15 October 2023 , 12:36
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Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has been blasted for his handling of Hannibal Mejbri this season and accused of favouring the club's 'bigger' names.
The Red Devils talent has enjoyed some positive performances for United so far this term but has struggled to nail down a regular starting spot within the midfield. Mejbri's stock has risen considerably since the start of last season after an impressive loan spell at Birmingham City and appearing at the World Cup for Tunisia.
With four outings for United under his belt this campaign as well as a first Premier League goal during the loss against Brighton, Hannibal is slowly establishing himself at Old Trafford. However, his development has stalled slightly in recent weeks, having been an unused substitute in the last two league games.
Former Tottenham Hotspur boss Tim Sherwood has not held back in his assessment of Ten Hag's decision to leave Hannibal on the bench. He told Sky Sports: "He [Ten Hag] seems to pick superstars. £50m, £70m, £100m players – he throws them onto the pitch and hopes one of them does something to get him out the mire.
"That is what has happened. He’s had to go to a kid in the academy to do that for him now. Hannibal got into that side. Say what you want about him and people will say, ‘He’s not a £100m player, he’s not this or that’ – but he went to Birmingham, worked hard on loan there, he came back and for me, he was Man of the Match in a couple games.
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"But as soon as someone else is fit, he is out the door. Sit on the bench, son. Someone else comes in and strolls around the pitch, doesn’t want to run around or get the ball back. It’s up to the manager to put the cocktail together."
For all of the praise Sherwood had for Mejbri, it hasn't always been smooth sailing for the Tunisian international. The 20-year-old was actually embroiled in a heated training ground bust-up with Alex Telles at the back end of the 2021/22 campaign.
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Hannibal Mejbri has been in and out of the United side so far this season (Getty Images)In the aftermath of the humiliating 4-0 defeat by Brighton in May 2022, then-interim boss Ralf Rangnick was forced to end a training session early such was the serious nature of Mejbri's scrap with Telles.
While tempers flaring on the training ground is hardly uncommon, it is believed that the rest of the United players were left stunned by just how furious the altercation was. Mejbri is clearly not one to back down when faced with a fight.
If channelled correctly, it will be that kind of attitude and spirit that will see him force Ten Hag's hand and leave the United boss with little choice but to put Mejbri in the starting line-up and keep him there.