Manchester United players missing under Jose Mourinho, says Danny Mills
"Players have got to stand up and be counted. You can’t keep on giving poor performances week in, week out."
Monday 17 December 2018 13:24, UK
Manchester United players have not shown enough quality this season after a second consecutive away defeat, according to Danny Mills.
A 3-1 loss to Liverpool left them 11 points off the top four and just a point ahead of Wolves. However, former England defender Mills believes the blame should not all lie with manager Jose Mourinho.
"It is easy to blame Mourinho and say there is a lot of discord amongst the players, him and say there is an argument going on," Mills told Sky Sports News.
You can’t keep on giving poor performances week in week out. Not having the application.
Jesse Lingard equalised before half-time but two Xherdan Shaqiri goals meant many were questioning the United boss' future, as they faced 36 attempts on goal.
Mills cited their effort, saying: "You can't keep on giving poor performances week in week out. Not having the application."
Record signing Paul Pogba watched on from the bench for the second successive league game.
Mills added: "(He) is not playing as he does for France. He doesn't run games in the same way.
"He was given an opportunity midweek in the Champions League (against Valencia), and was average. Simple as that."
United have conceded more this season than in the whole of 2017/18 and Mourinho has been vocal in his criticism of their transfer policy, particularly in not signing a central defender in August.
However, some of Mourinho's own signings have fallen short of the mark this year, most notably Romelu Lukaku, who has scored just two in his last 11 games.
"When the players cross the white line they have got to step up, put the effort in and show their quality. And they haven't done it enough this season," Mills said.
Mourinho enters the final year of his contract next year and with United facing Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16 of the Champions League, they face a significant task of getting a place for next year's competition.
Mills did, however, say there was a chance.
"Does he get those key signings in, in the transfer window, to strengthen where he wanted to strengthen in the summer. If that happens, then they've got a chance of being in the top four."
