Former Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea offered words of encouragement to Michael Carrick following United’s 2-0 defeat to Hull City on Saturday. Carrick was appointed to the United managerial role on a permanent basis at the end of the previous campaign after taking over from Ruben Amorim in January on a temporary basis.
However, the newly-installed manager was unable to prevent his side from suffering a damaging opening day loss to the Premier League newcomers. United were strongly expected to win but Hull secured a two-goal advantage before the break through efforts by Semi Ajayi and Nobel Mendy.
The atmosphere at Old Trafford has naturally sourred given the uninspiring nature of United’s surprising loss at the MKM Stadium. Yet no one comprehends the pressures of representing United better than the seasoned De Gea.
Taking to X, he wrote that it is not how it starts but how it ends, reminding Carrick that the Premier League campaign is lengthy while demonstrating that the Spanish goalkeeper continues to monitor United’s fortunes closely.
De Gea became a legend at Old Trafford. The 35-year-old claimed the Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup during his time under Sir Alex Ferguson, cementing his status as one of the world’s top goalkeepers.
After spending 12 years in Manchester, he departed in July 2023 and remained without a club throughout the 2023/24 season before signing for Serie A club Fiorentina.
De Gea has spoken warmly about his time at Old Trafford. He described Sir Alex as a father figure and has stated that every fixture at United was unique.
Carrick expressed deep frustration with United’s opening day reverse. He said they had travelled with the intention of winning as they always do, and that failing to take anything from the match was deeply disappointing. He acknowledged it was simply one match they were disappointed not to have won, and they needed to absorb the result and respond more strongly. He noted it was not the moment for detailed analysis, and pointed out they had generally been strong at defending set-pieces over an extended period. He accepted that Hull had scored in different ways on this occasion, which explained why it had drawn attention, but stated such things sometimes happen in football and they do not accept it, yet it occurs and they must understand why. He noted they had not lost many matches over six or seven months, so while he understood questions would be asked after this defeat, it did not mean everything was wrong simply because they had lost one game. He stressed they needed to find solutions while making clear that one defeat did not mean everything required detailed examination or was fundamentally flawed from their perspective, though he understood others might feel differently.
United and Carrick will have the opportunity to secure their first three points when they welcome Ipswich Town to Old Trafford on Sunday, August 30.