Man Utd's toxic dressing room atmosphere reaches its nadir with latest squad squabble
The toxic atmosphere in Manchester United’s dressing room has been laid bare by the power struggle between skipper Harry Maguire and icon Cristiano Ronaldo.
United’s locker room has been a far from harmonious place this season, with player divisions conspiring to undermine results and performances on the field.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer struggled to get a handle on the unrest and paid for it with his job, as results reflected the growing disharmony within the squad.
Interim boss Ralf Rangnick has not fared much better. There has been a player backlash over his methods and his coaching staff, with poor results and performances illustrating the discontent.
It is all a far cry from August 31, when United sent the football world into meltdown with the revelation they had re-signed Ronaldo 12 years after he had left them for Real Madrid.
With Ronaldo’s arrival bolstered by the addition of Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund and France World Cup winner Raphael Varane from Real, United were poised for a first title push since Sir Alex Ferguson rode off into the sunset in 2013.
But that optimism and expectation swiftly evaporated as United’s form nosedived, with Solskjaer sacked on November 21 after a humiliating 4-1 defeat at Watford.
Ronaldo’s arrival, heralded as the final piece in the jigsaw for United to mount a Premier League title challenge, is seen by some as a chief reason for the decline because it has ultimately destabilised the team.
Edinson Cavani, who had been persuaded to stay an extra year with the promise he would lead United’s attack, suddenly found himself sidelined, with Ronaldo taking his No.7 shirt for good measure. There was also dismay among fringe players, notably Eric Bailly, Donny van de Beek
