Mark Hughes: Manchester United players to take more responsibility for actions...

Stoke boss has message for his former club 

STOKE manager Mark Hughes insists it is up to Manchester United’s players to dig themselves out of the hole that threatens to swallow up their season.

 Hughes — who had two spells at Old Trafford as a fearsome striker between 1980 and 1995 — has watched his former club tumble into a crisis under Louis van Gaal’s leadership.

United have gone six matches without a victory and won just three of their last 13 games, as they prepare to visit Hughes’ Stoke on Boxing Day. 

Under Van Gaal, the Red Devils have crashed out of the Champions League in the last month and are in danger of slipping out of the domestic title race after Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat to Norwich.

Louis van Gaal's time at Old Trafford seems to be nearing an end PA: Press Association

United are fifth in the Premier League, nine points behind surprise pace-setters Leicester, and in desperate need of a change of fortune.

But Hughes insists that it is time for the players to step forward, rather than pinning the blame elsewhere.

He said: “More often than not, if you’ve got a strong group of players and leaders within that group, they can get themselves together, shake themselves out of it and do something about it.

“That’s what all Manchester United teams in the past have done, and I would fully expect them to do it again this year.

“I think with all Manchester United teams, there is a responsibility and an onus on the players to go out and perform and play like United players, and understand what the demands of being part of a big club like that entails.”

Mark Hughes celebrates his 1994 FA Cup final goal for Manchester United News Group

Hughes knows all about the huge pressures of playing for the Old Trafford giants.

And he reckons that some players can crumble under the weight of expectation.

He said: “It’s a huge demand to play for Manchester United and a lot of players can’t deal with it.

“Over the years, there have been some outstanding players which have gone to Manchester United and haven’t been able to deal with the expectation that comes with being a United player. That can have an effect.”

Is Van Gaal running out of time?

United were booed by their own fans after Saturday’s defeat — and Hughes says that is no surprise.

He added: “The team I played in early on was probably the last one that was booed, to be honest, when I first broke in.

“There will be times when that happens. But as always it’s about performance.

“People go to United in numbers and if the level of performance isn’t correct then they will let their feelings be known.” 

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