Manchester United players claimed they had been instructed not to speak to reporters after Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Leeds United, following Lisandro Martinez’s outspoken interview after the Champions League defeat by Atletico Madrid.
Bruno Fernandes and Matheus Cunha told members of the written press they were not permitted to give interviews in the mixed zone at Elland Road, despite being asked to stop by reporters.
United players regularly speak to the media after matches, particularly following encouraging performances. The reported restriction comes after Martinez criticised the club’s hierarchy, including director of football Jason Wilcox, following the 2-0 Champions League loss to Atletico Madrid last week.
The Argentina defender was fined for his comments and later apologised after holding clear-the-air talks with the club. He returned to the side against Leeds but was forced off at half-time with an injury.
Before his departure, Martinez received vocal support from the travelling United supporters, who sang “Argentina, Argentina, Argentina” from the away section.
The lack of media appearances after the Leeds match may indicate that players were asked to avoid comments that could lead to further criticism of the club. However, it is understood that United’s media team did not issue a direct instruction preventing players from speaking to written reporters.
Harry Maguire did speak to the club’s official website after the game. The defender said United’s character had not been in doubt, although he accepted that the side needed to improve in possession.
“You can’t question the togetherness, the spirit and the fight. This is a tough place to come. Leeds have been flying in the league,” said Maguire.
“We can be better. We have to show more quality with the ball. When you come to places like this, you can’t be beaten on set-plays and we conceded a set-play which got them back in the game.
“Throughout, we felt comfortable in our shape. They didn’t create too many chances. To concede a set-piece after half-time is disappointing. We had to dig in. We got a foothold at about 70 minutes and probably looked the more likely to go and win it, but a draw is probably fair.”
Michael Carrick described the performance as feeling like a “fresh start”, while stressing that United could not regard the result as a victory.
“We’re not getting too carried away because we haven’t won the game. I think if you keep doing the right things for the right reasons, then you get what you deserve in the end,” said the United boss.
The draw extended United’s winless Premier League sequence to five matches. Their only league victory came against newly promoted Ipswich in August, while they have won just two of their 10 matches in all competitions.
United have not gone six games without a win in all competitions since the end of the 2018-19 season. It is also 40 years since they won only one of their opening seven top-flight matches of a campaign.
Carrick’s side will face Cesc Fabregas’s Como in Italy on Wednesday in their third Champions League game of the season, before hosting Bournemouth in the Premier League at Old Trafford on Sunday.
