Roy Keane delivered a scathing verdict on Thomas Frank’s side following their performance against Burnley.

Roy Keane pulled no punches in his verdict on Thomas Frank’s side after their showing against Burnley, delivering the kind of blunt assessment that immediately set tongues wagging among fans and pundits. True to his reputation, the former Manchester United captain took aim at the team’s mindset, decision-making, and intensity, arguing that the performance was well below the standards expected at the highest level.

Reacting after the final whistle, Keane noted that although Frank has rightly received praise in recent years for building a well-drilled and united squad, this display was worrying. He felt the clash with Burnley presented a chance to take control and lay down a marker against an inconsistent opponent. Instead, Keane argued, Frank’s side gave Burnley too much freedom, showed a lack of bite in decisive moments, and failed to assert themselves when it counted.

A major focus of Keane’s criticism was the team’s work without the ball. He pointed to sluggish pressing and poor tracking of runners, saying Burnley were allowed an uncomfortably easy afternoon. In his view, that pointed not only to shortcomings from the players, but also to the standards being enforced on the touchline. Keane emphasized that elite managers demand relentless intensity from start to finish, no matter the opponent, and that any drop-off is quickly punished in the Premier League.

Keane also took issue with the game management at key stages. He felt substitutions were delayed and ultimately ineffective, doing little to shift the balance as Burnley grew in belief. For him, it underlined how small decisions can swing matches, and how caution or indecision is rarely forgiven at this level.

That said, Keane was careful to credit Frank for his overall body of work and acknowledged how unforgiving the Premier League can be. One poor outing, he admitted, does not define a manager. Still, he warned that if performances like this become a pattern, they risk undoing much of the progress made, stressing that mentality and consistency are what separate teams that merely survive from those that truly move forward.