Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick has been accused of "bottling" a big decision when he opted not to substitute captain Harry Maguire in the Red Devils' defeat at Liverpool.
The German opted for a back three for the defeat at Anfield, handing Phil Jones a rare start. However, after a tough opening 45 minutes for Maguire, it was Jones rather than the skipper who was withdrawn.
The latest criticisms of Rangnick come after United ended the season with a defeat at Crystal Palace, finishing with their lowest ever Premier League points tally. He pinpointed the Champions League elimination against Atletico Madrid as the start of the team's downfall, and the split of the squad into two distinct camps may have played a part.
ESPN carries quotes from a source who accuses Rangnick of leaving Jones exposed before opting not to make the decisive move of withdrawing the captain. "Harry Maguire had a bad night at Anfield, but Rangnick made the easy decision to substitute Jones at half-time because he didn't have the bottle to take Maguire off," the source said.
The same report makes reference to "rival groups" involved in "heated exchanges" before the first leg of United's game against Atletico, while the squad was said to have been divided into two camps - one following Cristiano Ronaldo and the other, mostly including British players, not taking their cues from the top scorer. Rangnick's team earned a 1-1 draw at the Wanda Metropolitano, but Renan Lodi's winner at Old Trafford saw the English side eliminated from Europe.
These latest reports come amid further details emerging about a training ground bust-up between United colleagues in May. Hannibal and Alex Telles, both of whom were involved in the last game of the season, have been named as the players involved.
There have also been concerns about leaks to the media, with ESPN's report suggesting there were three specific camps responsible. United's players have been said to know which member of the squad has been responsible for some of the noise targeting Maguire throughout a tough campaign, though the individual in question has not been named.
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Ahead of the arrival of new Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag, Rangnick has given the new man advice on what to do in the transfer market. Rangnick himself was unable to make any additions to his squad in January, despite links with a number of players including new Aston Villa signing Boubacar Kamara.
"For me, it's also clear what kind of players he needs to help him to be successful," the former RB Leipzig manager said. "There will be changes, players will be leaving because their contracts have expired so there will be space for new players.
"We also spoke about the last transfer window in January where we and the board decided not to sign any players but this is different now. In this summer window, there will be some new players and Erik will also have some influence on which kind of player he wants."
