Roy Keane says Man United players look ‘frightened’ of title challenge after Arsenal draw, dares Red Devils to prove they are winners

Roy Keane believes Manchester United players look ‘almost frightened’ of a Premier League title challenge.

Following an impressive run of results that thrust them into contention, the Red Devils have now dropped five points in four days to lose ground on leaders Man City.

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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side were beaten 2-1 at home by bottom side Sheffield United on Wednesday.

Now, on Saturday, they were held to a 0-0 draw by Arsenal.

Keane said in his role as a Sky pundit post-match: “They were just sneaking up the table and they got in a good habit of winning football matches, even if they weren’t playing great.

“But all of a sudden, in the last three or four weeks, when they’ve got to the top and all of a sudden people are saying, ‘Can you win the league, can you compete with Man City?’

“And it looks as if the players have all got a bit, almost frightened of the challenge.

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“It’s as if they’ve gone, ‘I don’t think we’re ready for that yet.’

“You could maybe forgive them a little bit for the Sheffield United one – that can happen. If you turn up with a bad attitude, it is gonna happen.

“But today I’m scratching my head at this team. You play for Man United, Ole keeps saying these players are winners.

“Come on then, come on, show us. It is Man United, that’s why you signed for the club in the first place, you signed to win football matches, to win big prizes.

“But my worry having watched them today, I’m looking at them going, ‘You’ve actually got to this great position, are you ready for it?’

“And it looks like they’re going, ‘Nah, nah,’ almost frightened of it.

“Playing for Man United, grab it, go for it. They didn’t do it today.”

After seeing the manager’s post-match interview, he added: “Ole said it was a good performance, I disagree with that.

“Even when Man United are having an off day, they still create one or two chances.

“It was a kind of lack of belief that I got.

“This Arsenal team, their record’s quite good against Man United, but this Arsenal team’s eighth in the league and they’re missing three of their best players.

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“Ole’s afterwards going, ‘Oh, you know, we’ll take the draw.’

“Too many draws when a team’s there for the taking doesn’t win you the big prizes.

“Five points lost in three or four days. Huge.

“At the end of the season when you reflect that’s a moment you might try and pretend is not important, it’s vitally important, especially when they’re there for the taking.”