Joint-worst start since 1992 and fan protests - Man Utd's day to forget
Manchester United is facing a crisis following a poor start to the Premier League season and ongoing fan protests against the club's ownership. Despite significant investment from minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the team's performance remains well below expectations.
Why it matters
The article reflects the intersection of high-stakes sports management, financial investment, and fan culture in professional football.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Manchester United minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co-chair Avram Glazer were at Old Trafford for the 1-0 defeat by Manchester City
Manchester United reporter at Old Trafford Published 13 September 2026 Sir Jim Ratcliffe cannot have imagined it would be like this.
When Ratcliffe agreed on Christmas Eve 2023 to spend £1.25bn to buy a minority stake in Manchester United, his intention was to restore the ailing club to its past glories.
Sitting in the directors' box at Old Trafford watching United lose 1-0 to a Manchester City side reduced to 10 men midway through the first half was definitely not part of the plan.
Ratcliffe knew major decisions needed to be made in order to slash the club's losses. And he knew they were bound to be unpopular.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in