Carrick Under Pressure After United’s 145-Game Home Record Collapses

MANCHESTER, England — Manchester United’s difficult opening stretch intensified at Old Trafford when Brighton & Hove Albion overturned a 2-0 deficit to win 3-2 in Wednesday’s EFL Cup fixture. The result ended United’s 145-game unbeaten home run in matches where they had taken a two-goal lead, a sequence dating back several years that included 143 victories and two draws.

The cup exit came after a 1-0 domestic league defeat to a 10-player Manchester City side at Old Trafford last Sunday. Manchester United have now suffered three defeats and secured only a single victory in their first five domestic fixtures of the campaign, leaving them eight points off the top of the Premier League table and three points adrift of the crucial Champions League qualification places.

Michael Carrick, now in his first full season as permanent manager, has faced vocal frustration from the Old Trafford crowd. He rejected the idea that the club was experiencing an existential crisis, describing the run of form as a normal hurdle rather than a “catastrophe” or “the end of the world.”

Questions about Carrick’s touchline demeanor and the visible disappointment of supporters prompted him to defend his approach to management. “We don’t like losing matches,” Carrick said. “It’s not like I don’t feel the emotion, but it doesn’t affect what we do next. I need to show more emotion? In what way? What do you want me to show?”

Carrick made 464 appearances as a Manchester United player between 2006 and 2018, then worked as a first-team coach under Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. He was initially appointed on an interim basis in January, transforming United into the form team of the Premier League and securing Champions League qualification before receiving the permanent role.

The restructuring has included high-profile summer signings such as midfielder Youri Tielemans and forward Benjamin Sesko, alongside highly rated academy graduates including winger Shea Lacey and young defender Ayden Heaven. Defensive transitions have been a particular source of growing pains during the current transitional phase.

“We live in a world of instant reaction and judgement, which is fine,” Carrick said. “It is what it is, but it’s not in my world. Being realistic and understanding this would come and learning about each other is really important.”

He also said he was not concerned about his job security, arguing that the club’s leadership takes a long-term view beyond a small sample of early-season matches. “I think it will be a lot longer than one or two games of results,” Carrick said when asked about his standing with the club’s owners. “Taking away all of that, it’s irrelevant for me. I know the club, I know the role, I know what’s expected here in terms of playing at a certain standard. In terms of future and ownership and how long I’ve got… it’s ridiculous to think that way in the position I’m in. It’s just not on the radar.”

Rather than assigning recent defensive errors to individual players, Carrick said the response would require collective responsibility. “Blame me, it’s no problem, but it’s not about blaming people. It’s about finding solutions. It’s a whole collective thing,” he said. “I’m totally happy taking responsibility—no problem with that. I know where we want to get to and we want to get there fast. Sometimes when it’s not going to plan, the best way is to work through it and come out stronger. The fact it’s happened in the first cluster of the season… if it happened in November, it’s maybe seen a little bit different. But I was expecting a spell we had to work through.”

Manchester United will travel to London on Sunday for an immediate opportunity to respond against Fulham at Craven Cottage. Fulham have also struggled during the opening weeks of the campaign, collecting only one point from their matches.

The match is scheduled for a 16:30 BST kickoff (11:30 ET / 08:30 PT). Live television coverage in the United Kingdom will be provided by Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League, and Sky Sports Ultra. The game can also be streamed through Now TV, which offers day memberships for £14.99, monthly 12-month memberships for £27.99, and contract-free monthly options for £34.99.

### Premier League Fixtures This Weekend

| Date | Fixture | BST Start Time | ET | PT |
| :— | :— | :— | :— | :— |
| Fri, Sept 18 | Brentford vs. Chelsea | 20:00 | 15:00 | 12:00 |
| Sat, Sept 19 | Spurs vs. Villa | 12:30 | 07:30 | 04:30 |
| Sat, Sept 19 | Everton vs. Ipswich | 15:00 | 10:00 | 07:00 |
| Sat, Sept 19 | Brighton vs. Arsenal | 15:00 | 10:00 | 07:00 |
| Sat, Sept 19 | Newcastle vs. Hull | 15:00 | 10:00 | 07:00 |
| Sat, Sept 19 | Forest vs. Coventry | 17:30 | 12:30 | 09:30 |
| Sun, Sept 20 | Bournemouth vs. Liverpool | 14:00 | 09:00 | 06:00 |
| Sun, Sept 20 | Man City vs. Sunderland | 14:00 | 09:00 | 06:00 |
| Sun, Sept 20 | Leeds vs. Crystal Palace | 14:00 | 09:00 | 06:00 |
| Sun, Sept 20 | Fulham vs. Man United | 16:30 | 11:30 | 08:30 |