Harry Maguire was sent off in Manchester United’s 2-2 draw with Bournemouth 26 days ago and has learnt today that his one match ban, which he served in the defeat against Leeds, has been further extended by one game. This means the former club captain will miss this weekend’s crucial six-pointer against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

We are more than entitled to feel aggrieved by the decision for a number of reasons. Firstly, for almost a whole month to go by before the extra ban was confirmed is ridiculous. We are just three days away from the Chelsea game and have to now change our preparations to accommodate for Maguire’s absence, especially with the added absence of Lisandro Martinez thanks to his controversial red card against Leeds, which the club are appealing.

Also, United were robbed by the officials in the Bournemouth game, with Amad Diallo being dragged down in the penalty area only for no penalty to be given, likely because Bournemouth responded with a goal immediately that would have to be chalked off to give us the penalty. There was little to no difference between that challenge and the one that saw Maguire sent off and concede a penalty.

It adds insult to injury that Maguire’s ban has now has been extended because of his reaction to the red card and penalty.

United will likely start youngsters Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven in the Champions League spot show down against Chelsea now, without any experienced centre-backs available.

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Alejandro Garnacho left Manchester United for Chelsea in the summer following the souring of his relationship with former manager Ruben Amorim. The Argentinian’s playing time was reduced and he was dropped for last season’s Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur. After the game, he vented his frustration to the press, reflecting on the “sh*t” season the club had just endured.

He also shared a picture of himself on social media wearing a Marcus Rashford Aston Villa shirt, who was another academy graduate looking for a move away from the club following a breakdown in relationship with Amorim.

United agreed a £40m fee for Garnacho but the winger has struggled in the capital. He has often been benched at Chelsea too, just as he was at United, and his new club are three places below us in the table and, crucially, currently not qualifying for next season’s Champions League.

Garnacho returned to Old Trafford earlier in the season, with United winning 2-1, and was met with a hostile crowd. The derogatory chant that had previously been sung to Carlos Tevez after he swapped red for blue was reworked for Garnacho.

In an interview with Sky Sports, Garnacho has reflected on his United exit.

Maybe yes, because I loved that club. They gave me the confidence from the start. From Spain, to bring me to the academy, then they bring me to the first team. So it was like four or five years, and amazing love from everyone.

I remember in the last six months I was just not playing like before at Manchester United. I started to be on the bench, it’s not a bad thing. I was only 20 years old, but in my mind it was like I had to play every game. In my mind, maybe it is also on me, I started to do some bad things.

But yes, it was just this moment in life and sometimes you have to make decisions and I am really proud to be here [at Chelsea] and still in the Premier League at a club like this. Everyone knows the team we have and the things we can do.

Sometimes, we have better moments or worse moments, I am proud to be here but with United, I have nothing wrong to say about the club, no one in the club or the team-mates. It’s just a moment in life that changes and life continues. I have no regrets.

From the fans, the stadium, everything was really good. It’s just sometimes you have to change for the good of your life or the next steps. I only have good memories of Man United.

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Bruno Fernandes almost left Manchester United last summer but thankfully the club showed him they wanted him stick around and turned down offers from abroad.

The captain has go on to enjoy a fantastic season for the club, creating more chances than every other player in Europe’s top leagues like usual, and is in the running to break the all-time Premier League assist record.

In an interview with The Times, Fernandes has confirmed that he doesn’t believe the two trophies in his six years here is good enough, and that he has told the club repeatedly he wants to see United compete for the Premier League.

Everyone who comes to Man United wants to win every trophy. No one thinks in coming to the club, ‘We’re going to fight for just one or two trophies in six years,’ let’s say. You want to fight for all of them. We went to three [other] finals and didn’t win. That can happen. But at least you’ve been in the fight. We were close. And what I said to the club every time I spoke with them, what I want from the time I’m here, I just want to compete. Because if I compete, I will be close to winning. If I don’t compete, there’s no chance I’m going to get close to any silverware.

