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ALAN SHEARER has branded the Manchester United team against Arsenal as the “worst I’ve seen.”Erik ten Hag was forced to pick a starting XI from a squad ravaged by injuries, particularly in defence, before the Red Devils fell to a 1-0 defeat against the league leaders.Alan Shearer gave a scathing assessment of Man Utd’s team against ArsenalCredit: GettyShearer said it was the ‘worst team’ he had seenCredit: PAHere’s how it looked on paperBut how does it compare to Man Utd’s worst ever PL team from 2021/22 that had Cristiano Ronaldo leading the lineCredit: GettyScott McTominay is one of two players to start the majority of games that season who also started against ArsenalCredit: RexIt was the club’s first defeat at Old Trafford against the Gunners since 2020 and the first time since 2006/07 that Arsenal have done the double over Man Utd.On current form it seemed likely Arsenal could romp to an easy win, but for all Man Utd’s defensive improvement they never looked like scoring against statistically the best defence in the division.Regardless, Shearer did not hold back in his assessment of the team when speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast.After praising the performance of William Saliba, the Newcastle and Blackburn legend said: “It helps when you’ve not got much in front of you that you’re playing against doesn’t it. READ MORE ON MAN UTD”Goodness me. That Man Utd team, I think that’s the worst Man Utd team I’ve seen in my lifetime.”That team consisted of the ever present duo of Andre Onana in goal and Diogo Dalot at full-back. They were joined by Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Jonny Evans and Casemiro in a makeshift backline.Then Kobbie Mainoo – one of the few bright lights of the season – was joined by Sofyan Amrabat and Scott McTominay in midfield.Amad Diallo, Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund were then fielded in attack. Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSShearer added: “You can’t fault their effort, they tried. But ability wise, I know they’ve got loads of injuries but would you really argue against me?”Man Utd are one defeat away from having their worst-ever Premier League season in terms of points – they scored just 58 points in the 2021/22 season and are currently on 54 with two games to go.Man Utd’s top targets for the transfer windowBut how does the team fielded against Arsenal compare to the team from that season? Well for starters, two of the players are the same.In goal there was club icon David de Gea. He was well past the peek of his powers by this point but remained generally reliable despite seeing 57 goals go in.In defence, one of the few decent players of this season in Dalot had his first major year as a regular starter at Man Utd and often filled at left-back.Alex Telles was the primary left back with 21 league appearances in the position that season.David de Gea played every single league minute of the seasonCredit: The TimesAlex Telles was generally a disappointing figure at left-back that yearCredit: AFPHarry Maguire and Victor Lindelof were the main centre-back pairing with Raphael Varane dogged by various injuries throughout the season.In midfield, the much maligned pairing of McTominay and Fred were in action, though there was a tweak to the team in that the Brazilian was allowed to get further forward more often.Bruno Fernandes sat ahead of them, missing just 301 minutes of the entire league season. Here is the most used players from Man Utd’s 2021/22 seasonFred seemed to flourish more despite the team’s general strugglesCredit: AFPThe attack was led by Cristiano Ronaldo who returned 24 goals despite turning 37 that season and played the third most minutes of anyone in the squad behind De Gea and Fernandes.Jadon Sancho appeared in 31 games and seemed to be finding his feet under Ralf Rangnick on the right wing after a tumultuous start.The left wing was a more heavily rotated position, with Marcus Rashford and Anthony Elanga playing almost identical minutes.Jadon Sancho had a tough time bedding in at Man UtdCredit: EPAIt was Anthony Elanga’s breakthrough campaign with the Red DevilsCredit: AFPRashford struggled heavily with injury that season, marking his worst in a Red Devils shirt, while Elanga was a raw academy graduate.If you count Rashford in the XI over Elanga due to playing 19 more minutes of league football, then only four of the 11 players have left the club permanently – those being De Gea, Telles, Fred and Ronaldo.A number of these players look set to depart in the near future, however, with new Man Utd bosses Ineos set to have a major clearout.READ MORE SUN STORIESLindelof, Maguire and Sancho look destined to leave the club within the next few windows, with the latter already on loan at former club Borussia Dortmund.Indeed, such has been the mess this season that the club’s annual end of season awards have been scrapped for the second time in three seasons.SunSport’s verdict on Man Utd flopsSir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos have a busy summer ahead to get Man Utd’s squad in order for next season. Below SunSport gives it verdict on how they should deal with the Red Devils flops this summer.
