🎤 Wes Brown - Exclusive Interview with OLBG

Interview with Wes Brown September 2025

Speaking exclusively with OLBG, Manchester United legend Wes Brown has given his thoughts on a potential move to Old Trafford for Marc Guehi and how Alejandro Garnacho might get on at Chelsea.

The former England defender has also backed Michael Carrick for an Old Trafford return, thoughts on the Premier League and explained how Cristiano Ronaldo will only quit when his body gives up on him.

Is it good news for Liverpool’s rivals that they missed out on Marc Guehi?

“First of all, he's gotten better and better each season and sometimes he's not had the credit, maybe that’s because he is at Crystal Palace, but he's been in the England fold now for a long time and he keeps showing how good he is. 

“I think personally, he would have loved that move to Liverpool, no disrespect to Crystal Palace, but where Liverpool are at the moment, a very strong team, obviously winning the Premier League last year as well, it would have been something he really would have wanted to do.

“Would we like to take him (at Manchester United)? I would love to have him. I think anyone that can make your squad stronger… he's got great experience now as well.

“I think the challenges that are put to him, he deals with. If anything, it was a bad loss for Liverpool, but hopefully other teams will keep coming in for him. 

“It'll be an expensive move for him and you would have to have everything in order to be able to buy him because that's what his value is now. It's very high.”

Should Man Utd put a bid in for Marc Guehi?

“I don't see why not. I'm not sure if he's got a preferred team out of them. Who he would support, whether it's Liverpool or United in that sense. 

“He would cost a lot of money though, but it would be brilliant to see him in a Man United shirt. Like I said, I think he's done everything he's needed to do to prove to get to that top level. 

“Now he will probably himself individually, be looking at can he win stuff, can he be battling in Champions League, can he be battling for leagues, FA Cups.

“I think that's one thing, going ahead in his career now he'll be looking to be able to do.”

What does Benjamin Sesko need to do at Man Utd?

“There is pressure everywhere for Man Utd at the moment. Listen, I think he's been showing some good signs. I've noticed when Ruben Amorim does buy players, he doesn't throw them in straight away. 

“I would have loved to see him get thrown straight in, but that's not the way it works. And you can see he's got great qualities. He's a big tall lad, you can see he likes to get in behind. He looks very good in the air. 

“He just needs to score, you know, so hopefully that's what happens. I've watched most of the games, to be fair, and I think one thing that is better with creating a lot more chances, the thing is now we have to put it in the back of the net. 

Is it important that Benjamin Sesko doesn’t compare himself to Man Utd legends?

“Yeah, I think that's for other people to do. I think for him it's just about keeping his head down, concentrating on the job at hand and I think he will do very well.

“He'll just be putting in the work now to try and get to that point and he hopefully becomes a big part of the team along with the other new signings as well and they create lots of chances for him that he'll be looking to put him away. 

“He can only think that way, there's no point trying to sort of put yourself with anybody else at the moment because he's just joined.”

Is Bruno Fernandes having as big an impact in a deeper role?

“I love Bruno. Honestly, I know people that don't like Bruno as well. I absolutely love him. First of all, effort, you know, is the way he creates for the team. You can't fault that. 

“I also think the two players, with Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo that they brought in, are two guys that also can create. So Bruno's the one that can go a little bit deeper and still affect what goes on attacking wise. 

“Eventually the manager will find out what he thinks is best but I still think you have to play Cunha and Mbeumo a bit higher. 

“Mbeumo especially at the moment is showing that he's not stopped from the last couple of seasons, maybe three. Cunha's got a bit more zip to him, the way he holds the ball and can personally open some teams up.

“Bruno will be more than happy, he also will join in with the attack, but yeah, he will be more than happy playing his part for the team and being the captain that he is.”

Is keeping Bruno Fernandes the best bit of business for Man Utd?

“I think they offered so much money. It was all up to Bruno, if I'm being quite honest. But listen, he's still a young lad. He's Manchester United captain. His stats speak for themselves personally, and he will want to try and do as much as he can to sort of bring the good old days back. 

“I'm sure that some sort of offer will still be on the cards in the future. But for now, he's really trying to make Manchester United good again.”

Will Bruno Fernandes stay at Man Utd until he has won a major honour?

“He knows he's a big part of it and without him we would be ever further behind.

“He has understood the club since he set foot in it. He wants to do not just the best for himself but the team as well so I'm pretty sure we'll see Bruno for many years to come now especially after that offer from Saudi Arabia being turned down shows that he wants to be part of what the manager's trying to bring.”

Are you pleased to see Marcus Rashford making the move to Barcelona?

