Atlético Madrid beat Manchester United 2-0 as Yoro red card deepens Carrick's struggles
Pablo Barrios scored inside the first minute and Ademola Lookman added a second after Leny Yoro's red card, leaving Manchester United winless in five games and Michael Carrick under growing pressure.
An early goal at the Metropolitano
Atlético Madrid scored inside the first minute on Tuesday, 13 October, when Pablo Barrios finished a move started by Alex Baena. Baena ran in behind the United defence and squared the ball to Barrios on the right side of the box, and the shot went in despite Ayden Heaven's attempt to block it. The timing differs between reports: The Guardian put the goal at 53 seconds, while SAPO gave 50 seconds. Atlético were without captain Koke, whose mother died in the hours before kick-off. Barrios ran off holding up six fingers in Koke's honour, and the captain's shirt was raised from the bench.
Chances at both ends before half-time
Atlético had more of the ball in the first half but struggled to turn possession into goals. A Johnny Cardoso finish from the edge of the box was ruled out after a VAR review showed the ball had struck Marcos Llorente's hand during the build-up. Alejandro Grimaldo's free kick then hit the angle between post and crossbar. United's best chances fell to Bryan Mbeumo, whose first effort went wide and whose second was blocked by Jan Oblak near the post. Marcus Rashford failed to make contact with a pass from Lisandro Martínez, while Carrick, who made five changes to his starting line-up, selected Carlos Baleba, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans together in midfield for the first time and moved captain Bruno Fernandes out to the right.
Yoro's red card and Lookman's goal
The second half brought more United possession, and Fernandes hit the crossbar from the left of the box after a corner routine. Julián Álvarez struck the post early in the second half. The match turned in the 74th minute when Leny Yoro, a 20-year-old centre-back, was sent off. Referee Glenn Nyberg first awarded a free kick against David after he fell on the ball and handled it, but after a VAR review he reversed the decision and showed Yoro a red card for putting an arm across David, who had been played through on goal. It was the first red card of Yoro's career. In the 79th minute, David's shot was saved by Senne Lammens, and Ademola Lookman, the former Everton striker, tapped in the rebound.
- Pablo Barrios puts Atlético ahead, at 50 or 53 seconds depending on the report
- Johnny Cardoso goal ruled out after a VAR review showed the ball struck Marcos Llorente's hand
- Leny Yoro sent off for denying Jonathan David as the last man
- Ademola Lookman scores Atlético's second goal from a rebound
What the defeat means for United
Atlético claimed their first win of this Champions League league phase, while United became the first English side to lose in the competition this season. United have now gone five games without a win in all competitions, and they have won only twice in nine games this season, against Ipswich Town and Sabah. Carrick took charge after United sacked Ruben Amorim. Carrick has described the pressure of such results in these terms:
Sometimes when it's not quite going for you, you see who's really there
United have not won since 10 September, and the next fixture is away at Leeds United on Sunday, at Elland Road.
