Carrick invites blame as Man Utd flounder with four points

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has told supporters to “blame me” as the Red Devils sit on just four points from their opening four Premier League games ahead of Sunday’s trip to Fulham. The club have also been eliminated from the Carabao Cup and suffered a 3‑2 home loss to Brighton. Man Utd fans have voiced their disappointment.

League woes and cup exit

United have managed only four points after four fixtures, a tally that leaves them languishing near the bottom of the Premier League table. Their Carabao Cup campaign ended at the first hurdle, and a two‑goal lead was squandered as Brighton turned the match around to win 3‑2 at Old Trafford. Four days earlier, a controversial defeat to city rivals Manchester City added to the gloom.

The upcoming clash with Fulham on Sunday offers Carrick a chance to claw back at least a point, but the scrutiny over his position has already intensified. Fans and media alike have questioned whether the former midfielder can reverse the slide before any decisive action is taken by the board.

Carrick’s stance and future speculation

In his pre‑match press conference, Carrick declared, “It’s my responsibility, I’m fine with that,” adding that it is “not a blame game” and that he is “totally happy taking responsibility”. He dismissed rumours about his job, calling the speculation “ridiculous” and insisting that any decision about his future will not be made after “one or two games of results”. Sport senior reporter Nathan Ridley, a Senior Sports Reporter, noted the comments on Sep 18, citing the images and view of the briefing.

Carrick stressed that the club’s owners expect a certain standard and level of performance, saying he “understands what we need to achieve and where we need to be as a football club”. He warned that a couple of poor results should not cause the “world to cave in”, insisting the focus must remain on finding solutions collectively.

He also gave an update on the fitness of Luke Shaw and Carlos Baleba. Both have a “chance” to feature at Craven Cottage, though Carrick admitted they are “not totally 100 per cent”. Baleba, signed for £70 million in August, is still sidelined with an ankle injury and has yet to make his debut for United.

With the Fulham fixture looming, Carrick’s willingness to shoulder criticism remains clear, but the question of how long the board will tolerate the current run‑in stays unanswered. OUR MAN UTD supporters will be watching closely to see whether the manager’s approach can spark a turnaround before the pressure mounts further.