Carrick faces pressure after Old Trafford appearance from ex-Man United coach

Michael Carrick’s difficult start to the season took another uncomfortable turn on Wednesday night and not only because Manchester United threw away a two-goal lead against Brighton.

United crashed out of the Carabao Cup after losing 3-2 at Old Trafford, despite Shea Lacey and Mason Mount putting them 2-0 ahead inside the opening 10 minutes.

It was their third defeat in six matches across all competitions, leaving Carrick under increasing scrutiny ahead of Sunday’s trip to Fulham.

Adding another layer to the speculation was the presence of former United coach Kieran McKenna in the directors’ box.

McKenna was watching from the Old Trafford directors’ box

According to BBC journalist Simon Stone, McKenna was in attendance for United’s defeat to Brighton.

— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) September 16, 2026

— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) September 16, 2026

There may be an innocent explanation. McKenna has been spotted at several Premier League grounds during the opening weeks of the campaign and is currently without a managerial job.

However, his Old Trafford appearance is inevitably more interesting because of his history with United. The former Ipswich boss worked as part of the coaching staff under Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick, giving him extensive knowledge of the club.

GiveMeSport has also highlighted his attendance amid growing uncertainty around Carrick’s position.

Meanwhile, United’s collapse against Brighton made unwanted history. They had previously won 143 of the 145 matches at Old Trafford in which they had led by two goals, and this was their first home defeat from a 2-0 lead in 50 years.

McKenna’s presence could be bad news for Man United boss

McKenna sitting in the directors’ box does not mean United are preparing to replace Carrick, but the timing could hardly be worse for the current manager.

Carrick earned plenty of goodwill last season after winning 12 of his 17 matches and taking United to third place.

This campaign, however, they have collected only four points from four Premier League games and have now been eliminated from the Carabao Cup.

McKenna would also be an obvious name if INEOS eventually considered a change. He knows the club, has worked with several United players before and built his reputation through an impressive spell at Ipswich.

That does not make him a candidate today, but Carrick will know how quickly the conversation can change.

Sunday’s game at Fulham therefore feels increasingly important. A victory could calm the situation before the international break.

Another defeat, with a former United coach already appearing in the Old Trafford directors’ box, would only make the speculation louder.