Manchester United is finding wins hard to come by at the moment. Indeed, Michael Carrick's team is currently on a run of six matches in all competitions without a victory. Sunday's 1-1 draw against Leeds United was the latest underwhelming performance and result by the Old Trafford outfit.
There were, however, some positives for Carrick to pick out of the display, not least the performance of Carlos Baleba. In his first Premier League start as a Manchester United player, the Cameroonian was a commanding presence in central midfield, helping his new team on both sides of the ball.
LEEDS, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 18: Carlos Baleba of Manchester United controls the ball whilst under pressure from Dominic Calvert-Lewin of Leeds United during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Leeds United and Manchester United at Elland Road on October 18, 2026 in Leeds, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
Carrick reshuffled his midfield unit for the trip to Elland Road, deploying Baleba and Andrey Santos at the base. This gave United a strong foundation to build from. Ahead of the pair, Bruno Fernandes and Youri Tielemans were positioned in an advanced role where they could influence the attacking play in front of them.
It was a midfield set up that gave Manchester United greater control of the match even if it still struggled to create good enough opportunities to find the back of the net. In Baleba, Carrick might finally have a two-way midfielder to build around with Santos also demonstrating his potential.

#united #leeds #michael #league

Many cannot understand why Shea Lacey has not featured in the last four Manchester United games.
The last time the academy graduate played, he produced an eye-opening performance against Leeds. He received the ball with his back to goal, turned sharply, and carved out just enough ****** e to whip a composed left-footed strike past the Brighton defenders and goalkeeper, breaking the deadlock.
United may have lost that game and been knocked out of the Carabao Cup, but Lacey's performance, crowned by a beauty of a goal, should have strengthened his case for starts and more minutes. Instead, Michael Carrick has rewarded that display by gluing him to the bench.
That has been baffling. In every game since, United have been crying out for a goal, a spark, or something different from the bench. Yet Carrick has ignored him while the team struggles to score, managing only three goals despite creating plenty of chances.
One of JJ Gabriel's biggest concerns, and his reason for wanting out, is that he is not being guaranteed the game time he believes he deserves. Would the Lacey treatment give him, or any other academy star, hope of a key role under Carrick?

#goal #lacey

Michael Carrick singled out Youri Tielemans for praise following Sunday's stalemate at Elland Road.
Manchester United were held to a 1-1 draw with their arch-rivals Leeds United, leaving them 13th-placed by the end of the weekend.
(Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Weighing in on his side's performance post-match, Carrick said of the summer signing: "I've been really impressed with Youri. He's exactly what we thought and hoped for, bringing him into the group.
"I think his experience, his presence, [and] his personality [are beneficial]. Youri's definitely one of those where he'll do anything you ask him for the benefit of the team.

#youri #regan

After the false start and the worst start, Michael Carrick ******* ounced it a fresh start. Manchester United have their fewest wins in their opening seven league games of a campaign for 40 years – just the one – and have not tasted victory in six matches in all competitions. Their manager nevertheless emerged from consecutive away games that brought defeat to Atletico Madrid and a draw at Leeds appearing more upbeat about their prospects.
"I understand the situation doesn't look too good if you look at it from a certain way, but I got no doubts that we can go on a good run," he said. That certain way could involve referencing results or the league table; seven games in, the club who finished third last season are already nine points adrift of the top three.
Carrick believes he has detected a good feeling around his squad, whether or not it stems from Lisandro Martinez's public criticism of director of football Jason Wilcox. "I felt like [it was] a bit of a fresh start today and where we're at, and accepting it and doing something about it," he said. Perhaps not doing enough about it, given the result was exactly the same – a 1-1 draw – as in their previous two league games.
Michael Carrick thinks Man United's new-look midfield, including Youri Tielemans (pictured), can lead their rebuild (Reuters)
If there is improvement in Carrick's camp, it has come from a low bar. And, in fairness, the performances in the intimidating atmospheres of the Metropolitano and Elland Road are not among United's four worst this season – Hull, Manchester City, Brighton, Tottenham – but, again, that is scarcely a compliment.

