Manchester United

Simon Stone
Manchester United reporter

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If Lisandro Martinez's actions were inexcusable, the reality is Manchester United were already losing to Chelsea when they were reduced to 10 men.

For that, there has to be a large dollop of sympathy for Michael Carrick.

In the first-half, United were far better than they had been in three-goal losses to Como and Bournemouth. They were determined, concentrated, and focused. Sadly for Carrick, they weren't clinical.

Four excellent opportunities came and went. Bruno Fernandes and Amad both blazed off target when they should have done much better.

Chelsea keeper Mike Penders made two excellent saves. Even in the latter stages, Bryan Mbeumo's blistering shot couldn't find its way in.

On the bench, Carrick must have wondered if his luck will ever change.

Instead, United are nine games without a win in all competitions. It is their worst run since 1988-89.

They are teetering on the brink of dropping into the relegation zone for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson's early days and on Tuesday welcome Serie A outfit Roma to Old Trafford knowing they need a win to keep their Champions League qualification hopes realistic.

Pre-match, the expectation had been Carrick would be in charge for that.

"There's no words I'm going to explain to you now that makes any difference," he said. "It's not going to change it. We've got to move forward and win football matches, it's as simple as that.

"The way they went about it and played, the quality of football and the way we played in the first half definitely gives encouragement, and we've got to take that."

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Man Utd starting XI:

Senne Lammens: Alive to Cole Palmer's attempt to catch him out with a quickly taken free-kick. Was lucky to get away with a poor save early on, thanks to offside flag. Solid after that. No chance with Morgan Rogers goal. 7

Leny Yoro: Speed essential to deal with Chelsea counter-attacks but sometimes ran out of position. 7

Harry Maguire: Authoritative presence at heart of defence for most part but yet again unable to stop gap opening up for Rogers to score. 7

Lisandro Martinez: Did OK and looked good - until Chelsea scored. Then gave penalty away and red-carded for ridiculous moment of recklessness. 3

Diogo Dalot: Played out of position again at left-back and Estevao threatened down his side, but Dalot stuck to his task gamely. 6

Andrey Santos: So close to a memorable goal against his old club. Crucial intervention to deny Moises Caicedo a clear sight at goal at the other end. Difficult second half. 5

Carlos Baleba: Was having his best game in a United shirt so far and tried to prod the visitors forward. But impetuous tackle in midfield proved extremely costly. 5

Amad Diallo: Looked sharp. Tested Mike Penders from long range and also at his near post. Wesley Fofana blocked another goal-bound effort. Should have scored before half-time. 7

Bruno Fernandes: Returned as captain and should have put the visitors ahead when Bryan Mbeumo picked him out. Nearly set up Mbeumo. Better but not brilliant. 6

Matheus Cunha: Most impact of any recent game. Linked well with the visitors' attack but didn't threaten a goal. 6

Bryan Mbeumo: Set up Bruno Fernandes, then nearly reached a far-post cross from his captain. Gave Chelsea a problem but couldn't get last bit right. 6

Man Utd substitutes:

Kobbie Mainoo (on 58, Baleba): Not on long enough to make an impact before Martinez red. After that it was damage limitation. 6

Ayden Heaven (on 66, Andrey Santos): Time for a regular start? 5

Mason Mount (on 66, Cunha): Usual abuse from the home fans and nothing to answer it with. 5

Joshua Zirkzee (on 77, Amad): 5

Read the full article and see how you rated the players

Danny Murphy
Former Liverpool midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live

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Lisandro Martinez looks like he has already gone.

His head isn't right. He is not going to be there long term, that is evident.

You have to put the club first. Michael [Carrick] has got to make some big decisions. You can't have a liability in your team.

People talked about [Cristian] Romero for years, and it is turning into that a little bit. That petulance, that behaviour on the pitch is not acceptable.

He has been poor for a while and he has had injury problems. He is not the answer.

Martinez has got a lot to answer too, because the first goal was mainly his fault. The sending off is absolutely ridiculous.

Obviously, he is going to apologise in the dressing room, but his mindset is not right to play.

You can't rely on him. He is a liability.

