Ex-Man City midfielder Nigel de Jong claims there is NO ONE 'to put certain players in their place' at Manchester United as he insists 'someone needs to step in' like Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola did with high-profile stars
- Nigel de Jong believes someone needs to clamp down at Manchester United
- Ralf Rangnick's Red Devils side have put in below-par performances this month
- De Jong says there's no one 'to put certain players in their place' at Old Trafford
Former Manchester City midfielder Nigel de Jong believes someone needs to clamp down on some Manchester United stars amid their run of below-par displays.
Ralf Rangnick's side rescued a point at Newcastle in an underwhelming performance at St James' Park on Monday after only beating basement boys Norwich narrowly earlier this month.
Ex-United defender Gary Neville branded United players a 'bunch of whingebags' as he let rip into them after their 'shocking' first-half display in the north east, and De Jong claims there is no one 'to put certain players in their place'.
![Manchester United players have come under fire this week after below-par performances](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/12/29/09/52325559-10352299-image-a-4_1640770708258.jpg)
Manchester United players have come under fire this week after below-par performances
![Former Manchester City midfielder Nigel de Jong believes someone needs to clamp down](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/12/30/10/52367387-10355517-image-a-30_1640861489739.jpg)
Former Manchester City midfielder Nigel de Jong believes someone needs to clamp down
The Dutchman pointed to Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta stripping the captaincy from £350,000-a-week star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Pep Guardiola dropping Phil Foden and Jack Grealish.
'Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is their club captain and he experienced it first-hand; even though he was the captain, he breached protocol, and it means he's out of the door. That's something you just don't see at Manchester United,' De Jong told Ladbrokes.
'Pep Guardiola recently did it too with Jack Grealish and Phil Foden; it's a statement. It's about getting everyone at the club on the same page, trying to achieve something as a team.
'That's something I'm just not getting from United at this moment in time; it doesn't look like anyone is there to put certain players in their place.'
The captaincy was taken off Aubameyang following the striker's failure to report on time for a Covid test after travelling to France to collect his sick mother.
The club confirmed that the striker had been relieved of the armband following his 'latest' disciplinary breach.
![He pointed to Arsenal's Mikel Arteta stripping captaincy from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/12/14/12/51771237-10308199-image-a-32_1639483575079.jpg)
He pointed to Arsenal's Mikel Arteta stripping captaincy from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
![De Jong also highlighted Pep Guardiola dropping Phil Foden (right) and Jack Grealish (front)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/12/30/10/52026141-10355517-Jack_Grealish_was_one_of_two_starts_in_City_s_previous_game_who_-a-31_1640861591492.jpg)
De Jong also highlighted Pep Guardiola dropping Phil Foden (right) and Jack Grealish (front)
While City and England pair Foden and Grealish were dropped by club boss Guardiola after they were 'not in the correct condition' when reporting for a recovery session the day after being allowed to unwind following City's 7-0 thrashing of Leeds.
Sportsmail revealed on Monday that morale is low, there are concerns over cliques, chemistry issues between Cristiano Ronaldo and some team-mates, while some stars want to leave.
Neville slammed both Ronaldo, who snubbed United fans at the final whistle and headed straight down the tunnel, and Bruno Fernandes.
De Jong believes certain United players need to be pushed to improve their performances.
'Someone needs to step in who isn't afraid of saying 'you, I don't want to see you for the next two weeks. Go away and think about things. Whenever you think you're ready to come back, come back, but for now, I'm taking a young kid from the under-23s who is eager and hungry, and I'm giving him a chance,' he added.
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