Carrick should not be 'disappointed' with Man Utd setback - he should be angry

It was once accepted wisdom that if, as an elite football manager, you do not get too euphoric when things are going well or too despondent when things are going slightly awry, then it is a good trait to have. Not any more.

That is why Michael Carrick was probably ill-advised to say Manchester United’s start to the Premier League season has ‘not been that bad.’ Even though it has, er, not been that bad.

Carrick’s character is not going to change but, like it or not, perception is important in the modern managerial game. Supporters do not like a shrug of the shoulders.

Carrick said he was ‘disappointed’ with the way the game ended at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday. That does not cut it these days.

Get our comprehensive football coverage, with news, updates, opinions, analysis and everything that matters to you, straight to your inbox.

To get it, it's a quick and easy one-two:

1. Head THIS WAY

Arne Slot found that out last season. One of the Dutchman’s issues was that he became eminently reasonable in his dissection of unfavourable results.

More often than not, Carrick quite reasonably said, Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ strike does not go in. In fact, that is a totally reasonable thing to say.

In 334 appearances in professional football, Maitland-Niles has now scored 12 goals. He has never scored a goal like that in his professional life - and will never score one like it again.

But what Carrick should have been saying is that he was angry United did not go for Everton’s jugular after Bryan Mbeumo’s goal early in the second half. He should have been saying that he was angry United did not create a chance in the 40 minutes that followed Mbeumo’s goal.

And you can bet he was angry. Yes, United were denied a win by two freakishly good hits, but they were also complacent. And while they might have finished a decent third in the Premier League last season, they have nothing to be complacent about.

Of course, it is way too early to read too much into the start of a season. Liverpool were the only team to record three wins from their opening three matches last season.

In fact, Slot’s team won five out five to kick off their defence. We all know what happened after that. When he looks ahead to Thursday’s Champions League game against Sabah, Carrick should get on the front foot.

No, he cannot change his character but he can be a bit more expressive. When he has watched the Everton game back, he will know it was a badly missed opportunity, regardless of the fact that only an unusually brilliant goal denied them all three points.

And he will say that. He will demand a response in the Champions League and then against Manchester City at Old Trafford next Sunday.

The game against Sabah is a good opportunity for Carrick. The feeling from the Everton match and the statistics suggest that Benjamin Sesko should be given a starting chance as the central striker.

Matheus Cunha is, quite clearly, not a natural number nine. Sesko, quite clearly, is a natural number nine. He certainly brings an extra dimension when it comes to aggression. And that is what this United team needs. More aggression … from the top down.

Sky's Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle includes at least 215 live Premier League clashes across the 2026/27 season, with more than 1,500 games from the EFL and beyond, plus F1, golf and darts.