Manchester United

Simon Stone
Manchester United reporter

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Although Manchester United were much improved on their tepid display against Tottenham at the weekend, conceding inside the first minute did not reflect well on Michael Carrick.

And they have now gone five games without a win for the first time since 2024-25, when it happened under both Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim.

Carrick remains under intense pressure, although Lisandro Martinez's words will bring renewed focus on Jason Wilcox.

The former Southampton executive's appointment as football director is starting to be questioned, as are decisions taken by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Omar Berrada since the Glazer family stepped back despite remaining as majority shareholders.

In addition to sacking Ten Hag and Amorim, they also dismissed highly respected Dan Ashworth in December 2024 just five months after his appointment as sporting director.

In their latest set of accounts, United's overall debt stood at £1.1bn, with some fans criticising the decision to spend £63.5m on land for a new 100,000-capacity stadium - which is set to cost in excess of £2bn - rather than use the money to strengthen Carrick's squad.

United have only qualified for the Champions League in successive seasons twice since Ferguson retired in 2013.

Amorim told Wilcox to concentrate on his own job in a blistering final news conference as United boss, when he suggested too much attention was paid to external "noise" from the likes of ex-player Gary Neville.

Carrick was initially asked for his response to Martinez's remarks live on TV, before heading to the post-match news conference where he was questioned about the comments by three different reporters.

"I haven't seen the interview," he said. "I've half heard about it. It's a bit about the emotions of the game.

"Straight after the game is not the time to talk about that interview and I can't really comment on that. It's important for us to move forward quickly.

Asked if he would speak to Martinez about his comments, Carrick said: "I need to find out a bit more about it before I can say if and what is going to be done."

What do you make of Martinez's comments? Does he have a point? How do you feel about him sharing his views so publicly?

Get in touch with your thought here

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"There are question marks in the front areas, but it wasn't a performance to worry about," says former Premier League goalkeeper Paul Robinson after Manchester United's Champions League defeat by Atletico Madrid continued their poor run of results.

Michael Carrick's side have now gone five games without a win in all competitions, having conceded inside the first minute before going down to 10 men at the Metropolitano Stadium.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast about the performance, Robinson said: "It was the forward areas of the field that made me question Michael Carrick's choices in this instance.

"Bruno Fernandes was very ineffective out on the right wing. He struggled to get into the game at times and you could see him drifting in-field to try to get involved with the play.

"Marcus Rashford was non-existent out on the left wing. I have been a big advocate of his, but I want to see him hit the heights we all know he can. He is still a good fit for Manchester United, but he isn't being utilised right.

"I would like to see him going down the middle. I know he prefers to play on the left wing, but he hardly got a touch of the ball.

"Youri Tielemans was kind of in the number 10 role, but he was also being asked to act like a number eight by going up and down the centre of the field. I wouldn't have put him there, Bruno Fernandes should've started in that position from the start.

"So I would say there are question marks in the front areas, but it wasn't a performance to worry about. From a Manchester United point of view, I thought it was a decent enough performance against a very good side in Atletico Madrid."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds here

We asked for your thoughts after Tuesday's Champions League game between Atletico Madrid and Manchester United.

Here are some of your comments:

Mark: A better performance than the Spurs game, but still error-strewn and, put simply, just not good enough. Choosing a team and then hoping for the best shows how far the manager is out of his depth. Certain players are not giving one hundred percent, and we all know who they are, but the manager keeps on selecting them.

Brian: How many more times are we going to have to listen to the manager say we need to move on quickly and focus on the next game? He said they knew what to expect and were ready for it, but within a minute we were 1-0 down. I like Michael Carrick, but he is totally out of his depth and sinking further with every game. Based on current form, we could quite easily be in a relegation battle if decisive action isn't taken quickly.

Yousef: Despite the final score, there were definitely positive takeaways from the match. Manchester United showed great attacking intent and created some excellent chances through strong build-up play. Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha both looked incredibly sharp and dangerous moving forward. Conceding so early was tough, but the players showed real resilience to keep fighting and pushing for an equaliser for most of the game.

Stuart: United are just not good enough. The players recruited are mediocre players. It was wrong to bring Marcus Rashford back. We have good young players, like Shea Lacey, but Carrick still decided not to play him. We don't play with fight or ambition, the scouts should be ashamed. The owners must go!

Ali: Honestly, this result is hard to accept. It feels like everything went against us. The red card for Leny Yoro was a massive blow that completely killed our momentum just as we were fighting back. It's incredibly frustrating to watch the team work hard only to be undone by moments that felt completely out of our control. The final score doesn't reflect the fight we put in. We need to beat Leeds or Carrick's reign is over.

