Moyes must fight for United future in next 10 days to save his job as rumours of Giggs bust-up are denied

  • David Moyes has three vital matches in next week to hang on to his job
  • 'Succession plan' may be put in place in next 10 days if things go badly
  • Ryan Giggs 'fuming' at suggestions of a fall-out with United boss
  • Groundswell of fans' opinion against Moyes continues to grow
  • However Stretford End's support of team on Sunday in Moyes's favour
  • Giggs now looks a rather detatched figure at Old Trafford

By Ian Ladyman

PUBLISHED: 17:09 EST, 17 March 2014 | UPDATED: 12:32 EST, 18 March 2014

Another day, another problem to address for Manchester United and their imperilled manager David Moyes.

This time it was stories — quickly denied — of a falling-out with one of his coaches, Ryan Giggs. The United icon — so the rumour went — vented his spleen at Moyes in the Old Trafford dressing room in the wake of Sunday’s limp defeat by Liverpool.

‘Ryan is absolutely fuming over suggestions of a falling-out with the manager,’ said a United spokesman on Monday.

VIDEO: Scroll down for Moyes and Evra speaking ahead of Wednesday's Champions League tie

It never rains but it pours: David Moyes was forced to deny rumours that he had a bust-up with Ryan Giggs in the wake of Sunday's home defeat to Liverpool

It never rains but it pours: David Moyes was forced to deny rumours that he had a bust-up with Ryan Giggs in the wake of Sunday's home defeat to Liverpool

All smiles: Moyes and Giggs appeared to be getting along fine as United trained on Tuesday morning ahead of their Champions League tie with Olympiacos at Old Trafford

All smiles: Moyes and Giggs appeared to be getting along fine as United trained on Tuesday morning ahead of their Champions League tie with Olympiacos at Old Trafford

Larks: Wayne Rooney laughs with Giggs as he rolls on the floor during training at Carrington

Larks: Wayne Rooney laughs with Giggs as he rolls on the floor during training at Carrington

When will the misery end? David Moyes cut a forlorn figure on the Manchester United bench as they slumped to a 3-0 home defeat by Liverpool on Sunday

When will the misery end? David Moyes cut a forlorn figure on the Manchester United bench as they slumped to a 3-0 home defeat by Liverpool on Sunday

Holding his hand up? Moyes potentially has 10 days to save his United job
Looking down: Moyes finds it hard to watch on Sunday

Holding his hand up? Moyes potentially has 10 days to save his job at Old Trafford

Can't watch: Ryan Giggs was an unused substitute against Liverpool

Can't watch: Ryan Giggs was an unused substitute against Liverpool

 
 

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As it turned out, Giggs was jogging on the pitch with other unused players when Moyes and his team began their dissection of Sunday’s disaster. Even the Welshman can’t argue down the length of a players’ tunnel and through a brick wall.

As one fire goes out, however, other burning problems do not go away for Moyes. Fresh from Sunday’s 3-0 surrender to Liverpool, Moyes must raise his team for Wednesday’s Champions League visit of Olympiacos.

Then, on Saturday, is a visit to West Ham in the Barclays Premier League followed by the arrival of Manchester City next Tuesday. If it sounds daunting for Moyes, that’s because it is.

In the directors’ box on Sunday, United officials looked on aghast as the team succumbed meekly, while in the corporate lounges, guests from each of the club’s top sponsors — invited especially for the day — must have wondered what the champions have been spending their money on.

The official line from United is that Moyes remains in no immediate danger. The plan, we are told, remains a long-term one.

The United manager, though, is in trouble, do not think otherwise, and a succession plan may well be put in place within 10 days if things continue to go badly.

Long walk: David Moyes reflects on another disappointing defeat by Liverpool as his troubles continue

Long walk: David Moyes reflects on another disappointing defeat by Liverpool as his troubles continue

Disaster: United's player trudge back to the centre circle after Steven Gerrard scores Liverpool's first goal from the penalty spot at Old Trafford

Disaster: United's player trudge back to the centre circle after Steven Gerrard scores Liverpool's first goal from the penalty spot at Old Trafford

WAYNE'S WOE...

