Keane wants January sales at United

Manchester United captain Roy Keane wants a player clear-out at Old Trafford in January.

Keane was critical of his team-mates in an interview which was due to be screened by the club’s own television station – MUTV – on Monday but was pulled from the schedules following the direct intervention of chief executive David Gill.

It followed the 4-1 weekend mauling at Middlesbrough in the Barclays Premiership. United are seventh in the table, 13 points behind leaders Chelsea with one game in hand.

“There is talk about putting this right in January and bringing players in,” Keane told MUTV according to the Daily Mirror. “We should be doing the opposite - we should be getting rid of people in January.”

England defender Rio Ferdinand was one of the team-mates Keane singled out for criticism.

“Just because you are paid £120,000 a week and play well for 20 minutes against Tottenham, you think you are a superstar,” said Keane.

“The younger players have been let down by some of the more experienced ones - they are not leading. There is a shortage of characters.

“It seems to be in this club that you have to play badly to be rewarded. Maybe that is what I should do when I come back – play badly.”

Keane, currently sidelined with a broken foot, was not shocked by the heavy defeat at the Riverside.

“I wasn’t surprised by the result. I had been expecting one like this. The players have been asked questions and they are just not coming up with the answers.

“I am sick of having to say it and they are sick of listening to me. They have let down the club, the manager and the fans.”