No Question About That - a Manchester United podcast
No Question About That is an independent fan-published podcast covering Manchester United. Hosted by Ed, with contributions from Dan, Tom, Wayne, Dharnish, Adam, Jamie, Dominic and Isabel. The show covers the latest games, news, business, politics and fan culture at the club. It features two main shows each week, a tactics show, and a football finance pod. The podcast is also available in video on YouTube.
Episodes
Never Really About Football
#1054 | Ed and Paul pick through the fall out from City’s guilty verdict and conclude this is a geopolitical story more than football. The outcome might well owe more to diplomacy than to Premier League rules. Andy Burnham's situation and UK ties to Abu Dhabi suggest where the pressure is coming from.
There’s a long look at the City fanbase: why will so few will engage with the evidence or a reas
The Geopolitics of City's Corruption
#1053 | Daniel joins Ed to make the case that this was never really a football story: Manchester City's ownership is Abu Dhabi's ruling family operating through the exact same statecraft logic they apply to war, espionage and geopolitics. And that family’s refusal to ever hear the word "no" from anyone. It’s the instinct that produced the fraud itself.
Trace the money and the politics: Abu Dhabi'
United Inc: Financing Old Trafford, Path to Ending Glazer Debt
#1052 | Jamie's latest Substack note gets the deep dive treatment: United's newly published loan documents show a real, dated path to finally clearing the $550 million Glazer-era LBO debt. The new notes are repayable at par with no further interest from 10 June 2029, but only if it's tied to a "stadium financing event," with a matching change-of-control clause built to let INEOS take a majority st
Pep's Rep
#1051 | Ed and Adam use the City verdict to talk about reputation rather than punishment mechanics: City's for organising the fraud, the Premier League's for taking eight years and letting itself be outmuscled by lawyers, and Pep Guardiola's, since virtually everything he won at City was built on financial cheating he spent years publicly denying.
There's an awkward political dimension: City are
Emergency Pod: City Found Guilty on 114 Charges
#1050 | Ed and Dominic discuss a momentous day. Manchester City have been found guilty on 114 of the 115 charges brought by the Premier League, after a process that's run more than three and a half years, during which City won six trophies. The charges centre on disguising owner funding as sponsorship income and refusing to cooperate with investigators; no punishment has been decided yet.
Expect
United Inc: Full Year Financials
#1049 | Manchester United's full-year financials landed the same week as defeats to City and Brighton and a draw at Fulham. Ed and Jamie's read is that the numbers tell a positive story: record revenue of £677.6 million, operating cash flow more than double what United generated the previous year, and a smaller real interest bill than the eye-catching accounting figure implies.
The episode works
MUWFC Show: Parking the Bus at the Emirates
#1048 | United Women are three games into new manager Eva Olid's reign: defeat to London City Lionesses, hammered by Chelsea, then a much-improved 1-1 draw at Arsenal, undone by a 95th-minute equaliser.
Ed and Andy assess Eva Olid's start given the circumstances, a very late appointment, barely any pre-season, no marquee signings.
There were some interesting changes at Arsenal, with Andrea Medin
The Tactics Show: Pressing, Possession, Performance
#1047 | Another week another crisis? After United’s draw at Fulham, Ed and Dharnish push back on the reaction, arguing the underlying picture (29 shots, nearly 3 xG, more shots and box touches than any team in the league this season) suggests better times ahead. Shifts in fine margins turned this game into a mediocre week rather than a crisis.The real issue is a press that keeps failing because Br
Fine Margins, Same Mistakes
#1046 | United walked away from Fulham with a draw, Mateus Cunha's equaliser cancelling out Lisandro Martinez’ own goal. Fulham were there for the taking though. United had 29 shots, 57% possession, and somehow still seemed very passive when it mattered. No disaster, but yet more points leaking away.
