Manchester United cancel Christmas party after Champions League exit

Manchester United have reportedly cancelled their annual Christmas party in the wake of their Champions League exit earlier this week.

United lost 3-2 in Wolfsburg to finish third in their group and fail to progress from the initial stage of the competition for only the second time in the last decade.

According to the Daily Mail, club captain Wayne Rooney and the rest of the player staff have cancelled the party of their own accord without pressure from manager Louis van Gaal or any of the backroom staff at the club.

The paper claims that the players did not feel that it was appropriate for them to be seen publicly celebrating in the midst of the team’s struggles on the field in recent weeks.

As well as their European exit, United have slipped to fourth in the Premier League table as a result of a run of poor form which has seen them win none of their last four matches in all competitions.