“Didn’t look that way to me”: Carrick sharply disagrees with Matheus Cunha’s Fulham claim | OneFootball

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Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick has disagreed with Matheus Cunha’s assessment that the team lacked energy during the 1-1 draw with Fulham.

United’s miserable start to the season was extended as they salvaged a lucky point against Fulham at Craven Cottage.

The Red Devils were second-best for large parts of the game and rightly trailed just after the hour mark when Lisandro Martinez scored an own goal.

It looked like United were headed for a loss but Cunha saw a shock deflected home in the 89th minute to ensure the spoils were shared.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Carrick firmly refuted any claims that United were passive. He reiterated this in his press conference, even disagreeing with Cunha’s view of the performance.

Verdict

Asked for his thoughts on the display and the result, Carrick told reporters, “I’m disappointed we didn’t win the game. We came to win it, we did a lot in the game to warrant winning and their goalkeeper is probably Man of the Match with the saves he has made. We hit the post a couple of times and we should have been ahead in the game.”

“Their goal comes from what it comes from, and the response after that I was really pleased with. It came late, but the boys did well – kept the ideas, and kept their patience. We’ve got something from it. We finish with a positive, so it’s a small step forward for us.”

“But without getting carried away, as we came here to get three points, it is something to build on going forward.”

On a challenging few weeks, Carrick remarked, “It’s not been ideal. It was always going to come at some point. We’re looking at it and think; Everton, a 25-yard shot into the top corner, the Man City goal is not a goal and, today, we see that own goal. One of them things, but they are pretty fine margins.”

“They are things that have flipped it. I know we can do better, we need to do better at certain things but at the same time I’m not despondent because we have shown some good signs as well.”

Asked about Cunha saying that Fulham had more energy, Carrick answered, “I don’t think the way we finished the game lacked energy, it didn’t look that way to me. I was really happy with the way we finished the game, we looked really strong and we were pushing. I don’t think that’s an issue.”

He continued, “It’s a big thing [finishing the game]. Without getting carried away with it, we have taken a point when we wanted to win, but it’s part of the learning as a group. It’s the first time that we’ve had a spell when results haven’t gone to plan. You learn about each other.”

“They learn about me, and I learn about them – individually and as a team. We learn about how we respond and what you have to go through. It’s part of growing as a group. You have to go through certain things to get to the end of it. It could have gone in a different direction today, but I was so pleased with their response.”

“That will help us. It’s in there, the lads have felt it and I have seen it. It’s really encouraging moving forward.”

Kobbie Mainoo substitution

Boos rang out around the ground when Mainoo was withdrawn, the supporters making their feelings on the substitution abundantly clear.

Carrick said about this, “There’s always going to be certain reactions when you make changes. Kobbie played well, but we were at the stage of the game where we needed to try to make something happen. Kobbie understands that, I spoke to him after the game about it and he is absolutely fine.”

“He’s all about the team and what’s for the best. Everyone’s a little bit emotional and the supporters are too, they are desperate for us to do the right thing. I don’t take any offence to it [the booing] we just try and keep doing the right things to get back into the game.”

“The support was unbelievable, right the way through. They stuck with the boys and at least we gave them something small to take away from it. I’m sure there’s more to come.”

On whether he feels the fans have become a bit deflated amid the run of poor performances and results, Carrick explained, “It’s still a big season ahead. It’s still a long season. You are going to have these spells in a season, it is part of the journey. It’s not a sprint, it’s a long effort. I’m not playing it down, we wanted more points, I’m not saying everything is great.”

“I understand the frustration, but deflation is not what we have as a club and as a group. They didn’t show that on the pitch today.”

Striker mistake?

It was put to Carrick that United may have erred in not signing a striker last summer, given Benjamin Sesko’s injury.

The United boss pointed out, “I think that just because you get setbacks in certain positions, you can’t sign a player for cover in every one. We’re not sure with Ben yet, he felt some pain after the [Brighton] game and we are assessing him at the moment.”

“He definitely wasn’t ready for today. I haven’t got any more news to give you, just that he felt pain on his shin.”

United are next in action on October 10 when they face Tottenham Hotspur.