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Manchester United sensationally crashed out of the League Cup to Brighton (3-2), having led 2-0. Under fire from the press and facing potential rotation, Michael Carrick's position is precarious with Dalot, Mazraoui, Darlow, and Heaven all at risk.

Manchester United suffered yet another catastrophic defeat in the League Cup, losing 3-2 to Brighton at home. Having taken a two-goal lead in just the first ten minutes thanks to goals from Shea Lacey and Mason Mount, Michael Carrick's side capitulated, conceding three times and crashing out of the tournament at the first hurdle.

This debacle has ramped up the pressure on Carrick ahead of their Premier League clash against Fulham on Sunday. Four players from the defensive unit are now under the spotlight and could find themselves dropped:

  • Aiden Heaven. The 20-year-old centre-back appeared completely lost throughout the match. He made a critical positional error leading to the first goal, faltered in basic clearances, and found himself inviting attacks on his own goal. If he doesn’t toughen up and show more composure, Carrick may well turn to the more experienced heads of Harry Maguire or Lisandro Martinez for the trip to Craven Cottage.
  • Nusayr Mazraoui. The Moroccan full-back had a nightmare evening on the left flank. After suffering a painful knock in the opening exchanges, he repeatedly allowed opponents to beat him with dribbles. The decisive winning goal from Brighton came specifically down his side.
  • Karl Darlow. The goalkeeper's debut for the club turned into a horror show. He hesitated in coming off his line for the first goal and exhibited a lack of confidence for the other goals conceded. Following such a disastrous outing, the chances of him starting against Fulham appear slim; Senne Lammens is likely to take up the gloves.
  • Diogo Dalot. The Portuguese defender, who has been under heavy scrutiny since the Manchester derby, lost pace once again and was largely anonymous in the opponent's half. He failed to stem his rivals' attacking momentum when the initial advantage of the Red Devils slipped away.

While Carrick took responsibility for the exit, it’s now down to these players to rectify the situation and fight for their places in the starting XI.