Mark Critchley

Manchester United’s Jack Fletcher given six-match ban for using homophobic language towards opponent The 18-year-old, son of Darren Fletcher, has apologised after the incident during an EFL Trophy game against Barnsley in October.

Jack Fletcher handed six-match ban by The FA for using homophobic language

Fletcher has apologised for remark to Barnsley player in October's EFL Trophy tie

Five of six games already served - two for red card in autumn, three since charge last month www.nytimes.com/athletic/708...

How Man United are getting the best out of Benjamin Sesko – Specialist coaches, gadgets and No 9 shirt decision The 22-year-old striker's obsessive commitment to self-improvement is paying off, with him scoring seven goals in his last eight games

Benjamin Sesko’s obsession with self-improvement is beginning to pay off

• becoming more ‘explosive’
• NFL-style training drills
• VR headsets
• testing his reflexes at home
• No 9 shirt decision

w/ @lauriewhitwell.bsky.social + @ahmed-walid.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/708...

Talk of the Devils - A show about Manchester United: Sesko strikes again as Man United go third Another week, another win. Crystal Palace started brightly at Old Trafford and centre half Maxence Lacroix gave the visitors the lead in a stodgy first half-hour. But, Michael Carrick has the midas...

🎧 Talk of the Devils 🎧

Palace review, Newcastle preview, Brits debrief

pod.fo/e/39b3b1
youtu.be/W8b5dI7fQLo

Carrick was playing an entire front three of left-footers when he arrived, plus two more at the back. Only one on the pitch currently. Amad's introduction inevitable at some point and will be interesting to see who he replaces

Sesko's finish isn't even his best part part in that goal. Lays the ball off for Shaw to find Cunha at the very start, then covers so much ground to make the chance happen.

Not as joyless as the first half at West Ham but about as much quality. Centre-forward is the only position where Carrick hasn't put a round peg in a round hole since taking charge but Sesko feels the obvious change once again.

Manchester United ‘proud of equality and diversity’, says Carrick after Ratcliffe comments Ratcliffe's claim that the UK had been "colonised by immigrants" was widely condemned, including by prime minister Keir Starmer.

The FA have reminded Sir Jim Ratcliffe of his responsibilities as a participant in English football while giving media interviews

No further investigation or action will be taken following Ratcliffe's anti-immigration comments last week www.nytimes.com/athletic/705...

Defining image of a flat half: Martinez on the ball, every West Ham player ahead of him, no pass to a United team-mate on. Sesko's introduction needed but not sure that alone changes things

Manchester United’s Patrick Dorgu set to miss around 10 weeks with hamstring injury The 21-year-old has featured 22 times in the Premier League this season, recording three goals and three assists.

Patrick Dorgu set to be out for around 10 weeks with a hamstring injury

United still assessing full extent and exact timeline but more significant issue than hoped

w/ @lauriewhitwell.bsky.social + more www.nytimes.com/athletic/700...

We’re recording a Talk of the Devils Q&A special tomorrow

Send your questions to devilspod@theathletic.com

Or reply to this skeet ⬇️👇

The simplicity of Carrick's changes to this team might be the most refreshing thing about those two performances. Nothing complicated, just players in roles they are suited to, and a gameplan that brings the best out of them.

Arsenal 2 Man Utd 3 – Did composure cost Arteta’s side? How good was Dorgu? What does this mean for Carrick? Our writers break down the talking points from an enthralling encounter at the Emirates.

Arsenal 2-3 Manchester United talking points

• It's Carrick, you know
• Ballon D'orgu
• Big game Bryan Mbeumo

www.nytimes.com/athletic/699...

Casemiro to leave Manchester United at end of season The midfielder's contract expires at the end of June. He joined United from Real Madrid for a deal wort at least £60m in 2022.

Casemiro set to leave Manchester United at the end of the season

United will not be activating the one-year extension option in his contract

w/ @adamcrafton.bsky.social _ + others www.nytimes.com/athletic/698...

Manchester United’s Harry Amass and Toby Collyer set for loan moves to Championship clubs Amass spent the first half of the season at Sheffield Wednesday while Collyer returned from a loan spell at West Bromwich Albion.

Harry Amass close to joining Norwich for the second half of the season

Toby Collyer also set to go on loan to Hull

w/ @lauriewhitwell.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/698...

Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez dominated Haaland. There’s beauty in a centre-back pairing Michael Carrick's first game in charge brought scenes not seen at Old Trafford for years – the centre-backs set the tone for United's win

Forget ‘CCB’ and ‘WCB’. Forget ‘dropping in during build-up’. The best things don’t always come in threes.

An appreciation of Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire and the art, beauty and simplicity of a good old-fashioned centre-back partnership www.nytimes.com/athletic/697...

Inside Michael Carrick’s Man Utd return: Fresh vision, Solskjaer concerns, Champions League target The full story of another turbulent week at Old Trafford, as the club appoint their third manager of the 2025-26 season

Michael Carrick is Manchester United's new head coach

• Why him, not Solskjaer
• Impressing in face-to-face meeting
• Ferguson's backing
• Champions League target set

The inside story of the interim hunt, w/ @lauriewhitwell.bsky.social + more www.nytimes.com/athletic/696...

