Talk of the Devils: The Athletic FC's Manchester United show

After a lengthy break, and with a heightened atmosphere around Old Trafford, this wasn't the return that anyone would've wanted. Spurs dominated possession and territory in the opening half-hour and could have had a healthy lead.
Improvement came after half-time and, with a superb goal from Bryan Mbeumo followed soon after by a red card for Rodrigo Bentancur, hope and relief briefly flowed around the stadium. Unfortunately, with United, playing against ten men doesn't feel like an advantage these days... far from it.
Next up, it's a trip to Madrid and a genuine Champions League event. Diego Simeone's Atletico are a formidable force, especially at home, and it's the start of a quickfire series of tough psychological and physical tests for Michael Carrick and his squad.
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The Premier League returns after the extended international break and it's a chance for Michael Carrick to reset and get the campaign off on a better footing. If league form is anything to go by, Tottenham Hotspur SHOULD be a useful opposition in that regard, but before last season this fixture hadn't been kind.
There are several questions over fitness and availability going into Saturday's game. Will Carlos Baleba make his much awaited debut, what should we make of the various withdrawals from international commitments, and what can we expect from some of United's longer term absentees?
And, there have been several news stories away from the pitch as well, big, small, and huge. We update on those, of course, but the main thing is to see an uptick in league form; hopefully a massive international break is as good as a change for Carrick and co.
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It's the final countdown... the top five greatest Manchester United players of all time (according to Andy Mitten). If our previous episode was contentious, the decisions here are more straightforward, albeit the choice between two great midfielders is the one that wracked Andy's conscience more than any...
That aside the theme of influence, whether it be through leadership, longevity, strength in adversity, or even just powerful charisma, runs through this discussion. As with many of the top 25, there are controversial elements, too.
Whatever you think about the final list, there can be little argument about the vast contribution these five men have made to Manchester United. Knowing about Prefab Sprout, not compulsory.

Read more about Andy's choices:

Bobby Charlton
Ryan Giggs
George Best
Bryan Robson
Roy Keane
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After a brief aside (!) we return to our discussion of Manchester United's greatest ever players, as adjudicated by Andy Mitten. If you thought the countdown from 25-11 was tough enough, we're into the top ten and it is not getting any easier.
This episode will see us count from 10 to 6 and, on footballing talent alone, it wouldn't be far off a top five. Fascinating characters who created some incredible moments, both on and off the pitch, and a mix of local talent with charismatic imports... causing arguments; it's what Manchester United is all about.
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It's taken eight years to arrive, but the verdict of the Premier League's independent commission has sent shockwaves through football, finding Manchester City guilty on almost all charges of financial misstatements and failure to cooperate with their investigation.
The Athletic's David Ornstein broke the story late last week, with statements following from the Premier League and its Chairman Richard Masters. City also made a statement denying their culpability and making clear their intention to appeal.
There are now so many questions; what will happen next? What is an appropriate punishment? Might the history books have to be rewritten? (of course, some things simply can't be retrospectively altered) Importantly for us, what will Manchester United's reaction be, and how will it affect football in its aftermath?
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