The expectation will always be we want to win the Premier League. I know people will think, ‘You go to get more money, better contracts.’ No, you come to Man United because you want to win trophies. Money, you can get anywhere. A lot of clubs in the Premier League pay well, a lot of clubs in Italy, Spain, pay you a lot. You come to this club because of the history, because of what you think you can achieve.

[Whether] you end up achieving or not, that’s a question of you being better than the other teams. But what I always say to the club is you can’t promise me I’m going to win the Premier League, that’s impossible, but if you promise we’re going to be competitive — that’s all I need to know. Then it’s on me to become the best version of myself, to help everyone around to become the best version of themselves, to then become the club we want to be.

Fernandes is in the running to win the PFA Player of the Year and may well feature somewhere in the Ballon d’Or list, despite a lack of team trophies. The midfielder has reflected on Harry Kane and the difference winning silverware at Bayern Munich has made to his individual recognition.

We’ve seen many Ballon d’Or winners who haven’t won the Champions League. They still won because they were the best. Obviously, it’s easier for me to say because I haven’t won many trophies. And trophies are important. But at the same time, you don’t play by yourself. It’s not tennis.

If he had stayed [at Tottenham Hotspur] another one or two seasons, he’d have been the best goalscorer ever in the Premier League. So, would he have been a legend or not? He would. He decided to go to Bayern and the decision is good because he knows he has a big chance of winning trophies. And now we’re talking about Harry Kane that is scoring the same amount of goals he was scoring at Tottenham, but he might win a Ballon d’Or now because he’s going to win trophies.

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After a 24 day break from football thanks to international games and Manchester United’s early exit from cup competitions, the club return to action on Monday night to take on rivals Leeds.

Speaking to the press ahead of the game, Michael Carrick has reflected on what the game means to the supporters.

I only ever played in the one League Cup game, which was away. I didn’t play in the FA Cup game which was at Old Trafford, but I am fully aware of the history and I have watched plenty of games in the past. I know what it means to so many people, the supporters and the rivalry, it’s great. It’s part of football and why we love it. For us going against them and them coming against us, we are really looking forward to the game. Every game is a little bit different, some more normal than others, but when some have a little bit of a twist and bit of difference about it, you have to embrace it and this is certainly one of them.

United went to Dublin for some training away from Manchester during the break and Carrick has confirmed the squad is looking good in terms of injuries, including Diogo Dalot who didn’t make the trip to Ireland.

We are in good shape. The boys came back generally from internationals in a good way, so that is pleasing, especially when they go away and play so many games. When you have so many that go away, you are always hoping they come back okay and for the most part they have, so we are happy with that. He [Dalot] is okay and back with the group. That’s another positive as well.

It has been confirmed next season that there will five Champions League places for Premier League clubs, which puts United in a great position to play in Europe’s elite competition next season.

It’s great. It’s where we want to be, first and foremost, not so much the other teams but it is important. The more opportunities we have for that, the better. We would obviously like to finish as high up the league as we possibly can and to have so many English teams involved in it and in that competition, pushing, it then benefits the teams in the league and overall it is fantastic. But overall, we get quite selfish when it comes to things like that. It is where we want to be for ourselves more than anything.

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Casemiro will leave Manchester United at the end of the season when his contract expires and has previously spoken about how emotional he anticipates he will be on his final game for the club.

Talking to the club’s official website, Casemiro has answered some questions from the supporters, and was asked what he was going to miss the most about United when he leaves.

The fans, 100 per cent the fans. The affection they have for the club is what I will miss most. Of course, the club, but the fans are so connected to the club regardless of the result. Next game, they will be there supporting the players and the club, that is what I will miss most.

I am always going to watch and follow this club. It will always be in my heart and I will always be supporting. I always say, when the day comes for me to leave, there will be one more fan with the club.

