Carrick Refuses to Sugarcoat It: 'No Excuses' After Amorim's Milan Expose Man United's Weaknesses

Michael Carrick isn't reaching for the alibi book.

After watching his Manchester United side throw away the lead twice and fall 4-2 to AC Milan in Wroclaw, the Red Devils boss kept it brutally simple: “No excuses. We just didn't play very well today.”

The defeat was United's second in six preseason outings, but the manner of it stung. This wasn't just another friendly — this was Ruben Amorim, the man who once walked the Old Trafford touchline, coming back to remind everyone what he can do. And his AC Milan side took full advantage.

Fast start, familiar collapse

Harry Maguire headed United in front inside the first two minutes. Then Samuel Chukwueze answered for Milan. Patrick Dorgu restored United's lead in the second half, but the wheels came off in a blink: Alphadjo Cissè, Gonçalo Ramos and Ruben Loftus-Cheek all scored in quick succession to flip the script and hand Carrick's men a harsh reality check.

“We're disappointed with today,” Carrick told MUTV. “We didn't play well today, so there are reasons for that. In some ways, we need to learn from it, we need to improve. A lot of the boys will be better for the minutes.”

Rashford returns

There was one bright spot: Marcus Rashford pulled on a United shirt for the first time since December 2024, introduced just past the hour mark after his loan at Barcelona wrapped up. Six changes followed, but even Rashford's comeback couldn't spark a late revival.

Carrick insists the squad has depth and “decisions to be made” before the real business starts. United open their Premier League campaign on Aug. 22 against newly promoted Hull. If they serve up another 90 minutes like this, the excuses won't fly then either.