Arsene Wenger has criticised Manchester United’s first-half display in their heavy 6-3 defeat against Manchester City in Sunday’s derby, singling out two players in particular.
United shipped four goals in the first half before Phil Foden and Erling Haaland both completed their hat-tricks in the second half – though the visitors netted three goals themselves.
City were good value for their half-time lead and Wenger felt the game was won on the flanks, criticising Antony and Jadon Sancho for not doing more to help their full-backs and often leaving them exposed.
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‘What is for me unbelievable in the first half is that Man United has defended so badly on the flanks,’ said the former Arsenal manager on beIN Sports.
‘From the first minute on Diogo Dalot got a yellow card and Sancho and Antony did not contribute defensively. ‘They were, in the whole half, flooded on the flanks and they were always in trouble.
‘After that, when they had the ball, I felt they were obsessed by respecting too much the game plan.
‘They wanted always to go too quickly forward and lost so many balls and didn’t have enough possession. ‘They didn’t play for possession, they wanted just to get on the counter-attack.’
However, Wenger was keen to point out that Raphael Varane – United’s tallest defender – was not on the pitch when Haaland scored City’s second goal, which opened the floodgates.
The France international picked up an injury after appearing to twist his ankle and was not allowed back on the pitch before the home team took their corner, leaving Christian Eriksen trying to mark Haaland.
Wenger explained: ‘The only positive circumstances I must give them is that they conceded the second goal when Varane was [off the pitch]. And when I saw that Eriksen was marking Haaland you worried for man United.’
