Familiar questions for Man Utd, now Carrick must find answers

For the third time in less than 10 months, Manchester United have been beaten by opponents reduced to 10 men before half-time.

While the arguments raging around the 1-0 home defeat by Manchester City have centred around the official apology from Pro Ref to United for what they say was "an error of judgement" around Erling Haaland's matchwinner, the inquest will go much deeper at the club's Carrington training ground.

After pushing back on the idea four points from three games wasn't a great start at Everton last weekend, head coach Michael Carrick now accepts "there is no getting away" from the fact four points from four games is below expectations.

One win, at home to newly-promoted Ipswich, means so many questions - around recruitment, team selection, substitutions, tactics and Carrick himself - will now start to be asked ahead of a huge week.

"We don't need a break or a restart," said Carrick. "We've just got to move on and get winning again."

United entertain Brighton in the Carabao Cup on 16 September, before a trip to Fulham four days later.

If nothing else, Carrick needs his side to deliver to prevent a new three-week international break being filled with external inquests around what is going wrong at Old Trafford.

Speaking in his press conference after the game, new City boss Enzo Maresca accepted Phil Foden's red card made the game more difficult for his side.