Roy Keane tears into Man United’s flops as he suggests the pressure at the club ‘has been too much for them’ and urges strugglers to show ‘character and leadership’ to fire the Red Devils back to winning ways

Roy Keane believes the pressure at Manchester United has proven too much for several players and warned them that they face a long road back to winning ways.

Erik ten Hag’s side have endured a miserable season to date, having crashed out of the Champions League in the group stage and slumped to ninth in the Premier League, a staggering nine points adrift of the top four spots past the halfway mark.

Subsequently, pressure on the boss has increased and the spotlight has been placed on a host of big names recruited in eye-watering deals before flopping.

Ahead of this evening’s crucial showdown against Tottenham at Old Trafford, the under-fire Ten Hag looked to strike a note of optimism in his programme notes. 

But Keane believes United must do their talking on their pitch and has claimed a major reason behind their failings is the responsibility of representing the club.

Speaking during Sky Sports’ build-up to the game, Keane said: ‘We don’t know the characters or what the feel of this dressing room is. We look around, we’ve got players here who have won big trophies. They’ve won World Cups. 

‘I don’t know what the dynamics are like in the dressing room, but you just hope that when they have come to United that they’ve enjoyed the pressure of playing for Man United. We’ve been critical of United the last few years, recruitment, the facilities. 

‘But we’ve come here early this morning. It’s still a great place to come and play football. It really is. I just hope there are enough characters and leadership to get United back to winning ways. It’s a long way back. 

‘Sometimes there are players that come to Man United, as we’ve seen, and it looks like the pressure of playing for Man United has been a bit too much for them.’

Keane, who captained United between 1997 and 2005 and made 480 appearances in total, also singled out several specific areas of their game that require improvement.

‘You always have to have that bit of hope,’ he added. ‘The proof’s out on the pitch, when the referee blows the whistle against a Spurs team today who will be at it and will come after them. United have to be ready. 

‘The players haven’t been consistent enough. They’ve lost far too many matches. 

‘They’re not scoring enough goals. It looks like the pressure is getting to all of them.’

United can move level on points with sixth-placed West Ham with a much-needed victory, though their poor goal difference is unlikely to see them rise above seventh.

Spurs, meanwhile, can jump just three points behind leaders Liverpool.