Ed and Wayne look back on a performance that felt very familiar. The same tactical patterns are p
Banter Club is Back
#1045 | Ed and Dharnish discuss United’s 3-2 defeat to Brighton in the Carabao Cup. United’s heavily rotated side led 2-0 before collapsing, with an increasingly ugly atmosphere at Old Trafford on display.
Shea Lacey's goal and a well-worked press that teed up Mount for the second were the rare bright spots in an otherwise chaotic performance from United.
There’s already a bigger question:
No Question About That Offside
#1044 | Daniel and Dharnish review United’s 0-1 defeat at home to Man City. City were down to 10 men for most of the second half after Foden's red card. The goal itself should have been ruled out: Enzo Fernandez was offside and interfering with Martinez in the build-up. VAR waved it all through.
United had spells of real control, especially with the extra man, but rarely looked like scoring
United, Inc: Economics of a Record Transfer Window
#1043 | The transfer window smashed Premier League spending records. The real story is how incestuous it all was: clubs buying from each other, squeezed by the same rules and looking to square their own books. United funded their window through a revolving credit facility and not player sales. They sold precisely nobody all summer.
Ed and Jamie dig into why, including a wage bill that is about
Sabah Ranks as Fine Champions League Victory
#1042 | Ed and Tom discuss United's return to the Champions League, which was a comfortable 4-0 win over Sabah, with the game effectively dead by half-time. It was about all we could ask from an opener like this. Sesko and Dorgu both impressed in changed roles up front and at left-back, reopening the debate over their role in the team.
Mainoo and Tielemans continue to look like United's best mid
The Tactics Show: Stop the Press?
#1041 | Ed and Dharnish dig into United’s draw with Everton. The buildup through Mainoo and Tielemans was as good as it's looked in years but Carrick’s side lacked any real box presence, with Cunha and Bruno both dropping deep.
Defensively, United's press still isn't working, and disconnected lines left gaps that led directly to both Everton goals.
How can Carrick fit all his in-form attac
Two Bangers
#1040 | United led twice away at Everton through Mbeumo and Sesko only to do a very good job of chucking it away late on Merseyside.
Ed and Dan dig into the tension between United's new possession-based approach and a back four that isn't built for a higher line. And there are questions about Cunha's role as a false nine again.
Then there's a look ahead to the Champions League opener against Sab
No More Dumb Money
#1039 | United's transfer window closed with Dominic and Ed landing on a mixed verdict, somewhere around a six out of ten. United made three good midfield signings, but no left-back and no backup centre-forward.
Who's going to fill the gap?
How much financial headroom was there to spend more?
And why were United cautious?
Deadline day itself produced a bizarre five-way standoff between
The Tactics Show: Brilliant Mainoo, Problems with the Press
#1038 | Ipswich made a real go of it for a half, evading United's high press by exploiting isolated full-backs.
Once Lisandro Martinez started dictating United's patterns of possession into midfield, the game opened up completely and United ran away with it.
Ed and Dharnish dig into why United's press still isn't functioning, how much of the transformation in build-up play comes down to Martine
Oh, You Feel Better, M*therfuckers?
#1037 | United trailed to Ipswich for a moment, but a hat-trick from Bruno Fernandes, Harry Maguire’s deflected effort and a Bryan Mbeumo goal turned it into a 5-2 win. It was a complete response to the opening-day defeat at Hull.
Ed and Dan dig into the bigger picture: how well the Tielemans-Mainoo midfield pairing worked, the ongoing debate over Marcus Rashford's role, and the club’s searc
Back in the Champions League
#1036 | Ed and Dominic analyse United’s Champions League return. It’s a tough-looking draw with Bayern, Roma, and RB Leipzig at home. Then some cracking away ties in top European travel destinations.
From there it's on to the run-in to transfer deadline day, where the expectation is that a left-back arrives. Probably not the marquee name everyone's been hoping for. There’s also a wider question a
The Tactics Show: Aerial Problems and Too Many Crosses
#1035 | Ed and Dharnish break down United's 2-0 defeat at Hull on the tactics show. Some of this was physical. Four starters had played one 90 or fewer all pre-season, and the lack of sharpness showed. But a lot of it was tactical too.
