Paul Scholes raises his big concern over Jason Wilcox

The mood around Old Trafford has shifted sharply in recent days, with optimism quickly replaced by unease and frustration.

Supporters have grown increasingly restless as uncertainty spreads from the pitch into the boardroom.

Big decisions were promised, but consistency and clarity were expected to follow them.

Instead, turbulence has returned just as the club hoped to steady itself under new leadership.

Scrutiny has intensified on those making the calls behind the scenes.

Manchester United’s ownership group are now facing growing pressure after choosing to part ways with a second head coach since their arrival.

Fan sentiment has noticeably turned against INEOS following what many perceive as a rushed decision to sack Ruben Amorim, even if opinion remains divided on whether the Portuguese coach was the right man for the job.

While some supporters believe Amorim’s departure was inevitable, the manner and speed of the process that led to his dismissal has become the central point of criticism.

Those close to the situation suggest Amorim played a role in accelerating his own downfall by clashing with the club’s hierarchy, forcing a breaking point rather than allowing matters to resolve naturally.

Crucially, Amorim was a manager personally identified and backed by INEOS, and his failure to complete even a single full season from start to finish has reflected poorly on the decision-makers above him.

Questions are now being asked about whether a clear long-term vision truly exists at Old Trafford, or whether reactive choices are once again shaping the club’s direction.

One relationship that reportedly deteriorated badly during Amorim’s tenure was his working dynamic with director of football Jason Wilcox.

Wilcox has since found himself at the centre of criticism from former United figures, including club legend Paul Scholes.

Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football, Paul Scholes recalled an interaction involving Wilcox last season that left him deeply unconvinced about the club’s internal assessment of its own progress.

He said: “I was doing a TV game last year… It was one of the Europa League games, and the person who was with me on the TV actually bumped into Jason Wilcox, and he said, ‘I don’t think we’re far away, I think we could be three or four players away from being a really top team.’

“Now, that stuck in my head…, it don’t feel like that to me.

“Three or four seasons I’m thinking.”

Scholes’ comments struck a chord with many supporters who feel the scale of United’s issues has been consistently underestimated by those in charge.

Former midfielder Nicky Butt, who knows the club intimately from both a playing and coaching perspective, immediately backed up that sentiment.

Butt responded: “Scholesy that’s because you know the Football Club.

“You know what it takes to go and win at that level.”

The criticism did not stop there, with Butt previously going on record to express his discomfort at Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrada holding such influential positions at United.

That unease stems largely from their previous associations with Manchester City, a connection that has not sat comfortably with sections of the fanbase.

In the aftermath of Amorim’s sacking, those concerns have only grown louder, as supporters question whether the club’s leadership truly understands what Manchester United requires to compete at the very top again.