Beleaguered Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has the support of his highest-profile player in Cristiano Ronaldo, with the Portuguese superstar encouraging his team-mates to get behind the Norwegian.
According to the Manchester Evening News, Ronaldo is 'holding the dressing room together' at Old Trafford as the club continues to reel from their chastening 5-0 home thrashing by arch rivals Liverpool on Sunday.
The report adds that Ronaldo is urging players 'to not down tools' and to maintain standards - despite some irked by Solskjaer's tactics and personnel choices.
Cristiano Ronaldo (left) has called on his team-mates to keep supporting Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Ronaldo and United are in disarray after being thumped 5-0 at home by Liverpool on Sunday
This result was a week after United had lost 4-2 at Leicester City in the Premier League
Pressure is mounting on Solskjaer after those two heavy back-to-back Premier League losses
The Red Devils are going through turmoil at present, having conceded nine goals in their last two Premier League matches - a 4-2 defeat at Leicester City on October 16 that was followed up by that humiliation at the hands of Liverpool.
Ronaldo knows Solskjaer well having played alongside him during his first spell at the club before being brought by the under-fire manager over the summer in a £19.7million deal from Juventus.
Despite Ronaldo's rallying cry, pressure is mounting on Solskjaer as the club fail to meet expectations under his watch.
The Times reports that a clear-the-air meeting between players and management occurred just two days after losing at Leicester - with players not holding back on their opinions.
One aspect that had irked a member of the squad was the elevation of Maguire to captain just six months after joining the club.
The England centre back was signed in an £80million deal from Leicester in August 2019 but by January 2020 he was handed the armband on a permanent basis.
Harry Maguire's status as Man United captain has been reportedly questioned by a team-mate
Maguire was officially named United captain in January 2020 - just six months after joining
In a clear-the-air meeting after Leicester, one unnamed player questioned Solskjaer's decision
The 28-year-old was picked ahead of the likes of David de Gea and Marcus Rashford, who were longer-serving members at Old Trafford and had been skipper at times during that 2019-20 season.
The Maguire captaincy situation wasn't the only issue discussed though during the meeting.
Another player criticised some of his team-mates for an apparent lack of