The Old Trafford crowd have been singing “one more year” at Casemiro in recent matches. Another question he was asked was about his favourite United chant.

When they sing my name, that is the most uplifting. The one they sing before the game, Country Roads, that for me is so beautiful, one of the most beautiful songs. I think that is one that gets me really excited when I hear it.

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Manchester United’s pursuit of a first top-four finish in the Premier League since the 2022/23 season resumes on Monday as they take on old rivals Leeds United at Old Trafford.

It has been 24 days since the Red Devils’ last match, but manager Michael Carrick took advantage of the extended break to work on United’s chemistry during a four-day training camp in Dublin.

Carrick’s side headed into the March international break on the back of a dramatic 2-2 draw at Bournemouth, which saw the visitors drop the lead twice in the second half.

Despite that setback at the Vitality Stadium, the 20-time English champions boasted a handsome seven-point lead over sixth-placed Chelsea ahead of this round.

With the Blues facing title-bidding Manchester City on Sunday, this could be a perfect chance for Man Utd to pull further clear in the race for UEFA Champions League qualification.

However, Leeds ought to be confident at the Theatre of Dreams after squeezing past West Ham United on penalties to secure their first appearance in the FA Cup semi-finals in 39 years.

Fighting tooth and nail to avoid relegation, Daniel Farke’s side won’t go down without a fight, with just three points separating them from 18th-placed Tottenham Hotspur ahead of Spurs’ Sunday clash against Sunderland.

Awkward moment

A lack of competitive action could disrupt United’s rhythm, raising concerns about potential rustiness heading into this must-win fixture, though it’s fair to say that the international break came at an opportune moment for the hosts.

Man Utd have picked up just one win in their last three league matches (D1, L1), courtesy of a 3-1 drubbing of fellow top-five rivals Aston Villa in their most recent outing at Old Trafford.

That victory forms part of United’s dominant home run of nine consecutive Premier League games at the Theatre of Dreams without losing (W6, D3). Indeed, their last home defeat in the top flight came in November.

Moreover, Carrick has won all six league matches here since replacing Ruben Amorim at the helm in January, with only three managers piecing together a longer winning start at home in the competition than the 44-year-old.

Carrick’s remarkable home start can inspire optimism ahead of Leeds’ visit, with the Red Devils aiming to avoid going winless in both league meetings with the Whites since the 1994/95 season.

Out-of-sorts opposition

Despite last Sunday’s heroics at London Stadium, Leeds’ recent Premier League form doesn’t look promising, as they’ve failed to win any of their last six top-flight games (D4, L2).

Farke’s misfiring side drew a blank four times during that underwhelming sequence. That must be music to Man Utd’s ears after Harry Maguire received a red card at the Vitality Stadium.

Though Carrick cannot call upon the English centre-back, Lisandro Martinez resumed full training during the break and could take Maguire’s place in the starting XI on Monday.

In addition to the Argentine star, the break has benefited Mason Mount, who is gunning for his first Premier League start since mid-January, as United aim to protect their formidable home record against Leeds.

It’s been over 45 years since the Whites’ last league triumph at Old Trafford (D7, L11), yet based on their recent away run, they could still frustrate the Red Devils here.

Leeds’ last and only away league win of the season came at relegation-bound Wolverhampton Wanderers in October (D7, L7), but they’ve shared the spoils in their last four Premier League games outside Elland Road.

To put their newfound resilience in perspective, they avoided defeat against Man Utd’s bitter top-five rivals Chelsea and Villa during that stretch, suggesting they’re no longer an idle threat on the road. 

However, with Bruno in award-winning form, Sekso scoring from anywhere and an almost fully fit (and well-rested) squad to call upon, this should be a good game for United and ideal preparation ahead of the weekend trip to Stamford Bridge.

Prediction: Man Utd 3-1 Leeds.

