Manchester United still falling short and need to spend, says Dwight Yorke

Manchester United will need to invest in the summer if they want to emulate former sides, says Dwight Yorke.

Chris Brunt’s deflected free kick consigned Manchester United to a 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford on Saturday – their third reverse in succession.

Louis van Gaal has already spent a large amount of money at Old Trafford, including a British-record fee for Angel Di Maria, but former United striker Yorke believes his old club still has some way to go.

“It will take a few million, that’s for sure,” he told Saturday Night Football.

“Can you put a price tag on how much money they’re going to spend to make the team better? They’ve spent £150million, and has the team improved? Slightly, yes.

“I would think that he definitely needs to bring in two or three players, and I’m sure he knows the type of players.

“Not necessarily [another striker]. When you look at the quality of players they have going forward, that is the frustrating aspect of it, that we see all these talented players not being able to score goals on a regular basis. Not being able to create enough the Man Utd way going forward.

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“They’re dominating a football match in the way they are, usually they go on to win those games but they haven’t been able to convert that. That must be frustrating from the manager’s point of view, the players’ point of view, and the fans' point of view.

“It’s got to be heart-breaking to have another defeat on your hands when you dominate the game like they have.”

The hosts enjoyed almost 80 per cent of the possession against the Baggies and registered 26 attempts at goal, but Van Gaal’s men drew a blank for the third game in a row as they struggled to find their way past a resilient West Brom side.

United missed the chance to move second in the table and now sit just four points clear of fifth-placed Liverpool, and Yorke feels there is still some doubt over the quality of the squad.

“I’ve got to say it was rather disappointing,” he added.

“Man Utd didn’t have an answer in the end which is very surprising. Sometimes you have to ask the question: are these players good enough to be playing right now in this team?

“They had done a good job getting themselves into a very strong position, getting themselves into a Champions League place, that may still happen of course. But a great opportunity to go above Arsenal and City and they let that slip.”

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Robin van Persie missed the chance to level the scores after the hosts were awarded a penalty for handball by Saido Berahino, but West Brom goalkeeper Boaz Myhill turned away the Dutchman’s low spot kick.

It was Van Persie’s first start for United since February, and Thierry Henry sympathised with the striker’s plight.

“We’ve been there,” he said. “When you haven’t played for a very long time and you have a penalty, you kind of doubt it.”

Yorke said: “Is it the right call having Van Persie take that penalty? I mean he’s brave enough, we know how outrageous he is and he’s a very confident player.

“Is it the right call? Or should it be Wayne Rooney, as captain, as leader, should he have stood up and taken that penalty? Does it go to the guy who fancies it? Or to the guy who is coming back into the team?

“It goes to the guy who fancies it,” said Henry. “What you need to know is who was first in Van Gaal’s list.

“I don’t think it was a bad penalty, it was a brilliant save by Myhill.“