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Antonio Valencia criticised Manchester United’s performance against Fulham, posting that ‘there were never any excuses’ during his tenure with the club.
On Saturday afternoon, the Red Devils suffered a disappointing 2-1 loss, displaying a lacklustre performance at Old Trafford.
The defeat, with Fulham scoring a late winner in the 97th minute, put United eight points adrift of fourth place, casting doubt on their Champions League aspirations for the next season.
With Sir Jim Ratcliffe now at the helm, expressing his ambition to challenge Liverpool and Manchester City, the pressure mounts for Ten Hag.
Despite Ten Hag’s assurance that United is on the right track, former captain Valencia remains unconvinced.
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, he posted a picture from his days at Old Trafford, asserting, ‘Until the last moment in this shirt, there were never any excuses.’
Fans responded in support of the Ecuadorian star, with one writing: ‘Someone who played for badge every game’.
‘It’s no longer that way, everything’s changed’ another added.
A third penned: ‘Understands what it should mean to play for this club. Need more players like him. Talented and passionate’.
Valencia’s critique follows current captain Bruno Fernandes’s post-match confrontation with referee Michael Oliver.
The Portuguese playmaker appeared to be fuming at Oliver, with the captain vocalising his frustration at the full-time whistle.
Joined by gaffer Erik Ten Hag, Fernandes appeared to be pleading with Oliver about some of his on-field decisions.
Fans, echoing Valencia’s sentiment, urge him to return to United to address the apparent lack of commitment from the players.
Valencia, who joined United in 2009 and had a successful tenure, winning multiple titles under different managers, retired in 2019 after spells in Ecuador and Mexico.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
