Manchester United have reportedly made a decision regarding interim manager Ralf Rangnick's position at the club amidst talk of player unrest. There have been rumours that United chiefs could relieve the German from his temporary role in charge.
Whether that would have meant Rangnick holding on to his pre-agreed consultancy role is doubtful. However, the club is adamant he will remain as interim boss till the end of the season. According to Express Sport, United will not part ways with the former RB Leipzig despite the team's poor recent form.
Manchester United are currently fifth in the Premier League table, and are in a battle for a top-four finish and Champions League qualification.
Despite United drawing their last two games against Southampton and Burnley and exiting the FA Cup against Championship side Middlesbrough, the board believe Rangnick is capable of turning things around.
There has been evidence of improvement on the pitch since he has taken over from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in December. The team have lost just one league game under the 66-year-old, and have been more defensively organised under him.
Manchester United will head to the Amex Stadium on Tuesday night to face Brighton & Hove Albion. They will hope to return to winning ways after their drab 1-1 draw against Southampton on Saturday.
Are people overreacting to Ralf Rangnick's tenure at Manchester United?
Many pundits have been very vocal about Ralf Rangnick's credentials as United manager. Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has been critical of the former Hoffenheim manager, saying on Soccer Saturday (via Express):
“I don’t see him being there, and the way it is going at the moment, if they don’t get in the top four, I’d be shocked if he went upstairs."
Apart from Merson, former Premier League players Kevin Phillips and Jamie O'Hara have also doubted Rangnick's credentials.
They have cited Manchester United's off-the-field issues as evidence that all is not right with the German in charge. However, the evidence at hand does point to improvement under him despite widespread reports of dressing room unrest.
United have lost just one league game under Rangnick. Apart from that, the penalty shootout loss to Middlesbrough is the only other game the team has lost under the German.
Defensively, there has been huge improvement. If United had converted the many chances they have created under Rangnick, the narrative about the interim manager might have been different.