Michael Carrick looks on during the Premier League 2026-27 match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford, inset Ruben Amorim.
Michael Carrick looks on during the Premier League 2026-27 match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford, inset Ruben Amorim.
Michael Carrick’s woes as the permanent Manchester United manager have deepened after experiencing something that Ruben Amorim never did at Old Trafford.
Just like the last campaign under Ruben Amorim, the Red Devils have played only one match in the Carabao Cup before crashing out of the competition this season.
Grimsby Town knocked Manchester United out in 2025 during the second round, while Brighton inflicted the same fate on the Red Devils in the third round this time.
However, United’s 3-2 defeat to Brighton has added another awful blemish for the Red Devils under Michael Carrick and in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era as well.
READ MORE: Michael Carrick breaks silence on JJ Gabriel’s desire to leave Man Utd as Ineos face pressure over situation
Getty Images
Michael Carrick has overseen the end of a 50-year-old Man Utd record that Ruben Amorim managed to avoid
Wednesday evening’s third-round result was the first time that Manchester United have lost a home match in 50 years after being 2-0 up in any competition. Shea Lacey fired the Red Devils into an early lead at Old Trafford before Mason Mount doubled his side’s advantage inside the first 15 minutes of the clash.
However, Charalampos Kostoulas netted for Brighton against United in first-half injury time before Pascal Gross and Maxim De Cuyper scored in the second half. According to BBC Sport, the Red Devils’ last defeat at Old Trafford after being 2-0 up came against Tottenham back in September 1976.
United led Tottenham 2-0 thanks to Steve Coppell and Stuart Pearson in the League Division One match before Spurs mounted a comeback in the second half. The Red Devils were led by former manager Tommy Docherty at the time and Tottenham rallied back through Ralph Coates, Ian Moores and John Pratt at Old Trafford.
READ MORE: Man Utd fans react to Shea Lacey’s performance vs Brighton as comparison is made to ‘footballing royalty’
Ruben Amorim had faced heavy criticism during his 14-month reign at Old Trafford before the 41-year-old Portuguese coach was sacked back in January. United’s former longstanding home record always felt like the straw that would break the camel’s back during Amorim’s ill-fated tenure at the Premier League club.
However, it is now Carrick who has the mark against his name as the United manager who oversaw the end of the Red Devils’ 50-year-long Old Trafford record.
United have suffered consecutive defeats against Manchester City in the Premier League and Brighton in the Carabao Cup ahead of their encounter with Fulham. The Red Devils’ visit to Craven Cottage will be their final Premier League match ahead of the extended October international break.