Simon Stone
Manchester United reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez has launched a blistering attack on the club's hierarchy for not strengthening the squad following qualification for the Champions League.

Tuesday's 2-0 defeat by Atletico Madrid means the Red Devils have now gone five games without a win.

Former United players Wayne Rooney and Ashley Young were in Madrid for the game.

Discussing Martinez's comments on Amazon Prime, both said the defender had gone too far and the damage inside the dressing room could be significant.

"Something like that will rip that dressing room apart," said Rooney.

The former England and United captain recalled his own public criticism of the club in 2010 which drew a fierce response from boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

Rooney said it had been a mistake which he had apologised for.

"It is disrespectful to his team-mates," he said. "He is saying his team-mates aren't good enough.

"Bruno [Fernandes] is the only one with any right to say that. Behind closed doors, it happens - but that interview isn't going to help...

"[Martinez] has tried to speak on behalf of the players but done it the wrong way.

"It looks like a player trying to look after himself. It was very premeditated. It is sad because you need everyone to stick together, you need to be as one."

Youri Tielemans - who United bought from Aston Villa for £35m in July - also spoke to the host broadcaster but opted not to respond to the question.

Commentating on the game, and speaking before Martinez, former England striker Alan Shearer said he felt Michael Carrick had been let down.

Young feels Martinez should have kept his counsel.

"We know recruitment has to work and be better but players have to be better," he said. "They are the ones who have to produce.

"There's going to be no change now. That could create [issues] all week after what was a good performance."

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Manchester United, Tottenhamand Evertonare keeping tabs on 24-year-old Dinamo Zagreband Croatia striker Dion Beljo, who is 6ft 5in. (Teamtalk), external

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Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson on BBC Radio 5 Live on the comments from Lisandro Martinez:

"I question his timing, the noise around Manchester United at the moment, positivity needs to come out of the dressing room.

"But on the flip side of that I actually quite like it - a player being honest, every Manchester United fan across the country doesn't need their players coming out saying 'we're doing ok, the squad's strong enough'.

"Everyone can see they didn't recruit well enough and they need more players and the squad's not strong enough."

Manchester United boss Michael Carrick, speaking to Amazon Prime: "Bit mixed. It is a tough enough place to come and to get the start we had obviously puts us in a difficult situation but I thought we grew into the game.

"We started having some control in the second half without having real threat. Then there was Bruno's chance and then the red card, which I felt was a poor decision.

"Disappointed really with the chances that we had that we hadn't had more.

"We tried something a little different. Defensively we probably switched the play too much. We feel the game was there for us, is the biggest thing, so we could and should have got more from it.

"We need to find a way for sure. Tonight is a one-off game in judgement, it is the Champions League and a tough place to come.

"We are doing certain things OK."

On Lisandro Martinez's comments: "I haven't seen it. After a game like this you come here to try and get something from the game and you are disappointed and can be emotional. I have not seen it so I don't think it is the right time.

"We all care and show that in different ways but now is the time to be together and work through."

Manchester United's Lisandro Martinez, speaking to Amazon Prime on the performance: "Really poor. Really poor. I have to control myself a lot but sometimes is a reflection of the mirror of how is our club at the moment.

"We did a fantastic season last season and now we expect more from the top, more players to compete because many teams bring many players as well. Atletico have an amazing team and they deserve to win today.

"I expect more [investment]. 100%. I expect more from our technical director [Jason Wilcox]. I have to be honest, as players we have to do more but it is also important when you make a strong squad to be ready for this kind of night."

Which areas should have been strengthened? "In general. Last season we did everything, we created the base to create an amazing team.

"It is annoying, disappointing coming here and I am not seeing my team trying to get an amazing result here."

The manager gets criticism, is the problem the manager was not backed enough? "I don't think so. He does his best. Every season is different. You can't stay with what you did last season. The teams knows how you play, they know every detail, if you don't change next season is a big problem."

"You can't keep changing, changing, changing the manager. What about other areas? I can't say more.

"Tonight it is easy to say the coach, easy to say the players but also we have to see other areas."

Did you know?

• Leny Yoro (20y 334d) is the third-youngest Manchester United player to be sent off in a Champions League game after Rafael against Bayern Munich in April 2010 (19y 272d) and Wayne Rooney against Villarreal in September 2005 (19y 325d).

