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Manchester United Should Be Forced To Play Same XI That Started Vs Leicester Against Liverpool

Manchester United Should Be Forced To Play Same XI That Started Vs Leicester Against Liverpool

Former Sky Sports host claims Manchester United should face "disciplinary action".

Alex Reid

Alex Reid

Manchester United's weakened starting XI vs Leicester has "totally distorted" the Champions League race, claims Richard Keys, who added that United should now play the same team against Liverpool.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side are in the midst of three Premier League games in five days and play Liverpool on Thursday night, a game rescheduled due to the protests that took place at Old Trafford on 2 May.

On Tuesday, Manchester United made 10 changes to the team that beat Aston Villa and were defeated 2-1 by Leicester, boosting the Foxes' chances of finishing in the top four, while seriously denting Liverpool's hopes.

On beIN SPORTS, Keys and Andy Gray discussed how United would likely field a stronger team against Liverpool - and Keys described that as hugely unfair, "bearing in mind they probably owe Liverpool as a result of that postponement."

Keys added: "What's happened here [is] a set of circumstances created by Manchester United that will adversely affect Liverpool, not just in the short-term, maybe over the next two, three or four years. Dependent on how this season finishes.

"It's totally and utterly wrong."

In a way, Solskjaer was given little option but to heavily rotate, given this week's fixtures, or risk burnout and injuries to his first-team stars. However with Leicester now nine points ahead of Liverpool (and eight ahead of West Ham), Keys and Gray agreed the only way to present a level playing field was to pick the same under-strength XI against Liverpool.

"So play this team Thursday night," said Keys, adding: "That's why there should be some disciplinary action ahead of Thursday. It's not impossible...

"The outcome is, we've got a race for the Champions League places totally distorted by the lunacy that went on outside this arena."

The former Sky Sports host went on to add that he believes the main reason for the protests - which could also spark up again before Thursday night's rearranged fixture - is discontent at a lack of success rather than with the club's ownership.

"Those fans were not demonstrating because of the Super League, they were not demonstrating because of the Glazer ownership, they were demonstrating because their club is not as dominant as it once was," Key asserted.

"The Glazers have spent nearly a billion since Alex Ferguson left town. Where's that gone and why are they not successful?

"Because times change and they will never be so, in the manner that they once were."

Do you agree that United should face disciplinary action before Thursday's game against Liverpool? Let us know in the comments.

All imagery: PA Images

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Topics: Liverpool, Leicester City, Manchester United, Premier League, Richard Keys, Liverpool, Leicester City, Manchester United, Premier League, Liverpool, Leicester City, Manchester United, Premier League, Richard Keys