#983 | Ed and Dharnish review United’s win over Crystal Palace, focusing on a poor, flat first-half marked by weak progression from the back, Palace’s press clogging central areas around Casemiro/Mainoo/Bruno. There’s a discussion about United’s left-sided imbalance amid injuries to Shaw, Martínez, and Dorgu.

There was improved intensity after halftime and some decisive Bruno Fernandes passing that led to a penalty and red card, shifting control and eventually a winner. 

United leaned on crossing and set-piece threat, including the winning goal from Benjamin Šeško, whose finishing and overall output since Carrick’s arrival are the story of the past seven games. There’s a chat about midfield transition risks, Palace’s pattern of dropping strikers into midfield, and a brief touch on what rivals for the Champions League places are doing. The episode wraps with a tactical preview of Newcastle on Wednesday.

00:00 Introduction

02:07 First Half Analysis

09:00 Cunha's Role and Width Issues

11:01 Second Half Turnaround

14:00 Sesko and United's Attack

21:07 Champions League Race

23:02 Newcastle Preview

28:00 Wrap

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#982 | Ed and Daniel review United’s 2–1 win over Crystal Palace. Victory marked by slow buildup and low urgency, helped by a penalty and a red card, but ultimately Michael Carrick’s adjustments brought improved control and sustained pressure. There are still issues in buildup, at fullback and Palace were able to get behind United’s midfield. And yet United were good enough to see it out and move third in the Premier League table. It’s another goal and assist for Bruno - and one more for in-form Benjamin Šeško’s as well.  Then we move on to Newcastle away on Wednesday night.

00:00 Introduction

01:48 First Half Performance Issues

06:17 Tactical Changes and Second Half

14:11 Penalty and Red Card 

16:40 Goals

27:17 Player Performances

36:49 Newcastle Preview

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#981 | Ed and Wayne record a Friday-night pod focused on Manchester United’s finances and Sunday’s match against Crystal Palace. The financial results held few surprises aside from the scale and persistence of United’s debt. The long-term “millstone” that just won’t go away. Football fans want to watch football not become finance experts, but here we are anyway. Two years after Ratcliffe’s takeover is his strategy working … and at what cost? 

Then we shift gear to focus on Sunday’s game against a fatigued, depleted Palace. Will Michael Carrick tweak things with a midweek game to follow. The big taking point - will in-form Benjamin Šeško start?

00:00 Introduction

01:19 Financial Results Discussion

14:52 Ratcliffe Ownership Strategy

21:05 Crystal Palace Preview

27:10 Glasner's Situation at Palace

32:41 Carrick's Tactical Approach

39:11 Match Preview

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#980 | Ed and Jamie review Manchester United’s fiscal 2026 second-quarter results, arguing the numbers look bullish despite no European competition: revenues held up, EBITDA is strong, and the club posted an operating profit of just over £30m. They credit Ineos’ restructuring - about £50m a year removed from the cost base, including redundancies and efforts to rationalise player wages - with improving the club’s financial foundations, while noting debt remains high, cash is low (~£44m), and historic transfer payables are absorbing cashflow. They discuss how Champions League qualification could add ~£80–100m revenue and how Premier League squad-cost rules may help. They flag major debt maturities in 2027 and 2029 and expect refinancing to increase interest costs, plus brief updates on stadium plans, shareholding movement, and optimism driven by improved results and recruitment.

00:00 Introduction

04:12 Cost Restructuring & Wage Bill

13:48 Revenue Breakdown

17:53 Champions League Impact & Future Outlook

20:17 Debt Refinancing Discussion

26:36 Stadium Development & Wrap-up

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#979 | Ed and Dan look back on  United’s 1–0 win at Everton. It was functional rather than convincing but a vital three points as United close in on a return to the Champions League. There’s plenty of praise for another excellent Senne Lammens performance in goal under heavy pressure from Everton’s agricultural set-piece routines. When, if ever, are referees going to protect goalkeepers who are now routinely fouled? It’s all Mikel Arteta’s fault.

Despite the victory, was this another case of United struggling to break down a low-block until Benjamin Sesko’s entrance on the hour? The striker now has six goals in his past seven appearances but should he have been on from the start?

United will face another team willing to sit deep at the weekend, with struggling Palace at Old Trafford. Surely time to change it up in attack.

00:00 Introduction

01:46 Senne Lammens’ performance

06:23 Sesko's Goal, Squad Rotation

10:01 Set Pieces

18:06 Kobbie Mainoo and Midfield Control

23:51 Squad Depth and Youth Players

33:43 Spurs Relegation Battle

38:24 Women's Team

40:31 Crystal Palace

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#978 | Ed and Adam suffer through the long wait for United men to play again. In the meantime they enjoy United Women’s 5–0 aggregate win over Atlético Madrid to reach the Women’s Champions League quarterfinals. It’s been a strong performance from the team so far this season despite the often critical reception to manager Marc Skinner.