Andre Onana – STAY: After a dodgy start at Old Trafford Onana has proven to be one of the more reliable members of the squad this season despite being peppered with shots constantly.
Altay Bayindir – GO: Reports in February suggested Bayindir was unhappy with his bit part role at Man Utd amid interest from Turkish giants Galatasaray. If profit can be made on a sale then it should be done.
Tom Heaton – STAY: Veteran goalkeeper Heaton, 38, is a reliable back-up and is on a relatively small wage at the club. So long as he is happy it makes sense to keep him.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka – GO: Wan-Bissaka, 26, has never managed to make the right-back position his own. With his contract up in 2025 it makes sense to cash in now.
Diogo Dalot – STAY: Dalot, 26, has been one of Man Utd’s most consistent performers this season.
Raphael Varane – GO: If it wasn’t for his injury record there would be a strong shout to keep Varane, but costs need to be cut to allow the squad to be freshened up.
Harry Maguire – GO: Maguire has showed he has the right character to be at Man Utd but overall ability and desired profile are another matter, with Maguire too slow to play in a high line defence.
Lisandro Martinez – STAY: Martinez, 26, is second to none in terms of build up play. He needs a long-term defensive partner on the right side and to cut out the injuries which have plagued him this season.
Jonny Evans – GO: Veteran campaigner Evans could easily be on the stay list if he was only going to be a bit part player. But he has shown his advanced years at times this season.
Victor Lindelof – GO:  Lindelof, 29, has been reliable if not unremarkable in his Man Utd career. He has one year left on his contract so should be moved on if a decent transfer fee can be got for him.
Willy Kambwala – STAY: He should be given the opportunity to mature for a few years behind a senior CB pairing before stepping into the first team as a starter or being moved on.
Luke Shaw – GO: One of the Premier League’s best left-backs when fit, Shaw has been a good servant when available. But alas that has been his Achilles heel once again this season.
Tyrell Malacia – STAY: Malacia, 24, was decent enough to earn some merit in his first season at Man Utd before injury ended his season and inadvertently led to his second season being a write off.
Sofyan Amrabat – GO: Amrabat, 27, looked like a world beater at the Qatar World Cup with Morocco. But he’s had an underwhelming season in England and his loan spell will almost certainly not be made permanent.
Casemiro – GO: An alarming physical decline has seen him turn from key star to burden. If a club is willing to buy the 32-year-old – who has two more years on his contract – then United should snatch their hand off.
Christian Eriksen – GO: Eriksen proved a useful asset and Ineos should look to bring in another player with similar traits, but frankly his legs have looked gone towards the end of this season.
Kobbie Mainoo – STAY: The first of the so-called untouchables, Mainoo has been a rare glimmer of hope in the Red Devils midfield this season.
Mason Mount – STAY: Mount can be given the benefit of the doubt until summer 2025 at least after a debut season riddled with injury.
Scott McTominay – STAY: McTominay, 27, has proven himself to be a brilliant plan B off the bench this season, and that is exactly why Ineos should look to keep him.
Bruno Fernandes – STAY: Man Utd’s best player since his arrival just over four years ago, Fernandes, 29, remains second-to-none when it comes to creating chances while his tenacity boosts those around him.
Antony – GO: There’s a case to argue that Antony may be the worst pound-for-pound signing in Premier League history. Despite some memorable moments he simply isn’t Man Utd quality.
Anthony Martial – GO: Ultimately Martial needs to be let go when his deal runs out this summer after an appalling injury record of late.
Marcus Rashford – STAY: As easy as it would be to say Rashford should leave the club this summer, it is difficult to look at the market and find many available players capable of scoring 30 goals a season.
Alejandro Garnacho – STAY: Another third of the untouchables trio, Garnacho has made the right-wing his own since coming into it. He’s a raw talent but has shown he has the quality to improve.
Rasmus Hojlund – STAY: A slow burner in his first Man Utd season, the 21-year-old has often been starved of supply which has led to him being unable to get the goals his movement and unselfish play often merits.
