Blame Manchester United players, not van Gaal for poor form: Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney

Manchester: English football giants Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney insists that it is the players who should be blamed for the club's nightmare season and not manager Louis van Gaal.

Also Read: EPL: Future imperfect for Louis Van Gaal

Wayne Rooney

The Dutchman has been widely criticised for the club's fortunes this season after United failed to make it out of their Champions League group and fell behind in the race for the top four in the English Premier League.

Six points separate fifth-placed United from local rivals Manchester City in the final Champions League place - a gap that would have been just three had United managed to beat relegation-threatened Sunderland on Saturday rather than suffering a 2-1 defeat. But Rooney believes the players have simply under performed.

"It's a very good group of players. At times it's been frustrating for us as we've under-performed. And actually the manager has taken a lot of stick for it. It's down to us, we're players and we have to perform," Rooney was quoted as saying by goal.com on Monday.

Also Read: I've had no talks with Mourinho, insists Louis van Gaal

"At times this season we haven't done that. In terms of that, we've probably got off quite lightly and the manager has taken a lot of it. But it is we, who are going on to the pitch for every game.

"We have to create chances and win games and we haven't done that enough this season," the England national team skipper said.