Manchester United's squad are united behind head coach Michael Carrick, and Lisandro Martinez's public show of support for the 45-year-old has gone down well with the players. While not everything Martinez said was appreciated by every player, his attempts to deflect criticism away from Carrick and towards the board were seen as a positive.
United produced a better performance in defeat to Atletico Madrid, and although it is now just two wins in nine games, players remain fiercely committed to Carrick despite the pressure building. Several senior players agree with Martinez's sentiments that the head coach did not get the backing he warranted this summer, a view shared by some in Carrick's inner circle as well.
Pressure on Berrada and Wilcox
That puts pressure on chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox when it comes to making a decision on Carrick's future. There is no indication they are planning on making a change yet, but the squad have made their views clear this week.
Carrick said on Friday the training session was as good as it had been and that the issue had "galvanised" the squad, which is further evidence the players are firmly behind him.
Martinez on his way out
Martinez is unlikely to be at Old Trafford next season after his incendiary comments on Tuesday night aimed at Wilcox and the club's board. His current deal expires at the end of this season, and although there is the option to extend it by a year, United have not yet activated that clause.
Martinez has made it clear he wants out of Old Trafford, and United had been weighing up their next move anyway. His form has suffered recently and his injury record has been poor. As Notebook revealed last week, United are monitoring the market for left-footed centre-backs next summer, with Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite back on their shortlist. With Martinez keen for a new challenge and United looking at long-term replacements, a parting of the ways in 2027 could yet suit all parties.
Where is Wilcox?
It is closing in on a year since Wilcox last spoke publicly about his plans for United, a situation that does not look like it is changing any time soon. That was an MUTV interview after United had won three games in a row under Ruben Amorim. Since then, the director of football has been at the heart of the dramatic end of Amorim's time at the club and has overseen a transfer window that has left players frustrated by a lack of investment.
Wilcox was open in media dealings during his time at the Etihad, although being head of Manchester City's academy is a different challenge to director of football at United. Berrada has also remained quiet during his time at Old Trafford. Again, he was approachable and insightful with the media while at Manchester City, but has closed the shutters since moving to United. There are widespread questions around the direction of travel at United, and you can understand why people want to hear from those in charge of running football operations at the club.
Amazon get bang for their buck
Amazon are getting plenty out of United this season. After signing a deal worth more than £10million to film a behind-the-scenes documentary on the 2026/27 campaign, they also got the post-match interview of the season on Tuesday. Amazon Prime's Champions League deal gives them one Tuesday night fixture a week to broadcast, and they lucked out going for United's trip to Madrid this week.
Gabriel Clarke's excellent probing of Martinez delivered an interview that has now had more than 19 million views on X alone. The Amazon cameras filming content for the documentary were also in Madrid and will have been at Carrington this week. The Martinez row and subsequent fallout is ideal content for a documentary, and it will be fascinating to see what makes the cut next summer.
Milan base for United
United will stay near Milan for their Champions League trip to Como next week. Although UEFA have given the Serie A side permission to play games at their quaint Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium, with a capacity of just 12,000, finding accommodation on the banks of the lake has been a harder task. The hotels in Como are either too small or not good enough to house United, so the club have decided to base themselves near Milan, which is around an hour away.
They will fly to Milan after training on Tuesday, and then Carrick and a player will head to Como that evening for a press conference, before making the same journey for the game on Wednesday.
Carrington dispatch
It is hard to believe we are only nine games into the season. We have had a 15-year-old downing tools and demanding to leave because he was not promised first-team football, an Old Trafford defeat that ripped up the record books, a VAR decision dominating a Manchester derby, a manager on the brink again and now a senior player ripping into club leadership live on TV.
There have been four left-backs, three strikers, two victories and one transfer window full of regret. Oh, and United have also had the enjoyment of the biggest story of all coming across town at Manchester City. It has been an absolute whirlwind, and we are only in the middle of October. As to what happens next, based on the evidence of this season so far, you hesitate to even make a prediction.
Quote of the week
"I expect more from our technical director."
A post-match interview that will go down with Roy Keane's attack on the "prawn sandwich" brigade in Manchester United folklore. An astonishing decision from Lisandro Martinez to issue such a sustained and withering attack on his bosses. Most of us who travelled to Madrid were sat in the press conference room in the Metropolitano when the quotes started to drop through. There was widespread amazement.
What to look out for next week
United finish off their away-day expedition with a trip to the beautiful Lake Como during the week. It is a stunning - if small - venue for a Champions League game, but it could easily turn into a horror show on the shore for Carrick. Depending on what happens at Elland Road, the 45-year-old could be under immense pressure in Italy. United need a result, big time, and the sight of an up-and-coming young coach in Cesc Fabregas standing opposite him might not help Carrick.
