- Man United have not functioned as an elite European club for several years.
- The Premier League giants have fallen to 13th place and are cutting costs to save money
- LISTEN NOW: It's all starting! Why Arsenal players will laugh at Mikel Arteta behind his back
A seemingly innocuous post on Manchester United's social media has sparked a torrent of dissent from fans.
The club uploaded an image of their star winger Amad Diallo from their training ground in Carrington ahead of their Europa League clash against Rangers on Thursday night.
But eagle-eyed fans quickly spotted a major flaw in their clothing and made unflattering comparisons to the team's plight on and off the field.
In the image, the Ivorian was wearing a training jacket that had the club crest printed backwards and sparked jokes that the Red Devils had resorted to purchasing their practice kit from online marketplaces or bootleg sellers.
“If you want to realize how broke we are, Amad Diallo is wearing a sports shirt at DH Gate,” wrote one follower on X. “The club and crest are really backwards.”
Another joked: “That's the design.” While a third said: “That's absolutely horrendous.”
Manchester United fans mocked the club after Amad Diallo was pictured wearing a training shirt and the club's crest upside down.
The Red Devils' 'Tiro 24 Winterised Hybrid' European training jacket is sold on the club's website for £75
One fan compared the mistake to the team's difficult situation on and off the field.
United have explained the error as nothing more than an 'Adidas misprint', but many fans have come to very different conclusions amid the growing problems at Old Trafford.
On the field, United are 13th with 26 points from 22 games in the Premier League. Thursday's post comes days after their 3-1 defeat to Brighton at home.
That defeat reportedly led Rubén Amorim to break a television and then claim in his post-match press conference that his current team is “perhaps the worst” in the club's history.
The Portuguese has since admitted that he regrets the comment, but it was another clear indication of the anguish currently gripping the club.
Unfortunately for those associated with the English football giant, his off-field performances in recent months have also left a lot to be desired.
Ineos' co-owners took their time to form a “best-in-class” executive board that would more closely resemble that of their domestic and European rivals. But after a few months, sporting director Dan Ashworth, whom the club paid millions to acquire and waited five months to welcome, left.
His surprise departure came amid extensive cuts at the club. In the latest edition, salaries awarded to Manchester United legends including Bryan Robson, Andy Cole and Denis Irwin were “significantly reduced”.
Club bosses have embarked on a review aimed at slashing losses and freeing up funds to spend on the first team and a potential new stadium.
Under co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos, United have made big cuts across the club.
Rubén Amorim regrets having said that the current squad is 'perhaps the worst' in the club's history
The Red Devils dropped to 13th in the Premier League after their 3-1 defeat to Brighton last weekend.
In previous seasons, United have recorded losses totaling hundreds of millions, and such reductions are aimed at making the business profitable.
All departments have been affected. Mail Sport previously revealed that United would make 250 staff redundant and were considering scrapping the £40,000 a year it provides to its disabled supporters association.
“Let Jim cut costs in peace,” another Manchester United fan wrote on X.
Another follower said: “In my opinion it's disrespectful to have the badge backwards.”
The Red Devils' European training jacket sells for £75 on the club's website.
Amorim will hope to return attention to the playing squad on Thursday night when they host Rangers at Old Trafford. United can take a big step towards qualifying for the round of 16 with a victory.