Sam Drury
BBC Sport journalist

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Going in at half-time, Michael Carrick had every reason to be pleased with what he had seen from his side.

They had battled well, limited Chelsea to very few chances and with more clinical finishing could have been a couple of goals ahead.

Key to the performance was their shape and tactical discipline, giving the home side no way through.

Yet five minutes into the second half that all went out of the window as Romeo Lavia won the ball around halfway and passed to Morgan Rogers, who must not have been able to believe his luck as the United players stood like statues as he ran towards goal.

Andrey Santos failed to get across, while Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez practically escorted him into the box until the forward was seven yards out and chipped into the net.

Like that, the momentum had changed and any chance of United reversing it took a decisive hit with the Martinez red card.

Booked for multiple kicks at Rogers' ankles just a couple of minutes earlier, the Argentina centre-back turned his back on the ball from a corner and shoved Fofana in the face.

It was entirely needless and one of the simpler VAR decisions you'll see this season.

The game was gone and, despite his unlikely survival this week, it would be a shock if Carrick isn't too soon.

Manchester United boss Michael Carrick, speaking to TNT Sports: "We didn't come out, and didn't get going in the second half.

"Half-time we could have and should have been up. Everything was positive as we hoped for.

"We could have made more chances. We looked in a good place and then found a way of unravelling the second half. A bad way to concede, penalty, and then we were right up against it at that moment. It turned right on its head.

"There is no hiding from the fact that we haven't won enough games. The boys were in a good place in the first half.

"I think we didn't start the second half particularly great. A bit scrappy and we didn't get going. They made first blow in the second half and in the end that goes on to be the difference."

On Lisandro Martinez red card: "I have not looked at it to be honest. I have not seen it."

On feeling let down by Martinez?: "No."

On the fans: "There is a lot of emotion, we're a great football club, and we want to win football matches. The supporters come, make a lot of effort, pay a lot of money to watch us play. You can see from today the boys had the game in the right place and things have gone against us.

"Things have gone against us, and gone against us in a big way. Unravelled quickly. A lot of emotion right now.

"We have got to move forward and take the things that worked for us today. A lot of the good things, especially in the first half and use that moving forward."

Does he think he will be in charge of the next game? "Yes."

Did you know?

• Manchester United are winless in their last nine games in all competitions (drawn three, lost six). They last had a longer run in September 1984 (10 games).

• Manchester United have failed to score in four of their nine games, only Coventry City (five) have failed to score more often in the Premier League this season.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Chelsea's performance

What did you make of Manchester United's display?

Reaction and analysis to follow - and come back on Monday for a selection of your replies.

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Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport journalist

Manchester United will attempt to ease the pressure on under-fire head coach Michael Carrick against a Chelsea side who lost in the EFL Cup on Wednesday.

BBC Sport examines some of the key themes ahead of their meeting at Stamford Bridge on Saturday (12:30 GMT).

Chelsea's elimination from the League Cup against Liverpool on Wednesday night was a disappointing return to Anfield for both manager Xabi Alonso and midfielder Jordan Henderson.

Former Liverpool captain Henderson did score during the unsuccessful shootout and while the result against a home team featuring seven changes may have been deflating, the result does allow Chelsea to focus solely on Premier League football until the FA Cup third round begins in January.

While the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool must contend with European football in addition to domestic games, Chelsea's comparatively lighter schedule could provide the opportunity to climb the Premier League table.

And being able to focus on league matches and one cup competition by this stage of the season has been a good omen in the past. The last time Chelsea were eliminated from the EFL Cup prior to the quarter-finals and were not involved in Europe, they won the title.

Alonso will want to arrest his poor playing record against Manchester United, with the former Liverpool midfielder losing five of the seven Premier League meetings, his joint-most defeats against any opponent along with Chelsea.

His most recent game against United as a player was in a 2-1 win with Real Madrid at Old Trafford in March 2013, when Michael Carrick played the full 90 minutes for the home team.

The Manchester United boss will be in charge at Stamford Bridge on Saturday despite a run of eight games without a win in all competitions. Captain Bruno Fernandes could also feature after "clear-the-air talks" with his head coach.

