Carrick Faces Tough Season with Manchester United

Michael Carrick's great work with Manchester United last season is now facing challenges in the 2026/27 season. The team has struggled for consistency in the Premier League and has already been knocked out of the Carabao Cup, according to PUNCH Online.

United's recent 1-1 draw with Leeds left them in 13th place in the Premier League. They have managed just one win in their first seven league matches.

This latest draw adds to Carrick's tough run, following another 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur and a 2-0 loss to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

Reuters noted that United's current position is a big difference from last season's third-place finish.

Carrick admitted that his team is not playing at the expected level, especially when it comes to ball possession. "Maybe if you talk about top quality, maybe it wasn’t top, top quality I think we are capable of playing," he said, according to Reuters.

This recent result shows how far the team has fallen since they secured Champions League qualification last season. The performances in the first few weeks of this season have not matched that level.

Two Wins in Ten Matches

So far, United has only won two out of their first ten matches in all competitions. They beat Ipswich Town 5-2 in the Premier League and Azerbaijani side Sabah 4-0 in the Champions League.

Their other matches include a 2-0 loss to Hull City, a 2-2 draw against Everton, a 1-0 defeat to Manchester City, a 1-1 draw against Fulham, a 3-2 loss to Brighton, another 1-1 draw against Tottenham, and the recent 1-1 draw with Leeds.

The loss to Brighton on September 16 was particularly damaging. United had a two-goal lead but ended up losing 3-2 at Old Trafford in the third round of the Carabao Cup.

Shea Lacey and Mason Mount scored in the first ten minutes, but Charalampos Kostoulas scored before half-time. Pascal Gross and Maxim De Cuyper completed Brighton's comeback in the second half.

The official match report confirmed that Brighton came back from two goals down to kick United out of the competition. This early exit took away one chance for Carrick's team to win a trophy, and their league performance has raised doubts about their ability to improve on last season.

In the Premier League, United has seven points from seven matches, with one win, four draws, and two losses. This is a stark contrast to the momentum they built under Carrick after he took over in January.

16-Game Record That Changed United's Season

Carrick stepped in as interim coach after Ruben Amorim was let go in January. He took over a team that had been inconsistent and was under pressure to improve.

United finished 15th in the 2024/25 Premier League season, their worst finish in years. They wanted to get back to competing for European places.

When Carrick took charge in January 2026, they were not in the bottom half, but concerns were growing about their chances for Champions League football.

BBC Sport reported that United was just one point off fifth place when Carrick joined, even after drawing with Wolves, Leeds, and Burnley.

His first big challenges were against Manchester City and Arsenal. Instead of deepening their problems, United beat City 2-0 at Old Trafford and won 3-2 against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

These wins laid the groundwork for a turnaround under Carrick. He led the team to victories against Fulham, Tottenham, Everton, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, Brentford, and Liverpool, boosting their league standing.

By the end of the season, United secured third place in May. Carrick won 11 of his first 16 matches, according to BBC Sport. Reuters confirmed this record when United named him the permanent manager on May 22.

This record showed a significant improvement from earlier struggles and marked a return to the Champions League after two seasons away.

Carrick then started his permanent role with a 3-0 win at Brighton, finishing the season with 12 wins, three draws, and two losses in 17 Premier League matches.

Why the Turnaround Worked

Carrick's success was not only about winning matches. His tactical changes were also key.

BBC Sport reported that Carrick dropped Amorim’s three-at-the-back system, moved captain Bruno Fernandes into a more forward role, and paired Kobbie Mainoo with Casemiro in midfield.

The report also mentioned that Carrick made few changes to his starting line-up in his first ten matches, helping the team build consistency.

United earned 23 points from those first ten matches, the highest in the Premier League at that time, according to BBC Sport. The wins over City and Arsenal were especially crucial as they proved that United could compete with top teams while regaining confidence.

These results made Champions League qualification possible and strengthened Carrick's case for the permanent job. When United made his appointment official in May, director of football Jason Wilcox said Carrick had "thoroughly earned the opportunity to continue leading our men’s team," as reported by Reuters.

This decision came after players and officials praised Carrick's leadership and the improved results.

A Different Challenge This Season

This season brings a new challenge for Carrick.

Last year, he came in halfway through the season and needed to stabilize the team and secure European qualification. Now, he has had a full pre-season and must build on last season's success as the permanent coach.

But the first ten matches have resulted in only two wins, an early exit from the cup, and multiple draws that have hindered United from gaining momentum.

Reuters reported after the Leeds game that the same issues around possession and set-pieces were still there, even though Carrick praised his players for their discipline and teamwork.

He described the team's approach as a sign of progress, but the draw left United with just one league win from seven matches.

The current challenge is to turn the tactical organization and resilience that helped United finish third last season into a steady run of good results.

Carrick has shown he can improve the team's fortunes over time. His record of 12 wins in 17 league matches last season sets a clear standard for what United can achieve under his leadership.

But the early results this season have put that achievement in a different light. With United already out of the Carabao Cup and struggling in the league, Carrick needs to find a way to bring back the form that got them into the Champions League before the gap between last season's success and this season's problems grows even wider.

Martinez Row, Fine, Apology

Carrick's tough start has also been affected by a public disagreement with defender Lisandro Martínez about Manchester United's recruitment and leadership.

After United's 2-0 loss to Atlético Madrid in the Champions League, Martínez called for more investment and said he wanted more from director of football Jason Wilcox.

Carrick did not comment much initially, saying he hadn't seen the interview. Martínez later regretted the timing of his comments and apologized. PUNCH Online reported on October 16 that United fined the defender.

Carrick said the issue has been resolved and that the team has moved on. But PUNCH Online noted that the dispute has highlighted concerns about the club's recruitment strategy.

Martínez criticized that the squad had not received enough strengthening after last season's third-place finish. This left Carrick without the necessary resources to compete effectively.

This claim has not been proven as the only reason for United's results. Still, it has added to the scrutiny surrounding Carrick's tough start.