Wayne Rooney Slams Manchester United Players: "They're Acting Like Babies"

Recent outbursts from Lisandro Martinez and Bruno Fernandes expose the "selfish" attitude of a Manchester United squad that has lately been behaving "like babies".

Red Devils legend Wayne Rooney believes United's players now need to take a look in the mirror and accept responsibility for their disastrous start to the season.

Ahead of Sunday's clash with Bournemouth, manager Michael Carrick's position appears to be under threat. Manchester United have collected just 7 points from the first 7 weeks of the Premier League season.

That return goes down as the club's worst league start since the 1989-90 season. The Red Devils have also finished the opening 7-week stretch of the league with just 1 win for only the second time in the last 54 years, following the 1986-87 season.

The 4-1 defeat to Como in the Champions League means United are averaging just 1 point per game in Europe as well. Speaking after the match, captain Fernandes criticised the team's failure to press high up the pitch, taking direct aim at Carrick's tactics.

That reaction came hot on the heels of Martinez saying the players had "expected more" from the club during the transfer window. Speaking on a broadcast, Rooney did not hold back:

"When Martinez spoke, I said it was an absolute nightmare and that it would tear the dressing room apart. That's where the fuse was lit. Now we've seen the same from Bruno, and we'll keep seeing it from other players. The only reason is that those players are dodging responsibility."

"You can argue whether Bruno is right or wrong in what he said, but you have to take responsibility on the pitch. As a group of players, you have to step up and shoulder the burden. There were times when Sir Alex Ferguson and I weren't speaking, but I would still run through brick walls for him on the pitch."

"These players are far too selfish. They only care about themselves; they don't care about their teammates, the manager, the staff or the fans. When things don't go their way, they whine like babies and blame everyone but themselves. They have to look at themselves now."

"Bruno is probably in the worst form he has been in since he joined the club. It's no coincidence that he's blaming others because he doesn't want to face the truth. When they look in the mirror, the only thing they'll see is themselves, and that's simply not good enough."

Opponents Bournemouth, meanwhile, are unbeaten in their last 3 Premier League visits to Old Trafford (2 wins, 1 draw) and have scored at least 3 goals in every one of those matches. The visitors are the only side to have achieved that feat at United in 3 consecutive league games.