Manchester United’s season fell to a new low on Tuesday, when the club lost 2-0 at Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. It was their third defeat in five matches without a win, and it came after defender Lisandro Martinez publicly criticised the club’s support for the squad.
Only two months into the 2026-27 campaign, hopes of a title challenge or a top-four finish look distant. United have recorded their worst start to a football season in 40 years, a sharp reversal from last season, when they finished third after a late run under manager Michael Carrick.
A poor start leaves United in the relegation picture
The slide began on the opening day, when United lost to newly promoted Hull City. Of their nine matches across all competitions so far, United have won only two: a come-from-behind league victory at home over Ipswich Town in August, and a Champions League thrashing of Azerbaijani club Sabah last month.
A controversial derby defeat to Manchester City left a bitter taste, but there was no such defence for the third-round League Cup exit to Brighton & Hove Albion, a fellow top-flight side. Identical 1-1 draws with Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur followed, and both of those clubs sit in the relegation zone.
United are 12th in the table with six points, their lowest total after six games since 1986. A late equaliser at Craven Cottage in their last league match before the extended international break avoided a third consecutive defeat, but the performance drew harsh criticism from pundits and former players. Gary Neville particularly criticised the second-half display, calling it “absolutely pathetic”.
Carrick faces boos and a squad with clear gaps
Carrick struck a defiant tone after the Craven Cottage draw, trying to shut out the noise around one of the biggest clubs in world football. “It’s not been ideal. It was always going to come at some point, and it’s come at the start of the season,” he said.
The pressure grew on Saturday, when United blew a late lead against 10-man Tottenham and drew 1-1 at Old Trafford. Tottenham, who began the day bottom of the table, dominated for long periods, and Carrick’s players were booed at half-time and at the final whistle.
Addressing the reaction, Carrick said: “Obviously, it hurts, you know, it hurts a lot.” He added: “It’s not nice to go through, but sometimes you have to go through it. That’s how it is, you know. It’s coming from a good place, really, and so I understand it.”
The 45-year-old, a former United midfielder, was expected to build on the optimism of his spell as interim boss. Having taken over the club after the turmoil of Ruben Amorim’s reign, he is now in danger of losing his way in his first season as permanent manager.
In the summer transfer window, United signed three midfielders, Carlos Baleba, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, along with a backup goalkeeper, Karl Darlow. The business cost 155 million British pounds ($204m) and raised questions about whether the club should have spent more. The club did not sign an established left-back or a reliable striker, leaving gaps that have forced the team to rely on makeshift options.
Those issues were at the centre of Martinez’s remarks in Madrid. “I expect more from our technical director [Jason Wilcox], I have to be honest, as players we have to do more. But it is also important when you make a strong squad to be ready for these kinds of nights,” the Argentina international said.
Youth exit request and finances add to Old Trafford pressure
Transfer news has also emerged from the youth setup, though for the wrong reasons. JJ Gabriel, widely regarded as one of football’s most exciting youth prospects, has said he wants to leave the club and has handed in a letter of de-registration. British media have reported that the club does not intend to grant the request and hopes a resolution can be found.
Gabriel won the Premier League under-18 player of the year award last season and has since attracted interest from Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, according to the report.
Off the pitch, United reported last month that their annual net loss rose by almost a third to 43 million pounds ($57m), despite record-breaking revenues. Revenue for the year to June 30 was 677.6 million pounds ($890.7m), up 1.7 percent. The club nonetheless recorded a seventh straight annual loss after taxes, as cuts to operating costs by co-owner Jim Ratcliffe were offset by contractual payments to the sacked Amorim and a large rise in loan repayments. The club’s debt remains above one billion pounds ($1.3bn).
Ratcliffe’s immigration remarks prompt calls for resignation
Ratcliffe, a British billionaire who completed a deal to buy a minority stake in the club in February 2024, has overseen wide-ranging and often unpopular cost-cutting measures, including widespread job cuts and higher ticket prices.
His latest comments on immigration have also caused controversy. In February, the 73-year-old said the United Kingdom had been “colonised by immigrants”, and later apologised if he had offended anyone. He doubled down in an interview with a broadcaster, saying the country “is on the slide” because of immigration.
Manchester United’s Muslim Supporters’ Club (MUMSC) condemned his earlier words and has again spoken out, describing the new comments as “deeply disappointing” and calling for his resignation. Supporters have also expressed frustration with the current ownership, and before the defeat to Manchester City, fans displayed a banner reading “the way you treat us is a disgrace”.
