Talk of the Devils: The Athletic FC's Manchester United show

It's a strange time for Manchester United and it's confusing the mood of our podcasters, so much so that Laurie seems to want to get Andy talking about trains... We're so excited about Matheus Cunha that we are comparing him to both Cantona and Messi, but we're also nervous about his recent tendency to fly off the handle. The Athletic's Steve Madeley provides expert insight. Meanwhile, we're very...

After the Lord Mayor's show. Manchester United returned to earth with a bump on Sunday as in-form Wolves won at Old Trafford. Ruben Amorim blooded Tyler Fredicson; he and Harry Amass acquitted themselves well, but it was another tough afternoon for Rasmus Hojlund. Still, we'll always have Thursday night. To cheer ourselves up, we went back through the email inbox for more memories of that remarkab...

The short version is that Ruben Amorim's Manchester United beat Lyon to progress to the Europa League semi-finals, where they will face Athletic Club. The long version... wow! Cruising at 2-0 after an hour, the team suffered not one but two implosions; the first to take the game to extra time, then another to find themselves four-two down against ten men. Strikerless, subs used, needing a miracle;...

As we anticipate a crucial second leg against Lyon at Old Trafford on Thursday night, with Europa League progress (and the team's season) on the line, we look back at some of the Theatre of Dreams' greatest European hits. From the pioneering efforts of Sir Matt Busby, touched by tragedy, through Fergie's agony and ecstasy, to Ten Hag's beating of Barca, it's a rich history packed with thrills, hil...

A chastening 4-1 defeat away at Newcastle is not a result that anyone at Manchester United would want to consider acceptable, nor do they. But, perhaps there are more important things to worry about right now... as Andre Onana may testify. In fact, there were one or two little glimpses of positivity: Garnacho's excellent finish and the move that led to his equaliser, as well as Harry Amass's perfo...

After Joshua Zirkzee nodded home from a magnificent lifted pass by Bruno, giving Manchester United the lead in Lyon with moments left, we began putting together a triumphant podcast. Unfortunately, there was still time in the Europa League quarter final first leg for Andre Onana to concede; all this coming after a war of words with Nemanja Matic and a bad first-half error to gift Thiago Almada the...

United and City played out a dull 0-0 draw at Old Trafford, with both sides lacking cutting edge. City, without the injured Haaland, couldn’t break down a well-organised defence. United will be happy to finish with a clean sheet, having conceded 17 in their nine previous league matches at Old Trafford under Ruben Amorim. Garnacho was United’s main outlet but wasteful and a decent Zirkzee effort wa...

Nottingham Forest pulled off a league double against Manchester United for the first time since they were managed by Brian Clough, and it was United academy product Anthony Elanga who got the early goal. Nuno's subsequent tactical switch and United's inability to break it down was as predictable as it was frustrating. Alejandro Garnacho showed his annoyance after several shots went astray, but a l...

A provocative title? Perhaps; in one sense, of course United (13th in the PL) are underdogs away at (3rd placed) Forest. But, perhaps it's not that straight-forward... United's results were much improved in March, bringing a player of the month nomination for Bruno Fernandes and a manager of the month nod for Ruben Amorim. Meanwhile, Forest might be without Chris Wood, and maybe there's a distorti...

No getting away from it, it's a long one today, but we think it's worth it... Join Ian, Laurie, and Andy as we venture inside Carrington to speak to some of the key figures managing player development in Manchester United's Academy. We'll hear from Academy Director Nick Cox, Academy Coach Colin Little, and U18s Head Coach Adam Lawrence at a very exciting time... On Monday, the U18s will face Aston...

It's been an 'interesting' time for Manchester United Women in the last two years or so. Big names have left, crowd numbers wobbling, yet the team's performance is impressively robust. Uncertainty remains, though, with Marc Skinner's future unclear, an interim boss, and significant question marks about Sir Jim Ratcliffe's enthusiasm for the project. Charlotte Harpur joins Ian, Carl, and Andy, to l...

No game to report on with the international break underway, so we asked you for a fresh batch of queries and concerns. Ticket price rises at Old Trafford is the issue of the week, so we dig a little deeper on that, and we think about famous father and son duos in United colours. There's also, of course, the shape of Ruben Amorim's team and how it might look after the summer window. Finally, is Bru...

