Michael Carrick, now permanently in charge of Manchester United following a successful interim stint that secured a third-place league finish and Champions League qualification last season, acknowledged that the team is currently facing a challenging period.
Despite the promising end to the previous campaign, United have struggled out of the gates this season, accumulating just four points from their first four Premier League matches. Their difficulties extended into the League Cup, where they suffered a 3-2 loss at home to Brighton after squandering a two-goal advantage—an unprecedented collapse at Old Trafford in half a century.
Facing the Storm
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s clash against Fulham, Carrick expressed his expectation that every successful team encounters rough patches that must be endured and overcome. “History tells you that any team that’s successful goes through periods when you have to work through it, come through it and improve,” he remarked.
He admitted the recent performances have not met the club’s standards but emphasized that such phases are inevitable following the high points of the previous season. “I was expecting a point when we would go through it, it was going to come. We had such a good spell last season, going into this season,” Carrick added.
The former United and England midfielder also highlighted the misfortune the team has endured recently. In particular, the club received a prompt apology from refereeing authorities after a controversial decision in the Manchester derby. The winning goal scored by Erling Haaland for Manchester City was mistakenly allowed despite an offside in the buildup, which VAR officials failed to detect.