Wayne Rooney Slams Man United And Makes Incredible Comparison With Crystal Palace

Wayne Rooney has hit out at Manchester United while praising Crystal Palace for their impressive start to the season. The former England striker believes United could learn from Palace, particularly in how they execute their playing system.

Crystal Palace’s 2-1 win over Liverpool underlined their strong form, with Oliver Glasner’s side now the only Premier League team yet to suffer defeat this season. By contrast, United slumped to a 3-1 loss at Brentford, leaving them with just two wins from six matches and sitting a lowly 14th in the table.

The poor run has placed manager Ruben Amorim under increasing pressure, with speculation mounting that he could be sacked if results and performances do not improve. Glasner, however, has no such problems, with Palace thriving under his leadership. Interestingly, both United and Palace operate with a 3-4-2-1 formation. Yet while Glasner has turned it into a winning formula, Amorim has struggled to make it work at Old Trafford.

Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show on September 29, Rooney highlighted the stark contrast between the two sides.“I don’t want to go back to Man United but I’m watching Crystal Palace play three at the back and this looks incredible, looks brilliant,” Rooney said. “There’s flair, there’s fight, there’s desire, there’s crosses coming into the box, there’s shots, there’s tackles going in, there’s everything you want to see. Then when I watch Man United in the same system I’m like, what is this?”

Palace’s victory over Liverpool was fully deserved, with their first-half display particularly dominant. Despite having just 29 percent possession, they created an expected goals tally of 2.07, registered 10 shots with four on target, and carved out several big chances — proof of how efficient Glasner’s tactical setup has become.

The unbeaten run stretches back to April, when Newcastle hammered them 5-0 at St James’ Park. Since then, they have avoided defeat against Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea, and Liverpool, showing remarkable consistency. Glasner has built a side perfectly suited to his system, with defenders comfortable in a back three, natural wing-backs, and energetic midfielders.

Amorim, in contrast, has failed to recruit players that fit his tactical vision despite two transfer windows, and his refusal to deviate from the system could ultimately cost him his job.