Man United crisis: things get even worse for David Moyes
United boss said things were 'as bad as it gets' after Fulham draw... he may have been wrong
DAVID MOYES said after Manchester United's extraordinary draw with Fulham on Sunday that things were "as bad as it gets" at Old Trafford. But he may be reconsidering that comment after a new series of indignities were heaped upon him in the wake of the result. Since the game his side have been compared to a non-league side, he has been criticised by a former Old Trafford great, not to mention an increasing number of football journalists, one of his own players appears to have taken a personal dig at him on social media and to cap it all some of his managerial rivals have taken pity on him. United play like a "conference team"Man United sent in a record 81 crosses against Fulham on Sunday, prompting Cottagers defender Dan Burn, who once played for non-league Darlington, to hark back to the early days of his career. "I was just saying to the lads that I've never headed that many balls since the Conference. At the end of the day I'm happy for them to play like that," he said. United have "cut corners" in the transfer marketITV pundit Keane told the broadcaster the club's transfer policy was taking its toll this season and Moyes needed to bring in half-a-dozen players in the summer. "They've kind of cut corners in terms of transfers in the last few years, they've not gone out and got the big players, and it's just caught up with them this year," he said. "I think Man United need five or six players." Zaha takes a potshot?Wilfried Zaha, who will be remembered as Alex Ferguson's final signing for Man United, appears to have fallen out with the man who replaced him. He has yet to start a Premier League match for Moyes and has been farmed out on loan to Cardiff for the rest of the season. His reaction was to post a picture of himself alongside Bluebirds manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on photo-sharing website Instagram with the pointed caption: "Nothing like someone who believes in you". Zaha swiftly took the picture down and insisted that it was not a sly dig Moyes. Hernandez gets crypticZaha is not the only player making noises, according to The Times. "The controversial episode [involving Zaha] came the day after Javier Hernandez, the United and Mexico striker and another player who has struggled to win the trust of Moyes, posted a cryptic message on Instagram, saying: 'The time to talk about so many things will come soon...'" Could that be another statement of discontent? Mourinho feels Moyes's painWhen the Special One offers you his sympathy then you know things have taken a turn for the worse. The Chelsea boss, who has been goading his title rivals of late, now has nothing but kind words for Moyes. "I feel sorry for them," he said. "I never enjoy it when somebody is having some problems, like they're having. But United are United. David is experienced enough to cope with the situation, and the future will be better for them. Yes, he's the right man for the job." Rebellion is brewingThere was booing around Old Trafford when the final whistle went on Sunday, and several pundits are now questioning whether Moyes was the right choice. Among them is Mark Ogden of the Daily Telegraph, who believes that "the experiment has gone terribly wrong". Criticism from Ogden and Jamie Jackson of The Guardian, who says Moyes must rethink his tactics, will not worry him nearly as much as signs that the Manchester Evening News may be turning against him.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Today's political cartoons - December 22, 2024
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - the long and short of it, trigger finger, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 hilariously spirited cartoons about the spirit of Christmas
Cartoons Artists take on excuses, pardons, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Inside the house of Assad
The Explainer Bashar al-Assad and his father, Hafez, ruled Syria for more than half a century but how did one family achieve and maintain power?
By The Week UK Published
-
Why Man United finally lost patience with ten Hag
Talking Point After another loss United sacked ten Hag in hopes of success in the Champion's League
By The Week UK Published
-
Manchester United and Mason Greenwood: duty of care or double standards?
Talking Point The 21-year-old footballer’s possible return has provoked an outpouring of dismay from supporters
By Jamie Timson Published
-
Liverpool 7 Man Utd 0: ‘welcome to Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool 2.0’
feature Anfield’s ‘new front three’ were on fire in the humbling of their bitter rivals
By Mike Starling Published
-
Man Utd win the Carabao Cup: how Erik ten Hag has ‘transformed’ the Red Devils
feature United lifted their first silverware since 2017 after beating Newcastle at Wembley
By Mike Starling Published
-
Jim Ratcliffe: petrochemical billionaire turned Man Utd bidder
In the Spotlight The Ineos owner is the first to publicly bid for the 13-time Premier League winners
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Reactions to Cristiano Ronaldo’s ‘explosive’ interview with Piers Morgan
feature Portugal captain feels ‘betrayed’ by Man Utd and believes he’s being forced out of the club
By Mike Starling Published
-
What next for Cristiano Ronaldo? How the relationship with Man Utd turned sour
Under the Radar Portugal star has ‘almost certainly’ played his last game for United as he is dropped for Chelsea clash
By Mike Starling Published
-
Manchester United: does Erik ten Hag have the ‘golden touch’?
feature Prevailing mood at Old Trafford was reminiscent of ‘how it felt during the golden years of Sir Alex Ferguson’s reign’
By The Week Staff Last updated