Manchester United fans voiced their disapproval of the club's ownership in a protest organized by the 1958 fan group ahead of Sunday's match at Old Trafford. The protest, which saw fans donning black attire to symbolize the club "slowly dying" under its current structure, highlighted growing frustrations among supporters. This discontent stems from financial losses estimated at £30-40 million annually due to the club's absence from the Champions League.
During the match, Manchester United's defensive play drew attention as they managed just one shot on target in the first half. Despite this, Bruno Fernandes scored the opening goal through a controversial free-kick. Head coach Ruben Amorim acknowledged that Manchester United has had to adopt strategies that are not always popular to secure results. He assured that future games would feature a different style.
"Sometimes we have to do things that are not popular but if you want to win and imagine one way to win, we have to do it because in the end, we need the points." – Ruben Amorim
Fan Discontent and Financial Strain
The protest underscored growing dissatisfaction with the Glazer family's ownership, amplified by chants both before and during the game. This sentiment was echoed by former player Gary Neville, who remarked on the supporters' anger and pointed to financial mismanagement as a key issue.
"It's down to a number of things," said Neville. "It's down to debt repayment, it's down to mismanagement, if you're getting rid of 450 people it means someone has been mismanaging the club for 10 years." – Gary Neville
The financial strain on Manchester United is notable, with significant losses incurred due to the absence from elite European competition. This situation has fueled fan frustration, leading to calls for change at the top.
Match Strategy and Future Play
On the field, Manchester United adopted a deep defensive strategy, which drew criticism for its lack of attacking flair. Ruben Amorim acknowledged these concerns and defended the approach as a necessary measure to secure points.
"When you coach Man Utd, you cannot play too much like that but the idea is to win the game." – Ruben Amorim
Despite a challenging first half, Amorim's side improved after the break, forcing saves from Arsenal's goalkeeper David Raya. However, they failed to hold onto victory while playing a style Amorim hopes to move away from in future matches.
"But it's a difficult situation. We just want to give them a lot of effort. Sometimes in the low block, I know it's frustrating, but in the future we are not going to play like that but in the moment we try to win games." – Ruben Amorim
Ownership Presence and Fan Rights
The presence of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and director Edward Glazer at Old Trafford did not go unnoticed amid the protests. Despite the tension, Amorim supported fans' rights to express their dissatisfaction through peaceful protest.
"But you know that this is a big business and maybe all the fans around this league felt that sometimes it's harder to go to the games to pay for the tickets and that is normal." – Ruben Amorim
Amorim emphasized understanding towards supporters' grievances and reiterated his commitment to addressing issues on the field.
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