Scott McTominay admitted Manchester United’s dressing room has been a toxic place in the past.
United were outclassed by Bournemouth on Saturday as they suffered a humiliating 3-0 defeat at home. They are also on the verge of a Champions League exit, with Erik ten Hag’s men needing a win against Bayern Munich on Tuesday night if they are to have any hope of staying in the competition.
It came just days after Sky Sports reported the Dutchman had 'lost' 50% of the players in his dressing room, a claim disputed by the club, resulting in a run of dismal results. But Red Devils midfielder McTominay has come to the defence of his manager by presenting a united front.
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The Scotsman revealed there has, in fact, been a poisonous atmosphere among players and staff in the past, while praising the “big characters” in United’s dressing room.
McTominay said: “It is the players’ responsibility, first and foremost, the players know that as well. We have had many amazing players and right now we are at the stage where we have big characters in the dressing room.
“It's not just a case like some of the other managers, where it has been a little bit toxic at times. The boys are firmly behind the manager. I've said that in many other interviews and that is the way it will stay.
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“We've got an amazing coaching staff as well, so it can get lost in translation, with what the players think and what is said behind closed doors. But we just want to do well for the football club.”
Ten Hag has attracted criticism this season for his playing style and the treatment of Jadon Sancho, who has not played a game since August. But McTominay, United's top scorer in the Premier League this season with five goals, insists it is the players' responsibility to turn their fortunes around.
“Obviously we know the inconsistencies we've had, we are not naive to that,” he added. “We have spoken about it as a group.
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“The boys are doing their best to come together. As you can see in the Premier League, every team is super athletic, every team in the Champions League can run.
“We need to match that and more when you play for this club. The manager can’t do too much from the sidelines, it needs to come from the players. Sometimes the way we play has been amazing. When we play like we did against Chelsea, we can do amazing things.
“That's the faith of the manager and you want to repay that as much as you can when you get on the pitch. You're going to have ups and downs as a football player, it's not always sunshine and rainbows.”
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