Manchester United

We asked you to send in your questions for BBC Sport's Manchester United reporter Simon Stone. In the first of a three-part Q&A, he addresses behind the scenes information at Old Trafford and Michael Carrick's possible reluctance to offer younger players minutes.

David: When former Manchester United players talk about 'things happening behind the scenes' that can affect players' performances, what kind of things do they mean?

Simon: Hi David. I'm not entirely sure what the specific example you are referring to here, but the basic reality is that fans and the media do not know everything that is happening at a football club.

Generally, that could be injuries managers are trying to keep under wraps, or play down the extent of, that affect match preparation in training. But there could be other things.

It is sometimes forgotten players are human beings and have the same personal issues as everyone else. Their relatives get ill – and they are often a long way from home – their children get sick.

Everyday problems can divert attention. The truth is though, that once a match starts, a club is judged by the performance of the 11 players on the pitch at any given moment in time and the coaching staff directing them.

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Paul: Why is Michael Carrick reluctant to offer our promising academy prospects, like Harry Amass and JJ Gabriel, minutes since the senior players seem to be sleeping on their jobs?

Simon: This is an interesting one, Paul.

I am pretty sure Amass would have either been sold or loaned out had United been able to get another left-back as the view at the club is that he is not at the required level right now.

I feel a mistake was made in not registering JJ Gabriel for that Champions League tie with Sabah FK as it would have been the best opportunity to give him his debut, and that might have kept him at the club.

However, he is 15. Would it have been fair to expect either player to come in and try and elevate the overall performances of a struggling team?

Michael Carrick sees players in training every day, he frequently watches academy matches. I am sure he would pick players if he felt they were good enough.

He obviously doesn't think the time is right – and with JJ Gabriel, the chance has gone now, sadly.

Come back to this page later on Monday for part two of the Q&A, which will focus on Marcus Rashford and the Red Devils' midfield balance.

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Content creator and Manchester United fan Beth Tucker believes "moments have been taken away" from the Red Devils' fanbase after the Premier League found Manchester City guilty of breaching financial rules between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons.

At the start of this period, United were at the peak of their powers under the stewardship of the great Sir Alex Ferguson and won their third title in a row in 2009.

However, City quickly surged to the summit of English football and snatched the title away from United in 2012. Tucker now thinks City striker Sergio Aguero's famous last-gasp title winner could be remembered as the "Aguer-no" moment, after he scored deep into added time on the last day of the season to take the title to the blue side of Manchester for the first time in 44 years.

"We spent years watching City break trophies, break records, and become the most dominant club in Manchester... on the pitch," Tucker told BBC Radio Manchester.

"They will never have our fanbase, global appeal and our history but on the pitch they have been the most dominant club in Manchester and the Premier League. They have signed players we have wanted to sign and lifted trophies we have wanted to lift.

"Moments that have been taken away from us. That Aguero moment might turn into the Aguer-no moment. Jose Mourinho, could he be entitled to a trophy? Champions League money we have missed out on and players we have missed out on signing because of the butterfly effect of this.

"When an independent commission finds serious breaches, naturally you start looking back and asking, did these change the competitive landscape? I don't want Man Utd fans to use this as an excuse, I'm not going to, because ultimately Manchester United have got to fix United and that's the part that hurts me most. Even if Manchester City were punished tomorrow, United don't automatically become a great football team."

Listen to Tucker in full on BBC Sounds here

Former Chelsea and Tottenham boss Antonio Conte is enjoying time relaxing away from the game despite being linked with a return to management at Manchester United and Juventus. (Football Italia), external

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Neil Johnston
BBC Sport journalist

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Sir Alex Ferguson won the lot during his time in charge of Manchester United between 1986 and 2013, including 13 Premier League titles.

He transformed them into a winning machine, and the history and tradition of United ran red through his veins.

As well as delivering two Champions League titles, Ferguson masterminded five FA Cup triumphs, won the League Cup four times and added the Club World Cup, European Super Cup, European Cup Winners' Cup and the Intercontinental Cup to the Old Trafford trophy cabinet.

In his new book, Ferguson has picked standout games in his career, from winning his first cup final playing for Govan High School in Glasgow in 1955 at the age of 13 through to his retirement as a manager in 2013.

"That was my starting point," he says, holding the medal he received after that cup win 71 years ago.

