Messi asked if he's "ashamed" of Man City display in ruthless Van der Vaart rant

Rafael van der Vaart has launched a stinging attack on Lionel Messi claiming his below-par performances are starting to make him angry.

Messi has endured a difficult start to life at Paris Saint-Germain, following his stunning Barcelona departure during the summer.

A mixture of injuries and poor form mean the Argentine has found the net just four times in 10 appearances.

PSG have also yet to see the best of the much vaunted front three including Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.

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In fact, the trio came in for heavy criticism this week, as the French giants fell to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Manchester City.

Mbappe opened the scoring for the Parisians, but City roared back in the second half and won the game through goals from Raheem Sterling and Bernardo Silva.

Messi struggled to have any impact on proceedings and Van der Vaart took aim at the 34-year-old, suggesting he should be ashamed of his recent performances and negative body language.

"He goes for a walk now and then and I think, 'Aren't you ashamed?' I'm starting to get angry with Messi and that's a shame because a player like that will never be born again," Van der Vaart told Ziggo Sports.

"It started with Ronald Koeman. It was actually a refusal to work and that's not right for a player like Messi.

"It's a question of will. Either you want it or not. If he doesn't score or provide an assist, then he's made a bad game.

"Neymar is different, he sees more. Mbappe too. Somehow, Messi and PSG just do not fit at all."

As they have for much of their careers, Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo continue to be directly compared after both sealing summer transfers.

Ronaldo has scored 10 times since his return to Manchester United, but like his old foe he has come in for criticism for a lack of work-rate and pressing when he doesn't have the ball.

But outspoken pundit Van der Vaart believes the Portuguese legend is doing more than Messi to take his new team to a "new level".

"They are completely different players, but Ronaldo is fighting. He wants to take the team to a new level."

Jamie Carragher offered a similarly negative view on Messi's recent exploits, explaining that unlike Ronaldo, his goals aren't making up for being a "passenger" on the pitch.

"I've said this about Ronaldo as well but at least Ronaldo is getting goals," Carragher told CBS Sports."Ronaldo is a passenger without the ball, his goals are making up for that at this minute."

"In the Champions League games, certainly tonight their goals haven't made up for it," the ex-Liverpool defender added.

"Unless you score, you're carrying passengers, and at this level of football you'll have no chance. Manchester United won't win the Champions League."