Manchester United cancel Christmas party as pressure mounts on Louis van Gaal

'Ho ho ho' is more 'no no no' at Old Trafford this year, with Manchester United players having reportedly cancelled their annual Christmas party in the wake of their Champions League exit at the hands of Wolfsburg in midweek. The news comes courtesy of the Daily Mail, who write that the decision was not made by the club's hierarchy, but the players themselves:

"Old Trafford captain Wayne Rooney and the rest of the squad are said to have taken it on themselves to cancel the players' night out without any pressure from Van Gaal because they did not want to be seen out celebrating at a difficult time for the club."

Clearly this is a sensible idea from all involved, and seems to show that the the players are taking responsibility for recent poor performances. However, it's equally obvious that the players are only partly to blame for United's turgid football, and perhaps quite a significant chunk of the blame lies elsewhere. As a result, we can only hope Louis van Gaal won't be taking another trip to Mr. Wing's until things are sorted out.