Omotayo Fashola
(Carrick. Image credit: Yahoo Sports)
Manchester United suffered a stunning second-half collapse, squandering a two-goal advantage against Brighton in a 3-2 Carabao Cup defeat at Old Trafford, with manager Michael Carrick admitting his side’s performance was unacceptable.
Early strikes from Shea Lacey and Mason Mount had given United a dream start inside 10 minutes, but Brighton responded ruthlessly through Charalampos Kostoulas, Pascal Gross, and Maxim De Cuyper to secure an unexpected victory.
The result compounded United’s recent struggles, coming just days after a narrow derby defeat to Manchester City in the Premier League.
A visibly frustrated Carrick took full accountability for the loss, refusing to make excuses for his team’s inability to protect their lead.
The manager highlighted the alarming contrast between United’s early dominance and their disjointed second-half display, describing the performance as unacceptable.
Carrick pointed to a series of recent frustrations—including late concessions against Everton and the Manchester City defeat—as contributing to the team’s growing instability.
While acknowledging collective responsibility, he emphasized that the ultimate blame lay with him, reiterating his commitment to finding solutions.
Despite the setback, Carrick remained defiant, backing his squad’s quality and resilience to bounce back quickly.
Looking ahead to Sunday’s Premier League clash with Fulham, he stressed the importance of rediscovering consistency and silencing outside noise with results on the pitch.
Carrick dismissed suggestions that external pressure was impacting the team, insisting his focus remained solely on winning matches and improving performances.
He also addressed heightened media attention around academy star JJ Gabriel, cautioning against excessive hype and reaffirming the club’s commitment to the youngster’s long-term development.
