Rooney demands dressing-room 'firework' as Man Utd slump to two wins in 11

Wayne Rooney has unleashed a furious public rebuke of Manchester United’s players following their 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth on Sunday, accusing the squad of looking like they “don’t care” and saying he would love to march into the dressing room and confront them directly.

Speaking on the Stick to United podcast, United’s all-time leading scorer did not hold back. “I’d love to go in that dressing room and say, ‘what the f are you all doing?’” Rooney said. “Do you think you deserve to wear the shirt? Put a f firework up their a* because they’re not doing anything.”

The 41-year-old’s outburst came as United’s season continues to unravel. Head coach Michael Carrick has now overseen just two wins in 11 matches, and faces mounting pressure over his position at Old Trafford. After Sunday’s result, the players were jeered by supporters while the club’s hierarchy also drew criticism from the stands.

Rooney reserved particular frustration for the lack of basic effort on the pitch. “I could score a goal, had ability or whatever, at least I f** ran and put myself about as a team,” he said. “These players are not doing that. We’re seeing players who are numb, look like they’ve got no emotion.”

He also argued that United’s third-place finish under Carrick’s interim spell last season had created a misleading picture of the squad’s true level. “What happened when Michael Carrick came in is that it gave the players and the board false hope that they are good enough,” Rooney said. “He managed somehow to finish third, then the board are thinking they have enough.”

While acknowledging that some individuals may genuinely care, Rooney suggested those players were being dragged down by the wider group. “Some good lads are getting dragged down,” he said. “It’s so frustrating to watch.”

His assessment of the squad was blunt: “It’s at best a mid-table team, but if you look at all the mid-table teams, what do they get? Players working hard, running, tackling — going back to basics. These players think they’re better than what they are.”