Former Liverpool star slams 'rotten club' Manchester United have gone 'beyond a joke'

Former Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann has slammed Manchester United, saying the club have gone “beyond a joke” this season.

It has been a dismal season both on and off the pitch for United this season, with pre-season hopes of a possible title challenge quickly evaporating.

Having parted ways with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, results have generally improved under interim manager Ralf Rangnick, although performances have still been lacklustre.

And, having seen their last realistic hopes of silverware disappear with their penalty shootout defeat to Middlesbrough in the FA Cup, they then suffered a major blow to their top-four hopes on Tuesday after being held to a 1-1 draw at Burnley.

Things have not been any better off the pitch for the club, and next year will mark a decade since their last league title in Sir Alex Ferguson’s final year as manager.

Many have bemoaned the way the club has been run since Ferguson’s retirement, and Hamann has admitted he has lost the respect he held for United during his playing days.

“Manchester United have gone beyond a joke,” the former Germany international tweeted.

“Feel for the fans who’ve been put through nine years of misery since Sir Alex left, they deserve better. Always looked up to them, not for a while.”

The former Liverpool star also insisted he wasn’t revelling in his former rivals’ slide over the past decade – although he did compare United unfavourably with his old club.

“It’s not about laughing at each other, we should be better than that,” Hamann said in response to another user.

“They spent a billion quid and have a rotten team. Makes [Jurgen] Klopp’s achievement even more astonishing and staggering considering he spent hardly anything compared to them.”

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