Amad Diallo – STAY: In the fleeting moments he has been on the pitch for Man Utd this season, Diallo has looked dangerous and exciting. He should be given a chance to flourish with some proper chances in the first team across a whole season. More

MAN UTD’S disappointing season hit a new low with their 4-0 thrashing by Crystal Palace.The catastrophic result highlighted some of the fundamental problems at the club, not least the legacy of years of poor transfer deals.Erik ten Hag looks at the end of his tether in the 4-0 defeat to PalaceCredit: AlamyMan Utd boss Erik ten Hag can’t believe what’s happening at Selhurst ParkCredit: AlamyWhile manager Erik ten Hag faces severe criticism, he can hardly be blamed for some of the decisions made by the recruitment team.Despite the poor performances, however, there are promising signs for United fans.Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the 71-year-old billionaire, has taken over football operations at United since buying a 25 per cent stake in the club.He has gone through the club’s hierarchy like a dose of salts, bringing in his old chum Sir Dave Brailsford, poaching Jason Wilcox as technical director from Southampton, hiring ex-Man City man Omar Berrada as their new chief executive and head-hunting Newcastle’s Dan Ashworth, who is on gardening leave, as new sporting director.read more on man utdNow the next stage is transforming the playing squad – whether ten Hag remains at the helm or not.The club are considering a huge overhaul of the first team squad, with many of United’s big-name stars potentially heading out the door.Reports suggest all but three – Kobbie Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund – of the current squad are up for grabs providing there is sufficient interest.And this would mean a huge spending spree to replace them.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSTo help Sir Jim and his team identify the next generation of Man Ut stars, we have highlighted five players, in different positions, that we believe could help to transform the first-team picture at Old Trafford.Jarrad BranthwaiteAged 21, central defender, Everton & EnglandEstimated Fee – £30mThe first player that we have on our shopping list for United this coming summer is the 21-year-old Everton central defender Jarrad Branthwaite. The former Carlisle United man only made the move to join Everton in 2020 and after loan spells with Blackburn Rovers and PSV Eindhoven the youngster is now a regular feature in the Everton first-team.Branthwaite is the type of central defender that United are sorely missing.Three key things Ten Hag is getting wrong at Man UnitedHe is physically imposing young defender who is 6ft 4in with a broad and powerful build.Crucially, Branthwaite is a young defender who is comfortable when asked to defend deep and to defend his penalty area.Too often we have seen United look soft defensively when the opposition are able to work the ball into a space around their penalty area. Branthwaite is the type of defensive player who will work to cut off any space and danger in his own area.This is an example of Branthwaite’s intelligent positioning. As the opposition look to find space in the penalty area he does not jump in but stands strong and blocks the attempted crossJarrad Branthwaite has enjoyed a breakthrough season at EvertonBranthwaite is happy in possession and has an array of passesWhile Branthwaite is a solid and disciplined defensive player, something that United are certainly missing this season, he is also naturally left-footed and capable of playing and progressing the ball from the back. United have struggled not just against the ball but often with the ball in their back line this season. Having signed the Cameroon goalkeeper Andre Onana last summer there was a sense that United were going to become more possession based in playing out from the back. The issue has been, however, that the central defenders for United have not looked comfortable in possession and this has led to them having to be more direct.As a domestic transfer Branthwaite would not come cheap for United but his profile is something that their defence is very much missing at the moment.Joshua KimmichAged 29, central midfielder, Bayern Munich & GermanyEstimated Fee – £50mThe next star for United to target this summer is the vastly experienced 29-year-old German midfielder Joshua Kimmich of Bayern Munich.The midfield has been a constant issue for United so far this season and the drop off in form and performances of the Brazilian international Casemiro has perhaps been central to this. Yes, there have been injuries in this area with the likes of Cristian Eriksen, Scott McTominay and Mason Mount all having spent time out but that doesn’t fully explain the lack of performance. Joshua Kimmich is a dominant force playing as an attacking right backBut Kimmich is equally as effective as a defensive midfielderIndeed, if it wasn’t for the emergence of Kobbie Mainoo from the academy then the midfield would have been more of a disaster than it has been.This season has also been difficult for Kimmich at Bayern although the qualities of the Germany star are still plainly evident. Against the ball he is positionally intelligent and disciplined with the ability to block off the centre of the pitch and to help his team to regain possession on central areas. In possession he remains one of the most progressive passers in European football and his ability to break lines and move the ball into the final third is one of his biggest strengths.Kimmich can break the last line of the opposition defence structure to create chances for teammates. Here he remains composed and then slides a pass through the opposition to release the run wide from the fullback.Joshua Kimmich rarely wastes a passKimmich might have