Man United nine games without a win, facing relegation — SkimNews
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- Chelsea beat Manchester United 2-0 at Stamford Bridge, a fourth defeat in five games and a second-half collapse that Sky Sports called an 'implosion' and BBC player ratings valued at a 3/10 that 'might be generous'
- Manchester United have collected just seven points from nine league games, the only win coming against Ipswich Town in August; 0.77 points per game projects to 29.3 points over 38 matches — below the 30 total no side has ever survived on, and short of Nottingham Forest's record-low 32 in 2023-24
- Lisandro Martínez conceded a penalty converted by Cole Palmer and collected a second yellow card, leaving United with 10 men for the final 28 minutes; Carrick ignored him as he walked off, undercutting his claim this week that everyone at the club is 'together'
- Morgan Rogers put Chelsea ahead four minutes into the second half by running through a defensive hole left by Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martínez, after Amad Diallo had missed three clear chances and Bruno Fernandes also failed to convert in the first half
- Carrick, 45, was retained by a United committee with no obvious leader after a 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth left the club with its worst start since 1986, even though Eddie Howe, Antonio Conte, Kieran McKenna and Julian Nagelsmann were all available
- Luke Shaw and first-choice center forward Benjamin Sesko are both injured, United are unlikely to sign reinforcements in January, and the club's joint owners hold contrasting objectives while senior executives remain on the learning curve
- Aston Villa are United's next league opponents at home, followed by Liverpool at Anfield after the international break, with no silver linings attached to the club's position
Why it matters: At 0.77 points per game from nine league games, United's 38-match total projects to 29.3 — below the 30 no Premier League side has ever survived on. With Luke Shaw and Benjamin Sesko injured and no money for January reinforcements, keeping Carrick leaves the same squad and the same scoring rate facing Aston Villa and Liverpool.
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