Moyes digs in ahead of attack from above

A group of disgruntled United fans have clubbed together £840 (€1,016) to pay for a banner reading ‘Wrong One — Moyes Out’ to be flown above Old Trafford in the build-up to United’s lunch-time kick-off against Aston Villa. The message mocks a banner in the Stretford End which proclaims Moyes as ‘The Chosen One’ — a reference to the fact Alex Ferguson hand-picked Moyes to be his successor last summer.

The saga took another twist yesterday after it emerged that another banner, trailed from a different plane, will be flown over the stadium at the same time.

It is understood a high-street bookmaker is behind the second banner.

The bookmaker is refusing to reveal the message its plane will drag across the skies, but it is understood to not be favourable towards Moyes.

If those fans who paid for the fly-by thought their stunt would push Moyes towards resignation, they were wrong.

“All it has done is strengthened my resolve to get the job done right,” a defiant United manager said yesterday.

“I’m more driven to succeed than ever. I want to change the position we’re in just now. I really do believe we can do that.”

Moyes refused the opportunity to criticise the fans who have planned the ‘Moyes Out’ stunt.

“I’ve heard of it and what they’re saying about it,” he said. “It’s a long journey here and this is just the start of the journey.”

So far though, the journey has been torturous.

The midweek derby humiliation against Manchester City loss means United will end the season with their lowest points total in Premier League history. Six home defeats is the worst record of any United side in the last 36 years.

Moyes is sure he will be given time to turn things around.

“Sir Alex and the board saw fit to give me the job. They felt I was the right man for the job and not for a minute have they seen any different,” Moyes said.

“They knew it was a long-term job and I am a manager who would probably see himself in medium to long term. I rebuilt teams right from when I started at Everton. That is my style.

“I think my style is exactly what Manchester United needed and still need. People need to understand that it’s not just going to happen overnight.”

There have been suggestions this week that some United players have become disgruntled with Moyes’ training methods. But when asked whether he retained the support of the playing staff, Moyes said: “Definitely. I’ve got no reason to suggest anything else. They’re great, they train great, we work well together, we have a great relationship.”

Like United, Aston Villa go into today’s game on the back of a heavy loss after last weekend’s 4-1 defeat to Stoke.

However, Villa boss Paul Lambert has every faith his players can bounce back by inflicting further misery on United today.

He said: “We had a chat this week and I told them my feelings on it [the Stoke match].

“To be fair to the lads, they have trained well. There’s no hangover from it.

“One thing I’ve found is that the lads have always come out and tried to rectify things, and I’m pretty sure on Saturday it will be the same.”