Ryan Giggs believes the players and not manager David Moyes should take responsibility for Manchester United's lacklustre start to the season.
The Red Devils have claimed just seven points from their opening six Barclays Premier League games and were held to a 1-1 draw by Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Wednesday night when Giggs made his 145th appearance in the competition.
That has put some pressure on Moyes, who had the unenviable task of replacing Sir Alex Ferguson in the Old Trafford hotseat after his fellow Scot had enjoyed a trophy-laden 27 years at the club.
And while veteran midfielder Giggs admits it was always going to be difficult to replace a man who brought two European Cups to United, the Welshman insists that it is the players and not the manager who must stand up and be counted.
"Sir Alex was a great manager and a great influence on the team and the club. You are going to miss someone like that," he told various national newspapers.
"But I don't think that is an excuse when individuals aren't playing as well as they can. We are not playing well as a team.
"We haven't got injury problems as we have had in the past. There is no excuse.
"It hasn't been a great start to the season but the good thing about that is we have plenty of time to turn it round.
"We know what this club is like, it is ups and downs and we don't get carried away if we are flying and we don't get carried away when we are not playing well.
"I can't put my finger on what has happened. We have just not played as well as we can, both individually and as a team.
Source: PA
