Manchester Evening News: Sir Ratcliffe may consider quitting amid fan abuse and Man Utd's struggles

A report from the Manchester Evening News indicates that Manchester United's poor form has led fans to turn their anger towards the Old Trafford hierarchy, including Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

The report notes that Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe was not at Stamford Bridge to watch Carrick's team lose to Chelsea. Nevertheless, fans were eager to voice their dissatisfaction with the billionaire, something that could prompt Sir Jim Ratcliffe to consider an exit.

While Carrick once again earned some praise from the away fans, and the players even gathered with supporters after the final whistle, the Manchester United hierarchy was the main target of the fans' chants of discontent.

Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada felt the pressure in West London, the Glazer family was, as usual, the subject of fan chants, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe's role continued to come under closer scrutiny. The INEOS boss had previously been criticized for his treatment of fans and staff, but the criticism now increasingly centers on on-field results.

"F*** your new stadium," "Sell Manchester United and f*** off home," "Like the Glazers, Ratcliffe is a w*****."

Whether this is enough to push Sir Jim Ratcliffe out remains to be seen. However, the 74-year-old admitted in an interview last year that he did not want to be treated like the Glazer family.

"Ultimately, if it gets to the point where the Glazers are getting abused, then I'd have to say, 'Look, enough's enough, guys, let somebody else do it,'" he said.

"They can't even go to games," he added. "I don't have security at the moment and I don't have to be surrounded everywhere. But that defeats the purpose, doesn't it? You can't tolerate that level of treatment. There's no enjoyment in that."

A run of nine games without a win is no fun for Manchester United, and with upcoming matches against unbeaten Roma and Aston Villa, the situation is far from certain to improve in the short term. Even if Manchester United decide to sack Carrick during the international break, their first opponent upon returning will be Liverpool.

Beyond the discontent in the stands, unhappiness with Sir Jim Ratcliffe's management is also growing elsewhere. The Glazer family is reportedly unhappy with the direction the club is taking under the co-owner's leadership.

A source connected to the family told the Daily Mail, "It's ridiculous, it's not at all what they expected or were promised," adding that "they've never run the club like this."

Meanwhile, ESPN reports that the Glazer family believes Sir Jim Ratcliffe has "made the situation as bad as it can be." A source added that his "across-the-board downgrades in various departments" at Old Trafford are "completely contrary to the strategy he spoke of."