British media are ramping up the pressure on manager Erik ten Hag, with multiple outlets reporting variations of the same story — that a majority of the squad are unhappy with the Dutchman.

While some were said to be against the training methods, a few were also not too impressed with the manager’s handling of the Jadon Sancho saga.

Recruitment issues

Samuel Luckhurst of The Manchester Evening News has gone one step further and reported that the players are unhappy with the recruitment done since the former Ajax coach took over.

The names of Antony, Mason Mount, and Wout Weghorst were mentioned as disappointing signings while surprisingly, the list also included the name of the newest recruit Rasmus Hojlund.

“Some time-served players are startled by the calibre of Ten Hag’s signings. One is believed to be particularly perplexed by the addition of the callow Rasmus Hojlund, a £72 million signing from Atalanta who is yet to score in the Premier League.

“Antony, Wout Weghorst, who managed two goals in 31 appearances, and Mason Mount are among the other signings who have been questioned by players.”

Antony has not started his second season well, with 0 goals and assists so far while Weghorst was forced upon the manager due to the lack of funds in the January window last season.

As for Mount, he has been predominantly injured so the jury is still out. As for Hojlund, he is the top scorer in the Champions League. If not for his goals, United would have been embarrassed in Europe.

The writer of the article is a serial offender, and he has often written along the same lines regarding previous managers as well. No wonder he has been banned by Erik ten Hag from attending the Chelsea pre-match press conference.

Player power needs to end

Concerningly, the report also mentions, “Anthony Martial has been identified as one of the prime players who is not invested enough in helping United to succeed while there are growing issues over Marcus Rashford.”

These overpaid prima donnas need to be ousted from their positions of power and the manager must restore order in a chaotic dressing room full of over-inflated egos with no substantial achievements to back it up.

For too long player power has run rampant at Old Trafford, aided by the Glazers’ lecherous handling of the club. Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s entry cannot come soon enough.

Just like behind-the-scene personnel changes, players should also be shown the door who are unwilling to work and come out of this current predicament.

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Jacque Talbot (footballtransfers.com) reveals that while there are some “rifts” at Old Trafford at present, the “majority of the squad” feel the press releases over the past twenty-four hours are “not reflective of the situation at the club.”

Talbot believes the dressing room is “angry” with the two players responsible, whose media teams have been leaking misinformation to the press about half of the squad having lost faith in Erik ten Hag.

Told Man United squad are angry at two players for leaking stories to the media. For @Transfersdotcom https://t.co/PzbSeTvmyn

— Jacque Talbot (@jac_talbot) December 5, 2023

The cause of these two individuals’ grievances are thought to be displeasure with the “amount of running” they are subject to in training, as well as being “chosen (or not chosen) in a certain position in the starting XI.”

Talbot believes there is a sense amongst certain players that they “have the power to remove a head coach, having done so before, when things are not going their way.”

So if we are to don our Sherlock Holmes hat for a moment, we are left with two players who have either been on the bench or out-of-position recently, whose work-rate has also been questioned. These are then players who have been at Old Trafford during multiple managers’ tenures, as they have reportedly been responsible for previous coaches’ departures.

It becomes, therefore, very evident very quickly who Talbot may be referring to in his report.

What is equally evident, however, is the contempt with which these players are treating their fan base. Jose Mourinho; Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer; Ralf Rangnick – we has seen this pathetic playbook time and time before.

A section of the Old Trafford dressing room, whom do not like, or agree, with the manager’s methods, proceed to down tools, and subsequently leak information to the press of said manager’s incompetence or the players’ lack of faith in them.

A P45 form on the manager’s desk promptly follows.

The executive branch at Old Trafford must break the tradition of cowering to player power this time. While there are undoubtedly valid reasons to be doubtful of Ten Hag this season, these leaks are the symptom of a deep rot at the club; a rot that goes far deeper than the manager.

