Chelsea 2–0 United, and Martínez was sent off
Your team lost again. Chelsea 2–0 Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, Lisandro Martínez sent off, and the winless run is now nine matches (1) (5) (10) (15). United sit 17th on 7 points with a goal difference of –5. Last five in the league: L D L L L.
Danny Murphy and Stephan Warnock picked apart Martínez's performance on Match of the Day and asked whether he has become a liability (5). The defender also now turns up on Barcelona's list of winter centre-back targets (3).
Carrick stays, for now
United have no plans to sack Michael Carrick before the November international break, when his position gets assessed (7) (10). He takes the Roma game in the Champions League on Tuesday at Old Trafford (10).
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His own words after Chelsea: "I'm just looking forward to getting the boys ready for midweek now" (7).
Who comes next
Julian Nagelsmann and Eddie Howe are the leading candidates to replace Carrick, with Unai Emery and Antonio Conte also in the conversation (2) (8). United play Aston Villa at home on Sunday, November 8, so Emery arrives at Old Trafford in eight days either way (2).
20.77 per cent chance of going down
That is the Opta supercomputer's relegation number for United, with a predicted finish of 13th (1) (6). Nine points from nine games, extrapolated over a season, does not reach 30 (6). The Bournemouth home defeat, 0–3 with Bruno Fernandes left on the bench, is pointed to as the moment this tipped (2).
Injury news before Roma
Sesko is out for the Roma tie on Tuesday. Rashford is a doubt. Roma may be without Svilar (4).
Roma are not writing you off
Bryan Cristante scored in Roma's 5–2 win over Udinese and then warned his own side about United. "Tak, ale to wciąż Manchester United. To silny zespół, w którym gra wielu zawodników o dużych umiejętnościach" (13). Yes, but it is still Manchester United, a strong team with players of real quality. Gasperini's side come to Old Trafford on Tuesday.
€100m for Estêvão, Tavernier on the list
United are ready to offer Chelsea €100m for Estêvão (3). They have also stepped up interest in Bournemouth's Marcus Tavernier (3). Two wingers, one window of frustration behind them.
The defence is being rebuilt
Diogo Dalot is no longer untouchable, and a sale around €30m would fund a 2027 overhaul (11). United are in a race with PSG for Barcelona's Eric Garcia (14). Bayern's Lennart Karl is on the radar too, alongside Arsenal, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Barcelona (12). Uli Hoeness on Karl: "J'ai l'intention d'avoir une conversation sérieuse avec lui. Il est loin d'être une superstar. Les jeunes joueurs ont besoin d'humilité" (12).
JJ Gabriel said no to PSG
The United teenager turned down PSG, which leaves Real Madrid as clear favourites to sign him (9). Losing an academy talent of that level would sting.
Fan reactions
The mood on r/reddevils and r/soccer is past anger and into resignation: threads dissecting the Match of the Day interviews from Chelsea, and a flat argument over whether this is genuinely a relegation fight. A third thread asks the question everyone is circling, what the plan actually is. The Athletic thread drew the most heat.
