UNDER-PRESSURE MANCHESTER United boss is now odds-on to leave his job with some bookmakers.
Rumours of an imminent announcement by the struggling Premier League champions to the New York Stock Exchange prompted a rash of bets that Moyes would be the next top-flight boss to quit.
United are facing elimination from the Champions League last-16 after last night’s dismal 2-0 defeat in Athens. Sky Bet currently have the Scot at 5/6 to go next ahead of West Brom’s Pepe Mel.
The club have indicated that talk of a departure are untrue, however.
The Old Trafford outfit returned to England this morning to be greeted by the type of headlines not associated with the club since they were relegated from the old First Division almost 40 years ago.
Their woeful display in a a defeat by Olympiakos in the first leg of their Champions League tie has left them on the brink of elimination from the only competition they can still win this season.
The Daily Mail back page screamed: “Humiliated!” while The Daily Telegraph described them as “Clueless, Aimless and Hopeless”. The Guardian front page said they had a “mountain to climb” while the Daily Mirror described them as “Greek Clods”.
“Manchester United’s disastrous season was lying in ruins last night after they were humiliated in Athens” said The Sun.
Moyes and his players were roundly criticised not just for the defeat but for the manner in which they lost. Henry Winter of the Telegraph said: “This was a horrible, aimless, passionless performance from Manchester United. This was a display riddled with errors from the players and the manager, David Moyes.
“United were too cautious in design, clueless in possession and too generous with space, seemingly inviting Olympiakos to score. Beware Greeks exploiting gifts.”
BBC pundit Robbie Savage, who began his career at United, questioned their team spirit and desire, describing the performance as “pathetic”.
He said: “The defeat in Greece was a new low for David Moyes’s team.
“Yes, the Greek champions are doing well domestically — they are 20 points clear at the top of their league and have not lost any of their 26 games — but Manchester United should not be losing 2-0 there.
“Some players let the shirt down – no question. The performance was desperately poor.
“We saw United players losing the ball without making a recovery run. They were giving the ball away constantly and not dynamic. In terms of a European performance it was pathetic.
“Were United lacking leadership, fight, team spirit? I’d say they lacked all three.”
Copyright 2014 Thomson Reuters. Click for Restrictions.
