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Scott McTominay responds to criticism from United legends Gary Neville and Roy Keane

Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay hits back at Red Devils Legends Gary Neville and Roy Keane who insisted they gave up in their heavy 4-1 defeat to rivals Manchester City.

The 25-year-old Scottish international claims it’s ‘incredibly disappointing if people think that’ but they must stick together – despite the defeat to their rivals hurting. 

Trailing to a Kevin De Bruyne goal after just five minutes, United rallied and eventually gained a foothold in the game, drawing level halfway through the first half courtesy of a brilliant finish by Jadon Sancho.

Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay has hit back at Red Devils legends Gary Neville and Roy Keane

The Scottish international insists ‘it’s incredibly disappointing’ if people feel United gave up in their 4-1 defeat to Manchester City

De Bruyne put City back in front shortly after but Ralf Rangnick’s team remained in the game until the end of the first half, before the wheels came off spectacularly after the restart.

The Premier League champions completely outclassed their rivals in the second half, with Riyad Mahrez scoring twice as United failed to lay a glove on their rivals.   

‘Manchester United’s response to going 3-1 down has been embarrassing. Ninety-two per cent possession for City? They have given up,’ Sky Sports pundit Neville said. ‘They are walking around the pitch. It’s nowhere near good enough.

Gary Neville says it’s nowhere near good enough from his former club Manchester United

‘There can be no complaints. City have been absolutely outstanding. But as a Manchester United fan, it’s embarrassing.

‘City played brilliantly in the second half. But the effort and intensity from United in the last 20 minutes was non-existent.’ 

‘The worst thing that you could say about United is that they gave up,’ Keane added.

‘In any game, if you give up, it’s unforgivable really. The beauty of top-level sport is that there’s no hiding place.’

Roy Keane slams Man United players for giving up in heavy defeat to leaders Man City

McTominay has reacted to those comments and admitted he will have to watch it back to see what he thinks about the performance.

‘From my point of view on the pitch it’s difficult to see what is going on around you, if that’s what people are saying then so be it,’ McTominay told Sky Sports.

‘They’re all entitled to their own opinion, but for myself personally it’s incredibly disappointing if people think that.

McTominay (centre) admitted he will watch the game back to see the body language of the United players

‘I’ll have to watch it back and see the body language and stuff like that, but for myself it hurts. It’s not easy.’

United slipped down to fifth in the Premier League, as Arsenal moved up to fourth, and the Gunners still have three games in hand – meaning Ralf Rangnick’s side now face a tough task to qualify for the Champions League.

Not only that, but rumours continue to surround the club and what is currently going wrong, as well as who might be the next permanent manager with PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino and Ajax’s Erik ten Hag still the hot favourites. 

Ralf Rangnick (pictured) and his side now face an uphill battle to qualify for the Champions League after slipping down to fifth

‘I’ve got nothing to say about problems or anything like that. It’s not my place to say anything, I am just here to keep everybody together.

‘We’ve got a big end to the season, we need to win in the Champions League and we need to get in the top four, and that’s all I’m thinking about at the minute.

‘Whatever goes on behind the scenes is completely irrelevant to me. I’m part of it, but you just have to concentrate on your own game, you can get too distracted by other things that are going on at the football club.’

He added: ‘We need to stick together, stick as a group, we can’t let something like this be so damaging to us where we lack confidence going into the next game.

‘It’s part and parcel of being a Manchester United player, you can’t let your head drop we’ve had many successful times in the derby, but this one hurts today.’ 

City toyed with their rivals and enjoyed 92 per cent of possession in the final 15 minutes, which McTominay says it is just not good enough.

Manchester City toyed with their rivals and enjoyed 92 per cent of possession in the final 15 minutes

‘We gave the ball away too much in the second-half, pretty much every time we gave the ball away they were keeping it for 15 to 20 passes, and we found it difficult to get the ball back.

‘It’s as simple as that. In the first-half, we created good angles and moved the ball well, and we had numerous chances. If you don’t put them away against Man City you get punished obviously.

‘For us the most disappointing thing is the way we were so sloppy in the second-half and that has been spoken about in the dressing room.

‘When you come to a place like this when you’re still in the game at 2-1, you can’t give the ball away that easy or that simple.’

‘It comes down to individuals, it comes down to concentration, it comes down to how we deal with the expectation of playing for a club like Manchester United.

‘We can’t continue like that. It was clear every time they had a transition that were in behind me and Fred and our two number 10’s. For us it was disappointing.’



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Scott McTominay responds to criticism from United legends Gary Neville and Roy Keane

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