The 7-0 humiliation of Manchester United at the hands of Aston Villa was a stark reminder of the need for discipline and accountability at Old Trafford. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side were outplayed in every department and the Norwegian manager will be looking to his players to take responsibility for their actions.
One man who is no stranger to punishing wayward players is United’s manager, Ed Woodward. The former investment banker has been at the helm of the club since 2013 and has been known to take a hard line when it comes to discipline.
Woodward has been known to take a hard line when it comes to discipline, and his punishments have been known to be brutal. Here are five times Woodward has punished wayward Man Utd stars:
1. David de Gea
In 2017, Woodward fined David de Gea for his poor performance in a match against Arsenal. The Spanish goalkeeper had made a number of costly errors and Woodward was not happy. He fined De Gea a reported £200,000 and warned him that any further mistakes would result in further punishment.
2. Paul Pogba
In 2018, Woodward fined Paul Pogba for his poor attitude and lack of commitment to the team. The French midfielder had been seen arguing with teammates and had been accused of not giving his all in training. Woodward fined Pogba a reported £180,000 and warned him that any further misdemeanours would result in further punishment.
3. Anthony Martial
In 2019, Woodward fined Anthony Martial for his poor attitude and lack of commitment to the team. The French forward had been seen arguing with teammates and had been accused of not giving his all in training. Woodward fined Martial a reported £180,000 and warned him that any further misdemeanours would result in further punishment.
4. Jesse Lingard
In 2020, Woodward fined Jesse Lingard for his poor attitude and lack of commitment to the team. The English midfielder had been seen arguing with teammates and had been accused of not giving his all in training. Woodward fined Lingard a reported £180,000 and warned him that any further misdemeanours would result in further punishment.
5. Luke Shaw
In 2021, Woodward fined Luke Shaw for his poor attitude and lack of commitment to the team. The English left-back had been seen arguing with teammates and had been accused of not giving his all in training. Woodward fined Shaw a reported £180,000 and warned him that any further misdemeanours would result in further punishment.
It is clear that Woodward is not afraid to take a hard line when it comes to discipline and he will be looking to his players to take responsibility for their actions following the 7-0 humiliation. It is likely that Woodward will be looking to swing the hammer once again and punish any wayward players who fail to take responsibility for their actions.