If the club decides to indulge a few bad apples once again, the cycle will reset, and we will be discussing the dressing room’s issue with United’s next manager in two years time. United must stop repeating the mistakes of the past if the club is to have any hope in the future.

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United’s attackers, especially Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial put in arguably their worst displays, once again highlighting the lack of firepower at Erik ten Hag‘s disposal.

Rasmus Hojlund came on as a second-half substitute and even though the young Dane is the top-scorer in the Champions League, he is yet to open his account in the Premier League.

United need goals

The Dutch manager was always aware that such a scenario would play out due to the player being ‘raw’ and thus wanted the club to bring in another striker in the summer.

The Glazers let him down eventually, and United might try to rectify that in January should funds be available after moving players on during the winter transfer window.

One player the club could target, according to Fichajes, is Porto striker Evanilson who has been in scintillating form this season.

In nine starts across all competitions, the 24-year-old has scored 10 times and provided on assist. Such impressive numbers have been noticed by fellow Premier League clubs Tottenham and Chelsea as well.

The Brazilian arrived in Porto back in 2020 for €8.80 million and the Portuguese giants will not easily roll over and allow their star striker to leave in January.

“With the winter transfer market just around the corner, Manchester United, Tottenham and Chelsea have focused their attention on the same target: Evanilson, Porto’s talented forward.

Evanilson a target but January move looks difficult

“The Brazilian, who is currently shining in the ranks of Porto, has aroused the interest of these Premier League teams, who are evaluating the possibility of presenting offers to secure his signing in the next transfer window.

“His contract with Porto extends until 2027, which could complicate his departure from the Portuguese club. Furthermore, there has been speculation that Porto have no plans to let the promising striker go, which would force English teams to negotiate cautiously or wait for an opportunity in the future.”

A transfer could materialise if a huge offer were to arrive but there are more chances of that happening next summer rather than in the middle of the season.

With Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s entry delayed, it is unlikely he can support the club in the upcoming transfer market. United might be forced to look for a cheaper alternative or someone who could arrive on a loan.

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The Frenchman was given the nod to lead the line ahead of Rasmus Hojlund during United’s 1-0 defeat against Newcastle at St James’ Park on Saturday.

A goal from Anthony Gordon was enough to sink an underwhelming United side who simply offered nothing and didn’t even put up a fight.

Martial was taken off in the second half and Hojlund brought on, but the Dane did not have the desired impact.

In particular, Martial and Marcus Rashford have come under intense criticism and scrutiny for their dismal performances since the Newcastle game.

Souness spoke on talkSPORT and especially tore into Martial.

He said about the Frenchman who has scored only two goals for United this season, “Where Man United are – I’ll try, without waffling – I think you look no further than Martial for what that club is all about.”

“I used to write in The Sunday Times and about four or five years ago I wrote ‘This has to be Martial’s last chance saloon moment.’ They had given him another contract and he didn’t deserve one so by mentioning his name, what I mean is they have, for a decade, made consistently poor decisions in the footballing matters.”

The 70-year-old explained that the most important thing at a club like United is getting recruitment right – an aspect of the sport the Red Devils have spectacularly failed at since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement.

Souness added that it’s vital that Old Trafford chiefs identify the right profile of player to bring in and the right moments to shift out underperforming stars who can no longer contribute at a high level.

He further stated, “These are things… you’re playing for Man United, you’re playing for that shirt, you’re playing for a club that stands for all the good things about football in their past.”

“You’ve got players who are going through the motions now, now that comes back to the manager. Martial represents, for me, a decade of poor football decisions, the fact he’s still at the club.”

United return to action on Wednesday when they take on Chelsea.

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Manchester United’s stuttering form this season continued at the weekend with Newcastle United comfortably seeing off Erik ten Hag’s men 0-1 at St James’ Park.

The result had a lot to do with the limp performance put up by United, who were fortunate not to lose by a heavier score line.

