MANCHESTER, England -- As day slipped into night ahead of Manchester United's Premier League game against Chelsea, word spread of United fans buying Jose Mourinho scarves outside Old Trafford. It quickly gained traction on social media, "proof" that United fans wanted the Portuguese as their boss to replace a failing Louis van Gaal.
The truth was more prosaic. A lone merchandise seller - "grafter" in Mancunian parlance -- was hawking scarves bearing Mourinho's name and a version of the Manchester United badge. Some tourists were buying them too, but while it fuelled rumours, it was one man with a bag of 100 scarves in a 75,000 crowd.