Michael Carrick remains in charge for now despite Manchester United’s poor start to the 2026/27 campaign, with the club deciding not to act after another damaging result.

United are winless in their last seven matches in all competitions and have managed only two victories this season, both against recently promoted Ipswich Town and Champions League debutants Sabah. Under the circumstances, some past managers have been removed for less, yet Carrick was still at work on Thursday morning.

According to the Daily Mail, it is “business as usual” for the manager, who is expected to hold his regular pregame press conference on Friday ahead of the league meeting with Bournemouth. That will inevitably bring more questions about his future, along with any further reaction to Bruno Fernandes’s incendiary remarks about the side’s tactics in the heavy defeat to Como.

From the outside, the impression is that the club still believes Carrick can recover the situation, even with results deteriorating and public criticism coming from figures such as Fernandes and Lisandro Martínez. United’s decision not to sever ties after Wednesday’s Champions League setback suggests that backing remains in place, at least for the short term.

There may also be a practical reason for holding off. The Daily Mail reports that the delay “buys United time” to line up a successor. Antonio Conte and Julian Nagelsmann are among the latest names linked with the role, while Fabian Hürzeler has also been mentioned.

Any change would be a significant one, with a new appointment becoming the club’s eighth permanent manager since Sir Alex Ferguson departed in 2013.

For Carrick and United, the fixture list offers little relief. Bournemouth arrive first, and the club has failed to beat them in their last six meetings. That is followed by a trip to Stamford Bridge, where Chelsea will sense an opportunity against a vulnerable back line.

After that comes Roma in the Champions League, before Aston Villa visit, with the possibility that United will head into the international break in a weaker position than they are now. A return to Anfield against Liverpool then awaits when the season resumes.

Manchester United have reportedly fined Lisandro Martínez after his public criticism of club officials earlier this week.

The centre-back first addressed the matter in a long social media statement, where he admitted frustration may have taken hold but offered no apology. United then had to wait until Thursday for a further update, when Martínez posted again and said the issue was now “behind us.”

BBC Sport report that the process of drawing a line under the incident also includes a financial penalty, with Martínez having accepted formal punishment for speaking against the hierarchy.

That leaves manager Michael Carrick free to select him for Sunday’s Premier League fixture against Leeds United. Whether Martínez starts, and in what role he is used, remains to be seen.

United are keen to move forward, but the wider consequences of the episode are expected to linger well into 2027. Martínez is central to that discussion because his contract is due to expire at the end of the campaign, even if the club can extend it by another 12 months.

The option would likely be used to protect his value, yet finding a way to keep him beyond next summer appears far more complicated. Martínez has clearly been unhappy with the direction of the club, and that sentiment has become public.

The story has spread widely over the past few days, reaching the social media feeds of some of the biggest players in the game. For United, that brings another layer of concern, as some potential targets could now think twice about joining if their own ambitions are as high as those Martínez has expressed.

It now falls to United’s sporting department to steady matters. Their decisions will be closely watched, and any further disruption would only deepen the problem.

Lisandro Martínez has moved to explain the comments he made immediately after Manchester United’s Champions League defeat to Atlético Madrid, saying his message was always about the need to go on together with belief and discipline.

In a written Instagram story, the defender said his remarks came from “anger and frustration” after a disappointing result. He insisted the reaction should not be taken as a rejection of the dressing room or the club’s staff.

“Those who know me know how I live football, with passion, commitment and a huge desire to win. And when things don’t go our way, it hurts, especially when representing a club with the history and stature of Manchester United ,” he said.

Martínez added that his words were driven by his standards and the expectation that comes with the badge. “My words reflect how I feel and how much I want to see this club competing for the biggest honors. Those high standards are part of how I see football and the responsibility that comes with wearing this shirt.”

The 2022 World Cup winner also said “wanting more” means accepting the “ambition we must all have as part of this club. To keep growing, to become stronger and to have everything we need to compete at the highest level. These are standards we must all hold ourselves to, starting with me.”

Martínez then addressed the broader state of the squad, saying: “I know that, first and foremost, it’s us, the players, who have to deliver, and I put myself at the front of that responsibility. We need to demand even more of ourselves and work together to take Manchester United back to the top.

“I believe in my teammates, our manager and everyone working to help this club move forward. I’m convinced that the way forward is to keep working together, with ambition and commitment. My goal has been the same since day one, to win, to compete at the highest level and to give everything I have for this badge.”

The defender’s future remains uncertain. His contract expires next summer, though it includes an option for another 12 months until 2028. The Athletic says he does not want an extension beyond this season and would still prefer a move to Spain after an unfulfilled desire to join Atlético Madrid in the summer. United are said to have similar doubts, while his camp insists the latest comments were not intended to force a departure.