Ten months ago, Michael Carrick was the man who made Manchester United fun again. Promoted from caretaker after Ruben Amorim’s exit in January, he dragged the Red Devils from seventh to third, beat every one of their big domestic rivals and earned the job permanently. The summer mood was the most optimistic Old Trafford had felt in years.
Two months into the new campaign, that optimism has all but evaporated.
The numbers don’t lie
After seven Premier League matches, United sit 13th with just 7 points — one win, four draws and two defeats, with 10 goals scored and 10 conceded. Their single league win is the lowest tally at this stage of a top-flight season in roughly four decades.
| Date | Fixture | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Aug | Hull City vs Man Utd | L 2-0 |
| 30 Aug | Man Utd vs Ipswich Town | W 5-2 |
| 6 Sep | Everton vs Man Utd | D 2-2 |
| 13 Sep | Man Utd vs Man City | L 0-1 |
| 20 Sep | Fulham vs Man Utd | D 1-1 |
| 10 Oct | Man Utd vs Tottenham | D 1-1 |
| 18 Oct | Leeds vs Man Utd | D 1-1 |
The tone was set on opening day, when newly promoted Hull City beat them 2-0. The 5-2 thrashing of Ipswich hinted at a quick recovery, but it remains United’s only league win. A narrow derby defeat to unbeaten leaders Manchester City followed, and since then it has been a run of draws — three straight 1-1s against Fulham, Spurs and Leeds — with too many leads surrendered.
Top of the table, City have a perfect 21 points. United are already 14 behind them.
Champions League pain
Europe was supposed to be the reward for last season’s revival. It started well enough with a 4-0 win over Azerbaijani side Sabah, but the last two outings have been chastening.
Atlético Madrid 2-0 Man Utd (13 Oct): Pablo Barrios scored inside the first minute, Leny Yoro was sent off with 16 minutes left, and Ademola Lookman finished the job five minutes later.
Como 4-1 Man Utd (21 Oct): The low point of the season. Argentine star Nico Paz curled in a stunner after two minutes, set up Anastasios Douvikas for the second and added a third after a costly error from substitute Carlos Baleba. Jacobo Ramón headed a fourth before Joshua Zirkzee, fed by fellow sub Amad Diallo, pulled back a late consolation. Cesc Fàbregas’ side dominated possession for long spells.
That leaves United with one win and two defeats from three league-phase games — and seven matches without a win in all competitions, a streak stretching back to the Sabah victory in September.
Cracks in the dressing room
The results have been accompanied by growing noise off the pitch.
- Lisandro Martínez was fined after publicly criticising the club hierarchy for a lack of summer investment, following the Atlético defeat.
- Bruno Fernandes questioned the game plan after Como, suggesting that the staff’s decision not to press man-to-man handed the Italians too much of the ball and too much confidence.
- Carrick responded by turning the spotlight on his players, telling them they cannot pick and choose when to perform.
When the captain and the manager are publicly reading the same defeat differently, it is rarely a good sign.
The injury crisis
Carrick has a genuine case that he is working with one hand tied behind his back. Against Como, United were without Kobbie Mainoo, Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martínez, Ayden Heaven, Benjamin Šeško and Manuel Ugarte through injury, plus the suspended Yoro. The bench was thin on experience, leaning on academy names.
Losing Šeško — joint top scorer last season alongside Bryan Mbeumo — has blunted the attack, while the absences at the back have forced Harry Maguire into heavy minutes, and he was exposed repeatedly in Italy.
Any reasons for hope?
There are a few.
- The Leeds performance. Despite another 1-1, Carrick called it a “fresh start”, and pundits agreed United showed far more fight and organisation in a changed formation. Mbeumo scored the opener at Elland Road.
- New midfield blood. Carrick singled out Carlos Baleba and Andrey Santos as adapting well — even if Baleba’s error at Como showed how much they still have to learn.
- Bodies returning. Matthijs de Ligt played 79 minutes on his comeback in Como, and every returning first-teamer eases the load.
- It’s still October. United are only six points off fourth-placed Chelsea. The table is tight, and a short winning run would change the mood quickly.
What comes next
The fixture list offers no mercy:
- Sun 25 Oct: Man Utd vs Bournemouth (5:00 PM EAT)
- Sat 31 Oct: Chelsea vs Man Utd
- Sun 8 Nov: Man Utd vs Aston Villa
- Sun 22 Nov: Liverpool vs Man Utd
Bournemouth at Old Trafford is the must-win. Pre-match models make United favourites at around 48%, with Bournemouth on 27% and the draw on 25% — hardly a vote of confidence for a side at home.
The verdict
United’s start is poor, but the context matters: a decimated squad, a summer without major spending and a manager in his first full season. Still, the warning signs are real — a lack of quality on the ball (a point both Carrick and Maguire have admitted), soft goals conceded and visible tension between players, staff and the boardroom.
Carrick earned enormous credit last season. The next four league games, starting with Bournemouth on Sunday, will go a long way to deciding whether he keeps it.
Our prediction for Sunday: Man Utd 2-1 Bournemouth — a nervy win that finally ends the drought.
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