As Michael Carrick reflects on his time at Manchester United, he recognizes the team's ongoing struggles with defensive consistency, particularly during away matches against Everton. The recent 2-2 draw at Hill Dickinson Stadium highlighted a troubling trend: United has conceded two goals in every match this season, a stark contrast to last year's performance against similar opponents.

• In this season's fixtures, United faced teams like Hull and Ipswich, both relegated from the Premier League last year.
• In comparison, they only allowed two goals in total during equivalent fixtures last season.

Carrick acknowledged the quality of Everton's goals, noting the spectacular strikes from Tyrique George and Ainsley Maitland-Niles. However, he emphasized the necessity for improvement, stating, "We need to concede less goals to give us a better chance of winning games."

The statistics reveal a concerning trend: Everton registered 18 shots, with six on target, putting United among the teams allowing the most shots on goal in the league. Despite Senne Lammens performing well in goal, the defensive frailties remain evident.

Recruitment has focused on attacking and midfield players, leaving the defense neglected. The same back four—comprised of Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire, and Diogo Dalot—has been fielded since the start of Erik ten Hag's reign, raising questions about their sharpness and age.

As the season progresses, Carrick faces pressure to address these defensive issues. With Carlos Baleba yet to return from injury and key players like Casemiro missing, the need for a cohesive defensive strategy becomes critical. With 20 league games under his belt, Carrick's record shows that United has conceded two goals in half of them, a statistic that poses a significant challenge moving forward.