Manchester United’s record goalscorer Wayne Rooney has branded the current squad “selfish” and compared their behaviour to “babies” after captain Bruno Fernandes challenged the coaching team’s approach following Wednesday’s 4-1 Champions League defeat to Como.

Fernandes said United did not press aggressively enough and slipped into a “mood of defeat” after conceding in the second minute, with the emphatic loss placing manager Michael Carrick under greater scrutiny.

The display in Como represented another alarming setback for United, who were only spared a heavier scoreline when Joshua Zirkzee struck in stoppage time.

Rooney’s comments came amid apparent unrest within the group. Earlier this month, centre-back Lisandro Martinez criticised the club’s leadership after a 2-0 Champions League loss to Atletico Madrid, arguing that more investment was needed for United to challenge at the top level.

“When Martinez spoke out, I said it was an absolute nightmare because it would tear the dressing room apart,” Rooney said on the United Stand podcast on Thursday. “That was where it started. We have now seen it with Bruno, and more players will do it because they do not want to accept responsibility.

“You can debate whether Bruno was right or wrong with what he said, but players have to be accountable on the pitch. The entire group has to be accountable.

“This group is selfish. They do not care about their team-mates, the manager, the staff or the supporters. They only care about themselves.

“When things are not going their way, they act like babies, throw their toys out of the pram and try to shift the blame on to everybody except themselves.”

Carrick, who played with Rooney during his time as a United midfielder, initially took charge on an interim basis after Ruben Amorim was sacked in January. He was subsequently handed a deal running until 2028 after overseeing a significant upturn in performances and results.

However, pressure is mounting again on Carrick, with United without a victory in seven games in all competitions. They sit 20th in the Champions League table and 13th in the Premier League.