Eriksen Reveals How Man Utd Legends' Criticism Weighs Heavy on Current Squad

Former Manchester United midfielder Christian Eriksen has stated that ex-players in media roles don't provide "support" to the current team when their commentary becomes overly "critical".

Eriksen indicated that supporters tend to "listen to their idols on television"—figures like Gary Neville, Roy Keane and Paul Scholes—who have been harsh critics of their former team in recent seasons.

"You witness the magnitude of the club, how many people desire to be connected with the club, including through media coverage. I believe even now we're discussing United here. That's simply the influence of the club," the Denmark international, currently at Wolfsburg after departing Old Trafford this summer, shared with ESPN.

"Clearly the more critical opinions become, the more negative sentiments toward the club grow, the more challenging it becomes, because supporters listen to their television heroes and it doesn't support the players at the club."

Eriksen proposed it was time for individuals to be "pragmatic" about United, who haven't secured a Premier League championship since Sir Alex Ferguson's departure in 2013 but have maintained success in domestic cup tournaments at a faster pace than most other teams.

The Red Devils claimed the FA Cup just over twelve months ago and the League [Carabao] Cup the campaign prior to that. There have been additional FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League victories, totaling five trophies across the past dozen years. In raw statistics, it's merely two fewer trophies than Liverpool, though without comparable Premier League or Champions League achievements, and one more than Arsenal.

"I believe obviously [supporters] desire to return to being consistent as an elite club, but even achieving that, capturing the FA Cup and the Carabao in the previous two campaigns is something that any other team would be delighted to have accomplished," Eriksen commented.

"Then there's also the scale and the reputation and the atmosphere at United—it's as if it's insufficient. I hope that perspective will shift. Even the Carabao might seem minor, but in that instance it represents something significant."

Man Utd Trophies Since 2013 Compared to Main Rivals

*excluding UEFA Super Cup, Community Shield