Manchester United are set to face Sir Jim Ratcliffe-owned Lausanne-Sport in a behind-closed-doors friendly during the international break. It comes as the club looks to reverse a deeply disappointing start to the 2026/27 season at Old Trafford.
Poor start to the campaign
The Reds have endured their joint-worst opening to a new campaign, matching last season's dreadful beginning under Ruben Amorim and the 1992/93 season under Sir Alex Ferguson. A draw at Fulham in their most recent outing leaves Michael Carrick's side languishing in 12th place in the Premier League.
United now have a little over a week to regroup and recover before returning to action at home against Tottenham Hotspur on October 10. According to The Telegraph, manager Carrick will be handed the chance to fine-tune his side in an under-the-radar friendly.
Lausanne-Sport clash details
United will take on minority owner Ratcliffe's Swiss outfit Lausanne-Sport in the coming days, though the precise venue, kick-off time and date of the clash between the two clubs remain unknown. Lausanne may also welcome the opportunity, as they are enduring an even more torrid campaign than their Premier League counterparts.
The Swiss Super League side prop up the table having lost five of their opening nine fixtures. Both of Ratcliffe's struggling clubs have managed just a single league win so far this season.
Other Ratcliffe-owned clubs struggling
They aren't the only clubs under the ownership of the 73-year-old billionaire desperately seeking a change in fortunes following the international break. Ratcliffe's French outfit Nice currently sit 14th in the Ligue 1 table, with just two points standing between them and the relegation places.
Olivier Pantaloni's outfit have already suffered two defeats in their opening five fixtures. United's women's side under Ratcliffe are equally struggling, having slipped to ninth position in the Women's Super League standings.
Eva Olid's team have lost half of their opening four matches, claiming just a single victory in that spell. The men's side have endured a difficult start, suffering defeat at Hull City and a home loss in the Manchester derby.
That's despite facing 10 men for the majority of the match - though the decisive goal was incorrectly awarded. Further misery followed with a chaotic home defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion in the League Cup, as United surrendered a two-goal advantage to crash out of the competition.
Carrick dismisses fitness concerns
Carrick has dismissed suggestions that United's disappointing form stems from fitness issues within his squad, despite Matheus Cunha claiming Fulham's players "put in more energy" at the start of the second half during last Sunday's draw at Craven Cottage.
"It didn't look like that to me," Carrick responded when pressed on Cunha's words.
He added: "I was quite happy with the way we finished the game. I thought we finished the game really strongly actually and we kept pushing. So I don't think that's an issue, no."