"I played for Glasgow Schools, Scotland Schools and the Scotland youth team. The starting point of my career was there and I can look back with great satisfaction."

Ferguson describes growing up in Govan as "the making of me". He says he developed his inner confidence from his mother, Elizabeth, and a drive to succeed from his father, Alexander, who worked in the Govan shipyards on the River Clyde.

"He was a hard taskmaster because whenever I scored a hat-trick or a goal, my mother would say: 'That's great, son.'" His father, meanwhile, offered tough constructive criticism, however many goals Ferguson had scored.

• Ferguson on brain haemorrhage and games that shaped his life

After making his debut as a 16-year-old striker for Queen's Park, Ferguson ended up at St Johnstone, where he endured a frustrating spell and nearly quit football for a new life in Canada.

"I wasn't enjoying it. I wasn't playing first-team football; I was in the reserves all the time," he says.

"I filled out all the forms and phoned my aunt in Canada, because you needed a sponsor then, and never told my mother and father."

The next day, St Johnstone, decimated by a flu bug in the team, arrived at Ibrox to take on Rangers. A 21-year-old Ferguson was promoted to the starting XI and scored a hat-trick.

That life-changing performance in 1963 revived his playing career and set him on the path to becoming one of football's greatest managers.

"I would say this to young people - don't miss the biggest opportunity in your life. It's recognising it."

Simon Stone
Manchester United reporter

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Manchester United midfielder Carlos Baleba made his first appearance for the club in a behind-closed-doors game with Lausanne-Sports at Carrington on Friday.

Baleba is yet to feature in a competitive game for Michael Carrick's side since his £70m summer move from Brighton due to an ankle injury he suffered in pre-season.

The Cameroon midfielder was on the bench for the 1-1 draw at Fulham last month but was an unused substitute.

Baleba was fit enough to play against the Swiss League outfit, who are also part of the Ineos group.

The 22-year-old was included in pictures United published around the game, which also included Harry Maguire and Matheus Cunha.

However, there were no shots of Matthijs de Ligt, who it has been claimed was also involved as he continues to recover after having back surgery to correct a problem that has kept him out since last November.

De Ligt also travelled to Fulham but was not included in Carrick's matchday squad.

Neil Johnston
BBC Sport journalist

"I was terrified," says Sir Alex Ferguson, one of the fiercest, most explosive and most decorated managers in football history.

The legendary former Manchester United boss is recalling the day he returned to Old Trafford for the first time after suffering a brain haemorrhage in May 2018.

Four months after emergency surgery, Ferguson - famous for his 'hairdryer treatment' when United dominated English football - was back to watch his beloved club take on Wolves in the Premier League.

The man responsible for making the dreams of United fans around the world come true for once was unsure of the reception he would receive from supporters.

"I wish I could say I was comfortable. I wasn't," Ferguson tells BBC Breakfast.

He need not have worried.

Ferguson and his wife, Cathy, received a standing ovation when they took their seats in the directors' box before kick-off.

"My wife was with me, and she was nearly crying. When we sat down, she said 'that's fantastic'."

Ferguson had been retired five years - after winning 38 trophies during 26 years in charge of United - at the time of his brain haemorrhage, aged 76.

Now three months short of 85, he says: "I'm feeling quite good despite small injuries."

The Scot has a new book coming out - Games Of My Life. It tells the stories of 21 defining matches in his playing and managerial career, revealing fresh insights into his journey from working-class Glasgow to dominating the English game - and Europe - as United boss.

Ferguson is thankful he is able to talk about the games that helped shape him.

"I had lost my voice; I couldn't speak," he says about the days immediately after brain surgery. "That was a frightening moment.

"Then they brought in a therapist and she started doing things like asking me to write down the names of birds, names of animals, names of rivers.

"That way my voice came back."

Read more from BBC Breakfast's interview with Ferguson here

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A very special interview in which legendary former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson speaks with Nina Warhurst for BBC Breakfast is available to listen to and download now on BBC Sounds.

In a wide-ranging chat, Ferguson talks on topics including his upbringing in Glasgow, making his debut for St Johnstone, the Class of '92, and his recovery from a brain haemorrhage and return to Old Trafford in 2018.

The 84-year-old opens up about his health struggles in recent years, while reminiscing on some of the stories that defined his life, both personally and in football.

Listen below or on BBC Sounds here - or you can read a write-up on Ferguson's chat here

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Manchester United have had a tricky start to the season.