#carrick

Gary Neville believes Manchester United's 1-1 draw at Leeds United on Sunday is a positive stride in the right direction.
United were on course for victory after Bryan Mbeumo put them ahead in the 35th minute.
The 27-year-old had failed to hit the target with a free header but quickly made amends by battling past James Justin to fire home Youri Tieleman's excellent pass.
Leeds came out much improved after the break and Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored the equaliser in the 51st minute.
Both teams had chances to win the game but neither could find the decisive finish as the points were shared.

#leeds #mbeumo

Daniel Farke wasn't having it that Leeds United were the favourites for this game but there was nothing he could do about the level of expectation around his club going into it.
Last season Leeds drew this fixture 1-1 and then in April claimed their first league win at Old Trafford since 1981. Being truly competitive in the Premier League in both the post-promotion campaign and so far this term allowed supporters not only to dream of Elland Road glory on Sunday afternoon but perhaps even to expect it. Throw in the narrative surrounding the visitors given all that has transpired there of late and at the very least it felt like a big chance.
Yet if reality was to meet expectation, the first half did not make it immediately obvious. A frenetic first few minutes was as anticipated. Ethan Ampadu, leading the team out for the 100th time as captain, was at the heart of an aggressive start. He set the tone by levelling Carlos Baleba to concede one free-kick, then caught Bryan Mbeumo on the ankle to concede another, somehow without seeing yellow.
Neither Bruno Fernandes nor Gabriel Gudmundsson got away with their early transgressions, however. So it was tetchy and fractious, but the play that was punctuated by fouls was largely in the home side's favour. Leeds saw plenty of the ball, some of it in the opposition territory, and though there were dangerous-looking deliveries into the box, only Nico Elvedi's header - saved by Senne Lammens - threatened to open the scoring.
At the other end Mbeumo arrived completely unmarked to head Youri Tielemans' scooped cross past James Trafford's left-hand post. It was a let-off as much as a warning but there was very little between the teams in a first half full of huffing and puffing and largely devoid of magic.

#expectation #post #largely

Michael Carrick has shed some light on Manchester United's injury problems of late.
The manager addressed reporters following Manchester United's 1-1 draw at Elland Road against rivals Leeds United yesterday.
(Photo via ManUtd on Twitter/X)
Post-match, Carrick said that the reason Lisandro Martinez had to be withdrawn at the interval was that he had suffered a 'thigh problem' in the first 45 minutes.
Keen to not make it any worse, the centre-half was hooked before play got back underway, with Noussair Mazraoui taking his place.

#leeds #post

Michael Carrick has admitted Manchester United's situation "doesn't look great" after a 1-1 draw at Leeds, but insisted the performance at Elland Road felt like a "fresh start" for his side.
United have collected just seven points from their sevenPremier League games and have won only once in seven matches in all competitions. They sit in the bottom half and are still waiting for a first win since August.
A single league win after seven games is the club's fewest victories at this stage of a top-flight season since 1986-87.
Carrick did not hide from the numbers, but he backed his squad to turn things around.
"We are not accepting that everything's great, but sometimes you do struggle and you have to find a way through it. I understand the situation doesn't look great but I have no doubts we can go on a good run."

#league #since

Manchester United secured a 1-1 draw with Leeds United at Elland Road.
The away side took the lead and silenced the home crowd when a neat move was finished off by Bryan Mbeumo, who scored his fourth goal of the season.
Nonetheless, United have had an issue keeping clean sheets all season, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin muscled his way into the box in the second half to give the home side a share of the points.
The Red Devils have now drawn four, won one, and lost two of their Premier League matches this season, and sit in 13th place in the league.
Commenting on the result while working for Sky Sports, the former United captain stated, "there's a depressed standard and a low expectation right now. But it'll feel like a stepping stone for Michael Carrick, and it'll feel like the first step on the ladder in the Premier League."

