‘I’ve never seen United fans leave stadium’ – Rooney rues Man United defeat

Wayne Rooney has described Manchester United’s derby defeat to Manchester City as a watershed moment after witnessing travelling fans exit the stadium before the final whistle.

United suffered a bruising 3-0 loss at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, leaving them 14th in the Premier League with just four points from their opening four games.

Goals from Phil Foden and a brace from Erling Haaland ensured Pep Guardiola’s side cruised to victory.

Fans walking out sends ‘powerful’ message

Rooney, speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show, said the sight of supporters leaving early reflected the scale of discontent among the fanbase.

“There was an image towards the end of the game where I was seeing the Man Utd fans leaving,” the former captain said. “I’ve never seen that. In my time, I’ve never seen Man United fans leaving.

“You could hear them singing Amorim’s name, but I think it is so powerful that the fans were leaving because they knew the game was over and were disappointed in what they’d seen,” he added.

The image of emptying away seats revealed the frustration with United’s stuttering form under Ruben Amorim, who has overseen two defeats and one draw in the opening four league matches.

Pressure mounts on Amorim ahead of Chelsea

Amorim’s tactical approach has come under growing criticism, with many pointing to United’s lack of aggression and defensive structure in key moments.

Despite his insistence on sticking with his philosophy, results have yet to back him up.

The Portuguese manager now face even more pressure heading into United’s next fixture – a home clash against Chelsea on Saturday.