Carrick 'not bothered' by pressure - but should he be after this latest mess?

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Manchester United's players were left dejected after squandering a 2-0 lead to lose at home for the first time in 50 years

Manchester United reporterPublished2 hours agoSir Alex Ferguson was St Mirren manager the last time Manchester United lost at Old Trafford having taken a 2-0 lead.

That is the context to the shocking Carabao Cup third-round exit his old club suffered against Brighton on Wednesday.

It is a period of time that encompasses the legendary Scot's dynasties at Aberdeen as well as United. The Class of '92 were in nappies when John Pratt scored the winner for Tottenham on 4 September 1976.

After holding protests inside and outside the ground before Sunday's loss to 10-man Manchester City, United supporters made their feelings known about their latest embarrassment in three ways.

Most fans simply left as the players embarked on their post-match lap of appreciation.

Some of those who remained booed, as they had done when their side fell behind 21 minutes from time.

By the time they approached the tunnel, close to United's 'singing section', supporters were asking Michael Carrick and his players 'what was that?'. Their wording was somewhat more colourful.

It is not certain where 15-year-old JJ Gabriel was while all this was taking place, but nothing happened that would make him think he had got it wrong by turning his back on the club.

Indeed, it is quite possible, probable indeed, that the promised senior debut would have been scrapped given the game situation - and the fact skipper Bruno Fernandes was among the experienced players introduced in the frantic final stages.

"Of course we can turn it around, we have got some really good players," said Carrick. "It feels bad because we haven't had a great week or two, or three weeks."

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Published10 hours agoCarrick's side have won twice this season, against newly promoted Ipswich at home after falling behind, and Azerbaijani champions Sabah FK in the Champions League. They have now lost on three occasions, more defeats than he experienced in 17 matches after replacing Ruben Amorim in January.

He has been around Manchester United long enough to know the pressure losing runs can build.

"I don't feel under pressure," he said. "Either way, that doesn't bother me one bit.

"I understand what goes on outside and how the world works, but it doesn't bother me. What bothers me is winning games, having a good feeling around the place and a good feeling around the group to know we're moving in a good direction."

The problem is it doesn't feel as though they are moving in a good direction. There were certainly not many positives to take from this mess.

The obvious one was Shea Lacey, who marked his first senior start with a well-taken eighth-minute goal. It meant he became the first teenager to score on his first United start since Marcus Rashford in February 2016.

Lacey was one of eight changes made by Carrick. Defensively, those changes were not a success.

Diogo Dalot was one of the three players to keep their place. His form has deserted him. Noussair Mazraoui is the back-up left-back, which only heightens the debate over the wisdom not to buy one before the transfer window closed. Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven looked like the inexperienced defenders they are. In midfield Manchester United were overrun.

Yet again, Rashford threatened without managing a goal or an assist. He came closest to levelling when he sped beyond the Brighton defence, but his shot was saved by Jason Steele.

"The longer the game went, the more we had control," was the concise assessment of Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler. "I thought we deserved to win."

Carrick didn't dispute the assessment.

His greatest sadness was for Lacey, who should have had his name in lights but instead was part of a team scuttling off the pitch to the sound of boos and harsher criticism.

"It's a shame that Shea's moment, such a great moment for him, for his family, his friends and the whole academy; to have an academy player come in and have a moment like that, gets a bit lost, unfortunately," said Carrick.

"It won't for him when things settle down but, as we sit here now, it feels that it was a long time ago."

Carrick also addressed the JJ Gabriel situation.

"He's a young boy, he's 15, and for me, definitely, and from a club point of view, looking after our younger players, their welfare, their wellbeing, their exposure, we've got to be really conscious of that in this situation," he explained.

But ultimately, for any manager, the assessment of their work comes through results.

"Being here toughens you up over a period of time," he said. "It depends how you deal with it. You've got to deal with it in a way where you can cope with it and you can bring out the best in yourself. However you do that, with your motivation and the confidence deep within yourself to know we can win football matches.

"We've gone out of the cup tonight, and the feeling around the place feels bigger than that. I'm honest enough to say that's how it feels. But it doesn't have to be like that. If we win football matches again, it can go in a different direction."

Manchester United have one more game before the international break, at Fulham on Sunday.

For the general wellbeing of the club, Carrick's team really need to win.

Speaking on Sky Sports, former England midfielder Jamie Redknapp said he wasn't sure they will.

"Right now, they're miles off it," he said. "It doesn't matter how good the manager is, if you don't have the right players it makes it really difficult.

"There's a reason why the other managers have struggled. Sooner or later the pressure's always going to come on.

"This weekend becomes a huge game. He doesn't need another poor result, otherwise all of a sudden you're going into the international break and everyone's talking about you. The winners tonight are the players who didn't play."

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