Man Utd surrendered a two-goal lead to lose against Brighton in the Carabao Cup third round on Wednesday night.
Carrick pictured after the Brighton defeat.(Image: 2026 Getty Images)
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"What the f****** hell was that?" chanted angry fans in the Stretford End as Manchester United returned to the dressing room after collapsing against Brighton.
A few supporters who did not attend the game questioned on social media whether that mutiny had actually happened. It did - and it showed that Michael Carrick is under pressure just five weeks into the season.
There was an end-of-days feeling after the final whistle as Brighton's fans chanted "2-0 and you f***** it up". United have broken almost every unwanted record during a period of decline, but a new record was set as United lost at Old Trafford after being two goals ahead for the first time since 1976.
Unfortunately, we have seen this script before. A poor start to the season, bad results and unwanted records being set. That is the perfect storm leading to the inevitable sacking of the manager before Christmas.
It's important to stress Carrick still has goodwill in the bank after guiding United to a third-place finish in the Premier League, but there is no denying that the pressure on his position has increased over the last few weeks.
The manager of United is always under pressure - it's part and parcel of managing the biggest club in England - but winning two from six in all competitions is the kind of start that can lead to a managerial change.
Carrick deserves respect and he is confident his team can turn it around, as he explained in his post-Brighton press conference. "I mean, a couple of smallish things have ended up accumulating into [this], let's be honest, you know, it feels bigger," he said of the bad start to the season.
"I think if you go to the Everton last-minute goal, to the City goal, then it creates a bit of a feeling. And then, you know, the game today for what it is, you know, 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. So, it's kind of a couple of things have gone and then all of a sudden it becomes a greater thing from nowhere, really."
Carrick looked furious at full-time.
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Carrick has a point about United coming out on the wrong side of fine margins this season, but the Everton draw, for example, was a case of United failing to manage the game properly after going ahead twice.
The same poor in-game management was the reason for the Manchester derby defeat. United lost composure after Erling Haaland's goal. Before that even happened, Benjamin Sesko should have come on at half-time.
Haaland's goal should not have counted, but United did not create enough to win the game, recording just two shots on target and an xG of just 0.54 before added time when Bryan Mbeumo should have scored.
There are growing concerns with Carrick. The defence has been a mess, with United conceding 10 goals so far, and there are valid questions about whether his system has issues against low blocks/teams who play with a back five.
The lack of intensity has confused fans after watching United press diligently under Carrick last season. Some critics have pointed to Youri Tielemans' interview with Rio Ferdinand in pre-season when he said there hadn't been "lots of running", an alleged smoking gun, but he had just returned from playing at the World Cup, so he wouldn't have lost much fitness.
Carrick did change training when he was appointed in January, putting on shorter sessions but with more intense days. The tweak was hugely successful, helping Carrick to pick up more points than other top-flight manager.
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While Carrick has made a few mistakes this season, there is also an element of the club letting him down in the transfer market. The failure to sign a left-back had obvious potential to come back to bite United - and it already has.
Luke Shaw was absent for the Manchester derby and Patrick Dorgu, who was selected to cover at left-back, gave the ball away at the start of the move for Haaland's goal. Shaw was supposedly close to being available for the derby, but he watched the Brighton game from the directors' box again.
Jason Wilcox was spotted looking sheepish in the directors' box at full-time. Carrick wanted a left-back added to his squad, and ultimately, no well-run football club would fail to sign cover for their most injury-prone player.
It wouldn't have made a difference to the result if United had a new left-back signing on the pitch against Brighton, though. That performance is on Carrick and his players, but the blame cannot lie solely on the manager's shoulders every time a change is made in the dug-out.
Carrick believes his team will turn a bad start around, and it's too early to say that won't happen, but if he does end up losing his job, Wilcox and Omar Berrada must face questions about their involvement.
United's game against Fulham this weekend is a huge match. A much-needed win at Craven Cottage would quieten the noise ahead of the international break, but it will be a long two weeks without football if United lose.
Carrick said he does not feel under pressure during his post-Brighton press conference. He has the right personality to come through his difficult period, but his coaching credentials will be what makes the difference.