Danny Murphy mocks Man United’s half-time actions during their 4-0 humbling by Crystal Palace and claims it’s an example of ‘how stupid football has gone’

Danny Murphy has questioned the logic behind Manchester United players’ preparation for the second-half of their crushing defeat by Crystal Palace. 

The former Liverpool midfielder watched on as his old rivals were humbled 4-0 at Selhurst Park on Monday night, as goals from Michael Olise, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Tyrick Mitchell inflicted a 13th loss in the league.

Erik ten Hag‘s side were 2-0 down going into the break and required a herculean effort to turn around their fortunes. However, when speaking on commentary for talkSPORT, Murphy was astounded by what United players did after emerging from the tunnel. 

‘There’s a member of [Erik] ten Hag’s staff that’s run from the dugout to the corner flag where they come out here at Palace. He’s put three yellow cones down and three red about a yard apart.

‘As the players come out, he insisted that each one of them did a little short, fast burst of little short steps in between the three cones and then sprint off into the middle of the pitch.

Manchester United were thrashed 4-0 by Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Monday night

Erik ten Hag’s side suffered their 13th Premier League defeat of the campaign and fell to eighth in the table

‘Like that’s going to make any difference, look at them now standing around chatting because they’re out early. Those little six cones, I don’t know what his role is, maybe he’s a cone man rather than a set-play man but the reality is, this is how stupid football’s gone.

‘That they think those little six cones and those little short steps for a millisecond are going to make a difference to the mindset of those players. 

You do your own one, you’ve got your head right, you come out, you do some sprints, you do your little knees, you do whatever you want to do to get yourself ready. Doing that is… oh my god.’

The Red Devils had come out for the second period earlier than Palace and they could be seen wandering around the pitch waiting for their opponents to join them. 

Murphy believes there is little use to coming out ahead of time if the intention is not to better ready yourself for the contest. 

‘The reason you come out early is to get yourself ready and that means run around, do some sprints, get yourself angry, do whatever you need to do.’ He continued. 

‘Not stand around and chat sixty seconds after doing three little steps, the sports science coach or the fitness coach thinks, ‘I tell you what I’ll do, I’ll get them going, I’ll put three little cones down for when they come out, that’ll do it.’

‘It’s fine doing it to get yourself going but they went and stood around chatting for a minute after!’

Palace put another two goals past Andre Onana after the break, resulting in a bruising outcome that leaves them eighth in the Premier League and heaps more pressure of Ten Hag. 

Murphy was not the only pundit who had harsh words for the Dutchman and his team, as Jamie Carragher labeled United as ‘one of the worst coached teams in the Premier League’.

Michael Olise (right) was the star of the show with two fiercely struck drives that beat Andre Onana

‘Ten Hag needs performances, he needs belief. Carragher said on Sky Sports. ‘You’ve got to make us believe there’s something here. I struggled to see how United would win tonight.

‘No United team should be getting beat 4-0 by Palace. Man United’s U23 team, I’d still expect them not to lose 4-0.

‘I’ve never been a coach or a manager, but I’ve been a player and some of the things I see are just wrong.’