Manchester United’s disappointing start to the 2026-27 season under Michael Carrick found a new low on Wednesday as the Red Devils blew a two-goal 10th-minute lead to Brighton & Hove Albion at Old Trafford in the League Cup.
Carrick is taking the blame for his players.
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“We ended up with a pretty disappointing night,” Carrick said, via the BBC. “It’s obvious for me to say that. We accept that. We can’t be in a position like that and lose the game in that manner. I’ll understand the disappointments and frustrations. I accept that. That’s on me. It’ll need to be better than that.”
With the international break quickly approaching, United have faltered at almost every step of the young season under Carrick.
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The weekend’s failure to find the goal against 10-man Manchester City in the derby had controversy on which Carrick’s Red Devils could rest, but this performance was anything but positive after Shea Lacey and Mason Mount gave United a 2-0 lead.
Michael Carrick reaction to League Cup exit
Carrick’s post-match comments to the BBC righteously lauded Shea Lacey’s goal and what it means for United’s academy but he quickly turned to all the things that have to be fixed in order for the Red Devils to get their season pointed in the right direction.
And he’s well aware that their start to the season has hit a bad patch with the late equalizer from Ainsley Maitland-Niles versus Everton, the controversial derby loss, and now this home capitulation to exit a cup.
“We’ve had small, little things that have gone against us in the last week or two and then it accumulates to feel that it’s a lot bigger. I think we have to be honest and say that. The late goal against Everton from outside the box. The City goal the other day. It can all of a sudden roll into something a bit greater but I understand the disappointment because we shouldn’t finish the game in that manner with the position we were in and we have to be humble and take that. .... We have to find the answers for Sunday.”
So what are the answers? Is he on the hot seat and how bad is the situation for Carrick in Manchester?
Unpacking Manchester United’s poor start to the season
- August 22: Lose to Hull City in PL opener
- August 30: Beat Ipswich Town 5-2 at in PL home opener
- September 6: Draw Everton 2-2 in the league
- September 10: Thump Azerbaijan side Sabah 4-0 in the Champions League
- September 13: Lose Manchester derby despite playing 67 minutes up a man
- September 16: Bow out of League Cup after leading 2-0 versus Brighton at Old Trafford
United opened the season with two promoted teams, Everton, and one of the smallest minnows in the Champions League.
They’ve since met two good teams in Man City and Brighton, losing in two very different ways.
Carrick overachieved upon taking the wheel at United last winter and brought the team to the Champions League. The Red Devils kept him in place and spent a lot of money on building a team for him this summer.
It has not gone well, but are things better, worse, or about where their performances have led them.
United’s Premier League stats have some meat to them, but again they haven’t had a very difficult road through four games. They lead the division in shot attempts, are second in xG, third in possession, and fourth in xGA.
But the side drops to seventh in non-penalty xGA and they are conceding the third-worst xGA per shot attempt. They are lower half of the table in aerial duels % and ground duels %.
How long is Carrick’s proverbial leash? Surely it has some length as ownership won’t want to say “Our bad” so soon in the project, but what could happen if they go away to Fulham on Sunday and perform poorly? Will leadership consider making a change with a long international break to address what ails the team before meeting Spurs and Atletico Madrid?
