Manchester United dressing room not toxic like before, says Scott McTominay backing Erik ten Hag

Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay has said that the dressing room hasn’t been toxic under Erik ten Hag and backed the manager to turn things around after their poor campaign so far.

The club’s struggles have been particularly evident in the 2023-24 season under the management of Erik ten Hag. Despite a promising start in his first year, Ten Hag’s second season has been marred by a combination of factors leading to a crisis at Old Trafford.

On the pitch, Manchester United has been plagued by injuries, with key defenders like Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martinez sidelined, disrupting Ten Hag’s defensive strategies. The absence of a consistent lineup has further compounded the problem, as new signings and existing players have struggled to maintain form.

Manchester United’s attack has also been lackluster, with the team scoring only 16 goals in 14 league games, one of the lowest tallies in the top 10 of the Premier League. Marcus Rashford, after a 30-goal haul in the previous season, has seen a significant dip in form, contributing to the team’s offensive woes.

The culmination of these issues was starkly highlighted in a humbling 3-0 defeat at home to Bournemouth. This loss, among others, has intensified the pressure on Ten Hag.

Speaking ahead of the Champions League clash against Bayern Munich, as quoted by Reuters, McTominay said that the players are firmly behind Ten Hag and unlike some of his predecessors, the dressing room hasn’t been toxic under his reign.

“It is the players’ responsibility first and foremost, the players know that as well,” he told reporters on Monday.

“It is not just the case like (with) some of the other managers where it has been a little bit toxic at times.

“The boys are firmly behind the manager and that is the be all and end all. We have got (an) amazing coaching staff as well.”

McTominay also said that some of the reports about the dressing room being split on Ten Hag aren’t true and the squad just wants to do well for the club.

“People can get lost in translation and get carried away with what the players think and what they say behind closed doors — we just want to do well for the football club and it is as simple as that,” McTominay said.

McTominay also said that they have been inconsistent this season and should find answers on their own to solve the issue.

“We are inconsistent as a team, we have not been naive to that. We have spoken with coaching staff about it,” McTominay said. “As a group we have to come together and find out the answers to that. It is finding that consistency and balance.”