played his final season for BayernOne of the biggest issues that United have faced with their midfield so far this season has been that they have not been disciplined in terms of preventing the opposition from progressing the ball and they have not been able to progress the ball from the midfield. A player like Kimmich who has the ability to play effectively in both phases of the game would go a huge way to solving these issues. There is every chance that Kimmich would look to leave Bayern this summer and this is a chance for United to show their financial strength.Florian WirtzAged 21, attacking midfielder, Bayer Leverkusen & GermanyEstimated Fee – £90mNext, we have another German international who we can expect to play at Euro 2024 this summer, in Florian Wirtz of Bayer Leverkusen. While Kimmich is likely to at least explore the possibility of leaving Germany this summer it will be more difficult to secure a deal for Wirtz. With that said, however, there is every chance that the 21-year-old Leverkusen player is a generational talent and one that could help speed the process of transformation at United.While Kimmich is more comfortable in deeper areas of the pitch Wirtz is very much an attacking player who plays more as a No10 and in either channel as he finds and uses space in the final third. United do, of course, have Bruno Fernandes who can play as the No10 there is an argument that he would be better used as one of the two deeper midfielders.Wirtz receives the ball in the final third having positioned himself between the lines. He drives forward and immediately finishes with power and accuracy from distance.Florian Wirtz spends most the game in the opposition halfFlorian Wirtz has created 72 chances for team-mates this season, more than two per game Wirtz could then act as the link between the midfield and attack for a team like United. He is a dangerous 1v1 player with the ability to outplay opposition defenders but he also carries a genuine goal threat with the ability to finish with power or touch from a variety of angles and positions.Having a player who can find space between the lines in the attacking third of the pitch going into next season will be key for United although if Wirtz is willing to leave the Bundesliga then he will not come cheap.Leverkusen chief executive Fernando Carro said this week: “No one is unsellable, but Wirtz will not leave for less than €150m (£130).”Michael OliseAged 22, winger, Crystal Palace & FranceEstimated Fee – £60mThis one might be a bit painful for United fans given their performance recently against Olise and Palace.But the French U21 international winger Olise would bring some much needed creativity to the club in the wide areas. Olise is an intelligent wide player who is equally comfortable playing on the outside, and stretching the pitch, or coming inside and occupying space in the channels. While he can score goals coming inside from the wide areas it is his ability to link the play and create for teammates outside the opposition area that would be key for United. At the moment the likes of Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Antony are all more transitional players who are perhaps more ‘selfish’ in their approach to the game.Olise has he ball wide and despite having a lot of players around him he has the quality to pick out a team-mate’s run with an accurate angled through ball.Michael Olise was in destructive form against Man UtdMichael Olise is enjoying his best ever seasonWhile having transitional runners in the wide areas, in the way that United have, is not necessarily a bad thing there is still an argument that they need more variety in the position. This is where a player like Olise could come in and have an impact with his ability to link play and create from deep, as well as finishing chances when he does break into and around the penalty area.Victor OsimhenAged 25, striker, Napoli & NigeriaEstimated Fee – £112mIt is no secret that Victor Osimhen is open to leaving Napoli this coming summer and despite the presence of Rasmus Hojlund at United there is no doubt that the club should be open to signing the Nigerian international. Osimhen is the perfect profile of striker for United and for the Premier League. He has the pace and power to lead the line at Old Trafford but it is his intelligent movement that sets him apart from other strikers.Hojlund, who is still a young striker, has power and pace and the willingness to run and work across the front line but sometimes he lacks the subtlety of movement that top, top strikers will have. The timing of movement from Osimhen is central to his success. As the cross comes int Osimhen has timed his movement and he attacks the ball before the defenders and finishes with powerOsimhen has many more goals and shots than Hojlund from fewer gamesOsimhen is a striker who routinely seems to be in pockets of space in the final third.This is a result of his clever movement and the timing of his runs in order to create separation and little bits of space from the opposition.Part of the issues that United have had this season in terms of ball progression and creativity are probably down, at least in part, to the movement and ability to get on the ball in the final third.This then gives the team a platform from which they can build. A striker with the profile of Osimhen would certainly solve that.How United could look after a huge summer rebuildConclusionUnited need major work in terms of their recruitment in the short to medium term, regardless of who their coach might be.But these five players would go a long way to fixing some of the huge problems facing Man Utd this season.READ MORE SUN STORIESHowever the overhaul will come at an astronomical price.These five players would cost an estimated £342m this summer. Over to you, Sir Jim. More