Manchester United are without a win in six straight matches, but that sequence is still a long way short of the club’s worst run.

The scale of the record goes back to an era when United were slipping from their early peaks rather than shaping the modern game. Under Ernest Mangnall, the club had reached the summit twice, in 1907-08 and 1910-11, before fading again. Mangnall then left for Manchester City in 1912, and by the time football was suspended at the end of the 1914-15 campaign, United were already close to relegation.

After the war, the decline continued. United finished 12th and 13th before ending up 22nd and dropping down in 1921-22. That spiral helped create the conditions for a run that eventually stretched to 16 matches without victory.

They returned to the First Division after three seasons away, but the struggle carried on. John Chapman was suspended by the Football Association in 1926 for “improper conduct”, with Lal Hilditch stepping in as player-manager. Herbert Bamlett then became the permanent manager, and the situation worsened further.

Off the field, the club also suffered a major blow in 1927 when principal owner John Henry Davies died after years of declining health. United were pushed back towards the financial edge.

By the end of 1929-30, they were 17th in a 22-team league and only two points above the relegation places. That season finished with four matches without a win, following six straight defeats earlier in the campaign. The real collapse arrived at the start of 1930-31, when United lost their first 12 league games and did not take a point until Nov. 1, when a 2-0 victory over Birmingham City at Old Trafford finally ended the streak at 16.

Supporters had already lost patience. The Manchester United Supporters’ Club issued a five-point demand to the board calling for a new manager, a revised scouting system, new signings, five new shareholders on the board and fresh share issues to raise funds. When those demands were ignored, boycott threats followed ahead of Arsenal’s visit to Old Trafford on Oct. 18, 1930.

A boycott never fully materialised, but the mood had soured. 23,406 attended that match, the best home crowd of the season, before numbers fell sharply and fewer than 4,000 watched United’s final top-flight game for five years.

Lisandro Martínez’s latest setback has put Manchester United in another holding pattern, with the defender’s condition still uncertain after he was withdrawn at half-time in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Leeds United at Elland Road.

The Argentina international started the game but did not come out for the second half, as United adjusted their shape after the interval. Ayden Heaven was already unavailable because of illness, and the team appeared to move to a back three when Martínez was replaced by returning fullback Noussair Mazraoui.

After the match, Michael Carrick said Martínez had “felt his thigh a little bit.” That brief assessment suggested caution rather than alarm, with no immediate indication that the issue was severe. Carrick also offered no further details, leaving the club to wait for a fuller update when he next speaks to reporters on Tuesday.

The timing matters, with United due to face Como in the Champions League on Wednesday. At this stage, it seems difficult to imagine Martínez being pushed into that match so soon after coming off against Leeds. If the problem is minor and carefully managed, he could be back in contention relatively quickly. The more realistic short-term target may be Bournemouth, when the Premier League schedule resumes on Sunday.

Martínez’s injury record since arriving from Ajax in the summer of 2022 remains a significant concern. Across his first four years at the club, he made 110 appearances in all competitions, averaging fewer than 28 a season. Transfermarkt estimates that he has spent a total of 632 days sidelined in that period.

For now, United are waiting for the next update, with the hope that this is another brief interruption rather than something more serious.

Michael Carrick is under increasing pressure, and the speculation around Manchester United continues to point towards alternative options. One of the more intriguing possibilities is Antonio Conte, a manager whose ideas would quickly reshape the team.

If United did move for Conte, the side would almost certainly look very different. In goal, Senne Lammens would keep his place. Conte usually likes experience in that area, but Lammens’s straightforward style would still appeal. At centre-back, Matthijs de Ligt could be handed another chance, especially after previous suggestions that Conte wanted him during his Tottenham Hotspur spell. Alongside him, Harry Maguire would suit a return to a back three, while Alessandro Bastoni would represent the ambitious option if United follow through on the need for a new central defender.

The wingback roles would be transformed. On the right, Michael Kayode fits the sort of all-action profile Conte typically values, while Lewis Hall would be a natural choice on the left because of his running power and influence in the final third. In midfield, Carlos Baleba would have to adjust to the demands of a two-man unit, and Scott McTominay is the sort of player Conte has already turned into a major asset, making a return to Old Trafford feel like an obvious storyline.

Further forward, Bryan Mbeumo remains one of the most dependable figures in the current setup, so a place on the right side of the attack looks secure. Bruno Fernandes still has no obvious role in this projected shape, which underlines how much would change under Conte.

As for the wider picture, United are expected to pursue a new centre-back, with a replacement for the disgruntled Lisandro Martínez appearing likely. A Conte appointment would not just alter the team sheet. It would demand a wholesale rethink of the squad structure.