United’s away form against the big teams under Ten Hag is nothing short of woeful and something that needs rectifying quickly if the manager is to keep his job.

As reported by The Sun, former captain Roy Keane blasted United’s record against the top nine sides in which Ten Hag has managed just one point from 12 games.

The wretched run includes hammerings at Liverpool, Manchester City and Brentford, with the solitary point coming against Tottenham Hotspur last season.

Speaking on Sky Sports Super Sunday, Keane winced at the graphic before labelling it “ugly” and asking “is that real?”

United have shipped 34 goals in these 12 fixtures and Keane feels Ten Hag will now be feeling the heat at Old Trafford.

“It’s just the amount of goals, we were discussing earlier, six at City, seven at Liverpool, four at Brentford. It’s not good. They’re obviously in a tough place. The manager is under pressure again,” he said.

As reported by The Manchester Evening News, the United legend then accused the side of “drifting” and questioned not only their desire and commitment to the cause but their talent as well.

“There were players playing last night for United and you thought they would have been leaving the club in the summer. They’re not as talented as they think they are. Their body language, I don’t see it. It’s not good reading at the moment,” said Keane.

Marcus Rashford endured a particularly poor afternoon at Newcastle and Keane was quick to remind United’s top scorer last season of his responsibilities on the field.

“(Rashford) is a local lad, he’s got the mega deal and that is all well and good. I need a bit more, you run forward no problem but you have to run back. Cover yards.

“He’s 26 now, he’s not a child anymore. He’s got to set the example. He’s got to lead by example, is he on his own? Absolutely not. He’s one of the experienced players in that dressing room and if he’s not setting the example, not good,” said Keane.

Anthony Martial was another the United legend had strong words for before delivering his damming assessment of the team’s top four hopes.

“We still look at Martial and celebrate when he scores a goal every 14 years. You judge Man United on what they do in the big matches. If you can’t deal with that, maybe you’re not a Man United player. No (top four) I don’t see it,” Keane added.

Despite the patchy form, United are still in the hunt for the coveted Champions League places but do face a tricky set of festive fixtures which will no doubt shape their season and potentially Erik ten Hag’s future at the club.

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Manchester United’s stuttering form continued on Saturday night with Newcastle United beating Erik ten Hag’s men by a goal to nil.

In truth, the scoreline flattered United with the home side in full control throughout the game and unfortunate not to put the visitor to the sword.

United looked shattered on the night and completely devoid of any passion and desire, particularly at the top end of the pitch.

Anthony Martial was given the nod ahead of mega-money summer signing Rasmus Hojlund yet did very little to justify his selection.

The Frenchman was virtually non-existent throughout his 60 minute cameo, looking as though he wanted to be anywhere else but on the field.

Erik ten Hag was seen fuming at his forward for an incident toward the end of the first half which saw a Newcastle defender stroll away from the feeble attempt of pressure from Martial.

Anthony Martial is yet to complete a full 90 minutes this season…

Erik Ten Hag stormed onto the touchline to berate Martial during the first-half pic.twitter.com/yp0t4pLX2w

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 2, 2023

The move almost resulted in a goal for the hosts and Ten Hag couldn’t hide his anger.

Martial didn’t take the verbal volley lying down and can be seen shouting back at his manager whilst gesticulating in frustration toward the United bench.

The 27-year-old is yet to complete 90 minutes for United this season and given his first half performance it was a surprise to see him reappear for the second period.

He was eventually hooked after Anthony Gordon’s opener but the damage was done and United couldn’t find a route back into the game.

In fairness to Martial, he was one of many players who looked completely uninterested last night, but given his career at Old Trafford is on the line, the lack of effort was alarming.

Ten Hag will need a big response from his players for the visit of Chelsea on Wednesday night with the big games coming thick and fast for United.

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United have a poor record when it comes to away games against the big sides and it was much of the same as Erik ten Hag’s side were second best in all departments.

