There’s been little for Jose Mourinho to smile about lately at Manchester United.
Yet gauging the mood on Twitter this weekend following the Brighton defeat, it seems that Man United fans are at least supporting their manager.
After beating Leicester in round one, United lost 3-2 at Brighton on Sunday.
The Red Devils looked disorganised at the back in the first half as Brighton scored three times.
Ed Woodward in the dressing room: “You’re representing Chevrolet, Adidas, Nissin Noodles & Kohler out there. Show some pride you shitehawks”.
— United Religion (@Unitedology) August 19, 2018
Mourinho started with Ashley Young, Eric Bailly, Victor Lindelof and Luke Shaw as his backline. David De Ged was in goal.
Ed Woodward vs Jose Mourinho
When it came to apportioning blame after the defeat, many Man United fans have turned on Ed Woodward rather than Mourinho.
Why? Because Woodward is the man in charge of Man United’s transfer recruitment.
Just a reminder that Mourinho knew our centre backs were a weak link in the summer but it was rejected by our chief executive Ed Woodward. Ridiculous in every aspect of the word.
— The Man Utd Way (@TheManUtdWay) August 19, 2018
Mourinho made it plain he wanted a centre-half in the summer, however no new addition was signed.
Is that Woodward’s fault? That’s what many United fans believe, as the friction between the manager and the executive vice-chairman seems to grow.
Will this end with Mourinho leaving Man United?
Maybe, but if that happens the options on who could be appointed as the new Red Devils boss feel thin.
United were, in fact, out-classed and alarmingly Mourinho, tense and angry on the touchline, did not seem to have an answer before pinning it on “incredible mistakes” and, another, veiled suggestion that he had not been backed in the transfer market. Even if he added that he did not want to talk about it.
The United manager had already declared money does not buy class after he was mocked in the Amazon Prime “All or Nothing” documentary series about the champions but it is his team that is lacking – and not just because they did not acquire the centre-half Mourinho believes they need.
On this evidence they are not only joyless and listless but will struggle to finish in the top four, never mind try and wrestle the Premier League title away from City who put six past Huddersfield Town before this match kicked off.
Two games into the season and it has come to this already. There was no fizz, no spark, no inspiration, no fight. From him or them. There is time, of course, there is plenty of time and Mourinho suggested that they cannot be judged until December but, by then, City, Liverpool and a few others may be too far ahead if this performance is repeated too often.