Michael Carrick’s impressive revival of Manchester United last season has given way to a difficult start to the 2026/27 campaign, with the club struggling for consistency in the Premier League and already eliminated from the Carabao Cup, PUNCH Online reports.
United’s 1-1 draw against Leeds United on Sunday left them 13th in the Premier League, with just one win in their opening seven league matches.
The result eqxtended Carrick’s difficult run, coming after a 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur and a 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
Reuters, in its report on Sunday’s draw, noted that United’s position was a “stark contrast to last season’s third-place finish”.
Carrick acknowledged that his side had not reached the level expected of them, particularly in possession.
“Maybe if you talk about top quality, maybe it wasn’t top, top quality I think we are capable of playing,” Reuters quoted him as saying.
The result also highlighted the difference between the form that secured Champions League qualification last season and the performances United have produced in the opening weeks of the current campaign.
Two wins in 10 matches
United have recorded two victories in their first 10 matches across all competitions, beating Ipswich Town 5-2 in the Premier League and Azerbaijani side Sabah 4-0 in the Champions League.
Their other results have included a 2-0 defeat to Hull City, a 2-2 draw against Everton, a 1-0 loss to Manchester City, a 1-1 draw at Fulham, a 3-2 defeat to Brighton, a 1-1 draw against Tottenham, a 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid and Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Leeds.
The defeat to Brighton on September 16 was particularly damaging, as United surrendered a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 at Old Trafford in the third round of the Carabao Cup.
Shea Lacey and Mason Mount scored in the opening 10 minutes, but Charalampos Kostoulas reduced the deficit before half-time, while Pascal Gross and Maxim De Cuyper completed Brighton’s comeback in the second half.
Manchester United’s official match report described how Brighton came from two goals down to eliminate the hosts from the competition.
The early exit removed one opportunity for Carrick’s side to challenge for domestic silverware, while their league results have raised questions about the team’s ability to build on last season’s progress.
In the Premier League, United have seven points from seven matches, with one victory, four draws and two defeats.
The club’s current position and results contrast with the momentum they generated under Carrick after his appointment in January.
16-game record that changed United’s season
Carrick took interim charge after Ruben Amorim was dismissed in January, inheriting a side that had struggled for consistency and was facing pressure to rescue its campaign.
United had finished 15th in the 2024/25 Premier League season, their lowest league position in decades, and were seeking to re-establish themselves among the teams competing for European qualification.
When Carrick took over in January 2026, the club was not yet in the bottom half, but its recent performances had raised doubts about whether it could secure Champions League football.
BBC Sport reported in April that United had been only one point off fifth place when Carrick arrived, despite having drawn against Wolves, Leeds and Burnley.
His first major tests were against Manchester City and Arsenal, two fixtures that could have deepened the club’s problems.
Instead, United beat City 2-0 at Old Trafford before securing a 3-2 victory over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
Those results provided the foundation for a sustained improvement under the former United midfielder.
Carrick subsequently guided United to victories against Fulham, Tottenham, Everton, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, Brentford and Liverpool, among other opponents, as the club strengthened its position in the league.
By the time United secured third place in May, Carrick had won 11 of his first 16 matches in charge, according to BBC Sport.
Reuters also reported the 11 victories in 16 matches when United confirmed his permanent appointment on May 22.
The record represented a dramatic improvement from the club’s struggles earlier in the campaign and secured a return to the Champions League after two seasons away from the competition.
Carrick then oversaw a 3-0 victory at Brighton in his first league match after his permanent appointment, taking his final record for the season to 12 wins, three draws and two defeats in 17 Premier League matches.
The final tally is important: his 11 victories in 16 matches marked the point at which United had secured third place, while the Brighton win took him to 12 victories in 17 games.
Why the turnaround worked
Carrick’s revival was not simply a matter of results.
His tactical adjustments also attracted attention.
BBC Sport reported in April that Carrick had abandoned Amorim’s three-at-the-back formation, moved captain Bruno Fernandes into a more advanced role and restored Kobbie Mainoo alongside Casemiro in midfield.
The report also noted that Carrick made relatively few changes to his starting line-up during his opening 10 matches, helping the side develop consistency in selection.
United collected 23 points from those first 10 league games under Carrick, the highest total in the Premier League over that period, according to BBC Sport.
The victories over City and Arsenal were particularly significant because they demonstrated that United could compete against leading sides while recovering confidence and momentum.
The club’s subsequent run of results made Champions League qualification possible and strengthened Carrick’s case for the permanent role.
When United confirmed his appointment in May, director of football Jason Wilcox said Carrick had “thoroughly earned the opportunity to continue leading our men’s team”, according to Reuters.
The appointment followed a period in which players and club officials had backed the former midfielder’s leadership and the improvement in results.
A different challenge this season
The current campaign presents a different test for Carrick.
Last season, he was appointed midway through the campaign and given the immediate task of stabilising United and securing European qualification. This season, he has had a full pre-season and the responsibility of building on that achievement as permanent head coach.
However, the opening 10 matches have produced only two wins across all competitions, an early cup exit and a series of draws that have prevented United from establishing momentum.
Reuters’ report on the Leeds match identified familiar shortcomings in possession and from set-pieces, despite Carrick’s praise for his players’ discipline and togetherness.
The manager described his side’s approach as evidence of progress, but the draw left United with only one league victory from seven matches.
The challenge is now to translate the resilience and tactical organisation that helped United finish third last season into a more consistent run of results.
Carrick has already demonstrated that he can improve the club’s fortunes over a sustained period.
His record of 12 wins in 17 league matches last season provides a clear benchmark for what United achieved under his leadership.
The early results this season, however, have placed that achievement in a different context.
With United already out of the Carabao Cup and struggling in the league, Carrick must find a way to restore the form that secured Champions League football before the gap between last season’s progress and this campaign’s difficulties widens further.
Martinez row, fine, apology
Carrick’s difficult start has also been overshadowed by a public disagreement with defender Lisandro Martínez over Manchester United’s recruitment and leadership.
After United’s 2-0 Champions League defeat to Atlético Madrid, Martínez called for greater investment and said he expected more from director of football Jason Wilcox.
Carrick initially declined to comment in detail, saying he had not watched the interview.
Martínez later expressed regret over the timing of his remarks and apologised,
while PUNCH Online reported on October 16 that United had fined the defender.
Carrick subsequently said the matter had been resolved, adding that the squad had moved on.
PUNCH Online, however, reports that the dispute has brought the club’s recruitment strategy into sharper focus.
Martínez’s criticism was that the squad had not been strengthened sufficiently after last season’s third-place finish, leaving Carrick without the resources to compete consistently with leading domestic and European sides.
That argument has not been independently established as the sole explanation for United’s results.
Nevertheless, it has added a leadership and recruitment dimension to the scrutiny surrounding Carrick’s difficult start.