Jaap Stam calls out Rashford and three United stars for walking as 10-man City win derby

Manchester United slipped to a second defeat in four Premier League games on Sunday, losing 1-0 to 10-man Manchester City at Old Trafford — a result that prompted club legend Jaap Stam to publicly call out four of Michael Carrick’s first-team players.

Erling Haaland’s close-range finish, converted from Josko Gvardiol’s cross, was initially ruled out for offside before VAR overturned the decision, ruling that Enzo Fernandez had not interfered with play and that Patrick Dorgu had played Haaland onside. The controversy deepened after the final whistle when refereeing body Pro Ref conceded the call was an “error of judgment” and that the goal should have been disallowed.

The defeat follows United’s opening-day 2-0 loss to newly-promoted Hull City, leaving Carrick’s side with just four points from their first four matches.

Stam reserved his sharpest criticism for the team’s attacking quartet. Analysing the build-up to Haaland’s winner, the former United defender said: “It’s a long ball, they win it, City takes over and look at the front four of United. They’re just walking, they’re just looking at the situation. A team that really wants to win, the strikers, it’s about all the 11, it’s about chasing. Against ten men, it’s about tracking back, it’s about winning battles. From then on, you keep possession, you go out in transition and then you try to create and score goals.”

Stam specifically named Marcus Rashford, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Bruno Fernandes as the players who failed to press with sufficient intensity during the decisive passage of play.

Amid the gloom, Kobbie Mainoo offered one of the few bright spots for United. The 21-year-old led his side in touches, completed passes, defensive actions and chances created, and came close to breaking his seasonal duck when a long-range effort struck the post. His performance drew praise from Manchester City’s Elliot Anderson, who paid £116 million to join City this summer. “It was a good battle,” Anderson said of facing his England team-mate. “He’s a top, top player, you know, and it’s always tough playing against Kobbie, but yeah, he’s a real good player and a real nice guy.”

With four points from four games and questions mounting over the team’s defensive work rate, Carrick faces an early test of his ability to arrest a slide that has already drawn comparisons to some of United’s most difficult recent campaigns.