Old Trafford Pitch Stand
Old Trafford Pitch Stand
Michael Carrick has always been the calm one. Even in the middle of the pitch at Old Trafford, he seemed to play in a calmer place than everyone else. That composure is about to be tested more than at any point since he took the managers job.
Rewind to August. A 5-2 thrashing of Ipswich suggested the new campaign might be a decent one. It was the last time Manchester United looked carefree. The league campaign has just never got going with their results not flattering them at all: a defeat at newly promoted Hull first time out, a goalless uninspired draw at Everton, a 1-0 controversial VAR affected derby loss to 10 man City, then stalemates against Fulham and Tottenham. That makes six points from six, their worst start since 1986-87, and a mid-table position (13th) that sits oddly beside the badge.
Of course let’s not forget the 3-2 EFL Cup home defeat to Brighton where United lost from a 2-0 winning position after looking comfortable. The Seagulls are more than a bogey team now they simply have United’s number.
Their only other win a flattering 4-0 victory over Sabah in the first round of league matches in their return to Champions League which was followed by a 2-0 loss to Atletico Madrid this week in which Leny Yoro was sent off, harshly by most accounts, with the game still alive.
The Tottenham game hurt most with the City loss a close 2nd. United led, Spurs went down to 10 men, and Dominic Solanke still equalised late on. Leeds United, meanwhile, sit seventh and remember the last time they played United very fondly indeed as they beat the Red Devils 2-1 in their tense battle to avoid relegation.
Now to the treatment room, which is busier than the dugout.
Who’s out, and when they’re back for Manchester United
1. Noussair Mazraoui (back injury): a few days. The most encouraging name on the list. He could yet be involved on Sunday.
2. Luke Shaw (knock): late October. Hurt against Spurs. With Dorgu also out, left-back is a genuine problem.
3. Patrick Dorgu (hamstring): late October. Hamstrings rarely keep to timetables, so treat that date with suspicion.
4. Kobbie Mainoo (knock): late October. The engine of the midfield, and a miss United can ill afford.
5. Benjamin Šeško (shin): late October. Another big-money forward watching from the stands.
6. Tom Heaton (abdominal): late October. The veteran goalkeeper is back around the same time.
7. Manuel Ugarte (cruciate ligament): early April 2027. The cruellest one. Season over, and it will be the late spring before he even trains again. (Via FotMOB)
Add Yoro’s red card, which should mean a Champions League suspension, and Carrick’s selection headaches are many. One bright spot: Matthijs de Ligt is back in the squad after almost a year out with his back. Nobody should underestimate what that does for the dressing room.
The road ahead for Manchester United
Looking at their next 5 games in all competitions and at what follows Leeds, you’ll see why United’s next few weeks are so tricky. It is a Champions League trip to Como, then improving Bournemouth at home (24 October), then free scoring Chelsea away (31 October), with a home Champions League match vs in form AS Roma the 5th game.
Notice the pattern: nearly every injured player is due back around the Chelsea game. The matches in which United are weakest are the ones they can least afford to lose with gaining points in the Premier League looking a challenge. The club which had the unwanted attention from Lisandro Martinez’s outburst badly need a result and a performance and you can attribute his words to his frustration at the season but on the plus side it shows he cares. The passionate Argentinian has done the right thing – apologised to the people that matter and the situation is now resolved. Sunday at Old Trafford gives a troubled Carrick the chance to turn things around no matter how difficult things may be.
🚨 Manchester United have fined Lisandro Martínez as punishment and consider the case now closed. Lisandro spoke to Carrick and the directors to clarify the situation, apologize then now moving on. 🎥 More: https://t.co/ZRzpjnk5ft https://t.co/uYlwabUf5l
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano)
A recent SuperComputer prediction for the 2026/27 season suggests United will finish 6th but that looks a million miles away given the current situation. The club just need a performance and most importantly a WIN. This would change the situation and give Carrick something to build on.
What they actually need
Not miracles, just points, and sooner rather than later. A win on Sunday would change the mood, but the genuine target is the stretch to the break. Beat Bournemouth, take something from Chelsea and win against Villa following the Roma game, and United arrive at the international pause with eight or nine more points and a squad returning to health. Drop more points, and the fortnight off becomes a fortnight of questions.
The defensive habit has to go too. United have repeatedly handed back leads they should have protected, and against Spurs they did it with a man advantage. That’s not about injuries. It’s about concentration, and only players and staff can fix it.
Carrick spoke on Monday about this being “a journey”. Fine. But journeys need a direction, and in this league the road is unforgiving to anyone who takes too long to find it.
Sunday at Elland Road won’t decide the season. But whether Carrick walks out of it with his calm intact, or with the first real cracks showing, may tell us how long the rest of the journey lasts.