Some Manchester United supporters have made their feelings known.
With growing unrest at the club, fans went ahead with plans to fly a banner over Turf Moor ahead of the United’s clash with Burnley on Sunday. The banner was designed to criticise United’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, whose relationship with manager Jose Mourinho has been placed under increasing scrutiny this season.
And those responsible for organising the clear display of discontent used an infamous quote from Mourinho in their condemnation of Woodward.
A round of applause greeted the sight of the banner which read, ‘Ed Woodward – A Specialist in Failure’.
Ed Woodward 𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵 in failure banner flying over Burnley stadium #mufc #ggmu #utfr #BURMUN pic.twitter.com/OVxW8PFfw3
— Irah (@imfootballmad) September 2, 2018
It was a reference to Mourinho’s memorable rant about former rival Arsene Wenger’s trophy drought back in 2014.
United insist that rumours of a rift between Mourinho and Woodward have been blown completely out of proportion and it’s been suggested that the pair’s relationship is stronger than ever.
But Mourinho made no secret of the fact that he was disappointed that his transfer wishlist went largely ignored in the summer window.
The Red Devils boss demanded a new centre-half and identified several possible targets but deadline day came and went without a new central defender at Old Trafford.
United were reportedly bemused by the comments of club legend Gary Neville, who took Mourinho’s side in the apparent rift.
“If Ed Woodward was going to doubt Jose Mourinho, the time to doubt him was at the point whereby he should have said, ‘I’m not going to give you a new contract’ last January,” Neville said.
“The minute that he gave Jose Mourinho a contract extension, which some would say was unnecessary part way through a season, but believing in a manager, showing the faith, he had to then buy him the centre-backs.
“He had to get him [Harry] Maguire, he had to get him [Toby] Alderweireld because they wouldn’t have made those mistakes yesterday [in United’s 3-2 defeat against Brighton].
“My view is Maguire and Alderweireld would have been good options. If they cost £120 million to bring them in then that’s what you have to do when you’re backing Jose Mourinho
“If you are doubting him then the time to doubt him was last January by saying ‘No, let’s see how you do at the end of the season.’ I look at it from a board perspective and it’s been messy this last couple of weeks.”
