Manchester United players believe their dire start to the campaign is due to the intense workload in pre-season.
According to the Guardian, some players believe their poor start is due to Erik ten Hag overworking them in pre-season.
No squad member has explicitly aired their concerns to the manager.
The Red Devils had a tough 2022/23 season, where they played the most games across Europe.
The players were also swamped because of the Qatar World Cup in mid-season.
Brutal fixture pile-up is a concern but not a valid excuse
United went all the way in both domestic cup competitions last season.
They also reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League and fought hard to finish in the top four in the Premier League.
An intense pre-season would not have helped the Man United players. However, that cannot be used as an excuse for a poor start to the season.
Injuries have hit the squad. More than 15 first-team players have already been on the injury table at some point in the campaign.
Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martinez, Tyrell Malacia and Amad Diallo have long-term injuries.
Casemiro, Christian Eriksen and Aaron Wan-Bissaka have also been sidelined for long spells.
Apart from injuries, off-field issues have forced Jadon Sancho and Antony to spend time out of the team.
A dip in form is expected, but that cannot justify nine losses in the 17 matches across all competitions.
The Red Devils have won all their games with a margin of just one goal.
Ten Hag and his team face a crucial few weeks ahead.
They travel to Everton on November 26 before facing Galatasaray in a must-win Champions League game.
They will also lock horns with Newcastle United and Chelsea in early December, which could be pivotal matches as the race for the top four heats up.
