Premier League | Manchester United can’t be a successful team without a good defence: Alan Shearer

Manchester United legend Alan Shearer believes that the Red Devils cannot be a successful team until they sort their defensive issues. They have conceded a total of 30 Premier League goals in this season which is double of what Manchester City have conceded at this stage.

Only Leeds United, Southampton, Crystal Palace, Wolves, Newcastle, Fulham, West Brom and Sheffield United have conceded more goals than Manchester United in the Premier League so far.

“They will have concerns as well, that is a weakness of theirs and they have no chance of being a successful team unless this improves and improves massively,” Shearer told BBC Sport.

“They’ve conceded 30 goals this season in the Premier League – nobody has conceded more than them in the top nine. Fulham have got 31 goals against, and they’re in the bottom three,” he added.

Shearer also pointed out how forwards are eager to play against Manchester United now as they know that their backline is all over the place and they are going to give them plenty of chances to score.

“There’s just far too much space. As a forward, you would look forward to playing against Manchester United because you know you’re going to get chances because they’re all over the place,” he said.

“People pointing, not tracking runners, people not picking up in the box and people not closing down crosses and balls going into the box without any pressure on the ball to try and stop it and not working hard enough to stop that cross, to close that player down.”

Manchester United dropped two points in their last Premier League match against Everton as that ended in a 3-3 draw. They were in a winning position but Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s late goal snatched the victory away from them.

The Red Devils, however, came up with a much improved defensive showing in their FA Cup fixture against West Ham United on Tuesday night. They kept a cleansheet and won by a 1-0 scoreline. Now they would be eager to carry this confidence forward into the Premier League. They will lock horns with a struggling West Bromwich Albion next on February 14.