Manchester United's poor start to the season has been met with fan protests, with thousands of supporters gathering outside Old Trafford before the match against Manchester City. The Red Army group of fans displayed a single banner stating: "The way you treat us is a disgrace." Many songs were sung in direct protest against Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazer family, who have been criticised for their handling of the club's finances and their treatment of fans.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe agreed to spend £1.25bn to buy a minority stake in Manchester United on Christmas Eve 2023, with the intention of restoring the club to its past glories. However, watching United lose 1-0 to a Manchester City side reduced to 10 men midway through the first half was not part of the plan. Ratcliffe knew major decisions needed to be made in order to slash the club's losses, and he presumably felt the green shoots of recovery would be starting to grow by now, nearly three years on from his investment. The project chief executive Omar Berrada spoke to staff about in September 2024 was an aspiration to win the Premier League title in 2028, in other words, next season.