Michael Carrick insists “one game doesn’t change the direction of everything” at Manchester United after they were stunned by Hull City in their Premier League opener.
United conceded two first-half goals as they suffered a 2-0 loss to Hull on Saturday – their first-ever defeat to the Tigers in the competition.
Semi Ajayi fired in the rebound of a corner – after Senne Lammens made a superb save to keep out Oli McBurnie’s effort – while Nobel Mendy headed in a free-kick.
United have lost their opening Premier League game in four of the last seven seasons (W3), while it is the first time in their league history they have lost to a newly promoted side on MD1 (P14, W10 D3 L1).
They have also now failed to score on MD1 in back-to-back seasons in the competition despite having a combined 43 shots across those two matches (22 against Arsenal in 2025 and 21 against Hull).
But Carrick, who oversaw a largely positive pre-season ahead of his first full campaign in permanent charge, is not panicking despite their early setback.
“We have a bit to improve on; it was never going to be perfect,” Carrick told TNT Sports.
“Going behind makes it more difficult, against a promoted team at home, we can’t give them much, and they had opportunities; we’re disappointed, but it won’t knock us.
Defeat in our opening game.
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 22, 2026
“It’s for us to improve during the week and keep getting stronger as a group, and we have a lot to learn from it.
“Two goals is frustrating anyway; they decide the game, and there’s things to improve on. One game doesn’t change the direction of everything. It doesn’t change the direction of the football club.”
Since Carrick’s first game back in charge of United, only four teams have conceded more Premier League goals from corners than the Red Devils (six).
They were all at sea for the corner that led to the first goal, while Regan Slater’s delivery from the free-kick that led to the second took United’s defenders out of the game.
“We know in the Premier League these types of away grounds are difficult to play against,” Bruno Fernandes told TNT Sports.
“You need to match their intensity and aggression. The two set pieces ended up costing us the game.
“We understand the frustration; every season at the start we want to compete and win every game, but we need the fans on our side, and to believe in ourselves.”
