Man Utd
KMI Panel Rules Martínez Goal Was Illegally Disallowed in 2-2 Draw with Burnley
KMI panel finds Lisandro Martinez goal in 2-2 draw with Burnley should have stood, 3-2. panel noted.
The Premier League’s Key Match Incidents Panel has concluded that Lisandro Martínez’s goal in Manchester United’s 2-2 draw with Burnley was wrongly disallowed. Referee Stuart Attwell had ruled that Martínez’s slight contact with Kyle Walker amounted to a foul and awarded Burnley a free-kick, nullifying the strike.
The KMI panel was split 3-2 in its assessment that the on-field decision was incorrect. “The contact was exaggerated by Walker and the decision to disallow the goal for a foul was incorrect,” the panel concluded.
Despite that finding, the panel did not fault VAR Craig Pawson for failing to intervene. The panel voted 4-1 in support of the VAR choice. “The decision not to intervene by VAR was split but supported on the basis it wasn’t a clear and obvious error.”
On the field, the match remained tight after the disallowed goal. Benjamin Šeško levelled shortly after half-time and then scored again 10 minutes later to put the Red Devils ahead. Jaidon Anthony restored parity for Burnley in the 66th minute and the score remained 2-2.
The result came in caretaker Darren Fletcher’s first of two games in charge following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim. The Scot, who returned to his former role as U-18s manager once Michael Carrick was brought in on an interim basis, won neither.
The panel’s finding that Martínez’s goal should have stood will be unwelcome reading for Manchester United. Whether the disallowed goal ultimately changed the outcome and directly cost United maximum points is open to interpretation, but the formal review has determined the on-field call was wrong while upholding the VAR team’s judgement not to overturn it.
Barcelona
Rashford’s Return to United Remains Possible but Unlikely After Carrick Comment
Carrick would welcome Rashford back if appointed permanent manager, but the forward seems settled. .
Michael Carrick has told those around him he would like Marcus Rashford back at Manchester United if he is appointed permanent manager, a development that has complicated an already tangled transfer picture.
Reports indicate Barcelona are leaning towards triggering a purchase option they hold on the 28-year-old, but The Telegraph says Carrick would explore a reunion with the England international if he is allowed to stay at Old Trafford beyond the summer. The final call, however, will belong to Rashford. If he does not want to stay with Barcelona, he simply will not.
Rashford left United after 426 appearances following a breakdown in his relationship with the club. The need for a fresh start contributed to his exit and United were willing to move on from a player who perhaps blew hot-and-cold one too many times. That context, plus the fact that Amorim drove United’s efforts to offload him, makes a comeback complicated. Amorim was relieved of his duties, and the change in coaching staff has reopened the possibility in principle, though the reunion feels unlikely in practice.
“Of course what I want is to stay at Barça,” Rashford told SPORT in December, two weeks before Amorim was relieved of his duties. We have not heard from Rashford since.
Barcelona secured Rashford in the summer for an affordable fee of €30 million, a deal that exploited United’s position at the time. The forward has justified that outlay with a major impact on Hansi Flick’s side this season. Even so, Barcelona appear to believe United’s negotiating weakness, largely linked to Rashford’s large wages, leaves room to seek an additional discount.
Ultimately the situation reduces to a few simple truths: Barcelona have the first option, United’s stance during last summer leaves them with limited leverage, and Rashford’s preference will decide whether any reunion is pursued. For now, Carrick’s preference is clear, but Rashford’s commitment to Barcelona appears to make a return improbable.
Man Utd
From Crisis to Contention: Can Carrick Guide United to an Unlikely Title?
Carrick’s brief spell has closed United’s gap and reignited belief; 15 league games remain in 2026.
Manchester United’s commercial backdrop is stark: the club remains partnered with adidas until at least 2035 after last year’s renewal for another decade and £900 million. The brand’s slogan ‘Impossible is Nothing’ feels unusually apt if United were to complete a dramatic turnaround and finish 2025–26 as Premier League champions.
The context is clear. Michael Carrick succeeded Ruben Amorim as interim head coach and faced two of the toughest early tests possible in Manchester City (H) and Arsenal (A). The previous caretaker, Darren Fletcher, had not produced an immediate lift in league form, drawing his Premier League debut with Burnley and losing to Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup. Amorim’s tenure had not delivered sustained momentum either.
Carrick has not radically overhauled tactics. Instead he has narrowed the instructions, leaning into a simple, fast, direct approach that emphasises width and the club’s traditional ‘DNA’. That focus restored belief and produced consecutive wins over Manchester City and Arsenal, results that suggest United can now compete with anyone in the division.
The immediate challenge is consistency. Carrick has already matched Amorim’s first-time achievement of back-to-back league wins, and the points gap to leaders Arsenal has fallen from 17 to 12 in under two weeks. With 15 league fixtures remaining and no other competitions to split attention, there is a practical opportunity to close that deficit.
Historical perspective underlines the possibility. The Premier League record comeback is 13 points; United have erased 12-point gaps twice before in 1992–93 and 1995–96. Recent examples also show radical seasonal turnarounds are feasible.
A specific squad development has helped: Patrick Dorgu, signed from Lecce, has been important to Carrick’s approach. The Denmark international operated further forward toward the end of the Amorim era and contributed decisive goals in the victories over Manchester City and Arsenal, offering the width and directness Carrick demands. The Gareth Bale comparisons in style and impact are noted in that light.
What remains is the longer test: repeating those performances across the remaining schedule and converting renewed belief into sustained form.
Fixtures remaining (selected):
Feb. 1, 2026 Man Utd vs. Fulham
Feb. 7, 2026 Man Utd vs. Tottenham
Feb. 23, 2026 Everton vs. Man Utd
March 4, 2026 Newcastle vs. Man Utd
May 2, 2026 Man Utd vs. Liverpool
May 24, 2026 Brighton vs. Man Utd
Man Utd
Onana linked with Inter after reported “talks” as United appear set to move on
Onana has not played since the Grimsby Cup defeat; reported “talks” link him with Inter, this summer.
André Onana is the subject of reported “talks” with Inter as the goalkeeper faces a likely exit from Manchester United in the coming summer window. He has not played for United since the shock Carabao Cup defeat to Grimsby Town in August, by which point he had already lost the Premier League starting position to Altay Bayındır.
A loan spell at Trabzonspor followed soon after Senne Lammens arrived at Old Trafford on Deadline Day. Lammens was signed from Royal Antwerp for around £18.2 million and, at 23, has established himself as the club’s No. 1 with steady performances after a period of inconsistency. United had paid £47.2 million to sign Onana from Inter in the summer of 2023, a fee intended to underpin a tactical shift under then manager Erik ten Hag.
For Onana, the choice of destination could include a return to Italy. He enjoyed a standout season with Inter that culminated in a Champions League final appearance and a 23rd-place finish in the 2023 Ballon d’Or. Recent reports that Mike Maignan has agreed a new contract with AC Milan remove one possible option, while Napoli have struggled with injuries to Alex Meret and Juventus may be looking to upgrade on Michele Di Gregorio. Links involving Roma’s Mile Svilar with Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have been suggested as the sort of movement that can open doors elsewhere.
Other destinations mentioned in the wider market appear less likely, with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain described as low-probability moves. Interest from the Premier League remains a possibility, with Aston Villa and Newcastle United cited as among the clubs most likely to seek a new goalkeeper.
Onana’s time at United included world-class saves and recognition in the form of three Premier League Save of the Month awards, balanced by high-profile errors. The report that multiple “potential deals” are being discussed suggests he will have options and that a return to Manchester beyond the summer is improbable.
