Carrick: We cannot accept this result, it's entirely my responsibility

After Manchester United lost 2-3 at home to Brighton in the EFL Cup third round and were eliminated, manager Michael Carrick was interviewed by Sky Sports.

Michael, it's fair to say that for the first 12 minutes, you were completely in control with a 2-0 lead, but can you believe what happened after that?

No, obviously. The start and the end of the game were completely different. It didn't feel like the same game at all, and emotionally, it was worlds apart. We had the game exactly where we wanted it, but then we let the victory slip away in an extremely serious manner. That's the story of the whole game.

What do you think caused this to happen?

I think there are many reasons, many details we need to go back and review carefully. I know quite clearly what the problem is, but as a team, we cannot accept this result—we absolutely cannot. I take full responsibility. The overall performance in the second half is entirely on me. We all have to do better; the whole team has to improve.

We have a crucial game on Sunday away at Fulham that we need to fully prepare for. We've been eliminated from this competition and must get back to winning. I have to say, this feeling right now is terrible. But we have the ability to get back on the winning track, and we must do better in many aspects.

Does this make Sunday's game even more crucial, especially with the international break ahead?

We want to win, and we want to win as soon as possible. It's that simple. The next game is Sunday, so that's the only thing on my mind right now.

I know emotions are running high. This is very direct and very cruel—another defeat. It's been a long time since you last lost at Old Trafford after being two goals up. When you said you knew what the problem was, can you give us some insight?

No, we will improve in many aspects.

One positive tonight was Shea Lacey scoring. Many people will remember where they were when that happened. Can you talk about him and his impact? You mentioned earlier that you were really looking forward to seeing him play.

Yes, as a young player—and he is so young—you can't ask for more from Shea. This is what he does well. He's always performed like this in the youth teams at every age group; I've seen it many times myself. For him to play on this big stage and perform like this is undoubtedly a huge highlight.

It was a great moment during that period of the game. His overall performance throughout was quite good, so he can be satisfied with how he played tonight. For him and his career, it's a big night. His performance and that goal are a huge positive for him.

I know you have a lot to deal with right now, but regarding Jadon Sancho and the rumors that have circulated about him in the past 24 hours, how do you feel about what's happening?

I think we need to be very careful on this topic. He's just a teenager, and this is about protecting his wellbeing and care. He's still a young lad, and we must be measured and cautious about media overexposure and hype.

Michael, I know you must have heard the boos from the fans at the final whistle. Did you feel it?

It's very obvious, isn't it? Yes, I completely understand how the fans feel. We have to accept it, and I fully accept it. Ultimately, it's all my responsibility. As a team, how we present ourselves on the pitch, how we play, what results we achieve—I accept it all. When you get praised, you accept praise, so now I must stand here and accept everyone's criticism and disappointment. I fully understand the fans' feelings about the direction and outcome of tonight's game. Yes, we must get back to winning.

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