Frank Leboeuf has slammed Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes for his criticism of head coach Michael Carrick following the club's after a 4-1 defeat to Como in the Champions League.
Fernandes appeared to directly question Carrick's tactics, as he said: "It was a decision from the staff to not press man-to-man and sometimes leave space behind."
Carrick responded to his captain's comments and said: "Whatever system you play, whatever tactics you play, if you don't run, and you don't run forward, and you don't run back, you aren't going to win."
Former Chelsea centre-back Leboeuf, speaking on ESPN FC, had strong words for Fernandes and his United teammates.
"We witnessed a betrayal. A betrayal towards the coach, towards the fans and towards the club from the players," Leboeuf said. "We have to blame the players. We have to make them guilty for what we see.
"You can talk about the tactic, maybe it wasn't the best tactic. But maybe Michael Carrick knows too much about the players and what they're incapable of doing. It's why he was maybe a little bit too defensive ... Those players, they're letting him down," he added.
"They don't run for him. They don't run for the club, they don't give 100%. And Bruno Fernandes ... That guy, what I see too much is cheating, crying, complaining. Yes, he's a great player but start running, stop talking!
"After Lisandro MartÃnez, some players talk too much. Just do your job. Try to do your job for the club, for the fans, for the players. You are not there. You are absolutely invisible.
"That was awful and appalling because the players didn't do the job."
Another former Chelsea player, and former England midifielder, Joe Cole also weighed in on Fernandes' remarks and slammed the United captain.
"[He's] absolutely questioning the tactics," Cole said. "It doesn't matter whether he is right to. That's sacrilege.
"I've played for managers where I don't agree with the tactics. You might say that to your mate or your wife, but you don't come out as captain of the club and question the manager.
"He doesn't even do it properly. If you're going to come out, be bold, and say it with your chest. He sort of says, 'we could have been this, but then it's up to the manager.'
- Man United players were abysmal in Como, but it's Carrick who faces consequences
- Michael Carrick hits back at Bruno Fernandes criticism after Man United loss at Como
- Champions League talking points: What to make of the Man Utd mess
"He probably thinks he's clever, [like saying] 'well, I didn't really say it, gaffer.' You said what you said, you thought they got the tactics wrong. You can think that, that's fine," he added.
"You can go into the manager's office tomorrow, and say, 'I think you got it wrong, gaffer.' Have a man-to-man conversation.
"To come out in front of the nation, when you're captain of the football club, and question the manager is simply unacceptable.
"Bruno has really got that wrong. If you're captain of Manchester United, you cannot come out and question the tactics. It would not have happened under Sir Alex Ferguson."
The defeat at Como means that United are winless in their last seven games across all competitions. They have won just two of the 11 games they have played so far this season.
Next up, they will host Bournemouth in the Premier League on Sunday.