Manchester United boss Michael Carrick spoke to the press after masterminding his side’s 3-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion and addressed a number of topics including the result, Bruno Fernandes’ future and the youngsters getting experience at the club.
United sign off in style
United wrapped up their 2025/26 Premier League campaign with a dominant victory against Brighton at the Amex Stadium.
Patrick Dorgu opened the scoring in the 32nd minute as he nodded home Bruno Fernandes’ corner-kick delivery. The assist was Fernandes’ 21st this term, which means he has surpassed Kevin De Bruyne and Thierry Henry to become the player with the most assists in a single Premier League season.
Bryan Mbeumo added a second for United with an easy tap-in just before half-time.
Fernandes scored almost immediately after the restart to extinguish any hopes the Seagulls may have harboured about mounting a comeback.
After the final whistle, Carrick spoke to reporters in his post-match conference and revealed that he expects Fernandes to stay despite some speculation over his future.
Carrick’s verdict
Asked about Fernandes, Carrick told the media, “He’s such an influence for us and he’s been the captain and led by example in different ways. I’ve got no reason to think otherwise. We’ve loved what he’s done and he loves being here. He wanted to stay on, he wants to stay on every single game, because he’s enjoying his football, which is fantastic.”
On the result, he explained, “Yeah, as you’d imagine, delighted, absolutely delighted in so many ways with today and particularly over the last two or three weeks, where our position is kind of cemented, we know where we’re at in the league, and it’s easy to drift and lose a bit momentum, lose a bit focus. We’ve treated it as it’s all one season going into the next one really, it’s not ended here, I think we wanted to keep building and pushing.”
“Credit to the players, it’s not easy that sometimes to do it, as much as we’d expect it and hope for it – I’ve been there – to find that spark. But the hunger was there, you could see it, and it was probably the toughest team to play that type of game, in the heat, the way they move the ball.”
“So it needed a really strong mentality, which I was absolutely delighted with because that’s the foundation we need to show and have to give us the confidence to move forward.”
Carrick was named permanent head coach on Friday after a superb run since his arrival as Ruben Amorim’s replacement.
He said about the extension, “It hasn’t changed. I’m delighted I’m here for longer really and to keep progressing. But it hasn’t been a big moment this week for us, we just keep pushing, keep working, I think we have done since the start, I’ve said it to you all along really.”
“There’s work to do, you have to keep improving, we want to be a little bit better, but it’s so, so encouraging doing it from this place. Sharing the moment again with the supporters at the end again is important for us because that’s why we’re here, that’s what drives us on, and getting younger players on the pitch and giving them opportunities is what we are at this club.”
“There were so many positives today and we can take that moving forward.”
The 44-year-old coach added, “I think it helps that I’ve been here for a long time and I’ve seen different levels of success, some ups and some downs, so I’ve seen it from all angles really. I don’t take it for granted and I don’t think that just makes the job easier or when I say it feels natural, again, I don’t take that for granted. I think it’s trying to make the best of the situation but I love doing it, I love doing it and I think we’ve got a good idea of how we want to move forward.”
“We’ve done some good work as a whole club and as a group. A lot of it is all I know, so I just keep trying to draw on those experiences and trying to shape it how we think and want it to look really.”
Asked whether the progress he has made this season can be carried forward to 2026/27, Carrick answered, “I think the biggest thing you can take from that is the confidence and the belief. Putting results together in this league is tough and a run is challenging, so I think that’s the biggest challenge. So I think that’s the biggest thing. Obviously, it’s a whole new start in many ways.”
“But you’ve still got to draw on the experiences of being here in the past and what it’s like, you always draw on those experiences and take the positives, and the boys have to. I think they need a lot of credit as well for how consistent they’ve been, different ways we’ve won the game and how strongly we are knitted, I think it’s really important for us to appreciate and that’s what gives me the encouragement and excitement moving forward that we’ve got a real strong foundation now to try to build on.”
On whether the success he has enjoyed can be viewed as the team laying down a marker for next season, he replied, “We generally didn’t treat it like that. It really hasn’t changed. I forgot that it was my first game since I’d been announced really because someone asked me about it before the game because we were just carrying on as normal. I just think it gives us confidence really and it gives the team confidence as much as anything, whether that has an effect on others, I don’t know.”
“But I think it’s for us to draw upon when you get together pre-season, the boys come back from the World Cup, knowing that we can trust each other, we can work together, we can give a bit extra for each other, and when you go through that, I think that’s quite powerful and we spoke about that as a group.”
“So, again, it’s a place to start from now moving forward, but it’s nice to be able to draw on all those emotions to give us that confidence.
He then said about the youngsters, “Yeah, it gives us confidence, without getting carried away and taking anything for granted – we’ve had a good spell – but I do think, again, experience, I keep repeating myself, but I think especially for the younger players, you can’t put a price on what a season or two in this league and playing for Manchester United, dealing with that and learning and then understanding what it takes to perform really and the boys have shown that.”
“Patrick especially, it was a massive setback for him at the time when he got injured, but the way he has just got on with it, is incredible to think he’s so young still. To come back like he did today is great. I have to say, I thought Mason in particular as well, coming playing in midfield, I’m delighted for him, I thought he did ever so well. And Kobbie just keeps improving all the time.”
United’s attention now shifts towards the transfer window, which is a massive one as they prepare to play in the Champions League and potentially mount a title challenge.
Featured image Steve Bardens via Getty Images
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