Ralf Rangnick is providing key Manchester United balance that previous managers failed to do so

Since the arrival of Ralf Rangnick at Old Trafford, things have changed. The performances on the pitch haven't precisely been vintage Manchester United but have certainly improved under the new stewardship. But it's not only on the pitch that Rangnick is impacting.

As we've seen in his short time as United boss, with both Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard, he has not been one to shy away from being honest in interviews. Rangnick has been the subject of some criticism from fans and the media after saying Lingard asked for some time off, with the player taking to social media saying it was the club who advised him to take time off.

Many have shared their opinion on this, but as fans, we should side with Rangnick. Too often in the past with United managers, we've seen two completely different ends of the spectrum. With Jose Mourinho, his calling out of certain players, in the end, became too much, and it felt as if his criticism of players began to feel unnecessary.

Fast forward to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's tenure, and it felt as if the players would get away with murder. After 6-1 hammering against Tottenham Hotspur, the 5-0 mauling to Liverpool, and the death by a thousand passes 2-0 defeat to Man City; you'd think the players would be put under rightful and heavy criticism.

But Solskjaer did not utter a single word on his players' disgraceful performances. Some would call it protection of the players; others would call it blind loyalty. I'm going with the latter.

Rangnick has never been unnecessarily critical, nor has he protected his players when performances have been poor and deserve to be called out. The German has struck the perfect balance, and this no-filter approach is refreshing and exactly what United need in