Wayne Rooney says Manchester United squad is too weak after poor Premier League start

Wayne Rooney believes Manchester United failed to strengthen their squad sufficiently during the off-season and are now paying the price for a disappointing start to the Premier League campaign.

United have won only one of their opening five league matches, leaving them 12th in the table and 10 points behind the leaders. Their early results have also effectively ended any realistic prospect of a title challenge.

The club signed just three outfield players during the transfer window, a level of recruitment Rooney feels was not enough to address the team’s weaknesses. The former Manchester United striker said greater investment should have been made before the window closed.

Pressure is increasing on Michael Carrick, who was appointed the club’s permanent manager during the off-season. Rooney, however, remains confident that his former team-mate can change United’s fortunes and believes the international break provides an opportunity to do so.

“There’s always going to be pressure, Michael knows that,” Rooney told talkSPORT.

“If you’re not winning football games at Man United, then that pressure is there if you don’t win one game.

“So, it hasn’t been the ideal start to the season… there are certain things which I felt the club had to do before the window shut, in bringing players in… the squad is a bit weak.”

Rooney said Carrick must now find a way to improve the players already available to him and help United climb the table after the break.

“He’s got to find a way to get more and the best out of these players to get up the table after this international break… I think the break has come at the right time.”

The former striker’s comments come as Carrick faces the challenge of reversing a run of results that has left United well behind the Premier League leaders. Rooney said the manager remains under unavoidable scrutiny at Old Trafford, but has time after the international break to work on improving the team’s direction.

United’s limited recruitment has therefore become a central concern in the club’s early-season difficulties. With only three outfield additions made during the off-season, Rooney believes the squad lacks the strength needed to overcome its current shortcomings and compete higher up the standings.