'Playing like a clown' - Former Aston Villa star rips into Allan Saint-Maximin's performance at Manchester United

Former Aston Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor has ripped into Allan Saint-Maximin’s performance against Manchester United – accusing him of “playing like a clown”.
Newcastle United star Allan Saint-Maximin in action against Manchester United. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)Newcastle United star Allan Saint-Maximin in action against Manchester United. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
Newcastle United star Allan Saint-Maximin in action against Manchester United. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

The skillful Frenchman, adored by Magpies fans, assisted Javier Manquillo’s equaliser at Old Trafford before Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer’s side ran riot in the closing stages.

Steve Bruce’s side are still searching for their first victory of the campaign and Agbonlahor believes Newcastle’s head coach would have been “pulling his hair out” over Saint-Maximin's “silly tricks”.

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That is despite Saint-Maximin continuing to be a standout performer in Bruce’s starting XI.

“Steve Bruce has attacking players in the team,” Agbonlahor, who played under Bruce at Villa Park, told Football Insider.

“When Saint-Maximin is running through in the first half and he does a flick when all he has to do is pass around his opponent, what else can Steve Bruce do?

“You’ve got Saint-Maximin playing like a clown, playing like he’s Neymar for PSG and they’re 6-0 up. It’s Man United.

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“I was so frustrated watching him thinking ‘What is this guy doing?’ All he has to do is take on another player and get a shot off. Instead, he does a stupid trick and gives the ball away.

“I bet Steve Bruce was pulling his hair out and is tired of repeating to him ‘Stop your silly tricks and just take people on with your pace. You don’t always have to try silly tricks’.”

The 24-year-old’s fitness is vital for Bruce, who is now without last season’s top scorer Callum Wilson until potentially late October with a thigh problem.