Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer has fired back at Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag after the Dutchman dismissed Shearer’s critique of Marcus Rashford as “stupid analysis.” The comments came in the wake of Manchester United’s heavy 3-0 defeat to Liverpool at Old Trafford over the weekend.
Luis Diaz scored twice, and Mohamed Salah added another goal as Liverpool dominated the match. Following the game, Ten Hag took issue with Shearer’s criticism of Rashford, which was aired on the Match of the Day program. The Manchester United boss defended Rashford, suggesting that the pundit’s analysis was unwarranted and not reflective of the team’s efforts.
Addressing Ten Hag’s remarks on The Rest is Football podcast, Shearer responded by implying that Ten Hag’s comments were an attempt to shield Rashford from criticism. Shearer pointed out that, given Manchester United’s poor performance in the match, it was understandable that Ten Hag would want to protect his player from negative scrutiny.
Shearer was candid about Manchester United’s performance, saying, “Look at their performance today then see. I totally get why [Ten Hag] is trying to protect his player, but the truth is known at Man United. They got absolutely battered, it was like men against boys. They were awful, Liverpool were brilliant.”
This exchange underscores the ongoing debate about media criticism and the challenges faced by managers in defending their players amid public scrutiny and disappointing results.