INEOS officially confirm midfielder suspended for upcoming derby

INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe remain under pressure from Manchester United supporters who believe the club did not go far enough during the summer transfer window.

Carlos Baleba, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans arrived as genuine first-team additions, transforming Michael Carrick’s midfield options.

But other areas were left untouched.

Left-back was one position many supporters felt desperately needed strengthening, especially with United returning to the Champions League.

The opening weeks have have hardly silenced those concerns.

United began with a miserable 2-0 defeat away to newly-promoted Hull City, conceding twice from set-pieces and looking worryingly passive.

They responded at Old Trafford, with Bruno Fernandes scoring a hat-trick as Carrick’s side beat Ipswich Town 5-2.

Then came another reminder that this team remains unfinished.

United twice led Everton through Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko on Sunday, only for Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ spectacular stoppage-time equaliser to force a 2-2 draw.

Their next Premier League assignment carries considerably more weight.

Manchester City visit Old Trafford on Sunday for the Manchester derby, with Carrick looking to repeat one of the defining performances of his second spell at the club.

His first match after returning as United boss in January was against City.

United overwhelmed Pep Guardiola’s side that afternoon, with Mbeumo breaking the deadlock before Patrick Dorgu completed a memorable 2-0 victory.

INEOS have now confirmed that a midfielder within their wider football operation will miss an upcoming derby through suspension.

Midfielder suspended for Sunday’s derby

The player is FC Lausanne-Sport captain Olivier Custodio.

INEOS also own the Swiss club, creating a direct link between developments at Lausanne and the ownership group currently responsible for Manchester United’s football operations.

Lausanne confirmed on their official website that Custodio received his fourth yellow card of the season during Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to FC Vaduz.

That booking means the experienced midfielder will now be suspended for next weekend’s Lake Geneva derby against Servette.

Custodio is deeply associated with Lausanne, having developed there before leaving for spells with Lucerne and Lugano and eventually returning in 2022.

While United prepare for one fierce local rivalry in Manchester, another INEOS club will therefore enter derby weekend without its captain in midfield.