Manchester United Draw 2-2: Carrick Expresses Disappointment Over Late Collapse

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick admitted his side were “bitterly disappointed” after twice throwing away a lead in a chaotic 2-2 draw – and then revealed fresh concern over Marcus Rashford’s fitness.

United were minutes away from what looked like a hard-earned win when the game exploded into life late on. Bryan Mbeumo had set them on their way with a superb curling strike, only for Tyrique George to level with an 83rd-minute effort of similar quality.

Benjamin Sesko appeared to have settled it with a powerful header two minutes from time. United thought they were out. Everton were not. Debutant Ainsley Maitland-Niles stepped up and lashed a stunning shot into the top corner to snatch a point and gut the visitors.

Carrick: “Feels like a defeat”

Carrick did not hide his frustration when he faced the media afterwards.

“Yeah, we're disappointed, bitterly disappointed,” he said. “To be up in the position we were in, leading the game twice and so close to the end. And all of the work that went into putting us in that position at different stages, to then come away like that leaves us… yeah, it's not a great feeling.

“Feels like a defeat, bit of a cliché, the obvious thing to say at this stage, but we have taken a point and we can't ignore that, but it feels like we should have a lot more.”

United’s defending again came under scrutiny, with questions over whether the problem lay in mentality or coaching. Carrick pushed back at the idea his players lack the right mindset.

“The mentality is there,” he insisted. “I think there's obviously things we need to get better at as a team. That's two strikes from distance, really, two really good strikes from their point of view, so sometimes they fly in the top corner, and more often than not, they probably don't, so there's a little bit of that.

“But yeah, obviously we can't ignore it. We need to concede less goals to give us a better chance of winning games, but we'll certainly look at that and keep improving.

“Listen, I think that one strike from the edge, that goes in the top corner and changes the whole feeling, that few minutes. There's, obviously, when you look back, there'll be loads of little things that you can do a little bit differently, of course, but he's put it in the top corner from well outside the box, so sometimes it's one of those things.”

Rashford worry after standout display

Rashford had tormented the Everton back line for most of the night, stretching the game, driving at defenders and combining sharply down the left. His substitution for Patrick Dorgu raised eyebrows.

Carrick revealed the change was enforced.

“Yeah, he was feeling a bit of something,” the United boss said when asked why Rashford had been withdrawn.

That will concern United, especially given how sharp the forward has looked since returning.

“Yeah, he's done very well. As I said during the week, he's done ever so well since he came back,” Carrick added. “I thought he looked really sharp again today and dangerous.

“That final little moment didn't quite drop for him, but nevertheless, I thought he created really good opportunities, and there was a big threat throughout the game.”

Carrick was particularly pleased with the link-up between Rashford and Luke Shaw down the left flank, a long-standing partnership that again caused problems.

“I think you're trying to build those partnerships and combinations throughout the team, really, and they've played together for quite some time now and have an understanding. And it's obviously up to us to build the understandings and combinations all the time.

“I thought we had that quite a lot through the middle of the pitch today at certain times, I thought we played some really good football through the middle of the pitch and obviously Bryan [Mbeumo] got his goal on the right, Marcus and Luke were particularly dangerous down that side.”

“We’ll be fine”

Despite the dropped points and defensive questions, Carrick rejected the idea that United’s start to the season has been disastrous.

On the broader picture, he said: “We haven't started the season that bad, to be honest.

“Yeah, yeah, but it's not that bad, you know? We were a lot closer to coming away with three points today. That's football; there are moments that we can deal with a bit better, but we'll be fine.”

United do not have long to dwell on the late collapse. They are back at it on Thursday, when they host Sabah in their Champions League opener – with the mood, the momentum and now Rashford’s fitness all under the microscope.