Michael Carrick Takes the Blame as Man United Lose After 2 Goal Lead

(Carrick. Photo by Yahoo Sports)
 

Manchester United threw away a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 to Brighton in the Carabao Cup at Old Trafford on Wednesday, and manager Michael Carrick accepted full responsibility for the collapse.

Shea Lacey and Mason Mount had put United in complete control within the first ten minutes, but Brighton stormed back through Charalampos Kostoulas, Pascal Gross and Maxim De Cuyper to book a fourth-round spot.

The defeat deepened United's troubles following a 1-0 loss to Manchester City in the league days earlier.

After the match, Carrick refused to deflect blame, saying his side had no excuse for surrendering from such a commanding position.

He acknowledged the dramatic shift from United's dominant early performance to the chaos at the end, describing the contrast as stark.

Carrick told reporters that a string of small disappointments had piled up to create mounting frustration.

He cited recent setbacks including a last-minute goal conceded to Everton and the City defeat, which had compounded the sense of slump around the club.

He insisted his players shared responsibility but stressed that the burden rested with him as manager.

Despite the poor run, Carrick backed his squad to respond quickly.

He rejected suggestions the players had let him down and said United possessed the quality to turn things around.

He noted that Sunday's trip to Fulham in the Premier League offered an immediate chance to rebuild momentum and shift the mood around Old Trafford.

The United boss dismissed concerns about pressure and negativity, saying his sole focus was on winning matches.

He encouraged his players to handle the difficult atmosphere by continuing to compete and perform rather than being shielded from criticism.

Carrick also addressed the situation surrounding academy prospect JJ Gabriel, who had dominated pre-match discussions.

He urged caution about the attention surrounding the teenager and emphasised the club's priority was his welfare and wellbeing rather than his development as a media story.