Michael Owen opens up on Erik ten Hag’s future and the problems facing Manchester United

Michael Owen sat down with AS USA to speak about the current climate in the world of football. In Part 2 of the interview, the ex-striker gave his thoughts on the problems surrounding Premier League side Manchester United.

· Read Part 1 of the interview: Owen opens up on Arda Güler, Real Madrid and LaLiga.

The clock is ticking and we move on to one of England’s most famous clubs, where Owen spent three seasons. “The situation with Manchester United hasn’t happened all of a sudden; it’s been the last 10 years that Manchester City have been way too good for the likes of Manchester United”, he interjects as I ask him to dissect the one-sided derby that Guardiola’s side won 3-1. “The disappointment, if you’re a Manchester United fan, would be that there has been no real plan for a long time”.

Manchester United ‘in the wilderness’

How to solve a problem like Manchester United? Owen thinks he knows how to get them back into a Premier League title race: “look at all the clubs that have been in the wilderness, which in relative terms Manchester United are at the moment.

“Liverpool were struggling for years and Jürgen Klopp came in with a plan and he doesn’t wait, he knows how he’s going to play”, Owen sits forward, “he said it in his first press conference!”

“Liverpool would be 3-0 up in games and lose 3-4, causing everyone to say that ‘they can’t defend a lead, they can’t do this, they can’t do that, you have got to change your plan’. And what Klopp did is he steadfastly stuck to what he was going to do. When you have that plan, when things go wrong within it, let’s say Klopp’s style of play, straight away, you can identify far easier, who’s not up to the job.”

“Not sure about your goalkeeper?” he adds, “I’m going to go and get the best in the world. None of these defenders can defend one on one: I’m going to go and get Virgil Van Dijk. All of a sudden you start weeding out the players that aren’t comfortable in that style of play that you’re playing”.

‘What are Manchester United? I really don’t know’

“Would you do all this with Ten Hag?” I ask. “Oh, no!” comes the unequivocal response.

“If you say to me”, he explains, “how do Aston Villa play? or how do Liverpool play?, you can say they’re good at this or they’re weak at that, you can have an opinion. I can see what they’re trying to do and that goes for virtually every club in the Premier League.

“If you never watched football before and asked me what are Manchester United?, I’d say to you, I really don’t know. I’m not sure whether they’re a possession team, I’m not sure whether they’re counter-attacking, I’m not sure whether they’re high-pressing, I just don’t know what they’re trying to do.

At this point, I’ve got a ticking clock and seven more questions, but there’s no point trying to stop a moving train with a picnic blanket. “At least if they have an identity and get beat 6-0 by Manchester City, do you know what? If I was a Manchester United fan? I’d prefer that, just because I’d have an idea and know this is how we’re going to play”.

“Guardiola wouldn’t have been able to get anywhere without taking a bit of pain along the way. And [Manchester City] have been brave right from the start. They play in a certain way. Manchester United go and buy a goalkeeper that’s a ball-playing goalkeeper and half of their defence can’t play on the ball anyway. What’s the point?”

You want to be a team that plays out from the back. But they’ve got Lindelof at left-back… I just don’t get what the vision is. That’s what Manchester United are.” We both breathe and I look at my watch. I’ve got to let Owen go; I’m not sure if he’s going for a run or a lie down.

Interview conducted with LuckyBlock.