Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has insisted the team remains united despite recent tensions following Lisandro Martinez’s public criticism of the club’s recruitment strategy. The Argentine World Cup winner faced disciplinary action after his outburst, which included a direct rebuke of director of football Jason Wilcox, in the wake of United’s 2-0 loss to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last week. Martinez was subsequently fined and issued a public apology.
The turmoil comes amid a challenging stretch for United, who extended their winless run to six matches in all competitions following a 1-1 draw at Leeds United on Sunday. Under the stewardship of Michael Carrick, the team has now failed to secure a victory in five Premier League games and only two wins in ten fixtures across all tournaments this season. This run marks their poorest start since the 2018-19 season and echoes a low last seen 40 years ago, with United winning just one of their first seven top-flight matches.
Maguire acknowledged the team’s performance at Leeds was below expectations but emphasized the squad's cohesion and determination remain intact. “You can’t question the togetherness, the spirit, the fight,” he said. He pointed to the challenge of playing away at a strong Leeds side and identified room for improvement, particularly in ball control and set-piece defending. United conceded a crucial set-piece goal after halftime, which Maguire described as “disappointing,” though he noted the team largely controlled the game and created chances.
Looking ahead, United prepare to face Italian side Como in the Champions League, hoping to break their winless streak. Maguire called for greater courage on the ball, highlighting the need for the team to regain “that bravery and mindset” to secure victories for Manchester United.
The aftermath of Martinez’s comments also affected the team’s engagement with the media. Reports indicated that players were instructed not to speak with journalists at Elland Road, with Maguire being the sole team member to conduct a post-match interview. Attempts by Matheus Cunha to engage with a reporter were reportedly halted by United’s media staff, while Bruno Fernandes explicitly declined to comment, citing club restrictions. Michael Carrick is scheduled to brief the media ahead of the Champions League fixture in Como, where competition rules require United to provide both a coach and player press conference.