Carrick's Man United crisis: From Champions League revival to poor start
Michael Carrick's impressive revival of Manchester United last season has given way to a difficult start to the 2026/27 campaign, with the club struggling for consistency in the Premier League and already eliminated from the Carabao Cup, PUNCH Online reports. United's 1-1 draw against Leeds United on Sunday left them 13th in the Premier League, with just one win in their opening seven league matches.
The result eqxtended Carrick's difficult run, coming after a1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspurand a2-0 defeat to Atletico Madridin the Champions League. Reuters, in its report on Sunday's draw, noted that United's position was a "stark contrast to last season's third-place finish".
Carrick acknowledged that his side had not reached the level expected of them, particularly in possession. "Maybe if you talk about top quality, maybe it wasn't top, top quality I think we are capable of playing," Reuters quoted him as saying.
The result also highlighted the difference between the form that secured Champions League qualification last season and the performances United have produced in the opening weeks of the current campaign. Two wins in 10 matches United have recorded two victories in their first 10 matches across all competitions, beating Ipswich Town 5-2 in the Premier League and Azerbaijani side Sabah 4-0 in the Champions League.
Their other results have included a 2-0 defeat to Hull City, a 2-2 draw against Everton, a 1-0 loss to Manchester City, a 1-1 draw at Fulham, a 3-2 defeat to Brighton, a 1-1 draw against Tottenham, a 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid and Sunday's 1-1 draw at Leeds. The defeat to Brighton on September 16 was particularly damaging, as United surrendered a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 at Old Trafford in the third round of the Carabao Cup.
Shea Lacey and Mason Mount scored in the opening 10 minutes, but Charalampos Kostoulas reduced the deficit before half-time, while Pascal Gross and Maxim De Cuyper completed Brighton's comeback in the second half. Manchester United's official match report described how Brighton came from two goals down to eliminate the hosts from the competition.
The early exit removed one opportunity for Carrick's side to challenge for domestic silverware, while their league results have raised questions about the team's ability to build on last season's progress. In the Premier League, United have seven points from seven matches, with one victory, four draws and two defeats.
The club's current position and results contrast with the momentum they generated under Carrick after his appointment in January. 16-game record that changed United's season Carrick took interim charge after Ruben Amorim was dismissed in January, inheriting a side that had struggled for consistency and was facing pressure to rescue its campaign.
United had finished 15th in the 2024/25 Premier League season, their lowest league position in decades, and were seeking to re-establish themselves among the teams competing for European qualification. When Carrick took over in January 2026, the club was not yet in the bottom half, but its recent performances had raised doubts about whether it could secure Champions League football.