Retour
Manchester United’s results have slipped from worrying to alarming over the past few weeks.
The last time they won in any competition was the 4-0 Champions League victory over Sabah on 10 September.
Since then they have drawn at Fulham, Tottenham and Leeds, and lost to Manchester City, Brighton and Atletico Madrid.
Leeds became the third side to secure a draw against Michael Carrick’s team after trailing, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin cancelling out Bryan Mbeumo’s opener.
United sit 13th in the Premier League with 7 points from 7 games, having won only once.
Off the pitch, the aftershocks of Lisandro Martinez’s outburst at Atletico Madrid are still being felt, with the defender fined and having apologised after talks at Carrington.
It appears the fallout has now spread to how the squad deals with the media, with Bruno Fernandes and Matheus Cunha telling reporters at Elland Road they were “not allowed” to speak.
The Sun reports United players were banned from speaking to the media after the Leeds game.
Fernandes told journalists gathered in the mixed zone, “I can’t speak, I’m not allowed.”
Cunha explained the situation to a fellow Brazilian reporter as he walked past.
The mixed zone is where reporters gather after games, and United players almost always stop when asked unless a press officer is chaperoning them.
Only Harry Maguire completed the mandatory broadcast interviews with Sky Sports and MUTV.
“There’s been a lot of noise around the club this week,” said Maguire, adding that Martinez had apologised and the team had moved on.
It is understood there was no direct order from the club’s media team telling players to avoid the written press.
The silence nonetheless suggests players were asked not to speak, for fear of further Martinez-style outbursts.
There is a precedent, with Paul Pogba telling reporters in September 2018, “I’ve been told I’m not allowed” after criticising the team’s lack of urgency under Jose Mourinho.
United travel to Como in the Champions League on Wednesday before hosting Bournemouth at Old Trafford on Sunday.