According to The Athletic, Peter Molyneux, a Manchester United supporter who has attended matches at Old Trafford for 62 years, criticized the team's performance in Wednesday's 2-3 home defeat to Brighton in the League Cup, describing it on social media as the most "dispiriting" display he had witnessed in 1,700 to 1,800 games.

"Peter Molyneux, who became famous for displaying a banner reading 'Three Years of Excuses, Goodbye Fergie' in 1990, wrote on social media this week: 'Having watched football at Old Trafford for 62 years, probably 1,700 to 1,800 first-team games, tonight's performance was the worst I have ever seen. How can so many players, including substitutes, play so badly for 85 minutes after being 2-0 up? I simply cannot understand it.'"

The anger and frustration among supporters was palpable after Manchester United's 2-3 League Cup defeat at home to Brighton on Wednesday. This was the first time in 50 years that Manchester United have lost at Old Trafford after leading 2-0, and the first time since 1984, against Ipswich, that they have been overturned at home after leading at half-time.

I vividly remember that match because it was the first Manchester United game I attended in person. At that time, hardly anyone spoke about the team challenging for the league title, but 20 years of subsequent success transformed the club, its fanbase, and expectations.

Undoubtedly, morale has now hit rock bottom. But what does this mean? The team's atmosphere was excellent during pre-season, but what good is a positive atmosphere when Hull City's 2-0 opening-day victory destroys that optimism?

Manchester United have won just 2 of their opening 6 games this season, losing 3. The usually patient Old Trafford supporters booed the team at the end of Wednesday's match and questioned what was happening through their chants. We saw many similar scenes in the 1980s, with thousands of supporters demanding the manager "sort out the players" when things went wrong in the first half.

Can Carrick fix Manchester United's mess now? A manager who did not stop winning last season and exceeded expectations to qualify for the Champions League—can he get the players back on track, as he must? The club hierarchy certainly hopes so, their decisions are being constantly questioned.

It is not just poor results that have led to the current situation—it must be noted, including a goal in the Manchester derby that should not have stood—but also the trust between supporters and the club has reached an all-time low. The Glazer family, as always, is reviled for what they have done to this world-class club, saddling it with enormous debt and restricting its operations.

And for INEOS, which arrived with new ideas, fresh energy, and real money, the "honeymoon period" has also ended. Necessary redundancies to stop the club's continued financial bleeding hurt real people. When Ratcliffe began publicly proclaiming his vision, his remarks often fell flat. Promises of "big signings" now seem hollow after these departures from the club. These things can be forgotten when the team is performing well, but when that glow fades, they come under the microscope.

Manchester United insist they need to make changes, right a sinking ship, and rebuild slowly, methodically, and consistently after years of excess, moving toward a brighter and more sustainable future. But when Brighton gave a masterclass in football to some of the first-team players, that argument is hard to accept.

So there has been fierce criticism and endless emotional analysis around the vicious cycles since Sir Alex Ferguson's departure. At this point, the club's size and global obsession with Manchester United really work against it. Negative headlines about Manchester United seem to emerge daily. You may not have even heard this story—Manchester United's actions last year led the Premier League to announce Christmas fixtures earlier so supporters could plan ahead. Does this reflect something positive for Manchester United?

But the problem is undeniable. The debt is enormous, and competitors have no debt and are wealthier than ever, whether backed by sovereign states or billionaires. The Premier League has become a bottomless pit for spending, but for Manchester United, it is a golden goose.

The Glazer family have been the main reason for continued supporter protests since 2004, and also why a group of die-hard fans left to form FC United of Manchester. Yet the Glazer family also allowed the club to spend lavishly in pursuit of glory and riches that never materialized. When they realized they were in financial trouble, they put the club on the market, allowing anyone in the world to come forward to acquire or invest in Manchester United. Anyone. Two parties emerged, and only one could provide proof of funds.

So we must trust in a subtle plan to escape this dilemma, in contrast to other failed cycles, plans, or fresh starts. Times are difficult. The summer signings appear mediocre, but it is too early to judge, especially since Baleba has yet to play. Like many, I am disappointed the team did not sign a new left-back in the summer, as it is clear that position needed addressing. But then again, I was also very frustrated in 1992 when Manchester United failed to sign David Hirst from Sheffield Wednesday, and instead ended up with an unconventional, discounted, non-ideal option in Eric Cantona.

The most telling statistic for a poor start is the Premier League table, but Manchester United's points after 5 games are the same as this time last season, when they also exited the League Cup. Although last season's goal difference was worse, everything feels much worse now. It should be improving.

Performance data is also causing a stir—statistics on distance covered (14th), sprints (18th), and high-speed runs (19th) went viral on Thursday, a neatly edited chart perfectly designed to provoke public outrage.

A leading football analyst, who preferred to remain anonymous to protect his position, explained to The Athletic: "To the casual supporter, it looks bad, but for physical data, match context is crucial. When the team has possession and there are fewer counter-attacking phases in the game, distance covered and high-intensity running distance are almost always lower."

"There is almost no correlation between league position and physical data. In fact, if anything, teams typically in the lower half for physical data are more likely to control matches. I have other data here: Manchester United rank first in the league for shots, third for possession (Brighton are first), tied fifth for goals, fourth for big chances created, fourth for shots on target, and second for expected goals."

"Looking at combined expected goals for and against, Manchester United after 4 Premier League games have had better offensive and defensive performances than Chelsea, Liverpool, Brentford, Villa, Everton, Hull City, Bournemouth, and 7 other teams. I am not saying Manchester United are playing well, but some of these data points are really positive. The team just needs to find a way to win."

This analysis comes from an industry expert who knows Carrick professionally and holds him in high regard. But data can be interpreted from various angles, and it is also undeniable that Manchester United's data is skewed by playing against a Hull City team happy to cede possession, and more than half of Manchester United's expected goals this season came from the Ipswich match.

What really matters is that if Carrick remains manager, he needs the kind of support that his predecessor, Ruben Amorim, received.

When asked about his job security at Friday's press conference, Carrick said: "I know this club, I know this role, and I understand the demands here in terms of playing to a certain standard, achieving a certain level, and reaching certain objectives on the pitch, so I understand all that."

"As for the future, ownership, and how much time I have left in this job, these are completely outside my considerations, like 'How much time do I have?' It would be absurd to think that way in my position. It is simply not my focus."

Traduzido por IA.

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