Wayne Rooney has launched his fiercest attack since retiring, turning his fire on Manchester United's current players. The club's all-time top scorer branded them "selfish" and claimed they behave "like children", responding to the controversial comments captain Bruno Fernandes made after the humiliating defeat to Como.
United had collapsed in Italy. A harsh 4-1 defeat to Como on Wednesday in the Champions League saw the gap reduced only by a late consolation from Joshua Zirkzee in stoppage time.
Fernandes dropped a bombshell after the match, publicly criticising the coaching staff's tactics. He insisted the team failed to press and entered a state of "surrender" after conceding in the second minute, piling yet more pressure on interim manager Michael Carrick.
Rooney hit back hard. Speaking to the "United Stand" podcast on Thursday, he said: "When Martinez spoke out, I said this is a real nightmare because it will destroy the dressing room. That was the beginning. We have now seen it with Bruno, and we will see it with more players because they do not want to take responsibility."
The Old Trafford legend added: "You can judge what Bruno said, whether it is right or wrong, but you have to take responsibility on the pitch. These players are selfish, they do not care about their teammates, nor the manager, nor the coaching staff, nor the fans. All they care about is themselves. If they do not get what suits them, they behave like children, they rage and throw the blame on anyone other than themselves."
The outburst lands with signs of division inside the United dressing room mounting. Before Fernandes spoke, defender Lisandro Martinez had criticised the club's management after the 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid, calling for greater investment to compete with the big clubs.
Carrick, Rooney's former teammate, is living through his worst period. Appointed on an interim basis after Ruben Amorim's sacking in January, he was handed a contract until 2028 following a temporary improvement in results. The team has now failed to win any of their last 7 matches across all competitions, dropping to twentieth in the Champions League standings and thirteenth in the Premier League.