Paul Scholes has criticised Manchester United skipper Harry Maguire’s post-match interview after Tuesday’s Champions League defeat to RB Leipzig, while Rio Ferdinand was ‘baffled’ by the side’s lacklustre start to the match.
The Red Devils found themselves two goals down after just 13 minutes in Germany, eventually losing 3-2 after mounting a late fightback, though ultimately exited the competition and will now drop down to the Europa League.
Speaking about their poor start to the game, captain Maguire told BT Sport: ‘We started the game too slow, the first 20 minutes wasn’t good enough, we weren’t at it and they scored their two chances.’
Scholes was shocked by Maguire’s admission and feels it underlines the big issues that exist within the squad, while Ferdinand was equally dismayed with how United approached the game early on.
Speaking on BT Sport, Scholes said: ‘Another worrying thing: we talk about leaders in the team, Harry Maguire’s interview. He said, “We weren’t ready for the first 20 minutes. We weren’t at it for the first 20 minutes.”
‘A big game… how can you not be up for a game?
‘Such a tough game, coming to Germany, they should never have been in this position in the first place – but they are – and they’re not ready for the first 20 minutes?! I think he’s talking mentality there.’
Ferdinand agreed with Scholes and felt United’s priority should have been to remain solid early on, adding: ‘You watch the Bayern game at the weekend, it’s an open game, it’s not a surprise that this RB Leipzig team are going to give you chances.
‘If you’re just a tight unit at the back, you know you’re going to get chances in this game, that’s what I don’t understand. That first 15, 20 minutes is vital.
‘Any European away game you go to, the first thing you say when you leave the changing room is, “Keep it tight here, stay in the game and we will get chances”.
‘And we’ve seen that here. If you’re not thinking like that before the game has even started… it doesn’t seem like they went out with even that little type of mentality – and it baffles me to see that.’
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