Some Manchester United players are reportedly beginning to doubt head coach Erik ten Hag, with the Red Devils losing eight of their opening 15 matches of the 2023-24 campaign.
The 20-time English champions were knocked out of the EFL Cup on Wednesday evening, suffering a 3-0 home loss to Newcastle United in the last-16 stage of the tournament.
Man United also lost 3-0 to Manchester City at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday, with the team currently down in eighth position in the table, already eight points off the top four.
The Red Devils have been beaten in eight of their opening 15 games of a season for the first time since the 1962-63 campaign, while they have lost five of their first 10 fixtures at home for the first time since 1930-31.
According to the Manchester Evening News, some of the club's players have started to question Ten Hag's management style.
© Reuters
The report claims that many are also concerned with the club's direction, having seemingly gone backwards in the early months of this season after a successful 2022-23 campaign under Ten Hag.
The Dutchman ended the club's recent trophy drought by delivering the EFL Cup trophy, while Man United finished third in the Premier League table.
Some of the club's players are also said to be unhappy with Ten Hag seemingly favouring certain players, and there is now 'increasing unrest' in the first-team squad.
Despite the team's struggles, the 53-year-old's position as manager is not believed to be under serious threat, with the Dutchman set to be given time to turn things around.
© Reuters
Ten Hag insisted after the clash with Newcastle that he remains the right figure to lead the team, but there will be huge pressure on him to deliver a positive result against Fulham in the league on Saturday.
Man United will then head to Copenhagen in the Champions League next week realistically needing to win to keep their chances of making the last-16 stage of the competition alive.
Ten Hag's tactics are also believed to have been privately questioned by some of the club's players following the three-goal loss to Man City in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, it was recently claimed that members of his staff are not in an agreement with his handling of Jadon Sancho, who is still not involved in the first-team picture at the club.
Ten Hag boasts a record of 48 wins, nine draws and 20 defeats from his 77 matches at the helm since arriving as Man United head coach from Ajax in the summer of 2022.
Matt Law
