Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has taken drastic steps to address the club's poor form, arranging a behind-closed-doors friendly against Lausanne-Sport, according to The Telegraph. The move comes as United sit 12th in the Premier League with just five points from five matches, having won only one league game—against newly-promoted Ipswich—and been eliminated from the Carabao Cup.
Behind-closed-doors friendly planned
The friendly, reportedly lined up against Lausanne-Sport—another club under Sir Jim Ratcliffe's ownership—offers Carrick a chance to assess his players in competitive conditions and experiment with tactical solutions. Specifics regarding the venue and timing remain undisclosed, but the fixture will serve as preparation before United face Tottenham Hotspur on October 10.
Lausanne-Sport have suffered an even more dismal start to their domestic season than United, sitting bottom of the Swiss Super League with just one victory from nine matches.
Injury concerns during international break
Carrick has faced an anxious wait during the international break, with a spate of injuries adding to his concerns. Captain and talisman Bruno Fernandes, Noussair Mazraoui and Patrick Dorgu have all been grappling with fitness issues.
The United legend knows his team must hit the ground running after the break, with the Red Devils' underwhelming haul of just five points from five league matches so far a cause for concern.
Rooney apologises to Sesko
Wayne Rooney has offered an apology to Benjamin Sesko after questioning the striker's commitment to playing through injury, reports the Mirror. The Slovenian forward appeared as a substitute in each of United's four league fixtures before missing the stalemate with Fulham ahead of the international break due to a shin problem.
Rooney had previously stated on his Stick to United podcast: "If you're trying to play No9 [for Man United] and you've got a must-win game and you've got a sore shin and you're not playing... that's a big part of the problem. Unless you physically can't play, you play when you're injured."
However, the club's all-time leading scorer has since backtracked on his remarks. The 40-year-old has apologised to Sesko following revelations about the severity of his injury, which forced him to pull out of the Slovenia squad.
"Well, if it's long-term, then I suppose I should apologise," Rooney confessed on Stick to United. "So, I apologise, Sesko. I apologise if I misjudged you. Sorry."
