After a disappointing result, the media scrutiny will always hit top gear, with the manager and his future the prime focus. After a post mortem of the manager's performance so far is done, inevitably, a report will surface of player unrest. As far as Manchester United are concerned, that pattern has held true to form, with some of the players reportedly growing increasingly disillusioned with Louis Van Gaal.
The Dutchman's tactics have been criticised widely this season, with Manchester United playing rather drab football. Ironically, when they did put up a decent offensive performance, they ended up losing to Wolfsburg and with it crashing out of the UEFA Champions League.
Now, the players are reportedly expressing their displeasure with the manager and his tactics, be that on the training field or on the pitch.
"Heard talk of players 'not having' Van Gaal," Manchester Evening News journalist James Robson said in a tweet. "And that talk is only growing."
A report in the Daily Mail also suggested several players were left scratching their heads after Van Gaal made the what-was-he-thinking decision to substitute Juan Mata for Nick Powell in the crucial clash at Wolfsburg, when Manchester United were trailing.
Players have also complained about Van Gaal's repetitive training methods, with Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick, earlier this season, talking to the Dutchman about the "flat" dressing room.
As it stands Van Gaal's job is not on the line, with the Manchester United hierarchy happier to see the club do well in the Premier League than the Champions League considering the riches on offer owing to the new TV deal.
However, if Manchester United continue to play such dire football and the results drop, Van Gaal will be under increasing pleasure, especially considering somebody of Carlo Ancelotti's pedigree has admitted he would be open to taking up the job at Old Trafford.
"Of course, for every manager, they would all think of managing Manchester United," Ancelotti told the Independent earlier this week. "But I have no regrets about staying at Real [when he was offered the job at Old Trafford] because I really enjoyed Madrid. I would like to come back in a club with a good project, but, of course, one that is competitive.
"When I went to PSG, it was a club with a really good project. They were not a club with a tradition like Milan or Madrid, but they wanted to grow and are still on this path now.
"But, the Premier League is the best in the sense of atmosphere, ambience. It is also competitive, so I would like to come back, especially for the atmosphere."
Van Gaal's contract with Manchester United expires only at the end of the 2016-17 season, but, as we all know, things change pretty quickly in football.