Why was Bruno under-par and has the reaction been over the top?
How do Tielemans and Bruno better dovetail in future?
What were United doing with t
United Inc: Bezos, Liverpool and the Transfer Market
#1034 | Ed and Jamie look at Jeff Bezos buying into Liverpool, a deal that values the club at around £5.5 billion for a consortium stake of just under 40%. Why is Bezos getting involved now? Can an Amazon-owned media empire buy into a Premier League club without creating a conflict of interest for future TV rights deals? And how does it compare to United's own ownership structure?
On United speci
Hull Loss Headloss
#1033 | Ed and Wayne react to United's 2-0 opening-day defeat at Hull.
United's poor performance breaks down into three causes: a tactical selection that didn't suit the game, a fitness gap after a staggered pre-season, and basic failure to finish chances or clear the two set pieces Hull scored from.
Then there are the players. Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw remain trusted by Carrick but is their t
The Tactics Show: Season Preview
#1032 | Ed and Dharnish preview the season with a focus on how United’s tactics are evolving under Michael Carrick. The pattern in pre-season has been more possession, more central possession, and an emphasis on third-man runs.
Where Carlos Baleba fits is still unclear: he's more carrier than passer, so the assumption is someone else, Kobbie Mainoo or Youri Tielemans, drops in to start move
Surprise! United Revive Baleba Deal
#1031 | Ed and Adam talk about United's move for Carlos Baleba, a deal likely to land in excess of £65 million. It’s the right profile for United, even if Baleba’s poor season last year presents a risk. He's a front-foot, ground-covering midfielder that should combine well with United’s other midfielders and solve some specific problems.
The deal takes United's spend on midfielders this summer
The Great Big Season Preview
#1030 | Ed and Wayne are back for the season preview after a mixed pre-season: two wins from six and a 4-2 defeat to Milan in the last match. Neither is panicking about that result specifically, but it exposed problems that were already there. The defence is the biggest concern. Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire remain first choice and neither has the legs for a higher, more front-foot approach, while L
Good Things By Accident
#1029 | A manager out, a manager in, and a word the club would very much like everyone to start using? Ed talks to Andy Slater of the Barmy Article fanzine about Marc Skinner's exit and Eva Olid's arrival at United Women.
What's Skinner's legacy after 5 years? A first major trophy in the 2024 FA Cup, four cup finals and a Champions League quarter-final, all on roughly the fourth biggest budget i
Fresh Start
#1028 | A new head coach, a new fan zone, and a transfer market on hold? Ed and Wayne talk about United's new Women's team coach, Eva Olid, who has joined after Marc Skinner's exit. What is Skinner's legacy after 5 years at the club? He achieved Champions League qualification and won the FA Cup, despite restrictions on the club's budget. And yet, there won't be too many tears shed for a manager wh
Money Talks
#1027 | Ed and Dom pull three stories into one. FIFA wants to privatise itself, United want fewer season ticket holders and £100m no longer seems like a lot of money in the transfer market.
Gianni Infantino's plan was to privatise FIFA's commercial entity and sell a stake to private equity. If he gets his way we'll see World Cups and Club World Cups every summer.
Old Trafford's crackdown on seas
The Tactics Show: Game Model Evolution
#1026 | Ed and Dharnish talk about the evolution of United’s tactics this season. What evidence have wee seen after two pre-season games, albeit with continuing player absences after the World Cup?
What impact has Andrey Santos on the side, what does Youri Tielemans capture mean, what changes are likely to United’s in-possession game as a result?
Then the gaps: why do United need another midfi
Back in Action
#1025 | Adam and Ed pick over United’s pre-season defeat to Wrexham in Helsinki. Can we learn anything from 45 minutes of action? At least there was a first look at new signing Andrey Santos. Then an XI made up of reserves played out an entertaining second half without finding the net.