Fernandes was dropped for the home defeat to Bournemouth after criticising Carrick's tactics in the Champions League loss at Como, but the Portugal international's influence and ability will probably be needed if United are to alter their downward trajectory.

The Red Devils have won only 29% of their 17 Premier League games without Fernandes starting since he joined from Sporting Lisbon in 2020, in comparison to winning 49% of 233 when he does start.

Even if the manager-captain row has been resolved to the point of Fernandes returning to the team, wholesale improvement across the board is also necessary with United facing the prospect of failing to win nine matches in a row for the first time since 1988.

Carrick could be boosted by the return of Kobbie Mainoo, who returned to training earlier this week following two weeks out injured, while Harry Maguire could make his 300th Premier League appearance in this match.

Maguire is one of only three United players to have played every minute so far this season, along with Senne Lammens and Bryan Mbeumo.

Everyone will be watching this game because of Michael Carrick's situation at Manchester United and wondering how much longer he will be in charge.

Carrick kept his job after the heavy defeats against Como and Bournemouth last week and my view is that, by keeping him on for now, they are possibly just prolonging the misery for him really.

Going by how insipid United were against Bournemouth, it is hard to see them going to Chelsea and getting anything.

Chelsea were not much better in their defeat by Tottenham last weekend and since then they have been knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Liverpool too.

Xabi Alonso is still without the injured Joao Pedro so I expect Danny Welbeck will lead their attack like he did against Liverpool and Cole Palmer will be back after his suspension.

Chelsea have had a bad week but I can't see things changing for United, even if Bruno Fernandes is back in their team.

Sutton's prediction: 3-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Sean Kearns
BBC Sport

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Where once a low rating in a newspaper could anger players, they now have to deal with days of debate after a bad result or below-par performance.

Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag recently alluded to the difficulty his squad had dealing with the opinions of people like Gary Neville and Rio Ferdinand, and said former players could be "more helpful" to the club.

"I did nice interviews with them both [Neville and Ferdinand], so it didn't hurt me. Of course, they have podcasts, they have their models," Ten Hag told The Athletic., external

"Sometimes it's difficult for players. Some of them get affected by it, get annoyed by it.

"They achieved massive successes. But also, they can help the club more, help the players more. There should be two ways that they support it. But I think always the thing you most love, you most criticise."

It is a point with which Neville agrees.

Speaking on Ferdinand's podcast,, external last summer, it was put to Neville he had been overly critical when covering his boyhood club.

"It's a balance though Rio, isn't it?" he told his former United team-mate.

"It's like, do I want [Manchester] City to win the league? I absolutely don't want City anywhere near the league title."

And he insisted: "United are the hardest games I do.

"People might think that I'm more critical of United when they don't play well. Sometimes, over the last maybe 10 years, the balance, maybe I've not got it right," admitted Neville.

But, having won 18 major honours in 19 years at Old Trafford, few are better placed to judge the club than Neville.

"There was a banner in the first half [against Bournemouth] that was held up in the Stretford End - 'standards'. They went a long time ago," he said last Sunday.

Like Neville, Nicky Butt also came through United's academy and said former players have the club's best interests at heart.

"When it goes bad, you can't cry and go, 'Oh, they're [ex-players] having a go at us'," explained Butt back in January.

"We love the football club. I've been a Manchester United fan since the age of six or seven, as long as I can remember. I'm not saying it to go, 'Let's stab everybody in the back'. I'm saying it because it is genuinely c**p."

Read the full story here.

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

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England striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin is set to sign a new contract at Leeds United.

The 29-year-old, who has scored 20 goals in 49 appearances for the Whites since arriving on a free from Everton, currently has a deal until 2028 at Elland Road.

The news will come as a blow to Manchester United, who are looking at bringing in a forward in January after Benjamin Sesko was ruled out for an extended period as he tries to recover from a shin injury.

The Old Trafford side had been linked with Calvert-Lewin and a potential transfer in the January window.

He was recalled to the England squad by Thomas Tuchel in March and, though he missed out on selection for the World Cup, was picked for the most recent Nations League matches, winning his 14th cap on 6 October in the 3-0 victory over the Czech Republic.