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Analysis: New season, same old Manchester United
17th September, 2026 07:04 AM
Manchester United’s Carabao Cup campaign ended in painful fashion after Brighton overturned a two-goal deficit to claim a 3-2 victory at Old Trafford on Wednesday night, September 16, 2026, piling further pressure on manager Michael Carrick.
United appeared to be in control after establishing a 2-0 advantage, but their lead quickly disappeared as Brighton mounted a second-half comeback. The defeat also created an unwanted piece of club history, with United losing at Old Trafford after leading by two goals for the first time in 145 attempts.
The result has revived memories of previous cup disappointments and raised fresh questions about Carrick’s position. United had suffered an early Carabao Cup exit against Grimsby under Ruben Amorim last season, a result that became one of the defining moments of his troubled spell.
Brighton have also become familiar opponents in United’s recent struggles. The Seagulls eliminated United from the FA Cup earlier this year, in the final match before Carrick returned to the club and helped oversee a brief improvement in results.
Pascal Gross’ equaliser added another layer to the frustration. The Brighton midfielder had previously scored twice at Old Trafford in August 2022, contributing to the pressure surrounding Erik ten Hag at the beginning of his United reign.
Gross, now 35, has since experienced European football with Brighton, moved to Borussia Dortmund and later returned to the south-coast club. Meanwhile, United have invested heavily in midfield, yet the veteran was once again able to exert significant influence against them.
United had around £140 million (about Ksh24.6 billion) worth of midfield talent on the pitch in Youri Tielemans, Mason Mount and Andrey Santos, while Carlos Baleba, who previously played for Brighton, watched the contest from the stands.
The physical aspect of the game was another concern for United. Despite Carrick making nine changes from his previous starting XI, Brighton also rotated heavily, making six alterations and handing four summer arrivals their first starts for the club.
The defensive problems were particularly evident.
Young centre-backs Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven struggled to cope with Brighton’s attacking movement, with their positioning and decision-making coming under scrutiny.
Brighton’s second goal highlighted those weaknesses. Luka Vuskovic won an aerial duel with Benjamin Sesko, sending the ball into an area where Gross was able to exploit the space and finish without significant resistance.
Heaven failed to react quickly enough to the developing danger, while Yoro was unable to close down the eventual effort. The pair were again exposed during Brighton’s decisive third goal, when United failed to track the counter-attack effectively.
The collapse also extended a remarkable sequence of unwanted statistics for United. Brighton became the first visiting side in 50 years to win at Old Trafford after falling two goals behind.
United also suffered their first home defeat after holding a half-time advantage in 551 such matches. The previous occasion came in 1984, before Sir Alex Ferguson began his legendary tenure at the club.
Those numbers come alongside United’s difficult opening to the Premier League campaign. After four matches, they have recorded only one victory, a 5-2 success against Ipswich, while several other performances have produced more questions than answers.
Some of their earlier setbacks have included unusual circumstances, such as spectacular goals conceded against Everton and a controversial winner in the Manchester derby. However, the growing number of problematic performances is making it increasingly difficult to dismiss them as isolated incidents.
Carrick’s reaction
Michael Carrick acknowledged the frustration among supporters after the result and admitted that his team failed to manage the match effectively after making such a promising start.
“The night’s gone in a different direction but I think for Shea for the moment in the Academy and everyone who’s been connected with his journey, to have a moment like which he should be celebrating and enjoying a little bit more really to have that start of the game. Then we let the game get away from us the longer the game went.”
Carrick now faces an important test when United travel to Fulham on Sunday, September 20, 2026. The London club are also searching for their first league victory under manager Alvaro Arbeloa.
The match arrives immediately before a three-week international break, giving the result added significance for United and their manager. A positive result would give Carrick an opportunity to steady his team, while another defeat would intensify scrutiny around his position.