Then there’s a crazy match for third place in the World Cup, with England beating France 6-4. Kobbie Mainoo was i
Tuchel Blows It
#1024 | Ed and Daniel pick over the wreckage of England's World Cup, and neither is in a forgiving mood.
The charge is that Thomas Tuchel did not just lose the semi-final, he threw it away. From the squad he built for one way of playing, the ball-players left at home, and a midfield of athletes with nobody to control a game, which is why the calls for Kobbie Mainoo only grew louder all tournament
Tielemans Bomba
#1023 | Ed and Dharnish react to Manchester United signing Youri Tielemans for around £35m, praising the club’s stealthy, leak-free approach. Tielemans offers outstanding value given his versatility, progressive passing and decent defensive work.
How will Tielemans and Andre Santos fit a more controlled, central build-up style? And do United still need a third “ground-eater” midfielde
United Inc: Stadium Financing Options
#1022 | Ed and Jamie discuss United’s Old Trafford redevelopment plans, with the development corporation report into the wider area regeneration project published this week.
We go through the likely financing mix: debt, naming rights, personal seat licences, private equity, event partnerships. How will this massive project impact United’s finances, revenues and ability to compete?
Then we
Santos Signs
#1021 | Ed and Dan discuss United’s expected £50m signing of Andrey Santos from Chelsea, weighing fan reactions, Santos’ strengths, and questions about his best role in the team.
But the broader midfield rebuild this summer still lacks an elite, established number six, with top targets like Aurélien Tchouaméni unavailable after renewing his contract at Real Madrid, and alternatives such as
Transfer Market Freakout
#1020 | Ed and Dominic discuss Spurs spending close to £100m on Sandro Tonali and £85m on Matheus Fernandes, triggering online Manchester United fan panic, while United’s only move to date is the deal for Ederson.
Is this smart transfer market strategy from Spurs, or are they overpaying out of desperation? Meanwhile, United still need multiple midfielders, especially with an injury to Ugarte at
The Tactics Show: World Cup Trends
#1019 | Ed and Dharnish review the World Cup group stage through a tactical lens and preview the knockout stages. There’s England’s surprisingly slow play, lack of central connection, and concerns around the wingers ahead of DR Congo. Portugal have got plenty of issues as well, both structural and those from an overly static Ronaldo. Then there’s Argentina, who have the best midfield rotations and
New Trafford Moves a Step Closer
#1018 | Ed and Dan on United's step towards a new Old Trafford after the club bought 25 acres next door. Should United move? And if it's inevitable, can the club keep its history and avoid another concrete bowl? On the money, a warning against the simple version: this will be structured, debt, equity, naming rights and personal seat licences, not one clean option.
Then transfers: André Onana's lo
United Inc: Refinancing Explained
#1017 | It might be the World Cup, but Ed and Jamie talk football finance with Manchester United refinancing $425m of bonds - replacing them with a $550m private placement. Gross annual interest is up, but with the maturity pushed out and some expensive rolling debt replaced, the impact on United’s bottom line isn’t as serious as some reports. From there, there’s some speculation about how the ref
Rashford Redemption Arc
#1016 | Ed and Wayne talk about England's win over Croatia, in which a wobbly first half was followed by a much stronger second. Tuchel’s substitutions, a standout performance from Jude Bellingham, and a Marcus Rashford goal all helped England pick up three points.
But is the balance in midfield right and how will heat and humidity impact the team in the coming games?
Beyond England, Ed and Way
World Cup Preview Part 2: The United Storylines
#1015 | Ed and Dharnish continue the World Cup preview, working through the groups with the United-related storylines front and centre.