Man Utd starting XI:

Senne Lammens: Didn't have loads to do but spotted danger to make a vital clearance as Julian Alvarez threatened to race through on goal and thankful to the woodwork on two occasions. 7

Diogo Dalot: Slightly out of position on the transition for the opener - but at this level, the damage can be immense. First minute mistake and shaky for a bit afterwards but got better. 6

Leny Yoro: Moved into favoured role and was making a positive impression until VAR intervention ended his night early with a red card. 5

Lisandro Martinez: Vital interception to prevent a clear Atletico opportunity for a second goal near the end of first half. 7

Ayden Heaven: Tried to keep Pablo Barrios' first-minute shot out but ended up just sliding it into the net. Effectively United's fourth-choice left-back but grew into the game and can be pleased with his effort. 7

Andrey Santos: Surprise start. Early passing not crisp or accurate enough but like many United players, got better as the game went on. Did well enough to question why he has been used so infrequently this season. 6

Carlos Baleba: (off 65, Mount): Not enough power on a far-post header, otherwise he might have marked his full debut with the equaliser. Played more advanced than Andrey Santos and pair dovetailed well. 6

Youri Tielemans: (off 65, Amad): Didn't get on the ball too often and when he did in first half, had no-one in dangerous position to pass to. Excellent pass to create opportunity for Bruno Fernandes. 6

Bruno Fernandes: Started in an unfamiliar right-sided role but strangely indecisive at times. Fizzed early cross in at start of second half but Mbeumo didn't make the run, then lifted shot over Oblak but just wide. Deflected shot went straight to keeper. Hit the bar after that. 5

Marcus Rashford (off 65, Zirkzee): Pace caused a problem for the Atletico defence but couldn't apply the finish to Martinez's lofted pass. Failure to track back in first half picked up by Wayne Rooney. Tracking back in second got him booked. 5

Bryan Mbeumo: Couldn't take early chance to equalise and denied by Jan Oblak with a second opportunity. 6

Man Utd substitutes:

Mason Mount (on 65, Baleba): Rare outing and tried to get on the ball. 6

Amad Diallo (on 65, Tielemans): Wanted to run at home defence but never really had the chance. 6

Joshua Zirkzee (on 65, Rashford): Tried to use unorthodox style to get through Atletico defence. 6

Harry Maguire (on 80, Heaven): Brought stability to an inexperienced defence. 7

Matheus Cunha (on 80, Fernandes): Showed aggression when he came on. Nearly scored in final minutes. 7

Subs not used: Darlow, Mee, De Ligt, Lacey, T Fletcher, Amass, Armer.

Read the full article and see how you rated the players

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Get in touch with your views here

Come back to this page on Wednesday to find a selection of your replies

There are nine games in the Champions League on Tuesday as the 36-team league phase returns and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Lens v Sporting (17:45)

• Sabah v Slavia Prague (17:45)

• Arsenal v Lille

• Atletico Madrid v Manchester United - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Galatasaray v Barcelona

• Inter Milan v Club Brugge

• RB Leipzig v PSV Eindhoven

• Viking v Bayern Munich

• Villarreal v Napoli

Kick-off times 20:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Champions League commentary on your smart speaker. Just say "Alexa, ask BBC Sounds to play Atletico Madrid v Man Ut" or "Alexa, ask BBC Sounds to play the Manchester United match".

Watch highlights of every Champions League game from 22:00 on Wednesday on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.

There will also be a Champions League Match of the Day on BBC One from 22:40 to 00:00 on Wednesdays.

How to follow the Champions League on the BBC

New this season: Live match updates

Fans of Premier League clubs can now get real-time scores live on their phone lock screen for every game.

Simply follow your favourite football teams on the BBC Sport app for updates throughout the 2026-27 season.

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New this season: Match of the Day Predictor

Simply predict the outcome of the six fixtures we've selected from across domestic and European competitions every week.

Players can join at any time, get involved with the latest round and start building a streak.

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Simon Stone
Manchester United reporter

It is only seven weeks since Bruno Fernandes stood in the Manchester Opera House and spoke of his pride at being named PFA Player of the Year for 2025-26, after an exceptional season.

Fernandes has played every minute of Manchester United's six Premier League games. He has three goals and one assist, all of which came against Ipswich, the second game of the campaign and, so far, his side's only win.

The numbers are actually better than last term, when he scored twice in the opening six games and failed to create any goals.

However, at that point, Fernandes was playing in the deeper midfield role Ruben Amorim preferred. Look a bit deeper and issues emerge.

