Manchester United fans got their hearts ripped out yesterday, ending up with a painful 2-2 draw against Everton after thinking they had all three points right up until the final seconds. That brutal late equalizer left head coach Michael Carrick with plenty to dissect, and honestly, the disappointment of dropping points is real.
The Heartbreak at Goodison Park
The United faithful watched Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko both hit the back of the net, putting the Red Devils in a winning position. They were sitting pretty, or so they thought. But Everton debutant Ainsley Maitland-Niles had other plans, ripping a cracking goal into the top corner from distance. Tyrique George also scored for Everton, but it was Maitland-Niles’s late strike that crushed the traveling supporters and denied Carrick’s squad a much-needed away win. This 2-2 draw means United’s opening three games of the 2026/27 Premier League season now stand at one win, one draw, and one loss. That’s not the start anyone wanted, especially considering they finished 11th in the table after this result.
Carrick’s Unexpected Praise Amidst the Slump
Despite the sting of losing two points, Carrick is adamant the slump isn’t as bad as it seems. He spoke to MUTV, highlighting one specific area he was “particularly pleased with”: the team’s attacking intent. “We’re disappointed right now,” Carrick admitted. “We came here to win and put ourselves in the position twice to do that.” He knows how tough Goodison Park can be, saying, “I knew that it was going to be one of those games that goes to the end, that’s how it’s been most of the times when I’ve played here.” He acknowledged the opposition’s quality goals: “It was two great strikes from their perspective, both in the top corner from distance. They don’t go in too often but when they do like that, it’s tough for us to take.” But his focus was on his own squad’s ability to create. “We put ourselves in a great position with some really good attacking play but to score two goals and not win away from home is really disappointing,” he said. He doubled down on the positive: “Some of the attacking play through the pitch was really good today. We know that we can do certain things really well and the attackers did well to score two goals. But to not win the game, that’s the disappointing thing.”
Carrick is clearly trying to pull the positives from a brutal result, especially with United sitting 11th early in the season. He noted there were “good things from Hull that we took, good things from Ipswich, and there’s good things today.” But he also stressed the “ongoing work” and “things that we need to improve on.” The schedule keeps coming, with a “totally different game on Thursday” and “totally different game next Sunday.” United needs to turn those “good things” into wins fast, especially if that attacking intent is truly there. They have to bounce back, plain and simple.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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