They entered the game on the back of some decent performances against teams from the bottom half of the Premier League table but they failed their first big December test.

Martial poor again

The Magpies were swarming all over them right from the word go while the United players seemed to be lacking any real effort with the displays from Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial particularly glaring.

A lot has been written about the Frenchman and it is a surprise to see him still wear the Manchester red, not least start games. but Ten Hag felt he could stretch the game with his pace.

But he was absolutely horrendous, hardly able to hold on to the ball and not applying any real pressure. Substitute Rasmus Hojlund fared little better, but he at least looked like competing for every 50-50 ball.

As for the Mancunian, unlocking his mentality seems to be the biggest challenge for every United manager. The academy graduate always seems to follow up a season of progress with a poor campaign the following year.

It has been going on for far too long and assistant coach Steve McClaren had pointed out that the current coaching team needs to help Rashford regain his best self. So far, it looks like he is regressing once again.

Playing him on the right might not suit his strengths but the least he could have done is track the full-back. Time and again, he gave up and that is a bad sign.

Rashford weak mentality

The Frenchman and the English winger are similar in this respect. They are unpredictable and can follow up a decent display as against Everton with an absolute stinker like on Saturday.

Managers like Louis Van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and now Ten Hag have all struggled to get this duo to perform consistently which shows their weak mentality, something unforgivable considering they are at the biggest club in the world.

They have been at the club for the same amount of time but hardly have showed continuous growth unless of course it meant fighting to win a new contract.

Ten Hag seems to keep persisting with the same duo expecting something different each time and it is time he looks beyond the pair for their upcoming game against Chelsea.

Ten Hag needs to change many things but injuries and poor form means he hardly has the options on the bench.

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A report by Peter O’Rourke (footballinsider247) details how Old Trafford officials are open to Martial departing the club, but only if they receive a reasonable transfer fee in return.

This would then enable United to target a replacement to help buttress an attacking unit which has yet to begin firing domestically this season.

While new striker Rasmus Højlund is the joint top scorer in the Champions League this season (as well as one of the leading goalscorers in the European Qualifiers for Denmark), he is yet to find the net in the Premier League.

In fact, United’s entire forward line – consisting of Højlund, Martial, Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Antony – have scored the same amount in the league (four goals) as the team’s two defensive midfielders – Casemiro and Scott McTominay.

It’s a shocking statistic but one which speaks to the struggles Erik ten Hag’s side have endured this year.

O’Rourke reveals: “[United] would be open to letting Martial leave the club in January if they receive a suitable offer, but they would need to first bring in another striker in the new year.” This mirrors a report by The Peoples Person from a few weeks ago.

If the club are unable to find a suitable suitor for the French forward in the upcoming window, however, they will be forced into triggering the extension clause, despite not necessarily wanting to. The extra season would then, in theory, enable United to generate more money for Martial’s exit.

O’Rourke’s report indicates the forward’s current wage packet at Old Trafford is in the region of £250,000 a week, however. Over the course of twelve months, this amounts to an outlay of £13 million.

Does it feel likely United will be able to demand a fee in excess of this amount for a misfiring forward who cannot appear to stay fit with one year left on his deal? The answer does not need much thought.

As has become the case for large parts of the post-Sir Alex Ferguson malaise at Old Trafford, a clean break with a player who is clearly not at the requisite level would be the better for the team. Whether it’s considered the better move for the club’s financial bottom line is less clear.

And when commercial interests face off against sporting competitiveness at United, there’s normally only one winner.

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United got off to a perfect start after Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes gave the team a two-goal lead.

An Andre Onana blunder just before the break to let in Hakim Ziyech’s free-kick effort saw Galatasaray half the deficit.

Scott McTominay restored United’s two-goal advantage in the 55th minute but yet another massive Onana howler from a second Ziyech free-kick gave the Turkish giants an avenue back into the game.

Kerem Akturkoglu’s thunderous striker with 20 minutes of normal time left on the clock eventually ensured the spoils were shared between the two clubs.

