Manchester United manager Michael Carrick is facing mounting pressure after his team equalled their lowest points total after five matches in the Premier League era. Following a 1-1 draw against Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday, United currently sits in 12th place with only five points from their opening fixtures.
The match saw United trail after a Lisandro Martinez own goal, before Matheus Cunha secured a late equalizer in the 89th minute. The performance drew sharp criticism from former United defender and Sky Sports commentator Gary Neville, who described the team’s effort during the second half as pathetic.
Carrick acknowledged the difficult start to the season but attributed the team’s struggles to fine margins and specific incidents, such as disallowed goals and own goals. He stated that he remains confident in the squad’s ability to improve, noting that the team showed positive signs in their response to falling behind against Fulham.
This season marks Carrick’s first as permanent manager following his tenure as interim boss. The team has faced a series of setbacks, including an opening-weekend loss to Hull and a League Cup defeat to Brighton. United is currently 10 points behind league leaders Manchester City.
With an upcoming international break, Carrick has three weeks to address concerns regarding the team’s fitness and performance before their next match against Tottenham on October 10. The manager emphasized that the squad is in a period of growth and expressed conviction that the team will return to winning matches.
Article source: www.aljazeera.com | Image credit: www.aljazeera.com