Image: Bildbyran

Former Manchester United goalkeeper Van der Sar believes that the club has lost strong characters in recent times. The Red Devils are in the 12th place in the league, having notched only 8 points from 9 games. As a result, they have also endured the worst start to a league campaign since 1989.

And, the Dutch legend thinks an absence of strong leaders in the squad is one of the reasons for their unimpressive performances on the pitch.

“I think for ourselves when I came in the dressing room we had Ryan Giggs, you had [Paul] Scholes, you had [Rio] Ferdinand, [Gary] Neville and even Roy Keane at that time,” Van der Sar told ESPN FC.

“So I think there’s always been strong characters. And I think for the last couple of years the strong characters have disappeared and not making a difference anymore.

“I left there eight years ago and it was a tremendous last six years of my career, winning four Premier League titles and playing in two Champions League finals.”

“So it’s a long way from the position where they are in now. And of course they have changed managers a couple times now and the real progress is not seen yet, only the thing that they bought in the summer. They bought younger, inexperienced players with a certain desire and hunger, and not like the big names they bought the last six, seven years.”

Van der Sar said that Manchester United are still an attractive proposition for players in football, but if the shambolic results continue, they may find it hard to attract good talent in the market.

“Of course, the name is there. And of course the following they have all over the world,” he said.

“But for a player … you want to play at a certain level, you also want to have an idea that you can win trophies and they must take that opportunity also to improve the squad and make the world-class players they have, or the players that they’re going to sign, that they feel welcome and that there’s a good path to where they’re going to go to.”

Manchester United will face Liverpool following the international break.

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