Michael Carrick has hit back at what he called "lazy and easy" criticism of Manchester United following their 2-0 opening-day defeat at Hull, insisting the loss was down to more than just a lack of leadership or passion.
The United manager, speaking after the tame display, was asked whether captain Bruno Fernandes and Youri Tielemans, who captains Belgium, had shown the kind of leadership that could have influenced the performance and result. Carrick, however, rejected the notion that the defeat exposed a deeper problem within the squad.
Carrick defends Fernandes and squad leadership
"It's one game," Carrick said. "I think there's enough leadership in our dressing room that we'll have it throughout the season. Just because we lose a game doesn't just mean leadership [is the reason]. I got 'passion' thrown at me after the game; it's not just that. You lose two set plays like we did [for the goals], it changes the game."
Pressed on the reason for the performance, Carrick pushed back against the idea that a single factor could explain the result. "You've watched football a long time, right? Teams lose games and win games, and it's not just because you try or you don't try. There's all sorts of different reasons. I don't have to give you the total reason, because we know what we're trying to improve on."
Manager dismisses 'obvious' narrative after defeat
The 45-year-old was then asked to offer one specific factor that led to the defeat. "I think it's so easy and lazy to just … a team loses a game, everything's wrong: this is wrong, this is wrong, not trying enough, not enough passion," Carrick said. "It's like the obvious answer. So, there's a lot that goes into a game of football that can take [the result away] from [you]."
He drew a comparison with past victories, noting that the same performance levels had previously produced wins. "We've probably played like that and won games, and everyone goes: 'What a great team, what a great coach, what a great load of players' – when we find a way to win 1-0. So, from my perspective, when you're analysing it, it's not the feeling [that the inverse is true]. We've got to dig deeper than that and understand the details of it. And we don't get carried away when we win certain games because we know it's not been perfect."
Baleba injury adds to United's concerns
United host Ipswich on Sunday without Carlos Baleba, who signed on Tuesday for £70m from Brighton but is sidelined with an ankle injury that may keep him out for three or more weeks. This means the midfielder may not make his debut until Tottenham's visit on 10 October, after the international break.
United have admired the Cameroon international since last summer, and Carrick was asked why the 22-year-old was signed so late in the window. He said: "It's not always straightforward, and things have got to drop. So we've been patient. We wanted to get the right players in, that fit the group, that will take us forward, and Carlos is definitely one of them."
