Michael Carrick’s early spell in charge has already been marked by frustration, and the latest setback has only intensified the scrutiny. A poor opening-day loss to Hull City set an uneasy tone, before victories over Ipswich Town and Sabah FK briefly offered relief. That improvement did not last long.

United’s collapse from 2-0 up at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday night pushed the situation to a new low. After the final whistle, Carrick admitted: “We’ve gone out of the cup tonight, and the feeling around the place feels bigger than that,” as the sense of unease around the club deepened further.

He was then booed off by the supporters who remained to see the end of a 3-2 defeat, although Carrick tried to lower the temperature. “I don’t feel under pressure,” he said. Even so, the schedule now offers little room for error. If United cannot find a response soon, the next few weeks could become increasingly uncomfortable for the manager.

The immediate chance to recover comes on Sunday with a visit to Fulham’s Craven Cottage. United then face Tottenham at Old Trafford before the fixtures turn quickly to Europe and back again, with Atlético Madrid away, Leeds away and Como away also on the list.

Carrick insisted there is still belief within the squad. “Of course we can turn it around, we have got some really good players,” he said. “It feels bad because we haven’t had a great week or two, or three weeks.”

Fulham, meanwhile, have also struggled. Álvaro Arbeloa has taken just one point from his first four Premier League matches, and his side have conceded heavily despite showing plenty of ambition in the final third. United will know this is a match that could swing either way, but they also know failure to win would make the international break feel much longer than it should.

Enzo Maresca has dismissed the backlash around Manchester City’s disputed derby winner, arguing that the reaction has taken attention away from his side’s display. The City manager said it was “quite poor” that the performance was being overlooked, while also pointing to a similar call that went against City in a 2023 derby.

The incident centred on Fernández, who went up to challenge for the ball and missed it, leaving Haaland onside from the original cross. The debate came down to the Argentine’s position in front of goal, with his movement affecting the reactions of others around him.

On Match Officials Mic’d Up, referee chief Howards Webb admitted the VAR focus narrowed too heavily on Haaland. “The VAR gets super focused on Haaland,” Webb said. “He establishes he’s onside, he thinks that’s a good goal. He doesn’t truly evaluate the full impact of Fernández’s position.”

City had already spent much of the match playing with 10 men after Phil Foden was sent off in the first half for tangling with Bruno Fernandes. That context, Maresca argued, mattered just as much as the disputed goal.

“Talking about one episode or one moment after that game when we played for 70-75 minutes with 10 players, I think it’s quite poor,” Maresca said on Wednesday, his first press conference since the officials publicly acknowledged the error on Sunday.

He also made clear that he believed the team’s display deserved recognition. “I think the performance was unbelievable, and I’m pleased with the performance.”

Maresca did not deny City benefited from a mistake, but framed it as part of the game rather than a special case.

“There is knowledge that there was a mistake and that’s all. Sometimes it goes for you, sometimes against you. It’s football,” he said.

To underline his argument, the new City boss referred back to January 2023, when United won a derby 2-1 after coming from behind. Bruno Fernandes scored the equaliser after an offside Marcus Rashford chased the ball without touching it, then left it for his teammate.

JJ Gabriel has spent months being spoken of as Manchester United’s next major academy talent, yet the 15-year-old now appears to be at the centre of a possible departure from Old Trafford.

His recent form has only reinforced that reputation. Last week, Gabriel struck a hat-trick against Sabah in a UEFA Youth League rout. He had already been named last season’s U-18 Premier League Player of the Year, despite being only 14 when the campaign began. He also became the youngest player to win the Jimmy Murphy Player of the Year award, the annual honour given to the club’s best U-18 player.

There have been encouraging numbers this season as well. In Premier League 2, Gabriel has recorded two goals and two assists in two matches, which led to expectations that he could at least make the bench for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup meeting with Brighton & Hove Albion. That, however, now seems unlikely, and there is concern that his future could lie away from the club entirely.

The uncertainty sharpened when all reference to Manchester United vanished from his Instagram account. Reports from beat reporters at The Athletic and BBC Sport say Gabriel has formally asked for his registration to be cancelled.

Because he is still too young to sign the two-year scholar deal that normally precedes a professional contract, a cancellation would immediately make him a free agent. United can still block the move, as cancelation requires agreement from the player, the parent or carer, and the club.

United are said to be shocked, though still hopeful that matters can be resolved. Chief executive Omar Berrada and sporting director Jason Wilcox are involved in that process. If there is no outcome, the Premier League may need to step in.

The exact cause remains unclear. BBC Sport refers to “issues in the relationship between the player’s family and United,” while The Athletic and Sky Sports suggest the frustration may centre on opportunities. Sky Sports adds that “part of the reasoning for Gabriel’s request to leave is over game time, both in preseason and since the season started.” There has been no issue with his attitude in training.

Given his age, that focus on minutes is unusual. But recent football has shifted expectations. Because he does not yet have the two-year history required for List B, Gabriel had to be included on List A to feature in the Champions League. Sky Sports also says “there is a feeling” from his side that others have been given better chances. Tynan Thompson, signed from Tottenham Hotspur’s academy in the summer, did make List A, although he has not yet been in a first-team squad.

United believe they have done enough to show a route to the first team. Gabriel trained with senior players at times over the past year and previously met former boss Ruben Amorim, before also being introduced to Sir Alex Ferguson. He was in and around first-team work for much of the last year, but was suddenly absent from the end of last week.

For now, United can point to other young players on the edge of involvement. Yet if Gabriel leaves and goes on to fulfil the obvious potential around him, it would be a significant miss.