MICHAEL CARRICK fought off accusations of showing a “lack of emotion” in a heated exchange when pressed by a Manchester United journalist.
United were dumped out of the Carabao Cup at the first hurdle in a historic night at Old Trafford, after picking up four points from four to languish 13th in the Premier League.
Michael Carrick snapped back in his pre-match press conference Credit: Getty
Man Utd players faced questions over their fitness in Wednesday’s defeat to Brighton Credit: AFP
Carrick reacted strongly when asked if he “needs to show more emotion?”
He told the reporter: “I need to show more emotion? In what way?”, with a stern face.
Sign up for the Man United newsletter
Thank you!
To which the journalist responded: “Some of the fans might want to see it?”, before Carrick quipped: “No, but I’m asking, how, what do you want me to show?”
Before that, the United head coach insisted that United’s poor start to the season is “not a catastrophe or disaster”.
STRIKE IT RICH
Ex-England and I’m A Celeb star selling £5million mansion with swimming pool
CRACKER
Win stunning £600k 4-Bedroom Luxury Home & BMW X5 for just £1.79 with our discount
Carrick still has the backing of the United board and laughed off “ridiculous” notions that he should be stressed about his long-term future.
The 45-year-old, who has lost three of his opening six matches, said: “It’s not a catastrophe or a disaster. It’s not the end of the world.
“We’re not in a place where we’ve got an awful long run of horrific results. We’ve lost a couple of games recently, and we feel that we’ve started and been in all the games that we’ve played, if not being a better team at the start of a game.”
BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK
United players have faced accusations of poor fitness and a lack of intensity in their defeats at newly promoted Hull and in the Brighton shambles on Wednesday, when the Seagulls became the first side to overturn a 2-0 deficit to beat United at Old Trafford.
United are 14th in distance covered, 18th in sprints and 19th in sprints across the opening matches.
Quizzed if he’s under pressure to save his job, Carrick said: “It’s one or two bad results. It’s ridiculous to think about how long I’ve got in the job.
“I understand what we need to achieve and where we need to be as a football club, for the owners, what they expect, for the supporters as much as anything.
“More importantly for me, what they expect and what they want to see.
“I get all that. I get two or three games that we’ve had certain results, and two or three games too many because I really hate losing, but that doesn’t mean that the world caves in.
“It can’t be for us, because we’ve got to perform, we’ve got to win and we’ve got a lot of games to play for.”
Carrick engaged in a heated exchange with a reporter in Friday’s press conference who quizzed him on a perceived lack of emotion.
Man Utd ratings vs Brighton: Lacey a shining light on dark evening as Heaven and Yoro ripped apart
MANCHESTER UNITED suffered a humiliating Carabao Cup exit at Old Trafford as Brighton came from two goals down to reach the last 16.
It is the first time in 50 years that United have held a 2-0 lead at Old Trafford and lost the game.
The Red Devils were in dreamland after early goals from Shea Lacey and Mason Mount, before the Seagulls took control and mounted a stunning comeback.
United have not won a domestic cup match since beating Leicester in the FA Cup in February 2025 and again crashed out at first attempt of the Carabao Cup following last season’s horror show at Grimsby.
Michael Carrick is feeling the heat after goals Charalampos Kostoulas, Pascal Gross and Maxim De Cuyper ended one of two potential trophy hopes this season.
Here’s how JattvibeSport’s Katherine Walsh rated the United players from Old Trafford, as Brighton picked up a fifth straight victory in M16…
United are 14th in distance covered across the opening matches, 18th in sprints and 19th in sprints.
Carrick also revealed that new £70m signing Carlos Baleba could make his United debut against Fulham while Luke Shaw could also potentially return.
Carrick later stressed it’s “important not to play out the JJ Gabriel situation to the media” after the 15-year-old handed in his de-registration letter on Monday morning.
He added: “The situation will work itself out, or whatever way it’s going to work itself out. We need to make sure he’s okay.”
