Carrick acknowledges pressure after United’s late Everton draw

Manchester United must look past the positives of their 2-2 draw at Everton as manager Michael Carrick faces growing pressure following a difficult start to the Premier League campaign. Despite securing a point against two promoted sides and an Everton team in disarray, United have conceded twice in each of their first three matches, dropping five points in total.

There were encouraging signs for the visitors. Benjamin Sesko ended a goal drought caused by a shin injury that delayed his season start, while Kobbie Mainoo continued to impress and showed no lingering effects from his World Cup experience. Goalkeeper Senne Lammens also displayed strong mental resilience, and Marcus Rashford returned to the club with visible purpose.

However, the result feels disappointing to Carrick. “It feels like a defeat,” the manager said. “We can’t ignore the fact we have taken a point, but it feels that we should have had a lot more.” United led twice but conceded late goals, including a debut strike from outside the box by Ainsley Maitland-Niles—the first time an Everton player has achieved this feat on their Premier League debut.

Former United star Wayne Rooney, analyzing the game for BBC Sport, backed Carrick’s assessment of the performance. “I thought it was a good away performance,” Rooney said. “There was a lot more control… I think there was encouragement from United’s point of view.”

Carrick insisted the mentality within the squad remains strong but acknowledged defensive fragility is a concern. “We need to concede fewer goals to give us a better chance of winning games,” he explained. He also highlighted the partnership between Luke Shaw and Rashford, noting Shaw’s attacking threat and his role in setting up Sesko’s late header.

Questions remain regarding the summer transfer window, particularly the decision to reject a loan for Joshua Zirkzee in favor of a replacement who never arrived, and the choice not to sign a permanent left-back to support Luke Shaw. Shaw was among the better performers, joining forces effectively with Rashford down the left flank.

United now face a crucial busy period with four games in 11 days, starting with a Champions League trip to Azerbaijan’s Sabah FK, followed by a Manchester derby against City. Carrick must navigate these fixtures while managing squad rotation and fitness concerns, particularly regarding Rashford’s second-half exit.

While Carrick described the start as “not that bad,” he recognizes that such language will not suffice for long at Old Trafford. The manager knows that with enormous expectations surrounding the club, simply avoiding defeat will eventually cease to be enough.