Carrick Urges Shared Responsibility for United’s Struggles

“We struggled to get into the game, both with and without the ball,” Michael Carrick admitted. While his assessment is accurate, it doesn’t fully explain the issues.

Faced with Manchester United’s worst league start in four decades, the manager seems uncertain of how to proceed, and his room for error continues to diminish.

Why were they outplayed at home by the league’s bottom side? Why can’t they protect leads? Why do they struggle to cope when down to ten men?

These are legitimate questions directed at the manager, many of which were raised after Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham. However, his responses lacked the detail needed to address them, merely reflecting the shortcomings displayed on the pitch.

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The manager can only bear so much responsibility; the players have yet to deliver a full performance, offering only fragmented displays of individualism and self-direction. Where is the cohesion that defined the latter part of last season? What became of the clarity that transformed a struggling campaign into a third-place finish?

Regular Old Trafford attendees are now uncertain about what to expect from match to match, knowing only how to express their displeasure. On Saturday, three distinct waves of boos rang out from the stands.

“I believe the fans will remain supportive of the project,” Gary Neville remarked from Old Trafford. “The boos aren’t directed at Michael Carrick personally, but they are escalating rapidly.”

At the start of the season, United sought a steady presence to guide them, turning to a player whose career epitomized composure. However, the current side bears little resemblance to that composed unit.

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Midfield is where the issues are most apparent, despite being the area that received the largest financial investment this summer—a complete overhaul of personnel and profiles. The partnership between Kobbie Mainoo and Youri Tielemans is failing to produce results, and Andrey Santos is seeing limited playing time.

There was optimism that Carlos Baleba could make an immediate impact after his injury‑hit start; his introduction after an hour energized the stadium. Nearly every involvement was positive—he completed 16 of 18 passes and generated as many chances as Bruno Fernandes did throughout the match (two).

Nevertheless, the space and freedom Tottenham enjoyed highlight problems that no single midfielder can fix. United were repeatedly torn apart, with gaps emerging in various forms. The visitors regained possession in the final third five times during the first half alone, and five of United’s less‑engaged starters remained behind during the international break.

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Tottenham’s effectiveness extended beyond their aggressive pressing; they also exploited United in possession with swift one‑touch moves to progress through the thirds. Savio attempted ten dribbles, completing half of them. The repetition showed his confidence that United could be broken down—and he was correct.

Additionally, there are concerns about the mentality of a side that repeatedly struggles to overcome a numerical disadvantage. Once again, United were outpaced and outworked, this time by a team that played with a man fewer for 21 minutes, including added time.

“If we take the lead, we must see the game through,” Carrick stated. While that is self‑evident, it remains unclear how these recurring mistakes will be corrected.

“Football is about character,” observed opposing manager Roberto De Zerbi. United must discover that resilience somewhere, or they risk being overwhelmed by rivals. The past few weeks have shown that the Premier League offers little sympathy.

Man Utd’s next five fixtures

Sunday 18th October 12:30pm


Kick off 2:00pm

Four of United’s upcoming five matches are played away from home, including their next three fixtures.

Oct 13: Atletico Madrid vs Man Utd, Champions League

Oct 18: Leeds vs Man Utd, Premier League, live on Sky Sports

Oct 21: Como vs Man Utd, Champions League

Oct 25: Man Utd vs Bournemouth, Premier League, live on Sky Sports

Oct 31: Chelsea vs Man Utd, Premier League, live on Sky Sports

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