**Manchester United are out of the Carabao Cup in the third round, having dropped a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 to Brighton at Old Trafford.**
It was a dismal night at Old Trafford despite Shea Lacey and Mason Mount giving Manchester United a comfortable 2-0 lead inside 10 minutes.
United went on to lose 3-2, fumbling a two-goal lead for the first time at home in over 50 years.
Here is what we learned…
Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
Manchester United fans had been clamouring for Lacey to start this game, and inside eight minutes, he proved all of his supporters correct with a special goal to open his account for the club at a senior level.
Lacey looks like part of the furniture for the first-team, not like a prospect, which is really high praise for the wonderkid. It also isn’t just his goal, as Lacey showed his excellent attitude and work rate to defend well in transition.
It was a performance that should nail on plenty more minutes in the coming months, proving to Carrick that he can trust the 19-year-old against Premier League opposition.
Arguably the best player on the pitch for large periods was Youri Tielemans as the 29-year-old donned the United captain’s armband for the first-time. This shows the impression that he has had on Michael Carrick.
Tielemans played like a captain, organising the midfield and helping the defence, while also just oozing quality on the ball. He is a sublime footballer, and at £35m, he continues to look like one of the bargains of the summer.
Hard to see a world in which he drops out of being first-choice under Carrick at this stage.
There was real excitement about seeing Ayden Heaven and Leny Yoro start together in a pairing for the first time competitively, but it was a pairing that didn’t quite work out.
While both were quite good at times, particularly on the ball, they were really poor in transition, and Brighton’s three goals saw the duo woefully out of position.
Both are good centre-backs, but evidently need either Harry Maguire or Lisandro Martinez next to them.
Without being too harsh, as Karl Darlow is only the back-up goalkeeper, he was really poor in goal. Darlow was almost a deer in headlights when Brighton rarely got through on goal.
The first goal in particular was disappointing as he should have come out for the long ball; instead, glued to his line, he gave the Brighton forward all the time in the world.
Senne Lammens isn’t perfect, but he is far and away the number one for United, and it will remain that way.
There is no putting it kindly, Manchester United have to get three points against Fulham on Sunday. Otherwise, the extended international break will be long and painful for Carrick.
The pressure on Carrick is absolutely rising, and he can’t afford another defeat. This could be a slippery slope for Carrick and United, with the feeling around the club already having early signs of another managerial change.
Things are in a dire state for United right now.