A third-place finish last season after a late charge under manager Michael Carrick gave Manchester United fans reasons to dream of a bright 2026-27 campaign. But just two months in, hopes of a title charge or a top-four finish seem out of reach, with United registering their worst start to a football season in 40 years. Their latest defeat – a 2-0 reverse at Atletico Madrid in the Champions League – is the third in five winless matches, and promoted centre-back Lisandro Martinez to blast the club’s board for a lack of support for the squad.
So where did it all go wrong for Man United? Al Jazeera explains: When United lost to newly-promoted Hull City on the opening day of the top-flight season, the humiliating result gave supporters a glimpse of the disaster that would follow. Of their nine matches across all competitions to date, United have won just two: August’s come-from-behind victory at home over Ipswich Town in the league, and the Champions League thrashing of Azerbaijani club Sabah last month.
A controversial Manchester derby defeat to Man City left a bitter taste, but the team had no excuses when they suffered a third-round League Cup exit to fellow league side Brighton & Hove Albion. Then came identical 1-1 draws with Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur, two teams that are in the relegation zone. The issues in United’s squad spread across departments, with the team failing to show any real urgency.
Sitting in 12th place, United’s points tally of six is their lowest total after six games since 1986. United avoided a crisis at Craven Cottage in their last league game before the extended international break with a draw, needing a late equaliser to avoid a third consecutive defeat. That dispiriting performance drew harsh words from pundits and ex-players, including Gary Neville, who particularly criticised the team’s second-half effort, calling it “absolutely pathetic”.
United boss Carrick, though, struck a defiant tone, trying his best to silence the noise surrounding one of the biggest clubs in world football. It was always going to come at some point, and it’s come at the start of the season,” Carrick said. The doom and gloom continued when United blew a late lead against 10-man Tottenham to draw 1-1 at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Carrick’s men were booed off at half-time and at the end of the match after a Tottenham side that began the day bottom of the table dominated for large spells. That’s how it is, you know. It’s coming from a good place, really, and so I understand it.” The 45-year-old former United midfielder was expected to build on last season’s optimism during his spell as interim boss.
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