Maguire backs Lisandro Martinez after Manchester United dressing room storm

A 1-1 draw against Leeds United at Elland Road wouldn't normally make headlines on its own. But when what's really at stake is the internal mood of a dressing room still reeling from a public outburst, even the most unremarkable result becomes an excuse to talk about something else entirely. And that's exactly what Harry Maguire addressed the moment the final whistle blew.

The week had started off rocky. Lisandro Martinez had sharply criticized football director Jason Wilcox following Manchester United's Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid, questioning the club's ambition in the transfer market. The Argentine ended up publicly apologizing, but the noise had already taken hold.

Despite everything, Lisandro returned to the starting lineup on Sunday and, according to Maguire, played a strong first half before being substituted at halftime.

Maguire opens up on the dressing room mood

Asked by Sky Sports about his teammate's situation, Maguire didn't hold back:

"Obviously there was a lot of noise around the club over the last week, like there is every week, but this time it was even more so. Lisandro Martinez came out and apologized. We've put it behind us now"Harry Maguire

The English defender went further, praising Lisandro's performance before his early exit: "He played and I thought he was brilliant in the first half, so credit to him. Hopefully it's not a serious injury and we can get him back soon."

Manager Michael Carrick had already tried to play down the episode, insisting that Lisandro Martinez's explosive comments "really weren't a drama for us as a group."

The pressure of not winning

Asked whether his teammate's criticism had affected the group's spirit, Maguire didn't shy away from the bigger picture:

"When you play for this club you're always under the microscope, especially when you're not winning games. We haven't played anywhere near the level needed to win as many matches as we did last season"Harry Maguire

He added something that sounded almost like a warning to the dressing room itself: "We get tested every week and the boys have to get used to that. They need to find something within themselves to help the group. We're going to stick together and go again. We've got another big game on Wednesday and we're looking forward to it."

For now, the numbers don't match the talk of unity. Manchester United have managed just seven points from their first seven Premier League matches, a run that led Carrick himself to admit the current picture "doesn't look good." Between apologies, statements of support and a schedule that offers no respite, United find themselves back under scrutiny ahead of that Wednesday match which, according to Maguire, they're already looking forward to as a chance to turn the page.