Ralf Rangnick makes third appointment as Man Utd shake-up continues

Ralf Rangnick has appointed Ewan Sharp as an assistant coach and analyst as his overhaul of Manchester United's backroom staff continues.

Sharp has left his post at Lokomotiv Moscow, where he previously worked alongside Rangnick, to take up his new role at Old Trafford.

Rangnick was appointed interim manager in November tasked with improving on-pitch results after a dismal run of five defeats in seven Premier League games under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

But he also has great expertise in running football clubs from his time as a sporting director, so he will hope to improve the structures and processes at the Red Devils.

To that end, Rangnick appointed Sascha Lense as a sports psychologist shortly after his arrival and also added to his coaching staff with Chris Armas.

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His latest appointment, Sharp, previously worked as a coach at New York Red Bulls and Toronto FC, and his arrival at United strengthens a coaching unit left depleted after the departures of Michael Carrick and Kieran McKenna.

Carrick, an ex-assistant to Solskjaer, left United at the start of December after three matches in charge as the club's caretaker manager.

McKenna was a first-team coach at the Red Devils before leaving to become Ipswich Town manager last week.

Sharp, meanwhile, will also reunite with Armas having worked in his backroom team at MLS club Toronto for six months earlier this year.

It is undoubtedly a period of transformation at United's Carrington training ground, although Mike Phelan has stayed on in his first-team coaching role.

Discussing Armas' appointment earlier this month, Rangnick emphasised the addition would help United play a "proactive kind of football".

"Since Michael is no longer there for me, it was clear that we need somebody," the 63-year-old said. "The thing about Chris, again, is that we've known each other for six, seven years.

"He was the assistant coach of Jesse Marsch at the New York Red Bulls. He's then become head coach at the New York Red Bulls, and then at Toronto.

"So he's well acquainted with the proactive kind of football we want to play also in the future. And, therefore, I'm very happy to have him on board."

United have seen their December severely disrupted by a coronavirus outbreak which led the postponement of their fixtures against Brentford and Brighton.

But the Red Devils are due to return to action on the 27th, when they travel to Newcastle.