Wayne Rooney Hits Out at Bruno Fernandes and Lisandro Martinez: Acting Like 'Selfish Babies'

Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has launched a scathing attack on key stars Bruno Fernandes and Lisandro Martinez, branding their recent conduct that of "selfish babies". His remarks follow public criticism directed at the club's board and head coach Michael Carrick, with the Red Devils currently enduring a miserable seven-match winless streak.

The 40-year-old former striker urged the squad to "look in the mirror" instead of passing the buck for United's ongoing crisis. Martinez was the first to vent his frustrations following last week's 2-0 Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid. The Argentine defender questioned the board's ambition, suggesting that summer recruitment had been insufficient following last season's third-place Premier League finish. After significant backlash and talks with club chiefs, Martinez subsequently issued an apology.

Club captain Bruno Fernandes followed suit in the wake of a humiliating 4-1 thrashing by Como, though his criticism took aim directly at Carrick's tactical setup. The 32-year-old Portuguese playmaker openly claimed the coaching staff had instructed the side not to press man-to-man, choosing instead to drop off, surrender space, and invite pressure.

Speaking on 'The United Stand' podcast, Rooney pulled no punches regarding the lack of accountability among the club's senior figures:

"That was just the start. We've seen it with Bruno, and we'll see it with other players, because they refuse to take responsibility. Whether what Bruno said is right or wrong, you have to take responsibility on the pitch and as part of the team. These players are selfish. They don't care about their teammates, the manager, the staff, or the fans—they only care about themselves. When things don't go their way, they act like babies, throw their toys out of the pram, and look for anyone else to blame but themselves. If Martinez and the rest of them look in the mirror, they'll see the reality—and that is that their performances simply haven't been good enough."

United's all-time record goalscorer advised his former teammate Carrick to take a firmer stance to maintain control of the dressing room, drawing on his own managerial experiences at Birmingham City and Plymouth Argyle:

"I've had four managerial jobs and in two of them—at Birmingham and Plymouth—I found myself in the exact same position. Looking back, the one thing I'd say is that if I were Michael Carrick, I'd come out fighting. It's time to stop playing the nice guy. There are times when you have to protect your players, but you also have to protect yourself. Otherwise, these players will drag you down with them and you'll be the one who ends up losing your job."

Rooney added that the squad has long required a significant cultural reset and fresh faces to break the recurring cycle of player deflection whenever managers are under pressure.

Manchester United currently languish in 13th place in the Premier League table, having collected just seven points from their opening seven matches.