SLAP OF HONOUR
It will be a far cry from the triumphant march around Old Trafford in Fergie’s pomp... as United’s flops brace themselves for fan backlash
MANCHESTER UNITED flops will face a walk of shame tonight following their final home game of a disastrous season.
United will bring the curtain down on their home campaign with the visit of Brentford.
And Ralf Rangnick’s stars are bracing themselves for an abusive send-off from a packed Old Trafford, in the wake of what has been a desperate 10 months for the stricken giants.
Supporters have been left seething after seeing the Reds limp towards what could be their lowest points total in Premier League history.
They were also knocked out of Europe in the last-16 stage, failed to get past the fourth round of both domestic cups and saw a possible title challenge never materialise. They have failed to secure a Champions League spot for next season and could even miss out on Europe altogether.
The tradition is for teams to do a lap of the pitch to thank supporters following the final home game. But Rangnick’s men can expect little appreciation from fans who have been
made to suffer one of the worst campaigns in recent memory.
It promises to be the final humiliation for the likes of captain Harry Maguire, Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford, who have all been singled out for fierce criticism.
And what has really served to damage their chances year after year since Sir Alex Ferguson left the dugout nine years ago is
the fear factor of Old
Trafford for visiting teams is nothing more than a myth.
In the final six seasons of Fergie’s reign, they won 98 home games, at an average of 16.2 out of 19 at home each season.
In none of those seasons did they not win at least 15 games.
Even if they win tonight, in the nine seasons since he left, they will have won 97 games on home soil at a paltry average of 10.78 games per season, making Old Trafford intimidating for players in red but a place where even mediocre Premier League teams arrive looking to leave with points.
Supporters have staged two protests in recent weeks against reviled American owners the Glazers.
The latest came ahead of last week’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea, when fans staged a 17th-minute boycott of the game to represent the number of years the billionaires have owned the club. This time fans are being asked to leave their seats in the 73rd minute, 17 minutes from time.