Carrick insists Manchester United's four-point start is not as bad as it looks

Michael Carrick refused to accept the narrative that Manchester United have made a disappointing start to the Premier League season, despite his side dropping points in two of their first three fixtures and taking just four points from a favourable opening run of fixtures.

United drew 2-2 at Everton on Saturday, surrendering the lead twice in the closing stages. Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko had put United ahead on separate occasions, but Tyrique George and a stunning late strike from Ainsley Maitland-Niles — scored in the final minute of injury time — earned the hosts a share of the spoils. The result followed an opening-day 2-0 defeat at Hull City, though United did thrash Ipswich 5-2 at Old Trafford in between.

Carrick’s fixture list had been considered kind at the outset, with two newly-promoted sides among the first three opponents and Everton in disarray following a turbulent end to their transfer window. Yet when asked after the Everton draw why United had not replicated the form they showed in the second half of last season, the head coach rejected the premise of the question.

“We haven’t started the season that bad, to be honest,” Carrick said. When it was put to him that four points from three games likely fell short of expectations, he remained firm. “It’s not that bad, you know. We were that close to coming away with three points today. That’s football, little moments that we can deal with a bit better, but we’ll be fine.”

United had been leading 2-1 with seven minutes remaining before Sesko restored their advantage with two minutes to play, only for Maitland-Niles to deny them all three points in stoppage time.

“We’re disappointed, bitterly disappointed to be in the position we were in the game twice, so close to the end,” Carrick added. “All 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, so it feels like a defeat.”

Carrick acknowledged the point had to be taken at face value, even if the mood in the camp suggested otherwise. “It’s a bit of a cliché, it’s the obvious thing to say at this stage, but we have taken a point. We can’t ignore that, but it feels that we should have had a lot more.”