Manchester United's dramatic, 3-2 comeback win over AS Roma in the Champions League at Old Trafford is just about the only thing that's given their fans something to smile about in what's been a turbulent season under Michael Carrick.
Aside from the late heroics from Matheus Cuhna before getting a red card to earn United their second Champions League win of the season, the Red Devils had only won twice prior to the European tilt with Roma; against Ipswich Town in the Premier League and against Champions League debutants Sabah.
Their next two matches coming against the likes of Aston Villa and Liverpool don't exactly read in favor of United on current form as Carrick's future is in question. More bad results in the league could see the club's board pull a 180 from their stance of sticking with the former United midfielder for now.
Personality Problems In The Dressing Room?
The performances on the pitch have been far from good enough from United, but optics have been made all the worse with the public outburst from club captain Bruno Fernandes and center back Lisandro Martinez. Fernandes has called out Carrick's tactical decision making after their Champions League loss to Como last month and Martinez had a go at the club's board and ownership after their loss to Atletico Madrid, claiming that the squad is currently not at a Champions League level.
Both players were spoken to privately by club officials as well as Carrick and the air has temporarily been cleared, but the outbursts leave behind a trace of vulnerability. If those two players are feeling a certain way about the club, it's squad, it's ownership, and the manager, than there's more than likely other players that are feeling the same way.
Rio Ferdinand had recently echoed that sentiment and explained that he feels there's an air of negativity that' plaguing the United dressing room - a place where players are supposed to look at one another and be able to inspire each other and bring out the best of the squad.
Nicky Butt's Had Enough
In a recent episode of Football Uncensored alongside Piers Morgan and Simon Jordan, former Manchester United and England midfielder Nicky Butt delivered a passionate rant making his feelings heard on Martinez calling out the quality of the club's current squad.
"If that was back in my day (someone saying a player wasn't good enough), he would've completely have had his head ripped off. Everyone would've said, 'who do you think you are talking about me like that with your performances that you're putting in.' Even if he was European player of the year, you still don't speak like that about your teammates and your powers that be upstairs. No matter what you think behind closed doors, you don't go and say that," Butt ranted.
"He (Martinez) has now gone from - I don't know why, I have no idea why - someone that fans love to someone that loathe and want out of their football club. And not only that, he lives in our country (England) and he's dancing around with an Argentina flag in the World Cup," Butt continued.
It's safe to say that Butt has had enough of Martinez's attitude at United, at least his attitude without the performances on the pitch backing it up. It's one thing to bring up concerns that very well might be commonplace in and amongst the dressing room, but speaking out so boldly while not living up to standards is not going to go done too well with fans and former players.
It's incredibly difficult to sit back and imagine a scenario where previous characters in the united dressing room would've allowed any of this to happen. Being the subject of remiss and also public outcry would not have gone down to well with prominent figures like Roy Keane, Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, Eric Cantona, Gary Neville, or Bryan Robson.
