Man United benefitting from departures of 'energy-sappers' like Ronaldo and Pogba, says Keane

Roy Keane, former captain of Manchester United, thinks that the Red Devils are gaining from the departures of players like Paul Pogba and Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Englishman is adamant that manager Erik ten Hag has given his former squad new life.

"When the manager came in, Manchester United were at rock bottom and we had to talk about the recruitment, but what I think was key as well was the five or six players that left. I'm not knocking all these players, Pogba, Mata, Matic, Jesse Lingard, lads who'd been around and knew they were leaving. They knew they'd be leaving and their contracts were up for most of them and I think that wasn't helping," Keane told Sky Sports.

"There definitely feels around the club a new energy, the new manager has put a few markers down after a bad start to the season, and that momentum and that feel good factor is back at the club. The energy levels are different."

On Cristiano Ronaldo's unceremonious exit from the club, Keane said, "I think that  [Ronaldo's departure] has helped the manager and the club. No one wanted that to be hanging over the second half of the season and it should have been dealt with in the summer. That whole Ronaldo situation, he obviously wasn't going to sit on the bench and be happy with it. They've now dealt with it and now it's now hanging over the club."

"But also the other five or six lads that left, Cavani another one. Those who were fringe players, coming off the bench, and when they were coming on they weren't bringing anything because they felt they should have been starting. Those subs and fringe players have to come on and be ready, whereas the fringe players last year, you just felt they were energy-sappers," Keane added.