Manchester United’s 3–2 Carabao Cup collapse against Brighton & Hove Albion has intensified scrutiny of Michael Carrick, with the manager accepting responsibility after his side squandered a two-goal lead at Old Trafford.

United appeared to have given themselves the ideal response to a difficult week when 16-year-old Shea Lacey scored in the eighth minute on his first senior start. Mason Mount doubled the advantage two minutes later, and the hosts looked set to progress comfortably into the fourth round.

Instead, Brighton exposed familiar concerns over United’s ability to manage momentum and protect a lead. Charalampos Kostoulas pulled a goal back before half-time, Pascal Groß equalised in the 65th minute, and substitute Maxim De Cuyper completed the turnaround four minutes later to send the visitors through.

The final whistle was met with loud boos, while a chant of “What the f***ing hell was that?” rang out as the United players left the pitch. The anger reflected not just the result but the manner of it: a side that had controlled the opening stages lost composure and direction once Brighton found a route back into the match.

Carrick did not attempt to distance himself from the defeat. He said United could not accept such a collapse after leading 2–0 and acknowledged that a series of recent setbacks had created a damaging atmosphere around the squad.

“A couple of smallish things end up accumulating into this, let’s be honest, it feels bigger. If you go to the Everton last-minute goal, to the City goal, then it creates a bit of a feeling. Then the game today, we fully accept it. I totally take responsibility.”

The manager was referring to the recent late setback against Everton, Erling Haaland’s controversial winner for Manchester City in the derby, and now the cup capitulation against Brighton. Carrick’s point was that individual disappointments can gather into a wider sense of crisis—but he also conceded that United had contributed to their own problems by failing to see out a match they had initially controlled.

Lacey’s performance made the defeat more frustrating. His early goal made him the first teenager to score on his first United start since Marcus Rashford against FC Midtjylland in February 2016. The academy forward supplied energy and conviction at a time when the team needed both, but his landmark night was overshadowed by the experienced players’ inability to retain control.

The view that United’s senior players owe Lacey an apology has been voiced in post-match commentary rather than by the club or player himself. Still, it captures the central issue: a promising academy breakthrough should have been the story of the evening, but United’s defensive fragility and poor game management turned it into another damaging defeat.

Youri Tielemans called for the squad to stay united and react quickly, describing Sunday’s Premier League trip to Fulham as a “massive” match. For Carrick, it is now an immediate test of whether his team can turn talk of resilience into a performance that restores some confidence before the international break.

Carrick has insisted that speculation about his job does not affect him, but the practical reality is clear. United have suffered a second consecutive early Carabao Cup exit, supporters are increasingly frustrated, and a defeat at Craven Cottage would deepen doubts about the direction of the season. The Fulham match will not decide everything, but it has become a crucial opportunity for Carrick and his players to demonstrate that the Brighton collapse was a setback rather than the start of a deeper decline.