Manchester United captain Roy Keane has warned the club’s under-performing stars that their Old Trafford careers are on the line after a series of poor results.
Matters came to a head with last weekend’s 4-1 derby defeat against Manchester City.
That result left Premiership champions United 12 points behind leaders Arsenal with just 10 games of the season remaining and came days after their Champions League exit against Porto.
Now an FA Cup semifinal against holders Arsenal next month looks like United’s most realistic route to silverware this season but midfielder Keane said his side had to start turning things around before that match.
”The players need to go out on Saturday (against Tottenham) and put on a performance for the fans,” the former Republic of Ireland international told United’s television station, MUTV, on Tuesday.
”It won’t take away the hurt from the defeat against City or to Porto but it’s important to get a good win in front of our own fans. The players know we’ve got a lot to play for, we’re playing for our futures, I think.”
Keane refused to accept any excuses being offered for United’s lacklustre form including the sale of England captain David Beckham to Spanish giants Real Madrid and the suspension of centre-back Rio Ferdinand for missing a drugs test.
”When things aren’t going well you have to face up to it,” Keane said. ”All the players are disappointed. We can point to a lot of reasons and have a lot of excuses but the fact is we’re not doing the business and we’re taking a lot of criticism.
”But when you play for a club like Manchester United and you’re not doing the business, you’re going to get criticised. Hopefully we can snap out of it and get a win on Saturday.”
Before then Ferdinand’s appeal against his eight-month ban, due to start on Thursday and scheduled for two days, will have been heard.
England defender Ferdinand (25) began his suspension on January 20, after missing a drugs test at United’s training ground back in September and in his absence United conceded several goals as a result of defensive errors.
As things stand, the former West Ham and Leeds favourite will miss the Euro 2004 championships in Portugal, which begin on June 12.
And if the ban is upheld by the three-man panel Ferdinand will be barred from playing until September 20. – Sapa-AFP