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Tuesday 30 April 2019 14:48, UK
Manchester United’s recent performances have been "cringeworthy and embarrassing", and they must qualify for the Champions League to attract top players, says Paul Merson.
United's draw with Chelsea on Super Sunday at Old Trafford leaves them with only an outside chance of making the top four, with the Blues three points ahead in fourth place and Arsenal also in contention, a point ahead in fifth.
Since being given the job permanently in late March, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side have won just two of their eight games, losing five and scoring only six times.
Speaking on The Debate, Merson feels Liverpool and Manchester City could move even further ahead of United this summer, and questioned whether the Old Trafford side have the pull they once had.
"I'm watching them now and honestly, it's cringeworthy, it's embarrassing. It's embarrassing. Manchester United have to get into the Champions League.
"Players will be looking at this and thinking they are a million miles behind Manchester City and Liverpool, who are their arch-rivals.
"If you look at Jose Mourinho at the end it was a relief that he left because he probably thought: 'How he was going to close the gap?' Mourinho would have looked at Liverpool rising too.
"In my opinion Manchester United are the biggest club in the world, but if they came in for me and I was a top drawer player but I could go other places, I would seriously be looking and thinking: 'Would I want to come here? Are we ever going to get near City or Liverpool?"
United's summer business will be intriguing, with speculation surrounding the future of Paul Pogba and David de Gea.
But Merson says United should give everything they can to get young talent into Old Trafford, and named Chelsea's Callum Hudson-Odoi and Borussia Dortmund Jadon Sancho as possible targets.
"They need to bring in top quality players. They could say to Ole: 'You've got four years here now, get some youngsters in like a Callum Hudson-Odoi or a Jadon Sancho.'
"Players who are enthusiastic, who've got pace and energy and play like the old Manchester United did."
After their European exploits, Tottenham, Liverpool and Arsenal are back in Premier League action next weekend, live on Sky Sports.
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