Crouch: 'Enough of the Manchester United madness'

Crouch admits that he loves to hate Manchester United, especially after being on the field to suffer a last-minute goal against them with Liverpool, but even he would like to see them back to their best. 

"My mum’s side of the family are all Manchester City fans. My Dad took me to Chelsea when I was younger," the Stoke striker began. 

"I had watched United plenty of times when I was a kid and looked on with envy as they won everything. They kept on winning when I became a player and, really, it did my head in.

"You will probably expect me to say, then, that I’m delighted to see the way things have gone for United over the last few months.

"Well, actually, you would be wrong. Now the chaos has hit Old Trafford, I’ll be honest — I don’t like what I am seeing.

"There have been times when I’ve been in dressing rooms when big characters have turned against a manager and the followers in the squad follow. It’s a horrible situation, but I don’t accept for a minute that any player ever goes out with the intention of losing to put pressure on a manager.

"When you cross that white line, professional pride is the first thing that kicks in. I don’t know anyone who could sit at home on Saturday night and feel OK about not putting it all in to get the right result. You don’t play for one of the Premier League’s top clubs if you accept second best.

"That concerns me. As much as I used to love to hate Manchester United, I loved playing against them more because the games were always so different, so intense and hard fought. If you beat them, you knew you had beaten the best and taking their scalp meant more. You may disagree but I think the league is stronger when United are flying.

"The aspiration for all teams should be beating them — at full strength — to trophies because it makes the achievement extra special. I want United to be a force. For all they wound me up, I do not want them to fade."