Wayne Rooney has expressed shock after seeing two youth players included in Manchester United’s matchday squad for their 4-1 defeat against Como. Michael Carrick’s side suffered the heavy loss on Wednesday in the Champions League, marking their fifth defeat in 11 matches across all competitions this season.
Rooney Questions Squad Depth and Standards
The Italian hosts dominated the match, leaving senior staff at Manchester United alarmed by the performance and a perceived lack of personal responsibility among the players. According to ESPN, Amad Diallo was the sole player who emerged with any credit after replacing Matheus Cunha at halftime.
Rooney revealed on The United Stand that he watched the Under-19s Champions League fixture earlier in the day because his son Kai was on the bench. He admitted utter astonishment upon seeing two participants from that youth match named among the substitutes for the senior team later that evening.
Reflecting on the situation, Rooney stated on The United Stand: “It’s mind-boggling to me that a club of Manchester United’s size are having to use two players who have played earlier that day for the youth team. That straight away makes you think: ‘Is this where the club’s at? Is this how bad it’s got?’. I think it’s absolutely incredible.”
Despite his concerns over the squad, Rooney expressed some sympathy for the manager, remarking: “From that point of view I do feel for Carrick because he’s going into a gun fight with a spudgun.”
Calls for Board Intervention
The aftermath of the game also saw club captain Bruno Fernandes criticize the tactical approach, drawing severe criticism from pundits alongside teammate Lisandro Martinez following previous comments directed at technical director Jason Wilcox.
Discussing the necessary next steps for the club, Rooney warned of an impending crisis behind the scenes. He stated: “I think there’s going to be an explosion. There’s got to be some clarification from the board, whether that’s backing or getting rid of Michael Carrick.”
Rooney concluded that the club leadership must intervene to restore order, noting that players speaking out against management within the same week makes it nearly impossible for the head coach to regain control without official support.
