Louis Saha: ‘Xavi could be an exciting appointment for Manchester United’

After the major development from Old Trafford that Manchester United have decided to part ways with Erik ten Hag, Betfred caught up with club legend Louis Saha to discuss all the latest ongoings with his former club. After being asked to respond to reports in Spain suggesting that Xavi was being lined up by INEOS as a potential replacement for the Dutchman, the ex-France international told us that Xavi ‘could be an exciting appointment for Manchester United.’ Saha also spoke to us regarding Leny Yoro’s incoming return from injury, Ange Postecoglou’s future at Tottenham and Paul Pogba’s March return date to football.

Former Barcelona player and manager Xavi has emerged as a reported target for INEOS to potentially replace Erik ten Hag at Manchester United. Xavi won the La Liga during his tenure as manager at the Nou Camp, but overall do you believe he would be an exciting prospect if he was to ever take charge at Old Trafford? Would you have any reservations if he was to be appointed?

“He’s definitely got the profile of somebody that understands everything about football and I don’t believe anybody can doubt that he could bring a bit of that Barcelona style in some way. He was successful during his time at Barcelona, so it could be exciting to see. 

“I was never going to ask for Erik to be sacked, but there came a point where we needed to see improvement. He was under a lot of pressure and I’m sure there are some tremendous names on the shortlist to replace him. It was a difficult situation and the results, and sometimes his press conferences, weren’t helping that. Sometimes he made excuses and they weren’t always powerful ones, so it was frustrating.”

Considering the form and injury problems of certain Manchester United centre-backs this season, do you expect Leny Yoro to go straight into your former club’s starting line-up once he’s fully fit?

“I think he can but in all due respect, when you’ve had a long injury, you need time to get back and it’s completely understandable that you’re not going to be totally match fit. He’s a new player to the Premier League, so he’s yet to experience the changes between this league and Ligue 1 and for that reason, I don’t expect him to be at his best straightaway. He will have to take his time to get himself ready because injuries can come back, so they have to be very careful to ensure that he can get through the rest of the season without any problems. That’s the main target for him. 

“His talent can really help the team once he returns because he’s very comfortable on the ball and he can provide a threat in the opposition’s box. I’m excited to see him in action and I wish him the best for when he’s fit again.”

On the topic of Manchester United centre-backs, how do you believe Matthijs de Ligt has done overall since his arrival at Old Trafford?

“He’s had some strong performances, including some very good ones, but it’s been difficult for him. The same can be said for other players and at times the defence has been very shaky. [Lisandro] Martínez has also struggled a little bit. There needs to be a solid partnership and you need a player alongside you that’s very reliable. One player can’t cover everything, so you need to have this understanding with your partner and your goalkeeper because it’ll reduce the number of mistakes.

“De Ligt has time to improve and even though he’s an expensive signing, it’s more about the balance because individually, I believe he’s doing his job. I believe we need to be better tactically to prevent the defence from being exposed. Liverpool have a solid defence and that’s due to the fact that all the players within it compliment each other. For that reason, I don’t want to pinpoint the performances of individuals.”

Do you think Rasmus Højlund could be prolific for Manchester United this season?

“He will be prolific. He has improved and his understanding of his position is a bit better, but I still don’t think he’s great when it comes to linking up because he’s not that type of player. When you have a typical striker, you need wingers that really look to get the ball to the forward. The wingers in the team need to find a way to get in more crosses because it will allow Rasmus to play his role, but that’s not the case. Our gameplan isn’t suited to our main striker. The crosses are either late or come in as the last solution for him to gamble on it and it’s really hard for him to read. 

“I do believe Rasmus will score goals because he’s a talented boy, but Manchester United require a striker that’s going to score 30 goals a season so they can chase the teams ahead of them. Rasmus or [Joshua] Zirkzee don’t have this in their locker yet and that’s not right because the club should have signed a player that’s capable of aiding the pressure on a young forward by putting the pressure on themselves by scoring goals regardless of the system. There are players like this out there and Rasmus and Zirkzee could have learned from them because the two of them are yet to mature as strikers at this moment in time. The pair of them are now under pressure to do as much as they can, but they’re going to struggle and I can’t see either of them scoring 25 goals this season within that system because the club’s best playmakers, Bruno Fernandes and Christian Eriksen, play so far away from the strikers. They need to be closer together on the pitch if you’re going to put pressure on the defence. The way they’re set up on the pitch currently doesn’t work.”

As a former Manchester United striker, what areas do you believe Joshua Zirkzee needs to improve in most and what’s your overall opinion on his beginning to life at Old Trafford?

