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BeIN Sports pundits Andy Gray and Richard Keys have ripped into Manchester United striker Wout Weghorst following his underwhelming performance in the team's 7-0 Premier League loss to Liverpool on Sunday (March 5).
The Red Devils suffered an embarrassing defeat at Anfield, with Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo scoring braces and Roberto Firmino adding another.
Weghorst was among many Manchester United players who struggled at Merseyside and was the subject of severe criticism from Gray and Keys in the BeIN Sports studio following the game.
Keys termed the Netherlands international an average striker and suggested that he does not deserve to play for the Old Trafford outfit. The pundit also questioned Erik ten Hag's decision to deploy the Burnley loanee at No. 10:
"Has he (Ten Hag) not got a few questions to answer about his starting XI and about, sorry to keep mentioning it, but Wout Weghorst? What is he doing at Old Trafford? I mean, he's a bang ordinary centre-forward, playing at number 10."
Keys added that Manchester United boss Ten Hag should take responsibility for his team selection and for playing Weghorst out of position against Liverpool:
"I'm saying that he can't stand there, Ten Hag, and say, 'Not me, 11 players lost their heads'. I'm saying that, partially, he has to take a look at himself tonight. He's got a kid (Jadon Sancho) on the bench; they paid £80 million for, and he's got this fella trolleying about at number 10."
Gray concurred with Keys' criticism of Ten Hag for playing Weghorst as a No. 10, saying:
"What I don't get from somebody as experienced as him (Ten Hag) is that he can look at that team, he can look at Wout Weghorst and say, 'You're going to be my number 10'. I'm sorry, I just don't get it. It's a big enough shout, him being your centre-forward, but to play him in a specialist position and think that because he is Dutch, he can do it, no, I'm sorry."
Switching his attention to Weghorst's performance, the former Everton star added that the Dutchman has not proved his worth as a starter for Manchester United:
"(Weghorst has scored) one cup goal and nothing else for me; I don't see assists. I don't see him threatening when he plays centre-forward. I know they got away in Barcelona when they played him at No. 10. If you analyze his contributions in that game (against Liverpool) today, and I hope I'm not being unkind to the lad because you can't always play well, but I cannot think of one thing that he did tonight."
The 7-0 defeat at Liverpool was United's worst league defeat since 1931.
Manchester United will look to bounce back from Liverpool drubbing
The Red Devils cannot afford to dwell on their heavy defeat at Anfield, as they have a UEFA Europa League tie coming up. They face Real Betis in the first leg of the Round of 16 at Old Trafford on Thursday (March 9).
Manchester United will hope to bounce back from their harrowing defeat at Liverpool and return to winning ways against the La Liga side. After that game, Ten Hag's men face relegation-battlers Southampton on Sunday (March 12).
