United and more: Seven legends have their say

Peter Schmeichel, Nemanja Vidic, Mikael Silvestre, Louis Saha, Quinton Fortune, Wes Brown and Ronny Johnsen. Welcomed to Chennai as part of the grand finale of the United We Play season 2, a pan-India initiative with Apollo Tyres, the ‘legends’ sat down with select media to express their views. Needless to say, banter and laughter followed… and some serious talk.

Excerpts:ON 51 GOALS CONCEDED:Vidic: These stats are for teams fighting for relegation, not for Top-4. When we were playing, we had players running both ways, offensively and defensively, that’s the key. If you look at City, Liverpool they are conceding 21, 22 goals but they are playing offensive football.

I think you need to sort that department out at United if you want to win trophies. ON DAVID DE GEA:Schmeichel: You won’t find me critical against De Gea. He is the first to win four Player of the season awards at United.

For me, this year also. The thing about him, he is adaptable. I think the new manager will have a lot of ideas but there are a lot of other issues to be sorted out before that can happen - the changing of personnel, working on the culture of the dressing room, the playing comes next.

The good thing is Erik Ten Hag has preparation time. ON THE MAGUIRE PROBLEM:Vidic: As a player, you have dips in form. One or two bad games, you lose confidence.

But if it goes on, it is not good personally and also for the team. Football players are under constant pressure and especially Harry Maguire, because of the transfer money involved. Obviously, he was playing well at Leicester.

But United overall has not been playing well this season so we cannot put everything on his shoulders. But sometimes, it's not too bad to take a break. GIVING YOUTH A CHANCE:Wes