Gerrard Says Six Man Utd Players Are Not Good Enough, Bruno Fernandes the Exception

Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard delivered a sharp assessment of Manchester United's current squad quality. On the Overlap Daily program, he said six of the Red Devils' players do not deserve to wear the club's shirt, though he still praised Bruno Fernandes as a standout figure.

Gerrard's criticism came shortly after United were humiliated 0-3 by Bournemouth at Old Trafford last weekend. The defeat was a heavy blow for Michael Carrick's side, who have collected just seven points from eight Premier League matches and sit in 16th place. The negative run has also been compounded by the absence of a win in their last eight matches across all competitions.

According to Gerrard, United's problems are not merely about tactics or the manager's position, but about the individual quality of the players available. He specifically highlighted Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martinez, Andrey Santos, Carlos Baleba, and Amad Diallo as players who have not met the standard needed to take the club competing at the top.

Gerrard believes United's management were too slow in making decisions about the futures of Maguire and Shaw. While acknowledging that both once had glittering careers, he stressed that they are no longer at the level the club requires. "They are no longer players who deserve to be at Manchester United. They should have been let go sooner," Gerrard said.

Criticism was also directed at Lisandro Martinez. Gerrard highlighted the Argentine defender's remarks, which he deemed selfish, as well as the incident in which he withdrew in the first half against Leeds United. "Last season, Martinez was only interested in the World Cup. He came back and saw that some of the players he wanted had not been signed. He then spoke selfishly, and then he got injured," Gerrard said. He also questioned Martinez's situation, in which the player appeared to recover too quickly for the next match. "For me, something is not right with that situation," he added.

In midfield, Gerrard questioned United's decision to sign Andrey Santos from Chelsea for 50 million pounds. "Andrey Santos is not a player who deserves to be at Manchester United," he said. Meanwhile, Carlos Baleba, brought in for 70 million pounds, was acknowledged to have potential but was judged not yet ready to help United compete at the highest level at present.

Amad Diallo was also a target. Gerrard compared the Ivory Coast winger with United legends such as Ryan Giggs and David Beckham. "When I played against United, they had Giggs and Beckham, world-class players. Now I look at their winger, Amad. His performances go up and down. When he plays well, he is good, but he has shown nothing this season," he said.

"Bruno Fernandes is their best player. When I watch him play at his best, even though I am a Liverpool fan, he is a pleasure to watch. In terms of talent, he is a fantastic player."

— Steven Gerrard

Gerrard's criticism highlights a deeper dilemma for Manchester United: improvement cannot depend solely on changing managers. With player quality deemed insufficient, United face a structural challenge in overhauling the squad to become competitive again. Pressure on Carrick is also mounting, although a Give Me Sport report said his position will not be evaluated before the match against Chelsea this weekend.

Looking ahead, the question is whether United's management will respond to this criticism with concrete steps in the transfer market, or instead remain stuck in a cycle of mediocrity. If the players Gerrard highlighted are retained, will the Red Devils be able to rise, or will they sink further into mid-table?