Manchester United head to Como with six matches without a victory in all competitions, and that run now sits alongside a poor domestic start and growing pressure on Michael Carrick. United have seven points from their first seven Premier League matches and are 13th in the table. They also have three points from two Champions League matches, which leaves the trip to Italy looking less like a routine group-stage check and more like a night they need to steady themselves.

United's form and Carrick's pressure

The pressure is not coming out of nowhere. United's six-game winless run has made every result feel heavier, and the Champions League table has not offered much cover. Carrick's team have taken three points from their first two league-phase games, but that only puts them in the pack rather than anywhere comfortable.

The preview verdict from Sports Mole leans toward a response. As Sports Mole wrote, “Man United are due a win, and their last two performances have been much, much better.” That is the encouraging read on United, and it is not hard to see why some would point to a lift in performance rather than the winless run alone.

Como's start gives the match real bite

Como are not in this tie to provide a soft landing. They are fifth in Serie A with 14 points from seven matches, and they sit 12th in the Champions League league phase with three points from their first two games. They also beat RB Leipzig 4-1 on September 10 before losing 3-2 to Feyenoord last week, so this is a side that has already shown it can create noise on a big stage.

Sports Mole's forecast still backs United to get something out of it, with the outlet saying, “Como are a strong outfit, but we are backing the 20-time English champions to secure a valuable three points on Wednesday night.” United may be under more pressure, but the match is not being framed as a mismatch. It is a genuine test of whether Carrick's side can turn a poor run into a response at the right moment.

The fixture is Como vs Manchester United, and the pressure marker attached to it will be obvious before kick-off. United's job is to leave Italy with a result that finally interrupts the run of six without a win.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →