Cantona tears into Ratcliffe who’s ‘destroyed’ Man Utd after refusing legend’s help | OneFootball

Eric Cantona has told Sir Jim Ratcliffe he has “destroyed” the style of football created by Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, and the legend has revealed his offer to help the club was rebuffed.

Ratcliffe took charge of the running of United in 2024 after his minority stake was confirmed. He did so mid-way through the 2023/24 season, in the February of 2024.

Since then, the club has finished eighth – which was then the worst Premier League finish in United’s history – and 15th, which beat the previous season as the worst.

United are beginning to dust themselves off, currently seventh and just two points off third-placed Chelsea.

However, Red Devils legend Cantona has hit out at the current ownership for driving the club down, after his offer to help the club wasn’t taken seriously.

He said: “I have many other passions and projects, but I thought that for two or three years I could maybe put those to the side and try to give something to this club, which has given everything to me.

“But [Ratcliffe] didn’t seem interested. I did what I had to do, so I don’t feel guilty anymore. I tried my best.

“Sir Alex Ferguson created a style of beautiful attacking football, which the new owners should have used. Instead, they destroyed it.”

In the last full season before Ratcliffe took control of United, 2022/23, the club finished third in the Premier League.

They averaged approximately 15.6 shots per game, which dropped to 14.5 last season, and is at 14.4 so far this term.

United had 1.8 xG in 2022/23, 1.5 last season and it’s 1.6 this term.

That suggests that there is some backing to what Cantona says – United, even immediately before Ratcliffe got involved, where a more free-flowing attack than they are now.

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