# Carrick Under the Cosh: Here We Go Again, Reds

Look, I wanted to believe. We all did. When Michael Carrick steadied the ship last season, winning 11 of 16 as interim and dragging us to third place with Champions League football secured, it felt like we’d finally found someone who understood the United DNA. Someone who could restore the glory days.

But blimey, what a way to start the 2026-27 campaign.

According to Sky Sports, we’ve already suffered a cup collapse that has the alarm bells ringing at Old Trafford. This wasn’t just a bad result, it was a complete capitulation. The kind of performance that makes you wonder if we’ve learned anything from the Amorim disaster or the Ten Hag years before that.

Carrick got the permanent job in May on the back of those brilliant wins over City, Arsenal and Liverpool. Omar Berrada and the INEOS hierarchy backed him with serious investment this summer: Tielemans, Santos, Baleba joining the squad. We’ve got quality throughout the team. Bruno pulling the strings, Cunha and Sesko leading the line in their second seasons, Mbeumo providing width. On paper, this squad should be competing on all fronts.

But here’s the harsh truth: we’ve been down this road too many times. The optimism, the early promise, then the inevitable slide. Sky’s assessment is brutal but fair. Carrick himself knows the pressure is mounting already, and we’re barely into September.

The gaffer deserves time, absolutely. His connection to the club runs deep and he proved his tactical nous last spring. But Sir Jim and the board won’t tolerate another false dawn. Champions League starts soon against Bayern and Atletico. We need answers fast, or this season could unravel before it truly begins.

Come on Michael, prove the doubters wrong. Please.

✍️ This summary was written by the MUFC Fanatics SA team based on reporting from Sky Sports.

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