Manchester United endured another difficult evening as they were eliminated from the Champions League Round of 16 by Atletico Madrid with the home fans' reaction to captain Harry Maguire's substitution telling of his current predicament.
Ralf Rangnick's side were dumped out of Europe's elite competition thanks to Renan Lodi's 42-minute header, as Diego Simeone's men ensured safe passage to the quarter-finals thanks to a typically resolute display. The Red Devils enjoyed a strong start but Atletico's opener punctured their spirit, with the second half a story of United huffing and puffing to no avail.
It was end-to-end stuff in the first half as Atletico took the lead just before halftime. The Spanish side then sat in after the break as United pushed for an equaliser but they couldn't find a way to get back into the game.
United pushed strongly for an equaliser in the second half and increasingly threw caution to the wind with a series of attacking substitutions. Marcus Rashford, Juan Mata, Edinson Cavani and Paul Pogba were among the stars brought into the game by Rangnick.
But it was to no avail as not only could the Red Devils not register on the scoresheet – they failed to create a meaningful opening in the closing stages of the game. That ultimately ensured the contest ended in heartbreak for the club, whose miserable campaign continues.
Yet there was a moment in the match that may have been missed that highlighted the problems for United's captain Harry Maguire. The central defender was one of the players sacrificed by Rangnick in order to make his team more attacking and take more risks in the game.
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When Maguire's number came up on the scoreboard to indicate that the England international was being withdrawn, there was a section of the home crowd who sarcastically cheered the substitution. It was an indication that they were not happy with his continued slump in form and string of unconvincing performances.
This would be a significant issue for any first-team player, but Maguire's position as the club captain makes this doubly difficult due to his status at the club. Fans undermining a captain is indicative that his authority within the fanbase is not where it should be.
Maguire was replaced by the bit-part Juan Mata. The Spanish playmaker is set to leave Old Trafford when his contract expires at the end of the campaign. Yet Maguire's future also appears to be uncertain in terms of whether he will be a regular in the line-up next season, never mind club captain.
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