HAVE A LOT TO ANSWER FOR: Manchester United’s co-chairmen Avram, left, and Joel Glazer

Image: AFP

HELLO my good football people… I trust you had a great weekend!

There were some interesting Premier League results at the weekend, not least at Elland Road.

Look, you can’t knock a draw at Leeds - they are a plucky, hard-working team.

But Sunday’s result was just indicative of where Manchester United are as a club. It’s actually hard to believe that they have only won one of their opening seven league outings!

Barring Tottenham and Manchester City, they are the banter brigade’s favourite story and poor old United boss Michael Carrick could be the latest managerial victim to get the chop.

Just months after being hailed as the man who had brought some life back to Old Trafford, the former United hero is facing the harsh reality that the rot is so deep, the job might be more than he can handle.

And just as the feeling of a downward spiral started setting in, Lisandro Martinez decided to drop that bomb of a post-match interview.

Following United’s Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid last week, the Argentine defender publicly questioned the club’s hierarchy, particularly director of football Jason Wilcox, over the lack of investment in the squad during the close season.

Look, he apologised a couple of days later, but the damage had already been done.

For the record, I think he was wrong to speak out like that, but most of my fed-up United mates are like, “glad he said what he said”. I mean it’s clear, isn’t it… the Glazer family have been sucking the club dry, while the “saviour”, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, has simply compounded the misery.

United have massive debt, an average squad, a rusty old stadium and a disillusioned fanbase. It really is a massive s**t show.

As for Carrick, I quite like him. Okay, he lacks a bit of emotion and it’s hard to really see what he is trying to achieve on the pitch, but when you take a look at the string of recent managers, it seems obvious the issue isn’t on the sideline.

Since club icon Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim have all been handed the reins. Different personalities, different philosophies, but generally similar endings... You can debate the merit of each of them, but none has come anywhere near United standard.

United aren’t Crystal Palace, Wolves or Burnley. We’re talking about one of the greatest clubs in the world. And their fans want that to get back to the top of the pile again, instead of being a laughing stock.

I am, however, a bit of a defeatist when it comes to the idea of fans making real change at top-flight clubs.

After all, the United faithful have already been at it for over 20 years with “Glazers Out” protests. And what did those achieve? Do you really think the board give a damn? I’m sure the smattering of green and yellow protest scarves, the occasional anti-ownership chant, the late entry to a game or two and other “fan action” ideas are considered a bit irritating, but not much more than that.

CLASS: Moises Caicedo has transformed Chelsea since his return

Image: Moises Caicedo Instagram

I heard a guy on UK radio station talkSPORT say he is not renewing his two season tickets (after decades) in protest. Come on mate, they’ll be allocated elsewhere in seconds. Quite possibly to people who (ironically) don’t REALLY care about the club.

It feels like a different trajectory at Stamford Bridge… From the circus that was Todd Boehly, suddenly there is an air of great optimism! And if ever there was an example of how a single person can transform the fortunes of a club, that has to be Moises Caicedo.

Before he came back from injury, Chelsea looked great up front, but like a Sunday league team at the back, largely due to a virtually non-existent midfield. Defenders were pulled out of shape and the goals kept leaking (the worst in the division).

Then bam! Caicedo returns from injury. One goal conceded in two games… Closing down, intercepting, covering space, tackling, relentless energy… He is the best defensive midfielder in the world. His anticipation of where the ball is heading is unrivalled.

It’s amazing how the two other midfielders (Claude Makelele and N’Golo Kante), who played with the same traits, both looked after the middle of the park at Chelsea! Caicedo plays non-stop for 90 minutes, doing all the dirty work and single-handedly creating a foundation.

Since arriving at Chelsea in 2023, nobody in the league has regained possession more often than him.

It does feel like better days are ahead for the Blues and it will be interesting as City and Arsenal are winning, but not looking that convincing.

The best team out there at the moment has to be Brighton! Did you see Diego Gomez’s goal from the halfway line? They’re a great side…

Could this be a Leicester City-type season? Nah, let’s not get carried away. It’s still early days.

Email me your thoughts at [email protected]

Chat next week.

Bye, bye.

SPECTACULAR: Diego Gomez

Image: AFP

The best club out there at the moment has to be Brighton! Did you see Diego Gomez’s goal from the halfway line? They’re a great side… Could this be a Leicester City-type season? Nah, let’s not get carried away. It’s still early days. Email me your thoughts at [email protected]

Chat next week.

Bye, bye.