After eight consecutive matches without a win, and sitting barely above the relegation zone in the English Premier League, struggling Manchester United faces the prospect of a new change at the helm of the coaching staff, and Michael Carrick appears to be the one who will pay the price.
The former United midfielder received warm applause from the fans as he headed down the tunnel toward the dressing rooms following the heavy 3-0 defeat against Bournemouth at Old Trafford the day before yesterday.
Moments later, however, boos rang out as the players left the pitch, in a clear sign that the fans know very well who to hold responsible for the team's dire predicament.
Carrick had signed a two-year contract last May after leading a remarkable resurgence following the team's struggles under Portuguese manager Rúben Amorim, with United finishing third in the Premier League and returning to the UEFA Champions League.
Yet this sharp decline this season brings to mind a very familiar story for United fans who have not celebrated a league title in 13 years, back when the Scottish Sir Alex Ferguson was still in charge.
An emotional choice
Carrick belongs to the same category as Norwegian Ole Gunnar Solskjær, who managed the team between 2018 and 2021, as an emotional choice and a former player who contributed significantly to the club's glories during Ferguson's era.
Former United captain Gary Neville told Sky Sports: "Manchester United fans are chanting Michael Carrick’s song because I think they know what is going to happen here. They’ve seen this script before. He is one of them and he is popular."
He added, "But the owners, the sporting management, and the players are not popular, and they have let this club down massively."
And as Neville points out, the club's problems go far beyond the manager.
Despite ongoing protests from the fans, the American Glazer family still holds the majority stake in the club, which Malcolm Glazer acquired in 2005 through a debt-financed takeover that burdened United with massive financial liabilities.
Hopes that British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe’s entry as a minority shareholder in 2024 would mark the beginning of a new era have also faded.
Ratcliffe oversaw a series of cost-cutting measures that included widespread staff layoffs and ticket price hikes, yet the club's debts nevertheless rose to over £1.1 billion ($1.47 billion).
On the transfer front, United lost the race for top targets to bolster their midfield during the summer, after Elliot Anderson, Italy's Sandro Tonali, and Portugal's Matheus Fernandes chose to move to Manchester City (in the former's case) and Tottenham respectively.
Instead, the club signed Cameroon's Carlos Baleba, Belgium's Youri Tielemans, and Brazil's Andrey Santos for around £150 million, but none of them have made a strong impression so far.
Indications of divisions within the club have also surfaced in recent weeks.
