Alan Shearer criticised Manchester United's stars for their attitude in recent weeks ahead of a tight victory over Aston Villa in the FA Cup on Monday night.
Scott McTominay's early strike was enough to send Ralf Rangnick's team through to the fourth round at the expense of Steven Gerrard's side, who had two goals disallowed at Old Trafford.
Yet ahead of the victory - and after disappointing festive displays against Newcastle and Wolves - ex-England captain and BBC pundit Shearer took aim at the players, rather than the new interim manager.
'This set of players has to have a better attitude going forward because as of late it hasn't been anywhere near good enough from a lot of the players,' Shearer said on the BBC.
'The system that the manager has played up until now hasn't really worked so we expect a little bit of a change to that tonight in terms of the system and individuals. It's got to start tonight, it has to start somewhere for him and this squad.
'Having said all about that, you still need a better attitude from the players we know if you give a player an inch they'll take a mile that's just the way footballer are but they still need to show a better attitude on the pitch when your manager is asking you to do something.
'I watched them at Newcastle, they were dreadful Newcastle should've beat them easily I watched them against Wolves they were awful, I know they won against Burnley but they weren't that great on that night either.
'But I still think you can give more in a shirt even if the formation doesn't suit.
'It's alright having that belief in how to play, but it's also having the player to play that way and in that current system what he would like to play, no I don't think they have the players.'
United escaped from a trip to Newcastle on December 27 with a draw, while they lost at home to Wolves on January 3.
The likes of Marcus Rashford came under criticism from United fans on Monday night for his body language, while a bright late cameo from Anthony Elanga was praised.
The Red Devils next face Villa again - this in the Premier League - at Villa Park on Saturday.
bihadilnyz
2
i thought everybody say's Ronaldo is d problem. so, what happend to their performance yesterday, some people just hate orders because they are better, richer, famous than them.....stop d hate..
MichaelMathias
2
all of us waiting for the day Manchester utd will begin to play sensible football
Briankasupe
3
we want this old Manchester united team. not this one full of nosense
Tehaimopr
1
man utd load of rubbish last night lucky to get thru ,dirty ,ill disciplined , no guts or determination not the man utd of old need a good clear out including rashford , greenwood hopeless, cavan past it and Shaw shoukd make his mind up if its football he wants to play or all in wrestling etc this season more dire than in recent years