Wayne Rooney exclusive: Manchester United players need to show more responsibility and character under Erik ten Hag

Wayne Rooney says Manchester United's players need to show more "character and responsibility" as he reflected on the team's pressing tactics ahead of the visit of Everton.

Rooney was speaking as a guest pundit on TNT Sports ahead of United's Premier League clash against The Toffees - live on TNT Sports and discovery+

When asked if the players were getting off lightly amid the criticism of Erik ten Hag, Rooney said: "Absolutely, I think for me Manchester United they press as individuals. The players are playing as individuals and not so much as a team.

"Sometimes when you press the ball you have to go again and you talk about how Man City play, they're the best at it in terms of pressing as a group.

"I think Manchester United they do it so much as individuals that it's difficult for them to get consistency with that. They're in a difficult moment and the manager will always take the hit on that.

"But these players need to show a bit more responsibility and show a bit more character."

The legendary former Red Devils striker also believes that players are not quite as mentally tough as in previous years, and says that this current crop of Manchester United players are not showing the right attitude in times of adversity.

"You can make bad decisions off the pitch, but you have to do is make the right ones on the pitch. The lads are not getting it right on the pitch or showing the character or leadership you need to be a Manchester United player," he added.

"It's society or a generational change in the last 10 years, as the players are not as robust as they once were. You have to get that balance right and it's so important."

This was echoed by former Manchester United team-mate Rio Ferdinand, who says that having the likes of Rooney or Ryan Giggs in the old dressing room would ensure collective actions are prioritised over individual ones.

"I still believe that the culture and DNA of the football club dictates to those players what they should and shouldn't do off the pitch," he explained.

"There are players that make decisions off the pitch at Manchester United, which in years gone, wouldn't happen because of the culture of the dressing room.

"None of us are angels, but in terms of making decisions from a business point of view at times, you think 'I'm probably not going to do that because I'm going to go into the dressing room with Wayne or Giggsy [Ryan Giggs] and it would not be looked upon well'."

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