Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has acknowledged serious issues with his team's defensive play at the start of the season. The Red Devils are conceding too many goals, but the manager urges not to place all the blame solely on the defence and goalkeeper.
The coach was candid about the need for a collective effort to rectify the mistakes:
Yes, this is clearly not the start we were hoping for. We need to improve, there's no doubt about it. But it has to be a team effort, collectively. It’s not just down to the defenders or the goalkeeper—this is a shared responsibility. We definitely need to get better.
When asked about the performances of young centre-backs Leni Yoro and Aidan Haven, who faced criticism following a recent defeat, Carrick firmly rejected the idea of scapegoating the young players:
In my view, they started the match quite well. The whole team got into the game strongly, so it’s not just about them personally. They will learn valuable lessons from this experience. The boys are doing really well, they're in good form, and both have bright futures ahead. Football is full of ups and downs; sometimes errors teach you more than victories. I certainly wouldn’t isolate them and place the blame for that evening solely on their shoulders.
