Manchester United are offering their players advice on meditation and coping with children to help them through the coronavirus crisis.

Club doctor Steve McNally said earlier this week that the squad had been given ‘a number of resources to tap into if they wanted’ during the lockdown.

It’s understood these include a set of documents on nutrition and wellbeing that have been issued to all the players.

To help avoid any issues with mental health while isolated at home, United’s stars have been sent official guidance from the Professional Footballers’ Association and Sporting Chance charity.

They have also been encouraged to look into an Open University course on the science of nutrition and healthy eating, blogs on managing social distancing and isolation, and the MyFitnessPal app for advice on meditation, relaxation and food intake.

The website links sent to players include guidance on coping with children, many of whom are at home while schools remain closed, time management and mental health resources.

United’s first-team coach Kieran McKenna underlined the importance of monitoring the players during the football shutdown, saying: ‘There is contact going on all the time. It’s important they feel that sense of connection in a lot of different ways.

‘I’ve tried to ring quite a few, especially the younger boys to make sure they’re okay.

‘It’s maybe a unique time for some of these boys in their lives because they are so used to training and playing games and being with their team since five or six-years-old.

‘So having to manage their bodies and their minds, and be a little bit more independent in some ways, is hopefully a beneficial period.’