Manchester United enters the two-week international break in 18th place in the Premier League, a sharp reversal for a club that finished third behind Arsenal and Manchester City last season. Its worst start since 1986 has put manager Michael Carrick’s position in jeopardy, with his dismissal expected as soon as this week.
Defensive problems have been central to the decline. United has allowed 19 league goals, matching newly promoted Coventry City despite having a squad that costs roughly three times as much. Injuries and limited depth have required repeated changes to the lineup, while supporters have questioned the decision to bring in no defenders during the summer.
The team’s running statistics have drawn scrutiny as well. Gradient Sports ranks United 19th among the league’s 20 clubs for both distance covered and average maximum speed. Those measures offer an incomplete picture, but moving effectively across the pitch is important to recovering possession. After October’s 4-1 Champions League defeat at Como, midfielder Bruno Fernandes criticized the team’s pressure on the ball and movement without it. He was left out of the starting lineup for the following match because of those remarks.
Carrick nevertheless retains support among fans who have continued chanting his name after recent losses. His standing reflects his years as a popular United midfielder during the successful late 2000s. Frustration has also been directed at the squad: during the draw with Aston Villa, supporters challenged whether the players deserved to represent the club.
Protests against the Glazer family, United’s majority owners, have become increasingly visible. Supporters released thousands of green and gold balloons against AS Roma last week and brought them back for Sunday’s Aston Villa match. Those colors date to the club’s founding in 1878, before its switch to red in 1902. Banners at the Villa game demanded new ownership and rejected a new stadium as the answer. Former United player and prominent pundit Gary Neville had called a week earlier for the Glazers to sell their stake.
A report about co-owner Avram Glazer’s comments has intensified the dispute. The Athletic reported last week that an anonymous source at a September Deutsche Bank investment conference heard Glazer say United could remain commercially strong without success on the field. According to that account, he drew comparisons with American franchises including the New York Yankees and Dallas Cowboys.
United has spent more than $1.9 billion on transfers during the Glazers’ 20 years of ownership, the Premier League’s third-highest total over that period. Yet it has not won the league since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. Chelsea and Manchester City, the two biggest spenders, have collected two and seven titles respectively since then. Carrick could become United’s eighth managerial departure since Ferguson and its third in three seasons.
Scrutiny also reaches technical director Jason Wilcox, who oversees transfer strategy. After October’s Champions League loss at Atlético Madrid, defender Lisandro Martínez questioned whether changing the manager would address problems elsewhere and said he expected more from Wilcox. Martínez later apologized, but pressure on club executives continues to grow.
