Liverpool legend Graeme Souness insists that Man Utd sold their best player 18 months ago while he disagrees with Paul Scholes about Kobbie Mainoo.

The Red Devils had an awful first season under Ruben Amorim with the Portuguese guiding them to a 15th-placed finish in the Premier League and a Europa League final, which ended in defeat to trophy-shy Tottenham.

Man Utdare having a better season in sixth position, although they are showing familiar inconsistencies with just seven wins in 16 Premier League matches.

They are just six points ahead of 15th-placed Brentford and Souness thinks Man Utd are still “average”, like last season, bar a few good signings in Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.

Souness told Sky Bet: “[Manchester United] are still average. Is it Ruben Amorim’s fault? Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo are good players, but the rest of them are an average lot, and I don’t see them getting to the top four, which they have to do.

“Manchester United, biggest club in our football, maybe the second, third biggest club in world football. But right now, they’re going through a difficult period.

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“But they need to get back into the Champions League for the obvious reasons – to generate more finance, to buy even better players, and to be attractive to the genuine big players that are out there that are up for grabs.”

Souness added: “What Ruben Amorim’s got with that group of players is he doesn’t know what he’s going to get from them.

“He doesn’t know what Manchester United he’s going to get, and that’s not a good place to be. You’re sitting there with a wing and a prayer – what are we going to get today? I hope everyone’s on it today.

“You can sit in your dressing room as a coach or manager and look at them before the game. You think, ‘They’re all in it today, we’re going to have a good day today’. And they go out and they’re not on it.

“Or it can be the other way around. You’re thinking in the dressing room at 10 to three, ‘Look at them, they’re quiet’ – and they go out and they’re on fire.

“So that’s the problem that Man United have right now. You don’t know what you’re getting from this group of players.”

Scott McTominay was sold by Man Utd to Napoli in the summer before Amorim arrived at Old Trafford and Souness reckons they sold their best player in the Scotland international.

Souness continued: “Bruno Fernandes is an outstanding creator. They’ve spent a lot of money on Ugarte and Casemiro, paying him a lot of money. I got much criticised for saying I thought he was an ordinary Joe when they signed him. I still see him as an ordinary Joe, a very steady player.

“They sold the best one – Scott McTominay. He was better than those two, and he’s just grown in his job since he’s been at Napoli. I understand why you would use Bruno as a six, but then you want to use him as a 10 as well. So, he has a license.

“He got a goal the other night [against Wolves] – he wasn’t playing as a six when he got his goal. I always thought a midfield player had to do a bit of everything – defensive work when needed, be creative when needed, and maybe chip in with a few goals.

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“That’s what Bruno’s doing right now. He is their go-to man. He’s easily their most talented player. But he has shortcomings. I still don’t like him waving his arms and telling other people what to do all the time. Slightly frustrating. I couldn’t have played with him if he was like that.”

Man Utd midfielder Mainoo could now be facing a similar exit to McTominay – who is loving life in Naples – with Amorim even claiming that he would be “really pleased” if the England international requested to leave.

Paul Scholes recently insisted that the “kid is being ruined” by Amorim with a number of former players critical of the Man Utd boss’ handling of Mainoo.

Souness disagrees, he said: “I’m not a fan [of Kobbie Mainoo] and I’d have to disagree with Paul on this. Paul was a Man United player of greatness, one of the greats.

“But if you look at [Adam] Wharton, there’s no comparison. Wharton understands that position. He understands when you haven’t got the ball what you have to do.

“Whereas Mainoo is a complete off-the-cuff player. Better on the ball, possibly, than Wharton. He’s got a trick and a cute pass, and he looks like he’s got the technique, but he doesn’t understand that central midfield position.

“If Paul Scholes were to have played against Mainoo, he would’ve had him on toast because he would never be where he should have been when Man United are out of possession.

“It looks like he’s never been coached to play as a central midfield player when you don’t have the ball. That’s what he looks like to me. I disagree with Paul on that, and I agree with most of the things he says, but on that one, I disagree.”

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