Donny van de Beek let his frustration get the better of him in September when he was spotted throwing chewing gum in the direction of the Manchester United dugout.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had again failed to give him a run-out in the Champions League against Villarreal, and the Dutchman wasn't happy.
Asked about the incident a few weeks later and Manchester United boss Solskjaer brushed it off with a sarcastic response.
"It's wiser to throw away your chewing gum and not to swallow it, we learned that as children. And giving your chewing gum to someone else is not possible in these Corona times either. Sensible, so I could see he was throwing it away," Solskjaer told RTL7.
Solskjaer also went on to discuss Van de Beek's situation, admitting the £35million signing is "not happy" before explaining why he's getting no game time.
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"Donny is still working hard, of course, and at the moment it's hard. I understand Donny is frustrated, he's disappointed but he keeps on working every day with a big smile," he said.
"I know he's not happy, but he works hard and he's a top professional. He knows that that's the way that sometimes it works in football, at the moment he's not playing but he doesn't let himself down.
"I can't go into every single player [why they are or are not getting game time], but if you see our team, he's got some good players that he plays with. He keeps training well and I enjoy having him there and I hope for him that he gets his chances."
Things have taken a turn for the worst since Solskjaer made the comments, with United losing to both rivals Liverpool and Manchester City.
The defeats have seen Solskjaer's men drop to sixth in the Premier League table and the Norwegian is now facing calls to be sacked.
Amid the growing discontent, the Daily Mail reports that the Manchester United players are starting to sympathise with Van de Beek's plight more and more.
They're said to be as confused as the Dutchman as to why he has been banished to the bench since signing for the club two seasons ago.
And are growing increasingly frustrated on his behalf amid claims Solskjaer has something of a dressing room revolt on this hands.
Solskjaer has to start turning things around quickly at Man United or he faces being sacked, and without the support of his players, his job will be made more difficult.
Man United face Watford next in the Premier League before huge clashes against Chelsea and Arsenal. Defeat in the latter two matches could see Solskjaer sacked.