One win in the opening five league games means the Red Devils were 12th in the table heading into the three-week international break.

A disappointing Carabao Cup third-round exit against Brighton, and a 1-0 derby loss to Manchester City, both at Old Trafford, has heightened scrutiny and pressure on boss Michael Carrick.

So what questions do you have about Unitedd? They could be on the squad, injury concerns, Carrick's tactics, the boardroom or a topic of your choice.

BBC Sport's Manchester United reporter Simon Stone will be on hand to answer a selection next week.

Get in touch with your question here

Brentford forward Kevin Schade has been linked with Manchester United but Liverpool have also emerged as contenders to sign the 24-year-old Germany international. (Teamtalk), external

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Football finance expert Kieran Magiure, has been answering your questions after Manchester City were found guilty of all charges related to breaches of financial rules.

Gary: Is there any chance this could be resolved by the end of the season?

Kieran: There is a very high chance it will be resolved by the end of the season. Because if it is not, we could end up in another situation very similar to that of Burnley and Everton where a club could be relegated and Manchester City are not given a deduction. And next season, a club that finished in 18th could say had that deduction been applied earlier, we wouldn't have been relegated. So that would add to the complications.

Certainly looking at the Premier League's press release itself, it does seem that it is very keen to resolve it as quickly as possible. If you take a look at the length of time that it took the commissions in respect to Nottingham Forest and Everton, once they have heard the evidence, applying the sanctions is the quickest part. It's listening to evidence that is the torturous process.

• Listen to a special Q&A podcast by hitting play above or on BBC Sounds

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Dappy: Based on everything you read, what is the most likely punishment going to be for Manchester City?

Kieran: I agree that it could be a very hefty points deduction and a transfer embargo at the very least. On top of that, I believe there will be a very significant financial penalty added into the equation. The logic behind having a transfer embargo is that it then becomes a multi-season issue.

If we go back to 2013 when City were in breach of Uefa rules, they had a transfer ban, wage and squad caps, it did impact the club in the subsequent season.

Rehan: If Manchester City get a huge fine, what would the FA do with that money? Where would it go?

Kieran: It would be shared by the Premier League clubs, including Manchester City. And it will be offset against the league's legal bill. Discussions with lawyers suggest they think City could be liable for about two-thirds to three-quarters of Premier League's legal costs, which is estimated to be in the region of £50-60m.

Get more reaction here

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

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The Premier League has opened a Pandora's box of problems which cannot be closed. However well-intentioned, however morally upright they mean to be, the way the product is perceived around the planet by fans will be negatively affected.

This looks like a gigantic mess, but could also become a bit of a joke, especially if they attempt to rewrite history, and change the winners' names on the Premier League and cup trophies over these past 15 years. I wouldn't want the engraver's job.

I believe financial rules brought in to prioritise financial sustainability were also aimed at limiting the money being spent by the clubs, especially the staggering, ever-inflating sums spent on sometimes fairly average players. It could lead to a de facto salary cap, which many fans would approve of.

The long-term problem for the league is easy to see here: if the top players are then offered significantly more money to play elsewhere, they will be off before you can say 'man on'.

I always thought the Premier League had taken a huge risk going down this regulatory road. As with Manchester City's future, nobody knows what the real long-term ramifications will be.

I have a suspicion it could end up being the greatest own goal in the sport's entire history.

The big take: If City are cast out of England's top leagues, what might the owners do – hang around the lower reaches, or find something else? Wasn't there the idea of a Super League? Keep that thought in the back of your mind.

Pat Nevin writes weekly in the Football Extra newsletter. If you're outside the UK and would like to receive it, sign up here.

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

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Most of the time it is not that big a deal if you go into the international break having just lost a club game if I am honest, as teams lose games frequently.

That is just the life of a professional footballer. You have to be able to cope with disappointment as an individual and as a team.

‌Admittedly, players will sometimes say that they want another domestic game quickly, but it is almost always specifically after a 'bad' defeat as opposed to just a run-of-the-mill loss.

‌However, if the team has genuinely played terribly, or lost a game they were expected to win comfortably, you will commonly hear the phrase "we want to have a chance to get back out there and put it right quickly".

‌Players who have had a stinker, even if their team won, might also want to get out again as soon as possible to put it right in front of their fans, or 'reset'. The 'reset' argument is just current football jargon to say, "we will try to get it right next time, and we blew it this week, sorry".