#season #premier #home

Modern football is a game of two parts: the first hour or so, dictated by carefully curated gameplans and training ground patterns; and the final half-hour when a flurry of substitutes come on, rigid structures fade away and a match opens at the seams. ***** nal were dire for most of this game at the City Ground, shut out by Nottingham Forest's red wall. But yet again the power of Mikel Arteta's "finishers" decided a match.
Noni Madueke was sent on at half-time for Eberechi Eze, who had been statuesque at his station on the left touchline, which, in fairness, is not his position. With the clock ticking towards 80 minutes, Madueke did what Eze hadn't and drove at Forest's defence before unleashing a shot, which took a fortunate deflection off Jair Cunha on its way past the helpless Matz Sels. It went down as ***** nal's only shot on target, and in truth it might have been curling wide.
This was the third game in a row in which Arteta rang the changes in the second half as his team struggled to click, after Leeds last weekend and Lille in midweek. Once again he made a triple substitution on 65 minutes, sending on Jurrien Timber, Mikel Merino and Viktor Gyokeres, and once again a stubborn defence was worn down in the final stages. No Premier League side has generated more goals and ***** ists from the bench since the start of last season.
Noni Madueke scored the only goal of the game (Reuters)
Forest were excellent in their determination to blunt ***** nal's attack. Like Eze, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka had little joy, and Oliver Glasner took positives from a performance of cohesion and spirit. Liam Delap was a brilliant nuisance in attack and could have equalised in the final minutes but for Ezri Konsa's last-ditch block. Murillo nearly scored the goal of the season, dribbling in from the left touchline before curling just over the bar with one of the last kicks. But Forest remain third from bottom after a third successive defeat, and their wait for a first home goal of the season goes on.

#final #minutes #Third

Manchester United drew 1-1 with Leeds United at Elland Road on Sunday afternoon.
The Red Devils went ahead after 35 minutes when Bryan Mbeumo completed a fine move to put United in the lead going into half time.
Unfortunately, United's frail defence was once again exposed when Dominic Calvert-Lewin bullied his way into the penalty box and scored an equaliser.
The draw in isolation was not a poor result, but the fact that United now have one league win in seven very much heaps the pressure on Michael Carrick and his team.
The Belgian has not been everybody's cup of tea since joining the club in the summer, but he is certainly playing regularly, proving how important he is to Michael Carrick.

#michael #elland #road

GOOG trades at a P/E of 14 versus META's 24, with Cloud revenue surging 82% while META's operating margins collapsed from 43% to 31%.
META's Reality Labs bleeds roughly $4B per quarter, 2026 capex is projected between $130B and $145B, and active litigation makes it a volatile aggressive-growth bet rather than a retirement hold.
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Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG) and Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) just unleashed rival consumer AI agents (Google's family-focused CC, a shared agent supporting up to six family members, and Meta's single-user Muse, aiming for higher autonomy across a user's digital life, including commerce), and the retirement-focused investor writing one check today needs a clear answer: which mega-cap deserves the slot?
Both stocks are pouring tens of billions into AI infrastructure. Both consumer AI agents (not just chatbots) are designed to take real actions on a user's behalf rather than only answering questions. However, CC is a family-oriented productivity and logistics agent tightly tied to the Google ecosystem. Muse is a more general-purpose personal agent aiming for higher autonomy across a user's digital life, including commerce. They compete in the emerging "AI agent that actually does things" category, but target different use cases and user models.

#stocks #family

MADRID (AP) — Leeds hammered woeful Newcastle 4-1 to go third in the Premier League on Monday while Real Betis won 2-1 at Villarreal to move equal on points with second-place Real Madrid in La Liga.
The top two in Italy, Roma and Inter Milan, won comfortably to maintain their 100 per cent records and Como beat Parma 2-1 to climb into third spot.
Betis' fairy tale start to the Spanish season continued with victory over Villarreal.
The win, courtesy of goals from Cucho Hernández and Natan, came 10 days after it beat Real Madrid 1-0 in La Liga, and less than a week after it overcame Lille 3-2 in its first Champions League group match since 2005.
The result at Estadio de la Ceramica lifts Betis into second place, tied with Madrid on 12 points. Barcelona is top on 15.

