8 hours ago
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Former Liverpool star Jason McAteer said that he is keen on seeing Manchester United return as a challenger at the top end of the Premier League.
United has not won the league since Sir Alex Ferguson departed Old Trafford in 2013, and it has not mounted a credible challenge in that time either.
Right now, the club looks further from winning the league than it has at any point over the last 12 years — United is coming off the back of a season in which it finished 15th, and the team is winless in the opening three games of this season.
The most recent of those games saw the team lose to League Two side Grimsby Town in the second round of the League Cup, predictably prompting widespread mockery from fans of other clubs.
However, one unexpected person who actually wants to see United improve is ex-Red McAteer, who said he has a lot of respect for the club who was the dominant force in England when he was a player.
"As a Liverpool fan, you want Manchester United to be challenging — just as long as we’re beating them too," McAteer told 10bet. "I’ve got huge respect for United and their history. I also remember how they were the team we were chasing down.
"The Liverpool-United fixture is still massive, still one of the biggest fixtures in world football. That won’t change. But the game has moved on. Manchester City are leading the conversation in Manchester, Arsenal and Chelsea are back again.
"Liverpool always have a rivalry with Newcastle and Everton, too, but that game with United is the biggest. But while they have upset the party in the games, they’re just out of the running when it comes to the titles.
"I definitely want them to be pushing closer to us, but I really don’t see it anytime soon. I think they’re a long way off from challenging.
"The faults are at the senior leadership level. They’ve got it wrong in powerful positions, with the decision makers. Recruitment for the last few years has been terrible. I don’t want to criticize them all day, they’ve got their own problems and it’s nothing to do with me. But do I like it when they lose? Yes!"
English (US) ·