Manchester United will face Sir Jim Ratcliffe-owned Lausanne-Sport in a behind-closed-doors friendly during the international break. It has been a disappointing start to the 2026/27 season at Old Trafford.
United's Joint-Worst Start
The Red Devils have made their joint-worst start to a new campaign, equalling last term's dismal start under Ruben Amorim and the 1992/93 campaign under Sir Alex Ferguson. United's draw at Fulham last time out leaves Michael Carrick's men sitting 12th in the top-flight table.
United now have several weeks to lick their wounds and regroup before returning to action at home to Tottenham Hotspur on October 10. And according to The Telegraph, United boss Carrick will get the opportunity to work on a few things in a secret friendly.
Friendly Details
The Red Devils will lock horns with minority owner Ratcliffe's Swiss club Lausanne-Sport in the next few days. Details of the exact location, time and date of the game between Ratcliffe's teams are not yet known.
Lausanne could also use that friendly as they are dealing with an even worse season than the Premier League giants. The Swiss Super League side sit bottom of the table after losing five of their first nine matches.
Other Ratcliffe Clubs Struggling
Both struggling clubs under Ratcliffe have won just one league match so far this season. And they are not the only clubs owned by Ratcliffe, 73, who are desperate to improve their luck after the international break.
The billionaire's French outfit Nice are 14th in the Ligue 1 table with only two points separating them from the relegation zone. Olivier Pantaloni's side have lost two of their first five matches.
United's women's team under Ratcliffe are also struggling after tumbling down to ninth place in the Women's Super League table. Eva Olid's side have lost half of their first four matches of which they also only won one.
Recent Setbacks
The poor start for United's men's side has included defeat at Hull City and a loss at home in the Manchester derby, albeit to an incorrectly awarded goal, despite playing against 10 men for much of that contest.
Problems were then compounded by a shambolic defeat at home to Brighton & Hove Albion in the League Cup. The collapse saw United lose after surrendering a two-goal lead at home.
Carrick has downplayed concerns that United's poor start to the season is due to a lack of fitness in the squad. Matheus Cunha said Fulham's players "put in more energy" at the start of the second half of last Sunday's draw at Craven Cottage.
"It didn't look like that to me," Carrick said after being asked about Cunha's assessment. "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."
