CONFIRMATION: 3 Manchester United players charged

Centre-back Harry Maguire and two Manchester United teammates have been prosecuted and fined by the court for a series of speeding violations off the pitch.

Manchester United players are always the center of scrutiny, and their off-field troubles often attract as much media attention as their professional performance. Recently, the news agency Press Association and Sky News simultaneously reported that three first-team stars of the Red Devils, including Harry Maguire, Altay Bayindir, and Matheus Cunha, have faced criminal legal proceedings for separate traffic violations that occurred last year.

First is centre-back Harry Maguire, who just suffered a major blow when he was coach Thomas Tuchel dropped from England's 2026 World Cup campaign. While his teammates flew to the US to assemble, the 33-year-old player received more bad news from Tameside Magistrates' Court.

Maguire was caught driving his £130,000 Range Rover at 37 mph in a 30 mph zone in Altrincham on December 28 last year. The former Man Utd captain pleaded guilty in writing, paid a £1,000 fine, received 3 penalty points, and had to pay a total of £520 in costs. In his apology letter, Maguire explained that he mistakenly believed the area had a 40 mph speed limit.

At the same time as Maguire's closed hearing, backup goalkeeper Altay Bayindir was also fined £666 and received 3 penalty points by Manchester Magistrates' Court. The Turkish international was recorded driving at 41 mph in a 30 mph zone in the village of Hale Barns. Notably, the incident occurred at 11 PM on November 24 last year, just one hour after he and the club lost 0-1 to Everton.

The most troublesome case is that of striker Matheus Cunha. The Mercedes registered under the 27-year-old Brazilian's name was found speeding on the same stretch of road as Bayindir, just hours after the defeat to Arsenal in the Premier League opener on August 17.

Not stopping there, Cunha has been charged with an additional criminal offense for failing to cooperate and deliberately ignoring police letters requesting identification of the driver. Unlike his two teammates who have pleaded guilty, Cunha's case has no defense yet, and he will have to appear in open court at Bolton Magistrates' Court on December 16 to face a possible driving disqualification.

This string of speeding scandals - coupled with young defender Leny Yoro having been banned from driving for six months earlier - has raised serious alarm bells about the discipline and awareness of Manchester's red half stars off the pitch.