Tottenham made Manchester United "panic" on transfer deadline day, according to Paul Merson.
Spurs sent United crashing to their joint heaviest defeat of the Premier League era on Sunday, thrashing them 6-1 at Old Trafford.
The result exposed the weaknesses in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side - the day before the main summer transfer window closed.
United signed striker Edinson Cavani and left-back Alex Telles on Monday night, along with Amad Diallo.
And the Arsenal legend believes the Tottenham result was the cause of the late transfer business.
Reflecting on the match, former Arsenal star Merson told Sky Sport: “It will make it even more panicky. I think they (United) are gonna be panic buying now.
"What we saw yesterday was a team in disarray. There’s a way to lose football matches, teams lose football matches, but it’s the way they lost.
"I feel for the defenders. Everyone says, ‘Get someone else in, we need another centre-half’, the game is all about defending as a team.
"We saw that with Liverpool later on in the evening, when Mane doesn't play and they’re not closing down like they did against Arsenal on Monday night, as soon as people start running at defenders, I don’t care who you are, when players start running at you, and you’re letting people get in between the lines - you’re going to get punished.
"I feel sorry for Man United’s back four because they’re the ones getting the stick but they’re getting no protection. The midfield was non-existent. You look at the players they want to bring in, for me, this is all for now - there’s no future in it."
On Cavani, Merson added: “It’s definitely a quick fix with Cavani. He’s 33 years of age. You’ve got Mason Greenwood there who is gonna be a proper player, in my opinion, is that gonna hold him back?
"Cavani was a great player, he was top drawer. He’s 33 years of age, how many players are playing in the Premier League now at 33 years of age?
"You’ve got to have pace. Man United try to play a certain way, counter-attacking with the pace of Martial, Greenwood, Rashford and even when James is in the team.
"All of a sudden, if Cavani is in the team, he’ll hold the ball up. For me, it’s a panic. He was a great player and I hope I’m wrong and he comes in and does the business. But it’s not a future signing, is it?
"It’s not like we’re moving forward at Man United and in three or four years, we’re gonna catch up with Liverpool or Man City. This is not gonna catch them two up now."
