Only winners at Man Utd are Amazon Prime with documentary to provide epic content after horror results & JJ Gabriel saga

THE only winners at Manchester United are Amazon Prime. The streaming giant’s All or Nothing documentary is already shaping up to be box office — only they should scrap the “All” from the title. Michael Carrick looked downtrodden on Wednesday night as his side collapsed against Brighton Credit: Shutterstock Editorial The United soap opera continues for Amazon’s ‘All or Nothing’ documentary Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Old Trafford’s crisis start to the season hit a new low as Brighton became the first team in over 50 years to win at Old Trafford after trailing by two goals to dump the hosts out of the cup. Hull was the warning shot. The left-back crisis was ignored before Luke Shaw dropped like a fly, two leads were squandered at Everton before the VAR controversy in the poor derby defeat to Enzo Maresca’s ten men. Sign up for the Man United newsletter Thank you! The morning after academy crown jewel JJ Gabriel asked to leave, ditching the chance for a historic debut, another collapse exposing just how quickly things are spiralling. Now Fulham on Sunday is suddenly massive for Michael Carrick. He still retains the backing of the board but he could kick off with United as low as 17th, meaning their support could soon waiver with another shambolic loss. Carrick cut a forlorn figure on Wednesday and certain results haunt United managers. For Erik Ten Hag, it was the chaotic FA Cup semi-final against then-Championship side Coventry City. Ruben Amorim will forever be remembered for the League Cup exit to League Two side Grimsby Town. Carrick can only hope the Brighton collapse doesn’t stick in the memory the same way. Most read in Sport The United legend has enjoyed a relatively tranquil 11 months in charge after taking over from Amorim, initially temporarily, in January. BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK But any hope that momentum might carry over has vanished within the first month. It’s now two wins from six games and four points from four in the league. Carrick is under real pressure for the first time. United lost at Old Trafford after leading by two goals for the first time in 50 years. It was their first home defeat after leading at half-time since May 1984. Carrick’s decision-making has come under fire and his in-game management quizzed. Starting Ayden Heaven and Leny Yoro, the club’s rawest centre-backs, against Brighton — who always do a number on United — was a desperate mistake. The needless subs at Everton led to mistakes before Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ stoppage-time screamer. United have suffered three defeats in six games this season, including back-to-back matches at Old Trafford Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Yes Carrick, who won 12 of 17 matches last term, has made recent mistakes – but he has been left dangerously short squad-wise as United’s recruitment strategy failed to provide him with the tools. An overhaul of the defence has been promised for next summer, but prioritising one area at a time is not becoming of any serious sporting organisation. Carrick does not have a backline that can compete for the top four, never mind the title. He cannot work miracles. The baffling decision not to sign a left-back has already been exposed by Shaw’s predictable injury. Neither Patrick Dorgu nor Noussair Mazraoui are capable of filling in convincingly, Diogo Dalot making his 251st appearance for the club is an indictment in itself and Matthijs de Ligt has been out for eight months. The club still rely on the same weak defensive core that needed replacing years ago and United have always spent more after failing to qualify for the Champions League. Ineos are failing miserably, their sister clubs Lausanne and Nice sit rock bottom of their respective leagues, as do United’s women’s team, who have been told transfer spending is unsustainable in the WSL. Defeat at Fulham, who are searching for their first win this season, would cap one of the worst weeks in living memory after academy wonderkid Gabriel begged to become a free agent. The original plan to include him in the matchday squad against Brighton was shelved following his termination request and the fact a 15-year-old has refused to train this week. Many in academy circles believe United are watching a future £100m player slip through their fingers, with Real Madrid leading the race to lure him away when he turns 16 next month. And then there are the already disgruntled fans, who are patient with managers but have every right to find fault with the haphazard ownership. Another protest was staged before the derby over the club’s handling of the ticket-touting crackdown. Around 500 supporters demonstrated outside Old Trafford on Sunday before the Stretford End banners were replaced with one reading: “The way you treat us is a disgrace.” Ratcliffe and Avram Glazer were in the directors’ box well aware of the sentiment against them as thousands poured through the Munich tunnel outside demanding they sell up. The Glazer ownership model of borrowing against the club’s assets has drained United of resources and played a major role in rotting structures from the top down. To make matters worse, Carrick and his players were brutally booed off during a toxic night to chants of “what the f***ing hell was that?” after the dire Brighton collapse. JJ Gabriel will nomdoubt feature heavily in the doc after this week’s shock request Credit: PA The Glazer ownership model of borrowing against the club’s assets has drained United of resources Credit: Getty On the pitch, fitness levels have increasingly come under scrutiny. Tielemans’ interview telling Rio Ferdinand that players mostly focus on ball work has been doing the rounds. Sky pundits Jamie Redknapp and former United defender Ashley Young also queried Carrick’s side’s physical levels and inability to match Brighton’s runs and intensity. United signed two unfit players this summer as Karl Darlow missed all of pre-season and Carlos Baleba will not play until October 10 at the earliest. The mentality has been a deep-rooted problem for years, but last season offered hope this group had finally learned to absorb setbacks. Now the old cracks are showing again. So often the saviour, skipper Bruno Fernandes looked fed up too. When United are winning, the bulk of this squad look happy, confident and all guns blazing. But throw a setback at them and suddenly the swagger disappears. They retreat into the same bad habits that plagued previous managers. You felt it the moment Erling Haaland scored in the derby. Whatever the wrongs of the Enzo Fernandez offside call – and the subsequent apology – United never seemed likely to get back into the game. A setback quickly becomes a crisis, confidence drains away and the team loses its shape and belief, perhaps the most worrying part for Carrick. After a kind start, the fixture list turns ugly after the international break, with Tottenham, Atletico Madrid, Leeds, Como, Bournemouth, Chelsea, Roma and Aston Villa in a month. As Ten Hag and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer can vouch, October and November can be sacking season at Old Trafford. Carrick is safe for now, but the cameras will be primed and ready for the next must-see slip-up, which could prove fatal. Comment now