Dwight Yorke: Manchester United can match big teams

But Yorke feels Red Devils need to put away lesser sides, while Sheringham says inconsistency is down to youth

Sub Editor

Nov 15, 2019 06:00 am

The progress of Liverpool under Juergen Klopp has often been used as a stick to beat Manchester United with, but Dwight Yorke believes that his former team's main issue is not matching the Reds but putting away so-called lesser teams.

While United suffered their worst start to a season in 33 years after nine English Premier League matches last month, their record against the league's top three makes for impressive reading.

They have beaten third-placed Chelsea 4-0, second-placed Leicester City 1-0 and their 1-1 draw with Liverpool - when they were ahead till five minutes from time - remains the only time the EPL leaders have dropped points this season.

Yet, the Red Devils have lost to Newcastle United, West Ham United, Bournemouth and Crystal Palace.

Yorke, along with fellow 1999 Treble winners Teddy Sheringham and Wes Brown, attempted to explain the discrepancies in their former team's performances this season.

The trio are in town for the Battle of the Reds - a tournament involving former players from Manchester United, Liverpool and the Lions at the National Stadium tomorrow.

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Speaking on the sidelines of a Battle of the Reds event at The Exchange at Shenton Way yesterday, EPL Player of the Season and Golden Boot winner in 1998/99 Yorke said: "We drew with Liverpool and beat Chelsea and Leicester, the top-three teams in the league at the moment, yet we are where we are. It tells you (about) the endeavour.

"What we're saying is we can still compete with the big boys, but we are not competing with the lesser (teams).

"They need to obviously focus a little more on that, or maybe the lesser teams are focusing on Man United and trying to beat us, and doing a good job of it at the moment.

"We need to rein that in a bit."

YOUTH

Fellow forward Sheringham, meanwhile, said the discrepancy in results boils down to the inconsistency that should be expected from a squad as young as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's.

The Norwegian manager's starting line-up in the 3-1 win over Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend was the youngest in the EPL this season, with an average age of 23 years and 350 days.

Describing inconsistency as United's biggest issue, Sheringham, who was the EPL Players' Player of the Season in 2000/01, said: "The inconsistency comes from having a lot of young players in the team.

"You're going to bear with Man United at the moment.

"Solskjaer is trying to do something his way, bringing in a lot of new players in, but they are young players. So you get inconsistency with that.

"When they come to fruition, in maybe 18 months, when they become real legends of United, then things could change."

Brown, however, believes that he has started to see a change in United recently.

The Red Devils have won five of their last six matches in all competitions.

"Ole is starting to get across to the lads what it means to wear this shirt," said the ex-England defender, who won five EPL titles and two Champions League crowns with United.

"Over the last month or so, you've seen a little difference in terms of commitment, I'm guessing.

"People are running around and they're playing attacking football, which Ole likes.

"The strikers would be frightening to play against, first of all because of their pace, but these are (also) guys with great ability and technique who can score goals."