Alan Shearer didn’t hold back in his brutal assessment of Manchester United’s underwhelming display against Everton, calling their first-half performance “hopeless” and “pathetic.”
The Premier League legend singled out Diogo Dalot and Bruno Fernandes for their lack of urgency, as United found themselves trailing 2-0 after 33 minutes at Goodison Park.
Despite salvaging a 2-2 draw thanks to second-half goals from Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte, Shearer was left stunned by United’s lack of pressing and defensive discipline, particularly in the opening 45 minutes.
“Watch Man United this is pathetic, it really is,” Shearer fumed on Match of the Day. “You’ve got players who are walking. There’s no point in going in ones and twos. Look at the space Everton have got to play in!”
Dalot’s failure to close down James Garner and Jack Harrison particularly infuriated Shearer, who questioned the full-back’s decision-making.
“If they get the ball, Dalot is eight yards off. Why aren’t you one yard off and getting in a crunching tackle?” he added.
Shearer also didn’t spare Fernandes, criticizing his lack of effort in closing down Abdoulaye Doucoure before Everton’s second goal.
“Seriously, is that the best you can do in closing down?” he scoffed.
United boss Ruben Amorim echoed Shearer’s frustration, admitting his side were “non-existent” in the first half.
“We managed to recover in the second half, but we didn’t exist in the first half, so the feeling is disappointment,” Amorim admitted. “Not with the point, not with the recovery, but we need to play both halves to compete at the highest level.”