‌The international break can also have the beneficial effect of taking your mind away from a bad defeat. This is not to say that you don't care, it is just that you must compartmentalise your thoughts and feelings. Footballers are among the best at this.

‌You simply cannot go to play for your national team and spend the time brooding about what happened against Brentford last week. That way lies madness and another poor performance, only this time in front of the entire nation.

Pat Nevin writes weekly in the Football Extra newsletter. If you're outside the UK and would like to receive it, sign up here.

Crystal Palaceand France striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, 29, is a target for Manchester United as they look to strengthen their attacking options. (TeamTalk), external

United are also planning to offer new terms for English defender Luke Shaw, 31, who is out of contract at the end of the season. (Football Insider), external

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It's been a busy few days on the blue side of Manchester.

On the latest episode of The Devils' Advocate podcast, BBC Manchester's Gaz Drinkwater and Joe McGrath react to Manchester City being found guilty of breaching the Premier League's financial rules.

Listen below or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

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Manchester United and Arsenal are both keeping a close eye on Porto's 22-year-old Portuguese right-back Alberto Costa, but face competition from Paris St-Germain. (Caughtoffside), external

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Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

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Unbelievably, sensible and well-informed people are seriously discussing Manchester City getting a huge points deduction or being demoted or kicked out of the English leagues completely.

‌There is also reasonable talk about them being sued by just about every other major club in the domestic game, and a few beyond that. That is before you get to the concept of titles being stripped and trophies retrospectively re-awarded to others.

There is still an appeal to be heard, but they have been found guilty already. Serious consequences must be considered. Following the draconian punishments handed to Everton and Nottingham Forest, among others, City might find they don't just have the book thrown at them, it is the entire British Library lobbed in their general direction.

Those other clubs cooperated in the process. City have faced more charges and they involve larger sums and over a longer time period. In short, things are not looking good for the club that dominated English football for almost a decade.

This may be the biggest story in the Premier League's history and it is going to run and run.

Other serious considerations will follow hard on the heels of the Blues' dilemmas – specifically what long-term effects will this have on the Premier League? They will not all be good ones.

Some reasonably argue that the financial rules City have been found to have broken shouldn't have been put there in the first place. They were brought in to safeguard the financial security of the clubs and the league, but try telling that to many City, Everton and Nottingham Forest fans just now.

Newcastle and Aston Villa have plenty of financial backing, but these rules have hurt their ability to grow and stay competitive with the legacy clubs. This all feels unfair if you are a supporter of those two.

The money that will now be frittered away by the English game on lawyers and legal fees is eye-watering, and it will grow exponentially as the litigation increases.

Pat Nevin writes weekly in the Football Extra newsletter. If you're outside the UK and would like to receive it, sign up here.

Chelsea are monitoring Crystal Palace's England left-back Tyrick Mitchell, 27, but may face competition from Manchester United and Liverpool. (Caught Offside), external

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We asked you to rate Manchester United's start to the season and tell us what Michael Carrick should be focusing on during this extended international break.

Here are some of your comments:

Ricky: Slow, but not disastrous start. No need to hit the panic button! The first-team players that were late back after World Cup and the three new players in the midfield all need time to gel. I still believe a top-four finish is likely and they should give Carrick the full season.

Duncan: Not a great start, but some of the underlying stats are very positive. Let's not abandon ship just because the wind is blowing.

Godfrey: We should all calm down. Yes, the start of the season has been disappointing - there's no denying that. However, as Carrick keeps pointing out, there are a lot of results decided by fine margins. We finished last season with the most points from the games left from when Carrick took over. He deserves a full season to embed his ideas and get the new players settled in. Kobbie Mainoo has been immense so far and Marcus Rashford has looked good. He just needs a couple of goals and assists to settle him.

Hugh: United's start to this season has been really dismal, very poor. However, it is not a complete surprise. United failed to sign any of the top available players in the summer transfer market, and once again bought a player who was crocked. United are a badly run club now - just a commercial enterprise for very greedy and incompetent owners.

Bob: Having watched all the pre-season games, our comical defending has come as no surprise. However, the pedestrian football is back to the bad old days - possibly the Rashford effect. Carrick has three weeks to get to the bottom of it. Defeat by Tottenham really will mean we're in a crisis again.