The Red Devils have endured a miserable start to the season, with Tottenham thrashing them 6-1 ahead of the international break to pile the pressure on the manager.

That came after a shock season-opening Premier League defeat by Crystal Palace and a fortunate victory over Brighton; performances that have led former captain Roy Keane to claim that "too many bluffers" will see Solskjaer sacked.

And former England international Parker feels the current group lack the "identities" needed to call each other out when times get tough. 

You look at those results and the players have lost their way now, you can see it," said Parker, who is supporting Prostate Cancer UK's online risk checker campaign.

"You cannot forgive them for that, because you are looking for them to add that little bit of self-motivation and pride.

"That bit of pride to say: 'we are not going to go on and concede that many'.

"There should have been a lot more fight - football has changed, there was a lot more self-motivated players in my time than there is now.

"United are missing players with identities, who have come into the club from places where they have had to dig deep and they have come in looking to achieve and win things. 

When you look at someone like Bruno Fernandes, he wants to prove a point - he has come from a massive club, a very famous club in Portugal, and has come to United looking to prove himself again, and you cannot knock that.

"But maybe some of the players they are getting in, a few of them are content, happy to be there, and think that it is an easy ride.

"That is the big difference - when I joined United a few players were keeping an eye on me to see what I was going to do. Was I just content to be there or did I want to join them and help them, to make their life easier in winning trophies?

"At this moment in time, I am looking at Manchester United, and they have become a 'buy buy' club. However, a lot of the work has to be done on the training field, but with the right people. 

You have to voice an opinion at individuals - are you going to accept if you have made a mistake and not taken responsibility that I am going to point my finger in your face? I am going to turn around and tell the home truth, maybe at half-time or after a game.

"How are you going to deal with that? Are you going to try to prove me wrong or are you going to sulk, blank me and go to talk to your agent?

"Or are you going to have the character to accept what you have or have not done, then go out and prove me wrong in the second half or in the next game?

"Building a team by how much individuals cost doesn't always guarantee anything, because it is just about finding players who talk to each other." 

Marcus Rashford scored a second-half hat-trick as Manchester United seized control of their Champions League group with a thumping 5-0 win against German league leaders RB Leipzig on Wednesday.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side, who have endured a rocky start to their season, now have six points from two games after building on their impressive opening win against Paris Saint-Germain

United took the lead midway through the first half when Marcus Greenwood, 19, received a through ball from Paul Pogba and stroked the ball across Peter Gulacsi and into the far corner.

Substitute Rashford struck three times after coming on in the 63rd minute to remind Solskjaer he is the main man at Old Trafford.

Anthony Martial also got in on the act, scoring a penalty on an outstanding night for the three-time European champions, who are now three points clear at the top of Group H.

Greenwood, who last month was sent home in disgrace by England for breaking coronavirus protocols, started up front alongside Martial, with Rashford and Bruno Fernandes surprisingly left on the bench.

Leipzig started brightly, pinning the home side back but United soon settled.

Fred forced an early save before Luke Shaw had a shot blocked by the head of Yussuf Poulsen and Martial burst into the box but failed to find Pogba.

The home side broke the deadlock when Pogba drove forward from midfield and found Greenwood, who had timed his run into the box perfectly and hit his shot with unerring accuracy.

United had a nervous wait as VAR looked at a potential off-side but the goal was allowed to stand.

Leipzig came back strongly, pinning United back for long spells of the rest of the first half.

United had an appeal for a penalty soon after the break when the ball hit Ibrahima Konate’s arm but a VAR check ruled there was no penalty.

United goalkeeper David de Gea produced a sharp save to keep out a Konate effort at the back post from a tight angle after the ball was flicked on by Poulsen.

The visitors, now with substitutes Marcel Sabitzer and Alexander Sorloth on the pitch, were playing with urgency but United looked dangerous on the break.

Fernandes sent a superb first-time ball through to Rashford, who raced through and slotted past Gulasci.

The linesman had raised his flag for offside but VAR checked the decision, ruling that the forward started his run in his own half and awarded the goal.

Rashford rifled home again four minutes later to make the score 3-0 but unselfishly allowed Martial to take the penalty after the Frenchman was brought down in the box.

But the England man completed his hat-trick in added time to cap a devastating display.