While this season is Fernandes' second-highest for actual shots, at an average of 3.3 per game - his best was 3.5 in 2020-21 - it is his joint-second-lowest for shots on target, at an average of 0.8. His chance creation (2.5 per game on average) is also the second-lowest of his time at Old Trafford and down significantly on the 4.0 he returned last season.

Even more startlingly, he has created just one 'big chance' so far this season, the lofted pass that sent Bryan Mbeumo running clear of the Ipswich defence on 30 August. Fernandes' average last season was one per game.

But is Fernandes a reason for, or a symptom of, United's malaise?

There is uncertainty over his fitness. Fernandes rarely misses a game but was left out of Portugal's recent Nations League encounter with Norway as national team boss Jorge Jesus said he was "playing through pain".

However, Fernandes was fit enough to return for the final two internationals of the extended break.

Towards the end of last season, when Fernandes' contribution was at its most prolific, Benjamin Sesko was a regular in the number nine role, while Casemiro was the anchor in United's midfield.

Of the nine league goals Sesko has scored in 2026, Fernandes created four, and he was responsible for setting up four of the final five goals Casemiro scored as a Manchester United player from 1 February onwards.

Against Tottenham, it took Fernandes an incredible 23 minutes just to complete a pass.

United must start to improve and that means Fernandes must do the same.

Read more on Fernandes' start to the season

Simon Stone
Manchester United reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United were taught a harsh lesson by Atletico Madrid as they lost 3-0 in the Uefa Youth League.

Without star forward JJ Gabriel, who scored a hat-trick in their opening win over Sabah FK, Adam Lawrence's side struggled to find a way through the home defence.

Midfielder Jim Thwaites thought he should have had a first-half penalty and Bendito Mantato drove a good chance wide after cutting in from the right wing.

However, not even the introduction of Kai Rooney could trigger a comeback after Joel Sanchez and Daniel Fitzgerald - Atletico's 18-year-old forward who has dual Spanish and English citizenship - had eased the hosts into a clear lead at the break.

United were better in the second half but Atletico added a third through Gonzalo Gross 19 minutes from time.

Former England winger Andros Townsend says the way Manchester United are currently pressing is "completely wrong".

"They have two major issues - one in possession and one out of it," he told BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club.

"In possession, they are a crossing team, but when your striker is [Bryan] Mbeumo on Saturday, or [Matheus] Cunha previously, and they have left [Benjamin] Sesko on the bench, it bemuses me a little bit.

"Out of possession, I don't buy into the players not wanting it enough, but I think the way they press is completely wrong. They leave themselves open, they leave the number six with way too much time on the ball.

"You can't leave the best players free to control possession."

United underwent a midfield rebuild over the summer, losing the experienced Casemiro at the end of his contract and bringing in Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos and Carlos Baleba for combined fees of about £153m.

"Casemiro bought a lot more than just quality on the ball," Townsend added. "He was always organising and was that line of security.

"Tielemans is a high-quality player but I've been really surprised by his slow start. It doesn't seem to have worked out as of yet."

Listen to Monday Night Club on BBC Sounds

Dale Johnson
Football issues correspondent

Imagine a world where Manchester City had not used "sham contracts" to build a team capable of winning three Premier League titles, one FA Cup and three EFL Cups.

If City were the winners, then there had to be losers - and not just those teams who finished runners-up or lost cup finals.

The potential impact runs much deeper and includes missed Champions League qualification, relegation and Premier League prize money.

Thirty-five other teams played in the English top flight between 2009 and 2018.

And every one could in some way claim to have been left financially out of pocket.

Learn more about how the numbers were calculated here

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On the latest episode of The Devils' Advocate podcast, co-hosts Gaz Drinkwater and Joe McGrath discuss Manchester United's upcoming games and what results could mean for Michael Carrick position.

McGrath said: "I think it will be an absolute battering [against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League]. I think Carrick will get away with whatever result might happen in midweek.

"Things will start to get a bit nasty if Leeds United at the weekend doesn't go Manchester United's way."

Drinkwater added: "If we were fans of any other football club, this position that we're in now - worst start in 40 years - we'd be keeping an eye on our phones today [thinking]: 'It could come out today, he might get sacked today.'

"But we're not, we're Manchester United fans. Manchester United do give their managers a bit of time, which I think is a good thing on the whole.

"If we were to lose the next two, we're checking our phones on Monday."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Manchester United will be taking a close look at Atletico Madrid's 23-year-old Argentina forward Giuliano Simeone when the two sides meet in the Champions League. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish), external

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