“Yeah, he said he needed a fresh start. He's been at the club since a young boy, been in the first team, maybe just about 10 years now. And if you look at any average player, it’s way less than that before they move on. 

“Obviously as a Manchester lad, you don't want him to go anywhere. For whatever reason, with the manager, they didn't see eye to eye. You could see he wanted to do something else, experience something else somewhere else. 

“He got a really good move to Barcelona and hopefully he can do well there. He's still in the England squad. I don't think anyone at Man Utd wish Marcus anything bad, they would just wish him the best. 

“Sometimes in football, sometimes your time's up at a club. Well, it happens to everyone eventually.”

Could Marcus Rashford get his break for Barcelona in the Champions League?

“They've got a good team, good attacking team anyway. It'll take time to really get going and start to understand the other players around him, but he's got the quality to do it. 

“He just has to get in the rhythm now where he's assisting, making things happen, scoring and I'm sure the fans will love him. The thing is, we all know he can do it.

How good was it to see Marcus Rashford scoring for England?

“He looked very confident. Again, he's a big part of the England squad and has been for many years. So he'll be happy with that. And when the smile comes back, everything's better.”

What have you made of Ruben Amorim’s comments with the media?

“I like it, he's been honest. We're watching the same game he does. And I'm guessing a lot of times, especially last season, things weren't going the right way and the players weren't doing what they were supposed to have done. 

“I think the big changes have happened, obviously, in the transfer window with players going out and some players coming in. If you would have asked me a month before, could we get all these players out? I would have probably said we'd struggle. We somehow managed to do that and there have been players he wants coming in as well. 

“Watching the first few games of this season. If you just watch the score, you might see something there, but if you watch closely, we've got a lot more. 

“We just need to put the ball in the back of the net, and I think that's been the same for every game, even the Grimsby game a little bit. 

“You can't fault Grimsby when you play a team in a lower division, they will put everything in and make it very hard. You've got to better that, simple as that. 

“They deserved to win on penalties, but at the same time, the team is playing a lot better.”

Shall Ruben Amorim stick with his system despite the 15th place finish?

“Everyone knows we need to see improvements. He knows that the system is what it is. He's not going to change that system. So it's for the players to adapt or for the players that he brings in understanding that. That's the way forward. 

“Obviously he's used it throughout his career, I think you can see it needs to become second nature. Players that have been in 4-4-2 or basically 4 at the back, they have to be able to adapt. 

“I played in that system a few times in my career. It takes a while because all of a sudden you think you're in the right position and you're not. It's because you're not used to it from playing as a kid or you just don't do it automatically. 

“Listen, that's the key. Everybody knows basically what the jobs are, where to be on the pitch, where to be in reference to where the opponents are, you have to adapt somehow. 

Should Man Utd have got a deal for Emiliano Martinez over the line?

“He's very good and he's been good in the Premier League for Aston Villa and I'm not quite sure why that didn't happen but I think the manager decided he needed a new keeper and there were just too many mistakes.

“I'm sure we'll find out one day why that didn't happen but we've got a keeper now (in Senne Lammens). Again he isn't Premier League proven and we just hope he gets off to a good start because I'm pretty sure he will be straight into the fold.”

Should Senne Lammens go straight into the starting XI for Man Utd?

“I think sometimes in football you get chances and you have to be able to take the chance and I think they've had more than enough chances to do that, to really be solid. 

“As a defender, to have a goalkeeper that's solid behind you is very important and the manager thought that we needed to change that and obviously brought Senne Lammens in so again we've not seen him play yet.

“We can only comment after we've seen him for a few games. But hopefully he just brings a bit of stability to the team and does the basics correctly.”

Will it be hard for Andre Onana to come back in at Man Utd after his loan?

“He's a great lad, honestly. Dead nice and you wish the best on his loan spell. I think it's more maybe mentally as well. But if he can have a good loan spell, you know, he can maybe put himself back up for when he does come back. 

“But it's been a tough time for him and for any footballer in any position going through that. Believe me, it'd be hard to deal with. He's ended up obviously going out on loan and we just hope he gets good consistency now. 

“He will be back and hopefully fighting for that place again. But like I said, for us to be where we want to be, we can't be making those mistakes week in, week out, and that's what it comes down to.”

How tough will it be for Kobbie Mainoo to get into the Man Utd XI?

“Yeah, it is tough and I'm pretty sure, well, I'm hoping that Kobbie and the manager have had talks regarding what he wants from him. I think that's very important. 

“It's now about Kobbie getting his head down and doing whatever he can. We all know how good he is as fans and his technical ability, not even his ball skills, but creating his own chances. 

