Michael Carrick insists he does not feel under pressure at Man Utd despite early season crisis with Brighton defeat

MICHAEL CARRICK insists Manchester United can turn around their disastrous start to the season and that he does not feel under pressure. United lost from a two-goal lead at home for the first time since September 1976 to go out of the League Cup against Brighton at the first hurdle. United are already unravelling Credit: Reuters Tielemans had a night to forget as captain Credit: Getty The 3-2 reverse plunged United into an early-season crisis after two defeats and one win from their first four Premier League fixtures. United head to Fulham on Sunday and do not play again for 20 days due to the campaign’s first extended international break. Sign up for the Man United newsletter Thank you! Defeat at Craven Cottage would fuel speculation that Carrick could face the axe less than four months after he was appointed permanent United head coach. “Of course, we can turn it around,” Carrick stressed. “We’ve got some really good players and it feels bad at the moment because we haven’t had a great week, or two or three weeks. “But it doesn’t mean you can’t win another game of football quickly. So there’s that side of it. “I mean, the players have shown before what they’re capable of doing and we have as a group. “It doesn’t count for much (now). It’s always about what happens next, what you’re doing in the moment, what you’re doing next. “So that’s the ultimate challenge, always has been here, always will be here. It’s all about what you do next and dealing with the moments and the ups and the downs. Most read in Sport BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK “We’ve certainly got to deal with this moment in a good way.” When asked if he felt under pressure, Carrick replied: “I don’t feel under pressure. Either way, that doesn’t bother me one bit. It generally doesn’t bother me one bit. “I understand what goes on outside and how the world works, but it generally doesn’t bother me. “What bothers me is winning games and having a good feeling around the place, and a good feeling around the group to know we’re moving in a good direction. That’s ultimately what bothers me. “When we’re on a good run, the biggest thing I’m worried about or thinking about is keeping the good run going and keeping everything on an even level really, to keep pushing that it’s not enough. “And if we’re not on a good run, then we’ve got to get back to being on a good run. “So, that’s as simple as it gets. We’ve got to win football matches and we can do, and I fully believe we will do. “But obviously we’ve got to do it pretty quick and Sunday is a starting point.” Carrick had his worst night in charge of United Credit: PA United play at Fulham on Sunday Credit: PA Carrick denied he had been sold short by director of football Jason Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrada after United failed to sign a single defender in the summer. United also missed out on top midfield target Elliot Anderson and £50million signing Andrey Santos has struggled in his two starts. £70m arrival Carlos Baleba will not play until next month due to an ankle injury. The failure to recruit a left back has been particularly costly, with Noussair Mazraoui dire against Brighton after Patrick Dorgu’s disastrous stint there in the 1-0 loss to Manchester City. “The team’s on me,” Carrick said. “So when we win, people say I’m doing a good job, and if we don’t win or we don’t get results, then a lot of it’s on me. “So I accept that, I’m not hiding away from any of that. That is what it is. “A couple of smallish things end up accumulating into, let’s be honest, it feels bigger. “I think if you go to the Everton last-minute goal, to the City goal, then it creates a bit of a feeling. “And then the game today for what it is, if we fully accept it, I totally take responsibility. We can’t put ourselves in that position after being ahead in the game and the game finishing like it did. United lost 3-2 having been 2-0 up Credit: PA United have won two out of six games this season Credit: PA “So, it’s kind of a couple of things have gone and then all of a sudden it becomes a greater thing from nowhere, really. “So we’ve got to react to it, you know. We’ve got another game on Sunday. “I think the crucial thing now is it’s happened so quickly to have the feeling. It’s happened quickly tonight in the game. “It’s happened over a period of a couple of weeks, maybe two, three weeks where there’s a lot of frustration and disappointment around and we need to flip that and start winning games again.” 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... Comment now