Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe was absent from Stamford Bridge as Michael Carrick's side lost to Chelsea, but supporters made their feelings clear, chanting for the billionaire to sell the club and leave. This backlash comes after Ratcliffe previously warned he would step away if he faced the level of abuse directed at the Glazer family.
Fan Protests at Stamford Bridge
While Michael Carrick received appreciation from the away supporters and players gathered with fans after full-time, the club's hierarchy were the target of disgruntled chants. Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada felt the heat in west London, the Glazers received their customary chants, and Ratcliffe's role faced further scrutiny.
Chants included "You can stick your new stadium up your a***", "Sell United and f*** off home", and "Just like the Glazers, Jim Ratcliffe's a c***". The Ineos boss has been targeted over the treatment of fans and staff, but now the focus is increasingly on the product on the pitch.
Ratcliffe's Previous Warning
In an interview last year, the 74-year-old admitted he had no desire to be treated like the Glazer family. "Eventually, if it reached the extent that the Glazer family have been abused, then I'd have to say, 'Look, enough's enough guys, let somebody else do this,'" he said.
"They can't really come to a match," he added. "At the moment, I don't have security, I don't have to walk around like that. But it would defeat the object, wouldn't it? You couldn't tolerate it at that level. It just wouldn't be fun."
Pressure Mounts On and Off the Pitch
Nine matches without a win have increased pressure, with upcoming games against an unbeaten Roma side in Serie A and Aston Villa. Even if United decide to part with Carrick during the international break, Liverpool await them on their return.
Frustration has also grown away from the stands over Ratcliffe's stewardship. The Glazers are reportedly unhappy with the direction of the club under their co-owner. A source with connections to the family told the Mail that "it's a travesty and not what they expected or were promised," adding that "they have never run the club this way."
ESPN reported that the Glazers believe Ratcliffe "couldn't have masterminded a worse situation," with a source describing his "downgrading in all departments" at Old Trafford as "the opposite of what he said his strategy is."
