Arsene Wenger has questioned whether Manchester United’s younger players are “mature enough” to put in a run of consistent performances for the club.
United have had an unconvincing start to the Premier League season under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, following up a 4-0 win over Chelsea with a draw at Wolves , defeat at home to Crystal Palace and draw at Southampton .
Those results put them on five points from four matches, already leaving them seven points behind leaders Liverpool after just four games of the season.
Solskjaer’s side entertain Leicester City at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Saturday, and ahead of the clash with the Foxes Wenger says that some of the United players are simply “not ready” to take on the mantle of regular starters for the club.
“When you see Man Utd they are one of the examples where there is a potential there,’ the former Arsenal boss told beIN Sports .
“But they have not found a collective way. Maybe these players are not mature enough to carry the team play of a team like Man Utd all together.
‘That’s the big question mark now. You feel there is something coming out but it’s not ready.
“That’s why I say when you watch them play they are not candidates to fight for the championship.
“Will they emulate what Giggs, Scholes, Beckham did over a number of years? Personally I’m not convinced.”
Wenger didn’t single out any United players by name, but Solskjaer has fielded the youngest average age starting XI this season, with United’s team across their four games an average age of 24 years and 312 days.
Daniel James, Marcus Rashford, Aaron Wan-Bissaka (all 21), Scott McTominay (22) and Andreas Pereira (23) have all featured regularly this season.
