Manchester United's Portuguese midfielder #08 Bruno Fernandes reacts to their defeat on the pitch after the English FA Cup third round football match between Manchester United and Brighton and Hove Albion at Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on January 11, 2026. Brighton won the game 2-1. (Photo by PETER POWELL / AFP)
Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has accused the club’s players of being selfish and refusing to take responsibility for their poor performances amid growing concerns over the situation at Old Trafford.
Rooney expressed his frustration following United’s disappointing performance against Como, admitting he was in “shock” and “disbelief” while describing the club’s current situation as the most worrying he has seen in a long time.
As reported by BBC Sport on Thursday, the former England captain also warned that public disagreements involving Lisandro Martinez and Bruno Fernandes could create divisions within the dressing room, further complicating matters for manager Michael Carrick.
Rooney told the United Stand podcast, “When Martinez came out, I said this is an absolute nightmare because it will rip the dressing room apart.”
“That was the start. We’ve seen it now with Bruno and you’re going to see it with more players because they don’t want to take responsibility.”
Rooney acknowledged that Fernandes’ comments could be debated, but insisted that the players must focus on their performances rather than shifting blame to others.
“You can say whether Bruno was right or wrong in what he said but you have to take responsibility on the pitch. You have to take responsibility as a group of players,” he said.
The former United forward did not hold back in his assessment of the squad, accusing some players of putting their personal interests ahead of the club.
“These players, they’re selfish. They don’t care about their team-mates, don’t care about the manager, the staff or the fans, they care about themselves,” Rooney said.
“If they’re not getting what’s right for them, they’re like babies and just throw their toys out of the pram and go and deflect the blame on to anyone else but themselves.”
Fernandes, who enjoyed an outstanding campaign last season, has seen his form dip markedly after being named PFA and FWA Player of the Year and setting a Premier League record for assists in a single season.
Rooney believes the Portuguese midfielder must also examine his own performances instead of placing pressure on others.
“He is putting pressure on someone else because he doesn’t want to face it,” Rooney added.
“If he looks at himself in the mirror, if Martinez and all of them looked at themselves in the mirror, they’ll find what’s looking back at them is them, and that’s not good enough. They need to show more.”
Despite his criticism of the squad, Rooney also expressed concern about Carrick’s position, calling on the Manchester United board to provide clarity over the manager’s future.
Carrick is facing intense speculation following United’s worst run of form since the 2015-16 season, although he is expected to remain in charge for Sunday’s visit of Bournemouth.
Rooney, who has previously managed Plymouth Argyle and Birmingham City, believes Carrick must become more assertive to avoid being undermined by the players.
Reflecting on his own managerial experiences, Rooney said Carrick should be prepared to defend himself and demand greater accountability from his squad.
“I was in that situation \[at Plymouth and Birmingham City and I can only say now, looking back and reflecting, if I was in Michael Carrick’s position now, I’d come out fighting
“There’s no more Mr Nice Guy. There are certain things you’ve got to do to protect them players, but you have to come out fighting for yourself because those players will drag you down and it’s going to be you who’s going to lose your job over it,” Rooney said.
Rooney’s comments underline the growing pressure on Manchester United to address their poor performances, dressing-room tensions and uncertainty surrounding the managerial position as the club looks for a way forward.