“He's a very good young player and you want to see those players coming in at Manchester United. But for whatever reason, he hasn't been getting game time. 

“So it's about him trying to do as much as he can now on a training pitch. Not falling out with the manager. It's more trying to do what the manager wants from you. 

“It's difficult and he's not done anything wrong. So it'll be hard for him to understand as well. And all he will want to do at this age is play football.

“So you can understand everything that he's going through and thinking about. So again, hopefully we see him more, but it'll be tough if that's the case to get in the side if it's just against Bruno. That's the problem.”

Is it up to Ruben Amorim to get Kobbie Mainoo into the Man Utd XI?

“Yeah, I mean, listen, if I wasn't playing for a long, long period, you would think the same thing. You just want to play. He wants to be playing for Man United. 

“He wants to be back in the England squad playing for England when the squad comes out. And it's hard when you're not playing because you need the game time. You need to be match fitness and mentally right as well. 

“For such a talent at a young age, it will be hard for him. We'll have to see where it goes. He loves Manchester United, but at the same time, he will want to play. 

“It's as simple as that, and hopefully as the games go on, we do see more of him.”

Are players now less content to sit on the bench at Man Utd than they were? Louis Saha thinks so

“I'd say it's a little bit different. I love Lou Lou, man. Lou Lou, I miss him. Do you know how good Louis Saha was? He was good. And do you know, he was stopping him from getting in the team, somebody better. 

“So there's a respect thing there. I don't think we're quite at that point yet at Man United. When Louis played, honestly, he was probably one of the hardest to mark in training. 

“He could do everything, he could jump, bring the ball down on his chest, shoot off his right, shoot off his left, fast, strong. He was up there. 

“You can ask any other lads that as well. Obviously, he didn't play as much because you've got Cristiano Ronaldo, you've got Carlos Tevez, you've got Wayne Rooney. These are top class players. 

“I think at that stage, when you came to Man United, you understood that you have to work to get in the team. You have to play out your skin a little bit so I can completely understand him saying that. 

“But at the same time, if the team weren't playing well, he would have wanted to play.”

Where do you stand on the Wayne Rooney vs Michael Owen debate?

“I used to go to school with Michael Owen. I went to the national school from the age of 14 to 16. So me and him would battle it every day. And he was honestly the fastest thing you've ever seen. 

“He obviously went straight in at Liverpool and was scoring from day one. Again, I would always say that they are different players. 

“I mean, if you talk about a goal scorer, I'd go for Michael Owen at that age. Definitely, he's on the end of everything, he's in the box. You play him the free ball and he scores. 

“Wayne Rooney could pick the ball up from the half way and still do things that you shouldn't be able to do at that age. So they were a little bit different. But it's a great comparison. 

“We're talking about two lads. I think Michael Owen did probably score more at 17, 18. But which one would you pick? I have no clue. It would be very difficult. 

“Wayne Rooney is doing things with the ball, strength-wise, every attribute to the game that you shouldn't probably be doing at that age. Michael Owen was probably the quickest thing I've seen, if you're in the wrong position, he's in. 

Can Alejandro Garnacho go and thrive at Chelsea?

“Chelsea have gone a different way about signing players and he'll believe he can get in the team and play. I mean, we've always loved Alejandro Garnacho from the youth team days.

“With social media now you can watch these games whenever you want and he's been absolutely brilliant. He got into the first team very young, was exciting, and played a lot of games. 

“There were probably some games he shouldn't have played but he needed him and there was no one else really to put in. He's done some really good things, he won two cups with the team but for whatever reason he fell out with the manager.

“The manager's at this stage where he's changing the team, he's trying to bring his players in, and if you're not with him, you're not with him. Garnacho will still flourish, I think. 

“He'll still do what he does and he'll get better and better as well because he's still only young, he's still got a lot to learn. It's just a shame when you do come through the youth team and you fall out in that sort of way. 

“But again, that's football. Nothing really surprises me.”

How important are the Man City and Chelsea fixtures for Ruben Amorim?

“It’s about points. Performances? listen, if we play well, that's fair enough, if we were to get beat. Fair enough, it's another step. But at the same time, you do have to think about points and getting points on the board. 

“We would always discuss this and I'd argue with my mates. They say they want to watch beautiful football. For me, three points every weekend and I'll be happy. 

“Can you grind it out? Can you battle? Can you scrape a 1-0, a 2-1, whatever?

“I think that's what we need to start doing. If we start doing that, good football comes hand in hand with how we play.”

Which Man Utd legends would you love to see back coaching at the club?