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David de Gea played for Fiorentina against Crystal Palace in the quarter-final of the UEFA Conference League last night, losing 3-0. He faced his former understudy in the opposition goal, Dean Henderson, and after the game spoke about another former team mate, Michael Carrick.

Speaking to TNT, De Gea sung the praises of the current Manchester United interim manager, and talked of his hope for United to return to the glory days.

He’s doing unbelievable. He’s a great guy, he knows how the players feel, so it’s easy to talk with him. He’s doing an amazing job, United is winning a lot of games now, playing well. Hopefully we can get the Champions League spot and keep growing, growing, and let’s see United again in the high positions and fighting for trophies.

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Bruno Fernandes has spoken about which former Manchester United player he would most like to play alongside now. In an interview with Men In Blazers, the United captain revealed it is our current interim manager who would be his pick, having trained alongside him when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was the manager.

It is going to sound strange but I’ve said it many times… Michael Carrick. I trained with him when he was here under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and sometimes he was with us as a number 6 to bring the ball between the lines and he was great, as a number 10 you want that ball to come to you as fast as possible, he was incredible in timing the passes, control and pass. Sometimes it’s not about having the ball for so long but about finding your team-mate as free as possible, for me as a number 10 that’s perfect.

Fernandes has reflected on one of the reasons why United have done so well under Carrick, with us enjoying the best form of any team in the league since he took charge, and he reckons it was the tough opponents we faced, and beat, at the very beginning.

I wouldn’t say it was lucky but it was good for us that we had two big games straight away. I think if you win against Man City and then have to face Arsenal who are top of the league and very difficult to play at the Emirates, you could think “it’s going to be fine, we’re playing great football now, we’re going to win”.  We found a way of winning games and sometimes big clubs need to find a way of winning games whether it’s pretty or not.

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Speaking in Ireland, during Manchester United’s training camp during the 24 day period of no matches, Amad Diallo has spoken about the squad’s hopes for Michael Carrick to be given the job on a permanent basis.

United have had the best form of any team in the league since Carrick took charge and Amad hopes the interim manager stays and continues to help bring success to the club.

Obviously, it’s not for us as players to decide his future but he’s been great. He’s done so much for the team, he has a lot of experience, he knows the club, he has been in the house.

We think he’s the right man and we’re really happy for what he’s doing right now. We have had a good experience with him, playing under him, it’s not for us to decide but we are going to try and take as much as we can from him.

He knows the club, he played for the club, he has great experience to manage this club. He’s been here not too long but he’s done very well. His relationship with every player is very good and sometimes you need this kind of manager to bring the club to where they belong. From a personal view, he’s the right man but it’s not the players who decide.

I think the club will decide at the end of the season but my honest opinion is we are really happy to have Michael Carrick as manager that’s it. Since he arrived in the club he’s been clear he wants to win, he wants to reach the Champions League next season and he has been working with each player. So he is working really well and we are really happy to have him as manager.

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Manchester United have been transformed under interim manager Michael Carrick following the sacking of Ruben Amorim.

We were as close to 12th in the table as we were to 4th when Amorim was dismissed at the beginning of January. We’re now third in the table, six points behind local rivals Manchester City, and going to the football feels exciting again.

Speaking to the fan channel Webby and O’Neill, Ryan Giggs has claimed he thinks Carrick should be given the job on a permanent basis.

The hardest thing in the world as a manager is to win games and he’s doing that, we’ve lost one game. Not only that, just the feeling around the place, we were going to games and watching games not knowing what we were going to get. It’s all changed now, fans are coming to games now or watching TV thinking, ‘right, we’ve got a massive chance here.’

We’re looking up now rather than down – can we catch City? The turnaround has been amazing. I think we were all like, well I was, ‘we need seven or eight players,’ to now maybe needing three or four in the summer, which is more achievable than seven or eight players.

I can’t see past Michael at the moment, I just can’t. I think he’s brought a calmness, I think he’ll bring in Man United players because he knows the club. Give him time I think he goes from strength to strength.

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