Rasmus Hojlund and Alejandro Garnacho were back on the scoresheet for Manchester United as Ruben Amorim's side made easy work of Leicester City. Managed by United legend and recent interim manager, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Leicester aren't the stiffest test in the Premier League right now, but there are real signs of progress after a difficult spell. Even the news of a ticket price rise was met with r...

He's done it again, Bruno Fernandes may not be an alpha captain but as a player he leads by example and steps up whenever he is needed; especially when that stepping up is to a penalty kick. Bruno holds quite a few Europa League records now, but in truth this was a team performance, one that will reassure Ruben Amorim that he can place his trust in some key players. Ruud van Nistelrooy's Leicester...

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Manchester United's senior management, and members of the Old Trafford regeneration task force presented plans for a new 100-thousand capacity stadium on Tuesday at Sir Norman Foster's architectural practice in London. It's a bold design, and one that has drawn mixed reactions from fans and media. We look into the concept, the build strategy, and the persistent question of how t...

The pre-match protest organised by the 1958 Group was greater in numbers than most predictions and that energy only served to rev up the atmosphere at Old Trafford on Sunday teatime. Ruben Amorim's tactics were a slight compromise on one or two of his principles, but the deeper defence allowed United to contain and control Arsenal before Bruno Fernandes served up another set-piece special. A draw...

Joshua Zirkzee scored his first goal in European competition as Ruben Amorim's slimline squad earned a draw in San Sebastian, leaving their Europa League tie with Real Sociedad finely poised. It could easily have been a win with Manchester United growing into the game after half-time and squandering several good opportunities through profligate finishing and rash decision-making in attack. But, La...

Sir Jim Ratcliffe's investment in Manchester United with INEOS has brought a welcome re-focusing on sporting achievement as opposed to commercial success. Project 150, encompassing Mission 21 and Mission 1, sets out a clear ambition to have the men's and women's teams winning their respective leagues by 2028, the club's 150th anniversary. Does this statement of intent, now public knowledge, help c...

With European qualification via the Premier League an outlandish prospect, Ruben Amorim's Manchester United had two hopes of making it back into continential competition. On Sunday, two became one. Another dispiriting, disappointing showing saw Fulham defy Bruno Fernandes second-half equaliser to progress to the quarter-finals via a penalty shoot-out. The Champions League may yet save our bacon, b...

The r-word has been put to bed after Bruno Fernandes delivered three more set-piece goals (via Morsy, De Ligt, and Maguire), but there was no shortage of drama at Old Trafford on Wednesday night with Andre Onana setting hearts racing again and Patrick Dorgu dismissed on his first home start. Fighting spirit on the pitch, then, but surely a sombre mood among Manchester United's staff after they wer...

If you were to try and identify Manchester United's worst first half performance this season you would have a lengthy queue of candidates, but the latest showing at Goodison Park might just be it. In fact, the malaise dragged on for 70 minutes when, possibly fortunate to only be 2-0 down, the team were sparked into life by Bruno Fernandes. The captain beat Jordan Pickford with a free-kick but also...

Our normal schedule resumes and we're back on some familiar subject matter, but not before another big interview courtesy of the team at The Athletic; this time, Charlotte Harpur sat down with Raphael Varane and while he spoke in a measured manner he was fairly candid about his time at the club. Manchester United's accounts were published on Wednesday and, even for those versed in the club's finan...

It's the debut of our spin-off, in-depth, discussion podcast Talk of the Devils EXTRA and we're not afraid to dive in head first! Getting goals is the most valuable skill in football and, as a result, strikers are the most expensive players. It's also something Manchester United are really struggling with this season and a likely priority in the next transfer window. So, who are United's recruiter...

It was dubbed El Calamatico; a clash of two teams falling disastrously short of expectation in the Premier League this season. Unfortunately for us it was Tottenham, through Manchester United fan James Maddison, who found the crucial breakthrough. In fairness to Ruben Amorim's eleven, they had little support from the bench after a series of injuries in training this week. But, the forwards failed...

No midweek game but no respite; this is Manchester United! It's an epic show with no fewer than three FA Cup round-ups after the senior men and women and the U18s all booked their opponents in their respective competitions. If things aren't going great in the Premier League, it may be even messier in the backroom where more job cuts were announced in an effort to stem a major financial drain, even...