“I'd love to see Michael Carrick back. I think he did a really good job with the team he had at Middlesbrough. I still see him every now and again and I think he's got the head for it. 

“He has composure and was a great footballer who understands the game. So that'll be nice to see. 

“Edwin van der Sar, what a guy. He'll be looking to do something different as well now, but honestly, in my point of view, it would be nice to see Michael Carrick and see what he would be able to do.”

If Cristiano Ronaldo scores 1000 goals and wins the World Cup – is he the greatest ever?

“He is like Superman and he just doesn't stop. He doesn't break and he's achieving something that he's always wanted to do. 

“He's got the right mindset for it and he'll keep on going until he breaks down basically. Yes, the goals are not as quick and as fast nowadays, but he still scores. 

“He's still better than a lot of the strikers out there. Is he in his prime? No. But for him, luckily he's got that aura to keep going as well and he won't give up. He'll still believe he can score every game he goes into.”

What was it like coming up against Lionel Messi as a defender?

“I've played against Lionel Messi a couple of times. He didn't score, by the way. But yeah, one of my jobs was to actually man mark him and which was no problem. 

“At the same time I always remembered, do not dive in. There were a few times, and I like to tackle, where I'm pretty sure I'm going to win the ball and I don't quite slide and he just, at full speed moves at a different angle.

“His intelligence is second to none and you really have to concentrate in games like that. These are the two guys with a completely different talent. It's very easy for them and they've shown what they can do over many years now.

“When people say they don't like Messi or they don't like Ronaldo, I just think, please, you name me another striker who has played in the last 10 years, that's better than them, I'm talking about your favourite striker. They don't compare to these two guys.

“I'm just happy they're still both playing and I can still watch the brilliance in them.”

Is there still a big debate over Thomas Tuchel as England manager?

“He's been given a good squad. I think the most important thing is that the boys know each other. They know they've been through in the past as well, but they've nearly got to that point, that epic point of winning a major trophy. 

“He has just got to bring it all together now and is trying to keep that flowing and obviously still bringing in his own thoughts and stuff. So I think he's experienced enough to be able to do that. Hopefully, we should see something happen in the next two to four years.”

Would winning the World Cup mean less now Gareth Southgate has moved on?

“I think the fans will be buzzing. I think we all will, what he needs to do is obviously get to that point like under Gareth Southgate and put this unbelievable, talented, young team together with a few older heads. 

“It just sort of worked, but for whatever reason we just couldn't quite get over the line. I think he just needs to be able to tweak that now, it could be mentally, I don't think it's necessarily football ability. 

“We just need to be able to mentally be able to demand a victory, knowing what they can do and how we go about it because we, in my eyes, we've all watched it. 

“We should have maybe won one by now. Yes, we have been a little bit unlucky, but we've somehow got to get over that and it's his job now to be able to do that.”

Is the 2026 World Cup the last big opportunity of this England era?

“Maybe it is. In my era, we should have done better. It's as simple as that with the talented players. But I think this team does gel better in general, they all know each other and they'll understand that it's about winning something now. They've got to the point where they're good enough.

“It's just getting over that line. For the manager, that's his job to be able to help in that as well and assist that. Can we create this buzz where everybody feels the same?”

Do Liverpool have a chance of doing the Treble this season?

“Yeah, they are by far the team to beat this year. Coming off last year, buying in even better players for the squad as well. This is the team to beat. 

“It's up to them now really and whether they've got the mentality to be able to do it. The managers came in and inherited this great bond in the team, great players, good characters, leaders. 

“Now it's about bringing it all in together. It's tough to win the Premier League. It's tough to win the double and it's even harder to go even better than that. 

“It is in their hands and we'll have to see how the season plays out but they definitely seem the team to beat.”

Premier League Winners Betting Odds

These are the current odds for the top contenders - This table will disappear when odds are not available

Liverpool were strong and made themselves stronger – is that like the prime Man Utd?

“Yes. That's what it's about, you obviously still want to dominate in the domestic league but then it's about taking it further and trying to create something in the Champions League as well, it's as simple as that. 

“That's the height of club level and for Liverpool, that's what they'll be thinking. It's too early to think like that but if they can keep picking up points in the Premier League, it all bonds together and then it's all about how well they do in the Champions League.”

Is Harry Kane the greatest English striker in history?

“Football-wise, scoring-wise, you've got to Harry Kane. I think, first of all, he's been a total professional throughout his career. His England career has gotten better and better. 

“He's been able to keep himself fit, still getting the team. And he's one of those people that scores goals. He's in the right position. He's adapted his game as well a little bit as the years have gone on. His hold-up play is excellent and completely deserves every credit he gets.

