Graham Cummins: Even Pep or Klopp would struggle to change Man United's fortunes

AS a player, sometimes you just have to accept that there comes a point when you just can’t turn things around and the best option would be to go elsewhere for a fresh start.

For most of the current group of Manchester United players, they fall into this category and they should be speaking to their agents about finding them a new club.

Of course, United is one of the biggest clubs in the world and one would assume if players like Harry Maguire or Marcus Rashford were to leave, the likelihood is that they would be going to a lesser club but would it not be better for them to go somewhere where there isn’t going to be the same expectation levels and they wouldn’t be scrutinised for every bad performance they have.

Being a United player is not an easy job. Fans still believe that the club have an entitlement to be challenging for league titles or at least winning some sort of trophy every year.

What is the ambition of the players at United if they stay on at the club? Prove again that they aren’t up to the level required and continue to be criticised every week. And for what? A big salary or to say they play for Manchester United.

Surely it is more important for those players to go somewhere else, enjoy their football and not simply be a player that fans criticise. They will still get well paid and will be in a better place mentally for no longer being a United player.

Those who think they can stay and change fans’ opinions are naïve to think this way because when your own supporters have turned against you it’s very hard to change that.

Even if Maguire or Rashford were to start playing well, all it takes is one bad performance and the supporters will revert back to labelling them as the same players who have underperformed more than overperformed during recent years.

To play with United you have to be a talented player and all of the players at the club are skilled players but just not good enough to bring the club back to the very top.

However, some of those United players won’t think like that and will still believe they are good enough and that once a new manager arrives things will be different.

Unfortunately, I don’t see this being the case, even if it were Pep Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp taking over, because the simple truth is; none of these United players would start for either Manchester City and Liverpool and that shows how much work will be needed from whoever takes charge.

Of the current United squad, perhaps four players will feel they deserve to have a future with the club.

Bruno Fernandes recently signed a new deal extending his stay with the club until at least 2026, even though it baffles me how a player who is having his worst season with the club was rewarded with a pay increase.

Scott McTominay has developed as a player and is the type that can continue to improve.

Jadon Sancho will argue that he still needs time to settle in before being written off and Cristiano Ronaldo, even though a lot might not agree, has found the net 18 times in a poor side this season, and is having to deal with trying to settle back into Manchester.

Just because Ronaldo lived there in the past doesn’t mean he should automatically adjust to life in Manchester.

He was 24 when he left United in 2009 and returned to the club at the age of 36, with a family and will have a different lifestyle to the one he had during his first spell with United.

Fernandes needs to adjust his attitude from a player that blames everyone else except himself, I know the same can be said about Ronaldo but this is a guy who has every right to have a go off players after what he has achieved and I don’t think he gets enough credit for the way he does try and put his arm around his teammates.

Sancho and McTominay will still need to improve vastly next season otherwise they should be shown the exit door like so many at Old Trafford this summer.