The growing levels of toxicity aimed at Man United on social media and in the mainstream media | OneFootball

Manchester United fans have had to tolerate a lot this season. They lie 14th in the Premier League and the Europa League is the club’s only potential saving grace this season.

For years United dominated the English game in the 1990s and 2000s, so their downfall will naturally be enjoyed by a variety of fans who saw their sides beaten time and time again by Sir Alex Ferguson’s relentless Red Devils.

Nonetheless, fans would expect that analysis of the club’s significant issues may be treated with more care by certain sections of the mainstream media.

The Red Devils are one of the biggest names in sport, never mind football, so people will always be hungry to create content but there comes a time when the quality of this needs to be put under the microscope.

A classic example came yesterday when it was reported by so-called “United insider” SullyTalkz that United manager Ruben Amorim was so furious at his United players for a 4-1 defeat to Newcastle United on Sunday that he cancelled a meet and greet with fans to lay into his players instead.

The story was even promulgated by a United news site this morning, despite the fact that just hours after the poisonous post, images had appeared online of Amorim professionally meeting and smiling with the same said school children he was supposed to have cancelled for the emergency meeting.

The mainstream media also can’t resist kicking United when they are down and Thierry Henry’s analysis of Leny Yoro after Newcastle’s third goal against United on Sunday is a good example.

The former Arsenal player seemed to unnecessarily highlight and ridicule Yoro’s reaction to the goal, as he instinctively looked over at the linesman.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, Henry stated, “I invite everyone to stay on Leny Yoro. First and foremost, he’s going to try to play offside. It’s a great finish from Barnes but please stay on Yoro and what he’s asking for… pause. I don’t know what he’s looking at. What are you looking at?”

“Are you looking at the linesman to try to see if he’s going to bail you out? I don’t know. I don’t know if he thought there was an offside, I don’t know. We all know it’s a goal! What are you looking at?! I actually don’t know. I’ve never seen that before.”

The analysis seemed harsh on a 19 year old who wasn’t that involved in the goal and the criticism will especially sting coming from a French legend who Yoro most likely looks up to immensely.

Express journalist Alex Turk posted on X in response, “the thoughtless, twisted content of this clip and the fact a national broadcaster is using it with a laughing emoji once again confirms what we all already know about the relentless coverage of United in this country.”

In addition, United focused account, The Muppetiers, responded in anger, highlighting that Yoro had just put in a sensational performance for the Red Devils with little coverage in comparison to the barrage of negative abuse he faced for Sunday’s performance.

It must be noted that the post has since been deleted by Sky Sports, possibly highlighting the fact they realised the errors of their ways.

United fans know that there is a lot that needs to be corrected at the club, but they also should be aware of certain media and social media accounts who are not interested in the truth but only the stirring up of toxicity against a club they cannot possibly cover objectively.

Featured image Gabriel Kuchta via Getty Images

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