“Would you say he's the most idolised England player? Probably not, but for what he does, you've got to put him in the mix of one of the best players to ever play.”

What is different about Harry Kane on the pitch?

“He's actually elbowed me as well before giving me a black eye. It was an accident and if it wasn't him I probably would have tried to get him back. 

“People ask me what's he like to play against and it's difficult because you can have a harder game against somebody else if that makes sense runs and you know always going up for headers and battling but Harry Kane's not necessarily like that.

“He's very clever and he only needs one opportunity to be in the right spot to score and he will be there if you're not. So you might not think you've had a hard game, but he’s scored two. So you don't understand. 

“That's because he's intelligent and he knows where to be when the ball's coming in the box and the timing of his runs as well. I don't think there's many people better than him.”

Is this the year for Harry Kane to win the Champions League?

“Harry Kane is going to score so as long as they can keep it tight, we know how Bayern in the last few years are always there or thereabouts and it's just about them beating those bigger games.

“I would be thinking in the later stages of the season, can they come together? But I'm pretty sure Harry Kane will understand that years are running out and this is a good opportunity for that team, especially to go a little bit further with him in the side.”

Would you be backing Harry Kane to score against Chelsea?

“I still would say Bayern are still favourites for that game. Chelsea obviously have great players, but I would see Bayern as more of a complete team at the moment, who know exactly what they're doing. 

“So he'll be happy with that. And like you said, he's got a good record against them.”

More questions for Wes, including his Best Premier League Defender Ever, Best Strikers Faced and All Time Premier League XI can be seen on the OLBG TikTok page.

Interview with Wes Brown December 2023

We’ll start with Man United who always seems to be in the news lately, which comes with being one of the biggest teams in the world, why do you think we are seeing such varied performances on the pitch from the team?

There have been a lot of highs and lows in these games and they've done really well at times and got good results. But then there's been games where we've not done well and been very poor. There's been a lot of ups and downs. We haven’t had the best luck with injuries and I feel that's a big disappointment, we've had people out for a long time and that’s probably led to consistency problems. 

We've never really got a good rhythm going. We've not performed brilliantly every week, or nearly enough times and I think that's been the most disappointing thing. We'll have the odd half here and there where you can see what sort of ability we have as a team and individuals, but we don't seem to be able to show that week in, week out. 

Would you say there is a mentality problem at Manchester United as it’s clear that the players are talented and can perform to a higher level?

I don't think anyone knows football. It's a game where confidence is key. When you're high on confidence, everything goes right for you, and when you're not, it can be a very tough sport to play. I think it's one that United players need to get over and just get on with playing through this period. I’ve always felt that confidence is a very big part of football. But we can’t seem to get everyone playing well at the same time. We've had individual signs of brilliance at times but we've not got it going as a team yet week in, week out. 

But we've just got to keep on going and eventually, it will come good. They've got to learn to keep on going, to get through games and win, and put games behind them that they've not done well in and just continue forward.

How would you and other senior members of the United dressing room deal with petulance from Bruno Fernandes, and is he the right captain for the club?

I think Bruno, ever since he signed, he's always been a fiery character. There are a few players like that, Garnacho's the same. Bruno’s the captain, he's one of the players that you can see week in, week out, working really hard to improve himself and the team. With the performances and the results lately, as captain, you're not going to be happy, you're going to be disappointed. Bruno shows his disappointment on the pitch. 

Can Bruno Fernanded ever reach the heights of Roy Keane as Captain?

People and pundits saying that he's getting a yellow to miss a game I think is very low. He's a professional, he's the captain of the team and he's trying to lead by example in these tough times. That's just paper talk, it was a silly yellow, but sometimes in a game you're not necessarily thinking about that. I’ve liked Bruno ever since he signed, he's broken some fantastic records, he gives it his all and never lacks passion for the club.

Is Bruno just showing that he cares?

From day one, Bruno has always cared. He wants to do well and he shows that on the pitch wearing his heart on his sleeve. Being the captain, he's the guy who has to do every interview afterwards and you can see, he knows we're not playing well. He's disappointed, he doesn't want it to be like this, he will do everything he can to keep it from going on any longer and do all he can to keep the lads going and get them back to playing well. 

One player who has been a positive is Garnacho, what do you think of him as a prospect going forward?

I think since he's come on the scene he's done extremely well. He's a young player that is developing well. I think everyone can see that he's very talented and I think you're going to see more great things from Garnacho in the future. Last season he was coming on as a really good sub, but ut I think he's solidified his place now in the starting 11. 

