Wayne Rooney blasts 'schoolboy' Man Utd star as legend labels Bruno Fernandes comments ‘strange’

The United legend did not hold back when analysing the defensive frailties that led to a demoralising 2-0 defeat for Michael Carrick’s side at the MKM Stadium. Rooney was particularly incensed by Luke Shaw’s role in the second goal, highlighting how the defender's poor positioning played the entire Hull City frontline onside and effectively killed off any hopes of a United comeback.

Speaking on BBC’s Match of the Day, Rooney offered a scathing review of the incident, saying: "This is schoolboy defending from Luke Shaw. Man United had a good line, Hull would have been waiting for this all day, Luke Shaw drops in, he’s five yards behind his back line and if the ball is good enough, which it was, it’s impossible to stop.

"Hull had a gameplan, they were getting balls into the penalty box, picking up second balls and Man United found it very difficult."

Beyond the individual error from Shaw, Rooney expressed broader concerns regarding the lack of intensity shown by Carrick's men against a well-drilled Hull outfit. The Tigers took full advantage of United's lethargy, with Semi Ajayi and Nobel Mendy finding the net in the first half to secure a famous victory for the home side.

"I watched the AC Milan game last week and they [Hull] played the same system, they played with wing-backs and Man United really struggled to deal with that," Rooney continued. "Maybe Hull have seen that game last week and changed it and I think fair play if that’s the case because they looked a really good team today."

He added: "They sat in a mid block, didn’t get any pressure on the ball, I think they won two balls in Hull’s final third, there needs to be more energy in the press, how they go and win the ball back. Today was all too passive."

The post-match reaction from Fernandes also drew the ire of the club’s record goalscorer. The skipper had suggested that the team were repeating the same mistakes during away fixtures, a sentiment that Rooney found difficult to reconcile with the progress made under Carrick’s leadership last season.

"It’s a strange quote from Bruno [about United making the same mistakes away from home]," Rooney remarked. "I think for Manchester United now to build on what they did last season, since Michael went in they finished third in the Premier League and got Champions League football, to build on that you have to become a team who teams are scared of playing against."

The defeat leaves United with plenty of questions to answer as they prepare for their first home game of the new Premier League campaign. Carrick will be under pressure to rectify the defensive line issues and the lack of pressing energy that Rooney highlighted.