Former Manchester United striker Louis Saha believes there are plenty of leaders at Manchester United, but thinks more of the team have to show “personality and courage.”
United lost last weekend against Newcastle United in a worryingly tepid and disjointed performance, and manager Erik ten Hag is coming under increasing pressure.
Speaking to Betfred, he said: “I see a lot of personality in Harry Maguire because he’s come back and shown a lot of mental strength. Luke Shaw is another player with personality and he’s very consistent and confident.
“Bruno Fernandes is the same. Casemiro and Christian Eriksen also play with a lot of character, but having five players with the right character isn’t enough. André Onana exudes confidence, but some of his performances fail to back that up. There aren’t enough players in the squad who can be an example to their teammates. Young players need to follow the example of teammates that are confident and courageous.
“I see a lot of personality in Alejandro Garnacho. When he makes an error, he’s really upset and that’s something I love to see. I don’t care about the mistakes, I just want to see a player with drive that shows emotion. Fans recognise the drive of players and there are a number of individuals in the squad that look unhappy, and that needs changing.
“Those players playing for Manchester United week in, week out have the quality. I have no doubts about that whatsoever. Many of them just need to show personality and courage.
“I’ve previously been critical of Mason Mount, but I believe he’s a brilliant player. The only reason I am critical of him is because I want to see more from him and I want to see the fearless aspect of his game. He’s one of the many big players already at the club and they all need to show us what they can do, prove how brave they are and be heard by their teammates.
“At this moment in time, there are too many games where they’re getting outperformed by lesser players and that’s not normal. The personality of the players is the biggest problem at the moment.”