The manager definitely trusts him which is the key, you can see that in the way he plays, in his determination, and he has plenty of confidence. I think he's going to be a great player as he develops further, United’s opponents will be really worried about him in the future if not already.

Was Garnacho’s overhead kick better than Rooney’s? I believe you were on the bench on that day at Old Trafford.

Ronney still holds the better bicycle kick over Garnacho according to Brown

It was very good. If you look at both of them, the only thing that would sway me towards Rooney’s is the occasion, that’s the only difference in my eyes. That technique is something you can try every day and never get right.  Both goals are brilliant, I don't want to take anything away from Garnacho’s goal. But to even try it, shows the confidence that he has in his own ability, he's willing to try these things and I think it's really good to see from a young player at a big club.

Kobbie Mainoo has also been a great addition to United this season, how good do you think he could be considering how he’s played so far with the unrest among United at the moment?

Kobbie Mainoo is absolutely brilliant. He was really good in the youth team and he had a really good start in pre-season, then unfortunately he got injured. I think you can see with the ability that he has, plus the manager really likes him so I think regardless of who's in the team, he will start to feature more often in games. 

You can see his potential, he's not scared to get on the ball and always looks to progress the ball forward. Football seems to come very easy to him regardless of the players around him, he stays composed and patient to get out of situations. I just hope he can stay fit and show more of what he has to offer United.

He’s still learning as a young player but I think with the talent that he has, he still will be knocking on the door regardless of whether everyone is fit in his position. He's only played a few games and it's easy to see that he's potentially going to be a great player.

Will Kobbee Mainoo decide to play for England in the future? 

I've never spoken to Kobbee, but that's a decision for him and his family. But it would be great to see him playing for England, I think he's a great player. At the moment though, he's doing exactly what he needs to do. Having played for England myself, I'd love to see him in an England shirt.

Now in slightly less positive news, Rashford has been one of Man United’s key players over the past few years but he has been struggling to fire recently and his attitude has also come into question most recently by Rio Ferdinand, do you think he can bounce back or could he do with fresh start elsewhere?Ferdinand has found criticism of Rashford of lateMarcus has been brilliant for us over the years that he's played but he has struggled a little bit this season with confidence and performances, but Marcus is Manchester United. He won't be happy with what's happening at the moment on the pitch and he'll want to get everything back to normal as soon as possible. A lot of people are very quick to write him off, he's still young, he's still talented and he has a lot to offer this team. 

Last season, he was fantastic, as for this season, he's hit a bit of a rocky patch. He should just train hard, get back into the team and try to start performing again, scoring goals. He will absolutely come back from this, I think over the next few weeks, we will see a fresh and brand-new Marcus Rashford. 

How do you reflect on Man United Champions League campaign?

United’s Champions League campaign was extremely disappointing, we've just conceded too many goals. But we scored quite a lot, 15 in total, but we've let in far too many. The table doesn't lie in the Champions League, we played well at times and scored goals but dropped leads away from home. It's a different breed of teams in the Champions League and you have to be on it for 90 minutes every game, we have slacked off at times and we've been a few minutes away from picking up points. It wasn't the worst performance from United against Bayern Munich but ultimately, we just didn't do enough to win that game which was required to keep us in Europe.  

They have to pick themselves up from this and it could turn out to be a blessing in disguise. We have to focus on the Premier League and the FA Cup now and try our best to be competitive in these competitions. 

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Gary Neville said this week that ‘sacking Ten Hag would be absolute nonsense’ Do you agree with him and do you think Ten Hag is the right man for the job?

Erik Ten Hag came in and it was always going to be tough. The players have to get behind him and listen to everything he has to say. When the transfer window opens again, the club have to get behind him, and I think they will. I don't think it's ever easy being the manager of Man United. The expectations are so high with obviously what they've achieved in the past and everybody expects them to be challenging for the league and winning trophies. I do like the manager. I do like what he's trying to do and how he's trying to get the players sorted mentally and get them playing. Ten Hag seems like the sort of person who's going to stick to his guns and he’s going to try to get everybody on board. 

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United have one of the biggest games of their season coming up this weekend away at Liverpool, they really struggled at Anfield last season, what do United have to do this weekend to get a positive result? 

Play brilliantly, of course!

Liverpool have turned us over a few times now, for me as a player, this was the first game I'd look for in the fixtures to see when it was. A game like this can define a season. No one believes that we can win this game at Anfield, we're not playing brilliantly at the moment, so the pressure is on Liverpool. But we have to turn up, we have to show a lot of courage. We have to be brave because if you can play half-decent at Anfield, anything can happen. You can get results, you can get into positive areas of the pitch and cause them problems. But we have to put in a great team performance.