“It’s a bit mixed because he’s the type of forward that can drop deeper, link-up play and he’s very comfortable on the ball. He needs to address the type of physicality he’s going to face in the Premier League because I’ve seen this boy play for Bologna and he was untouchable. The speed of play in this Manchester United side isn’t good enough for the strikers. The wingers need to provide some magic for the strikers on the pitch and I believe that Zirkzee and Rasmus need to gamble more and predict when the wingers are going to get the ball in the box, rather than wait for them to cross. If a good ball comes in or a good pass comes in, they can’t be around the defenders, they need to create space for themselves. They need to get themselves into positions where they’re alone, but it always seems as if they’re close to the opposition’s defenders and they find themselves almost tackling for the ball when they’re attempting to finish chances and that’s not a sign of gaining an advantage. Those guys always have to fight and that’s not a good sign.”

Reports in Spain are suggesting that Manchester United are planning to battle with Real Madrid for the signing of Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies in the summer. Davies could potentially be available on a free transfer and do you believe your former club could realistically entice the Canada international to join them over Real Madrid?

“It’s a difficult one. When you’re a player and you have a choice to make between Real Madrid, who seem to win the Champions League every year, and Manchester United, it’s a difficult one. Manchester United are still a very attractive prospect for any player and they need a player in Alphonso’s position if Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia don't come back soon. The club needs top players in every position to chase what they need to chase. They’re not chasing to be in the middle of the table, they need to be chasing the teams at the very, very top. Without those players with massive experience and top talent, it’s going to be very difficult to do so.”

How do you believe Manchester United will get on against Chelsea on Sunday?

“It’s going to be a very, very big test for them. Defensively they need to be at their very best because Chelsea always find the net and find ways to create many chances. Cole Palmer is on fire and he’s a very, very clever player. He always finds the space and he’s always in those areas where he can cause damage. 

“Manchester United need to be clinical and I do see it being a difficult game for them. I’m surprised with what Chelsea have been able to do this season and Enzo Maresca has done very well so far to gel those players and create those partnerships on the pitch. They’re very strong going forward, so it’s going to be a very tough test for Manchester United.“It’s difficult for me to say, but I’ll go for 2-1 Chelsea. I don’t like going against my former club, but I think Chelsea may have more weapons at their disposal.”

Do you believe Ange Postecoglou is under pressure at Tottenham? Where do you believe your former club needs to finish in the Premier League to ensure that the Australian is still in his job going into next season?

“I really like his style as a manager and his communication skills are right. His identity is clear and the players under him have improved. He’s brought in young players that have done well for him, such as Brennan Johnson, and there are a lot of things that he’s done well. I still believe Tottenham are going to be in the race for top four and I believe fifth is the minimum requirement for Spurs. 

“It’s a difficult Premier League season for everybody, but I do have a lot of faith in Postecoglou. Bad results happen, but I do believe Tottenham will bounce back.”

Are you feeling confident that Everton won’t be in a relegation battle this season?

“I do think they’ll be in a relegation battle, but I believe they have more ammunition this season, they don’t have a points deduction and they have a manager that can help them improve. Everton isn’t an easy place to be, but you can identify a style of play now and you can see that they’re playing with a more direct approach. That suits them because previously they were prone to mistakes defensively. 

“Fulham were better on Saturday, but that’s football. Everton showed resilience and got a point despite not playing too well. This will give them confidence.”

What does Alexander Isak need to do, in your opinion, to get back to his best for Newcastle United?

“He’s a young player and he just needs to keep going and working hard. You can see that he doesn’t doubt himself. I really like his attitude and his body language is correct. Sometimes it’s a case where you have so many fast players around you that it’s difficult to get it right in terms of your runs. I have no doubts about Isak. I’m a big fan and I’m still confident that he will get 15 goals, or more, this season.”

With Paul Pogba being cleared to play football again from March, are you backing him to continue playing at the highest level, despite speculation suggesting that he’s set to leave Juventus? Do you believe top Premier League clubs should be interested in bringing the World Cup winner back to England?

“Yes. I think he’s a top player and I’ve missed him a lot. I used to criticise him because he has so much talent and I used to get annoyed that he wasn’t using it all the time. Now I believe he realises that he’s been given an opportunity to showcase his talent, motivation and focus. 

“I believe any player would want to play with him and any manager would love to have him, whether that’s a Premier League or Champions League team. Football, as an industry, has missed Paul Pogba. It’s similar to Neymar being out injured for a while. Those guys aren't the types of players that you see often, so we need to appreciate them. I’m sure Paul’s going to be motivated and everybody’s going to appreciate seeing him again when he returns to football in March. I can’t wait.”