There are players, past and present, in across the World Cup groups: Casemiro, Ederson and Matheus Cunha with Brazil, alongside Morocco's Noussair Mazraoui and Sofyan Amrabat; Scotland's Scott McTominay and late call-up Tyler Fletcher; Turkey's reserve keeper Alt
World Cup Preview Part 1: Everything but the Football
#1014 | Ed and Tom look past the football at the expanded 2026 World Cup in the US. The focus is the off-pitch mess: visa and border problems, geopolitical tension, and reports of players and staff held for long stretches at US border control. Bans restricting fans from certain countries sit awkwardly against the tournament's "welcome the world" branding, and the gap between the message and the en
The Tactics Show: Review of the Season Part 3
#1012 | Ed and Dharnish conclude their tactical review of the season, focusing on Michael Carrick’s interim spell at United. Carrick’s appointment mean no return for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and quickly produced results, with a focus on pragmatic but front-foot football. Carrick immediately installed a 4-2-3-1 system, highlighted by compact defending, fast transitions, plus one- and two-touch combinat
Seja Bem-vindo, Éderson
#1013 | Ed and Dominic discuss United’s deal to sign midfielder Ederson from Atalanta for around £35m plus add-ons. There’s been a muted reaction from fans but his standout physicality and counter-pressing should offer something the squad is missing, although concerns about his limited inventiveness in passing are fair. A useful squad option if United add two more midfielders, with Matheus Fernand
The Tactics Show: Review of the Season Part 2
#1011 | Ed and Dharnish continue their tactical review of United’s season, covering the period from early November to Ruben Amorim’s January sacking. This period included a run of inconsistent, often drab matches saved only by United’s success from set-piece finishing. Then the turning point: 4-4 against Bournemouth, possibly United’s best attacking performance under Amorim, and a shift toward a b
The Tactics Show: Review of the Season Part 1
#1010 | Ed and Dharnish begin a three-part season tactical review, covering the start of the campaign through the autumn and setting up later segments on Ruben Amarin’s downfall and Michael Carrick’s resurgence. There’s a review of early matches including Arsenal, Fulham, Burnley, City, Chelsea, Brentford, and a damaging loss at Grimsby. Why did Amorim lean into long balls, why wouldn’t he move aw
United Inc: Third Quarter Results
#1009 | Ed and Jamie review United’s Q3 financial results, noting slightly better-than-expected revenue, improved operating profit versus last year’s loss, and a wage bill at its lowest share of revenue in about a decade, alongside raised guidance. However, United face weak liquidity - around £60m cash- with the revolver credit up to £260m, ongoing outflows for historic transfer fees, and the cont
One Thousand Episodes
#1000 | Ed and Paul reminisce about 1000 episodes of Rant Cast/NQAT, from its origins as a weekly phone call, to committing to recording every week, and then the expanding NQAT universe over the past couple of seasons. The conversation turns to United’s post-Fergie decline and Ed Woodward, the Glazers’ ownership, Ratcliffe’s restructuring, and optimism about Michael Carrick’s steadying impact, squ
Liquid Football on the South Coast
#1009 | Ed and Dan recap United’s comfortable win over Brighton on the South Coast. There was a little bit of liquid football to close out the season in an upbeat mood. With no Casemiro in the squad and Cunha on the bench, Patrick Dorgu and Mason Mount started in what could easily have descended into an end-of-season dead rubber. Instead, this was the best way to close out the campaign, including
NQAT Extra: It Had to be Carrick
Ed and Dan break down Michael Carrick's appointment as Manchester United head coach on a two-year deal: why the job went to him over the alternatives, and what comes next.
Sixteen games into the interim spell, the results speak for themselves. The floor has been raised, and his methods are not complicated: a back four, Mainoo restored to the team, players returned to roles they recognise, and Am
Bruno's Twentieth
#1007 | Ed and Dan review Manchester United’s 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest in the final home game of the season. More than 4 xG created, 29 shots taken and Bruno Fernandes’ 20th assist. Plenty of entertainment on offer.
It's Michael Carrick’s 11th win of his short tenure, but he's found a way for United to keep emerging victorious from these narrow-margin games.
