Lisandro Martinez’s post-match interview was among a series of statements from United’s senior players in recent months that highlight the same issue: the club’s lack of urgency. Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire, and Bruno Fernandes hinted at it this summer, and Casemiro had alluded to the same after his first season. Even Marcus Rashford’s move to Barcelona, in one sense, sums up how that plays out: a senior player desperate to show that they can be part of something successful.
The likes of Gary Neville
have suggested that his comments were disrespectful to the players, but there’s little to suggest that players will receive it that way. Many disillusioned players at United have seen the club show signs of what can be possible in big wins, top-four finishes and cup wins over the years, without capitalising on the momentum. Many who have now left the club have stayed on good terms with their teammates, despite the disappointments.
Many of these players, like United’s disillusioned senior players, know what it’s like to compete with top players alongside them for their national sides without feeling out of place. There’s plenty of evidence to suggest that even fringe players want to learn from the best and don’t mind playing a supporting role if the team’s fighting for the big titles. Michael Carrick knows what the club is capable of himself, and the frustration that comes with not meeting that expectation. Most of the players won’t have a problem with Martinez’s statement, but it was a gamble nevertheless.
The main concern here is that United can’t do anything about this until the January window, and they need to get to January with some momentum on their side. Martinez’s statements could be just what he and the team need to gee themselves up again, but if United fail at Leeds this weekend, Michael Carrick and Martinez’s future at the club will come under the microscope, among other things. There’s no going back now.
