Man Utd teetering towards crisis as Man City cloud hangs over Premier League

Manchester – Manchester United travel to historic rivals Leeds on Sunday with pressure mounting on manager Michael Carrick, while Manchester City aim to extend their perfect Premier League start despite the uncertainty over their future. Brighton could be one of the big winners should City suffer severe sanctions for breaking financial rules. The Seagulls riding high, just two points behind second-placed Arsenal, ahead of their grudge match against Crystal Palace. AFP Sport looks at the pick of the action from the English top-flight this weekend. Man Utd’s worst start for 40 years United are off to their worst league start in 40 years and were plunged further into chaos by defender Lisandro Martinez’s attack on the club’s hierarchy over a lack of investment in the squad after Tuesday’s 2-0 defeat by Atletico Madrid.

The Argentine took aim at technical director Jason Wilcox after the Red Devils only added three midfielders during the transfer window. But Martinez himself has been one of those most culpable for a miserable start to the campaign for his part in goals conceded to Fulham and Tottenham in recent weeks. United have won just one of their opening six league games and were also dumped out of the League Cup last month by Brighton. Leeds last beat the Red Devils at Elland Road back in 2002, but did inflict the only home defeat of Carrick’s interim spell in charge last season when the sides met in April. Carrick is increasingly at risk of becoming just the latest manager unable to turn around a sharp decline at Old Trafford since Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013. But he said the hostile atmosphere that will await his side presents the perfect chance to bounce back. “What a great game (on) Sunday to prepare for. It’s a fantastic game for us, for the club, for the…