Manchester United’s Carabao Cup second-round loss at Grimsby last season was a result that many will remember.
It was a defeat which became synonymous with former Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim’s time in charge.
That was a very bad night for United, and although Wednesday’s defeat at home to Brighton did not feel as significant, there were similarities for the man who succeeded Amorim, Michael Carrick.
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Man Utd’s captain for the loss, Youri Tielemans, admitted afterwards that once they went 2-0 down, his side stopped playing – and that was pretty evident by their performance.
You could sense at Old Trafford from 20 minutes onwards that Brighton were in the ascendancy and the game was only going to go one way. Despite bringing on Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, United failed to make an impression.
That is what will truly worry head coach Carrick.
After the few defeats Carrick has suffered since his return to the club in January, he has always backed his players or found positive qualities in the performances, but there was no such redemption to be found against Brighton.
Predictable problems and defensive worries
When Carrick and his staff first came in, they deservedly received a lot of praise.
Defensively they looked tight and compact and that led to impressive wins against Manchester City and Arsenal.
The likes of Steve Holland, Jonathan Woodgate and Jonny Evans made an immediate improvement to the defensive unit.
But, equally, questions have to be raised now about the frailties that same defence is showing this season. Carrick’s side have conceded two goals in three of their four Premier League games.
The defence was exposed once again in the Brighton loss. Yes, one goal was a goalkeeping error by Karl Darlow, but aside from the goals conceded, the shape and understanding of the back four lacked any sort of coherence.
Left-back predictably is an issue for Carrick. He has yet to acknowledge the area as a specific weakness as per his style when engaging in the media, but it is a significant problem – one the United hierarchy knew about going into the summer’s transfer window.
Luke Shaw, United’s only senior left-back at the club, has missed the last three games through a minor injury, but considering his age and injury track record – despite his excellent availability last season – it was naive not to strengthen in that area.
Carrick has experimented with Noussair Mazraoui in that position but he seems to have fallen down the pecking order, as the less experienced Patrick Dorgu was preferred for the Manchester derby loss.
Young left-back Harry Amass does not seem to be fancied in the position long-term either – so how will United remedy the position for the rest of the season?
An awkward discussion over Carrick’s future
It seems ridiculous to even discuss Carrick’s job security after only a few weeks of the new season.
Man Utd have still accumulated the most points across the league since his return in January.
However, as Carrick admitted himself, a few moments such as Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ equaliser for Everton, City’s controversial VAR goal and now a shocking collapse against Brighton, have made it all feel very different.
If United lose at Fulham on Sunday, live on Sky Sports, there will be inevitable and uncomfortable discussions around whether Carrick can lead United out of the storm they currently find themselves in.
That may be for another day, but the United head coach does deserve sympathy for the squad he has been dealt.
The lack of sales and outgoings this summer at United handicapped them in being able to further reinforce the squad. But does that excuse them ignoring key areas to strengthen?
The left-back area, as mentioned, should have been strengthened. Knowing Benjamin Sesko was still nursing a shin injury all summer, perhaps United should have brought in a temporary No 9 to share the load rather than playing Mbeumo and Cunha out of position. Both players have failed to discover the form they showed under Carrick last season.
But, ultimately, until United are able to be in a position where they can really reshape their team in one window, they will continue to be caught in this cycle of strengthening just enough with players left over from previous regimes.
That perhaps is why you could hear boos at Old Trafford after the Brighton loss. Not just aimed at that performance, but perhaps a familiar feeling of a cycle beginning again, a deja vu of seasons past and another false dawn after a promising start under a new United head coach.
Again, it feels too soon for that just yet, and Carrick deserves time after what he delivered last season, but these are the waters he has to navigate, and ultimately, he will be the one judged.
But if he can stop the spiral, even without a win against Fulham with a positive performance, time may allow him to be able to steer the ship back on course.
