MISERY IN MADRID! Carrick’s dream is quickly turning into a nightmare as pressure builds on Man Utd boss with Atletico defeat

Manchester United's tricky start to the season continued against Atletico Madrid as they slipped to defeat at the Metropolitano.

Diego Simeone's side took the lead after mere seconds through Pablo Barrios. The Spanish side thought they had doubled their lead moments before the break as Johnny Cardoso swept home, only to see the goal ruled out following a VAR review.

United's evening then got even more difficult in the second-half as VAR intervened again to see Leny Yoro sent off for a last-man challenge on Jonathan David, with Ademola Lookman then scoring to extend the Spanish side's lead.

The defeat leaves Carrick under real pressure heading into what could potentially be a decisive Premier League showdown with Leeds this weekend.

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Michael Carrick will have been desperate for a fast start in Madrid in an effort to lift the gloom. He got exactly the opposite, with the home side opening the scoring after less than a minute.

Alex Baena was released behind the Red Devils defence and instead of going on his own, he elected to wait for support before rolling the ball across for Barrios. In acres of space, he rolled home via a touch off of Ayden Heaven.

And while United did eventually manage to find a foothold in the game, their efforts were then all-but ruined midway through the second half as Yoro took down Jonathan David as the last man. Lookman then tucked home from close range to make it 2-0.

After Nicky Butt's claims that Carrick did not want to go into management unless it was United, the current boss might feel that he maybe should have stuck to that claim regardless of employer.

United had a number of lucky breaks in Madrid and given their fortune so far this season, they might have felt they were due a bit of luck. Their first escape saw defender Alex Grimaldo hit the post from a brilliant free kick.

But it was the VAR review on the stroke of half-time that saw them breathe the biggest sigh of relief. Atletico thought they had doubled their lead through Cardoso, who swept home a brilliant effort.

But United instantly appealed for a handball by Marcos Llorente earlier in the move, with Ayden Heaven and Bruno Fernandes in particular leading the appeals.

The game was incidently stopped and the referee chalked the strike off. It looked to be a harsh call, with the ball bouncing off of Llorente's thigh and onto his arm before it hit Heaven's hand. Cardoso still had plenty to do to find the net.

Either way, the decision went in United's favour. As did Julian Alvarez's spectacular second-half attempt that hit the post.

While United have fallen to another defeat, that was not due to a lack of effort or creativity in Madrid - quite the opposite. Carrick's men actually created an array of presentable chances but were unable to take them.

Bryan Mbeumo twice went close in the first-half as he at first rolled an effort wide, while he also saw an drive parried away by Jan Oblak.

Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes also went close, the latter lifting an chipped effort just wide. The Portuguese playmaker then struck the woodwork. Matheus Cunha should also have at least found the net in stoppage time but saw his effort saved.

But in the end, if you don't put the ball in the net, you're not going to get many wins.