It was a day when Casemiro sai
Adeus, Casemiro
#1006 | Ed and Adam look forward to United’s final home game of the season against Nottingham Forest. It’ll be the chance to close out the season with some momentum and say farewell to Casemiro. There’s a review of United U18s defeat to City in the FA Youth Cup final. A positive start, but United were eventually overpowered by a strong, older City team. City’s 6,000 ground wasn’t even full. Then w
United Inc: How Much Can United Spend?
#1005 | Ed and Jamie discuss United’s likely Champions League revenue uplift, which might be over £100m across prize/broadcast, matchday and sponsorships. Despite higher associated costs EBITDA projections might top £250m next year. How might that translate into summer spending under new squad-cost rules? It might well be a theoretical ceiling near £400m, with £300m more plausible. And what other
All Bore, No Score
#1004 | Ed and Tom look back on United’s 0-0 draw at Sunderland, the first goalless game of the season. Casemiro’s absence exposed how disjointed United look without him. With five mostly enforced changes, they discuss underwhelming displays from Mason Mount and Josh Zirkzee, limited attacking output from the full-backs, and United’s lack of physicality. Once again, Senne Lammens came to United’s
Youth Cup Farce
#1003 | Ed and Dominic discuss United’s new Betway training kit sponsorship worth £18m per year and the wider ethics and prevalence of betting money in football as front-of-shirt bans loom. They then cover controversy around the FA Youth Cup final being staged at City’s 6,000-capacity Joie Stadium, limiting United’s allocation compared to the 67,000 at Old Trafford in 2022.
The conversation tur
The Tactics Show: Victory over Liverpool; and What's Next for Carrick?
#1002 | Ed, Dharnish and Daniel react to United’s 3–2 win over Liverpool and debate whether “underlying metrics” matter without context? United are succeeding on fine margins with elite attackers and reduced chances conceded under Michael Carrick. They break down Carrick’s approach: bypassing the opposition press, sitting compact in a mid-block, and attacking quickly in transition.
With Champion
Double Trouble
#1001 | Ed and Daniel enjoy United’s 3–2 win over Liverpool. United’s strong first half that could have produced four; Liverpool almost snatched an improbable draw, only for a fine finish from Kobbie Mainoo to win the game. It’s the first time for a decade United secured a Premier League double over Liverpool - and the win officially secured Champions League football next season. In truth United
The Tactics Show: Victory over Brentford, Liverpool Next
#999 | Ed, Daniel and Dharnish return to discuss United’s 2-1 win over Brentford. They break down United’s fast start to the game before Brentford found space in wide areas and behind the midfield, then credit Michael Carrick for a decisive halftime shift to a back five that helped United control the game. Casemiro and Mainoo’s heavy involvement and defensive output are highlighted, alongside con
One Win Away
#998 | Ed and Daniel discuss Manchester United’s win over Brentford at Old Trafford, leaving United on the brink of Champions League qualification. That’s Michael Carrick’s 10th win in 13 games as interim manager. It was another strong set of performances from Lammens, Maguire, and Heaven at the back and plenty of quality from Mainoo and Casemiro in midfield as well.
With Champions League almost
Thinking About Brentford
#997 | There’s a positive vibe about United, with Champions League qualification close, players returning from injury, and Michael Carrick making a strong case to become the permanent manager. Victory over Brentford on Monday will make a return to the top flight of European football almost certain. Ed and Wayne preview the game, think back on that tight win over Chelsea last week, and bemoan the i
Get the Theme Tune Ready!
#996 | Ten points clear of Chelsea with five games left. A gritty, utterly necessary win at Stamford Bridge. United's return to the Champions League is no longer a question of whether, but when.
Dan and Dharnish unpack all you need to know. With Martínez and Maguire suspended, Carrick turned to an Ayden Heaven and Noussair Mazraoui as the centre-back pairing. In front of them, Kobbie Mainoo deli
24 Days Later
#995 | Daniel and Dharnish react to United’s first game after a 24-day break - an undercooked, low-intensity first half in which Leeds could have led by more than the two they scored. United fought back, briefly, only to lose to Leeds at OT for the first time in 45 years.
