Man Utd Afternoon Round-Up, Monday 12th October 2026: Pressure Mounts on Carrick Ahead of Tricky Atletico Madrid Trip
United have flown out to Spain this afternoon ahead of tomorrow night's Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid, with Manchester Evening News noting the club have quietly changed their approach to revealing squads for away European games (Manchester Evening News). Michael Carrick is due to face the media in Spain later today, with team news and the latest injury updates expected from his press conference (Manchester Evening News).
The mood around the club feels tense, with Sky Sports' Paul Merson writing that Carrick is "in trouble" and describing it as a "nightmare week" for the head coach given United's recent form (Sky Sports). Manchester Evening News have echoed that sentiment, suggesting Carrick can no longer lean on the same excuses as results continue to disappoint (Manchester Evening News). Adding to the sense of a daunting test in Madrid, an Atletico Madrid player has been full of praise for United, calling them "amazing" despite their difficult start to the season (Manchester Evening News).
That poor form includes Saturday's frustrating 1-1 draw with Tottenham, where Rodrigo Bentancur was sent off for violent conduct; Manchester Evening News report that United have since been given a verdict on both Bentancur's red card and Luke Shaw's role in the incident (Manchester Evening News).
On the transfer front, Manchester Evening News report that JJ Gabriel could leave United in January, with one unnamed club said to believe a deal is "all secured" amid reported interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona (Manchester Evening News).
Elsewhere, Kobbie Mainoo has opened up on what he learned from working under Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford, despite being used sparingly during that period (Manchester Evening News).
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