Following a 3-0 loss to Barclays Premier League rival Liverpool, Manchester United higher-ups are reportedly leaning toward removing David Moyes from his post as Red Devils manager. The former Everton boss joined United following the resignation of Sir Alex Ferguson, a legendary figure at Old Trafford who claimed 38 titles during his tremendous 26-year run. Despite returning most of a 2012-2013 roster that captured another English League title, the new Manchester United leader has not been able to establish himself or club as a dominant force on multiple levels and with the squad continuing to tread downward, the 50-year-old could see his time with Man U expire.
While many expect Moyes to eventually be removed as United head coach, the support for the team as a whole remains strong at Old Trafford, something veteran Wayne Rooney believes can help lift the club out of an 0-2 hole against Olympiakos in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16. Though the defeat at the hands of their Greek opponents certainly did not sit well with anyone associated with the team, fan backing is the one thing Man U players, coaches and higher-ups can cling to moving forward. They’ll certainly need an outpour once again when they host Olympiakos in the second and final leg in the Round of 16 this Wednesday.
“Yesterday was one of the worst days I’ve had in football and was hard to take,” Rooney said following the weekend drubbing by Liverpool, the club’s second loss to The Reds this season. “Having said that, the fans were brilliant right until the end under difficult circumstances so I would like to thank them for that. We need to move on as we have a big game on Wednesday. If the fans can repeat an atmosphere like Sunday then we will have a good chance of going through. Thanks again for all your support.”
Now making final preparations before the second showdown with Olympiakos, David Moyes remains focused on helping his side rebound from a disappointing UCL Round of 16, even if speculation around his job continues to grab the attention of the soccer world. Solidifying the words of Wayne Rooney, Moyes said this week that if the Old Trafford fan base is behind the Red Devils once again they’ll certainly be capable of overcoming the two-goal deficit.
“The players are capable of turning it around,” he said. “We're all desperate to put things right and make sure we play better to give the supporters here something to shout about. They shouted against Liverpool and we didn't give them anything on the field. When we went to Greece, the Olympiakos fans played their part so hopefully our fans will roar us on. We have to go for the throat to get the win. We won't be gung-ho but we will certainly go with a mindset to overhaul the deficit as quickly as we can.”
Manchester United and Olympiakos will wrap up their two-legged battle on Wednesday, March 19 at 3:45 p.m., ET.
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