England legend on United's chaos: the Glazer family have found someone even worse than them | Goal.com

Published on 22 Sep 2026 | Reading time: 2 minutes

English football legend Gary Lineker has launched a stinging attack on Manchester United's management, laying the blame for the team's troubles squarely at the door of owner Jim Ratcliffe as the side stumble through the early weeks of the season under manager Michael Carrick.

United sit 12th in the Premier League after five rounds, with 5 points from 1 win, 2 draws and 2 defeats. That return falls well short of expectations and has cranked up the pressure on Carrick and his future at the club.

The rot starts right at the top of the pyramid, in Lineker's view. He took aim at the role Ratcliffe has played since buying a minority stake from the Glazer family in 2024 and taking control of the sporting side.

German newspaper Bild carried Lineker's words from the "The Rest Is Football" podcast: "When I look at Manchester United, I see problems coming from the top. I have to congratulate the Glazer family because they found someone worse than them to shoulder the responsibility, and brought him to the top to take all the criticism. He is Jim Ratcliffe".

"I don't see him as a particularly well-liked person, and the way the club is currently being run makes the whole situation extremely chaotic," he added. "So, hats off to the Glazer family for succeeding in deflecting all the blame away from themselves".

Fans have turned on Ratcliffe over the past period for a string of decisions. He has slashed the workforce, cutting around 450 jobs by the end of 2025 under his watch, and pushed up ticket prices.

Trouble has flared in the youth ranks too. Reports suggest 15-year-old talent Jay Gabriel wants out, convinced United can no longer match Europe's biggest clubs in the race for young players.

Carrick, meanwhile, feels the heat mounting after that faltering league start. Ratcliffe remains one of the key figures behind sporting decisions at the club since he entered the ownership structure.

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