#betis

Leeds United made it four unbeaten to start the Premier League campaign with a convincing 4-1 victory over Newcastle United under the lights at Elland Road.
Riding the momentum and scoring three first half goals, Noah Okafor added to the tally in the second period to shoot the Whites up to third in the top-flight standings.
After the game, Daniel Farke said: "On rare occasions even for a manager, it is a joy to watch a football game, and especially his team playing. But this was one of those rare occasions so I also enjoyed my team playing tonight.
"It was an excellent performance, really, from the first to nearly the last second, and also sadly not a clean sheet in the end. But overall, a top-class performance and I am proud of my boys.
"We wanted to press Newcastle and wanted to dominate this game. But on the other hand, you also have to be aware how much pace they have up front.

#newcastle #rare #occasions #performance

Leeds move third with 4-1 thrashing of Newcastle
Tonaka's deflected strike opens scoring before goals from Bogle and Calvert-Lewin
Okafor scores Leeds' fourth after the break before Toure consolation
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#calvert #play

Leeds and Newcastle both entered tonight's Premier League clash at Elland Road with unbeaten records and for the opening half hour, there was nothing between the sides.
That all changed in the ****** e of little more than two minutes as the hosts took charge.
Daniel Farke's side's opener came with a huge slice of luck as Ao Tanaka's effort took two deflections and ended up in the back of the net.
There was nothing fortunate about their second goal, Dominic Calvert-Lewin powering home a fine header from an even better James Justin cross.
Here's the goal for UK and Irish viewers!

#newcastle

Coventry City host Brighton & Hove Albion in a Premier League fixture at the CBS Arena on Sunday, with Frank Lampard's side yet to collect a point this season.
A fourth straight defeat without scoring would match a mark Coventry have set only once before, in 1919-20, their first season in the Football League. Brighton, tenth on four points, have had a mixed start under Fabian Hurzeler, following a 4-0 opening win over Aston Villa with a 4-3 defeat to Chelsea and a 1-1 draw with Leeds United.
The Seagulls have lost each of their last three Premier League away games, and their most recent visit to Coventry — a 3-1 FA Cup fifth-round win in February 2018 — remains the sides' last meeting. The match kicks off at 14:00 and will be shown live in the UK on Sky Sports Premier League.
Date: Sunday, 13 September 2026
Kick-off: 14:00 BST

#sunday #season #defeat

There was a subdued atmosphere at the final whistle among Chelsea's players, staff and supporters.
They had watched the team's free-flowing attacking football come unstuck against a Hull City side who had not conceded a Premier League goal before kick-off.
Chelsea had previously beaten Fulham 3-2, won 4-3 at home to Brighton and lost 2-1 at ***** nal. They also overcame Leeds 6-3 in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.
Having conceded twice here, Chelsea have now gone 20 Premier League matches without a clean sheet, a run stretching back to January. They have also conceded two or more goals in every match against Premier League opposition under new manager Xabi Alonso.
Although Chelsea are the division's top scorers with 10 goals this season, they have also conceded nine, more than all but two other Premier League sides.

#premier #brighton

On the latest episode of BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just Yet, reporter and commentator Adam Pope was alongside Jonny Buchan and Kaiser Chiefs' bassist Simon Rix to discuss his recent chat with the Whites managing director Robbie Evans.
Pope said: "He [Evans] spoke for the best part of an hour to the local press. The mood was really good, as you'd expect because they'd instigated this sit-down on the back of the window, so I think it's fair to say the mood was 'look, we're on the back of a really good window'.
"It was a good window and a good deadline day. That was the context in which this was done."
Pope said one of the key headlines was the discussion around Daniel Farke's contract situation, on which Rix added: "I think it'd be naive to think there have never been any negotiations.
"I've said that I didn't think it was a worry that it hasn't been signed, even with the year left. I don't think that's a problem."

