By the time you’re reading this, Michael Carrick will probably have been sacked. If not, it will happen soon enough. Acknowledging supporters after Manchester United did their usual and got pumped by Bournemouth to send the latest patsy handed the reins towards the door marked “Do One”, Carrick was applauded by the Stretford End, and Old Trafford’s stands east, south and north.
A proud man walking, as Claudio Ranieri once described the fate of the manager who knows the end is approaching. Among the paying public, on the long list of those held responsible for the latest betrayal of a legend, Carrick is towards the bottom. Those heading the list felt their ears burn in a atmosphere crackling with mutiny.
Once Carrick’s head dipped below the tunnel, the players behind him on the walk of shame learned their place in the hierarchy of culpability. Boos and insults rained down on the latest unfortunates to wear the red shirt. Bruno Fernandes, talisman turned turncoat, arrived at Old Trafford knowing his outburst in Como had led to his de-selection.
The former fan favourite, last season’s player of the year, hardly heard his name sung all afternoon. Fernandes sulked under his club-issue hoodie throughout the game, less a leader of men than a moody teenager with his phone confiscated. With good reason, it turned out; later on Sunday, Bruno’s official InstaChat account was liking a motivational post on the subject of “loyal” people getting “pushed to the point where they no longer care”.
That such things cut both ways has escaped the attention of his social media disgrace team. Who else was on the list? What sounded like “Jason Wilcox, you’re a banker” was also heard.
United fans doubt the credentials of the former Blackburn and Leeds winger and Manchester City backroom staff member as a club suit. Alongside Wilcox in the posh seats, Omar Berrada’s name was not taken in vain, perhaps mostly because it’s hard to scan into contemporary song. Berrada shook his head as Bournemouth scored their second.
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