United players share blame with manager Moyes, says Young

Manchester United winger Ashley Young insists the players have to take their fair share of responsibility for their recent poor form.

The Red Devils avoided the ignominy of a third successive home defeat — which has not occurred for 51 years — after a 1-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday allowed them to top Group A in the Champions League.

However, it was preceded by back-to-back Old Trafford losses to Everton and Newcastle in a run which has not seen them win in the league since November 10.

On Monday, manager David Moyes tried to shoulder the blame for his misfiring players by saying he took “complete responsibility for the results”. But Young thinks the whole squad has a duty to improve results. “Of course. We are the players who go out on the pitch,” he said when asked whether they felt responsibility should be shared.

“Everyone is in it together; manager, staff and players. We win together, we lose together.”

Against Shakhtar Young made his first start since the Capital One Cup win over Norwich in late October.

He has come in for plenty of criticism for his own fans in recent months having failed to deliver the sort of effective performances which persuaded former Red Devils boss Alex Ferguson to pay £18 million for his services in summer 2011.

At the age of 28, the winger should be approaching the prime time of his career but at United appears to have stalled and there has been more focus on his propensity to go to ground easily than on what he has offered the side.

Against the Ukrainians he had two good opportunities to break a club goalscoring drought stretching back 18 months but lobbed his first effort wide when he could have presented the unmarked Wayne Rooney with an open goal while slicing his second woefully wide.

Nevertheless Phil Jones, United’s matchwinner against Donetsk, feels United something to build on as they head to Young’s former club Villa on Sunday.

“When you’re winning you play with more confidence. We want to get back to winning (every week) and there’s no better place to go than Villa Park on Sunday and hopefully get another three points.”