Inside new Man Utd crisis as Rangnick faces broken dressing room and angry stars

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EXCLUSIVE: Manchester United suffered their first defeat under interim boss Ralf Rangnick in Monday’s loss to Wolves at Old Trafford, but behind-the-scenes issues are growing fast at a club facing yet another crisis

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Ralf Rangnick reflects on Wolves defeat

Ralf Rangnick is battling to unite the Manchester United dressing-room as he faces up to his first crisis since taking charge.

Cliques are understood to have formed within United’s squad, with interim boss Rangnick facing many of the same problems that forced the sacking of his predecessor Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

A source close to the squad claimed as many as 11 players now want to leave the club after becoming disillusioned with life at United.

An increasing number of players marginalised under Solskjaer are suffering the same treatment under Rangnick, which has led to divisions within the United dressing-room.

Many of the players are underwhelmed by Rangnick’s coaching, not impressed by his tactics and disappointed by the quality of his assistants.

His position is further weakened by his appointment only being until the end of the season.

Defender Luke Shaw admitted United’s players were not pulling together in Monday’s 1-0 home defeat to Wolves.

The source said: “It’s not good. The atmosphere is really bad and it looks like there are going to be big problems ahead for United.”

Jesse Lingard, Donny van de Beek, Eric Bailly and Dean Henderson are among those players who have become frustrated at their failure to be given a chance under Rangnick.

Solskjaer was accused of having ‘favourites’ and sticking with them, despite United’s below-par displays, and now Rangnick is facing the identical problem with the same group of players.

Lingard and van de Beek have yet to start a Premier League game this season, while Henderson wants to go out on loan this month after falling back behind David De Gea in the pecking order.

Rangnick is unwilling to let Henderson leave, but the 23-year-old is desperate to be playing regularly, to ensure he is included in England’s World Cup squad for Qatar in December.

Defender Eric Bailly, who is now on Africa Cup of Nations Duty with Ivory Coast, is another player who has become disillusioned at not playing enough, despite United’s poor defensive displays without him.

The resentment felt by players who have been consistently overlooked for selection is threatening the unity and harmony of the dressing-room, with Shaw suggesting there are issues within the group.

Ex-United captain Gary Neville pointed to divisions within the squad after a 1-1 draw at second-from-bottom Newcastle on December 27 and hinted at issues between Cristiano Ronaldo and skipper Harry Maguire.

Ronaldo has cut a frustrated figure in recent days, heading straight down the tunnel at the final whistle against Wolves, his annoyance with certain team-mates evident in the defeat.

Writing to his 386million Instagram followers, Ronaldo called for “a higher spirit and a stronger mentality” from United in 2022, but they have started the New Year in the worst possible way.