There’s a deep-dive on United’s strategy behind revamping midfield in the summer - Anderson, Wharton, Baleba, Tonali … somebody else? That group will include Kobbie Mainoo, with reports this week that negotiations over a new contract are underway now that he is back in the first team under Michael Carrick.

The under-18s beat Oxford in the Youth Cup and there’s even more hype around 15-year-old JJ Gabriel.

Finally a preview of Everton away at the new Hill Dickinson Stadium. Everton have enjoyed a solid season under David Moyes. How will Carrick approach this one after West Ham’s solid defensive performance last time out? Is it time for Benjamin Šeško to start?

00:00 Introduction

00:27 United Women's Success

05:48 Arsenal vs City Title Race

13:23 Mainoo Contract & Midfield Targets

21:49 Evaluating Midfield Options

30:13 Transfer Strategy

35:41 Youth Academy & JJ Gabriel

39:29 Everton Preview

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#977 | Michael Carrick’s audition continues. With four wins from five, including victories over Arsenal and City, Ed, Dharnish and Daniel break down what we’ve actually learned about Carrick’s “game model” so far. Is this a sustainable tactical evolution or a short-term bounce? And how should United approach the next run of fixtures, starting with Everton?

The discussion covers why West Ham’s low block caused problems; the emergence of a clear tactical identity under Carrick; increased player proximity, rotations and front-foot football; the midfield rebuild that’s clearly coming in the summer; and whether Carrick should already be the frontrunner for the permanent job

There’s optimism. There are caveats. And there’s still the small matter of breaking down stubborn, compact sides. Momentum matters, but so does long-term planning.

00:00 Introduction and weekend football 

02:00 West Ham analysis

08:45 What is Carrick’s “game model”?

16:10 Defensive evolution

19:00 Everton preview

22:00 Momentum or reality check?

25:00 Long-term future

29:30 Momentum, expectations & what comes next

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#976 | A listener mailbag episode with Wayne and Ed, recorded during a gap in the men's fixture list (though United Women notched a seventh straight win). Wayne's been deep in writing a book on an under-explored era of United history, with fascinating cross-era player comparisons.

Listener questions drive wide-ranging discussion: the ongoing burden of Glazer debt and whether Ratcliffe's involvement changes anything meaningful; the stadium regeneration plan; and pointed criticism of Ratcliffe's public comments, staff cuts, ticket price hikes, and chaotic decision-making - even as the org chart and finances have arguably improved.

On football: the Wilcox-Amorim dynamic and where "oversight" crosses into interference; whether Michael Carrick’s audition is going well; and why Ole's tenure deserves more respect than it gets. On the squad: Bruno Fernandes is irreplaceable, midfield needs a serious rebuild if Casemiro and Ugarte leave, the striker situation remains an area for more depth, and youth prospects offer some hope.

00:00 Intro

01:29 Wayne's Writing Projects

07:06 Ownership & Stadium Questions

13:06 Jim Ratcliffe's Comments

20:10 Jason Wilcox & Ruben Amorim

31:40 Michael Carrick Discussion

38:38 Bruno Fernandes Questions

43:20 Midfield & Transfer Needs

47:24 Striker Situation

51:34 Center Back & Youth Prospects

54:49 Most Damaging Post-Fergie Match

58:30 Fun Questions & Outro

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#975 | Ed and Dharnish discuss United's 1-1 draw with West Ham. It’s the first draw of the Michael Carrick era - second act - and Nuno’s low-block caused plenty of challenges. Why were United so flat? Was it tiredness after a second game in three days or just too many players off their game? There’s plenty of talk about Casemiro’s role and how United might replace him, another strong Kobbie Mainoo performance, and an outstanding goal from substitute Benjamin Sesko. Could the Slovenian have started this one given West Ham’s tactics?

00:00 Introduction 

00:57 March Breakdown

03:50 Carrick's Strategy

09:55 Defensive Concerns

16:47 Casemiro's Role

22:46 Analyzing Player Performances

24:48 Transfer Market

29:34 Match Against Everton

37:42 Concluding Thoughts 

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#974 | United put in a dominant and convincing 2-0 win over Spurs. How much of that was down to Cristian Romero's red card and how much United’s quality? Ed and Dan dig into it.

There’s plenty of chat around Kobbie Mainoo’s growing influence in midfield, how the Casemiro-Mainoo-Bruno balance is clicking, and Lisandro Martinez’s influence at centre-back. Plus, Bruno's evolving role. 

There’s a nod to United Women’s good form and then a look ahead to West Ham away on Tuesday night.

00:00 Introduction

01:00 Romero Red Card 

03:34 Mainoo's Development

08:51 Carrick's Management Style

15:14 Arsenal Title Challenge

24:07 Amorim's Legacy

33:26 West Ham Preview

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