COMMENT: The Red Devils boss is already under plenty of pressure.
Manchester United v Manchester City - Premier League 2026/27
Michael Carrick has some decisions to make (Image: Getty)
It was a chastening afternoon for Michael Carrick in the Manchester derby. Manchester United were gifted an opportunity when Phil Foden saw red for Manchester City in the first half, but the Red Devils somehow contrived to lose the match.
Carrick was slammed for his reactive approach to the match, with critics claiming he didn’t take the game to City after gaining a man advantage. It doesn’t get much easier for United, given they welcome high-flying Brighton to Old Trafford in the League Cup. And ahead of that meeting, Express Sport have picked out eight players who shouldn’t start the match.
It wasn’t until the 94th minute of Sunday’s that Bruno Fernandes made a meaningful contribution to the contest. Having played 90 minutes in the Champions League against Sabah, it looked as if the return to a two game a week schedule caught up with him. Carrick might have ambitions to win silverware this season, but if Fernandes’ minutes aren’t managed properly, the entire campaign could quickly implode.
Expect sweeping changes at the back, with four of the five players in the defensive united (including the goalkeeper) likely to change. Karl Darlow could come in for his debut in place of Senne Lammens, while centre-back duo Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez might be given the night off as well. It would leave Patrick Dorgu as the only member of that backline to retain their spot, given Luke Shaw missed the weekend match with an injury.
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Manchester United v Manchester City - Premier League 2026/27
Man Utd are expected to make plenty of changes for the mid-week League Cup match (Image: Getty)
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As well as Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo might drop to the bench for the League Cup clash with Brighton. Andrey Santos has found minutes hard to come by and it makes sense for him to go from the off in this one, while Mason Mount is due a start. Youri Tielemans came off relatively early in the City match, so he would appear the most likely candidate to play from the start.
United’s most disappointing area on Sunday was the attack, with Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Marcus Rashford struggling to make an impact. Expect Mbeumo and Rashford to drop to the bench, leaving Cunha to operate in a more natural left-sided position. That’s because Benjamin Sesko can lead the line, while Shea Lacey is the perfect candidate for a match like this down the right.