The former United captain and Sky Sports pundit, who watched Sunday’s 3-0 loss to Bournemouth at Old Trafford from the commentary box, said “some of them walk around like they’re King William… they’re not, they’re nothing”.

United boss Michael Carrick’s job has been left hanging by a thread after his side followed up Wednesday’s 4-0 Champions League humbling in Como with a sixth defeat in 12 games in all competitions this season.

Neville said on his Gary Neville podcast: “There’s a few of them that aren’t that professional. There’s a couple of them… I live in Manchester, they’re not that professional, some of them.

“I’ve got no time for them. There’s a few of them that don’t go to bed at the right time. Don’t eat the right things. Don’t think about Manchester United every single minute of every single day.

“They are not living and breathing this football club, as they should be, like professionals should.

“And why? Why? Because it’s gone to their heads. But they still walk around like they’re King William… they’re not, they’re nothing.

“Nothing, some of those players. I can’t believe the… lack of standards. There was a banner in the first half that was held up in the Stretford End – ‘standards’. They went a long time ago.”

Neville defended Carrick, describing his former team-mate as “a brilliant man” with “integrity, credibility, decency, professionalism”, laying the blame for United’s Premier League slide squarely at the players.

He added: “He’s not been able to get a tune out of them and they’ve turned on him. I know that because if Bruno’s turned on him publicly, with that little statement, imagine what they’re like behind the scenes.”