Manchester United’s week was brutal, feeling like they took a revolver to themselves, working along toe by toe. After an underwhelming summer transfer window focused solely on midfield additions, they’ve stumbled haphazardly into this new season. The pressure on manager Michael Carrick is intense. Just months ago, he picked up pieces from Ruben Amorim’s ill-fated tenure, leading United back to the Champions League, but that feels like a lifetime ago.
The Derby Debacle Was Unforgivable
Sunday’s Manchester derby was supposed to be a statement. Phil Foden got sent off in the 23rd minute, giving United over 70 minutes with a man advantage against their rivals. City is still finding their feet under new manager Enzo Maresca, so the stage was set for a damaging humiliation. Instead? United were ponderous on the ball, fell on the wrong side of a howling VAR call, and somehow still lost 1-0. How do you not punish a team like that when they’re down a man for over half the game? It’s mind-boggling.
Another Collapse, This Time In The Cup
Then came Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie against Brighton. This is a competition United could actually win, unlike the Premier League or Champions League, which are frankly way beyond their capabilities right now. They started like a house on fire, going up 2-0 in just the 10th minute! Academy product Shea Lacey marked his full senior debut with a wonderful goal, and Mason Mount doubled the advantage. But then? United listlessly fell to pieces, defended appallingly, and lost 3-2. Giving away such highly advantageous positions in two important matches, after a bad season start, is an appalling body of work. Carrick stood impassively as both matches slipped away. Where was the urgency? Where was the plan B?
History Repeating, Defensive Nightmares
Fans leapt on board when Carrick first took over, removing the shackles of Amorim’s conservative 3-4-3 and letting United play with recognizable verve. Now, it feels like history’s repeating. Amorim, Erik ten Hag, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer all left Old Trafford mid-season after things spun out of control during the fall. Carrick is starting to look like a manager without a plan B he trusts, echoing his predecessors. You saw it in the derby, with the defensive line scrambling for Erling Haaland’s winner after Patrick Dorgu got dragged from left-back to right-back. The Brighton goals? An abject compilation of confused, non-committal rubbish. Youngsters Ayden Heaven and Leny Yoro, talented players, put forward far less than they’re capable of during that second-half collapse. Whether Diogo Dalot is much better than his current performances is open for debate. This team has to find answers, fast.
This isn’t just a couple of bad results. Giving away such highly advantageous positions in two crucial matches, coming off a bad season start, is deeply troubling. Carrick needs to show he can manipulate game situations like his opposite numbers Enzo Maresca and Fabian Hurzeler did. The fall is when things started to spin out of control for previous managers, and it feels like Carrick is already teetering on that edge. Can he turn this around, or are we destined for another mid-season managerial change at Old Trafford?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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