Carrick confident Man Utd can ‘work through’ tough time

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has admitted to his team's recent struggles, expecting them to weather a challenging period amid a disappointing start to the current season. After a successful temporary stint earlier in the year, Carrick was appointed permanently in an attempt to secure third place in the Premier League and a return to the Champions League.

However, United have only managed four points from their opening four league games this season, and were eliminated from the League Cup by Brighton in a 3-2 defeat at Old Trafford – a first loss to the club at that venue in 50 years. Carrick acknowledged that history shows any successful team goes through periods of adversity that must be overcome and improved upon.

"We've had a small period, in recent time, when it hasn't been exactly what we want it to be," Carrick said ahead of Sunday's match against Fulham. "I was expecting a point when we would come through it, it was going to come. We had such a good spell last season, going into this season."

The midfielder added that a few recent setbacks, such as the offside mistake in Manchester City's 2-1 victory over United, and Ainsley Maitland-Niles' late goal for Everton, have contributed to the team's poor run. "It's tiny margins in some of those games. We will work through it," Carrick stated.

Despite United's current struggles, Carrick believes that winning games is the key to overcoming their current difficulties. He also noted that small disappointments can sometimes lead to bigger breakthroughs, a crucial mindset for any great football club. With Luke Shaw returning from injury and Carlos Bacca potentially making his debut, Carrick remains optimistic about United's prospects for the season.