The crowd are going to be loud and we're going to have to handle that aspect of the game. United have to forget about the last game at Anfield, they need to really focus on this one football match and give it their all. It could be a great opportunity for the lads to turn their whole season around. 

Are you surprised by Maguire'’s revival? He’s been really important for United lately and won Player of the Month, was his underperformance over-highlighted and is Man United’s first-choice centre-back?

Image: shutterstockHarry is a top professional, but he's had loads of stick, he's probably got more than you normally do when you're going through a tough time in your career. He's been absolutely brilliant in the way he's carried on working. His mental strength is good, the game is much different now since the introduction of the social media. I wouldn't have read it, but players do now, and I imagine it gets to them at times. I think with Maguire I admire the way he's just got his head down and stuck to his guns. He wasn't starting at the beginning of the season, but he got an opportunity due to injuries and performed well enough that the manager's has got to keep him in now. 

That’s all you can ask for from a football player he has to try and mentally block out the noise and just play his game, show everyone his ability. He's been really good and deserved to be player of the month. He’s got his form back now and hopefully, for United, the injury he picked up against Bayern isn’t too bad. 

What do you think of Man United’s full-back options? Do you think they are of the quality that United need or do you think they should strengthen in this area?

Everyone's injured. Shaw came off yesterday, which was a big disappointment. I always say the manager has always got his starting 11in his head as long as everybody is fit. But when people get injured or ill, it's an opportunity for somebody else to step up and grab their chance. That's how I always would treat things with United’s full-backs. Liverpool are very good in wide areas, they cause lots of problems. Salah doesn't necessarily have to be in the game for the full 90 minutes, but he could easily score two in the last 10 minutes. He's got that quality. He has a great understanding of the game and is a great finisher. So our full-backs will be important players for us on Sunday they will have to be on it from the first minute.

Whether it's Wan-Bissaka or Dalot who plays we'll have to see, or maybe both, because there are even more injuries now to United’s defensive line. We just have to deal with them, play well and try and get one over on them in their own backyard. We all have to first stick together and play well as a team and then anything can happen. That's why we love football.

Where can you see them finishing in the league this season?

I said we’d finish top four last year and I got laughed at for a while. We have the quality in the team and I don't think we've played brilliantly at all yet this season. But we're not too far behind a lot of the teams in the top four. So if we can start playing better and putting together consistent performances and results, which I know we can do, we will make that top four. 

We did it last year when a lot of people doubted us and we can easily do it again, but it's going to be tough. This season there are teams now that have matured, you have staples like Arsenal and Man City that you would have expected to be up there, but Aston Villa and Newcastle are now challenging as well.

There are five or six teams now that are really pushing for that top four. So I think it's going to be hard for us to make the cut, but, I do feel that we've got a run in us where we can keep on winning and picking up points as we get better throughout the season, so I back United to make the top four. 

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Where do Man United need to strengthen in January?

If it was up to me, one in each position. 

When the transfer window opens again, the club have to get behind the manager, and I think they will.

The United injuries aren’t ideal but there are lots of teams with injuries,  you just have to handle it. There's not much you can do. At the beginning of the season, it’s not something you can predict so management doesn't think about it too much because everyone's fit and ready to go. 

You have to get players that probably don't play week in, week out up to speed and that's all you can do as a manager. Players want to play every game so when you get these opportunities, you have to try and do well to show the manager that you deserve to be in a starting 11. 

I think Scott McTominay is probably one who's done that with the injuries that have been to the midfield. 

He's come in and played brilliantly for us, as a player that might not have had that many opportunities if everyone was fit. So we need the players that haven't been playing to step up. They're all Manchester United players and like I said, it could be the turning point in their season or career that if they play really well, they can only make it hard for the manager to leave them out. I've been a substitute many times and you just have to perform when you get the chance.

Prediction for Sunday’s game against Liverpool

First of all, we need to step up to the plate, then get at Liverpool and cause them problems. We've got to be defensively solid and keep that in mind at all times. I think it'll be a closer game than pundits will suggest, and I'm going to go with a cheeky 1-0 United win, a hit-and-run. 

Sunderland

 Image: The JPS / wikipedia 

What do you make to Sunderland's start to the season (currently in the playoffs) - do you think Mowbray was unlucky to lose his job?

Mowbray was my manager once, he was my manager at Blackburn, and he was very good. He gets the players really up for games and gets them going. I think with Sunderland being a big club, their expectation is to be in the playoffs at the end of the season and in touch with automatic promotion. Mowbray has just been a little bit unlucky, but, that's football, it happens all the time. 

