Manchester United’s underwhelming start to the 2026/27 Premier League season has quickly cranked up the pressure on manager Michael Carrick.
After guiding the Red Devils to a third-placed finish last term, Carrick was handed the managerial role permanently.
However, things have not gone to plan, with United winning just one of their first six league fixtures. The match stats paint a troubling picture for fans.
With that in mind, read on as we take a deeper dive into United’s struggles, before assessing whether they can start living up to expectations.
Points per game tally is concerning
United have collected just six points from their first six league games this season. Extrapolated over a full season, that equates to just 38 points.
Given that West Ham United were relegated with 39 points at the end of last season, United’s current points tally is worrying.
The Red Devils picked up just 42 points in 2024/25 (1.11 per game), so it is not unreasonable to be concerned about their current form.
Delving further into the statistics highlights how far United have fallen since legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson retired at the end of the 2012/13 campaign.
United collected 89 points (2.34 per game) to win the title that season. That achievement has become a distant memory.
The 2017/18 campaign was the only time since then that they have garnered more than two points per game (2.13). They finished second on that occasion.
Atletico defeat highlights United’s issues
United’s struggles continued in the Champions League in midweek as they slipped to a disappointing 2-0 defeat against Atletico Madrid in Spain.
Atletico took the lead through Pablo Barrios after just 47 seconds. The ease with which their defence was breached was hugely concerning.
United were second-best throughout the contest, but still created chances to equalise before Ademola Lookman sealed the win with ten minutes remaining.
Moving Bruno Fernandes to the right flank failed to deliver the desired result, while the rest of their attacking players had an underwhelming night.
United struggled with their distances in the press, with Atletico consistently finding ways to receive the ball with separation from their man.
They also struggled in possession, as shown by Fernandes creating just one chance and giving the ball away on 11 occasions.
Siege mentality could save United’s season
United have not played well this season and the Man Utd match statistics make for unhappy reading. However, the club’s failure to adequately strengthen their squad during the summer transfer window has not helped their cause.
Lisandro Martinez’s decision to criticise director of football Jason Wilcox after the Atletico game sent shockwaves around the world.
Martinez acknowledged that the players had underperformed, but also expressed frustration that they had been sold short by the club this summer.
Wilcox will not be enamoured with being undermined by one of United’s top players, and it will be intriguing to see how the club handles the situation.
Martinez’s assessment of the club’s transfer activity is accurate, yet this should not overshadow the fact that the players are not performing at their best.
Given the players at their disposal, United’s results have been unacceptable this season. Rather than looking for excuses, they must use their dissatisfaction as motivational tool.
Ferguson mastered the art of convincing his players to adopt a siege mentality when he was in charge. If Carrick’s squad can tap into that ethos, they can still salvage their season.