- Man United slumped to 13th Premier League defeat of the season on Tuesday
- O’Neill, a legend at Forest in the 1970s, claims he could get in Man United team
- LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off! Why it makes more sense for Manchester United to sell Marcus Rashford
Martin O’Neill rubbed salt in the wound of Man United on Tuesday night with a brutal putdown during his post-match analysis of the Red Devils’ 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest.
Anthony Elanga scored the only goal of the game to condemn his former club to their 13th defeat of the Premier League season.
O’Neill, a double European champion with Forest, was delighted to see his old club consolidate their place in third in the table as they bid to qualify for next year’s Champions League.
When it came to analysing United, however, the former Premier League manager gave a withering assessment and singled out Patrick Dorgu for particularly harsh treatment.
The 20-year-old was playing just his seventh match for United since his £29.4million move from Lecce but that didn’t spare him from O’Neill’s wrath.
‘They had Dorgu playing tonight,’ O’Neill told TNT Sports.
Patrick Dorgu came under fire from Martin O’Neill for his performance at Nottingham Forest
Martin O’Neill, a brilliant player in the 1970s, said he could have done Dorgu’s job even now
Dorgu can do nothing to prevent Anthony Elanga firing in the winning goal on Tuesday night
‘I could have done what he did! He’s wide left-hand side, he’s got the ball and you’re saying: “Come on! Your job is to take players on. Get at them!”
‘He’s laid it inside three times in the first 10 minutes of the second half… to the opposition!
‘Maybe it’s no confidence, I don’t know what it is. But these type of things are all over the field for Manchester United.’
Amorim was desperate to bolster his left-wing options in January with Diogo Dalot being forced to switch from the right side, Luke Shaw injured and Tyrell Malacia sent out on loan to PSV Eindhoven.
And while Forest ride high under manager Nuno Espirito Santo, O’Neill made clear that he believes there is a big difference in quality between that side and Ruben Amorim’s Man United.
‘They [Man United] have some really good players,’ he added.
O’Neill said Man United need more players of the quality of captain Bruno Fernandes (centre)
‘Obviously, Bruno Fernandes is a top-quality player. But they haven’t enough good players to be a threat in this league. And when I say a threat for Manchester United, I’m talking about getting into the top four.’
Man United’s latest defeat means they are yet to win two consecutive games in the Premier League this season.
Their only hope of ending the season on a high is by winning the Europa League where they face French side Lyon at the quarter-final stage.
Amorim’s side face a tough run of games with games against Manchester City and Newcastle in the Premier League and the two-legged affair against Lyon on the horizon.
The Portuguese’s record since moving to Old Trafford in November doesn’t make for good reading with 12 wins, seven draws and 10 defeats to his name from 29 games.
Amorim will be hoping his side can get back to winning ways when they host neighbours Manchester City on Sunday.
