After Man United suffered another disappointing loss, albeit their first under Ralf Rangnick, this time going 1-0 down against Wolves, Luke Shaw faced the media for the post-match interview and made some eye-catching remarks. Claims of a lack of togetherness, dedication, and adequate fresh ideas from the manager were made, hinting that behind the scenes, the Red Devils are far worse than perceived.
And according to the Daily Mail, those assumptions are spot on. Chris Wheeler has penned a lengthy piece for the British news outlet, describing the situation at Old Trafford, and it makes for a grim reading.
Several players are said to be unhappy at the club, ranging from fringe players who are understandably frustrated with their lack of playing time to those unconvinced by the newly-appointed German gaffer and his tactics. The likes of Anthony Martial, Edinson Cavani, Donny van de Beek, Dean Henderson, Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard are all said to be pushing for exits this January, leaving Rangnick with a headache.
While the former RB Leipzig boss is the man facing this issue, he is not the reason behind this unhappiness. Solskaer is, with the Norwegian boss making promises only to then field the same players more often than not regardless of form. Ralf has shown little signs of change but having only been in charge for six games, it's too early to pass judgement on the 63-year-old.
It's normal to have players upset over lack of playing time, but this does not excuse the overall drop in standards at the club. According to the report, this is one of the first things Cristiano Ronaldo noticed upon returning to the Theatre of Dreams, with the five-time Ballon d'Or winner being left shocked by the team's decay.
As a result, several senior players have allegedly admitted to Old Trafford being "the worst group and worst atmosphere they can remember". Cliques reign supreme, with there being a lack of unity among the squad, hence Shaw's recent statement. Whether Rangnick can find a solution before his interim role comes to an end remains uncertain.
While Monday's defeat was Man United's first loss under their new boss, the tricky spell does not end there for the Red Devils. Next up for them in the league is a trip to Gerrard's high-flying Aston Villa, with a clash against West Ham following that. The seventh-placed side need to win those two fixtures or they will lose further ground in this season's heated top-four race.
