Bruno Fernandes names ONE Man United’s teammates who was responsible for the club’s humiliating defeat to Newcastle United.
Thierry Henry didn’t hold back in his assessment of Manchester United’s shambolic defending during their crushing 4-1 defeat to Newcastle, taking particular aim at young defender Leny Yoro for a bizarre moment that left the Arsenal legend genuinely baffled. The Red Devils suffered yet another humiliating loss at St James’ Park, with Harvey Barnes netting twice in just 15 minutes before Bruno Guimaraes added to the rout. United had briefly found a way back into the match through Alejandro Garnacho, who coolly equalized after Sandro Tonali’s opener, but any hope of a comeback quickly evaporated.
The defeat leaves United languishing in 14th place, and even if they win their remaining six league fixtures, it won’t be enough to avoid recording their lowest ever Premier League points total. The pressure is now firmly on manager Rúben Amorim ahead of a crucial Europa League quarter-final clash with Lyon, which has become the team’s only realistic route to European qualification and perhaps Amorim’s final chance to steady the ship.
While Roy Keane tore into the team’s lax defending and singled out Diogo Dalot and Altay Bayindir for particularly poor performances, Henry’s focus was on Yoro. After Barnes bagged his second, Henry urged viewers to watch Yoro’s reaction — looking straight at the linesman, seemingly expecting an offside decision, even though the play had been clearly onside from the moment Noussair Mazraoui lost the ball. Henry admitted he couldn’t comprehend what the defender was hoping for, admitting it was something he’d “never seen before” in football.
Henry didn’t stop there, replaying Barnes’ first goal to point out how Yoro completely failed to track the Newcastle winger’s movement, a lapse of awareness that epitomized the night’s defensive chaos. According to Henry, United’s defenders lacked urgency and hunger, contrasting sharply with Newcastle’s relentless desire to win every ball and capitalize on every mistake.
After the final whistle, Amorim tried to deflect the growing criticism, stating that he “didn’t care” about media opinions and insisting that losing matches remained the toughest aspect of the job. He acknowledged United’s perilous league position and shifted focus to the Lyon game, aware that another poor result could be disastrous for both the team’s European hopes and his own future.
The night laid bare not just the team’s defensive flaws, but also deeper concerns about the readiness of young players like Yoro to cope under the spotlight at a struggling club. His confused response in the heat of a high-pressure moment seemed to reflect a wider uncertainty and lack of leadership on the pitch, a problem United have struggled to address all season.
