Paul Ince believes stars must take more responsibility amid the Red Devils' slump in form, with the former midfielder insisting it is 'unfair' to solely blame for their poor performances.

United lost ground in the race for the top four on Saturday after throwing away a one-goal lead to draw with at Old Trafford, just days after failing to take three points against basement boys .

Rangnick's position has been called into question following their draw with the Saints, with pundit Paul Merson suggesting that United should cut their losses and bring in a new manager to keep the club's top four hopes alive.

Paul Ince has urged Manchester United stars to 'take responsibility' for the side's dismal form

The Red Devils are winless in three and threw away a one-goal advantage to Southampton

Yet United legend Ince believes that the interim manager cannot shoulder all the blame for his side's dismal displays, calling on the star-studded squad to take responsibility. 

'When things aren't going well and results aren't going well it's only natural to direct it at the manager, but this is an issue that's been built up for many years,' Ince told Sportsmail. 

'It's been a bit unfair for Rangnick because he has come into a situation where there are a few issues. It sounds like to me there is some fragmentations in the dressing room and it is showing on the pitch.'

United have come under increasing scrutiny with numerous stories regarding dressing room unrest surfacing. 

Interim boss Ralf Rangnick has been criticised with some suggesting United should sack him

However, Ince insists that it is 'unfair' to point the finger at the German coach

Last week, it emerged that stars have likened Rangnick's assistant, Chris Armas, to the fictional - and hapless - US football coach Ted Lasso, while some are unhappy with the German's 'old fashioned' training methods.

'It's the players, really, that threw Ole under the bus,' Ince added. 'It's the players who got Mourinho out, all this c*** about players going to journalists and saying what's going on in the changing room, what's going on at the training ground, what's going on with the assistant coach, you know, it's probably unfair for someone like Rangnick to deal with in such a short space of time when he needs results.

'The players have to take responsibility. The players are the ones picking up £300,000 a week, £400,000 a week. They're the ones looking to go out and do the business, that's what they're paid for and at the moment they're not playing to the highest level.' 

Asked whether he thinks there is too much player power at Old Trafford, Ince said: I do. You've got to look at people from above, [Ed] Woodward, the Glazers, you've got to look at them. They should be leading from the top and they haven't. 

'You don't know who is doing what [at the club], who is in charge, who is signing the players, who is doing this, who is saying that, there's no leadership and you can see that filtering through the club.

'You can see it in the players, the players are coming out on TV and saying "we don't know what we're doing" and Ronaldo is coming out and saying "I try to speak to the players , they don't want to listen" all this stuff wouldn't have happened in our time. 

The former midfielder has blasted the leaking of stories regarding dressing room unrest

He said that the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson (R) and Bryan Robson (L) would have dealt with the issue in-house

'It would have been kept in-house. If there were any issues, we would have dealt with it. Either Sir Alex, Brian Kidd, Archie Knox, whoever it may be, Bryan Robson, the leaders, we would have dealt with it in-house. 

'All this rubbish that keeps coming out now is only affecting Manchester United big time. 

'Now we've got an interim manager, which is pure madness. Pure madness. How you can… maybe Pochettino wouldn't come, PSG wouldn't let him go, but if you haven't got a Plan B or a Plan C, if you're going to sack a manager make sure you've got someone to come in, because if you haven't then you might as well keep Ole.

'Nothing has really changed, as a player, when you have got an interim manager it says to us "well you are not really our manager because at the end of the season you might not be here, so why should I listen to you".'

The Red Devils are one point behind fourth-place West Ham in fifth, with a game in hand in a hotly-contested race involving the Hammers, Arsenal, Wolves and Tottenham. 

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