Gary Lineker has blamed Manchester United’s continuing problems on the way the club is being run, arguing that responsibility extends beyond Michael Carrick and his players.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football, Lineker said he believes United’s difficulties “come down from the top” and criticised Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s involvement at Old Trafford.
United have endured another difficult start to the Premier League season, increasing scrutiny of Carrick following the defeat to Brighton and draw with Fulham.
Lineker, however, believes the problems go deeper than the manager.
“It all comes down from the top,” Lineker said.
He described United as “a bit of a shambles” in terms of how the club is currently being run.
Lineker also took aim at the Glazers’ decision to bring Ratcliffe and INEOS into the club’s football operations.
He joked that the Glazers had managed to find somebody who attracts even more criticism than they do.
Ratcliffe acquired a minority stake in United in 2024, with INEOS subsequently taking responsibility for the club’s football operations.
His tenure has included substantial changes behind the scenes at Old Trafford, including restructuring, job cuts and changes within United’s football leadership.
Ratcliffe has also faced criticism from sections of the United support over comments he has made away from football.
Lineker’s intervention shifts the debate surrounding United’s poor start beyond performances on the pitch and Carrick’s position as manager.
His argument is that United’s problems should also be examined through the decisions being made above the manager and players.
That remains Lineker’s assessment rather than an established explanation for United’s results, but it adds another prominent voice to the debate over where responsibility for the club’s continuing difficulties lies.