There's questions over Michael Carrick's team selection and delayed substitutions. There's a debate over Lisandro Martinez’
United Inc: The State of English Football Finances
#994 | Ed and Jamie discuss how English football’s huge revenues still produce widespread losses, driven by an arms race in wages and transfer fees. They compare crises elsewhere (French TV rights falling about 80% amid PSG’s dominance and conflicts of interest) and note the growth of multi-club ownership and private equity, including Sixth Street’s move into Sunderland Women and the broader rise
Champions League Run-In Starts Here
#993 | United Return After 24-Day Break: Ed and Wayne can’t wait to get into the football. Does the extended layoff leave United undercooked despite positive reports from a training trip to Dublin and an improving injury situation? With Harry Maguire suspended, Lisandro Martinez’ potential return can’t come at a better time. Meanwhile low-scoring Leeds arrive at Old Trafford in high spirits after
Bonus: Maguire and Mainoo Contracts
From NQAT Extra. Rebroadcasting for everyone given that Harry Maguire has signed a new contract and Mainoo's new deal is very close!
---
Ed and Dominic discuss reports that Harry Maguire and Kobbie Mainoo are close to signing new contracts. It's an important step both for squad depth ahead of likely European football and a heavier schedule, and in retaining key local talent.
Maguire will stay
The Long Break
#992 | Ed and Tom fill the long international and FA Cup break by running through United players on international duty and broader World Cup qualifying storylines, including England experiments under Thomas Tuchel. Maguire and Mainoo featured, there's notes on Portugal, with Bruno’s backheeled assist a hightlight, Brazil featured Casemiro’s return and Senne Lemmens played for Belgium.
United an
Still Punks: Checking in on FC United
#991 | Ed sits down with George Baker to check in on FC United’s progress this season. The club is top of the Northern Premier League in a tight title race with Hednesford and Hebburn. Ed and George talk about the run-in, progress that has been made this season, and how the club remains the antidote to commercialisation in the Premier League.
00:00 Introduction
00:27 Season to Date
07:00 Key
F*ck Stuart Attwell
#990 | Ed and Dharnish review Bournemouth 2–2 United - a game in which United were robbed by referee Stuart Atwell. One moment turning down a penalty for a clear foul on Amad, the next moment, watching Bournemouth score. Inexplicably, Atwell then gave a penalty and a red card for a foul by Harry Maguire. Soft as fuck. But, apart from crap refereeing, United performed well for a half, creating plen
United Inc: Chelsea Cheating and Crude Chaos
#989 | Ed and Jamie discuss a Premier League settlement with Chelsea over £47 million worth of undisclosed, off-book payments to players, agents and third parties from 20011–2018, involving names including Samuel Eto’o, Eden Hazard and David Luiz.
