MANCHESTER UNITED players were prevented from speaking to the press after Lisandro Martinez’s explosive outburst last week.
Matheus Cunha and Bruno Fernandes clarified they were “not allowed” to talk as they walked past the mixed zone at Elland Road after their 1-1 draw with Leeds United.
Brazilian Cunha took the time to explain the situation to a compatriot, while Fernandes told dedicated correspondents gathered in the mixed zone – which is where reporters gather after the game to try to speak to players as they leave: “I can’t speak, I’m not allowed.”
Martinez was fined after he rounded on the United hierarchy and demanded “more” from director of football Jason Wilcox in the wake of the 2-0 Champions League defeat at Atletico Madrid last week on Tuesday.
There was no specific directive to United players from the club’s press officers to avoid the written media. United players almost always never stop when asked to speak in the mixed zone unless they are chaperoned by a press officer.
Goalkeeper Senne Lammens did stop to talk without a staff member present after United drew 1-1 with West Ham United in February.
United avoided any remote repeat of Martinez’s extraordinary comments following another winless performance at Leeds, where the Argentine was forced off at half-time with a thigh problem.
After United dropped more points from a winning position at Leeds, Harry Maguire was the only player who conducted a post-match chat with broadcast rights holders.
Maguire also spoke to United’s own in-house channel, MUTV.
United have now gone SIX GAMES without a win after Leeds became the third side to secure a draw after trailing to Michael Carrick’s side. The result leaves United 13th and on one win after seven Premier League games, with Bournemouth due at Old Trafford on Sunday.
The under-pressure Carrick told the BBC: “It was a tough game for both teams.
“There was an edge to the game. In little moments, we played some good football.
“It is maybe a bit understandable that it is a tough place to come. We had to work for it. I was proud of the boys for the way they went about that today in difficult circumstances. It is a bit more than effort.
“Application is the way you go about it as well and the plan and the responsibility in the roles. And I thought the boys took that for the most part. It was a tense game, it was a tight game and one that could have gone both ways, so we will take the point and move on.” – Sun.
