Manchester United's early exit from the Carabao Cup at the hands of Grimsby Town last season remains a vivid memory for many supporters. That defeat has become almost emblematic of the turbulent period that followed the departure of former manager Ruben Amorim.
While the recent loss to Brighton on home turf did not carry the same historic weight, it echoed many of the same frustrations for Michael Carrick, the man who succeeded Amorim at the helm. Youri Tielemans, United's captain during the Brighton game, admitted after the final whistle that once the team fell behind by two goals, they essentially stopped trying.
The lack of fight was obvious to anyone watching. From roughly the 20‑minute mark, Brighton began to dominate, and the match seemed destined to end in United's favour. Even the introduction of attacking options such as Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha failed to spark any meaningful change, leaving Carrick with a stark reality to contemplate. Since taking charge in January, Carrick has weathered a handful of defeats, often choosing to highlight the positives or defend his squad's effort.
Against Brighton, however, there was little to salvage. The manager's usual optimism was noticeably absent, and the performance offered few redeeming moments. When Carrick and his backroom staff first arrived, they were greeted with considerable praise.
Their defensive shape appeared organized and compact, producing impressive victories over rivals Manchester City and Arsenal. The arrivals of Steve Holland, Jonathan Woodgate and Jonny Evans were credited with an immediate uplift in the back line's stability.
Yet, as the season has progressed, the same defence has shown alarming frailties, conceding two goals in three of United's four Premier League fixtures. The Brighton defeat laid those weaknesses bare once more. One of the goals resulted from a clear error by goalkeeper Karl Darlow, but beyond that, the entire back four seemed disjointed, lacking cohesion and a clear understanding of their roles. This disarray has raised serious questions about the defensive unit's reliability under Carrick's stewardship.
A particularly persistent problem is the left‑back position. Carrick has not publicly labelled it as a weakness, but the issue is evident. Luke Shaw, United's most experienced left‑back, has missed the last three games due to a minor injury.
Given his age and recurring injury history—despite a strong availability record last season—it was arguably shortsighted not to reinforce that area during the summer transfer window. Carrick experimented with Noussair Mazraoui in the role, yet he quickly fell down the pecking order, with the less seasoned Patrick Dorgu being preferred for the Manchester derby loss.
Meanwhile, young prospect Harry Amass does not appear to be in the club's long‑term plans for the position. The question now looms: how will United address this glaring gap for the remainder of the campaign? It may seem premature to discuss Carrick's job security after only a few weeks of the new season, especially since United have still amassed the highest points total since his return in January. Nonetheless, Carrick himself has acknowledged that moments like Ainsley Maitland‑Niles' equaliser for Everton, a contentious VAR decision against City, and the recent collapse versus Brighton have altered the atmosphere around the club.
Should United suffer another defeat, such as a potential loss to Fulham on Sunday, the conversation about Carrick's ability to navigate United out of the current storm will become unavoidable. While that debate may be reserved for later, the manager does deserve some empathy for the squad he has inherited. The lack of significant player sales and acquisitions this summer has limited United's capacity to reinforce key areas. Yet, does this excuse the club's apparent neglect of crucial positions?
The left‑back spot, for instance, should have been a priority. Additionally, with Benjamin Šeško nursing a shin injury throughout the summer, United might have benefited from securing a temporary No 9 to share the goal‑scoring burden rather than deploying Mbeumo and Cunha out of their natural roles. Both forwards have struggled to recapture the form they displayed under Carrick last season.
Ultimately, until United can execute a comprehensive overhaul in a single transfer window, they will likely remain trapped in a cycle of modest improvements using players leftover from previous regimes. This perpetual pattern may explain the boos that rang out at Old Trafford after the Brighton defeat—not solely a reaction to that single performance, but a broader expression of frustration with a recurring narrative of false dawns following promising starts under new management. It is still early days, and Carrick deserves the time to prove his worth after the achievements of the previous season.
Nevertheless, these are the choppy waters he must steer through, and his future will be judged on how effectively he can halt the downward spiral. Even if United fail to secure a win against Fulham, a solid performance could buy him valuable time to steady the ship and guide the club back onto a more promising course.