Manchester United fans told to avoid Jose Mourinho mistake as players' attitude is questioned

Former Liverpool and England midfielder John Barnes has questioned the attitude of Manchester United's players, insisting it is the biggest problem that the club currently faces.

United, who will resume their Premier League campaign at home to Leicester City on April 2, have faced a storm of criticism this season for underwhelming and uninspiring performances. But whilst they have failed to deliver the goods far too often collectively, too many individuals have also faced strict criticism.

Figures such as Harry Maguire and Marcus Rashford have been heavily criticised throughout the campaign, as have others. United, at times, have downed tools and been made to pay, such as in their 5-0 defeat to Liverpool and the recent 4-1 drubbing against Manchester City.

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It was hoped that the interim appointment of Ralf Rangnick in November would breathe a new lease of life into United's players, but familiar problems have persisted, with their attitude and application frequently coming under scrutiny. Therefore, former Liverpool ace Barnes is pinning the blame on United's players for their current woes, insisting they must be put "under pressure by the fans" to improve their levels of performance.

"Manchester United's biggest issue is the attitude of their players, as with many clubs such as Tottenham," Barnes told BonusCodeBets. "It's not up to Ralf Rangnick to improve the displays, it's for the players to perform week in, week out.

"How do they perform so brilliantly one week, but not the next? If you look at Liverpool and Manchester City, their manager has complete power.

"The players must be put under pressure by the fans to demand