Schmeichel tells Manchester United: “You cannot allow that to happen”

Peter Schmeichel criticised three Manchester United defenders after their disastrous Premier League defeat by newly promoted Hull City, saying the errors they made were unacceptable for a side with the club’s experience.

Manchester United’s pre-season optimism lasted only 38 minutes as Hull City established a 2-0 lead through goals from Semi Ajayi and Noble Mendy in the opening-round fixture.

Schmeichel focused particularly on Manchester United’s defending for both goals, questioning the performances of Dorgu and Ayden Heaven for Hull City’s first and Luke Shaw’s positioning for the second.

Hull City’s opening goal followed a corner, after Manchester United had failed to win the initial contest for the ball. Dorgu allowed the delivery to travel past him at the near post, while Heaven was not close enough to Oliver McBurnie, who redirected the ball towards goal.

Speaking during the half-time analysis on Premier League Productions, Schmeichel criticised Dorgu for failing to track the delivery.

“Look at Dorgu at the near post, he is not even looking at the player taking the corner,” said the former Manchester United goalkeeper, in comments reported by Metro.

“He loses his concentration at that exact moment and does not have the ability to clear the first ball.”

Schmeichel also believed Heaven should have dealt with McBurnie more aggressively, after the Hull City forward moved behind him at the far post.

“He allowed McBurnie to get in behind him. You cannot allow that to happen. That is not how you defend; you have to be stronger,” Schmeichel added.

The former Denmark international was equally unhappy with Manchester United’s defensive organisation for Hull City’s second goal.

As both teams positioned themselves inside the penalty area before the free-kick, Shaw inexplicably dropped deeper than his team-mates. That kept Hull City’s players onside and allowed the attacking move to continue, rather than enabling Manchester United to play an effective offside trap.

“It is a complete lack of concentration from Manchester United. That is the thing that disappoints me the most,” Schmeichel said after the final whistle.

“I focused on Luke Shaw. He was two metres behind the rest of the players and kept everybody onside.”

He added: “He should not have been there. He was fooled by the dummy. If he had stayed in his position, the players would have been offside, or the ball would have gone out for a goal kick.”

Schmeichel concluded by expressing his frustration that a team containing so much experience could concede goals in that manner.

“What disappoints me is that a team with this much experience makes mistakes of this kind,” he said.