it, they’ve got Cunha and Mbeumo, ready-made Premier League players, but then you get a striker who is 22 and not proven at this level.
‘If you’ve already done that in that window why wouldn’t you go and get another one, Ollie Watkins or someone of that ilk who is ready. Same thing [with the goalkeeper].’
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.