Manchester United manager Michael Carrick is 90 minutes from a complete crisis after a 2-0 defeat at Atletico Madrid left his side without a win in five matches. The Red Devils have played nine times this term across all competitions and won only twice, both at Old Trafford against inferior opposition.
Despite the full-time result, there were clear positives for United away at the Wanda Metropolitano. It was as well as they have played all season. Yet by 9.55pm UK time, the final score read Atletico 2-0 United, extending a winless run that dates back to their opening Champions League match, a thrashing of minnows Sabah.
Defensive Plan Unravels in 53 Seconds
Having conceded in all but one of their previous eight matches, Carrick intended for his team to be more solid and harder to break down in Madrid. But 53 seconds was all it took for the La Liga giants to lead 1-0. Leny Yoro narrowly played Julian Alvarez onside after the attacker ran on the inside of Diogo Dalot. From Alvarez's pass across the box, Pablo Barrios was given an ocean of space to finish.
There was an element of misfortune with the goal. Ayden Heaven blocked the shot, only for the ball to trickle slowly over the line regardless, before Senne Lammens could claw it away. It was still an avoidable goal to concede, and there have been a fair few of those for United this season.
Missed Chances and a Contentious Red Card
At the opposite end, Bryan Mbeumo had enough chances alone to secure a positive result for the visitors but did not take them. Bruno Fernandes wasted one of his own. The red card for Leny Yoro was incredibly contentious, if not downright nonsense. Ademola Lookman killed the game in the 79th minute, by which point United had missed far too many opportunities.
The performance was considerably better than the one conjured up against Tottenham. However, the brutal truth is this: if United lose at Elland Road against in-form Leeds United this weekend, it will be a disastrous start to the season. The club will be in crisis.
Pressure Mounts Before a Hectic Run
Club legend Gary Neville said as much after the draw with Spurs. He explained: "They're going to have to get a grip. Honestly, they're going to a Diego Simeone Atletico Madrid and Elland Road. If they're not going to get going, it's going to be a worrying few weeks."
Should United lose to Leeds, their record in 2026-27 would read W2, D3, L5. In 17 matches with Carrick as their interim manager last season, United won 12 and lost just twice, an average of 2.2 points per game, very similar to the points-per-game average that took champions Arsenal to the title with 85 points across 38 matches.
This season, United are averaging 1 point per game in the Premier League and 1.5 in the Champions League. They have now conceded 14 times in nine games. The biggest worry is that this is before United's campaign becomes truly hectic with the added games of a European campaign.
There are another six to come in the Champions League league phase alone between now and January 27. United will play at least 23 matches in the Premier League, FA Cup and in Europe between now and then. A defeat at Leeds would really ramp up the pressure on Carrick and cast a cloud of uncertainty over whether he will still be in charge when United face Villarreal in late January.
Unfortunately for the head coach, the immediate fixture list does not get much easier before the November international break: Como (A), Bournemouth (H), Chelsea (A), Roma (H), Aston Villa (H). While the performance in Madrid was encouraging, United simply have to improve their results, and the squad could do their manager a massive favour with a much-needed win at Leeds on Sunday.
