Erik ten Hag facing divided dressing room as Man Utd stars at odds over two team-mates

Erik ten Hag is fighting a losing battle to keep Manchester United ’s split dressing room together as pressure continues to build at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils are in the midst of a woeful start to the campaign where they have lost eight out of their first 15 games in all competitions. That represents United’s worst start to a season since 1962.

Questions have been levelled at Ten Hag for his inability to get his side back on track and reports have suggested that the club hierarchy are already sounding out potential replacements. Now, a split is emerging in the heart of the dressing room.

According to the Daily Star, cliques have grown behind the scenes after situations involving Mason Greenwood, Jadon Sancho and Antony. It is suggested that some want Sancho to be recalled to training, with others keen for Brazilian wideman Antony to be dropped.

Sancho has remained in exile since Ten Hag banished him from training and any connection with the first team at United’s Carrington training base. Meanwhile, Antony has come under fire for his performances on the field which have failed to live up to his £86m transfer fee – his latest seeing him booked against Manchester City for a petulant kick at Jeremy Doku, despite only being on the pitch a matter of minutes.

Amid questions over Ten Hag’s position, it appears that his job remains safe for now. Wednesday’s humiliating Carabao Cup exit to Newcastle has not yet convinced the Red Devils to pull the trigger on the former Ajax coach.

Ten Hag himself insists that he is the right man, an assessment that United midfielder Scott McTominay agrees with. Speaking with the club’s official website, he said: “There’s more that goes into it when you’re not playing well and you’re not doing so well.

The Manchester United dressing room split involves winger Antony (Image: Getty Images)

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“I know the fans don’t want to hear that, they want to see results and performances and I think they want to see the players smiling and happy.

“It’s not quite happening at the moment, but I’m 100 per cent sure that the manager can put that into practice and it can come off. I’m sure of that.”

Ten Hag is said to be in regular dialogue with CEO Richard Arnold about the crisis at Old Trafford and what can be done to put things right. The former is reluctant to sack Ten Hag off the back of a successful first campaign where he won the Carabao Cup and guided the Red Devils into the top four.

The club’s ongoing ownership situation is also giving Ten Hag a stay of execution. The Glazers are still in talks with Sir Jim Ratcliffe as he attempts to seal a deal for 25 percent of the club.

Amid that ongoing process, it is also suggested that none of the club hierarchy want the distraction of sacking a manager. Ten Hag would also command a considerable package should United decide to do away with his services.

It is suggested that it would cost around £15million to jettison him and his staff, with his own personal pay packet sitting at around £9m per year. Ten Hag has spoken to his squad and confirmed that they will not have a day off ahead of Saturday’s ‘must-win’ game against Fulham.

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