The former Old Trafford hero said the 5-0 defeat last weekend “wasn’t easy to watch”

Wayne Rooney has ripped former club Manchester United for not putting in sufficient effort in their 5-0 defeat to Liverpool last weekend.

The current Derby County manager said it “wasn’t easy to watch” the Red Devils be run off the pitch by their rivals, but he came away most concerned by “too many players not willing to run back, not willing to defend and not willing to put everything on the line for that club”.

He called the display “unacceptable” as he added to a chorus of criticism against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men.

What has been said?

“The Liverpool game wasn’t easy to watch,” Rooney told reporters. “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.

“Those players need to be hurt, need to feel when you lose games how much it hurts you.

“There is a big responsibility on those players. They are world-class players, international players and a club like United need more.

“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.”

Solskjaer a ‘fighter’

Rooney also defended Manchester United’s boss as someone who will battle until the end to turn around his team’s fortunes.

“Obviously there’s pressure on Ole – everyone can see that,” he said. “But I know Ole and he’s a fighter. He’ll keep doing the right things, believing in what he believes in, and trying to get more out of those players.”

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Former Manchester United players and coaches have been brutal in their assessments of the club this season, with Rooney joining Gary Neville and Sir Alex Ferguson in criticising the club this month.

The pressure has registered with the players; on Wednesday, forward Marcus Rashford admitted to feeling embarrassed in the wake of the Liverpool loss.