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Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has defended his side’s start to the 2026/27 Premier League season after the Red Devils surrendered a late lead to draw 2-2 with Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday.
United looked set to leave Merseyside with a valuable three points after twice taking the lead, but Everton refused to surrender and snatched a dramatic equaliser deep into stoppage time through debutant Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
The result means Manchester United have collected just four points from their opening three league matches, following a 2-0 defeat to newly promoted Hull City on the opening weekend and a convincing 5-2 victory over Ipswich Town in their previous outing.
Despite the disappointing conclusion, Carrick rejected suggestions that United have made a poor start to the campaign, insisting there were plenty of positives to take from their performance.
“We haven’t started the season that bad. It’s not that bad,” Carrick said after the final whistle, stressing that his team had been close to securing all three points.
His comments come at a time when pressure is already beginning to build around United, particularly after they twice allowed Everton to recover from losing positions. The draw also means Carrick’s team have won only one of their first three league games.
United’s failure to protect their advantage was particularly frustrating because they appeared to have done enough to control the contest for long periods. However, Everton continued to push forward and eventually found a way back into the match.
The final blow arrived in the 95th minute when Maitland-Niles, making his Everton debut, struck the late equaliser to deny United victory. The goal sparked huge celebrations among the home supporters and ensured David Moyes’ side maintained their unbeaten start to the league campaign.
For Carrick, however, the result was less about a collapse and more about a team that had put itself in a position to win an extremely difficult away fixture.
“We were that close to coming away with three points today,” the United boss said, highlighting how narrowly his side missed out on what would have been a significant away victory.
The manager also had to deal with concerns surrounding Marcus Rashford, who was substituted after experiencing discomfort. Carrick explained the decision rather than suggesting that the forward had suffered a major injury, although the situation will be monitored by the club.
The draw has nevertheless exposed some of the defensive problems United need to solve if they are to challenge consistently near the top of the Premier League. Conceding twice after taking the lead will raise questions about the team’s ability to close out matches, particularly against stronger opponents.
United now face an even bigger test in their next Premier League fixture when they welcome Manchester City. Pep Guardiola’s side have made a perfect start to the campaign, making the Manchester derby a major early-season examination for Carrick and his players.
Carrick will therefore hope his players can turn the frustration of the Everton draw into motivation rather than allowing the dropped points to affect their confidence.
While the result was clearly disappointing, the United manager remains convinced that his side are heading in the right direction. With a long season ahead and several new additions still settling into the squad, Carrick believes there is enough evidence to suggest that the situation at Old Trafford is not as concerning as the league table might currently indicate.
For Manchester United supporters, however, the challenge is now clear. The team must learn to turn promising performances into victories and, most importantly, stop allowing opponents to snatch points away from them in the closing stages.