Ayden Heaven is taking his chance at Man United, just when Ruben Amorim needs him most Gradual improvement has been the story of Heaven’s reintroduction over these past five games

Manchester United need their fringe players to fill gaps right now

Ayden Heaven’s rise is a consequence of absences hitting a thin squad

But Heaven is also an example to others of how to take these opportunities when they arrive www.nytimes.com/athletic/692...

Manchester United unhappy with Morocco for rejecting Noussair Mazraoui request FIFA announced this month that the deadline for players to be released to AFCON squads would be pushed back to December 15.

Manchester United left frustrated after Morocco reject Noussair Mazraoui request

United escalated matter to FIFA. Mazraoui trained all last week, left for AFCON on Sunday night www.nytimes.com/athletic/689...

Bruno Fernandes says he was left “hurt” by the feeling that Manchester United wanted him to leave the club in the summer.

The 31-year-old rejected a lucrative approach to join Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal in the last transfer window.

More from @mjcritchley.bsky.social ⤵️

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Manchester United’s Amad, Bryan Mbeumo available for Bournemouth game before AFCON Ivory Coast and Cameroon begin their AFCON campaigns on December 24.

Bryan Mbeumo and Amad set to be available for tonight's game vs Bournemouth

#mufc agreement with Cameroon and Ivory Coast to allow them to travel for AFCON afterwards

w/ @lauriewhitwell.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/687...

Manchester United were always going to lose games this season. But not like this It was the manner of the defeat by Everton, rather than just the defeat itself, which was so worrying for Ruben Amorim

Most accept that this flawed Manchester United side will lose their fair share of games this season

But when they lose, they cannot lose like this

If the result was bad, the abject manner of this defeat was worse, with worrying hallmarks of last season www.nytimes.com/athletic/683...

Leny Yoro: Man Utd’s ‘no bad energy’ policy, ‘tough’ last season – and that Homer Simpson dance Yoro is finally settling in at United after a difficult first campaign. 'This year is different,' he says

🎙️🇫🇷 Leny Yoro interview

• 'really emotional' last season + what's changed
• United's 'no bad energy' policy
• no regrets over €62m move
• that Homer Simpson celebration

www.nytimes.com/athletic/678...

Manchester United have ‘clear plan’ to invest in and improve squad, Jason Wilcox says United committed an initial £216million (€245m, $284m) on five new players in the summer transfer window.

Jason Wilcox to MUTV: "We know there are areas of the team we’ve got to improve.

"For us to get in the top four, to consistently challenge for Champions League places and win Champions Leagues and Premier Leagues, we’ve got to invest in the squad." www.nytimes.com/athletic/676...

Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United changes: Lammens’ long kicks, faster attacks, no outswinging corners How going direct helped to solve some of Manchester United's biggest problems and deliver their best run of form under Ruben Amorim

What has changed about Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United?

A look at the biggest differences in this season’s data vs last season’s

• Long balls, even pre-Lammens
• Moving up the pitch faster
• Fewer touches in own third
• No more outswinging corners

www.nytimes.com/athletic/675...

Tracing the roots of Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-3 at Manchester United – and if he will ever change it Ruben Amorim's 3-4-3 system has defined his time in charge of Manchester United, but why is it so important to him and will he ever change?

The story behind Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-3

• Why he plays 3-4-3
• How he changed from 4-4-2
• Why he insists it will ‘evolve’ again - and if we can believe him

Revisiting the only time he changed formation, at his first club Casa Pia www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...

Ruben Amorim has three years to prove himself at Manchester United – Sir Jim Ratcliffe Amorim has won just 19 of his 50 matches in charge of United following his appointment in November of last year.

Ruben Amorim has to "demonstrate he is a great coach over three years", says Sir Jim Ratcliffe

Ratcliffe also dismisses prospect of Glazers overruling him on manager change: "It's not going to happen." www.nytimes.com/athletic/669...

Tyrell Malacia reintegrated into Manchester United squad, will return to first-team training The 26-year-old was one of five United players placed in a so-called ‘bomb squad’ this summer

Tyrell Malacia reintegrated into Manchester United squad and will return to first team training today www.nytimes.com/athletic/667...

Malacia loan talks with Elche collapse Talks regarding Manchester United left-back Tyrell Malacia's prospective loan to Elche have collapsed. Club-to-club negotiations between United and Elche were being held at the end of last week.But d...

Tyrell Malacia's talks for Elche loan have collapsed. No agreement on clause to turn deal permanent

Malacia could now stay beyond today's deadline as last remaining member of so-called 'bomb squad' www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...

Ruben Amorim, for better or worse, clearly only knows how to be himself Amorim did not apologise for seething like he did after Manchester United's loss to Grimsby, but what must the players think of his honesty?

Ruben Amorim only knows how to be himself, for better or worse

And as endearing as his honesty can be, maybe it’s part of the issue www.nytimes.com/athletic/658...

Kobbie Mainoo’s Manchester United future: What we’re hearing Old Trafford's homegrown starlet has found himself frozen out under Ruben Amorim. So what now?

Kobbie Mainoo’s future - what we’re hearing

- Mainoo is open to leaving
- United have considered sale all summer
- £20k p/w deal, contract impasse
- lack of Amorim communication

w/ @lauriewhitwell.bsky.social + @adamcrafton.bsky.social

www.nytimes.com/athletic/657...