You’ll never guess who we’ve got at No.1. If half the dressing room really has lost faith in Erik ten Hag, many of them ought to look at themselves. But introspection is rare at Man Utd.
Reports this week, denied by United, suggest Ten Hag has lost 50 per cent of his dressing room, amid various gripes over training, tactics and his leadership style.
Just for funsies, we’ve ranked the squad based on how likely we think they might be to be among those ‘lost’ to Ten Hag…
29) Lisandro Martinez
Martinez has been little use to Ten Hag on the pitch because of injury but, as one of the manager’s biggest allies, the defender has been brought back to Carrington from wherever he was rehab-ing in an attempt to head off any potential dressing-room mutiny. Too late, Licha.
28) Jonny Evans
The veteran defender has Ten Hag to thank for bringing him back to United. As a solid pro, brought up under Sir Alex Ferguson, Evans will be behind the manager.
27) Luke Shaw
The longest-serving player in United’s squad was on the end of some tough love from Jose Mourinho but Ten Hag loves Shaw. “He’s the best left full-back in the UK,” said the manager in April when the defender signed a new deal and he is picked ahead of most centre-backs too, so Shaw is unlikely to be feeling aggrieved.
26) Kobbie Mainoo
He’s 12 and he’s been given his chance. If he is wise – and it seems like it – he will just get his head down and play.
25) Bruno Fernandes
It is hard to imagine Bruno having a problem with the amount of running in training given he is arguably United’s hardest-working player. Ten Hag made Fernandes captain and the Portugal playmaker is unlikely to have forgotten the debt his owes Ten Hag. Clearly frustrated at what is unfolding around him but Fernandes remains an ally for Ten Hag.
24) Altay Bayındır
The new-ish back-up goalkeeper has nothing to gripe over, unless he felt he deserved a chance amid Onana’s problems. But Bayindir was signed as a back-up, certainly initially, so he knew the deal.
23) Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Ten Hag disassembled and rebuilt Wan-Bissaka so it is hard to imagine the right-back repaying his debt by siding with the mutinous half of the dressing room.
22) Harry Maguire
Had these reports aired in the summer, you would have put Maguire among the dissenters. But since he shunned a move away he has been United’s best performer this season, a fact recognised by Ten Hag. Maguire clearly wants to stay at Old Trafford and while he is in favour, you would expect him to keep his head down and his mouth shut.
21) Victor Lindelof
There were questions from the players over Ten Hag’s selection of Lindelof at left-back from the derby but it was never stated that the Swede offered any dissent. Lindelof has featured more than he might have expected this season so he’s likely to remain on the manager’s side.
20) Scott McTominay
There is little doubt that Ten Hag was willing to sell McTominay in the summer, even if he remained at the club while Fred departed. But he too has played a more prominent role than he might have expected and last month declared that he was “100 per cent sure” the manager would succeed at Old Trafford.
19) Diogo Dalot
The Portugal right-back seemed cosy in his role at the start of last season when Aaron Wan-Bissaka was nowhere to be seen. But by the end of the campaign, Dalot and Wan-Bissaka were “almost equal players” in the manager’s mind. The battle has been halted for much of the season while Wan-Bissaka has been injured and Dalot has switched to the left to cover. Dalot is unlikely to be a problem while he fights for first-choice status.
18) Facundo Pellistri
Gradually improving his prospects and earning Ten Hag’s trust so the Uruguay winger is an unlikely candidate to rock the boat.
17) Tyrell Malacia
Ten Hag’s first signing hasn’t been any use to the manager this season because of injury. Malacia has no good reason to hold a grudge against Ten Hag – but it doesn’t take much at Old Trafford for players to shift the blame.
16) Andre Onana
The new goalkeeper can’t question the level of support Ten Hag has offered during a tricky adaptation to life at United. Onana is rarely afraid to speak his mind but he would hardly be coming from a position of authority if he was to start questioning the manager.
15) Rasmus Hojlund
Hojlund’s presence is said to have baffled one of the more ‘time-served’, loose-lipped members of the squad, but the young striker is surely too wet behind the ears to be speaking up against the manager who brought him to Old Trafford. Expect Hojlund to be around long after those who’ve seen off multiple managers already.
14) Sofyan Amrabat
The on-loan midfielder has a long history with Ten Hag and though he might not be thrilled at the opportunities he’s had since arriving late in the summer, nor can he really complain. Amrabat performed arguably better at left-back than in midfield, the position he was signed to strengthen.
13) Hannibal
Given his Premier League debut by Ten Hag but Hannibal is no shrinking violet and the midfielder might be wondering why he isn’t getting more opportunities given United’s problems in midfield. Tim Sherwood certainly thinks he’s had the thin end of the wedge.
12) Tom Heaton
Heaton was reportedly hoping to get away in the summer to get some game time but United needed him to stick around. Still, the veteran isn’t likely to channel his frustration towards Ten Hag.
11) Alejandro Garnacho
Ten Hag hasn’t indulged Garnacho. The manager has been firm but fair with the young winger, be it concerning his attitude or form, especially on the occasions he has struggled to make an impact as a starter.
10) Casemiro
Despite his woeful form and fitness record, the Brazilian is still said to remain loyal to Ten Hag, for as long as he’s around. Not that he’s had any preferential treatment. And the comment about wanting to play ‘more football’ as a reason for substituting Casemiro against Brentford is said to have gone down badly with some of the delicate flowers in the dressing room.
9) Sergio Reguilon
The loanee was injured when Ten Hag really needed him, and then the manager preferred either Lindelof or Dalot out of position at left-back. Which might be reasonable grounds for irritation, but Reguilon doesn’t have to stay beyond January if he’s p*ssed off.
8) Antony
Antony is Ten Hag’s man. Under any other coach, the Brazilian would surely not have seen as much game time amid such poor form. If Antony is back-biting, he ought to seek a reality check.
7) Christian Eriksen
Eriksen has started only half the Premier League games for which he has been available and in October, he spoke of Ten Hag’s preference for “slightly different types than me”.
6) Donny van de Beek
Just quietly counting down the days to January, you would expect.
5) Mason Mount
It was assumed that Ten Hag had made Mount his priority in the summer, given the huge outlay amid other priorities. But how things have panned out since suggests perhaps Mount was someone else’s man. The England midfielder, when he is fit, is struggling to fit in and you could understand if he is questioning his choices.
4) Anthony Martial
How Martial remains at the club, only Joel Glazer and Ed Woodward know. Ten Hag isn’t a fan and the feeling appears to be mutual but Martial seems unlikely to care enough to cause any kind of fuss. The striker knows he’s got the cushiest gig he’ll ever have.
3) Raphael Varane
There are conflicting reports around Varane at the moment. It was reported that he and Ten Hag had fallen out and the fact he can’t seem to get a game adds plenty of weight. Today, though, it is claimed the France star hopes to stick around. Whether that is to play for Ten Hag or another manager, it isn’t clear.
2) Marcus Rashford
You need not be an expert in body language to read Rashford’s mood. Everything points to a seriously p*ssed off individual, and his friendship with Sancho makes him an obvious ally for the exiled winger. Rashford has seen off as many managers as anyone else in this squad and being played on the right clearly displeases the England star.
1) Jadon Sancho
The winger is dead to Ten Hag and the feeling is very much mutual. The fact the latest leaks focus around supposedly hard-done-to Sancho suggests his associates have been chirping up, with the £72million star initially said to be hoping to outlast Ten Hag at Old Trafford. Some people obviously feel that prospect needs a kick-start.
Read next: Mailbox: Manchester United’s ‘lost’ 50 per cent can’t f*** off fast enough…
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