#think #evans #really

Chelsea return to Stamford Bridge on Saturday looking to respond to last weekend's defeat at ****** nal, but Hull City will offer a very different kind of test.
Xabi Alonso's side have scored eight goals in their opening three Premier League games and followed that with a 6-3 League Cup win over Leeds in midweek. Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and João Pedro have already become the main attacking reference points, while Chelsea have scored inside the opening five minutes in all three of their league matches.
Hull, though, have built their impressive start in almost the opposite way.
Sergej Jakirović's newly-promoted side have taken seven points from games against Manchester United, Coventry and Aston Villa without conceding a goal. They remain the only Premier League team yet to be breached this season.
The clean sheets do not mean Hull have dominated games. They had just 26.5% possession against Villa and have regularly been happy to defend in a compact 5-4-1, give the opposition the ball and wait for opportunities to counter. Goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis has already played more passes into the opposition half than any other Hull player, which says plenty about their willingness to go direct.

#games #villa #scored #opening

I have happy memories of this fixture because one of my three goals for Chelsea came against Hull City in the FA Cup.
Hull haven't conceded yet and they are the team I have been most wrong about so far this season.
With every passing week, they are putting more egg on my face but it can't keep happening, can it?
It probably can, but I am still going for Chelsea to win this. The Tigers have defended brilliantly so far, but they are not going to keep out Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Joao Pedro.
Hull will defend ferociously but, as Chelsea showed in the Carabao Cup against Leeds on Wednesday, they have enough quality to play through teams who sit in; and, if they score first, then Hull will have to open up - that's my theory anyway.

#hull

Fantasy Premier League returns for Gameweek 4, so here are our essential FPL tips on the what transfers to make, which chips to use and who are the best captains.
FPL Gameweek 4 deadline: Saturday, 12th September, 1.30pm BST
The Football Faithful FPL league code: zog9n6
It's not often I would suggest betting against a defence that is yet to concede a goal, but I'm going to go out on a limb and predict Hull City won't keep a clean sheet against Chelsea this weekend.
The Blues have been absolutely electric in attack, scoring more goals (8) than any other Premier League team after three games. And their first-choice attackers came off the bench to score six goals against Leeds United in the League Cup in midweek.

#league #goals #fantasy #faithful

Gameweek 4 is here, and the early Fantasy Premier League picture is starting to take shape.
After three rounds of the 2026/27 season, FPL managers have more information to work with, but there is still plenty of uncertainty. Some players are emerging as must-own ******* ets, while others are being transferred out after disappointing starts.
That makes Gameweek 4 an important week for making smart decisions rather than simply chasing last week's points.
This complete FPL GW4 guide brings together everything you need before the deadline, including the biggest lessons from Gameweek 3, the best transfers to consider, captaincy options, differential picks, predicted lineups, clean-sheet targets and our Scout Picks.
Gameweek 4 begins on Saturday, September 12, with seven Premier League matches before Sunday's action and Monday night's Leeds vs. Newcastle finale.

#league #september

The Fantasy Premier League season is entering week four and plenty of managers will be getting itching fingers, with so many chips at our disposal.
Is it time to play a Free Hit or a Wildcard?
BBC Sport FPL expert Holly Shand looks at some of the biggest dilemmas facing FPL managers heading into gameweek four.
Chelsea striker Joao Pedro (£7.7m) is the most-owned player in the game, in 72.5% of sides. Given that Chelsea have scored eight goals already this season, and face promoted Hull City at home next, it feels like the right time to be moving towards a double up on their ****** ets.
Cole Palmer (£9.6m) and Morgan Rogers (£7.6m) came on as half-time substitutes in the Carabao Cup against Leeds United on Wednesday, with Palmer scoring a double including a penalty, and Rogers chalking up three ****** ists.

#Chelsea #managers

Leeds United managing director Robbie Evans says the club and boss Daniel Farke are "on the same page" as they look to agree a new contract.
Farke, who guided Leeds to a 14th-placed finish in the Premier League and an FA Cup semi-final last season after winning promotion in 2024-25, is in the final year of his current deal.
The Whites have taken five points from three league games this campaign and Evans said the German had done "a fantastic job".
"As far as the contract discussions themselves, Daniel and his team and I have had really good chats for the past three months and they're all on the same page," he said.
"Unlike signing him back in 2023 or doing a deadline day deal kind of thing the time pressure is far reduced and so we have a time to get it right as far as what he wants and what we want.

