Manchester United's Draw Feels Like a Defeat for Carrick
Michael Carrick admitted Manchester United’s 2-2 draw felt like a defeat – and then added a fitness worry over Marcus Rashford to a bruising night.
United twice led but twice let it slip, with debutant Ainsley Maitland-Niles smashing in a late equaliser after Benjamin Sesko had seemingly won it. Bryan Mbeumo’s early stunner had set the tone before Tyrique George answered with a spectacular strike of his own.
By the end, United had only a point and a question mark over their standout forward.
“Feels like a defeat”
Carrick cut a frustrated figure as he assessed a game his side should have killed off.
“Yeah, we're disappointed, bitterly disappointed,” he said. “To be up in the position we were in, [leading] the game twice and so close to the end. And all of the work that went into putting us in that position at different stages, to then come away like that leaves us… yeah, it's not a great feeling.
“Feels like a defeat, bit of a cliché, the obvious thing to say at this stage, but we have taken a point and we can't ignore that, but it feels like we should have a lot more.”
United’s defensive frailty was again under the microscope after conceding two from range. Carrick rejected the idea that the issue lay in mentality or coaching alone.
“The mentality is there. I think there's obviously things we need to get better at as a team,” he said. “That's two strikes from distance, really, two really good strikes from their point of view, so sometimes they fly in the top corner, and more often than not, they probably don't, so there's a little bit of that.
“But yeah, obviously we can't ignore it. We need to concede less goals to give us a better chance of winning games, but we'll certainly look at that and keep improving.”
He pointed to the fine margins that turned three points into one.
“I think that one strike from the edge, that goes in the top corner and changes the whole feeling, that few minutes,” he added. “When you look back, there'll be loads of little things that you can do a little bit differently, of course, but he's put it in the top corner from well outside the box, so sometimes it's one of those things.”
Rashford worry after standout display
Rashford had tormented the Everton back line, stretching the game, driving at defenders and constantly threatening down the left with Luke Shaw. His substitution for Patrick Dorgu raised eyebrows.
Carrick revealed there was a physical concern behind the decision.
“Yeah, he was feeling a bit of something,” he said when asked why Rashford came off.
On the forward’s form, Carrick was full of praise.
“Yeah, he's done very well. As I said during the week, he's done ever so well since he came back. I thought he looked really sharp again today and dangerous.
“That final little moment didn't quite drop for him, but nevertheless, I thought he created really good opportunities, and there was a big threat throughout the game.”
Carrick also highlighted the growing chemistry between Rashford and Shaw down the left flank.
“I think you're trying to build those partnerships and combinations throughout the team, really, and they've played together for quite some time now and have an understanding. And it's obviously up to us to build the understandings and combinations all the time.
“I thought we had that quite a lot through the middle of the pitch today at certain times, I thought we played some really good football through the middle of the pitch and obviously Bryan [Mbeumo] got his goal on the right, Marcus and Luke were particularly dangerous down that side.”
Carrick plays down “poor start” talk
The dropped points will fuel questions after a stuttering opening to the campaign, but Carrick pushed back on the idea that United’s start has been disastrous.
“We haven't started the season that bad, to be honest,” he insisted. “We were a lot closer to coming away with three points today. That's football; there are moments that we can deal with a bit better, but we'll be fine.”
United do not have long to dwell on the late blow. They are back at Old Trafford on Thursday night, opening their Champions League campaign against Sabah – and they may need both a sharper defence and a fully fit Rashford if they are to set the right tone in Europe.