The £10m fine and suspended transfer/youth-player bans show inconsistent rule enforcement versus PSR points deductions for clubs like Everton and coul
The Tactics Show: Carrick’s Patience Pays Off, Bruno Pulls the Strings
#988 | Ed, Dharnish and Daniel review United’s 3-1 win over Aston Villa, praising a patient approach after a quiet first half against Villa’s high line and mid-block. The episode covers the role of United's flexible front three, how Casemiro and Mainoo controlled midfield, Bruno's flexible positioning, and United's dominance at the back. Then we look ahead to the game against Bournemouth on Frida
One Giant Leap
#987 | Ed and Tom discuss Manchester United’s 3–1 win over Aston Villa, a strangely low-intensity match that still moved United closer to securing Champions League football. It might have started slowly, but United’s second-half, shaped by Bruno Fernandes’ brilliance, Casemiro’s head, and Benjamin Sesko’s ability off the bench, were enough to secure the points. It’s a bit odd how slowly United sta
Villa Preview, Champions League Race, Chaos in Europe
#986 | It’s a quiet news week at United but Ed and Dominic preview Sunday’s crucial Old Trafford match vs Aston Villa in a very tight Champions League race. United need both points and a convincing performance after uneven recent displays. There are concerns about squad fitness, slow starts, and breaking down low blocks. There’s some chat about poor first-leg Champions League results for English c
The Tactics Show: Defeat at Newcastle
#985 | Ed, Daniel, and Dharnish react to United’s 2–1 loss at Newcastle, focusing on a flat, low-energy second half and a missed chance to beat 10 men while the Champions League race remains tight. Carrick’s honeymoon has faded as recent performances show recurring issues: opponents pressing man-to-man to block central progression, limited ball progression without Lisandro Martínez, and little att
11 Long Days Ahead
#984 | Ed and Dominic react to United’s 2–1 defeat at Newcastle - the first loss of the Michael Carrick era. It was a particularly flat, listless performance despite Newcastle going down to 10 men. Bruno Fernandes created eight chances but for the most part the rest of the team let their captain and manager down. Why were United so flat and why couldn't the team control the game despite having a m
The Tactics Show: Second Half Shift, Šeško’s Impact, Newcastle Preview
#983 | Ed and Dharnish review United’s win over Crystal Palace, focusing on a poor, flat first-half marked by weak progression from the back, Palace’s press clogging central areas around Casemiro/Mainoo/Bruno. There’s a discussion about United’s left-sided imbalance amid injuries to Shaw, Martínez, and Dorgu.
There was improved intensity after halftime and some decisive Bruno Fernandes passing t
King Bruno Shuts Down Palace
#982 | Ed and Daniel review United’s 2–1 win over Crystal Palace. Victory marked by slow buildup and low urgency, helped by a penalty and a red card, but ultimately Michael Carrick’s adjustments brought improved control and sustained pressure. There are still issues in buildup, at fullback and Palace were able to get behind United’s midfield. And yet United were good enough to see it out and move
Strange Goings On at the Palace
#981 | Ed and Wayne record a Friday-night pod focused on Manchester United’s finances and Sunday’s match against Crystal Palace. The financial results held few surprises aside from the scale and persistence of United’s debt. The long-term “millstone” that just won’t go away. Football fans want to watch football not become finance experts, but here we are anyway. Two years after Ratcliffe’s takeove
United, Inc: Q2 FY26 Results, Cost Cuts, Champions League Upside & Debt Refinancing
#980 | Ed and Jamie review Manchester United’s fiscal 2026 second-quarter results, arguing the numbers look bullish despite no European competition: revenues held up, EBITDA is strong, and the club posted an operating profit of just over £30m. They credit Ineos’ restructuring - about £50m a year removed from the cost base, including redundancies and efforts to rationalise player wages - with impr
Sesko vs Corner Cancer
#979 | Ed and Dan look back on United’s 1–0 win at Everton. It was functional rather than convincing but a vital three points as United close in on a return to the Champions League. There’s plenty of praise for another excellent Senne Lammens performance in goal under heavy pressure from Everton’s agricultural set-piece routines. When, if ever, are referees going to protect goalkeepers who are no
Assessing United's Midfield Options
#978 | Ed and Adam suffer through the long wait for United men to play again. In the meantime they enjoy United Women’s 5–0 aggregate win over Atlético Madrid to reach the Women’s Champions League quarterfinals. It’s been a strong performance from the team so far this season despite the often critical reception to manager Marc Skinner.
There’s a deep-dive on United’s strategy behind revamping mid
The Tactics Show: Carrick's First Five Games
#977 | Michael Carrick’s audition continues. With four wins from five, including victories over Arsenal and City, Ed, Dharnish and Daniel break down what we’ve actually learned about Carrick’s “game model” so far. Is this a sustainable tactical evolution or a short-term bounce? And how should United approach the next run of fixtures, starting with Everton?
The discussion covers why West Ham’s low
