United blew a 2-0 lead at Old Trafford for the first time since 1976 as Brighton fought back to knock them out of the Carabao Cup and compound their disastrous start to the season
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Michael Carrick labelled Manchester United’s historic collapse against Brighton & Hove Albion “unacceptable” as he took the blame their elimination from the Carabao Cup.
For the first time since 1976, United lost at Old Trafford after going 2-0 up as Brighton staged a remarkable comeback to win 3-2.
Carrick said he did not feel under pressure after United’s poor start to the season but admitted there were no excuses for their capitulation against Fabian Hurzeler’s side.
Michael Carrick took the blame for Man United’s latest disasteropen image in gallery
Michael Carrick took the blame for Man United’s latest disaster (PA)
He said: “We can’t accept that as a group. I take responsibility for it. The game today for what it is, if we fully accept it, I totally take responsibility. We can’t put ourselves in that position after being ahead in the game and the game finishing like it did.
“The feeling at the start of the game to the feeling at the end of the game couldn’t have been further apart. So we’ve got to accept that the game can’t go in that direction from where we were.”
There is increased scrutiny on Carrick, who was given the head coach’s job in the summer, but only on a two-year contract. He insisted: “I don’t feel under pressure. Either way, that doesn’t bother me one bit. When we win, people say I’m doing a good job, and if we don’t win or we don’t get results, then a lot of it’s on me. So I accept that, I’m not hiding away from any of that. That is what it is.”
Michael Carrick has plenty to ponder after United’s most recent capitulationopen image in gallery
Michael Carrick has plenty to ponder after United’s most recent capitulation (Getty)
Carrick accepted United’s problems have spiralled in the last couple of weeks, as they conceded a 96th-minute equaliser to Everton and then lost a Manchester derby.
He explained: “A couple of smallish things end up accumulating into, it feels bigger. It’s happened over a period of a couple of weeks where there’s a lot of frustration and disappointment around and we need to flip that and start winning games again.”
Carrick admitted United, who travel to Fulham next, need a response as soon as possible but is confident he can get improved results.
"We have to find the answers for Sunday,” he said. “Of course we can turn it around. We’ve got some really good players and it feels bad at the moment because we haven’t had a great week, you know, or two or three weeks. But it doesn’t mean you can’t win another game of football quickly.”