Carrick explains Manchester United’s Carabao Cup exit, demands immediate response
By Joel Masibo, September 17, 2026Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick has accepted responsibility for the club’s disappointing Carabao Cup elimination and called on his players to respond quickly by returning to winning ways.
United surrendered a two-goal advantage before eventually losing 3-2 to Brighton & Hove Albion at Old Trafford on Wednesday night, September 16, 2026.
The hosts appeared to be in complete control after Shea Lacey scored his first senior goal for the club, before Mason Mount added another two minutes later. However, Brighton gradually turned the contest around.
Charalampos Kostoulas reduced the deficit shortly before the interval, while Pascal Gross restored parity shortly after the hour mark. Maxim De Cuyper then completed Brighton’s comeback to knock United out of the competition.
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,” he said.
The United boss also pointed to a series of recent setbacks that he believes have compounded the team’s current disappointment.
“We’ve had small, little things that have gone against us in the last week or two and then it accumulates to feel that it’s a lot bigger. I think we have to be honest and say that. The late goal against Everton from outside the box. The [Manchester] City goal the other day. It can all of a sudden roll into something a bit greater but I understand the disappointment because we shouldn’t finish the game in that manner with the position we were in and we have to be humble and take that,” he added.
Carrick did not attempt to shift responsibility for the defeat, instead placing himself at the centre of the criticism following another difficult night.
“I totally understand the feelings of the supporters. I totally understand it. We have to accept it. I totally accept it. It’s on me, ultimately. You know, as a team, what do we look like? How do we play? What results do we get? You take the praise, I’ll stand here and take the criticism. I totally understand it tonight for the way the game went. We’ve got to win games.”
With the Carabao Cup campaign now over, Carrick said United must use the setback as an opportunity to improve and learn how to handle difficult moments more effectively.
“We’ve got to keep evolving as a group. We have to keep learning and dealing with situations. Sometimes they come a bit easier than others. Tonight was a tough one. We didn’t find a way out of it. That’s up to me and the staff to help the players and guide them through it. I think we all know that in the end tonight feels like a big disappointment.”
United’s attention now turns to their Premier League meeting with Fulham on Sunday, with Carrick insisting that the team’s priority is to put the cup disappointment behind them.
“We’ve got a big game on Sunday that we need to prepare for. We’re out of this competition and we’ve got to get back to winning football matches. It doesn’t feel good at the moment, let me tell you. It doesn’t feel good at the moment. But we can get back to winning football matches, and we’ve got to do a lot of things better. We want to win and we want to win quickly. It’s as simple as that. The next game’s Sunday, so that’s purely all I’m thinking about right now,” the manager concluded.