‘Big future’ – Michael Carrick backs two struggling Man Utd stars after horror show against Brighton

THE LAST time Manchester United lost at Fulham, Michael Carrick was playing at centre half. That 3-0 reverse in December 2009 came amid a defensive injury crisis that resulted in the rarity of a Sir Alex Ferguson back three. Ferguson feels the strain at Craven Cottage in December 2009 Credit: PA:Press Association Bobby Zamora made mincemeat of Ritchie de Laet Credit: PA:Press Association But the trio were Carrick, Darren Fletcher and Ritchie de Laet. Two midfielders and a full back. De Laet never played for United again. United also shipped three goals in midweek against Brighton, albeit Carrick picked conventional back four. Sign up for the Man United newsletter Thank you! It did not look that way in one of the most diabolical defensive performances Old Trafford has hosted in recent times. Overall, United have conceded ten goals in six games, with their only clean sheet against Champions League minnows Sabah. Leny Yoro is into his third year at United after they gazumped Real Madrid to sign him in a £58.91million coup. The centre back is still only 20 but eventually has to assume senior status in a backline that is set to be overhauled next. Ayden Heaven was, and remains, a rawer recruit. But Heaven turns 20 next week and celebrates two years at United in the New Year. Ruben Amorim once said Heaven is “sometimes too relaxed”. He sleepwalked through the Brighton debacle. Carrick said of the pair: “I thought they started really well, actually, in the game. Most read in Sport Man Utd ratings vs Brighton: Lacey a shining light on dark evening as Heaven and Yoro ripped apart MANCHESTER UNITED suffered a humiliating Carabao Cup exit at Old Trafford as Brighton came from two goals down to reach the last 16. It is the first time in 50 years that United have held a 2-0 lead at Old Trafford and lost the game. The Red Devils were in dreamland after early goals from Shea Lacey and Mason Mount, before the Seagulls took control and mounted a stunning comeback. United have not won a domestic cup match since beating Leicester in the FA Cup in February 2025 and again crashed out at first attempt of the Carabao Cup following last season’s horror show at Grimsby. Michael Carrick is feeling the heat after goals Charalampos Kostoulas, Pascal Gross and Maxim De Cuyper ended one of two potential trophy hopes this season. Here’s how SunSport’s Katherine Walsh rated the United players from Old Trafford, as Brighton picked up a fifth straight victory in M16... “I thought we started really well, so it’s not about them. “I think they’ll learn from different experiences and they’ve done particularly well and they’re in a really good spot, two young players that have got really good futures. “So unfortunately you go through times in football and you have some good spells and sometimes you learn a lot from the things that didn’t go so well. “But I wouldn’t isolate them at all from the other night.” Yoro was sidelined for the first four months of his United career with a metatarsal fracture sustained in his second appearance, but he was largely injury-free last season. Harry Maguire turns 34 in March, Matthijs de Ligt has been out since November and Lisandro Martinez has entered the final year of his contract. Time is of the essence for Yoro to mature. Carrick disagrees. “No, not necessarily, no. “He’s 20, Leny, and again in context, he’s got a fantastic future ahead of him and a lot of potential. “He’s learning, he’s developing. To be at this club and play as a centre back at such a young age is a challenging position. It’s one that he can do for sure, it’s one that Ayden can do for sure. Yoro and Heaven were highly culpable for the defeat to Brighton Credit: PA Yoro was the headline signing of Ineos’ first summer Credit: Getty “But there’s no cut off point. Some players progress and find when they’re 18 they’re at that level where they can really perform. “Some players like Leny showed that he can perform, I’ve got no worries for Leny, I think he does a lot of really good things and he’s part of learning. “Sometimes it might be 20, sometimes you see players 22, 23, 24 where they start developing, so there’s definitely no cut-off point. “He’s just got to keep progressing and moving in the right direction, wanting to learn, keep improving, getting more opportunities. “He’s doing a lot of good things, and I think we’ve got to be careful again, and I certainly won’t do it, is make knee-jerk decisions on certain players just because of one game or one half or one moment in a game. “And we’ve got a lot of belief in Leny, for sure.” Yoro and Heaven have the benefit of working with backroom staff members Jonny Evans and Jonathan Woodgate, who were bedded into the United and Leeds defences at young ages. Evans, 38, entered a dressing room that had Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Gary Neville, Wes Brown, John O’Shea and Patrice Evra in it, senior professionals and serial winners to guide him. Evans is on Carrick’s coaching staff Credit: PA Evans often started with Vidic in his breakthrough season of 2008-09 Credit: Action Images “Leny’s fortunate he has got some really good coaches that have lived it and understand his position,” Carrick acknowledged. “And Leny’s got a big future ahead of him. “Sometimes learning in the moment it’s tough. Other times he’s done particularly well, so we keep developing, we keep learning. “He’s in a good place, he’s got a big future.” Carrick will almost certainly recall Maguire and Martinez at Craven Cottage. Luke Shaw could return after a two-week absence. If Shaw is a risk, it is one worth taking. Patrick Dorgu and Noussair Mazraoui were dire deputies at left back against Manchester City and Brighton and United do not play again until October 10. “It’s certainly not the start we wanted, in that respect,” Carrick admitted of United’s defensive record. “We need to improve, no doubt, as a team collectively. It’s not just a backline or certainly a goalkeeper, it’s a collective thing.” Comment now