Michael Carrick insisted there were positive signs for Manchester United despite their disappointing 1-1 draw against Fulham on Sunday.
United were moments away from suffering a third consecutive defeat before Matheus Cunha rescued his side with a deflected effort. The result came after defeats to Manchester City in the Premier League and Brighton in the League Cup.
Martinez Own Goal Puts Fulham Ahead
Manchester United fell behind in the 63rd minute after a bizarre own goal from Lisandro Martinez.
The defender’s attempted clearance went wrong and deflected into his own net, leaving United facing another damaging defeat.
However, Cunha’s late effort gave United a share of the points and prevented Carrick’s team from heading into the international break with another loss.
Carrick Defends United’s Effort
Despite criticism of United’s lack of intensity, Carrick rejected suggestions that his players had been passive.
“I didn’t think we were. Did you think we were? Football is a difficult game.”
Carrick pointed to United’s control during parts of the first half and argued that teams cannot dominate throughout an entire Premier League match.
“I thought we should have won the game, I thought we created enough to win the game,” Carrick said.
He also praised the team’s response after conceding, saying the players continued to push for a winning goal.
Manchester United Struggling for Results
The draw means United have recorded just one win from their opening five Premier League matches, highlighting their difficult start to the season.
The near-defeat at Fulham further underlined the pressure surrounding the team after consecutive losses to Manchester City and Brighton.
Carrick acknowledged that United still have areas to improve but said there were encouraging aspects to take from the game.
“We can take a lot from today. I think we can learn a lot as well. We can be better at certain things, that is pretty clear, but there were some good signs today,” he said.
Cunha Calls for More Energy
Cunha, who scored United’s equaliser, offered a more critical assessment of the team’s performance.
The Brazilian forward said United showed greater enthusiasm and character after conceding but stressed that the same intensity must be present from the beginning.
“After the goal, we played much better with a lot of enthusiasm and character. This needs to be from the start,” Cunha said.
He also admitted that Fulham had shown more energy at the start of the second half.
“In the beginning of the second half they put in more energy than us and we cannot accept this,” Cunha added.
United Must Improve
While Carrick maintained that United deserved more from the match, Cunha’s comments highlighted the need for greater consistency and intensity.
United will now head into the international break with plenty to address after a difficult opening stretch to the Premier League season.