The feel-good factor is back at Manchester United, with the club reaching its first domestic cup final in six years last night.
Former United captain Roy Keane feels the improved mood at Old Trafford has been helped by the departure of certain players in the summer.
As reported in the Daily Mail, Keane says the decision to sack “energy draining” players has contributed to United’s rebound in form.
“When the manager came in, United were at the bottom and we had to talk about signing, but what I think was also key was the five or six players leaving,” he said.
Keane named four high-profile stars who were sacked by the club, saying their contract situation did not help United, who had a miserable end to last season.
“I’m not criticizing all these players, Pogba, Mata, Matic, Jesse Lingard, guys who had been around and knew they were leaving. They knew they were leaving and their contracts were up for most of them and I think that wasn’t helping,” Keane said.
The club legend added that Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure will also have helped the mood at the club, with a departure the only option if United are to move on.
“I think that helped (Ronaldo’s departure) the coach and the club. Nobody wanted that to hang around in the second half of the season and it should have been fixed in the summer,” he said.
Keane praised the job Erik ten Hag is doing and thinks the feel-good factor is definitely coming back to the club.
“You definitely feel a new energy at the club, the new manager has left some markers after a poor start to the season, and that momentum and feel-good factor is back at the club. The energy levels are different.”
United are enjoying a fine run of form, with a last-minute conceded goal against Arsenal causing their only defeat in the last fourteen games.
Ten Hag and his men now have a cup final to look forward to and the manager will be desperate to deliver the silver medal on his first opportunity for the club.
United are back in Premier League action this weekend, hosting Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon.
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