Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Troy Deeney, Manchester United, Kobbie Mainoo, Premier League, Football, Aston Villa
Luke Davies
Topics: Troy Deeney, Manchester United, Kobbie Mainoo, Premier League, Football, Aston Villa
Former Watford and Birmingham City forward Troy Deeney has slammed a Manchester United player and suggested the club “pay his contract up”.
Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United side fell to their fifth Premier League defeat of the season away at Aston Villa on Sunday (December 21) as Morgan Rogers’ brace cancelled out Matheus Cunha’s strike to hand Unai Emery’s side a 2-1 victory and continue the Villains’ ten-match winning run in all competitions.
The result saw Villa go two points behind league leaders Arsenal and just one behind second-place Manchester City as the halfway point of the campaign nears.
Several United stars struggled at Villa Park, with centre-back Leny Yoro struggling to deal with the excellent Rogers, while Manuel Ugarte, who filled in for the suspended Casemiro and injured Kobbie Mainoo, also found it hard to deal with the tenacious Villa midfield of Amadou Onana, Boubacar Kamara, Youri Tielemans, and John McGinn.
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The Uruguayan was withdrawn on 73 minutes, having earlier picked up a booking.
Meanwhile, former-United-midfielder-turned-pundit Roy Keane was critical of Red Devils full-back Diogo Dalot, claiming the Portuguese “just don’t do enough”.
Ahead of kick-off, a notable talking point was Mainoo’s omission from the matchday squad, with the England international reportedly missing out due to a calf problem.
This comes less than one week after the midfielder’s brother wore a shirt emblazoned with the words “Free Kobbie Mainoo” to United’s 4-4 draw against Bournemouth at Old Trafford on December 15.
Of course, Mainoo has yet to start a Premier League game this term, having to settle for 11 substitute appearances while being linked with a potential move away from Old Trafford.
It is not totally clear whether Mainoo knew his brother was going to wear the shirt, although during an appearance on The United Stand, journalist Ben Jacobs claimed that the player was “speaking through his brother” and “endorsed the message”.
Several ex-professionals have since criticised Mainoo, with former-Watford-striker-turned-pundit Deeney suggesting that the club pay up his contract.
Speaking during an episode of The Football Exchange released on December 19, Deeney said: “Honestly, if it was up to me, f***ing let him go. Pay his contract up, f*** off… It’s not the player, it’s the vehicles that keep coming with it now.
“Kobbie Mainoo has no say in his family, and everyone mugs him off, or he was complicit in it and thought that was a good idea.”
When host Alex Goldberg claimed that reports suggest Mainoo did know about it, Deeney replied: “Well, you’re [Mainoo is] a f***ing idiot.”
The former Premier League striker then claimed that Mainoo would not be able to get into any of the top six teams' midfields and may have to settle for a move to Everton or Fulham if he doesn’t go abroad.
United return to action against Newcastle at Old Trafford on December 26 before the January transfer window opens in the new year, which could see the 20-year-old leave the club.