Erik ten Hag has given his battling Manchester United squad two days off after back-to-back defeats in the Premier League.
The Red Devils suffered 1-0 losses to Brighton and West Ham in their last two outings to leave their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League hanging in the balance. They are fourth in the table, one point clear of Liverpool in fitth with a game in hand.
Ten Hag's decision will raise eyebrows, as the Dutchman cancelled a planned day off and made his players run 13.8km after the last time they suffered back-to-back Premier League defeats in August. Yet United's situation is different at this stage in the season.