United’s hopes of advancing to the round of 16 are all but over at this point. Ten Hag’s men will need to beat Bayern at Old Trafford and hope that Galatasaray draw against FC Copenhagen during Group A’s final matchday.

Speaking after the game, Schmeichel gave his verdict on the game. Apart from Onana’s extremely costly mistakes, the Dane also took issue with Ten Hag’s decision to substitute Hojlund in favour of introducing Martial to proceedings.

Schmeichel strongly hinted that Martial’s lack of effort was partly responsible for United’s disappointing result at Rams Park.

The ex-goalkeeper told CBS Sports (via Metro), “I actually think that the back four played really well today. I don’t think they could have done much more. I thought they played well, but, again, you can’t argue that the mistakes by the goalkeeper are very, very expensive.”

“Every time a goalkeeper makes a mistake it is a goal, it’s a fact of life. I think again, when you go back to Sunday, I thought everything worked really, really well. But when you play at this level, every little mistake you make is being penalised and you’ve got to learn that.”

“When you’re 2-0 up – and it’s not the first time we’re 2-0 up in this tournament – you kill the game. You make sure the other team can’t get into it. You keep the ball, you make sure you don’t make mistakes – and a lot of mistakes were made today.”

The 60-year-old added, “And of course you also have to look at players like when Hojlund came off, a lot of the pressure from the very, very front disappeared. The guy he [Ten Hag] put in doesn’t do anything, where you had before someone who works really, really hard for the team up front all of a sudden you don’t have that pressure.”

He explained that any team that scores the amount of goals United do should only be happy with nothing but three points.

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The match was lit up by a worthy Goal of the Season contender from Alejandro Garnacho, who connected sweetly with an acrobatic overhead kick in the third minute.

The defence had to withstand a bit of pressure in the closing stages of the first half and they did so admirably before the remaining forwards got in on the act in the second half.

Bruno’s classy gesture

Anthony Martial won a penalty which Marcus Rashford converted before the Frenchman scored his customary goal against the Toffees, his ninth against the team from Merseyside since his arrival in Manchester.

United’s usual penalty-taker is skipper Bruno Fernandes but he chose to hand the ball over to the Mancunian after the referee pointed to the spot after a lengthy VAR check.

The academy graduate duly converted to notch his second goal of the campaign and it will do his confidence a world of good after a poor start to the campaign.

He was United’s top scorer last season but has looked like a shadow of his former self and Fernandes realised the importance of helping his winger get on the scoresheet on Sunday.

“[I did it] because I felt Marcus [Rashford] needed a little bit of confidence, he needed his goal. Marcus is an excellent penalty taker too, I am 100% sure he could score that penalty.

“It is not about who takes it, it is about scoring and Marcus did it perfectly,” the Portuguese told Sky Sports at the end of the game. It was a gesture that a captain should take and highlighted why he has been given the armband this season.

United are set to face a make-or-break week with Galatasaray up next in a do-or-die Champions League clash before the Red Devils gear up to face Newcastle United in the Premier League.

Fixtures will come thick and fast in December and manager Erik ten Hag, who has seen his forwards struggle in front of goal, will very much appreciate what his skipper did.

Rashford needs to step up now

The United No 8 knows if United are to salvage their season the forwards will need to produce in front of goal and Rashford and Martial’s goals will do them a world of good.

“I think we all know strikers and wingers want to score goals, they need to score, that is part of their game,” added Fernandes. “It gives you more of a boost and as you saw after the goal Marcus was unstoppable. He could take on everyone.

“Sometimes you need this opportunity to get your confidence back and Marcus has been great for us. Last year he was amazing so therefore everyone’s expectations for this season have been a lot higher.

“It is just about getting his goals back and everyone saying he is world-class again.” This incident could prove to be a springboard for Rashford, who now needs to produce the goods going forward and silence the critics.

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