In a tumultuous four-day stretch, Manchester United faced a series of setbacks, culminating in their exit from the Carabao Cup at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion. After starting strong, going 2-0 up, United capitulated, allowing Brighton to stage a remarkable comeback.

Marcus Rashford had a chance to extend the lead to 3-3 but squandered it, hitting Jason Steele instead of the net. As desperation set in, Matheus Cunha joined Bruno Fernandes as a late substitute, but Brighton refused to let the opportunity slip away. They found the equalizer through Maxim De Cuyper in the 69th minute, sealing the victory.

Michael Carrick, under pressure after only securing four points from twelve in the league, faces a must-win against Fulham on Sunday to salvage a dismal start to the season. Carrick expressed hope that the recent injustice against Manchester City could provide motivation for his squad.

Shea Lacey, making his full debut, opened the scoring with a stunning goal in the 7th minute, followed by Mason Mount, who doubled the lead shortly after. However, Brighton, who had previously shown resilience in their league campaign, came alive with a goal from Charalampos Kostoulas and then a second from Pascal Gross, leading to De Cuyper's winner.

Despite controlling possession, United struggled to convert chances, with Diogo Dalot’s clearance leading to Brighton's decisive moment. Carrick's side, having exited both cup competitions early last season, needs to regroup quickly to avoid further embarrassment.