Man Utd are suffering from 'a real divide between the players and the manager'

Former Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given has claimed there is a 'real divide' between Manchester United's players and their manager Erik ten Hag.

Given made the assessment after Man United's dismal 3-0 home defeat to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup, with the defeat ending their defence of the competition.

The result was Man United's second 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford in as many matches, after being brushed aside by neighbours Manchester City in the derby on Sunday.

Given highlighted Jadon Sancho's exile from the Man United squad following his dispute with Ten Hag as an example of a potential divide between the players and manager.

Sancho has been training on his own since publicly branding the United manager a liar over his reasons for dropping him for the 3-1 away defeat by Arsenal.

'It feels there is a real divide, in my opinion, between the players and the manager,' Given said on Sky Sports.

‘I think there are a lot of fall outs behind the scenes, that maybe we don’t hear about.

‘Varane was missing tonight and in the derby, ill, Sancho is out of the picture and Antony has had his issues.

'At the end of any managerial reign at any club, there seems to be a disbelief.

‘Players have to take responsibility, that’s their job when you cross the white line.

'But it seems at the end of someone’s tether that players, I don’t want to say down tools, but there is disconnection.

'Losing the derby at the weekend and then losing here tonight, the game was over after an hour.'

Former Man United striker Andy Cole insisted the squad have to stick together and called for the players to take responsibility.

‘Losing Sunday and again this evening, the performance wasn’t good and Ten Hag knows that and appreciates that.

‘He is talking about looking at