#leeds #contract #deal

Daniel Farke is "carefully optimistic" Daniel James will be available for Leeds' Carabao Cup clash with Chelsea despite suffering a fitness scare.
James reported discomfort in his back and hamstring during the warm-up at Brighton, but scans have shown no new injury.
The winger completed an individual session and will be ******* sed again before a decision is made on his availability.
"A little question mark behind Daniel James," Farke said. "He reported in the warm-up at Brighton some issues with his back and hamstring.
"The scan results were good, no new injury. He just had an individual session today which was okay. We have two more sessions, one this afternoon and a light session tomorrow morning.

#back

Xabi Alonso has confirmed Moises Caicedo will miss Chelsea's Carabao Cup clash with Leeds but could return this weekend.
Caicedo is yet to recover from the injury which kept him out of the defeat to **** nal, with Alonso unwilling to take any unnecessary risks with the midfielder.
Summer signing Marco Palestra will also miss the Leeds game as he continues to work towards full fitness.
"No, not yet. Still not ready to go," Alonso said when asked about the pair.
"Not the moment to take too early risk. So we go game by game with them and it's too early."

#game #miss #take

Leeds United boss Daniel Farke has been speaking to the media before Wednesday's Carabao Cup third-round tie against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge (kick-off 20:00 BST).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Farke said there's "a little question mark" over Daniel James as he "reported an issue with his back after the warm-up at Brighton". He added: "The scan results were good. We have two more sessions [so] if he comes through those then he is hopefully available. Carefully optimistic."
Farke confirmed there will be some squad rotation against Chelsea to help "integrate new players". The German also said he wants Leeds "to be difficult to predict and tactical".
"It's possible" that goalkeeper Michael Zetterer will make his Whites debut in the cup, but they "won't make a decision before the training session this afternoon".

#Chelsea #united

Leeds United have now ended their academy transfer story, with 16-year-old winger Silva Mexes now across the Pennines after leaving Manchester United. MOTLeedsNews reported that the long chase was over once the summer window closed, ending speculation around the Thailand youth international and his next step.
Mexes joined United from Ipswich Town in 2024, aged 14, but he did not make a competitive senior or formal U18 league appearance during 2025/26, spending much of that period with the U16 group. His switch gives him a new setting at Thorp Arch, where the academy has a strong record. Leeds' 2026/27 squad listing now includes Tyler-Earnshaw, confirming his place at the club.
There's a reason this move makes sense from Leeds' side. Mexes has the athletic profile that can trouble academy defenders, with an 11.1-second personal best over 100 metres and a willingness to attack from the left. That speed gives him a weapon, yet acceleration alone won't earn him minutes with Daniel Farke.
Farke asks his wide players to contribute beyond the highlight moments. They need to track runners, keep their shape, combine cleanly and recognise when to attack ******* e rather than forcing a duel. Mexes has the directness ******* ociated with a player such as Daniel James, but the tactical detail will take time, as he steps into the U18 and U21 levels.
BRIGHTON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 05: Daniel Farke, Manager of Leeds United, acknowledges the fans after the Premier League 2026/27 match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Leeds United at American Express Stadium on September 05, 2026 in Brighton, England. (Photo by Luke Walker/Getty Images)

#farke #brighton #september #league

Leeds United Women comfortably beat local West Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield Town Women at the BD Community Stadium in Garforth, making it five wins on the bounce to begin the new season.
This FA WNL Cup Group T match was dominated by the Whites from start to finish, and the final 3-0 scoreline was more than deserved for Simon Wood's side, who have been in fine form in the first few weeks of the campaign.
Speaking after the match, Wood was quick to praise not just the quality of his side but also their mindset.
"We're pleased in the fact that I think the messaging we've been giving to the players since last week against Chorley was, "the Cup's got to be a healthy distraction," the manager began, discussing what he said to his side in the build up.
"And what we've got is obviously eyes on the league, because we've started the league campaign really, really well and we didn't want this to be something that derailed us a little bit from that.

#women