At Elland Road, where a 1-1 draw with Leeds United left Manchester United searching for calm as much as points, the visitors’ usual post-match media routine was notably restricted. The episode followed Lisandro Martínez’s public criticism of the club’s leadership after a Champions League defeat and added another layer of tension to a difficult spell for Michael Carrick’s side.
Key takeaways
- Manchester United players did not speak to the written press after Sunday’s Premier League draw at Leeds.
- Bruno Fernandes and Matheus Cunha said they had not been permitted to give interviews in the mixed zone.
- Harry Maguire was the sole United player to speak after the match, addressing broadcasters and the club’s MUTV channel.
- Lisandro Martínez was fined after questioning recruitment investment and football director Jason Wilcox following defeat to Atlético de Madrid.
- The Argentine later apologised publicly, with Carrick indicating that the matter had been dealt with internally.
- United have now gone six matches without a win in all competitions and stand 13th in the league table.
Silence in the Elland Road mixed zone
United’s players passed through the interview area at the Leeds stadium without engaging with print journalists after the draw. Fernandes explained that he was not authorised to speak, while Cunha gave reporters the same message.
There was no reported instruction from Manchester United’s press staff specifically ordering players to avoid written-media interviews. Nevertheless, the effect was clear after a result that did little to lift the mood around the travelling side.
Maguire made the exception. The defender fulfilled interview duties with rights-holding broadcasters and spoke to MUTV, the club’s in-house television channel.
Martínez apology follows criticism of recruitment
The restricted media access came only days after Martínez’s remarks following United’s 2-0 Champions League loss to Atlético de Madrid. The Argentine centre-back had called for greater investment in the squad and directly challenged the work of technical director Jason Wilcox.
“I expect more, absolutely,” Martínez said after that defeat. “The players must improve, but it is also important to build a strong squad capable of being ready for nights like this.”
His comments resulted in a fine, and Martínez subsequently met Carrick and club representatives. He then issued a public apology through social media, accepting that frustration had led him to speak at the wrong time and in the wrong setting.
“The disappointment of the defeat made me say what I felt in a moment and place that may not have been appropriate,” he wrote. “For that, I want to apologise.”
The club accepted the apology, while Carrick said the internal issue had been resolved. On the pitch, though, the challenge remains immediate. The Leeds result extended United’s winless sequence to six fixtures across all competitions. They have collected seven points from seven Premier League matches, with only one victory, leaving them 13th.
Carrick’s team return to Champions League action against Como on Wednesday before Bournemouth visit Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday.
