Louis van Gaal admits he was approached by key players earlier in the season amid fears that the Manchester United dressing-room atmosphere was ‘flat’.
Reports this week suggested that some senior Red Devils’ players weren’t happy with the Dutch manager’s methods.
Van Gaal denied that he had a strained relationship with his squad, though he did concede at the latest in a string of bizarre media conferences on Friday that Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick aired their worries with him.
"Rooney and Michael Carrick came to me and said: 'The dressing room is flat’,” he revealed.
Van Gaal welcomed the feedback from his captain and vice captain and insisted he has a good relationship with them.
He said: "I think I have a superb relationship with my players. Maybe you have to consider how many players are coming to the manager to say something.
"In my career as a manager, I didn't have so many who come to say something about the atmosphere in the dressing room or the way we train, or something like that.
"But it is very positive that they are coming to you and that they trust you."
When questioned by the media Van Gaal seemed annoyed that the dialogue between him and his players was viewed in some quarters as a mutiny.
To emphasise his point, he raised his voice in the press conference, mimicking the song the fans sing about him.
He added: "The fans are shouting every week 'Louis van Gaal's army! Louis van Gaal's army!'. They are very satisfied with Louis van Gaal and the players are also satisfied with me."
United take on Liverpool at home in Old Trafford on Saturday evening, kick-off 5.30, in a crunch clash.
Untied-Liverpool has long been one of the biggest fixtures in the English top flight and the stakes could hardly be higher for two under-fire managers.
United currently lie in fifth, just outside the Champions League qualification spots, on seven points from four games.
Liverpool are in seventh on the same points with an inferior goal difference, though boss Brendan Rodgers is on the back foot following a home flop against West Ham in their most recent game before the international break.
Van Gaal is in his second campaign in charge having just about steered United to the Champions League last season.
However, he has spent enormous amounts of money on players, many of whom have failed to make an impact, and fans are beginning to lose patience with is methods.
