According to English media, Manchester United were eliminated by Brighton in the third round of the League Cup after squandering a 2-0 home lead, marking the first time the team has lost after leading by two goals at Old Trafford since 1976. Manager Carrick insisted after the match that he was not troubled by external pressure.

The last manager to see Manchester United lose after leading by two goals at Old Trafford was Sir Alex Ferguson, who was managing St Mirren at the time. This was the historical context of the shock elimination of the Red Devils by Brighton in the third round of the League Cup on Wednesday. On September 4, 1976, when John Platt scored the winning goal for Tottenham, Sir Alex Ferguson's managerial career at Aberdeen and Manchester United had not yet begun, and the members of the Class of '92 were still in their infancy.

Following protests on and off the pitch before Sunday's defeat to Manchester City—where the team played with ten men—Manchester United fans expressed their feelings about this latest humiliation in three distinct ways. Most fans left immediately when the players completed their post-match lap of honor. Some fans who remained booed, just as they had done when the team went down 2-0 in the 69th minute. As the players approached the tunnel near the Manchester United supporters' section, fans called out to Michael Carrick and his players, "What kind of game was that?"—in language considerably more colorful than that.

It is unclear where 15-year-old JJ-Gabriel was during all of this, but what unfolded on the pitch would do little to make him regret his refusal to join the club. Given the circumstances of the match and the fact that experienced players like captain Bruno Fernandes were quickly introduced in the final minutes, his promised first-team debut would almost certainly have been postponed.

"We can certainly turn this around, we have very good players," Carrick said. "It's disappointing because we haven't played well for a week or two, or three weeks." Carrick's team has won two matches this season—a comeback home victory against promoted Ipswich after falling behind, and a Champions League win against Azerbaijani champions Shabab Baku. They have now lost three matches, more than the total number of defeats in the first 17 matches he managed after replacing Ruben Amorim in January.

He has been at Manchester United long enough to know how quickly consecutive defeats can pile on the pressure. "I'm not feeling any pressure," he said. "I don't care about it at all, to be honest. I understand what's happening outside and how this world works, but it doesn't bother me. What bothers me is winning matches, creating a good atmosphere inside and outside the club, making sure the team feels good internally, and knowing that we're heading in the right direction."

The problem is that it doesn't feel like they're heading in the right direction. There were few positives to take from this heavy defeat. The sole bright spot was Shea Lacey, who scored a fine goal in the 8th minute on his first-team debut, becoming the first teenager to score on his Manchester United debut since Marcus Rashford in February 2016.

Lacey was one of eight changes made by Carrick. Defensively, these adjustments were unsuccessful. Dalot was one of three players who remained, but his form has abandoned him. Mazraoui played out of position at left-back, fueling further debate about the wisdom of failing to sign a left-back before the summer transfer window closed. Yoro and Aidan Haven showed what they are—inexperienced defenders. In midfield, Manchester United was completely overrun.

Rashford once again created chances but failed to score or provide an assist. His closest attempt to equalize came from a high-speed run through Brighton's defense, but it was stopped by Jason Steele. "The further the match went on, the more control we had," Brighton manager Hürzeler commented succinctly. "I think we deserved the victory." Carrick did not dispute this.

What troubled him most was Lacey, the young player who should have shined but instead found himself part of a team that left the pitch to boos and harsh criticism. "Unfortunately, Shea's moment, such a wonderful moment for him, his family, his friends, and the entire academy—an academy player coming on and delivering that performance—that moment has been somewhat overshadowed, which is really a shame," Carrick said. "When he calms down, he'll realize it still means something, but right now we're sitting here feeling like it was a long time ago."

Carrick also addressed the situation involving JJ-Gabriel. "He's a young man, only 15 years old, and in my view, certainly from the club's perspective, when we're looking after our young players, their wellbeing, their mental and physical health, and their exposure, we have to be very careful in situations like this," he explained.

But ultimately, for any manager, their work is judged on results. "Being here over time makes you resilient," he said. "It's how you handle it. You have to manage it in a way you can cope with and get the best out of yourself. However you do it, you need the motivation and belief deep down that we can win."

"We've been knocked out of the cup tonight, and the atmosphere around the club seems bigger than that. I'm honest enough to say that's what I'm feeling right now. But it doesn't have to be this way. If we start winning again, things can turn around." Manchester United have one more match before the international break—an away trip to Fulham on Sunday. For the stability of the entire club, Carrick's team desperately needs a win.

Jamie Redknapp, the former English midfielder who commented for Sky Sports, admitted he was unsure they could achieve it. "Right now, they're in such a difficult position," he said. "No matter how good the manager is, if you don't have the right players, everything becomes extremely difficult. There's a reason other managers have struggled before. The pressure will come sooner or later. This weekend's match has become incredibly crucial. He can't afford another poor result, because then you go into the international break, and suddenly everyone is talking about you. The winners tonight were the players who weren't playing."

Traduit par IA.

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