United face Leeds test as City aim to extend perfect start

Manchester United visit Leeds on Sunday with manager Michael Carrick under growing pressure after the club’s worst league start in 40 years. United have won just one of their opening six Premier League matches, while leaders Manchester City can extend their perfect start at home to Ipswich on Saturday.

The weekend’s matches come with uncertainty over City’s position after a guilty verdict on more than 100 charges of breaking Premier League rules. City deny wrongdoing, and the appeal process is expected to take at least a few more months before potential sanctions are announced.

United seek a response at Leeds

United’s difficulties deepened after Tuesday’s 2-0 defeat by Atletico Madrid, when defender Lisandro Martinez criticised the club’s hierarchy over a lack of investment in the squad. He took aim at technical director Jason Wilcox after United’s main summer transfer business focused on three midfielders.

Martinez has himself played a part in goals conceded against Fulham and Tottenham in recent weeks. United have also been knocked out of the League Cup by Brighton, adding to the pressure on Carrick before the trip to Elland Road.

Leeds last beat United at Elland Road in 2002, though they inflicted the only home defeat of Carrick’s interim spell when the sides met in April last season. Carrick sees Sunday’s hostile atmosphere as an opportunity for his team to respond.

“What a great game (on) Sunday to prepare for. It’s a fantastic game for us, for the club, for the history, for the supporters,” he said. “Everything to do with the game is a great game so we’ll be ready for that.”

City defend perfect start amid appeal

City have won all six league matches and could move six points clear with victory over Ipswich at the Etihad. Arsenal, who are second, do not play until 24 hours later, when they visit Nottingham Forest.

Enzo Maresca’s side won 3-0 at Liverpool last weekend before losing 4-2 to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday. The unresolved financial-rules case, however, leaves questions over what their results will ultimately mean. Former England manager Gareth Southgate said: “My underlying thought is none of this is good for football and there are no winners.”

Brighton eye their next step

Brighton enter Sunday’s match against rivals Crystal Palace just two points behind Arsenal. They have already beaten Arsenal 3-0 this season and are seeking to reach the Champions League for the first time.

Manager Fabian Hurzeler wants his side to be ruthless against Palace. “We want to be ruthless. We want to create this energetic atmosphere where it makes it so hard to come to this place,” he said. “We have to keep building this together with our fans and not be the nice football club anymore.”