“Come on, that’s silly” – Michael Carrick wasn’t happy with the interview question after Man Utd lost to Hull.
Michael Carrick wasn’t happy when a reporter suggested that his Manchester United team showed a “lack of passion” in the first half of their 2-0 loss to Hull City.
United had a tough start to the new Premier League season on Saturday, as Hull, who just moved up to the Premier League, scored early goals from Semi Ajayi and Nobel Mendy to secure the win.
The visiting team struggled to keep up with Hull’s energy and didn’t create much going forward, even with players like Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbuemo on the field. Defensively, they were weak too, losing most of their battles and headers in a slow and tired first half.
After the game, head coach Michael Carrick spoke with Viaplay reporter Jan Age Fjørtoft, who used to play for several English clubs. Fjørtoft asked if Carrick agreed about the team lacking passion in the first half.
Carrick quickly replied, “Oh, come on, that’s ridiculous.” When Fjørtoft pressed further, Carrick said, “You play football, you know that’s a silly thing to say. Just because you lose, it doesn’t mean you don’t care.”
Fjørtoft said he wasn’t doubting their care, but thought Hull showed more passion. Carrick responded, “No, their two goals came from set pieces. We had chances too. It wasn’t about passion; it was about their key moments making the difference.”
After the match, Bruno Fernandes spoke about how United made the “same mistakes” away from home as last season. The team only won seven away games in 2025-26, drew eight, and lost four.
Fernandes said, “We gave them too much of the ball, especially in the first 20 minutes. The Hull goalkeeper had the most touches at the start.” He added, “We need to press more and play with more aggression.”
On Match of the Day, former United striker Wayne Rooney shared his thoughts on Fernandes’ comments.
He said, “It’s a strange thing for Bruno to say. Since Michael took over, United finished third and got into the Champions League. To keep improving, they need to become a team that others fear playing against.”