Liverpool legend John Barnes says Manchester United's players must be prepared to take on more responsibility for David Moyes to be a success.

Everton manager Moyes was confirmed as Sir Alex Ferguson's successor yesterday.

Barnes told the Daily Mail: "In modern football, managers bear the brunt of anything negative. Players have got into the habit of thinking, 'If we don't win, it won't be our fault' and it means they don't perform.

"It happens everywhere, not just at Liverpool. When new managers come in, they're not bad managers.

"When Sir Alex Ferguson picks a so-called weaker team, players still perform. Why? Because they know that if they don't perform, who are the fans going to boo? Are they going to boo Sir Alex? No, the answer is that the fans are going to boo them. It happens the other way at other clubs. I went through this when we recognised that Graeme Souness might not be popular with the fans."