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Football

07th Mar 2022

Man United player nicknamed ‘teacher’s pet’ as dressing room divide worsens

Daniel Brown

United were thrashed 4-1 by Man City on Sunday

Four Manchester United players reportedly want to leave the club and are unhappy with their lack of involvement under Ralf Rangnick, with one player nicknamed a ‘teacher’s pet’.

United fell to their seventh Premier League defeat of the season on Sunday, suffering a 4-1 thrashing at the hands on Manchester City in the derby.

Recent reports have suggested that the mood in the Red Devils’ dressing room is far from cohesive, with rumours of a divide between the squad and internal criticism of Rangick and his staff’s coaching methods.

Captain Harry Maguire – who recently denied suggestions that he and Cristiano Ronaldo were embroiled in a row over the captaincy at the club – said that he and his teammates were “devastated” with the defeat against Pep Guardiola’s men at the weekend.

Rangnick now reportedly faces a player exodus after alienating several fringe players with his team selections. As reported by the Manchester Evening News, Dean Henderson, Diogo Dalot, Eric Bailly and Marcus Rashford are all dissatisfied with their roles at Old Trafford.

Shot-stopper Henderson, who has only made three appearances this season – none of which have come in the Premier League – is said to be willing to leave United this summer in search of first-team football.

The 24-year-old is understandably desperate to be included in England’s World Cp squad later this year, and understands that he needs to be playing regularly in order to force his way into Gareth Southgate’s plans.

Defender Bailly is also thought to be weighing up his future having made just seven appearances this season, which has seen him fall down the centre-back pecking order.

The Ivorian’s fellow defender Dalot has also struggled for minutes in recent weeks, despite making 20 appearances in all competitions so far this season.

Elsewhere, attacker Rashford is thought to be frustrated after starting the last four Premier League games on the bench and hasn’t ruled out seeking a move away from Old Trafford.

Rashford has only started two of the Reds’ last 11 league games and came on as a substitute for United during their derby day hammering against City on Sunday.

The 24-year-old remains under contract until 2023, with an option for a further year, but has fallen further down the pecking order as a result of the emergence of Anthony Elanga this campaign.

The report adds that the disharmony off the field has led to bitterness towards certain players who are featuring more regularly under Rangnick.

It is also thought that one United player is being labelled a ‘teacher’s pet’, with some members of the squad concerned about the German’s suitability for the interim manager role considering his lack of major honours in his career.

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