It’s been a disastrous debut for David Moyes at Manchester United. The new boss has fallen way below the lofty standards set by legendary predecessor Sir Alex Ferguson. And Manchester United supporters are certainly letting Moyes hear it today on social media. United suffered their sixth defeat in eight games, and their eighth loss on the Premier League season. The last time Manchester United suffered 8 losses in the first 24 games was 1988.
They currently sit 7th in the table with 40 points, nine points behind Liverpool for the fourth and final spot in Champions League, should Liverpool win tomorrow.
Yes, there’s a few months left in the season. But losing a match, to The Potters no less, when you have a healthy Wayne Rooney and Robin Van Persie is rather disheartening. Not to mention the addition of Juan Mata now. The Red Devils have played very well this season when they’ve had both Rooney and RVP healthy. It’s just that those two have not been healthy all that often. Stoke City has never beaten the defending Premier League Champs in PL play until today. What does that tell you about what’s happened to United?Perhaps the easiest (read: only) path is for the Reds to stay in Champions League play next year, is to win Champions League.
NBC’s Robbie Earle on Manchester United and their place in the standings.
“It would be almost unthinkable for the reigning Champions Manchester United not to qualify for Champions League football through their league placing and, at some point this year, they may have to put all their efforts into winning the European competition, to ensure their participation in it again next year.”
In the Premier League era, Manchester United have never finished outside of Champions League. To be in this place that they’re in today, it’s just unfathomable. And it’s going to damage summer transfer window recruiting severely. Yes, they just signed Mata and re-signed Rooney, but big time football players want to play big time football, in Champions League
Paul M. Banks is the owner of The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports. An MBA and Fulbright scholar, he’s also an analyst for multiple news talk radio stations across the country; with regular weekly segments on ESPN, NBC, CBS and Fox Sports Radio. A former writer for NBC Chicago and the Washington Times, he’s also been featured on the History Channel. President Barack Obama follows him on Twitter (@paulmbanks)