"He’d create more space if he wasn’t on the pitch" - Pundit slams Manchester United star following performance in loss to Newcastle

Former Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys has ridiculed on-loan Manchester United striker Wout Weghorst for his display against Newcastle United. The Englishman claims the Dutch forward is a mediocre player who is unfit to play for the Red Devils.

Manchester United suffered a 2-0 defeat to the Magpies on April 2 after Joe Willock and Callum Wilson scored once each. Weghorst had a lackluster game and Keys was unforgiving of the Dutch forward.

The Englishman wrote on his blog:

"They’ll never win a title with Nout Workhorse in the side. Seriously - why do they play him? His supporters tell me he’s doing something right because he’s starting games. Really? What is it then? And don’t tell me he’s a ‘pressing monster’ or that he ‘starts the backwards press’ whatever that means."

He added:

"[Erik] Ten Hag justified his plans to sign him permanently by telling us that last week - and went on to add that Workhorse ‘creates space for players’. I’ll tell you what - he’d create more space if he wasn’t on the pitch."

Keys concluded:

"The bottom line is that he’s a bang ordinary centre-forward who doesn’t score goals and isn’t good enough to play for United. Ten Hag sounds like a desperate man trying to justify a mistake every time he talks about him."

Manchester United secured Weghorst's services on loan from Premier League rivals Burnley after the Dutch forward's stint at Turkish outfit Besiktas. The Netherlands international has come under some criticism for his performances for the Red Devils.

The 30-year-old forward is yet to get on the scoresheet after making nine Premier League appearances for Manchester United this term.

"That’s not enough" - Manchester United legend blasts Weghorst for not 'performing'

Manchester United legend Louis Saha has lambasted Weghorst for his inability to perform well for the Red Devils. The Frenchman insists the Dutch forward's output is not sufficient.

He said (via GOAL):

"With Weghorst, you can’t be the number nine of this team and play that amount of games and just provide pressing and nothing else. I don’t get it. I am consistently coming back to this, like everybody else - it’s an easy target but that’s the reality of it."

Saha added:

"When you aren’t performing for a team like United, you should be challenged a bit more because he’s not at the moment. I’m not only on him because at the moment [Marcus] Rashford is the only one who is consistently providing goals at the moment and that’s not enough.”

Following their defeat to the Magpies, Manchester United have fallen out of the top four and find themselves in fifth place in the standings. Ten Hag's side will next face Brentford at Old Trafford on Wednesday (5 April).