Manchester United’s Struggles Deepen Under Carrick

The Old Trafford turf still holds the faint scent of damp grass and stale ambition. Manchester United sit 13th in the Premier League, a position that feels heavier than the numbers suggest. Four games, four points. The rhythm is broken. The 2-0 loss to Hull was a bruise; the 5-2 victory over Ipswich was a flash of light that quickly dimmed; the 2-2 draw at Everton felt like a stalemate in a fog. Then came Sunday. The 1-0 defeat to Manchester City was not just a loss. It was a statement of inertia.

Mitigation exists, of course. The derby arrived three days after a Champions League win against Sabah. Enzo Maresca’s side had 48 hours more rest after their victory at Porto. But rest is a luxury, not a shield. With Brighton waiting in the Carabao Cup and Fulham looming on Sunday, the question is no longer about one bad day. It is about a pattern. Guardian Football notes that several areas need urgent attention, and the silence from the dugout is becoming louder than the crowd.

The Solskjær Shadow Looms Large

History has a way of circling back. In December 2018, Ole Gunnar Solskjær took over from José Mourinho. He won 14 of his first 19 games. Then came the collapse. Two victories from ten matches. The club ended in sixth, exactly where Solskjær had started. Michael Carrick is walking a similar path. He revived the club’s fortunes last season after Ruben Amorim’s meltdown, guiding United to third. But the permanent role has brought a different reality. Results have worsened. The safety net of interim status is gone. Jason Wilcox, the director of football, may be watching the clock. The contract runs to 2028, a span that feels shorter now that the results are slipping.

The parallel is uncomfortable. Solskjær was never secure, sacked in November 2021. Carrick’s position is precarious in a different way. He is not a temporary fix. He is the answer. And the answer is not working. How many more poor results before the accusation of haste becomes a verdict? The pressure is not just on the pitch. It is in the boardroom, in the quiet corridors where decisions are made and unmade.

Passiveness Defines the Current Era

Phil Foden was sent off after 23 minutes. United had a man advantage. And yet, they did not move. The team was becalmed. The central axis of Kobbie Mainoo and Youri Tielemans failed to exert control. The front four—Bruno Fernandes, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Marcus Rashford—were left stranded. For the first time in 12 home Premier League games under Carrick, United generated less than 1.0 expected goals. The number is 0.95. It is a statistic, but it feels like a surrender. The same passiveness was visible at Hull, where Andrey Santos partnered Tielemans. The threat was close to zero. The team was a portrait of stillness in a game that demanded motion.

The video assistant referee decision that allowed Erling Haaland’s winner was a farce. Enzo Fernández was interfering with play, as Pro Ref later admitted. But the ref decision is a distraction. The real issue is the lack of urgency. The team had the opportunity to break City. They chose to stand still. That choice is a tactical failure. It is a reflection of a mindset that is not yet aligned with the ambition of the club.

Left-Back Gap Exposes Planning Flaws

The summer window was a missed opportunity. Interest in a left-back included Lewis Hall, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and David Raum. None were signed. Instead, three midfielders were brought in: Tielemans, Santos, and Carlos Baleba. With Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte in the squad, the engine room is crowded. The finance for Santos, £48 million plus £2 million, could have secured a left-back. The decision was amateurish. It cannot have delighted Carrick. And it is now biting.

Luke Shaw, the first-choice left-back, is injury-plagued. He was unavailable for the City match. Carrick was forced to field Patrick Dorgu as a stopgap. Last season, Dorgu played as a wide-left forward and scored. On Sunday, he was tasked with defending. When Josko Gvardiol crossed from the right, Dorgu was the player challenging the Croat. He was not in his defensive zone. He was not marking the centre-forward. His errant header handed City the ball. The attack was launched. The goal was inevitable. The gap at left-back is not a small issue. It is a structural weakness. And it is showing in every match.