Overview
- United surrendered a 2-0 lead and lost 3-2 to Brighton at Old Trafford on Sept 16, provoking loud boos from supporters and marking the first time since 1976 the club lost at home after leading by two goals.
- The team have won only one of their first four Premier League matches and sit in the lower half of the table, making Sunday’s visit to Fulham a key chance to arrest a poor start.
- Michael Carrick has publicly accepted responsibility for results and called talk of his immediate dismissal 'ridiculous', saying his focus is on finding solutions and getting wins quickly.
- Carrick’s squad for Craven Cottage includes possible returns for Carlos Baleba, Luke Shaw and Matthijs de Ligt while striker Benjamin Sesko is absent from the travelling group with an unspecified issue.
- A separate development has seen 15‑year‑old academy forward JJ Gabriel ask to cancel his registration, a developing story the club plans to address privately, and the international break that follows Fulham gives added weight to the result’s short‑term consequences.