Wayne Rooney said Sunday’s 3-0 defeat was ‘one of the worst days I’ve ever had in football’. But Rooney has not had a good day at Old Trafford in a while. The last time he scored there was on October 26. Since then, 22 players have scored at Old Trafford:

UNITED: Javier Hernandez (4), Danny Welbeck (3), Robin van Persie (3), Ashley Young (2), Phil Jones (2), Fabio, Michael Carrick, Antonio Valencia, Jonny Evans, Adnan Januzaj.

OPPONENTS: Gerrard (Liverpool, 2) Oviedo (Everton), Cabaye (Newcastle), C Cole (West Ham), Adebayor,  Eriksen (Tottenham), Routledge, Bony (Swansea),  Bardsley (Sunderland), Sidwell, Bent (Fulham), Suarez (Liverpool).

On social networking sites and fan forums on Monday, the groundswell of opinion against Moyes continued to grow. Even the more rational are beginning to tire of United’s insipid football and a manager who rarely seems to say or do anything to inspire confidence in his ability to reverse a downward trend.

However, the remarkable and prolonged support afforded United from the Stretford End during the last 10 minutes of Sunday’s defeat has worked in Moyes’s favour.

It was noted by the Old Trafford directors as a tick in a column of positives that was looking as empty as some of United’s performances.

What is abundantly clear is that nobody at United — apart from the odd disaffected player — wants to see Moyes sacked. What is also apparent, however, is that United will have to get rid of him if things don’t improve quickly.

As United fans and officials stare down the A580 at their resurgent Merseyside rivals, they can comfort themselves with the fact that, while Liverpool remain a big and important football club, United have grown into an international financial monster.

As such, the defending champions are in a position to throw millions of pounds at their problems this summer. The only question is whether they can — or should — trust Moyes to spend it.

Moyes’s United have a shambolic look about them and they are getting worse. Other Premier League coaches talk privately of unimaginative tactics and square pegs in round holes.

And the rumours may not be true, but it nevertheless remains the case that Giggs has appeared to be a rather distant, detached figure at Old Trafford of late.

Support: It appears Moyes is not getting the backing he needs from either the players or the fans

Support: It appears Moyes is not getting the backing he needs from either the players or the fans

Hurting: Giggs is said to be upset by United's slump and there has even been suggestion he could replace Moyes as manager

Hurting: Giggs is said to be upset by United's slump and there has even been suggestion he could replace Moyes as manager

Unveiled as part of the new world order when Moyes succeeded Sir Alex Ferguson last May, the 40-year-old has been increasingly less visible on the touchline and indeed as a player as crisis has followed crisis at Old Trafford.

One theory is that Giggs may yet be the next United manager — temporarily or otherwise — and is merely biding his time. That, though, doesn’t fit with what we know of a loyal United servant who, rather like his friend Gary Neville, takes every defeat, at whatever level, as a personal affront.

Schooled at The Cliff, Carrington and Old Trafford, Giggs knows that success comes in cycles. He hasn’t seen much like this during his 23 years at first-team level, though.

Dressing-room arguments — real or invented — pale into insignificance when the team are 18 points from the top of the Premier League.

 

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Useless Moyes

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To Interregnum. Sorry, I am bad.... Thanks for pointing it up.

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knock him out before he knocks us off our our perch

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Moyes mistakes 1- getting rid off back room staff 2- buying Fellaini 3- not buying anyone else during the summer 4- giving Rooney new contract. Fergie would never have done so 5- being born

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Is Avram Grant still out there?

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Is Avram Grant still out there?

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Evra with a paid political announcement.

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The faster MU sack Moyes the better. He brought a team that won the league by 14 points (and that with taking the last month of the season off) right into the mid-table.

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Giggs is a living legend! Moyes is not, end of.

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Giggs should have knocked him out

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