Sir Alex Ferguson has called for unity ahead of the new season, fearing the ongoing campaign against the Glazer family could wreck Manchester United's bid for glory.
Although the Red Knights' hopes of seizing control at Old Trafford are on hold after the price required to oust the controversial Glazer ownership hit £1.5billion, vociferous supporter groups are keen to step up their own campaign.
Posters have been put up in Manchester ahead of Monday night's encounter with Newcastle, hoping to further undermine the club, who still have an estimated 4,000 season tickets available.
That has not stopped United from being able to post 'sold-out' notices for Newcastle's visit, which confirms the goodwill that still exists for Ferguson and his men, even if the highly visible green and gold scarves will continue to be in evidence.
As ever, Ferguson has defended the rights of fans to have their say.
But it seems the United chief is concerned the ill-feeling could eventually have a negative effect on the players.
"One situation clouds the new season and that is the continued opposition to the Glazer family," Ferguson told United Review.
"I have no problem with the green and gold campaign. Fans are entitled to protest as they see fit. But not to the detriment of the team.
"The fact is that the Glazer family own Manchester United and until such time as they decide they want to sell, they will stay as owners regardless of the opposition.
"So it comes down to the extent of the protest. What I don't want to see is Manchester United mired in so much controversy that it deflects our purpose of winning matches.
"Whenever we have had success it has been a collective effort with everyone united - management, players and fans. How many times have I commented in the past about the need to pull together?
"There is no doubt that players respond and relish support. We have had some great European nights at Old Trafford and I wouldn't like to see anything develop that would diminish that kind of backing.
"I see that one of the protest groups has come up with a slogan along the lines of "New Season, Same Goal".
"I know what they have in mind but I just wish they meant that once again we will all be united, busting a gut to win something big; in that sense it is not a bad slogan."
Whether Ferguson's words have any effect is open to doubt.
He will certainly hope United's supporters are able to roar their team to victory against Newcastle, when skipper Gary Neville is likely to be on the bench at best.
Yet Neville is certain he made the right decision not to go on United's pre-season tour after not quite recovering from a groin injury in time.
By staying in England to use the extensive facilities at United's Carrington training complex, Neville was able to speed up his quest for fitness and he finally made his comeback with a 60-minute outing against a Chelsea reserve side last Sunday, just hours before the Community Shield.
That lack of match practice means Ferguson will almost certainly look elsewhere as he sits down to name his starting line-up to face the newly-promoted Magpies.
But Neville is ready to play a part, and is adamant he got the decision not to head off on tour correct.
"Not going on tour helped me," he told MUTV.
"I was probably fit four or five days before the end of the tour but with all the travelling and the fact you don't have the constant facilities you need when you are travelling, it was definitely better for me to stay here.
"I am still catching up on fitness a little bit. I have trained for a couple of weeks now and played 60 minutes for the reserves on Sunday down at Chelsea so I feel pretty good.
"But you are always going to be behind the lads who have had four or five matches."
