11 December 2023 , 17:00
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Scott McTominay has conceded that the Manchester United dressing room has been "toxic" in recent years, although the squad remain fully behind Erik ten Hag.
The Dutchman is under pressure after overseeing the club's worst start to a season in decades and watched as his side were humbled 3-0 by Bournemouth at Old Trafford on Saturday.
United now enter a pivotal week with a do-or-die Champions League clash against Bayern Munich on Tuesday night preceding a daunting trip to Liverpool at the weekend. McTominay, though, insists that Ten Hag retains the full support of his squad amid recent reports of dressing room unrest.
Speaking ahead of the Bayern game, McTominay said of United's current plight: “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.”
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Scott McTominay has been one of Manchester United's better players so far this season (PA)While McTominay's words will come as a timely boost for his Ten Hag, his comments on the dressing room's attitude to previous managers has not gone unnoticed - and they pretty much confirm a damning theory from United legend Roy Keane.
Speaking back in May 2022, Keane went on record in claiming that the Manchester dressing room was a bad one before tearing into the senior players.
He told Sky Sports prior to Ten Hag's arrival: “For the all issues they have, the chaos seems to be all over the club. If you haven't got a decent dressing room, forget about it, you’re in trouble anywhere. We’ve seen with Man United, when things go against them, that’s it, they almost throw the towel in. It’s a bad reflection of senior players at the club.
“Young players getting carried away and thinking they’re players. A bad dressing room, forget about it, you’ve got no chance.”