Manchester United squad slammed as they're accused of 'talking behind each other's backs'

Peter Crouch has criticised the Manchester United squad and claimed the club have found their 'modern place' in the Premier League.

United were thrashed 4-0 at the Amex Stadium on Saturday. Moises Caicedo, Marc Cucurella, Pascal Gross and Leandro Trossard all found the back of the net in the opening hour as Graham Potter's side recorded their best win of the season.

Defeat means United cannot qualify for next season's Champions League. And former Liverpool and Tottenham striker Crouch feels United fans need to accept they are no longer the dominant force they once were.

ALSO READ: When Erik ten Hag could lift Eredivisie title with Ajax ahead of Manchester United job

Writing in his Daily Mail column, Crouch said: "They will always be compared to the greats, because the club will always have its illustrious history and huge expectations. But that was Sir Alex Ferguson’s United.

"This is a wholly different, disjointed club now. The post-Ferguson United is one that can potentially lose at Brighton on any given day. When are we going to stop getting shocked by these results? It will never be seen as acceptable but right now, this is United’s natural place in the modern Premier League — chasing Champions League qualification.

"Sometimes they will do it, other times they won’t. They lose and shrug their shoulders and I don’t get the impression that there are any great autopsies inside that dressing room.

"Nobody digging people out, coming to blows about performances. I feel they just talk behind each other’s backs in little groups. Go on social media, say sorry and move on. Rinse and repeat.

"Quite a lot of those players will be blaming Ralf Rangnick for a season which could yet finish with a place in the Europa Conference