'You are deluded!': Wayne Rooney's scathing attack on Man United players amid Michael Carrick slump

Manchester United are stuck in the middle of a horrible slump which has put manager Michael Carrick's position in serious threat.

They have failed to win any of their last eight games across all competitions, dating back to the 4-0 Champions League victory over Azerbaijani minnows Sabah in mid-September. Starting with the defeat in the subsequent Manchester derby, they have lost five and drawn three by a combined score of 16-6, including 7-1 over their last two games.

Heavy losses to Como and Bournemouth over the past week have put the manager's tenure under heavy pressure, with the club sitting 16th in the Premier League table, and 20th in the Champions League standings.

Carrick has not yet been dismissed, and according to one Man United legend, the players are more to blame than the manager is, and the club will continue to flounder if the squad can't get its act together.

Wayne Rooney says Man United players need a stark reminder

Former Man United star Wayne Rooney is furious with the lack of desire by the players in the current squad, pointing to the recent defeat to Bournemouth as the latest example of what he believes to be poor effort.

"The players haven't got a leg to stand on," Rooney said on the Stick to United podcast which airs on Disney+. "What's not fair is the performances they are giving.

"I looked at the fans, you could see the pain and anger in their faces when those players are walking around the football pitch. You see [Lisandro] Martinez when [Bournemouth forward] Rayan ran round him, they are not getting to the ball, it's so frustrating.

"I could score a goal, had ability or whatever, at least I f***ing ran and put myself about as a team. These players are not doing that. I would love to go in that dressing room and say, 'What the f*** are you all doing? What type of performances do you think this is? Do you think you deserve to wear the shirt?' Put a f***ing firework up their a**** because they are not doing anything.

"We are seeing players who are numb, look like they have got no emotion, look like they don't care. Some of them might care, some good lads who are getting dragged down. It is so frustrating to watch."

Rooney believes that the players have failed to do their part for the team, and therefore are letting the manager down.

"The squad is absolutely a million miles away," Rooney said. "The worst thing for Michael Carrick, he has given the board a bit of hope when in reality, they needed a big overhaul and have done for years.

"The midfield, spending that amount on those midfielders, is absolutely crazy. I feel for Michael, he has being let down, he hasn't been good enough, but the players have let him down massively."

It seems the fans agree with Rooney, at least judging by their cheering and jeering after the Bournemouth defeat on the weekend. The away fans at Vitality Stadium cheered Carrick as he walked down the tunnel, and then began to boo the players once he had disappeared into the underbelly of the stadium.

Michael Carrick to remain as Man United coach for now

According to multiple reports on Tuesday, Manchester United had elected to stick with Michael Carrick for now, despite recent embarrassing defeats to Como and Bournemouth over the past week.

A report from Samuel Luckhurst of The Sun claimed Man United brass had originally planned to sack Carrick, but couldn't agree on a subsequent move forward to replace him, whether interim or permanently, so they decided to stick it out a bit longer.

On Monday, the club had declined to comment whether Carrick would take charge of training on Tuesday, but decided to keep him on for the short-term. According to Laurie Whitwell of The Athletic , the decision came from co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, CEO Omar Berrada, and director of football Jason Wilcox. All three executives have also been the target of fan ire in recent weeks as the team flounders.