Harry Maguire questions Man Utd team-mates' lack of 'bravery' & addresses Lisandro Martinez 'noise' after Leeds draw

Manchester United's sluggish start to the Premier League season continued on Sunday with a 1-1 draw against Leeds United. Michael Carrick's side took the lead in North Yorkshire when Bryan Mbeumo struck from close range after 35 minutes. However, their advantage was wiped out shortly after half-time when Dominic Calvert-Lewin converted a well-worked corner.

The result leaves the Red Devils languishing in 13th place, having secured just one victory from their opening seven league fixtures. The mounting dropped points have piled pressure on Carrick, who is struggling to meet the board's lofty expectations following a busy summer of recruitment.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the final whistle, Maguire did not hold back when assessing his team's shortcomings. The England defender pinpointed a lack of composure in possession as a primary reason for their failure to secure all three points, despite setting up to exploit the hosts in midfield.

"We could've been a bit braver with the ball and taken the ball under pressure," Maguire admitted. "But we're in a circumstance where we are not as brave as we should be, and we have to get that back because to win games for Man Utd we have to have that bravery and composure."

While Maguire questioned their quality on the ball, he refused to fault the squad's application. "You can't question the togetherness, the spirit, the fight. This is a tough place to come," he insisted. "Leeds have been flying in the league. We can be better. We have to show more quality with the ball. When you come to places like this, you can't be beaten on set plays, and we conceded a set play which got them back in the game.

"Throughout we felt comfortable in our shape. They didn't create too many chances. To concede a set-piece after half-time is disappointing. We had to dig in. We got a foothold at about 70 minutes and probably looked the more likely to go and win it but a draw is probably fair."

The draw at Elland Road capped off a turbulent few days for United, exacerbated by a 2-0 Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid on Tuesday. In the wake of that European loss, Martinez publicly demanded more from technical director Jason Wilcox, suggesting the club's hierarchy should face scrutiny rather than Carrick.

Addressing the off-field drama, Maguire confirmed the air has since been cleared at Carrington. "There's been a lot of noise around the club this week - as there is every week - but more so, this week," the defender explained. "Lisandro's come out, he's apologised, we've moved on from it."

Carrick must now find a way to galvanise a squad visibly lacking in confidence while navigating fresh fitness concerns. Martinez managed to start against Leeds despite his midweek outburst, but the defender was forced off at half-time with a thigh issue and replaced by Noussair Mazraoui.

With United stuck in the bottom half of the table and European fixtures compounding their busy schedule, the Red Devils desperately need to string together positive results. The coaching staff will be sweating on Martinez's fitness as they attempt to revive a stalling Premier League campaign.