With the situation seemingly becoming unstuck at Old Trafford, interim manager Ralf Rangnick has been compelled to issue a warning to the lukewarm United stars amid reports of a disunited dressing room by demanding a higher work rate from his players.
Rangnick is realistically nursing fears his Red Devils flops are caught in a laziness syndrome which could be a serious obstacle obstructing their hopes of becoming a top level team.
Having unexpectedly struggled to make an impact since replacing previous gaffer Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in November on an interim basis until the end of the season, the German coach was hired on the back of his well-deserved reputation for producing supremely fit, high-pressing and extremely well-disciplined squads, quite unlike the motley crew he seems to have inherited at Old Trafford. His current United side have remained appallingly lackluster since his arrival, winning only four of their last eight games in all competitions.
And as if things couldn’t get any worse, Rangnick has had to admit he has a battle on his hands to unite a fractured dressing room, having to confront his first crisis since taking the reins after news emerged that cliques have formed within the squad to the extent that Rangnick has had to order those who have intentions to leave the club to conduct themselves at least in a more professional manner and continue to do their jobs.
But the German has in no uncertain terms told United to toss their dreams and hopes of being successful like rivals Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool in the bin unless they are prepared to bite the bullet and willingly adapt to his methods and crank up their work rate.
Rangnick, whose side host Aston Villa in the FA Cup third round tonight, said: “This is the only way we can compete in this league and at that level.
“Whenever you watch games, even if it’s not the top teams, they play with intensity, they play with physicality, they play with energy and they sprint.
“This is what we have to do. We have to develop into this kind of team and it’s about implementing this into the team in a sustainable way.
“This is our job. We have to do it together with the players and we have, obviously, to develop the players, identify for each game, the players who are willing and able to do that and to deliver exactly what we spoke about.”
Meanwhile Rangnick has revealed that Uruguayan frontman Edinson Cavani has agreed to remain at United until the end of the season and hailed the former PSG striker as a role model for the rest of the squad to follow.
He added: “I had a conversation with him. He came into my office and we spoke for almost half an hour and he told me he will definitely stay and would want to stay until the end of the season.
“Not only because I told him that he should stay or has to stay, he did it on his own behalf and he told me that I can rely on him to stay until the end of the season and give his very best and be a role model for the young players.
“He’s available and he’s happy to play. Even if he’s not playing, he will be trying to be the best possible role model for the other players and for me this is good news, because Edi if one of those players with his vast amount of experience, with his mentality, his work ethic, I think he could really be a perfect role model for the other players.”