Manchester United have been given another reason to appoint Erik ten Hag

That some Manchester United players have reservations about the possibility Erik ten Hag could manage them next season is another reason for the club to appoint him.

This is the year the player-power era at United has to end after they stripped Jose Mourinho of authority. His replacement was effectively a substitute teacher who was disparagingly dubbed a 'PE teacher' by a section of the fanbase and United then hired the professorial Ralf Rangnick.

United sided with Paul Pogba over Mourinho and Pogba is going. They sided with Anthony Martial over Mourinho and he has gone, albeit not permanently. He needs to.

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The club pandered to Pogba, Martial, Luke Shaw et al. by removing Mourinho and 'putting smiles back on people's faces' with a man who makes them happy when skies are grey. In his final weeks, the smile had been wiped off Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's face and Shaw suggested last month his smile only returned when on England duty.

Shaw has not made a major contribution to silverware at United. He started in two League Cup ties and four Europa League matches (only one in the knockouts) in 2016-17. Shaw was in the dressing room for the Wembley final but clad in his suit as he had been overlooked for the matchday squad. He was on crutches in Stockholm.

Players need to look closer to home. Shaw has been at United for seven years this summer and would make the poster of a film charting the club's demise. Supporters saw through Marcus Rashford's entourage's movements the day after the Manchester derby. Unlike Shaw, Rashford has made significant contributions to cup runs that ended with him hoisting a trophy - two under a manager his brother