Michael Carrick after drawing against Aston Villa
Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images
Manchester United fans who stayed until the end were treated to another exhilarating comeback against Aston Villa, but what the team did after full time was “painful to watch”, as per Gary Neville.
Less than a week after an all-time comeback against AS Roma in the Champions League, Old Trafford bore witness to another chaotic game.
Man Utd overturned a two-goal deficit twice to draw 4-4 against Aston Villa, and could have feasibly won 5-4 with the last kick of the game.
Many Man Utd fans had left the stadium by injury time, but those who stayed were treated to a “painful” and “desperate” sight after full-time.
Gary Neville points out “painful” practice at Old Trafford
It can be argued that Michael Carrick is still Man Utd manager because of how vociferous the support has been in favour of him.
The fans acknowledge that he’s making big mistakes, which make things harder for him, but they also know that he’s been let down by the board.
Carrick has sought to reciprocate that support by clapping the fans at the end of every game at Old Trafford, and it has sparked some truly (in)famous scenes.
The sight of the players getting booed as soon as Carrick disappeared against Bournemouth was startling, and Gary Neville says this lap of honour after every game at Old Trafford is “painful to watch”.
He said [via NBC Sports]: “This lap around the pitch, I played 602 times for Man Utd and always appreciated the fans at the end of the game. But this pattern of basically them walking around the pitch on a lap of honour after defeats at home against Bournemouth, a 4-4 at home against Aston Villa, it’s almost painful to watch.
“It’s like they’re almost causing themselves emotional damage. And this just can’t go on, can it? It’s absolutely desperate.”
Recently, Roy Keane said something similar, that Carrick was making things harder for himself by behaving like a dead man walking after every game.
In the absence of the board backing him publicly, Carrick’s actions are being scrutinised, and these little things shape perception.
Carrick is unintentionally adding oil to this raging fire with these laps of honour, and an emotionally charged atmosphere is playing with the players’ heads as well.