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Manchester United’s record goal-scorer Wayne Rooney has fired shots at the Red Devils players as manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer comes under intense pressure to save his job. Liverpool’s 5-0 mauling at Old Trafford has prompted serious questions as to whether United are heading in the right direction, but Rooney has his own theory on where things are going wrong.
Rooney left United in 2017, two years before Solskjaer took charge of the club on a permanent basis.
While his tenure has been up and down, Sunday’s 5-0 thrashing at the hands of bitter rivals Liverpool represented a new low, and the fans were not shy in voicing their anger.
Mohamed Salah and his attacking side-kicks sliced open the United defence at will – and Paul Pogba was shown a red card to cap off a nightmare afternoon for Solskjaer and co.
Speculation on his future has been non-stop since, with esteemed managers like Antonio Conte and Zinedine Zidane being rumoured as potential successors.
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However, Rooney believes it is those on the pitch who should have a hard look at themselves before they visit Tottenham on Saturday as he leaped to Solskjaer’s defence.
“There is a big responsibility on those players. They are world-class players, international players and a club like United need more,” said the Derby County boss.
“Those players need to be hurt, need to feel when you lose games how much it hurts you.
“I’m seeing too many players not willing to run back, not willing to defend and not willing to put everything on the line for that club and that’s not acceptable.
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“Are you telling me that’s the manager’s fault or the players’ fault? I don’t know. The players have to question themselves.
“It’s too easy for the manager to take all the stick when those players are being paid a lot of money to do the job and I don’t think they’re doing it well enough.”
While United’s squad is rated among the Premier League’s best in terms of individual talent, Solskjaer’s tactics were criticised in light of Liverpool’s endless attacking joy on Sunday.
Rooney is one of Solskjaer’s former team-mates to divert the blame from him, but another in Gary Neville admitted he was left perplexed by the United boss’ decision-making against Liverpool during his commentary duties for Sky Sports.
“[Manchester] City can press, Liverpool can press. Manchester United are kidding themselves today that they are a pressing team. They are all over the place,” he ranted.
“The manager and his coaching staff have to take the blame for the pressing game today. Why would you do that? They are not a pressing team. They haven’t got it in them.
“If you are going to press, put in Lingard and the others who can run all day.”
Reports indicate that Solskjaer will be given the opportunity to coax a performance out of his players against Tottenham, although the pressure will not end there with tough fixtures against Atalanta and Manchester City soon to follow.
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