*This content was translated by AI.
Michael Carrick (45), manager of Manchester United, took responsibility for the defeat.
On the 17th (Korea time), Man Utd lost 2-3 to Brighton in the third round (round of 32) of the '2026-2027 English KARA Carabao Cup (League Cup)' held at Old Trafford in Manchester, UK.
This marked a disgraceful chapter in history for Man Utd. Since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013, Man Utd had never lost a home game after taking a two-goal lead in 145 matches. During this period, only Sevilla and Everton managed to equalize from a two-goal deficit and secure a draw. Furthermore, this was the first time since a 2-3 loss to Tottenham 50 years ago that Man Utd had conceded a comeback defeat after scoring two goals at home.
The early flow of the match was completely dominated by Man Utd. Shay Lacey scored the opening goal in just the eighth minute, seizing the initiative, and Mason Mount added another goal just two minutes later in the 10th minute, seemingly securing a 2-0 lead early on.
However, Man Utd's defense could not hold onto the lead until the end. They began to waver after conceding an equalizer from KARA Lampous Kostoulas in the 46th minute of the first half, and then collapsed rapidly in the second half.
In the 20th minute of the second half, they conceded a painful equalizing goal from Pascal Gross, and just four minutes later in the 24th minute, they surrendered a go-ahead winning goal to Maxim de Kuiper. Man Utd fought hard to find an equalizer in the remaining time but ultimately failed to open Brighton's goal.
After the match, Britain's 'The Sun' reported that "fans at Old Trafford erupted in fierce jeers after Manchester United, led by manager Michael Carrick, fell to Brighton."
Global sports specialist ESPN reported that "Manager Michael Carrick strongly criticized the team's lifeless performance immediately after being eliminated from the KARA Carabao Cup and took full responsibility for the defeat."
Carrick said, "This is an absolutely unacceptable result for the team," and "I take all responsibility for this defeat, including our poor performance in the final stages of the second half." He added, "We must improve. Having been eliminated from the cup competition, we will focus on winning again starting with Sunday's match."
Man Utd has experienced a serious slump early in this season. Across all competitions, they managed only two wins in six matches and sit 13th in the EPL with just four points.
However, Carrick drew a line against external pressure, stating he would not be shaken by it. He said, "I pay no attention to outside views or criticism. My only goal is to win matches and create a positive atmosphere within the team." He added, "We can overcome this crisis. The upcoming Fulham match on Sunday will be the starting point of our comeback."
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*This content was translated by AI.