More often than not, if the owners or management feel like it's not happening or won’t happen by the end of the season, they go and try something else. To get into the Premier League is Sunderland’s goal and they’ll always want to be fighting to get back there. But I think he's a great manager for Sunderland and he's done a really good job while he's been there. 

Tony Mowbray managed Brown at Blackburn
Image: PA

Will Still is now the bookies' favourite to land the Sunderland job, would you be a fan of this appointment?

Sunderland have always swapped and changed managers, especially even when I was there, and I think they need to find the right balance. I think they need a manager now, that works for everyone, the players and the club, and a little bit of luck is always needed to get promoted.

They need a manager who understands how big of a club it is and where they want to be in the next two, or three years. They want to do their best to try and get back in the Premier League and it takes time and it's hard. I think he would be a good fit and I just hope he does a good job. 

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Sunderland has drawn Newcastle in the FA Cup- You played in three Tyne-Wear derbies winning two of them, what does it mean to to the players? 

I can smile thinking about these games because I didn't lose that many when I was there and believe me, it's a crazy game, it's a great draw for the fans, and it's amazing for both clubs. It’s going to be a very difficult game with the team that Newcastle have now, but it'll bring a lot of excitement to the area and it is the FA Cup so you never know who could end up winning. But it’s definitely a game that the Sunderland fans are going to love and be excited for.

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Blackburn 

Ronnie Macdonald from Chelmsford, UK/via Wikimedia Commons

During your time at Blackburn, you played with two keepers who are now Premier League regulars Jason Steele and David Raya, did you see the potential in them both even back then?

I told them both at the time how good they were, Jason Steele was number one and David Raya was number two and they were both very good. David came in and played a few games and did well. I always thought that they were both great keepers with bright futures. It was a shame that one had to be number one and the other number two because they were both so good. 

They've both moved on now and gone on and done better things becoming regulars in the Premier League. David is now at Arsenal and Jason is at Brighton, with keepers, there are always going to be ups and downs, but you could see potential there in them both.

What do you think about the Raya vs Ramsdale debate, they are both good keepers who seem to be struggling for form, who do you think is better?

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has made his own keeping issues bringing Raya in
Credit: MDI / Shutterstock.comArteta brought David in, but as you've seen, there have been difficult performances over the last few months that they've both had. I think it's still up for debate, if Ramsdale gets a really good opportunity again, he's also got a chance to stay back in.

But I'm going to stick with ex-teammate David Raya, I fancy him to become the permanent number one, the manager definitely believes in him. Arteta brought him in and I think will probably stick with him now. I think the goalkeeper position is always difficult because one mistake can completely change how people look at a keeper. I've known him since he was very young and he's got the potential to be an unbelievable goalkeeper. 

Manager Questions

Do you think opportunities are limited in football for BAME managers? Only 11 in the history of the Premier League. Would you ever consider coaching or management?

I wouldn't, no. I don't think it's for everyone. 

There have been eleven BAME managers, I mean it is what it is. If you're a coach you start out like anybody else, whether it's lower leagues, non-league, or even further down. I think first of all you have to do well and get results. I think there will be more and more BAME managers as time goes on. Everybody gets an opportunity, and it's all about how you do, how you get your team to play well, and get results at any level. But ultimately I don't see a problem with it. We've had some great BAME coaches along the way that I know really well. It's just one of them things. 

If you're a good coach, you work hard, you get opportunities, then you try to get and keep jobs and I'm sure the number will continue to increase. 

Your old teammate Wayne Rooney is now managing Birmingham City, it's been a tough start for him admittedly but do you think he has what it takes to turn their form around? 

Rooney just loves football and coming in when he did with the run Birmingham were on, it was always going to be hard. He will get it, and he will turn their form around, it's going to be a challenge but he's not the type of person who gives up. Rooney eats, sleeps, and drinks football and once they start picking up a few results, he'll turn it around and do well. 

It was always going to be hard for him to come in, especially when John Eustace was doing a good job and was unlucky to lose his job. I think Birmingham wanted Wayne’s winning experience and brought him in, he's just got to keep on going and the results will come.

After a tough start to the season, Michael Carrick has got Middlesbrough in a much better spot now and he had a great year there last year, what do you think of Carrick as a manager?

I like what Carrick is doing, I spoke to him a good few months ago, when they were struggling a little bit to pick up points. He was telling me that at that moment with injuries, they were playing a lot of young lads, but the young players would come good. They just needed time, and a little bit of experience, I think you can see that showing now. But he's a great manager and has stuck by his guns, and now it's starting to show with the results that Middlesbrough are getting I’m sure they’ll keep moving up the league.