Manchester United crashed out of the FA Cup with a meek 2-1 home defeat to Brighton on Sunday.
Making the evening all the more humiliating for United was that the X account of club captain Bruno Fernandes was hacked, putting out a message that read: “Let’s get rid of (owners) INEOS)”.
The tweet caused a frenzy and prompted the club to respond with the message: “Bruno Fernandes’s X account has been hacked. Supporters should not engage with any of the posts or direct messages.”
Earlier, United interim boss Darren Fletcher could only watch on in horror as the Red Devils’ last chance of silverware this season and likely his chances of landing the job until the end of the season went up in smoke at Old Trafford.
Fletcher’s men were left to rue not making more of a positive start before Brajan Gruda fired the visitors in front on 12 minutes from Danny Welbeck’s cross.
The roles were reversed midway through the second half as Welbeck lashed into the top corner against his former club.
There were persistent chants targeting United co-owners the Glazer family and British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe as the discontent at Old Trafford grew.
And any hope those in charge of the club had for a bounce following the removal of Ruben Amorim has proved very short-lived.
Benjamin Sesko’s late header set up a grandstand finish, but it proved too little, too late for Fletcher – who was booked for a verbal clash with the officials after the final whistle.
A red card for teenager Shea Lacey in stoppage time for dissent rounded off United’s miserable afternoon.
The 18-year-old was given his marching orders after a second yellow in the space of two minutes in his third senior appearance, and it was part of the reason Fletcher was angry with the officials, who said the first yellow was “poor refereeing”.
Caretaker boss Fletcher, who stepped up from his role as United’s Under-18 coach after Ruben Amorim’s dismissal on Monday, experienced the club’s glory days as a midfielder under legendary manager Alex Ferguson.
But those trophy-filled years seem a lifetime ago for Fletcher and the furious fans who filled the air with boos throughout the loss.
Fletcher acknowledged the lack of belief in the dressing room at present is a hinderance to United’s hopes of getting back on track.
“You could see the players are fragile but they’ve got to respond. Confidence is one of the most powerful things in football so when you don’t have it, you have to dig deep and then the confidence comes back,” he said.
“It’s over to them, they need to make sure that they have got a lot to play for this season. This team is still good enough to achieve success this season but they have to dig deep.”
However, doubled down and said that players will need to consider if they want to stay at the club if they aren’t prepared to dig deep.
“Difficult times, true characters are going to show,” Fletcher said. “So they have to dig in, show they want to be part of Manchester United’s future, learn from this.
“And if you’re not, then I don’t think you should be here, or will be here. Sounds strong, but that’s just the reality and the way it should be.”
United defender Diogo Dalot confirmed Fletcher’s feeling that the club’s turmoil has affected the team’s morale.
“It’s really difficult,” Dalot said. “It’s always a period that you have to find ways to solve problems really quickly.
“Overall very disappointed because we wanted to go through. We have to adapt and go again.”
Despite the funereal atmosphere at the final whistle, Fletcher insisted United fans will get behind the players if they show more spirit.
“Out of cups, only Premier League games to play for, the fans weren’t happy at the end but they have got every right to air their grievances. It wasn’t toxic but they showed their disappointment,” he said.
“I’m sure if the payers show the right reaction, the fans will get behind them like they always do because there is still a lot to play for in the Premier League this season.”
United are four games without a win and have tasted victory just once in their last seven games.
Fletcher may not be in charge by the time bitter rivals City visit Old Trafford on Saturday, but he knows a rough road lies ahead for whoever replaces him.
“They’ve just got to come together. It’s only them in the situation and only them that can do something about it. It might not be pretty at times,” he said.
The defeat meant United crashed out of both cup competitions in their first match, having lost to League Two outfit Grimsby Town in the EFL Cup in August, for the first time since 1981/82.
With no European football, it means United will play just 40 matches this season – having not played so few matches since 1914/15, which was a shortened season due to the First World War.
Originally published as ‘Get rid of them’: Manchester United in shambles as ‘fragile’ reality sets in