Manchester United’s club skipper Harry Maguire has shared an insight into the dressing room after a series of poor performances.
Defeat to Wolves was interim coach Ralf Rangnick first of his short reign but came off the back of a number of frustrating displays and Maguire has held private talks with players and management in a bid to reverse the slide.
Maguire notes the criticism he and his team-mates have faced and accepts that it is down to them to get the club back up the table as they look to qualify for the Champions League.
He said: “I’m the captain and leader in the dressing room, and I’ve had private conversations with the players and the management which will remain private.
“Make no mistake about it, I’m here for the fight and I know my team-mates are. I expect them to be and if they’re not then – like I said – there’s something wrong.
“We have a big squad. Of course, not all players will always be happy as they are not playing but that’s football and we all have to remain professional.”
He added: “We are all angry and want to do our best, which has probably come across on the pitch at times. But the team spirit is good, despite what people say.
“Being a professional footballer, you have to take criticism on the chin and react well to it. At the same time, you have to ignore the outside noise sometimes and just get your head down [in training].
“We know if we can put together a run of results then everything else takes care of itself.”
Manchester Evening News reports a number of the players are growing ‘sick to death’ of the falling standards at the club, while there remain fringe players unhappy with their lack of minutes.
Maguire is not bothered about the motivation of any of his team-mates but says that any player should want to perform for the club.
He added: “I know what you’re saying and sometimes it can be good to have the ‘us against the world’ mentality. “I know a lot was written about Sir Alex Ferguson’s teams and the way he used that to spur his players on. He obviously did that brilliantly.
