Man Utd not ‘considered to be a top-six side’ as slide from glory detailed for ‘struggling’ club

Tony Cascarino has detailed how people “shouldn’t be talking about Manchester United as a top-six side” as they should be “first or second” but are “struggling” in the present day.

United have historically been seen as one of the biggest sides in England. That they’ve won 20 top-flight titles reinforces that view.

Since 2000, the Red Devils have won the Premier League on seven occasions. However, their last top-flight trophy came in 2012/23 – Sir Alex Ferguson’s final year in management.

Since then, they’ve finished outside the top four as many times as they’ve finished inside it (5). What’s more, they’ve finished second just twice in that time, and have generally not been close to winning the title.

Former top-flight footballer Cascarino has detailed how United should be seen as a top-two side after being asked if they are currently even seen as a member of the top six.

“United are never considered to be a top-six side, they’re always considered one or two, first or second, in the past,” he said on talkSPORT.

“That is what the standard is, you shouldn’t be talking about Manchester United as a top-six side.”

However, the pundit has admitted they’re struggling, and are way below where they should be, with a stark lack of goals in comparison to how the side played in their glory days.

“It’s been a struggle, they are a struggling team. I can remember a time you could go do the goal average at United, especially at home, over the course of a season they averaged three goals a game,” Cascarino added.

“You knew that [conceding] anything below three [against United] was not so bad because everyone was conceding three goals against them.

“I look at them now and I don’t see a 3-0 in them, I don’t see a 4-1 victory, I don’t see that at all. I see a real grind, hanging on.”

This season, they’ve scored 13 goals in 12 Premier League games. There have also been three home league games in which they have failed to score a goal, so Old Trafford is not the fortress it once was.

If United want to get back to the level they were once at, performing wherever they go, but particularly winning games at home, seems a must.

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