Keane very critical of United: 'We saw two bad teams'

Manchester United secured a late 2-1 victory over Leicester City in the FA Cup, booking their place in the next round, but club legend Roy Keane was far from impressed with the performance.

Despite winning four of their last five official matches, United once again delivered an inconsistent display, leaving Keane questioning their overall quality and describing them as fortunate to escape with the win.

The game started with Leicester, managed by former United striker Ruud van Nistelrooij, showing greater intensity and organization. United struggled to impose themselves in the first half, lacking fluidity and creativity in attack while leaving too much space in midfield. Leicester capitalized on this and took the lead before halftime, punishing United’s defensive fragility. The goal came from a swift counterattack, as United’s backline was caught out of position, with Leicester clinically finishing to send the visiting fans into celebration.

At halftime, Keane was scathing in his criticism, calling United’s performance "shocking" and "painful to watch." Speaking as a pundit, he did not hold back. "This is truly shocking. It was very poor. They didn't have a single shot on target in the first half, and it was honestly painful to watch. There was no urgency, no energy. You cannot play like that at this level. They gave away the goal far too easily, and it was nowhere near good enough. It looks like a bunch of strangers thrown together, and they can't even get the basics right."

United’s manager Rúben Amorim also recognized the lack of intensity in the first half, but Keane was baffled by how a team of United’s stature could start a match with such little energy. "Of course, the manager is frustrated with the performance, but I really don’t get it," Keane continued. "Playing with energy should be the bare minimum. If you don't start a game with energy, then it doesn’t matter what tactics you use. Tonight, we saw two bad teams. A team with more quality than Leicester would have finished the job and knocked United out."

United showed improvement after the break, largely due to key substitutions that changed the tempo of the match. Joshua Zirkzee, who has been steadily proving his worth since arriving at the club, made an immediate impact by scoring the equalizer. The goal came after a well-worked move, with Zirkzee reacting quickly to a rebound and slotting the ball past the Leicester goalkeeper.

The momentum shifted in United’s favor as they pushed for a winner, but their attacking play still lacked the cohesion expected of a top side. The breakthrough eventually came in stoppage time when Harry Maguire, rising highest from a set-piece, headed the ball into the net to complete the comeback. However, controversy soon followed, as replays showed that Maguire was in an offside position when the free kick was delivered. With VAR not in use at this stage of the competition, the officials failed to spot the infringement, allowing the goal to stand and United to claim victory.

Keane, however, refused to let the result overshadow the performance. "United really escaped here," he stated. "Don't be blinded by the result. Yes, they’ve advanced to the next round, but if you actually watched that game, you’d know they were nowhere near good enough. The substitutes made the difference, that’s for sure," he added, specifically pointing out the influence of Alejandro Garnacho and Joshua Zirkzee. "They played much more directly, which is something this team should do far more often. In the end, they were really lucky."

The lack of cohesion and rhythm in United’s play has been a recurring theme this season, and despite recent victories, performances like this will do little to convince fans or pundits that the team is truly progressing. While individual moments of quality, particularly from Garnacho and Zirkzee, have bailed them out in difficult situations, their overall structure remains fragile.

With tougher challenges ahead in both domestic and European competitions, Keane’s concerns will resonate with many supporters. While United continues to pick up results, the inconsistency in their performances raises doubts about their long-term potential under Amorim. A more dominant team than Leicester would likely have punished them, and if they continue playing at this level, it is only a matter of time before their luck runs out.

The victory may have secured a place in the next round, but Keane’s warning is clear United need to improve significantly if they want to compete at the highest level. For now, the result keeps them alive in the competition, but whether they have the quality and consistency to go all the way remains a major question.